Industrials Sector

Santa Monica Airport Is Dangerous, Rep. Waxman Says

Santa Monica Airport wasn't really built for jets. But the airport's location on the moneyed Westside has made it a hub for billionaires and Hollywood elites who rock multimillion-dollar private aircraft. See also: Fiery Crash at Santa Monica Airport. It's been a sore spot for neighbors wary of mu ... More >>

Fiery Crash at Santa Monica Aiport

Updated at the bottom: The plane is connected to an area real estate firm. A firefighter indicated there are no survivors. First posted at 8:25 p.m. A twin-engine Cessna Citation crashed at Santa Monica Airport tonight, FAA spokesman Ian Gregor told LA Weekly. The plane was landing when it went of ... More >>

Eric Garcetti Muzzles Taxi Czar Who Criticized Uber

When it comes to Uber, Tom Drischler does not mince words. The smartphone app that allows users to hail towncars moved into L.A. last year, disrupting the traditional model of taxi service.Drischler, the city's taxi administrator, believed Uber and its competitors Lyft and Sidecar were brazenly viol ... More >>

Cabbies Push Back Against Uber and Lyft

Stuck in a tightly regulated profession, taxi drivers are chafing at rideshare apps' success

Taxi Fights and Fame Whores: Readers Respond

Ride-Sharing Apps Fight Back

Cab companies are using their muscle at City Hall, but Uber, Lyft and Sidecar have the momentum

The Postal Service - Greek Theatre - 7/23/13

The Postal Service Greek Theatre 7/23/13 What were you doing in 2003? It was a question that seemed to be on the minds of many folks in attendance last night during the Postal Service's show at the Greek Theatre. The indie supergroup -- Ben Gibbard, Jimmy Tambarello and Jenny Lewis, -- became famou ... More >>

Ride App Services Told to Shut Down in L.A.

See also: *Keep Lyft, Uber, Sidecar Apps in L.A., Change.org Petition Says. *Drivers For Ride Apps Face Arrest in L.A. How can ride-app outfits like Lyft, Uber and Sidecar operate in a town with strict rules about how and where taxis can do business? It's a question we've been asking here at L.A. ... More >>

L.A. Billboards Call Out Air France for its Monkey Business

Air France is under fire for transporting monkeys and other primates to what could be their last destinations -- small cages housing them in between scientific experiments. That's the claim of L.A.-based Last Chance for Animals (LCA), which recently announced it has put up not one but two billboard ... More >>

L.A. Is Dog-Bite Capital for Postal Workers

Among our many fine distinctions -- smog capital, traffic capital, douche capital -- is a new one: The U.S. Postal Service this week ranked Los Angeles No. 1 among big cities where carriers are attacked by dogs. The USPS released the list of top dog-attack cities, based on the number of incidents, ... More >>

Toxic Train or Green Railway? L.A. Harbor Neighbors, Environmentalists and Long Beach Officials Fight Los Angeles

By Christina Schoellkopf The job-creating $500 million Burlington Northern Santa Fe railway plan is heading to the Los Angeles City Council for a vote on the Environmental Impact Report even as a top environmental group says working-class families and children in polluted Wilmington will be subject ... More >>

Daniel Villasenor: Postal Worker Chokes 11-Year-Old Girl At Eastside Park, Cops Say

Updated at the bottom with the U.S. Postal Service launching it's own investigation. Also, charges have been filed. First posted at 6:09 a.m. Vying to prove that postal workers are well-adjusted, mellow human beings, a mailman in Commerce was unsuccessful. Allegedly. Cops say 55-year-old Daniel Vi ... More >>

Environmental Clean-Up Firms to Wipe Up After Carmen Trutanich's Broken Campaign Pledge

Remember Carmen Trutanich's "pledge to serve"? This is a story that refuses to die. Back in 2008, when he was first running for city attorney, Trutanich vowed to serve two terms and not to seek higher office. If he ever broke his word, he said, he would give $100,000 to the L.A.'s Best after-school ... More >>

California Bullet Train to Nowhere Gets $6 Billion Via State Lawmakers

California's bullet train dreams have had a nightmare of a year, including lagging public support and a need for billions in a bad economy. But supporters eked out a dreamy victory today: The state Senate approved an $8 billion package to fund the first leg of the train (from nowhere to nowhere):

California Bullet Train's Promise of Jobs is Overstated, Says UCLA

That $100 billion publicly financed bullet train that would connect Angelenos to the Bay Area for the low, low one-way price of $120 (more, in some cases, than airfare) has more problems than Jay-Z. We reported recently that Golden State voters no longer support the thing: You seem to think buildin ... More >>

DesertXpress: High-Speed Train Will Run From Vegas to Palmdale, Serve Booze

A high-speed rail from SoCal to Vegas is every party girl and businessman's dream, obviously. But up until now, DesertXpress Enterprises' proposed route, nicknamed the "bridge to nowhere," has been laughable. That's because it ended in freaking Victorville -- a creepy desert trucker-stop of a city ... More >>

[Updated:] Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive: This Saturday

