Comedian Jeff Ross DJ’d the opening for artists Kii Arens
Kii Arens is not afraid of color. The artist/director/musician/designer recently opened his new Fab L.A. gallery space in Downtown’s Fine Arts building and we dropped by to take a look. For many years, Arens ran La La Land Gallery on Santa Monica Boulevard, in a block filled with tiny theaters, galleries and the artsy funk that’s been slowly draining out of Hollywood.
Kii Arens art at Fab L.A.Credit: Photo by Chris Nichols
Welcome to Downtown. Arens’ newest space is in the cathedral-like Fine Arts Building on West 7th Street. The 100-year-old landmark is filled with spectacular Batchelder tile and the grand lobby soars over a mezzanine where the gallery’s offices are located. There’s an art-filled pool in the center and artists have long used the gold display cases lining the lobby walls for displays.
Kii Arens Fab L.A. galleryCredit: Photo by Chris Nichols
The cases are currently filled with concert posters and artifacts from collaborations with the likes of Elton John and Van Halen. The artists have created loud, eye-catching posters for Devo and the B-52’s, Dolly Parton and Weezer. He’s been commissioned by Disney, Coachella and the Hollywood Bowl because your eyes cannot avoid his screamingly bright artworks. Your attention will be caught.
The Fine Arts Building in Downtown Los AngelesCredit: Photo by Chris Nichols
The opening was not only a party but a fundraiser for Oxfam and included a pop-up sale of objects donated by past Grammy winners, including Billie Eilish, Lorde and My Morning Jacket. Snazzy hats, a signed keyboard, and a ton of vinyl were sold to benefit the British-born anti-poverty charity.
The Fine Arts Building in Downtown Los AngelesCredit: Photo by Chris Nichols
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Comedian Jeff Ross, known as the Roastmaster General for his televised takedowns of famous faces, attended wearing an appropriately outlandish embroidered suit by Kid Super of Brooklyn. His Broadway show Take a Banana for the Ride is coming soon to Netflix. The comic hopped in and took over the DJ duties at the party. “Let’s roll some tunes,” Ross said from behind the turntable. “And celebrate art and downtown.”
Donated items at the Oxfam fundraiserCredit: Photo by Chris Nichols
Hancock Park developer Leo Pustilnikov hopes the 100-year-old iconic restaurant can help change lives
For more than a century, the Original Pantry at the corner of 9th and Figueroa was an L.A. icon that drew a cross section of our culture. Famous faces from Humphrey Bogart to Kim Kardashian rubbed elbows with tourists, office workers and the occasional ex-con at the all-night hash house.
The Original Pantry in 2024Credit: Photo by Chris Nichols
When they powered down the grill for the last time on March 2, there was a hotcake-sized hole in the heart of Los Angeles. Members of the no-nonsense crew in their starched shirts and bow ties fed L.A. through the Great Depression, World War II and urban renewal. Downtown changed all around but the counter stools and cashier’s cage inside remained unaltered.
The original Original Pantry was located a couple blocks west before moving to its current location in 1950.Credit: Photo by Art Streib Studio/Wiki
After the shutdown, those dedicated employees refused to leave. Soon they were back flipping pancakes for customers on the sidewalk. Some of them relocated over the river to East Los Tacos rebranding it East Los Pantry. After so many generations spent working its way into L.A.’s soul, the Pantry refused to die.
The Original Pantry in 2024Credit: Photo by Chris Nichols
Enter Hancock Park real estate investor Leo Pustilnikov, who purchased the property in September and announced a deal with the labor union representing the staff to reopen by the end of the year with much of the original crew. “The Pantry is an L.A. institution,” he says. “I see it as part of the legacy and history of Downtown and an opportunity to help my residents who could use employment.”
Pustilnikov owns some 2,000 apartments in the area — many purchased last year from the nonprofit Skid Row Housing Trust — as well as the Alexandria Hotel, PacMutual building and the art deco Sears building in Boyle Heights. The returning workforce will be joined by new hires who are tenants in his buildings. “They’re high-paying jobs and I’m trying to provide my residents on Skid Row skills to reenter the workforce.”
