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L.A. Redistricting: Eric Garcetti's District 13 Looks Like an Evil Squirrel

Simone Wilson​While gazing at the recently proposed boundaries for L.A.'s 15 voting districts -- which is clearly what we like to do in our spare time -- we realized that the gerrymandered City Council District 13 is the spitting image of an evil squirrel. And so begins our (badly Photoshoppe ... More >>

We Open in Venice

The Gold Standard 2012: Save The Date, Start Fasting

Anne Fishbeinglasses at the 2011 Gold Standard​It's that time of year again. No, not movie award time -- note to foodists: you may want to bring a bag of macarons to The Artist, just to keep yourself awake -- but time to gear up for the 2012 Gold Standard, that glorious event in which Jonathan ... More >>

Sexy Sex Writers Wanted

L.A. Weekly is seeking new contributors who are willing to write on the wild side. Our NSFW blog is recruiting freelancers of all stripes: essayists who can write about their own experiences, reporters who know how to track down the experts and punchy stylists who don't mind riffing about sex, even ... More >>

Buscaino vs. Furutani

L.A. City Council race is about preserving lifer politicians

LA Weekly's Top 11 News Stories of 2011

And here we thought 2010 was a sexy one for Los Angeles. Our most popular news stories in 2011 make last year's fare -- alleged John Travolta sightings at a gay spa, Vegas broads who sell sex to make rent -- look wholesome by comparison. Los Angeles was a blur of nude pics and racy murders these la ... More >>

Kinde's Crimes

John Atterberry, Music Exec, Died Today Following Friday's Sunset & Vine Shooting Spree Caught on Video

Tyler Brehm on Facebook.​Updated at the bottom with victim John Atterberry dying today. First posted at 11:12 a.m. Friday. A suspect was dead this morning after at least one LAPD officer responding to a "man-with-a-gun" call at the iconic intersection of Sunset and Vine opened fire, police to ... More >>

Occupy L.A. Arrestees Say Bathrooms Off Limits For Hours so They Went on Buses: Sheriff's Department Looking Into it

Ted Soqui​Allegations that Occupy L.A. detainees were not allowed to use the restroom for hours as they waited on buses headed to jails are being checked out this week by the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, says spokesman Steve Whitmore. Accusations of rough and inhumane treatment of Occupy ... More >>

Fairey Tales

Pulling the Trigger on Failing Schools

Parents aim for revolution — again

Outing Lemon Teachers at LAUSD

33,000 teachers, now always stamped "satisfactory," might finally get graded

Charter Schools Do-Over

Preferred-parent policies get the ax

L.A. Farmers Markets Exposed

Often, produce sold at stalls isn't organic, grown by small farms — or even spray-free

The Three Best Karaoke Bars in L.A.

Tiffany Rose We can't promise James Franco doing karaoke in drag, but you never know​Did you catch our Best Of issue and snag our free Best Of app? Even if you did, we're betting you didn't make it through all of our write-ups; there are about a billion. So in the coming weeks we'll walk you t ... More >>

Carmen Trutanich's War on Art Murals

Can a bumbling L.A. City Council revive the local street art form?

The Ramen Map: A Guide to Ramen in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is in the middle of a ramen renaissance. From new outposts of old favorites to noodle concepts that are avant-garde even by Tokyo standards, these last two years have been a ramen lover's dream. You want deeply rich pork broth Hakata-style? Bare, thick tsukemen noodles with condensed sa ... More >>

Ryan Adams Responds To Our Interview

See also: Ryan Adams performs at Hollywood Forever, October 10, 2011 Update: Author Drew Fortune's response to Adams' assertions has been added to the bottom of this post. Earlier today West Coast Sound ran an interview with Ryan Adams, written by Drew Fortune. Adams took issue with the account, a ... More >>

Porn Defends the Money Shot

Critics gain ground, demanding condom use to control AIDS

Helping the Rich

Earl Rhodes, L.A. Homicide No. 21: 'Eccentric' Man Shot and Killed by LAPD in Front of Green Meadows Home

Los Angeles TimesEarl Rhodes was shot and killed by police in Green Meadows.​By Annabel Martin A 48-year-old black man killed on January 24 by two LAPD officers was later identified as Earl Rhodes. The victim, who officers claimed was acting aggressively, was beaten to the ground and Tasered ... More >>

LA Weekly Poetry: Monday the new Millennium

Photo by Eric Demarcq via the LA Weekly Flickr pool.​LA Weekly is now taking poetry submissions. Interested in having your work posted right here on our arts blog? Send previously unpublished poems along with an image to go with it to poetry@laweekly.com. Check out today's poem after the jump.

Everything is Street Art: Send us Your Photos and Art Criticism of Stuff Around L.A.

