Phoenix (Arizona)

Jodi Arias Is Not White (and Other Lessons About Latinos)

See coverage of the Arias case from our sister publication Phoenix New Times here. There was a time when using the term "Mexican" was thought to be impolite. Perhaps that sentiment stems from the Chicano identity movement of the 1960s and '70s, when activists wanted it known that not every suspect ... More >>

Los Angeles Winter Storms Intensified By ... Farm Irrigation?

The Central Valley is America's salad bowl. But providing the world with all that food -- $37.5 billion worth in 2010, making California the nation's top agricultural state -- takes a lot of water. And that has strange consequences, according to a new UC Irvine study. Turns out that some of that i ... More >>

We're Partnering with Foursquare: A Badge More Fun With Mario Batali!

So you know how you check in on Foursquare to tell us all where you are and thus what you're probably eating, or at least what you're about to take a picture of. (Which is how Mario Batali seems to spend an inordinate amount of time. Cheers, Mario.) And you know how we publish all kinds of Best Of l ... More >>

William Close's "Earth Harp" Is Pretty Neat

Five years ago, William Close's house in Malibu caught fire and burned to the ground. This was even more devastating because his life's work -- a collection of giant, almost sculptural instruments, including something he calls his Earth Harp, painstakingly constructed over the past decade -- acted a ... More >>

Disruption, Rebellion and Resistance: Activists Call for Action

Alfonso Ribeiro's 'Carlton Dance' Flash Mob Attempts Record (For Dorkiest Moves): VIDEO

Updated at the bottom with crowd estimates. First posted at 5:30 a.m. Alfonso Ribeiro of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air might do the nerdiest, preppiest dance of all time. But that didn't stop hundreds if not thousands of followers from joining him yesterday at Universal CityWalk and other locales in ... More >>

Arizona Lawman Says L.A.'s Wayward Porn Industry Isn't Welcome in His Town

The porn industry has been making a lot of noise about a possible move out of town following the City Council's enactment of a condom requirement for location shoots in L.A. One of the places mentioned as New Porn Valley is Arizona, where some production already takes place. However, as we've said, ... More >>

Porn Video Shoots Leaving L.A. for ... Arizona?

The porn industry is pissed off over L.A.'s new rule requiring condom use at adult location filming inside the city. So much so that it has threatened repeatedly to move its multibillion-dollar operations outside Los Angeles and even California. So far it's been all talk. But one porn star says th ... More >>

Your Dog Wants Beer -- In A Bar

Sure, there are endless beer bars opening in Los Angeles, but how many of them cater to canines? Exactly zero. Finally, a British pub is offering food and beer pairings just for dogs. The Brandling Villa in South Gosforth, Newcastle is "is now serving a special beer designed for dogs so that drink ... More >>

South Pasadena Police Department Buys Into 'Teens Getting Drunk on Vodka-Soaked Tampons' Story

Drunk people. Tampons. It happens.​At 5:05 p.m. this dark winter evening, the South Pasadena Police Department issued a community press release of the gravest importance. (Its first press release in two weeks, actually. Because South Pasadena Police Department press releases are reserved for t ... More >>

Cody Kretsinger, Alleged 'LulzSec' Hacker From Arizona, on Way to L.A. for Sony Hacking Trial

LulzSec does L.A.​The summer storm of hacks carried out by Anonymous offshoot LulzSec -- beginning with Fox News in May, and ending with News Corp. in July -- may have gone quiet, but the FBI is just now nabbing some of its alleged masterminds. (If you consider giggly, self-satisfied techies t ... More >>

Women Who Are Single in Los Angeles Are in a Top 10 American Mecca For Bachelorettes

Neil Kremer​Turns out the town that inspired Three's Company, Melrose Place and The Hills is a top 10 city for bachelorette life. That according to a rent.com survey unleashed today that looked at top cities for single women. Los Angeles, with all our swimming pools, movie stars, universitie ... More >>

All-Star Game Boycott Over Arizona's Immigration Law? Maybe Not ...

