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☆ In Los Angeles, an Indian Chinese Feast Celebrating Female Founders
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Jean Trinh | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Before all of that, though, the women had some cooking to do, with help from chef Akilah York, whom Gao had hired to provide culinary back up. The goal was to kick back while shoring one another up. “We’re going around the table being like, ‘I see you. The guest Yasmine Khatib of the Los Angeles flower studio Yasmine Floral Design provided a trio of pastel arrangements: white vases filled with foxgloves, pincushions, peonies, poppies and alliums. And Shelley Kleyn Armistead, another guest and the chief executive of the Gjelina hospitality group, supplied the speckled white dinner plates from Gjelina’s kitchenware brand, Gjusta Goods.

☆ California to Pay $24 Million for Man’s Death in Police Custody
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Mckenna Oxenden | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

California is set to pay $24 million after reaching a settlement with the family of Edward Bronstein, who died in police custody three years ago after repeatedly yelling, “I can’t breathe,” while an officer knelt on his back, lawyers said on Tuesday. California Highway Patrol officers pulled over Mr. Bronstein, who was 38, on March 31, 2020, believing that he was driving under the influence of a drug, and they then tried to draw his blood. “We want them to pay in jail for taking a human life. These officers had no reverence for human life. They killed an innocent man.”In March, seven highway patrol officers and one nurse linked to the case were charged in Los Angeles County with involuntary manslaughter.

☆ Byron Allen sues McDonald's for allegedly lying about commitment to Black media
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Byron Allen, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Entertainment Studios and Allen Media Group, speaks at the 2021 Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., October 19, 2021. REUTERS/David SwansonMay 8 (Reuters) - The media entrepreneur Byron Allen has filed a second lawsuit against McDonald's Corp (MCD.N) over the fast-food chain's alleged refusal to advertise with Black-owned media. Allen said he would know if McDonald's were honoring that pledge because his Allen Media Group represents more than 90% of Black-owned media. The case are: Weather Group LLC et al v. McDonald's USA LLC, California Superior Court, Los Angeles County, No. 23STCV10045; and Entertainment Studios Networks Inc et al v McDonald's Corp, U.S. District Court, Central District of California, No.

☆ US Declining Population, Worker Shortage Will Cause Economic Crisis Without a Fix
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Gadel Valle | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

That means that unless people start having a lot more kids, the US population could eventually start to shrink — just like China's population has. While the US population has managed to avoid an outright drop, population growth reached an unprecedented low of 0.12% in 2021. One way the US could encourage more immigration is by focusing on temporary visas for specific industries that need workers. And the treatment of workers in the country on temporary visas has been a problem for decades. After all, the US is running out of options, and soon its growing people shortage is going to spell economic disaster.

☆ May the 4th be with you: 4 ways to celebrate ‘Star Wars Day’
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Today is officially known as “Star Wars Day,” when the famous movie franchise and its many TV spinoffs are celebrated. Follow the official “Star Wars” Twitter accountThis is where to find all things “Star Wars” related, from news to celebrations. And take this quick 10-question quiz to find the right Star Wars film to watch this May the 4th! https://t.co/UfeqFgKvkt pic.twitter.com/gFlqvvsD7y — Star Wars (@starwars) May 3, 2023Watch the films and showsThe film franchise has a dozen movies to choose from (if you include the animated 2008 offering “The Clone Wars”), which will keep you plenty busy should you so choose to celebrate this day. So today you can toast Fisher and enjoy the memories of her over the years “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.”

CNN —Around 250,000 gallons of sewage was spilled into the Los Angeles River on Thursday, causing the closure of seven miles of public beaches, according to local authorities. The malfunction caused a blockage that resulted in an overflow of sewage in the city of Downey, which is about 15 miles from Long Beach, resulting in a spill that reached the Los Angeles River, the release said. The city of Long Beach announced in a news release that all open coastal swimming areas would be temporarily closed due to the spill. “Water from the Los Angeles River connects to the Pacific Ocean in Long Beach, which means pollution anywhere upriver can affect the coastal waters of the City,” the city said in the release. Health authorities with the city of Long Beach are “currently monitoring water quality” on the beaches.

