Email Author Simone Wilson

Awards

• 2011 - Southern California Journalism Awards/LA Press Club, published December 16, 2010

  "Culture of Cruelty"

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2012 Stories by Simone Wilson

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  FEATURED STORY

  CSU to Vote on Presidential Pay Raise, One Week Into Student Hunger Strike

  published May 08, 2012

  Awkward timing: Almost one week into a student hunger strike across the California State University system, in which 12 students are drinking only vegetable juice until CSU presidents lose their "hous... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Skyy Fisher Will Not Be Fired From Compton School Board for Offensive Comments; He'll Have to Be Recalled by Voters

  published May 04, 2012

  Updated at the bottom: Fisher requests a three-month leave of absence, saying he needs to focus on his "health and personal wellbeing." The board accepts, but local civil-rights leaders (and L.A. porn... More >>

• T-Mobile to Hide Cellphone Tower Inside Quaint Burbank Chapel

  published May 04, 2012

  Don't let the lovely "cupola" being built atop the Little White Chapel in Burbank fool you: T-Mobile plans to fill it with robot guts. The Burbank City Planning Board just approved T-Mobile's wireles... More >>

• The Best Comeback to 'L.A. Is a Heavenly Place,' CNN's Embarrassing Love Note to Los Angeles

  published May 04, 2012

  We're tickled, of course, that CNN thinks "L.A. Is a Heavenly Place." We do, too! But as so many L.A.-ophiles discovered upon actually reading the meat of the article, writer Jennifer Wolfe thinks of... More >>

• USC Hosts Weekend Seminar to Educate Current Politicians on Ethics, Transparency; L.A. Mayor Attends Kentucky Derby Instead

  published May 04, 2012

  The University of Southern California isn't just for strapping young scholars anymore. Today and tomorrow, the USC Price School of Public Policy begins an ongoing series of classes that will school cu... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  LAUSD Has Dug Up 500 Cases of Unreported Teacher Misconduct Since Miramonte Scandal

  published May 03, 2012

  Back in February, after the world found out what Miramonte Elementary School teacher Mark Berndt had allegedly been feeding his blindfolded third-graders (hint: his semen), the Los Angeles Unified Sch... More >>

• Venice's Own 'Skid Rose' Homeless Camp at 3rd Slowly Being Flushed by City Officials

  published May 03, 2012

  Ever since the LAPD started enforcing a strict curfew along the Venice boardwalk, the homeless hangout on 3rd street (located a few blocks inland) has blossomed into a bona fied bum party. The stretc... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  CSU Hunger Strike: Northridge Students Won't Eat Until Admin Freezes Tuition, Cuts Own Pay

  published May 03, 2012

  They've been warning administrators since last Friday that they'd do it, and the moment of truth has arrived: Four brave students from Cal State Northridge began their hunger strike against rising tu... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  ICE Agent Myron Chisem Shot at Home in Carson; 14-Year-Old Son Arrested for Murder

  published May 03, 2012

  Update: Headline has been changed to include the victim's name, Myron Chisem, as provided to the Associated Press by his "friend," Shawn Butler. The same friend tells KPCC that the suspected shooter "... More >>

• Sesame Street Meets Graffiti in 10 Awesome Artworks by L.A.'s Seventh Letter Crew

  published May 03, 2012

  There was always something remotely hip-hop about Sesame Street. Elmo, Big Bird, the Count, Oscar the Grouch -- especially Oscar the Grouch -- looked like they'd really seen some shit in their eterna... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Skyy Fisher, Compton School Board Member, Calls Superintendent a 'Bitch' and Trayvon Martin a 'Faggot' (VIDEO)

  published May 02, 2012

  Update: "Skyy Fisher Will Not Be Fired From Compton School Board for Offensive Comments; He'll Have to Be Recalled by Voters." Could the Compton Unified School District get any sleazierr A concerned... More >>

• Downtown L.A.'s Awesome New Civic Park May Be Designed to Keep Occupiers Out

  published May 02, 2012

  Update: From the start, Civic Park has been more of an expensive tourist draw (and cement carpet) than a people's hangout. See LA Weekly print stories "Funny Math on Downtown L.A. Civic Park" and "Los... More >>