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Original Pantry owner Leo PustilnikovCredit: Photo by Irvin Rivera
Pustilnikov acquired the business from the heirs of Richard Riordan. The former L.A. mayor purchased the land and the business in 1981 and liked to tell the story of how he fell in love with the place. “I had a book I was reading,” he told the Los Angeles Times in 2008. “I was very relaxed, and the waiter came over and said, ‘If you want to read, the library’s at Fifth and Hope.’”
“It’s part of the fabric of our city and there’s only a handful of these places left,” says chef George Geary, author of L.A.’s Landmark Restaurants. “When they know your name, it makes you feel warm like they’re family. The Pantry was like that. Weekends were for the tourists but weekdays and late night was for the locals.” The new owner loves the history and architecture of Downtown but had never made his way inside the legendary café. “I’ve driven by. My dad has spoken about it. I heard the hash browns were amazing,” Pustilnikov says. “My first time going there will be when it reopens.”
The Original Pantry in 2024Credit: Photo by Chris Nichols
L.A. County supervisors have unanimously approved an $828-million settlement for alleged victims of childhood sexual abuse, finalizing the deal while questions mount over the legitimacy of some claims in a separate multibillion-dollar payout that they agreed to this spring.
The settlement approved Tuesday brings the county’s spending on sex abuse litigation this year to nearly $5 billion, with the bulk of that total coming from a $4-billion deal made in April to resolve thousands of claims filed by people who said they were abused decades ago in county-run juvenile detention centers and foster homes.
The latest settlement involves similar claims brought by 414 clients of three law firms who opted to negotiate separately from the rest. The $4-billion settlement initially covered roughly 6,800 claims, but has ballooned to more than 11,000.
The larger settlement has come under scrutiny after The Times found nine people who said they were paid to sue. Four said they were told to fabricate the claims. All had lawsuits filed by Downtown LA Law Group, which represents more than 2,700 clients in the first settlement.
The firm has denied paying clients to sue and said it has “systems in place to help weed out false or exaggerated allegations.” The firm has asked the court to dismiss three claims on behalf of allegedly fraudulent plaintiffs this month.
Downtown LA Law Group will be required to detail any claims that came to it through recruiters, the county’s top attorney said Tuesday. The firm has denied any wrongdoing.
(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
The settlement approved Tuesday involves cases only from Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Team, Manly, Stewart & Finaldi, and Panish Shea Ravipudi and has no cases from DTLA. But the firm nevertheless took center stage Tuesday as the supervisors pressed their top attorney on how the lawsuits were vetted.
“What were we doing prior to this article?” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, referencing The Times’ reporting from earlier this month.
The county was in a tough spot, county counsel Dawyn Harrison explained. Many plaintiff attorneys didn’t want the county interviewing their clients, she said. And a judge had temporarily paused the discovery process, providing the county little insight into the identities of the thousands of people suing.
Harrison said Tuesday that DTLA cases now will be required to go through a “completely new level of review” beyond the standard vetting that was already underway by retired Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Louis Meisinger. In addition to having a new retired Superior Court judge vet all their cases, DTLA must provide the county with information on plaintiffs acquired through “a recruiter or vendor,” she said.
“DTLA is required to identify every recruiter it used, a list of each plaintiff brought in per recruiter, information about any funds that changed hands, and a declaration under oath by each recruiter identifying what was done, what was said, and any monies paid,” Harrison said.
It’s an unusual request.
California law bans a practice known as capping, in which non-attorneys directly solicit or procure clients to sign up for lawsuits with a law firm.
DTLA has denied knowledge of any of its clients receiving payments to sue and said the firm wants “justice for real victims” of sexual abuse.
“If we ever became aware that anyone associated with us, in any capacity, did such a thing, we would end our relationship with them immediately,” the firm said.
The rush of lawsuits was kicked off by a now-controversial bill known as AB 218, which changed the statute of limitations for victims of sexual abuse and created a new window to sue. The county, which is responsible for the safety of children inside juvenile carceral facilities and foster care, has seen more than 12,000 claims and counting since the law took effect in 2020.
The allegations of fraud that now hover over these cases was the fault of “an unmanageable law,” not the county’s vetting process, Harrison said.
“AB 218 erased those guardrails and allowed decades-old claims that no one can meaningfully vet,” she said.
