L.A. Times - San Fernando Valley News

Bill Drake dies at 71; 'Boss Radio' inventor spread less-talk format across country

Tue, 2 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Bill Drake, the legendary radio programmer who revamped Top 40 radio in the 1960s and helped launch highly successful "93/KHJ Boss Radio" in Los Angeles, has died. He was 71.

Police plan raises fears on Westside

Tue, 2 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Residents worry that fewer patrols and the shift of LAPD officers elsewhere could mean increase in burglaries.

A plan to slash the number of Los Angeles police officers who patrol some Westside neighborhoods has reignited long-standing political tensions over the priority the department gives to nonviolent property crimes in affluent neighborhoods.

Tujunga Village

Tue, 2 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Here's a little bohemia hidden in the Valley.

Tucked into the tree-lined flats of Studio City, Tujunga Village is a foil to the neighborhood's main commercial artery, Ventura Boulevard. Occupying the stretch of Tujunga Avenue between Woodbridge and Moorpark streets, Tujunga Village is a throwback to one-stoplight main streets, with ample parking and charming mom-and-pop boutiques and eateries. But its simplicity doesn't mean it lacks sophistication. On the contrary, the Village is a gourmet grotto of sorts, with stores that please even the most discerning visitors.

L.A. Times readers give own takes on auto bailout request

Mon, 1 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Readers from Los Angeles to New York, from Canada to Australia, were irate, chagrined, understanding and perplexed by the efforts of Detroit's three big automakers to obtain federal funds to shore up their faltering operations.

Lottery results

Mon, 1 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Delays plague L.A. County's anti-gang program

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

The county's chief executive is expected to announce two pilot programs next month, more than a year after deadline.

Los Angeles County leaders, who more than a year and a half ago promised to revamp their $105-million-a-year gang intervention effort, are still months away from a new strategy, hobbled by repeated delays and haggling over details.

California has a new clout in Congress

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Many lawmakers are in key positions to act on environmental and other measures that could benefit the state.

Under President Bush, California Democrats often felt like Rodney Dangerfield.

First AME pastor's spending examined

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

John J. Hunter used church credit cards for personal items, an audit finds. He denies any wrongdoing.

The pastor of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the oldest and most prominent black congregations in Los Angeles, used church credit cards to pay for at least $122,000 in personal expenses over a three-year period, including jewelry, family vacations, clothing and auto supplies, according to documents and church sources.

Leslie A. Margolin: Promoting healthier ways of reaching consensus

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

The president of Anthem Blue Cross of California believes 'answers lie in trying to bring people with diverse backgrounds and diverse interests together and focus on what they have in common.'

The gig: President of Woodland Hills-based Anthem Blue Cross of California, the state's largest for-profit health insurer, which serves more than 8 million members.

Medical marijuana facility robbed in Mission Hills

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 14:18:00 -0800

Police are seeking two armed men who fled the dispensary with cash and an unknown amount of marijuana Friday night.

Police searched today for two men who robbed a medical marijuana facility in Mission Hills, getting away with cash and drugs.