Los Angeles has their very own carsonist(s), and it's been a tense holiday weekend for residents of Hollywood and West Hollywood as at least 55 cars were "firebombed" by what investigators believe may be Molotov cocktails "perhaps in a container able to penetrate car-window glass." It remains uncertain whether these incidents have all been the work of a single individual, and early this morning police announced that they had detained a person of interest in the case — a man driving a blue minivan with Canadian plates who may or may not be from Germany. They say it's too early to tell whether the man can even be considered a suspect. A string of eleven fires broke out in the span of two hours this morning beginning around 1:30 a.m. more ›

Citing his blood alcohol level at the time of the attack, an attorney for the Los Angeles Dodgers plans to partially blame Bryan Stow for the brutal attacked that left him in a coma on opening day of 2011. LA Times reports: "Jerome Jackson [attorney for the Dodgers] told The Times his statements were purely in reference to how a civil jury might break down responsibility for the beating during the Dodgers' home opener in March. He cited a magazine article that said Stow had alcohol in his system when he was admitted to the hospital." more ›

At the risk of dousing nail polish remover on the roaring flames of Dodgers-Giants rivalry, we don't think the father here, a Dodgers fan who drops his kid in order to catch a foul ball at Saturday's Florida-LA game, did anything that we wouldn't have done for a nifty trinket. (Why, your very own SFist editor recently stepped on his godson's bare toes while charging at a freshly-poured glass of dry rosé. You would've done the same. It was delicious.) Plus, he seems remorseful and ah-shucks-y about the entire ordeal, too. So does his kid. more ›

Transferring to one of the country's top trauma centers at San Francisco General Hospital, attacked Giants fan Bryan Stow returned to the Bay Area today. SF General has the only trauma center in San Francisco that specializes in brain injuries, reports CBS 5. He will "be monitored by the hospital’s chief of neurosurgery, Dr. Geoff Manley." more ›

Bryan Stow, the San Francisco Giants Fan beaten outside Dodger Stadium during the season opener, emerged out of his medically-induced coma on Thursday, reports CBS 5. "Hospital publicist Rosa Saca confirmed that Stow’s doctors were in the process of reducing the medication given to keep him in a coma. But she said doctors didn’t think they would know how Stow’s body would respond for a few more days." more ›

Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum will contribute $25,000 to the fund to aid Bryan Stow, the Giants' fan who was critically injured in a brutal attack at Dodger Stadium. "This was a senseless act of violence and I wanted to help out Mr. Stow and his family," Lincecum said in a statement. "It's also close to me because not only is Mr. Stow a Giants fan, but I have family and friends who are firefighters, police officers and paramedics and this honors their service to the community." more ›

The reward for information leading to the arrest of two Dodger fans who severely beat Giants fan and Santa Cruz resident Bryan Stow went up to $50,000 today when both the Giants and the Dodgers, as well as Stow's employer, pledged hefty contributions to the pot. According to the Santa Cruz Sentinel, execs from the Giants organization brought Stow a signed team jersey at the USC Medical Center where he is still in a medically-induced coma and pledged an additional $10,000 reward for information in the assault. A spokesman for the Dodgers said his team will add another $25,000 to the bounty, and Stow's employer in Santa Cruz pitched in another $5,000 on top of the LA County Supervisor's $10,000 reward. more ›

After Thursday's opening game at Dodger Stadium, a Giants fan was brutally beaten by Dogders fan in the parking lot, a $10,000 reward has been offered by LA County Supervisor Mike Antonovich for any information leading to an arrest. The victim has been identified as Bryan Stow, 42, a Santa Cruz paramedic and father of two. Stow was struck with fists on the back of the head and fell and hit his head on the ground, according to the San Jose Mercury News. The attackers, wearing Dodgers clothing at the time of the attack, then "kicked Stow and ran to a four-door sedan driven by a woman with a boy in the vehicle." more ›

After last night's opening game in Los Angeles, LAPD are looking for two men who beat and seriously injured a Giants fan in the Dodger Stadium parking lot. "Sgt. Sanford Rosenberg said Friday that two men in Dodgers clothing followed three men in Giants gear as they walked to their car after Thursday night's 2-1 Dodger victory," Associated Press reports. "Rosenberg says the attackers yelled slurs against the Giants and began kicking and punching the men. One victim suffered a head injury and was hospitalized in critical but stable condition." more ›

As many of you know by now, Johannes Mehserle received the minimum sentence of 2 years jail time, with time-served credit attached. In all, the former BART cop, convicted of killing Oscar Grant on New Year's Day 2009, will serve somewhere around 70 days in state prison. more ›

Described by OC Weekly as the "quintessential Berkeleyite," Alice Waters visited Los Angeles this past weekend to promote her latest literary effort, In the Green Kitchen: Techniques to Learn By Heart at the L.A. Times Festival of Books. Although this year's Festival of Book was reportedly "weaker than most for food lovers," defenseless Waters had to watch, after "[having] her way with unbelievably high-quality vegetables on stage," as the audience was presented with lunch choices like Carl's Jr., California Pizza Kitchen and Panda Express. Oops. We imagine neither the Donna of organic food nor the audience were none to thrilled. (In fast food's defense, the Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger is a modern marvel to behold.) [via Eater] more ›