Flickr/Guzzle & Nosh​ Driving around L.A. and walking around our neighborhoods, we see all kinds of stuff that stirs our emotions: That billboard that almost made you crash. That perfectly-designed facade. That heinous-looking parking lot. That message someone scrawled on a stop sign. That pal ... More >>

LA Weekly Poetry: After Four Days of Hammering Rain

Photo via Karol Franks via the LA Weekly Photo Pool on Flickr.​LA Weekly is now taking poetry submissions. Interested in having your work posted right here on our arts blog? Send previously unpublished poems along with an image to go with it to poetry@laweekly.com. Check out today's poem after ... More >>

Behind the Scenes of Tearist's LA Weekly Cover Shoot

​Remember when L.A. electronic duo Tearist turned up on the cover of LA Weekly two weeks ago? Now you can go behind the scenes of Jennie Warren's photoshoot with the band. Check out the video by LA Weekly Creative Director Darrick Rainey after the jump.

Overheard At Big 4

Metallica takes the stage​Early afternoon alcohol consumption in direct sunlight, followed by a Ziploc bag full of assorted pills, can lead to a totally awesome "Wooo!" inducing time--in your head. It can also lead to a painful trip to the Porta-Potties and some creative commentary. Walking ... More >>

Graffiti Crossword: Eine Paints LA Weekly Building

Shannon Cottrell​ The street artist Eine, in town for MOCA's "Art in the Streets" show, was looking for a place to paint, and, well, LA Weekly answered the call. The piece, which occupies the outside of our Sepulveda Blvd.-facing wall, took almost a week to complete, as challenges included pai ... More >>

10,000 Cell Phones Smuggled Into California Prisons in 2010 (BONUS: How You, Too, Can Go Into the Smuggling Biz!)

TIME MagazineA California prison guard chills with some confiscated cell phones​Cell phones and prisons -- just call 'em "jail cells"! -- are a real winning combo. It's the ideal situation for any criminal who can stand to conduct business without the rush of the live hunt: Mobile phone in ha ... More >>

Hollywood Club Shooting: Firsthand Account Of Chaos At Kress

thekress.netThe rooftop at Kress.​Every wonder what it's like to be scrambling amid the chaos of a shooting? An LA Weekly reader was there when shots rang out at the otherwise upscale club Kress on Hollywood Boulevard Saturday night. A security guard who tried to break up a fight on a dance f ... More >>

Punk Rock Mini-Riot on the Sunset Strip! (Is TSOL Bringing Actual Punktitude Back?)

​A small riot broke out outside the Key Club last night between the crowd at a TSOL concert and da police. The LA Weekly's news team reports on The Informer blog that It started about 10:30 p.m. outside the Key Club, which was hosting a punk rock show by TSOL and Youth Brigade, Sgt. S. Ruda t ... More >>

Arnold Schwarzenegger backs down on gutting of California's Green Chemistry Initiative

By Michael Collins Schwarzenegger goes green again on chemical initiative​In the face of withering media coverage in LA Weekly and elsewhere, the Schwarzenegger Administration has pulled an about-face on the gutting of new chemical regulations by the state's Department of Toxic Substances Con ... More >>

Henry Rollins Column: Live from "The Obama Resort," Avoiding Malaria At All Costs

Maura Lanahan​ [The one and only Henry Rollins contributes a column and far-reaching reportage to the music section of the LA Weekly. Look for your weekly Henry Rollins fix right here on West Coast Sound every Friday and make sure to tune in to Henry's KCRW radio show every Saturday evening, ... More >>

Journos Dan Walters, Dan Morain Have Dueling Takes On 'LA Weekly's' Story About Felipe Fuentes -- 'Worst Legislator In California'

Felipe Fuentes: The worst or just the norm?​There's a small debate brewing in media circles about whether LA Weekly's story this week on "The Worst Legislator in California" -- San Fernando Valley Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes -- constitutes true news. The story is based on a San Jose Mercury Ne ... More >>

(Video) Discussing Pot Legalization, Jimmy Kimmel Gives A Shout To LA Weekly (Thanks)

Jimmy Kimmel obviously reads LA Weekly.​We here at LA Weekly world headquarters have been on top of California's failed attempt to legalize marijuana like Charlie Sheen on a porn-star bender. All. Over. It. So it was nice to see that the namesake host of Jimmy Kimmel Live this week recognize ... More >>

Could L.A. Murder-Spree Suspect John Wesley Ewell Be Sloppy 'Grim Sleeper' Copycat?

In August 2008, the LA Weekly broke the story of the Grim Sleeper serial killer​His name is John Wesley Ewell. He's a 53-year-old handyman from Harbor Gateway, and L.A. County sheriffs suspect he committed four cold-blooded murders during home-invasion robberies from Sept. 24 to Oct. 20. Now, ... More >>

When Holding Pot Is Just A Ticket-Worthy Offense In California, Why Do We Need To Legalize It?