Update: 5/14 3:52 p.m. Did opportunistic thieves help themselves to some of the Stamp Out Hunger donations in Los Angeles? Unfortunately, yes. There were isolated reports on Saturday of unofficial vehicles driving down streets and taking off with the food bags, which were intended to be donations fo ... More >>

I Wish Review

Hirokazu Koreeda's latest

Amtrak's Ancestors: The Huntington's Exhibit on the History of the Transcontinental Railroad

Long before studios, hippies, method actors and reality-show wannabes headed out west, the Pacific Coast was a destination for farmers, miners, prospectors and other wagon-wheeling homesteaders who were looking for a new way of life. Two years after California struck gold in 1848, it became a part o ... More >>

California's $100B Bullet Train 'Not Feasible' at This Time, Says Peer Review Group for the High-Speed Rail (Surprise, Surprise)

The Bullet Train: Even more expensive a pipe dream than the L.A. mayor's "Subway to the Sea."​How many more warnings will it take for starry-eyed California politicians to realize the voter-approved $100 billion Bullet Train is a budget disaster waiting to implode? On top of skepticism from t ... More >>

Occupy L.A. Port Protest Causes "Minimal" Disruption

​Several hundred Occupy L.A. demonstrators picketed this morning outside the Port of Long Beach, as part of a coordinated effort to shut down the West Coast ports.At least two people were arrested near the south entrance to Pier J. The Port of Long Beach diverted traffic to another gate."It was a ... More >>

Occupy L.A. Does Not Expect to Shut Down Port of L.A. on Dec. 12

​After getting evicted from City Hall, Occupy L.A. is searching for a second act. This week, there were protests at foreclosed homes. On Monday, occupiers plan to rally at the Port of L.A., as part of a coordinated "blockade" of West Coast ports.The Ports of L.A. and Long Beach make up the biggest ... More >>

Occupy Ports: L.A. Occupiers to Halt Sea Commerce for 'Day Without Goldman Sachs'

Though they've arguably got bigger things to worry about right now -- like where in the world they're going to live, come LAPD eviction -- Occupy L.A. organizers are chattering about another big day of action on December 12: Occupy Ports. (And they'll have to recuperate by January 2, when they plan ... More >>

Skydive Porn Performers Won't be Charged: Sex in the Skies is Legal, Apparently

KGETGetting down up in the air.​Remember that couple who "performed" sex while in mid-air, parachutes dangling from their backs? Turns out they didn't do anything wrong. (If that's the case, we see a potential business model here: Sex-skydive tourism; mile-high for a day). The stunt happen ... More >>

Villaraigosa's 'Clean Truck' Plan for Port of Los Angeles Fails in 9th District Court of Appeals: Greenwashing Failed to Impress

Sparkling clean truck: Los Angeles greenwashing almost worked.​Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's controversial "clean trucks" plan to squeeze independent truckers out of the Port of Los Angeles as a favor to the Teamsters -- a green-washing plan he sold as merely a wholesome effort to r ... More >>

Federal Court Rules California Council of the Blind Can't Sue JetBlue

... unless you're blind​Blind people just can't seem to get a break. First of all, they're blind, which is never easy. And now, thanks to a California federal court ruling, they won't be able to book a flight on JetBlue's website. Where's the humanity.

Palmdale Seeks Injunction Against California High Speed Rail Authority To Stop I-5 Study

​The city of Palmdale came out swinging on Tuesday, filing a motion in federal court that seeks a temporary injunction to keep the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) from spending certain funds for a study of a rail line along Interstate 5. "Again we're asking why are we wasting ta ... More >>

405 Closure Got You Down? Check Out the Five Craziest Design Ideas for Saving Our Transportation System

Courtesy Van Alen Institute.​ Without harping too much on that inconvenient thing happening on a big road somewhere in West L.A. this weekend, let us begin this modest post by agreeing that transit in L.A., in California, and in the vast majority of the US, could stand a few more efficient alt ... More >>

A Father's Day Event That's Free (Parking: $150)

Jesse Marquez: Thorn of Industry

Who Replaces Jane Harman?

Hahn, Bowen and a cast of SoCal characters slug it out for Congress

Statue of Liberty on U.S. Postage Stamp Is Actually Newer, Hotter Vegas Version From 'New York-New York'

​​Everything's sexier in Vegas! Even New York's world-famous Statue of Liberty, apparently. Her likeness stands over the Las Vegas strip, torch raised...

SF Giants Fans Behind 'Beat L.A.' Banner Say They've Paid a Plane Company to Fly Giant Diss Over Dodger Stadium on Opening Day

freshnessmag.comWe know, wrong sport. But she's got the right spirit, and looks damn good doin' it.​Updated after the jump: Revenge banner reading "GIANTS SUCK" flies over Dodger Stadium! Plus, a shot of the "Beat L.A." original. Update: Will the banner-flyers remember to adhere to the post-9 ... More >>

$9 Billion California High Speed Rail Route: The Planning is So Inept That it's Souring Residents from North to South

California bullet train: little rooting for the route​Investigative reporter Tracy Wood writes today about the inept, cloaked, and somewhat creepy PR strategy followed by the California High Speed Rail engineers and Parsons Brinckerhoff, who have not followed basic transparency and outreach ru ... More >>