At a court hearing this afternoon in Oakland, Judge Morris Jacobson of Alameda County Superior Court decided to move the trial of Johannes Mehserle to Los Angeles in an effort to get a fair trail. Jacobson promised in September that the trial would move out of the area. more ›

Let's take a look at what our SoCal buddy at LAist sees as the sun goes down. It's both scary and beautiful. Enjoy. more ›

Hello there, So Cal brethren! If you're in the Los Angeles area tonight, you might want to head over South Los Angeles Town Hall to catch our famous, Prop. 8-hating, named-dropped-on--boasting, inarguably sexy mayor. He's running for California governor -- which could prove successful come 2010 -- so he'll be speaking from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Saint Andrews Rec Center Gymnasium (at 8701 S St Andrews). Be sure to RSVP here. He's also asking for you to send him a question for this evening's chat, which you can do right here. If you can't make it tonight, Newsom will also conduct town hall meetings in San Bernardino (7/28) and in Riverside (8/30). more ›

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa revealed Wolf Blitzer today that he will not run for Governor. "The answer's no. I make that decision because like I've said many times, I love the city I was born and raised in, the city my grandpa came to 100 years ago," he told Blitzer. more ›

Although his colleagues couldn't find him, Mayor Gavin Newsom was spotted in WeHo on Sunday, kicking it at LA's Gay Pride. more ›

A moderate earthquake rattled greater Los Angeles for 10 to 15 seconds last evening around 8:40 p.m., and it was felt as far south as San Diego. No major damage has been reported, but at least one person went to the hospital. Our bros at LAist registered a few aftershocks and link to a pic of some broken glass at a Starbucks. more ›

LA Weekly baits San Franciscans in Ask Mr. Gold's most recent column. Erica, a Los Angeles-based reader, writes in to ask about her "friend in town from Berkeley" who loves burritos but is set in her Bay Area commie pinko burrito eating ways. What should Erica do? more ›

Remember the other day, we told you about a bunch of new TV ads about how gay families can actually be pleasant and likable? Well, you'll be glad to hear that the spots aired all over California during Tuesday's inauguration, which is great -- except in Los Angeles on ABC-TV. According to the folks who produced the ads, they were told they were "too controversial to air during the Inauguration, since 'many families will be watching.'" more ›

Back in October, the Yes on 8 "people" challenged California's Superintendent of Schools, Jack O'Connell, to a debate about gay marriage. According to Yes, even the remotest possibility of learning anything about gay marriage is harmful to children. Nothing hateful about that! more ›

Dozens and dozens of mansions in Montecito & Santa Barbara went up in flames last night. There is no ETA for containment of the massive fire, which started a little before 6 p.m. lat night. It has since spread to about 2,500 acres (i.e., around four miles) by early Friday morning. Christopher Lloyd's home has been torched to the ground. But Oprah Winfrey's home remains untouched. We repeat: Oprah Winfrey's home is still standing. You can breathe now. (CBS 5) more ›

Since there's no reason every other blog and MSM outlet out there gets to milk yesterday's 5.4 LA earthquake and not us, check out these two pieces of caught-on-tape footage fun. First we have , showing God's unmitigated gall by interfereing with Ms. Sheindlin's ruling. more ›

"A Strong Earthquake Has Shaken Los Angeles," or so says this jarring single headline on CBS 5. You know anything more? We'll update as soon as we do. more ›

Slate magazine claims to have found the "stupidest bike lane in America"... down in LoCal, of course. more ›

The Library Tower (AKA the U.S. Bank Tower) in Los Angeles could soon be the second tallest building west of the Mississippi thanks to San Francisco's proposed Transbay Terminal. While the Library Tower, located in downtown Los Angeles, stands at an alluring 1,018-feet tall, the Transbay Terminal is primed to win the measuring contest at 1,200-feet. more ›

It looks like Mayor Gavin Newsom will take a stab at running for Governor of California in 2010. In addition to the gaggle of Democratic hopefuls looking to succeed Gov. Schwarzenegger after his reign comes to an end -- which include former governor Jerry Brown, former state controller Steve Westley, and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, just to name a few -- San Francisco's very own mayor wants the title as well. more ›

Bay Area filmmakers Arne Johnson and Shane King present Girls Rock! The Movie, a highly moving documentary about Portland's Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls, a place for girls ages eight to eighteen to learn an instrument, form their own bands, write songs, make friends, and then perform in front of 700 people -- all in a week's time. The film is opening in seven cities today -- San Francisco, Berkeley, Portland, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle and will be opening in over thirty cities nationwide throughout this spring and summer. The filmmakers will be at all of the Embarcadero screenings today and tonight for Q&As, and Shane King will be there tomorrow at the 7:00 and 10:00 p.m. screenings. Check out this great interview with Arne and Shane over at Mental_Floss. more ›

Well then. Does the same go for The Biggest Loser? Because we love that show. more ›