☆ Smartmatic wants more than Dominion’s $787 million payout, plus a retraction from Fox for its 2020 election lies, lawyer says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

(But in a press release, Fox publicly “acknowledged” that the judge in that case had concluded that all 20 on-air statements that Dominion sued over were false.) “That set down a marker and it’s a marker that we think we should be exceeding,” Connolly said. “The scope of the damage done to Smartmatic is a global scale, because we operate globally… $787 million is a good start. Smartmatic wants $2.7 billion from Fox and other Trump allies that it named in the lawsuit. “We will be ready to defend this case surrounding extremely newsworthy events when it goes to trial, likely in 2025,” a Fox spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday.

☆ $70 billion Los Angeles retirement plan says higher rates may 'change everything' and portfolio moves are coming
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Eric Rosenbaum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

A year into the most significant period of Federal Reserve rate hikes in decades, you might think investors had already cemented their investment portfolio strategies for a higher interest rate world. According to LACERA's 2022 annual report, its investments were split between roughly $24 billion in public equities, $19 billion in bonds, $13 billion in private equity, $6 billion in real estate, $4 billion in hedge funds and $1 billion in real assets. Last year was the first in the prior three fiscal years that the pension fund's investment portfolio lost money. By contrast, investment returns of 25.2% in 2021 were far ahead of the 7% percent, which LACERA attributed to the strong performance from global equity and private equity assets. A shift to more fixed income among top investors will flow through to the "whole economy," Grabel said.

Mr. Carter had asked the authorities to leave, and they did, according to the police report obtained by the A.P. The following day, a housekeeper who heard Mr. Carter’s dogs barking and did not receive a response from him let herself into his home, according to the police report. She found Mr. Carter, wearing a T-shirt and necklace, submerged in the Jacuzzi-style bathtub with the jets running, and called 911, according to the report. The operator told the housekeeper to pull Mr. Carter out of the tub and perform CPR. Paramedics immediately declared him dead when they arrived, the police said.

CNN —The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner determined singer Aaron Carter died from drowning and the effects alprazolam and difluoroethane, according to a summary published on the coroner’s website Tuesday. Alprazolam is the generic form of Xanax, while difluoroethane is found in refrigerants and aerosol sprays. Carter died on November 5 of last year at the age of 34. Also known for his roles on television shows, Carter appeared in “Lizzie McGuire” on the Disney Channel and “7th Heaven,” which debuted on The WB Television Network. Entertainment Television, “House of Carters.”Carter is survived by his 1-year-old son, Prince, whom he shared with his partner Melanie Martin.

☆ Trump could admit to having an affair — if only so he can use Melania as a defense if his case ever makes it to trial, legal experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Three former prosecutors told Insider that AG Alvin Bragg's hush-money case against Trump is weak. But if the matter does make it to trial, the former president could use his wife to his benefit. More than a week after former President Donald Trump was indicted on 34 charges of falsifying business records, legal experts are skeptical of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's case. Three former prosecutors speculated about possible defense strategies the former president might use in such a case. But legal experts stressed that any speculation about a possible Trump defense at this point is still entirely conjecture.

☆ Rapper Coolio died from fentanyl overdose, manager says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Singer Coolio performs before a panel discussion on his new Oxygen Network reality series "Coolio's Rules" at the NBC Universal summer 2008 press tour in Beverly Hills, California July 20, 2008. REUTERS/Fred Prouser/File PhotoLOS ANGELES, April 6 (Reuters) - Grammy-winning rapper Coolio died from a fentanyl overdose, his manager said on Thursday, six months after the musician was found dead at a friend's home in Los Angeles at age 59. Born Artis Leon Ivey Jr., Coolio was best known for his 1995 single "Gangsta's Paradise," from an album of the same name. Coolio's manager, Jarez Posey, said the rapper's family had been informed on Thursday by the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office that the singer had died from a fentanyl overdose. Born in Pennsylvania in 1963, Coolio began performing as part of the West Coast hip-hop scene after moving to Compton, California.

