Zev Yaroslavsky

Will Sheila Kuehl Reach Become First Openly Gay L.A. County Supervisor?

It came as a surprise to no one following L.A. politics, but one-time TV actress, former state senator, and current and proud lesbian and gay rights icon Sheila Kuehl announced her run for Los Angeles County Supervisor on Thursday. Kuehl, 72, could be the first openly gay person elected to the L.A. ... More >>

No More Jails Coalition Says New Women's Jail is Sheriff Lee Baca's Latest 'Boondoggle'

The Los Angeles chapter of No More Jails Coalition is taking it to the streets today, telling L.A. County supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky, Mark Ridley-Thomas, Gloria Molina, Don Knabe, and Mike Antonovich that the plan for embattled Sheriff Lee Baca to build a new women's jail is a crazy way to spend mi ... More >>

L.A. County Supervisor Mike Antonovich Looks to Extend Term Limits After 3 Decades in Office

Not to be outdone by Kenny Hahn, the current record-holder for longest time spent on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (40 years), current supe Mike Antonovich is shooting for the big 44. He's apparently attempting to be sly about it, but county-watchers got wind of his proposal just in t ... More >>

Mysterious Case of the Downtown L.A. Sunbathers Solved!

An anonymous tipster (who we would totally bear-hug if he weren't so damn anonymous) has lifted the veil on yesterday's big street-art mystery: Who planted three paper-mache sunbathers in the abandoned lot at 1st and Broadway? Curbed LA, the Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly and LA Observed all joined i ... More >>

Los Angeles Gadflies on Fire

City Hall politicians want them gone

Ball-Throwing, Sand-Digging at L.A. Beaches Could Cost You Hefty Fine

Updated at the bottom: The Department of Beaches and Harbors admits the ordinance is "tremendously confusing," but promises it won't fine you $1,000 for throwing a ball. (Small corrections in headline and throughout.) Guess what? If you've ever thrown any object over 10 inches in diameter at an L.A ... More >>

Financial Takeover of Coliseum Proposed by L.A. County Supervisors Ridley-Thomas, Knabe

L.A. County wants to take over the finances of the troubled L.A. Coliseum Commission, which has been rocked by scandal stemming from 2010's Electric Daisy Carnival rave and leading to allegations that a venue official also worked for the party promoter. A unanimous vote by the L.A. County Board of ... More >>

Beverly Hills Officials Continue to Clash Over Westside Subway

​When it comes to the proposed Westside subway extension, the Beverly Hills City Council and board members of the Beverly Hills Unified School District haven't always gotten along -- regularly clashing over how to best stop a subway route from going underneath the Beverly Hills High School ca ... More >>

Carmageddon, Day 1: Cyclists, Joggers, DUI Suspect Brave Empty 405 Freeway; Rest of L.A. Stays Home

John M. via FoursquareThe Wolfpack, high off their big win against JetBlue (and a city of cars) today.​The first day of the big 405 closure was disgustingly sunny, carefree, car-free, and otherwise lovely. We'd go so far as to say there's been a magical warm-and-fuzzy feeling in the air -- ma ... More >>

2013 Los Angeles Mayor Race: Who Has the Best Chance of Replacing Antonio Villaraigosa?

Who will replace this guy, Antonio Villaraigosa, as the next mayor of L.A.?​Update: Link to L.A. Weeklyexclusive on who the experts say will be the next mayor. Believe it or not, someone wants to be the next mayor of Los Angeles in 2013, when Antonio Villaraigosa will be termed out of office ... More >>

L.A. County Sheriff's Car: Coming to a Wal-Mart (and Chinese Sweatshop) Near You

Zev's BlogCharge this, China.​The kids were apparently getting tired of pushing around those frumpy old Ford Crown Victorias that used to epitomize the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. A few lucky deputies have since upgraded to the menacing, pitbullish Dodge Charger -- and so upgrade ... More >>