MLBHey now, you're All-Star.​Update: We told you so. Latinos are really great at boycotts. As long as they don't involve beer (we're looking at you, Coors), strip clubs or sports. (But grapes -- absolutely). Therefore we don't have high hopes for the great All-Star game boycott of 2011. The ... More >>

L.A. Resident Jose Gutierrez Tased Into Coma by Arizona Border Agents, Threatened With Deportation While Still Unconscious

UnivisionGutierrez' skull had to be removed after a tussle with CBP agents, who won't provide surveillance or specifics​Forty-one-year-old Jose Gutierrez has lived in the U.S. since he was a kid. Until three weeks ago, he shared a house in the affluent Valley neighborhood of Woodland Hills wit ... More >>

True Food Kitchen to Open in Santa Monica Place

​True Food Kitchen, a mini-chain of eateries backed by author, integrative medicine proponent and beard advocate Dr. Andrew Weil, will open its first Los Angeles location on May 9th at Santa Monica Place. Like the other locations (Phoenix and Scottsdale, Ariz. and Newport Beach, Calif.), the S ... More >>

Special April Fool's Edicion

Charles Phoenix Talks Kodachrome Slides and Retro Vacations at Palm Springs Modernism Week

Jena ArdellCharles Phoenix takes us across America​ While Angelenos were getting pummeled with rain on Friday, attendees of Palm Springs Modernism Week were enjoying sunshine and chrome at the Vintage Travel Trailer Show before heading to Charles Phoenix's Retro Vacation Slide Show Tour of the ... More >>

FAIRY-y Tales

The Quest for Manrimony

Q & A With Pan Am Room's Norman Fierros: Hairdressing, Life in Phoenix & The Lure of Airplanes

If you've flown into Santa Monica Airport (literally, figuratively) hungry for dinner anytime recently, you're aware that The Hump, the infamous restaurant above Typhoon, is no more. In its place, owner Brian Vidor has remodeled the upstairs space into the Pan Am Room. The reworked restaurant gets i ... More >>

Seized

Inside the brutal world of America's kidnapping capital

Guest Blogger: Letters from Rasputina, Part 3

Guest Blogger: Rasputina's Melora​ [Rasputina's Melora Creager, the undisputed doyenne of cello-based, kinda-goth, steampunk-avant-la-lettre indie music, has graciously agreed to guest-blog for West Coast Sound in anticipation of their upcoming LA gig at the Troubadour, this Saturday, August 1 ... More >>

Sick of Lady Gaga Yet?: "The Remix" Record Release Party At The Abbey

Her Facebook and Twitter takeover.... Her words about the SB 1070 at her recent Phoenix gig.... Her just announced VMA nomination domination.... We've all got a lot of reasons to be sick of hearing about Lady Gaga at this point. Hell, we're even sick of hearing from her haters. But no matter what, ... More >>

Best Coast Extends Headlining Tour, Offers Free 'Boyfriend' MP3

Best Coast Extends Headlining Tour, Offers Free 'Boyfriend' MP3

Get Out! Arizona and America Join Joe Arpaio in Rushing to Inquire: Are Your Papers in Order?

L.A. Troubadour Sea Wolf Sets Out on First Ever Solo Tour

L.A. Troubadour Sea Wolf Sets Out on First Ever Solo Tour

Mad as Hell About Reefer

U.S. Mayors Pass Villaraigosa's Resolution Condemning Arizona Immigration Law

​A resolution by L.A. leader Antonio Villaraigosa urging Arizona to repeal its controversial immigration law was passed this week at the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Villaraigosa's document, which called the desert state's legislation "unconstitutional and un-American," also encouraged federal i ... More >>

Cowboy Down

Murdered Arizona rancher Rob Krentz's family talk about his life and death

L.A. Should Sue Arizona, Says Council President Garcetti

Eric Garcetti.​Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti on Wednesday proposed that L.A. join a class-action lawsuit against Arizona over its controversial immigration law. The challenge in Phoenix federal court is being carried out by the Mexican American Legal Defense and several civi ... More >>

Protestors Want Dodgers Out Of Arizona For Spring Training

​Union members amassed outside Dodger Stadium over the weekend during a game with the Arizona Diamondbacks to protest the Dodgers' use of an Arizona-based spring-training facility. About 150 people showed up to deliver the message to team management that they're unhappy with Arizona over its ... More >>

Phoenix Mayor Wants To Talk Immigration Reform In L.A. ... If Suns Win

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon.​Now that the Lakers are about to clinch the Western Conference championship, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon wants to change the terms of his bet on the series with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. As part of the new deal, he wants to come to L.A. and talk immigrati ... More >>

NBA To Put Logos on Food: The Phoenix Suns Can Be Toast, Literally

USA TodayToast the Phoenix Suns​Imagine watching last night's Western Conference playoff game between the Lakers and the Suns, getting up to make something to eat and being able to have your toaster brand the Suns logo onto that slice of toast. Not only would your hunger have been abated, but ... More >>

Dodgers Drawn Into Immigration Fray; Anti-Arizona Rally Planned Near Dodger Stadium

​An immigrants' rights group plans to hold a rally and press conference Wednesday to urge the Los Angeles Dodgers to denounce Arizona's controversial undocumented-migrant law when the Arizona Diamondbacks visit Chavez Ravine May 31. The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles pl ... More >>