• Occupy L.A. Survey: Highly Educated White Males Are Most Supportive of Movement

  published May 02, 2012

  The classic conservative sneer about Occupy Wall Street (and its L.A. faction) is that the protester base is primarily white hipsters/hippies too lazy to get a job. And a new survey out of Loyola Mar... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  DWP Supervisor Arrested for DUI After Allegedly Swigging Vodka in City Truck, Crashing Into Parked Cars

  published May 02, 2012

  Isaac Chavez, a supervisor at the L.A. Department of Water and Power, was arrested on April 25 in Van Nuys for drinking and driving on the job. But unlike those other DWP deadbeats famously arrested ... More >>

• Andrew Breitbart's Fans Think His Coroner Was Suspiciously Poisoned to Death

  published Apr 30, 2012

  And the mother of all conspiracy theories hits the rightblogosphere: Fans of the late Andrew Breitbart are speculating as to why a forensic technician from the L.A. County Coroner's Office would sudd... More >>

• Jamiel Shaw, L.A. Football Star, Murdered Over His Spider-Man Backpack, Says D.A.; Shaw's Gang Affiliation Won't Factor Into Trial

  published Apr 30, 2012

  The trial for Pedro Espinoza, illegal immigrant accused of murdering 17-year-old footballer Jamiel Shaw Jr. in March 2008, finally got underway today. It's been highly politicized thus far -- delayed... More >>

• Occupy L.A. Is Planning Insane, Captain Planet-Esque 'Four Winds' Protest for May Day

  published Apr 30, 2012

  With their powers combined, "cars and bikes, occupiers and unions, community orgs and organic communities" will be descending upon the downtown L.A. financial district from all sides this May Day. ... More >>

• Supreme Court: L.A. Sheriff Lee Baca Can Be Held Responsible for Jail Violence on His Watch

  published Apr 30, 2012

  Like the "Teflon Sheriff" he is, Lee Baca has been doing his darndest to slip his good name off an inmate-stabbing lawsuit that names Baca as a defendant. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals turned him ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Katie Wilkins, 25-Year-Old Graphic Designer, Found Dead in Malibu Garage; BMW Missing

  published Apr 30, 2012

  Update: "Katie Wilkins May Have Overdosed on Heroin With Chris Benton, Pepperdine President's Son." A young graphic designer described by her father as "well-liked" was found dead in the garage of he... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  L.A. Riots: 5 Most Disturbing Videos on YouTube

  published Apr 27, 2012

  While we were talking to LA Weekly photographer Ted Soqui about his coverage of the L.A. Riots, he mentioned that he'd only recently realized how much riot footage was up on YouTube. "I didn't get to... More >>

• L.A. Metro Unveils New Expo Line, Approves Billions More in Rail; Gadfly in Obama Mask Isn't Happy

  published Apr 27, 2012

  The inimitable John Walsh, L.A.'s favorite gadfly (unless you work at City Hall), will show up to protest the triumphant Expo Line opening at USC today, where the train will reportedly break through a... More >>

• From the Archives: LA Weekly's Original Coverage of the L.A. Riots May Surprise You

  published Apr 27, 2012

  This week's print edition of LA Weekly is a "Then and Now" retrospective on the L.A. Riots -- a seven-page dive into the scenes of destruction across Los Angeles 20 years ago, and the state those plac... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Michael Cormier, Forensic Technician for L.A. County Coroner, Dies Under 'Suspicious Circumstances'

  published Apr 27, 2012

  The L.A. County Department of Coroner is a crazy place. Employees at the old, haunted-house-looking office -- including sentence-servers like Lindsay Lohan -- see a flurry of celebrity overdoses and t... More >>

• You Can Buy an 'I Survived the L.A. Riots' Shirt for $200 on eBay

  published Apr 26, 2012

  Can't get enough of the L.A. Riots' (completely oversaturated) 20th birthday coverager This hot-ticket eBay T-shirt might be just thing. "I Survived the L.A. Riots," it reads across the front, with a... More >>

• L.A. Sheriff's Deputy Manuel Perallon Allegedly Sexed Up 16-Year-Old Girl in 'Explorer' Program

  published Apr 26, 2012

  Of all places you'd hope your kid would be safe, the sheriff's youth "Explorer" program (available in many counties around SoCal, including L.A. County) might be pretty high on the list. A whole room ... More >>