☆ 'Trump enjoys being the victim.' Alvin Bragg's 34-count indictment could help him argue he's been unfairly targeted, ex-prosecutors say.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | Warren Rojas | Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Former prosecutors told Insider the indictment against Donald Trump was underwhelming. They said the case could give Trump and his team fodder to argue it was politically motivated. Rep. Nancy Mace, a Trump critic, said DA Alvin Bragg's indictment made Trump a "martyr." They also said the 34 counts could be viewed as excessive — and even give Trump and his team fuel to argue he was being unfairly targeted. "Trump enjoys being the victim in all this, and that's what he's going to lean into," Joshua Ritter, a former Los Angeles County prosecutor and partner with El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers, told Insider.

Trump's indictment was unsealed Tuesday, revealing he was charged with 34 counts. The indictment didn't clarify the underlying crimes Trump allegedly committed to justify felony charges. Trump was indicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection to a 2016 hush-money payment to the adult film star Stormy Daniels. "If I were the prosecution, I would ask for a gag order covering the parties and their attorneys," Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, told Insider. Indeed, House Republicans vowed revenge on Trump's behalf and said Tuesday that they would go after Bragg and President Joe Biden in light of Trump's indictment.

☆ Trump's indictment may 'embolden' prosecutors to bring more charges against him for January 6 and his efforts to overturn the election, legal experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Hannah Getahun | Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Former President Donald Trump was indicted on Thursday over a hush money settlement. Some legal experts say his indictment could affect the other investigations he faces. Although the charges have not yet been made public, ex-Manhattan prosecutors say that Trump risks felony-level state records-fraud charges that carry punishments of up to four years in prison. "He's testing what happens when a prosecutor charges a former sitting president," Ritter added. Likewise, as more grand juries solidify charges against Trump, the prosecutions look less politically motivated, a perception which may help embolden prosecutors who may otherwise be hesitant to bring charges."

The officers along with a registered nurse face counts of involuntary manslaughter and assault in the death of 38-year-old Edward Bronstein in Burbank, California, prosecutors said. "These officers had a legal duty to Mr. Bronstein," Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said on Wednesday during a news conference. The death of Bronstein, who was white, came less than two months before the death of George Floyd, a Black man who was pinned to the ground in Minneapolis by police officers as he pleaded, "I can't breathe." In the California traffic stop, two of the officers who were charged had pulled Bronstein over on Interstate 5 for suspected driving under the influence. While pinned, Bronstein repeatedly screamed, "I can't breathe," and begged for help before becoming unresponsive, the prosecutor said.

☆ Paleontologists explain the most glaring errors in Adam Driver's new dinosaur film '65'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Erin Heger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Adam Driver stars in a new film "65," which takes place 65 million years ago. But like other Hollywood portrayals of dinosaurs, "65" gets several dinosaur facts wrong, according to paleontologists. The film's title is off my a million yearsThere were probably no dinosaurs around 65 million years ago. SonyLet's start with the title: "65" — named for when the film takes place 65 million years ago. It's a movie, not a science lectureThe film "65" has a 64% audience score on rotten tomatoes, so even if it got the science wrong, it managed to entertain some folks.

☆ California’s Atmospheric Rivers Make for Summer Skiing
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Talal Ansari | Suryatapa Bhattacharya | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

California, synonymous with its beaches and sun, is keeping winter a little longer. Ski resorts in the state are extending their seasons amid near-record snowfall from a series of powerful winter storms that have thrashed the Golden State in recent months. Mammoth Mountain, in the Sierra Nevada range, said it would be open until at least the end of July. Heavenly Mountain Resort near Lake Tahoe will close May 7, while Big Bear Mountain in the San Bernardino Mountains and Mountain High in Los Angeles County are among the resorts planning to stay open through April.

☆ Watch live: Biden announces new plans to curb gun violence, months after Lunar New Year mass shooting
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Emma Kinery | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

President Joe Biden is in Monterey Park, California, to announce plans for a new executive order to combat gun violence, less than two months after a mass shooting during Lunar New Year celebrations rocked that community. Biden's executive order will include increasing the use of background checks for gun buyers and promoting safe storage of firearms. But the White House says the number of mass shootings in 2023 alone shows it did not go far enough. There have been at least 110 mass shootings in the United States in the two and a half months of 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive. More than 8,300 Americans have died due to gun violence since the beginning of the year alone, the organization's data says.

