Los Angeles on Tuesday became the largest city in the nation to move toward a ban on plastic grocery bags, with the City Council barring them in supermarkets, convenience stores and any big retailer that sells groceries.
Nearly three weeks after a similar measure was defeated in the California Legislature, the City Council voted 11-1 to prohibit the so-called “single use” plastic bags in pharmacies, food markets and any large store — including Target and Wal-Mart — that has a grocery section.
Councilman Paul Koretz described the ban as one of several environmental initiatives that have been embraced by the city, including a clean-truck program at the Port of Los Angeles and a push to build new rail lines. “Today we’re taking another big step forward,” he said.
Similar bans exist in many smaller cities and towns across the country, though Los Angeles is easily the largest city to move toward such a ban thus far. (D.C. was one of the first big cities, however. — Ed.) Any strong opinions on plastic bag bans among the SFB readership?
The women injured when Los Angeles police opened fire on them during the manhunt for ex-cop Christopher Dorner have reached a $4.2-million settlement with the city, sources told The Times.
Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich announced a settlement had been reached Tuesday afternoon. More details were expected at a 2 p.m. news conference.
Margie Carranza, 47, and her mother, Emma Hernandez, 71, were delivering newspapers in Torrance on Feb. 7 when LAPD officers shot repeatedly at their blue Toyota Tacoma. Hernandez was shot twice in the back, and Carranza was injured by broken glass, an attorney for the women said.
We’re glad to hear that these two women will be taken care of financially, though they undoubtedly would have preferred simply not to be shot at. Still, it’s hard not to see this as a positive outcome, considering there was once some doubt they’d even get a new truck.
We’ll take steps to find out who did this, and if they’re within the boundaries of the United States, we’ll prosecute them.L.A. Police Chief Charlie Beck • Discussing the Russian website that leaked much of his financial info, along with the alleged personal info of a number of major celebrities, such as Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Beyonce and Jay-Z. Why he was included in such company, he’s not 100 percent sure, but he assumes his association with the Christopher Dorner case played a role.
The moment we found out, we felt a bit sick to the stomach, quite literally, especially having drank the water, we’re not well mentally.British tourist Michael Baugh • Discussing the disturbing story of a Canadian tourist in Los Angeles whose body was found at the bottom of a cistern located on the roof of a historic hotel. Prior to the finding of 21-year-old Elisa Lam by a maintenance worker, hotel guests had complained of low water pressure. While investigators are still trying to figure out what happened, they called the case suspicious. Yikes.
Chief Charlie Beck is reopening the investigation because he wants “to insure the public that the LAPD is fair and transparent,” Cmdr. Andrew Smith said at a late-afternoon news conference at LAPD’s headquarters downtown.
Dorner was stripped of his badge in 2009 after a police disciplinary board found him guilty of making false statements against his training officer, Teresa Evans. In August 2007, Dorner accused Evans of kicking a mentally ill man during an arrest in San Pedro.
The internal affairs investigation concluded that she had not kicked the man and that Dorner’s statements were false.
Dorner has killed three people, including a Riverside police officer, and injured others in a campaign to take revenge on those he blamed for his dismissal from the LAPD, police said.
Dorner is currently suspected of being in the San Bernardino Mountains. His manifesto explained, in great detail, why he felt he had been wronged by the police department.
Both sides in the strike that has crippled the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have agreed to federal mediation, L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said Tuesday at a news conference.
Villaraigosa said the agreement was an encouraging sign and could help bring an end to the strike, now in its eighth day. He said the parties negotiated throughout the night and there had been some recent movement.
“I’m hopeful that the mediator will be here today,” Villaraigosa told reporters. “We’ve got to get a deal and get a deal as soon as possible.”
Approximately 20,000 workers in the region have been affected by the strike, which is now on its seventh day, and the work stoppage has shuttered 10 of the 14 available cargo container terminals at ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach. Union members claim that the 14 employers being picketed have been slowly but steadily outsourcing jobs to states and countries with lower-paid, non-union workers. The terminal owners deny the claims, saying they’ve guaranteed the union members full job security in addition to wage and pension boosts. source
In Focus: A Space Shuttle on the Streets of Los Angeles
The space shuttle Endeavour is on its last mission today, a 12-mile creep through Los Angeles city streets on a 160-wheeled carrier. It is passing through neighborhoods and strip malls, headed toward its final destination, the California Science Center in South Los Angeles. At times, the shuttle has barely cleared trees, houses and and street signs along a course heavily prepared for the trip. The move will cost an estimated $10 million, according to the Exposition Park museum. Gathered here are a few images of Endeavour’s last journey.
Today in doing things just because we can.
I can’t add much to what’s already been (and will be) ...
One of the perks of being an early employee...
Over the last 90 days, the Digg...
#FMMDI (at 30 Rockefeller Plaza)
Thanks. I guess my thoughts are as follows:
1. I think...
Two Months Ago I set out to interview the principal cast...
not sure if folks know this yet, but johnny lewis (halfsack) died last night. the sad irony of it happening two days after opie’s death is not lost on me. it was a tragic end for an extremely talented guy, who unfortunately had lost his way. i wish i could say that i was shocked by the events last night, but i was not. i am deeply sorry that an innocent life had to be thrown into his destructive path. yes, it’s day or mourning, but it’s also a day of awareness and gratitude. sadly, some of us carry the message by dying.“Sons of Anarchy” creator Kurt Sutter • Reacting on Whosay to the death of actor Johnny Lewis, who starred in the first two seasons of Sutter’s show. Before Lewis died, he was suspected of killing an 81-year-old woman in Los Angeles, after which he fell to his death. Lewis had a series of legal troubles before his death, including a bar fight and an attempted burglary. A probation officer reportedly expressed grave concern for Lewis’ mental health months before his death, and suggested he had chemical dependencies. Lewis had been released from jail a week before his death. source
Purported anti-Muslim film producer arrested in probation violation case
(Photo: NBC News)
LOS ANGELES — Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, the Cerritos man who many believe to be behind an anti-Muslim video that has inflamed the Islamic world, was arrested Thursday afternoon, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Los Angeles said.
It will be interesting to see how this case plays out.
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In a unanimous vote on Tuesday, the L.A. City Council voted to end the era of medical marijuana dispensaries in the city. Letters demanding an immediate end to all operations will be sent to all 762 registered dispensaries in Los Angeles; however, some older dispensaries may be allowed to re-open at a later date thanks to a “grandfather clause” proposal which also passed a vote. Many activists have pledged to fight the new measure — both in court and with ballot initiatives if necessary — including the California branch of Americans for Safe Access. So, do you think this was the right move? (Photo via Dank Depot) source
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