The county’s lawyers and politicians have become increasingly loud critics of the law, which they say has left them facing a deluge of decades-old claims with no records. Supervisor Hilda Solis said she felt the county had become the “guinea pig” for the bill.
Joe Nicchitta, the county’s acting chief executive officer, estimated that anywhere between $1 billion to $2 billion in county taxpayer money from the settlements will go to attorneys.
“The law had some very noble intentions but it has been … and I’m just going to say what I think, hijacked by the plaintiff’s bar,” he said. “They do all of the vetting, they do all of the intake, they advertise extensively. They’re incentivized to bring as many cases as possible.”
Nicchitta said he’d heard rumors that venture capitalists were poking around Sacramento to find out “whether or not we have enough cash to pay for another settlement, so that they can finance a law firm to bring another round of settlements against us.”
“It’s clear to me the system is ruptured,” he said.
Courtney Thom, who was the lead attorney on cases from Manly, Stewart & Finaldi, said she believed the county was blaming the new state law for the failures of its own lawyers.
“To blame AB 218 and say that’s what enabled the fraud is just a pathetic attempt to deflect responsibility,” Thom said. “Our firm has been saying for two years we’re concerned about fraud.”
Mike Arias, who represents clients in the latest settlement as a partner with Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Team, said the three firms involved stopped adding clients more than a year ago.
“That’s a big distinction,” Arias said. “We said, at the time, the number of plaintiffs would not change. Ethically, my view was that’s who we represent and who we’re going to negotiate for.”
Arias said the allocation for the second settlement will be done by retired Orange County Superior Court Judge Gail Andler, who specializes in overseeing sexual abuse litigation. Potential payouts will range between $750,000 and $3.25 million, he said.
Victims say the money represents a sliver of justice for the abuse they say they suffered while confined in county custody — little of which has been criminally prosecuted.
One man, who is part of the settlement and asked not to be identified, said he has no idea what happened to the probation official who he alleges raped him at around 16 while he was asleep in his cell at Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall, knocked out on sleep medication.
“I had no control in that place,” said the man, now 34. “My body hasn’t ever felt the same since.”
The county has launched an “AB 218 fraud hotline” where tipsters can report misconduct related to the flood of sex abuse claims.
(Rebecca Ellis / Los Angeles Times)
The county recently launched an “AB 218 fraud hotline” where tipsters can report misconduct related to the flood of claims. The county says it also plans to start a hotline for victims to safely report allegations of sex abuse in its facilities.
“It is illegal for anyone to file, pay for, or receive payments for making fake claims of childhood sexual abuse,” states a banner now running atop the county website with a hand doling out hundred-dollar bills.
The county also has launched a website that asks people to report if they were offered cash to sue, which law firms were involved, and whether they were coached, among other questions.
Supervisor Holly Mitchell, whose district includes the South Central social services office where seven people told The Times they were paid to sue, said she wanted to see the hotlines advertised as aggressively as the plaintiff attorneys advertised for their cases.
“You couldn’t turn on an urban radio station without hearing a commercial advertising these cases,” Mitchell said. “I certainly hope whatever we use, as we talk about our outreach, that we lean in as hard.”
At Cole’s French Dip, a 117-year-old landmark on Sixth Street, employees start each morning not by slicing roast beef but by scrubbing the sidewalk. Shoveling debris. Power washing waste they pray isn’t human steps away from the doorway. Checking the stoop for needles before unlocking the door. Downtown L.A.’s oldest restaurant has survived Prohibition, recessions, and a pandemic—but it can’t survive this. The owner said it plainly: the neighborhood died around us.
A few miles west, at Langer’s Deli near MacArthur Park, the famous No. 19 pastrami sandwich still draws lunchtime pilgrims. But the owner, Norm Langer, admits he’s no longer sure how long he can keep going. “We’re doing what the city should be doing,” he told reporters earlier this year, describing the daily ritual of cleaning drug paraphernalia from the curb before customers arrive. “You just hope nobody gets hurt.”
These aren’t newcomers complaining about downtown grit; they’re institutions that fed this city for generations. Their exits and doubts aren’t about fickle customers, they’re about survival in a civic environment that’s turned toxic.