Mayor Villaraigosa: If Suns Win, We'll Take Sheriff Joe

​Now that Los Angeles is boycotting the state of Arizona, it seems odd for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to be offering a wager with the mayor of Phoenix over the NBA Western Conference Finals.Apparently the embargo doesn't cover that. But this year's bet is no mere exchange of Laker jerseys for Ariz ... More >>

The YaoMing Lips, Phoenix Sunn 0)))'s and Bon Iverson: #IndieRockBasketBall Rocks & Finger Rolls Twitter

The YaoMing Lips, Phoenix Sunn 0)))'s, and Bon Iverson: #IndieRockBasketBall

If It's Lakers vs. 'Los Suns,' Does L.A. Boycott?

​If the they beat Utah Monday night, the Los Angeles Lakers could complete a rare postseason sweep for the squad, matching the purple and gold against ... Arizona's pro team in the Western Conference finals. That's the state that enacted a controversial law empowering police to ask people they ... More >>

For Cinco De Mayo Lakers Game, 'Los Suns' Make Statement Against Arizona Immigration Law

Lakers.​When the Lakers face the Suns in game two of their playoff series in Arizona on Wednesday, L.A.'s hearts and minds will be with the purple and gold. But some in this half-Latino county will at least give the Phoenix team extra credit for changing its name temporarily to Los Suns in opp ... More >>

Suns Not Playing Lakers! Arizona Law Still Being Protested

​Breaking news: In our zealous pursuit of getting lots of news to you quickly we erred in stating that the Phoenix Suns were playing the Lakers Wednesday (the post, up for about a half an hour, has been deleted). In a game with San Antonio the Arizona team plans to protest its home state's imm ... More >>

Will the Dodgers Boycott Arizona? No Se Puede.

​On Which Way L.A. the other night, L.A. Councilwoman Janice Hahn suggested that the Dodgers should join the city's protest of Arizona's strict new immigration law:"I'm going to be asking the L.A. Dodgers to consider moving their training facility from Arizona," Hahn said.It was only a year ago th ... More >>

Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Reign of Terror Becomes Arizona Policy, Thanks to State Senator Russell Pearce and Governor Jan Brewer

Disaster Declared In Mexicali Following 7.2 Earthquake

elbetOe via Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/1das3m​The Mexican interior ministry declared late Tuesday that Mexicali and Tecate were disaster zones following Sunday's 7.2 earthquake felt throughout the Southwest. The declaration allows residents to apply for Mexican federal grants that would help ... More >>

James Beard Semifinalists Announced: The L.A. Edition

James Beard​This morning the James Beard Foundation announced the semifinalists for its 2010 James Beard Foundation Awards. Judges will vote to determine the final 5 nominees in each category, which will be announced on March 22nd. The winners will be announced at the Foundation's award party, ... More >>

Mayo Clinic Scores Over Cedars-Sinai

The lesson for Los Angeles residents from a recent Rochester Post Bulletin story, carried by AP, might be, "Don't hold the Mayo Clinic." When President Obama touted the nonprofit clinics as a health-care provider he'd like to imitate nationwide as part of his health-care reform plans, the Post Bulle ... More >>

Busted Watermelon: Refreshing Summer Fruit, Racy Alcohol-Soaked Party Pal or Marijuana-Corrupted Melon Felon?

So you think watermelon is just a delicious summer fruit best served cold and sliced in drippingly sweet wedges? Arizona Department of Public SafetyWhat lies beneath? Not just another load of watermelon. Arizona Department of Public SafetyThe watermelon fakes: seized marijuana bundles > > The ... More >>

On Ex-Murder Suspect Herbert Gonzalez: "Clear His Name"

Also, billboards are OK; 11 Percent Mayor is not

Fashion Week Diary: Debra Davenport, Giving Talbots A Run For Its Money

People kept asking me "Who is Debra Davenport?" and I kept having to say, "I'm not sure." A bit of googling reveals that she is the CEO of a luxury women's fashion house headquartered in Phoenix Arizona. HauteAZ tells us "She received her B.A. at the age of 19, her M.A. degree at the age of 21, and ... More >>

LA Weekly Road-trips to Catch Tom Waits in Phoenix

Tom Waits, Orpheum Theater, Phoenix, Arizona, June 17. By Peter Gilstrap And so it was that Tom waits came to Phoenix after a three-decade absence on the first night of the American leg of his Glitter and Doom tour, an expedition that will take him to such exotic ports o’ call as El Paso, Tul ... More >>

Blood Writes

Plays about the high cost of seeking the truth