From the Newsroom

Roads/Rails

Big Turnout for First Night of Shuttle Between USC and L.A. Live

By Eric Richardson — Yesterday, 03:26 PM
2 Comments

USC - L.A. Live Shuttle Kickoff

Maybe it was the free pizza, the promise of free movies or the chance to see Pete Carroll, but nearly 1,000 USC students made their way to Figueroa street on Thursday night for the kickoff of shuttle service between the campus and L.A. Live.


Roads/Rails

Regional Connector Meetings Kick Off Saturday

By Eric Richardson — Yesterday, 02:08 PM
1 Comment

Regional Connector Render: 2nd Street Looking West

Another round of outreach meetings kicks off tomorrow for Metro's Regional Connector, a project proposed to link the Blue Line and Expo Line to the Gold Line and Eastside Extension. Four meetings in the next week offer weekend, daytime and evening time slots.


Everyday

False Alarm: Suspicious Package at 5th and Grand

By Eric Richardson with Ed Fuentes — Yesterday, 12:30 PM

FalseAlarm8261

A suspicious shopping cart near U.S. Bank tower led to street closures just before noon, but turned out to be a false alarm. Rosie Carrillo, a Coffee Bean barista, says it was frightening to be evacuated along with other lunch retail shops on 5th street. She saw the suspicious package, made of a shopping cart with a photo of Obama, a soldier and a cross. "It...


Overcrowded Jails Lead to Quick Releases for Illegal Animal Vendors

By Ed Fuentes — Thursday — 7 Comments

R. Ferber Ed Fuentes

|VIDEO| A September raid on illegal animal sales in the Fashion District led to ten felony arrests, but overcrowding in Los Angeles' jail system means that those charged have avoided time behind bars and may not ever show up for prosecution.

One month after the raid, blogdowntown caught up with Robert Ferber, Head of the City Attorney's Animal Protection Unit, to get an update on how the cases were progressing. — Continued Inside...


Lengthy Closures for Saturday Police Gala

By Eric Richardson — Thursday — 3 Comments

Park Closure Eric Richardson

Saturday evening's True Blue gala at the new Police Administration Building is expected to draw 800 guests, each of whom has contributed at least $500 to the non-profit Los Angeles Police Foundation. Tonight Show host Conan O'Brien will emcee.

It's likely that some Downtowners feel they've given their own mandatory contribution to the festivities. The new public park constructed as part of the headquarters facility has been closed since October 28, as has the linear landscaping along Spring street and sidewalks along both Spring and 2nd. — Continued Inside...


Politics

Filming Nodes Proposed for DWP HQ, City Hall and 650 S. Spring

By Eric Richardson — Thursday
6 Comments

Criminal Minds Shoot

A three-site pilot of "infrastructure nodes" to provide power for filming sites and base camps could be in operation by February of 2010, four years after the idea was first introduced at City Council. In the process, the estimated cost per site has ballooned.


Shopping

Red You R Dead Opens Fixed Gear Showroom in the Fashion District

By Eric Richardson — Wednesday
1 Comment

Red You R Dead

|Photo Gallery| A new showroom at the corner of 9th and Main may be trendy, but it isn't selling fashion. Fixed gear track bike brand Red You R Dead has had an office in the building at 112 W. 9th for more than a year, but this weekend moved into a corner piece of ground floor retail space to show off their custom-designed bikes.


What Makes a Film Location Unfriendly?

By Eric Richardson — Wednesday — 4 Comments

bomb squad entering bank jim Winstead

Two days after the City released a report listing Los Angeles' ten "hardest to film" locations -- six of which are located Downtown -- it is clear that the document has raised more questions than answers.

One thing that did become obvious at a Tuesday afternoon meeting of the Jobs and Business committee is that much of the issue revolves around money. — Continued Inside...


Everyday

USC Students Next in Line for Free Regal Films

By Eric Richardson — Wednesday
6 Comments

Regal Cinemas L.A. Live

Downtown's new Regal Cinemas is offering another free movie night on Thursday, this time targeted at USC students. The event is part of the venue's week-long transition away from wall-to-wall Michael Jackson screenings and toward normal operation.


Arts/Culture

"2012" First Premiere for L.A. Live's Regal Cinemas

By Eric Richardson — Tuesday
5 Comments

2012 Premiere Arrivals

|Photo Gallery| L.A. Live's new 14-screen Regal Cinemas hosted its first film premiere on Monday evening as stars of Sony Pictures "2012" walked a black carpet set up on Georgia street. The debut screening took place inside the new venue's 806-seat Premiere House, designed to lure such events away from Westwood and Hollywood.