According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, homelessness within the city rose about 10 percent in 2023, reaching roughly 46,000 people. In the downtown core, encampments grew another 15 percent in the same period, overwhelming sanitation and safety resources. Illegal-dumping complaints citywide rose 5 percent in 2024. Street sweeping that once happened weekly now occurs every other week, and to business owners, that’s an eternity.
The city insists it’s responding. Mayor Karen Bass’s Inside Safe program has moved thousands from encampments into temporary housing, while the Bureau of Street Services and L.A. Sanitation tout expanded cleanup teams and 311 pickup requests. Yet downtown still depends heavily on its Business Improvement Districts, which now spend more than $20 million a year on private cleanup and security. The message to small businesses is clear: survival is a DIY project.
Downtown’s legacy restaurants were never hardened gems; they’ve always been more like the delicate loaves of sourdough every Instagrammer embraced during lockdown, delicious acts of labor that need warmth, timing, and care. They’ve fed office workers and night-shift cops, tourists and tenants.. But bread goes stale and molds when left out too long, and downtown has been left out for too many years.
Since 2023, at least five downtown mainstays, Cole’s French Dip, Nickel Diner, Yxta Cocina Mexicana, Guerrilla Tacos, and the Original Pantry Café, have shuttered or announced closures, citing crime, encampments, and relentless upkeep costs. The survivors are exhausted, fighting to keep their doors open in a city that’s given up on keeping its sidewalks clean.
At closing time, when the last of the staff leaves Cole’s, the lights go out, and the smell of roasted beef disappears from Sixth Street. What lingers is the bleach, the dust, and the question hanging over every block of downtown Los Angeles:
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How do you bake anything fresh in a city so rotten?
Mayor Karen Bass said City Hall was evacuated while the LAPD says it is dealing with a barricaded motorist who intentionally slammed into the building Friday afternoon.
The LAPD has responded to City Hall where a barricade motorist apparently deliberately drove onto the steps of City Hall Credit: Los Angeles file photo
City Hall was evacuated Friday afternoon after an unknown motorist barreled a vehicle into the steps of the building just after 4 p.m., Mayor Karen Bass said. The driver remains barricaded inside the car, the LAPD said, and the area has been lockdown leading to a chaotic commute.
I’ve been briefed on the ongoing incident outside of City Hall, which is currently being evacuated out of an abundance of caution.
I want to thank all first responders who are at the scene — my office will continue to monitor the situation.
Officers are trying to contact the driver who remains inside what appears to be a black Ford sedan. The California Highway Patrol has sent units to close the off-ramps leading to downtown LA., officials said.
This is a developing story. Check back for continuing details at lamag.com
LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Tourism will join the 54th annual LA Pride festivities this June through its support of the organization and its annual lineup of events. LA Pride stands as one of the largest Pride celebrations in the United States and the world.
Throughout LA Pride, local Angelenos and travelers can secure a nearby hotel with the best available rates and enjoy welcome amenities, discounts and more at select properties.
“LA Pride beautifully captures the spirit of our City of Angels with its focus on unity, inclusivity, and self-expression,” said Adam Burke, President & CEO of the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board. “We are incredibly proud to invite both our fellow Angelenos as well as travelers from around the world to join us in celebrating our LGBTQ+ community.”
LA Pride returns, promising an incredible lineup of events, including LA Pride in the Park headlined by Ricky Martin, the LA Pride Parade & Block Party on Hollywood Boulevard, LGBTQ+ Pride Night at Dodger Stadium and PRIDE is Universal
LA Pride in the Park will take place on Saturday, June 8, 2024 across more than 20 acres of lush green space at LA State Historic Park. The event will feature dozens of local and LGBTQ+ vendors, a huge variety of food & beverage, beer gardens and a special lineup. The global icon Ricky Martin will headline LA Pride in the Park, with additional artists to be unveiled. As the first openly gay Latin artist to take center stage at LA Pride, this also marks Martin’s first-ever headliner Pride performance, anywhere.
The series of events during LA Pride includes the iconic LA Pride Parade which will be held on Sunday, June 9, 2024, in Hollywood Boulevard Area. Over 150 contingents will march this year, using the theme “Power in Pride.” The route will be along Hollywood Blvd, and surrounding streets. Those who can’t make it in person are able to watch a live broadcast on ABC7.