L.A. Beaches, Venice, Marina Del Rey, Could Get Tsunami Warning Sirens

Tsunami warning sirens for L.A?​Update: The county Board of Supervisors today approved the motion to have the Office of Emergency Management look into the feasibility of installing sirens on the coast. We noted recently that some of Southern California's most densely populated beach communiti ... More >>

Tsunami Awareness Happens a Day Late in Los Angeles County (Really)

Andrew Davis at Mav's. This is not a tsunami.​County leaders want you be aware -- and to prepare -- for a tsunami in L.A. They're getting behind "Tsunami Awareness and Preparedness Week." Which started ...

Bernard Parks Was Targeted as Union Object Lesson

$1.2 million buys a lot of fear at L.A. City Hall if that's your aim

L.A. Homeless Count Gets Off to Morbid Start: Dead Guy Found Outside Criminal Court

Dennis RomeroRV dwellers included​Ever wondered how many bums live in Los Angeles County? (That is, if the number's changed since 2009, when the Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority last released its biennial count. At that time, the total was about 48,000, with only one-third living under s ... More >>

L.A.'s Light-Rail Fiasco

How rail service to the Westside jumped the track

The Next Electric Daisy Carnival Rave At The Los Angeles Coliseum Will Have To Be Approved By Politicians

Electric Daisy Carnival.​We reported how the Los Angeles Coliseum Commission made a sneaky move and voted to lift its temporary ban on raves earlier this month when no one was looking (and when some of its more rave-wary members were clearly unable to attend). Well, the body on Wednesday gave ... More >>

Valley State Sen. Alex Padilla 'Looking At' L.A. Mayor's Gig In 2013

Mayor Alex? Maybe.​Looks like state Sen. Alex Padilla is throwing his hat into the ring as L.A.'s mayoral race for 2013 begins to awaken. Already rumored to be interested in the gig are City Council President Eric Garcetti, Grove shopping center developer Rick Caruso, county Supervisor Zev Yar ... More >>

Los Angeles Rave 'Hard' Postponed By Promoter Gary Richards

Hard ravers.​A rave-like event scheduled to take place July 17 at the publicly operated Los Angeles State Historic Park near Chinatown had been postponed, a park ranger told the Weekly. Ranger James Valdez says he received an email from Hard promoter Gary Richards indicating that he "was post ... More >>

L.A. County Supervisors Vote To Boycott Arizona

​The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to boycott Arizona business and travel over the state's controversial immigration law. The vote was three to two on the powerful five member board, with Mark Ridley-Thomas casting the decider alongside the boycott's author, Gloria Mol ... More >>

L.A. County Also Considering Arizona Boycott

​It looks like the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will consider its own boycott of Arizona, following in the footsteps of Los Angeles and other cities upset over the state's controversial immigration law. The powerful, five-person body already appears to have two votes in hand: Super ... More >>

Group Tries To Force Condoms On Porn Stars (Good Luck With That)

Porn star Belladonna.​The AIDS Healthcare Foundation has been on a tear against the porn industry and its often unhealthy ways. On Friday it convened a UCLA symposium of health-care groups in a step toward getting the state to force male porn stars to use condoms. God bless them for it, but ... More >>

Unregulated Medical Marijuana: Could Pot-Brownie Bake Sales Help?

Queer Town: Hollywood Protest Slams Schwarzenegger's Cuts to HIV/AIDS Services

With L.A. City Councilman Bernard Parks, L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and AIDS Healthcare Foundation President Michael Weinstein in attendance, a crowd of more than1,000 people gathered in front of the Hollywood Forever Cemetery on Friday afternoon, shut down Santa Monica Boulevard and pro ... More >>

