Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa recently called for comprehensive federal immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship for the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country.
Villaraigosa’s call, made during a policy speech at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.,comes as Congress and President Barack Obama are focused on looming battles over gun control and whether to raise the ceiling on how much the nation can borrow to pay for its spending.
Water main havoc
A water main ruptured in the Mid-City area recently, a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power representative said.
The six-inch water main broke in the 1700 block of Hauser Boulevard, affecting 20 customers, said DWP’s Kim Hughes.
Cold weather death
A man described as a transient was found dead recently on a sidewalk in downtown Los Angeles, where the temperature fell to 34 degrees Fahrenheit, a record low for a Jan. 14 date, as the region remained in the grips of a cold snap.
The body of the man, who apparently was in his late 50s, was discovered about 6:40 a.m. in the 300 block of West First Street, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported. His name was not immediately released. The man may have been beneath blankets or in a sleeping bag, according to the department. The preliminary investigation indicated that the cause of death was from natural causes, police said.
Gibbons to retire
After nearly a quarter-century handling media relations for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office, Sandi Gibbons announced recently she will retire 31.
“It’s time,” Gibbons told City News Service. A native Californian who graduated from the University of South Carolina, Gibbons has worked big criminal cases from both sides of the fence, working for City News Service and the Daily News before joining the district attorney’s office in March 1989.
Celebrity death undetermined
The late Natalie Wood’s manner of death was changed from “accidental” to “undetermined” in her file at the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office, according to a supplemental report about the actress’ drowning while spending Thanksgiving weekend with husband Robert Wagner and friend Christopher Walken.
Injuries found on the 43-year-old actress’ arm, wrist and neck, initially attributed to Wood trying to climb into an inflatable dinghy, probably occurred before she fell into the chilly water about midnight on Nov. 29, 1981, according to the latest report, which was dated June 15.
Bell trial
Jury selection will begin Tuesday in the trial of former Bell Mayor Oscar Hernandez and five former City Council members accused of misappropriating public funds through exorbitant salaries.
About 100 potential jurors are expected to be handed questionnaires gauging their knowledge of the case against Hernandez and former council members Teresa Jacobo, George Mirabal, Luis Artiga, George Cole and Victor Bello. Prospective jurors will be given about a week to fill out the questionnaires, and jury selection will resume before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy Jan. 22.
Disney sued
Two producers, who allege they were behind the ABC Family television movie “The 12 Dates of Christmas” but not compensated, sued The Walt Disney Co. recently.
Beth Grossbard and Barri Rosenblum brought the breach-of-contract suit in Los Angeles Superior Court, also naming ABC Inc. and ABC Family. They want unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
USC coach fired
USC fired men’s basketball coach Kevin O’Neill Jan. 14 in the midst of his fourth season.
The Trojans’ athletic director, Pat Haden, said longtime USC assistant coach Bob Cantu will serve as interim head coach while a search for O’Neill’s successor is conducted.
Pot dispensary shooting
A man whose best friend was shot by a security guard when the two tried to rob the owner of a medical marijuana dispensary was sentenced recently to 15 years in state prison.
Arian Prescod Dancy, 38, negotiated a deal with the District Attorney’s office in connection with the Dec. 17, 2011, shooting death of 33-year-old Anthony Hill in the 4200 block of South Crenshaw Boulevard in the Leimert Park area.
Stoppard to receive award
Tom Stoppard, who wrote or co-wrote films including “Empire of the Sun,” “Shakespeare in Love” and “Brazil,” will receive the Writers Guild of America, West’s Laurel Award for Screen, honoring lifetime achievement in outstanding writing for motion pictures, the Guild announced recently.
“A television writer since 1965 and a screenwriter since 1975, Tom Stoppard brings wit, elegance and heart to all he composes,” WGAW Vice President Howard A. Rodman said. “We did not want to let his acknowledged brilliance as a playwright to blind us to his dramatic talents in our own field.”
Documentarians nominated
The directors of three documentaries who have already been nominated for Oscars were among those receiving nods recently for a Directors Guild of America Award.
Kirby Dick was nominated by the DGA for “The Invisible War,” Malik Bendjelloul for “Searching for Sugar Man,” Lauren Greenfield for “The Queen of Versailles,” David France for “How to Survive a Plague” and Alison Klayman for “Ai WeiWei: Never Sorry.”
Car chase
A boy in a stolen car led officers through Inglewood and other South Bay cities in a meandering two-hour pursuit during which he crashed into a police cruiser, then drove over some spike strips and was arrested, police said.
The pursuit started at Manchester and La Cienega boulevards in Inglewood at 11:06 p.m., when officers attempted to stop a gold Toyota Camry stolen in Inglewood and the driver refused to pull over, said Inglewood police Sgt. Brian Hand.
Drunk driver
A passenger who died in a crash caused by an alleged drunken motorist on a Golden State (5) Freeway ramp in Elysian Park has been identified recently.
Christian Spillari, 21, of Glendale, was riding in a rear seat in the 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass involved in the Jan. 13 wreck and was ejected through the car’s rear window, according to the coroner’s office and California Highway Patrol. He died at the scene.
‘Dark Thirty’ Oscar contender
Oscar contender “Zero Dark Thirty,” the dramatization of the hunt for Osama bin Laden, dominated the North American box office in its first week of wide release, according to final figures released recently.
The Kathryn Bigelow-directed film earned $24.4 million between Jan. 11 and Jan 13 to top the debuts of two films, “A Haunted House” and “Gangster Squad,” according to Hollywood.com Box Office.
Gas prices rise
The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County rose one-tenth of a cent recently for the second consecutive day.
The average price of $3.691 is 2.8 cents more than one week ago and 3.7 cents higher than one month ago but 4.2 cents less than one year ago, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.
Freeway crash
Several vehicles collided recently on an apparently icy road in the Sherman Oaks area, but no one was hurt, authorities said.
The accident was reported about 7:15 a.m. in the 3200 block of North Beverly Glen Boulevard, said Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Pedestrians killed
The family of 31-year-old twin sisters struck by a car while fighting in a Leimert Park street issued a statement recently asking that people avoid speculation regarding the circumstances surrounding their deaths and “consider how medical conditions might affect any of us.”
Tanisha R. and Tamaya J. Davis were struck about 3 a.m. Sunday in the 4200 block of Leimert Boulevard and died at the scene.
Check cashing employees sentenced
A Westlake district check cashing store, its operator and compliance officer were sentenced recently for failing to follow federal reporting and anti-money laundering requirements for transactions totaling more than $8 million.
Karen Gasparian, who operated G&A Check Cashing, was sentenced to five years in federal prison and compliance officer Humberto Sanchez, 51, of Alhambra, to eight months by U.S. District Judge John F.
Walter for violations of the Bank Secrecy Act, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. G&A Check Cashing was ordered to pay a fine of more than $950,000 as part of two-year period of probation.
Gasparian, 31, of Canyon Country and G&A were ordered to forfeit about $240,500, which represents the profits they earned on funds going through G&A for which currency transaction reports were not filed, officials said.