“LA Pride radiates a vibrant tapestry of acceptance, unity, and celebration year-round,” shared Gerald Garth, Board President, LA Pride/Christopher Street West. “It’s a testament to our city’s unwavering commitment to embrace diversity and foster an inclusive spirit that transcends boundaries.”
Additional top events during LA Pride include LA Pride in The Park, Parade Block Party, LGBTQ+ Night at Dodger Stadium and Pride is Universal. Read on for details on top events and hotel deals throughout Pride.
Returning to LA State Historic Park for a talented music line-up, dozens of food trucks, sponsor giveaways and activities and much more. LA Pride in The Park takes place on Saturday, June 8th. It’s all happening on over 20 acres of lush green space with a view of the DTLA skyline. Ricky Martin will headline LA Pride in the Park, with additional artists to be unveiled. Tickets can be purchased here.
Parade Block Party – June 9th
Don’t forget the fun Parade Block Party on June 9th, a free Block Party adjacent to the Parade, open from mid-day and going into the evening. With a performance stage, large vendor village, food, pop-up bars, and more. Last year, 35,000 people enjoyed this free Parade “after-party,” don’t miss it! Talent and other announcements coming soon!
LGBTQ+ Pride Night at Dodger Stadium – June 14th
Come watch the Dodgers take on the Kansas City Royals with LA Pride pre-game festivities featuring DJ party, and Pride merch for special ticket holders, only available at dodgers.com/lapride
Pride is Universal – June 15th
Our exclusive after-hours theme park takeover is a fan favorite. Pride is Universal will feature live DJs, Universal character meet-and-greets, photo ops, and more, with musical guests, drag performers and all new elements for this year. Hours, details, and new features to be announced. Tickets go on sale soon.
LA PRIDE: STAY & SLAY
Visitors coming to Los Angeles to celebrate Pride from June 8-11 can “Stay and Slay” with a collection of hotel offers specially curated by Los Angeles Tourism to welcome revelers from around the world. Highlighted hotel offers are listed out below.
Dream Hollywood Hotel
Tucked among the scenic Hollywood Hills, Dream Hollywood boasts 178 playfully sophisticated guest rooms with subtle nods to the mid-century modern aesthetic iconic to LA. Featuring accommodations with unparalleled views, Tao, Beauty & Essex, and The Highlight Room, one of the LA’s swankiest rooftop pools. Book the best available rate here.
The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood
Exuding the energy of old Hollywood and walking distance to Sunset Blvd, the new Godfrey Hotel features one of the largest rooftops in Los Angeles, four on-site bars, various indoor-outdoor event spaces and About Last Knife, an energetic, chef-driven gastropub-meets-steakhouse. LA Pride Staycation: Celebrate love with The Godfrey and receive 15% off the best available rate here.
Hollywood Hotel – The Hotel of Hollywood
Contemporary accommodations meet quintessential Hollywood glamour at Hollywood Hotel. From a sparkling pool to the Route 66 Bistro Bar & Lounge, the historic Hollywood Hotel reflects classic movie star style in every sense. Visit hotel site for best available rate here.
The Hollywood Roosevelt
The Hollywood Roosevelt is a complete lifestyle destination, fusing entertainment, art, culture, design and music all around the property while providing a glimpse at its storied past. Visit hotel site for best available rate here.
Kimpton Everly Hollywood
Kimpton Everly Hollywood is a breath of fresh air in the midst of one of the world’s most storied neighborhoods. The sophisticated Hollywood Hills-infused residential vibe invites lingering and intimate interaction in the café, living room and skyline pool area. Book the hotel’s best available rate here.
Loews Hollywood Hotel
Loews Hollywood Hotel rises 20 floors above the famed intersection of Hollywood and Highland. Spectacular views of the iconic Hollywood sign and Los Angeles cityscape set the stage for 628 rooms including 113 spacious suites, as well as the rooftop pool. *Use CODE: PRIDE to receive 2 comp cocktails at H2 Kitchen & Bar and complimentary upgrade to a suite. Website here.