☆ 'Huge hunger cliff' looms, warns expert: Average recipient to get $90 less in food stamps as Covid aid ends
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

watch now"That's a really tight budget if you're talking about low-income families," said Ellen Vollinger, SNAP director at the Food Research and Action Center. The Food Research and Action Center has advocated for congressional legislation to address the problem. Food bank braces for increased demandLos Angeles County Regional Food Bank workers help with food distribution in Willowbrook, California, on April 29, 2021. The food bank has been increasing its food purchases in recent weeks to anticipate increased demand for food assistance, Flood said. In the aftermath of the pandemic's onset in 2020, the food bank was serving 1 million county residents, Flood said.

☆ Vanessa Bryant Reaches Nearly $29 Million Settlement Over Kobe Bryant Crash Photos
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Alyssa Lukpat | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Vanessa Bryant, Kobe Bryant’s widow, had sued county officials in 2020 over photos taken of the helicopter crash. Los Angeles County agreed to pay nearly $29 million to settle a lawsuit filed by Kobe Bryant ’s family over pictures sheriff’s deputies had taken at the scene of a fatal helicopter crash, according to lawyers and court records. Vanessa Bryant sued county officials months after Mr. Bryant, the basketball star, and their 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, died on their way to a basketball tournament in January 2020. Some first responders had taken pictures of their bodies at the crash site in the hills near Calabasas, Calif., which she alleged were shared. The crash, which killed all eight passengers and the pilot, stunned basketball fans around the world.

☆ Vanessa Bryant reaches $28.85 million settlement with L.A. County over helicopter crash photos
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Phil Helsel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Vanessa Bryant, the widow of late NBA legend Kobe Bryant, has reached an almost $30 million settlement with Los Angeles County over photos taken of the scene of the deadly 2020 helicopter crash, an attorney for the county said. The settlement is for $28.85 million and resolves all claims involving the county, Mira Hashmall, lead trial counsel for Los Angeles County in the case, said in a statement. Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant, 41; his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant; and seven other people died in the crash in Calabasas, near the Southern California coast, northwest of Los Angeles. The almost $30 million settlement includes the $15 million awarded to Vanessa Bryant by a jury in August, Hashmall said. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved the settlement, she said.

REUTERS/Lucy NicholsonFeb 28 (Reuters) - Los Angeles County will pay the wife of late basketball star Kobe Bryant nearly $29 million to settle a lawsuit over allegations that sheriff officers and firefighters shared gruesome photos of the helicopter crash that killed Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter. "Today marks the successful culmination of Mrs. Bryant's courageous battle to hold accountable those who engaged in this grotesque conduct," said Luis Li, attorney for Vanessa Bryant, Kobe Bryant's wife. Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven other people died in the crash in Calabasas, Calif., on Jan. 26, 2020. Kobe Bryant was 41 when he died. The Los Angeles Lakers great and 18-time All-Star won five NBA championships and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2020.

Feb 27 - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a challenge to Los Angeles County's ban on sales of flavored tobacco products brought by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, which had argued that only the federal government - not state or local governments - has the legal authority to regulate tobacco products. The Supreme Court in December allowed a California statewide ban on flavored tobacco products, also challenged by R.J. Reynolds, to go into effect. California became the second state to ban all flavored tobacco product sales, after Massachusetts in 2019. Flavored tobacco products, especially e-cigarettes, have come under scrutiny in recent years as critics have said they appeal to youth. Circuit Court of Appeals last year upheld the Los Angeles ban on a 2-1 vote.

☆ Southern California delights in rare snowfall as winter blast lingers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Rich Mckay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] The Hollywood sign is seen through clouds during rare cold winter weather, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., February 24, 2023. The storm was expected to strengthen on Friday and linger over California through Saturday, the National Weather Service said. In Southern California, "this is a rare case of a cold, significant storm event," Jackson said. SEVEN FEET OF SNOW IN SOME SPOTSEven before the latest storm in California, much of the state has experienced an unusually rainy, chilly winter. Heavy rain will inundate many parts of California through Saturday, the weather service said.

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