High-Speed Train to Vegas From Victorville

Just one hitch: You have to drive to Victorville

L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Blames City's Crap Street Conditions on Ailing Bus System

When in doubt, blame it on the bus​We knew City Hall and the Metropolitan Transit System favored rail over wheel when it came to public transportation, but Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's unabashed bus diss on KNX news radio this morning almost made us choke on our flamin' hot Cheetos ... More >>

Kobe Bryant to Celebrate Controversial Turkish Airlines Endorsement at Paramount Studios Next Month

Kobe has an Armenian problem.​L.A.'s sizable Armenian American community hasn't been too happy with Kobe Bryant's endorsement of Turkish Airlines. Something about the Armenian Genocide and not turning off one of the most influential ethnic demographics in town. Well, if they have a bone to pi ... More >>

Janice Hahn Withdraws Support For Gambol Shipyard

Janice Hahn​The battle over whether to build a new shipyard at the Port of L.A. is over, as Councilwoman Janice Hahn withdrew her support today.The council voted 13-0 today in favor of the Harbor Commission's decision to cut off talks with Gambol Industries, which has been lobbying to build a ship ... More >>

MTA Staff Wants to Cut 10 More L.A. Bus Lines by June, Shrink 16 Others

So much fuglier than a subway​The cuts just keep coming for the lurchy, unglamorous Los Angeles bus system. In fact, if Metropolitan Transit Authority officials keep goin' like they're goin', we're unlikely to have any bus system at all a few years out. Then again, maybe that's the point. Of ... More >>

Dana Rohrabacher Gets Involved In Gambol Shipyard Plan For Port Of Los Angeles

Dana Rohrabacher​L.A. Councilwoman Janice Hahn voted today to overrule the Harbor Commission, siding with Gambol Industries in their long-running battle to build a new shipyard at the Port of L.A.Hahn was the only council member who showed up to today's hearing at the Trade, Commerce and Tourism C ... More >>

Is the Essential Character of L.A.'s Landmark Union Station in Some Kind of Danger?

Union Station in downtown Los Angeles​Nothing is certain yet, but we can already see a major brouhaha brewing over the future plans for Union Station if it's sold to the California High-Speed Rail Authority and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The much-beloved Union Station is actu ... More >>

Van Lines Say More People (Who Can Afford Movers) Coming To California

Welcome to California, Oklahomans.​If you agree that California knows how to party, perhaps you're not alone. America's major moving van lines, United, Atlas and Allied, report that the Golden State, despite its subprime-housing crisis, a state government that's billions underwater and a rece ... More >>

Battle Between Port And L.A. Council Escalates, As Council Claims Authority Over Shipyard Plan

Janice Hahn​The L.A. City Council voted today to wade into a controversy over a proposed shipyard at the Port of L.A., escalating a battle with port staffers who have already rejected the plan.Led by Councilwoman Janice Hahn, the council voted unanimously to review the port's decision to kill the ... More >>

California Bullet Train To Los Angeles Via Bakersfield: Real Or A $43 Billion Mirage?

Money is so tight, the new leg doesn't actually go into Bakersfield as pictured.​The California High-Speed Rail Authority, ridiculed for its secrecy, mismanagement, conflicts of interest and crazy overspending -- and for choosing as the California bullet train's first leg a "route to nowhere" ... More >>

Three Victims, Possibly Taggers, Dead After Amtrak Train Hits Them In Commerce

Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner.​Updated throughout. Third man confirmed dead. First posted at 11:02 p.m. Monday. Three males were dead after an Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train struck them in Commerce Monday night, according to reports. The pair might have been suspected taggers, and the area wher ... More >>

L.A.'s Light-Rail Fiasco

How rail service to the Westside jumped the track

LAX Concession Aftermath: Alan Rothenberg Resigns From L.A. Airport Commission

Alan Rothenberg​Alan Rothenberg resigned today from the Los Angeles Airport Commission, in a move that should make it easier for the commission to award airport concession contracts.Rothenberg was the source of a conflict of interest that forced the commission to recuse itself on the first round o ... More >>

Former Valley State Assemblyman Richard Katz Bails From California High-Speed Rail Board

No. 1 with a bullet: California's high-speed rail project.​After we reported that former state Assemblyman Richard Katz might have been breaking the law by sitting on two government boards -- L.A.'s Metropolitan Transportation Authority and California's High Speed Rail Authority -- Katz caved ... More >>

Are The Carnival Cruise Victims The Next Chilean Miners?

Carnival Cruise LinesLuxury cruise ship? More like luxury hardship​The nation's finest yellow journalists were rabid to pin down as many Splendor passengers as possible for an interview this morning, just after the cruise liner was docked (hours ahead of schedule, thanks to six trusty tugboats ... More >>

Are 19 L.A. communities losing their U.S. Post Offices?

By Donna BarstowThe U.S. Postal Service, hammered just like government postal services throughout Europe and North America by a massive drop-off in snail mail caused by the Internet and email, is deciding the future of 19 Post Office branches in Los Angeles. No word which ones will get shuttered. Bu ... More >>