Mama Shelter
Designed by Thierry Gaugain to honor the beauty of the SoCal landscape, Mama Shelter LA features five floors of uniquely decorated rooms, each a cozy haven in itself. 70 rooms have king-size beds decked out in 5* linen – fit for a movie star! The hotel boasts one of LA’s best rooftop bars, while dining options will appeal to carnivores and vegans alike. View hotel site for best available rate here.
Sheraton Universal
Nestled below the Hollywood Hills, the Sheraton Universal Hotel is just steps away from Universal Studios Hollywood and CityWalk. Unwind at the poolside lounge or be dazzled with a 270-degree view of Hollywood from the 20-foot windows of the rooftop Starview Room. Book the hotel’s best available rate here.
Thompson Hollywood
Thompson Hollywood is a luxurious new hotel that brings elevated service, and laidback California cool to the heart of Hollywood. The hotel features 190 sophisticated guest rooms and 16 suites, a rooftop pool with sweeping views of Los Angeles, and a state-of-the-art fitness center. The world-class culinary and nightlife destinations include the rooftop lounge Bar Lis, chef Lincoln Carson’s French-inspired Mes Amis, and The Terrace, which pairs European fare with Californian views. Use CODE: STAYPROUD to receive best available rate + bottle of wine + 10% donation to Hollywood LGBT Center. Website here.
Tommie Hollywood
Get comfy in a California way, at Tommie Hollywood. There’s a stylish rooftop pool, fitness center, and a terrace bar in the heart of Los Angeles. This 4-star hotel includes the latest restaurant by award winning chef, Wes Avila, Ka’teen. Use code: STAYPROUD to book the best available rate and receive a welcome amenity and bottle of wine, plus a 10% donation to Hollywood LGBT Center here.
W Hollywood Hotel & Residences
Welcome to the new Hollywood. W Hollywood brings together the magnetic spirit of the Golden Era, infused with epic innovation, elegance and excitement. Welcome backstage, where W guests are insiders in the vivacity of the spotlight. Receive 10% off hotel stay plus welcome amenity. Website here.
When you’re not celebrating LA pride at the parade or many events around the city, celebrate by visiting one of the many LGBTQ+ owned restaurants around Los Angeles. Start off in Casita Del Campo in Silverlake for Mexican dishes, make a stop Liberation Coffee House for a latte and end the night at n/naka which was featured in Season 1 of Netflix’s Chef’s Table. n/naka is your ultimate destination for fine Japanese cuisine. View the full guide to LGBTQ owned restaurants in LA here.
LOS ANGELES – In an incident caught on surveillance security video this past weekend at the Precinct DTLA queer bar located at 357 South Broadway in downtown Los Angeles, two men are seen walking into the alcove of the employee entrance to the bar and urinating on the door.
One of the men on the video was later identified as Chris Kilpatrick, an elected member of the Crescenta Valley Town Council. In an interview with KABC 7 Eyewitness News, Jeremy Lucido, bar’s general manager said:
“I was walking to my car on the sidewalk, noticed two guys, drunk with their full cocktails,” Lucido said. “I recognized the glasses from our bar so I knew they (had been) inside. I told them ‘whatsup! You can’t have your drinks out here’ and I went to grab one of the cups and the tall dude pushed me and I flew back.”
Lucido said that when he later reviewed the surveillance security video, he realized that they were the same men he had the altercation with. He told KABC 7 that he posted the video to the bar’s Instagram account which then racked up over 5,000 views and reactions.
“Two bros walk into a bar. Last Saturday night, these two party boys decided to show everyone what not to do at Precinct. They first left the bar with full cocktail glasses in hand, then decided to go to our employee entrance, whip out their and piss all over it together. When done, they rounded the corner where one of the managers spotted the drinks and tried to take them away; the big one reacted by physically assaulting him, throwing him to the ground. Precinct is a safe space for all; let’s have a good time. Don’t be a d*ck. oh, yeah, we also have several bathrooms.”
KABC 7 reported that the video has racked up nearly 1,000 comments. Many commenters identified one of the men as Kilpatrick.
“The comments just grew very fast with different stories, other parties and party hosts, and bar managers, like ‘oh yeah, we know them’,” Lucido told KABC 7.