Stage Raw: The List Keeps Growing

CLICK HERE FOR COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSTHE 30TH ANNUAL L.A. WEEKLY AWARDS, HOSTED BY JAKE BRODER AND VANESSA CLAIRE SMITH (OF LOUIS & KEELY: LIVE AT THE SAHARA) IS HAPPENING  AT THE EL REY ON MONDAY NIGHT MARCH 30. DOORS OPEN AT 6:30 P.M.,  AND NO IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO RSVP (310) ... More >>

Stage Raw: Don Shirley and City Beat

CLICK HERE FOR COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSThe news that L.A.'s City Beat is folding leaves the prospect of the former L.A. Times arts reporter and City Beat theater columnist/critic Don Shirley without gainful employment -- temporarily I hope. It also mutes the opinions of one of L.A. theater's m ... More >>

Stage Raw: Luke Perry and Haaz Sleiman Confirmed for LAWEES

CLICK HERE FOR COMPREHENSIVE THEATER LISTINGSTHE 30TH ANNUAL L.A. WEEKLY AWARDS, HOSTED BY JAKE BRODER AND VANESSA CLAIRE SMITH (OF LOUIS & KEELY: LIVE AT THE SAHARA) IS HAPPENING  AT THE EL REY ON MONDAY NIGHT MARCH 30. DOORS OPEN AT 6:30 P.M.,  AND NO IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO RSVP OR BUY ... More >>

Mike Antonovich's Ironic Cross

Supervisor Mike Antonovich has rolled up his gray-flannelled trousers to wade deep into the culture wars. Specifically, according to the L.A. Daily News, he wants the crucifix put back in the County Seal, now that the steel cross has been restored to the roof of the San Gabriel Mission, following it ... More >>

Cliche Watch

Among the hundreds of times the expression "Chickens have come home to roost" appeared in American newspapers this year, the following subject categories, gleaned through a Nexis-Lexis search, caught our attention. Government: 236 timesRepublican Party: 51Bailouts: 34Islam: 6Immigration: 5OJ Simpso ... More >>

Election '08 Voting Guide: Endorsements From a Freethinker — No on 8, Yes on 11. And a Nod to Mark Ridley-Thomas

Why siding with Arnold on redistricting makes sense, and other ballot notes

Sylmar fire in Los Angeles could become a "siege"

NOTE: This post is about the Sylmar fire in October of 2008. For news on the Sylmar fire of November 15, 2008, click here. Note: 10:41 a.m. update regarding the Martin Mars amphibious craft capable of dropping thermogel. With a wall of fire hundreds of feet long in places, wind-driven smoke billow ... More >>

Another Piano for LACMA: $45 Million Donation from Stewart and Lynda Resnick

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art announced this morning (well, if you don't count the New York Times and L.A. Times, both of which got the story last week for publication today) a $45 million donation from Stewart and Lynda Resnick. The gift will fund the building of a large new Renzo Piano exh ... More >>

Yvonne Burke's Crumbling Kingdom

She was hailed as a black pioneer and hero. Did she sell out?

Villaraigosa's Dead-End Pico and Olympic One-Way Plan ...

... hits the wall at Fairfax

Gross Political Negligence

The Amazing Adventures of Super Mayor

Antonio’s heroics have suddenly inspired the citizens of Metropolis, but will he be brought down by his own brand of Kryptonite?

Letters

The Lost Lady, Found

Tributes

Sunshine Homecoming Day

The county’s public officials decide to go public

Supervisorial Misconduct

Let voters decide health-care workers pay issue

Endorsements: Part 2

Our recommendations in the April 10 Los Angeles city election

It’s Weird Out There

Politicians provide comic relief from election madness

Cheap L.A.

Other countries are more generous with home-care workers

Enter the Janitors

Transforming L.A.

Street vs. Suite

Why L.A.’s janitors will win their strike

The Guns of Autumn

Getting the county out of the arms trade

A Long-Unsought Benefit

Sacramento’s latest stick-it-to-L.A. bill tempts writers

Credibility Chasm

What is the bottom line with J. Paul Brownridge?