LOS ANGELES
LA mulls building homeless housing on city parking lots
An idea for dealing with the huge homeless problem in Los Angeles would involve building multistory apartment buildings on numerous city-owned parcels.
The Los Angeles Times reports Friday that 119 parcels were purchased by the city in the decades after World War II and cleared to create parking lots for emerging commercial districts.
Planning is already underway to develop housing on public lots in Venice and Hollywood, the rest of the rest of the parcels are being reviewed to determine if they could support housing.
Opponents say merchants will lose parking and people will move away.
The idea comes as the city looks for ways to implement a voter-approved $1.2 billion bond measure intended to help fund construction of 1,000 permanent supportive housing units each year.
Associated Press
HUNTINGTON BEACH
Body washes ashore at Huntington Beach, where woman vanished
Southern California authorities are trying to determine if a body that washed onto Huntington Beach is that of a woman who vanished in the ocean earlier this week.
The body was spotted early Thursday afternoon, but police Lt. J. Haught told The Orange County Register that it had not been identified as of Thursday night.
The Coast Guard and local authorities conducted a lengthy search for 18-year-old Jessy Cook, who was last seen in the water off Huntington Beach Pier late Tuesday night. The search was suspended Wednesday night.
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES
2 Los Angeles firefighters injured battling mansion fire
Two Los Angeles firefighters suffered burns while battling a fire in a huge Bel Air mansion but none of the occupants were hurt.
It took more than 100 firefighters 2½ hours to extinguish the blaze in the 7,500-square-foot (697-square-meter) residence on Bellagio Road.
The blaze was initially reported as an attic fire at 5:27 p.m. Thursday. A homeowner, children and a nanny were alerted by smoke alarms and evacuated.
The Fire Department says one firefighter suffered non-life-threatening burns to his hands and face, and the second firefighter suffered minor burns to his ears. Both were taken to hospitals.
The home sustained significant damage but firefighters kept the fire from spreading to a pool house, a garage and brush.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES
'Urban Light' sculpture switches from incandescent to LED
Artist Chris Burden's famous sculpture "Urban Light" is casting a new glow on the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
The 10th anniversary of the installation of the 202 vintage street lamps at the museum's Wilshire Boulevard entrance was celebrated this week with the announcement that all 309 incandescent bulbs have been replaced with LED bulbs.
The change funded by the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation will result in a 90 percent power savings and the reduced energy demand will prevent the release of a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions.
The antique cast-iron lamp posts standing in a tight formation represent 17 different designs used by cities in and around Los Angeles.
Burden recovered and restored them over a seven-year period.
The artist died in 2015.
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES
Southern California may see rain after more Santa Ana winds
Southern California's warm, dry winter is expected to whipsaw from another round of fire weather to potentially showery and unsettled conditions.
The National Weather Service says a moderate to strong Santa Ana wind condition is expected to rapidly develop Saturday night and continue through Sunday night.
Red flag warnings will be in effect during the period as relative humidity levels plunge into single-digit percentages and gusts reach up to 60 mph (96 kph) in the mountains of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Gusts in the valleys will range up to 45 mph (72 kph).
Forecasters say it will be a short-lived event followed by a showery pattern Monday through Thursday, with snow levels falling as low as 3,500 feet (1,066 meters).
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES
Metrolink train service for Dodger games to be studied
Some Los Angeles Dodgers fans may have the option of leaving their cars at home and taking Metrolink trains to home games.
Directors of the regional service on Friday approved a motion to study special train service for Dodger games on the railroad's San Bernardino and Antelope Valley lines.
That would allow fans from eastern and northern parts of the Los Angeles region to avoid traffic on the State Route 60 freeway and Interstates 10 and 210, as well as parking hassles.
The trains would deliver fans to Union Station downtown and from there those with game tickets would ride free on express buses to and from the stadium.
The study will look into scheduling and fare options. The motion directs staff to report back within 60 days.
Associated Press