An attorney for Kilpatrick in a statement to KABC claimed that Lucido did not identify himself as a bar employee. He says Kilpatrick acted in self-defense, believing he was going to be gay-bashed.
The attorney’s statement read in part: “…public urination is not a criminal offense. It is an infraction under the Los Angeles Municipal Code and one can be cited to pay a fine for this violation. Battery is a misdemeanor offense including an unlawful touching as exhibited by individual one, who grabbed my client first. Pushing back is an affirmative defense if done to defend oneself or others.”
On Tuesday, Jan. 30, LAPD Central Area officers responded to a vandalism call on South Figueroa Street, where a Tactical Flight Officer observed over a dozen suspects trespassing and potentially spray-painting in a building.
Two suspects, Victor Daniel Ramirez and Roberto Perez, were arrested and issued Release From Custody Citations for trespassing.
On Thursday, officers responded to another vandalism call near West 11th Street and South Flower Street, where suspects were reported spray-painting on the 30th floor of a construction building.
Despite attempting to flee in a vehicle and failing to yield to officers, the suspects were promptly located.
A routine traffic stop was carried out where the driver was cited for Failure to Yield to an Officer and the passenger was questioned and released.
Central Division detectives are continuing their investigation into the vandalism that has occurred over the last few days at the unfinished high-rise building in downtown LA.
Once billed as a downtown renaissance jewel, the plaza has been unfinished since 2019. It was supposed to serve as a five-star hotel with condominiums available for purchase.
“Between (Tuesday) and (Wednesday), there’s probably another like, 20 floors have been blasted. They are going at a pretty fast rate,” said Daron Burgundy, who lives near the plaza.
On social media, the Los Angeles Police Department said it’s been made aware of the vandalism.
“Today, Central Division personnel met with the property management and CD 14 representatives to collaborate on better securing the property and adding additional security measures,” the department said in its post. “The measures will be implemented immediately and the graffiti will be removed.”
In a statement to NBC Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass’ office said it is working to resolve this issue.
“The Mayor’s Office is aware and working to address this issue but the City can’t immediately clean the graffiti because of legal constraints relating to private property,” the statement read. “The Mayor’s Office is working closely with the city attorney and several city Departments to put forward a solution that resolves this.”
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Crews are making progress as they work to demolish a bridge near downtown Los Angeles, but major closures on the 110 Freeway are still expected this weekend.
Closures in both directions are planned from the 10 Freeway to Exposition Boulevard. It’s all to demolish the 21st Street pedestrian bridge that’s no longer in use.
The video featured in the media player above is the ABC7 Los Angeles 24/7 streaming channel
According to an update posted by the California Department of Transportation on Saturday, the first section of the bridge has already been demolished.
110 Freeway closure timing
From 11 p.m. Saturday through 8 a.m. Sunday, the entire southbound 110 Freeway will be shut down between the 10 Freeway and Exposition Boulevard, and the entire northbound 110 Freeway will be closed between Adams and Washington boulevards.
Motorists using the northbound Express Lanes will have to exit early. Southbound Express Lanes will be accessible via the 28th Street on-ramp, the 39th Street on-ramp or any other entry on the southbound freeway starting at Florence Avenue.
The southbound off-ramp at Adams Boulevard will be closed throughout the weekend, reopening at roughly 8 p.m. Sunday, according to Caltrans.
110 Freeway closure detours
During the full freeway closure, southbound motorists will be diverted at the 10 Freeway interchange, reentering the freeway at either Exposition or Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards.
Northbound motorists will be forced off the freeway at Adams, reentered at Washington. Northbound motorists can access the 10 Freeway using Hoover Street.
“We encourage everyone coming to downtown L.A. this weekend to use public transit, plan ahead for delays and use alternate routes, or simply just avoid the area,” said John Yang with Caltrans.
Last Saturday night, these two party boys decided to show everyone what not to do at Precinct. They first left the bar with full cocktail glasses in hand, then decided to go to our employee entrance, whip out their 
and piss all over it together. 
When done, they rounded the corner where one of the managers spotted the drinks and tried to take them away; the big one reacted by physically assaulting him, throwing him to the ground. Precinct is a safe space for all; let’s have a good time. Don’t be a d*ck. 
oh, yeah, we also have several bathrooms.”