Listen, bud, do we really need to legalize you?​Ah, Prop. 19, the law that would let you carry an ounce of weed (if you're 21 or older) and tax cannabis for the benefit of all Californians. Sounds irie to us, mon. Except that ... Gov. Schwarzenegger just signed a law making it a misdemeanor t ... More >>

LA Weekly Flickr Pool Reader Photo of the Day: Repeating Dumplings

LA Weekly Flickr pool/LA Weekly Flickr pool/R. E. ~dumplings at JTYH​ This LA Weekly Flickr pool photo comes to you from photographer R. E. ~, whose pictures show up consistently on this blog but who does not, as yet, work for us. The dumplings are from JTHY in Rosemead, a restaurant much bel ... More >>

Los Angeles Red-Light Cameras Cost Taxpayers $2.6 Million With Little Gained

​Updated after the jump with comments from city Controller Wendy Greuel. First posted at 9 a.m. Those red-light cameras that have you gunning through yellows with a baseball cap over your eyes, your car's visors flipped down (to avoid being photographed and sent a ticket) appear to have done litt ... More >>

Downtown Art Walk Hiatus 'Premature,' Say Some; Others Say Show Will Go On Regardless

Jennifer Gaillard via FlickrArt Walk in July.​Some downtown leaders and gallery owners surprised by the announcement that the monthly Art Walk there was put on hiatus say the statement was premature, with some indicating the show could go on in any case. Downtown Art Park, an event held in c ... More >>

Know Your History, Lindsay Lohan: Cocaine Sales And Abuse From The Incas To Studio 54 To The Mexican Cartels

globovision via Flickr​With Lindsay Lohan due headed back to jail after she failed a drug test that was part of her DUI probation (the lab reportedly alerted for coke), and with Paris Hilton's recent cop to possessing powder, '70s blow is back in the headlines. We here at LA Weekly world headquar ... More >>

Feds Investigating Bell Over Towing Policy

​Update: See below, with proper credit to La Opinion. The Times reports that the Justice Department is investigating Bell over possible civil rights violations related to its policy of "profiling for impounds," a practice revealed by LA Weekly last month whereby police would troll the streets ... More >>

Eagle Rock Pot Shops Stay Open Despite Order From L.A. To Close

​By Dennis Romero and Steve La Five Eagle Rock pot shops under June orders to shut down as a result of the city's strict new marijuana dispensary ordinance have stayed open or reopened, according to the observations of a community leader there that were mostly verified by LA Weekly. "It's ki ... More >>

San Bernardino Puts Off Towing-For-Cash Proposal That Was Compared To Alleged Program In Bell

​The San Bernardino City Council on Monday night delayed a controversial vote on whether or not to create a city impound lot that at least one critic said would create a system similar to that in the embattled city of Bell, where police were allegedly encouraged to take vehicles off the street ... More >>

Does Google Maps Street View Show Grim Sleeper Suspect Lonnie Franklin Jr?

Google Maps​As an LA Weekly commenter pointed out Wednesday night, there's something possibly creepy caught by Google's Street View camera: A shot of the Grim Sleeper serial murder suspect's home shows two men standing outside, with a car parked out front that has its hood up.

City Ethics Commission Investigating Mayor Villaraigosa, According To Report

​Fox 11 News reported that the city Ethics Commission has opened a formal investigation into Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's acceptance of sports and entertainment tickets, which could be a no-no as their value was not reported by the city leader as gifts. Reporter John Schwada says that the comm ... More >>

Two LA Weekly Reporters Up For 'Journalists Of The Year' At L.A. Press Club Awards

Patrick Range McDonald.​Finalists for the Los Angeles Press Club's 52nd SoCal Journalism Awards were announced Friday, and they included LA Weekly staff writers Patrick Range McDonald and Christine Pelisek for "journalists of the year" in the over-50,000-circulation category. R. Scott Moxley o ... More >>

Number Of Pot Shops In L.A: 583

​Houston, we have a number: After ad nauseam reports about Los Angeles' 1,000-plus pot shops, which some news organizations stated was a number greater than a count of the city's Starbucks outlets, we finally have a number, and it's 583, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Hyperbol ... More >>

Black Lung Lofts

Many children being raised in L.A.'s hip, new freeway-adjacent housing are damaged for life

Medical Weed Ad Boycott Called Against L.A. Weekly

In an unsigned notice posted on WeedTRACKER.com the other day, a person calls for medical marijuana collectives "that advertise in the LA Weekly (to) pull there (sic) advertising and support from the paper."Gregory BojorquezMedical weed vendor at a recent "Harvest Festival" in Hollywood.​"Lets (si ... More >>

Pot Shops In L.A. City Number 540 -- Not 1,000 Or So, As Is Often Cited

Gregory Bojorquez​As part of LA Weekly's investigation into the largely unregulated nature of the city of Los Angeles' medical marijuana business, the paper looked into each an every one of the more than 800 pot shops registered with City Hall and found that only 540 were actually operating (P ... More >>