A 96-year-old man was arrested for allegedly killing his elderly wife in West Los Angeles, police said Saturday.
Police said that they had no motive for the slaying and that the man, Milton Weiss, suffered from dementia. They were called to the apartment in the 3100 block of Sepulveda Boulevard at about 8:30 a.m. Saturday, and found the woman, whose name was not released, dead of blunt force trauma. Weiss was arrested and faces murder charges.
--Victoria Kim
The Occupy Oakland encampment appeared quiet Saturday night, despite speculation from many that police might move in to clear tents and protesters after issuing two eviction notices in two days warning campers that "your continued use of city property or parks for overnight lodging will subject you to arrest."
Oakland Police said Saturday evening that they had not made any move to clear the campers, who have been in the plaza in front of City Hall since Oct. 10.
The encampment drew international attention late last month when police razed it. Violence erupted, and police later lobbed tear gas into the crowd.
After an outcry, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan allowed the camp to rebuild. CIty officials have said lately that occupiers must leave, but that the camp will be dismantled peacefully. Many protesters, however, have vowed not to go, setting the stage for a showdown.
On person quipped Saturday night on Twitter: "Has somebody already started the 'when #occupyoakland gets raided' betting pool?"
RELATED:
Occupy Portland: Some leave, others plan to defy order to vacate
Oakland police release figures on Oct. 25 protest clash
Oakland again issues eviction notice to 'Occupy' protesters
-- Lee Romney in Oakland
Two San Francisco Police officers were injured Saturday afternoon during a march by demonstrators from Occupy San Francisco, police said.
One was slashed in the hand with a razor blade and the other sustained a cut on his cheek during separate incidents around 3:30 p.m. near the intersection of the Embarcadero and Broadway. They were treated and released at the scene, according to police spokesman Carlos Manfredi.
One of the officers was attempting to stop demonstrators from taking over an intersection with a light rail crossing. A female protester attacked him with a razor blade, authorities said, then ran into the crowd before the officer realized he was cut, according to police.
The second injury occurred when a man grabbed an officer’s radio. The officer was attempting to recover it when a second man tried to stop him, tearing his uniform and cutting his cheek with an unknown weapon, police said. Both men ran back into the crowd.
San Francisco Police asked for the public’s help in identifying the protesters.
RELATED:
Occupy Oakland encampment quiet despite eviction notices
Occupy Portland: Some leave, others plan to defy order to vacate
Oakland police release figures on Oct. 25 protest clash
-- Victoria Kim
The Occupy Oakland encampment appeared quiet Saturday night, despite speculation from many that police might move in to clear tents and protesters after issuing two eviction notices in two days warning campers that "your continued use of city property or parks for overnight lodging will subject you to arrest."
Oakland Police said Saturday evening that they had not made any move to clear the campers, who have been in the plaza in front of City Hall since Oct. 10.
The encampment drew international attention late last month when police razed it. Violence erupted, and police later lobbed tear gas into the crowd.
After an outcry, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan allowed the camp to rebuild. CIty officials have said lately that occupiers must leave, but that the camp will be dismantled peacefully. Many protesters, however, have vowed not to go, setting the stage for a showdown.
On person quipped Saturday night on Twitter: "Has somebody already started the 'when #occupyoakland gets raided' betting pool?"
-- Lee Romney in Oakland
Delicious no-meat recipes for your holiday table.
Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving with some type of stuffing on the table. This week, Martha Rose Shulman finds a way to keep everyone happy with hearty vegan and gluten-free stuffings.
What is it that I love about stuffing? For me, the identifying ingredients are quite simple — celery, onion and sage. I’ve never cared for meaty stuffings, but I’ve always liked traditional bread dressings, even when the bread came from a bag. Why? Because of the sage, celery and often thyme that went along with it. I’ve used celery, onion and sage in all five of this week’s whole-grain combos, and thyme in several. There’s a lot going on here when it comes to texture, and some sweet and savory contrasts. They’ll be welcomed by the gluten-intolerant and the vegetarians at your table — but I bet the bread and sausage eaters will like them too.
Here are five new ways to make Thanksgiving stuffing. And visit Well’s interactive recipe collection to see more Vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes; we will be adding new dishes daily.
Wild Rice and Brown Rice Stuffing With Apples, Pecans and Cranberries: Like many Thanksgiving dishes, this pilaf combines sweet and savory foods.
Black and White Quinoa Dressing With Butternut Squash and Pecans: In this colorful mixture, winter squash and dried cranberries bring a sweet balance to the traditional Thanksgiving flavors of onion, celery and sage.
Red and Black Rice Stuffing With Red Lentils, Almonds and Cranberries: Crunchy and colorful, this dressing is a showcase for exotic rices and fresh herbs.
Red Rice and Quinoa Stuffing With Mushrooms and Kale: Mushrooms lend a meaty element to this savory mixture, and the kale packs a nutritious punch.
Black and Brown Rice Stuffing With Walnuts and Pears: Nutty, sweet and savory, this stuffing gets a showering of fresh herbs at the end.
An Orange County English professor who has been missing since August was found Friday night, a family member said.
Amy Ahearn, 40, of Lake Forest was discovered by the Los Angeles Police Department in South Los Angeles and was being evaluated, said her sister, Marjorie Ahearn.
Marjorie Ahern said she was told by authorities that her younger sister did not appear to be physically injured. No other details were available on her condition Saturday night.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department could not immediately be reached for comment. An LAPD spokeswoman said the department would not comment on another agency’s missing person's case.
Burbank police say they’re concerned about an increase in the number of bicycle accidents over the past two years — a trend made all the more troublesome since the injuries have also gotten more serious.
Through October this year, police have responded to 32 injury bike collisions — more than the whole of 2007, when there were 24, and nearly as many as the 33 reported in 2008, Lt. J.J. Puglisi said.
Based on the number of complaints from the public, police are worried that the rise is due, in part, to the behavior of cyclists, such as running red lights.
“I hear a lot of complaints from the community at large about the behavior they observe of people biking through the community,” Puglisi said, adding that, combined with a lack of awareness among motorists, the mix can be volatile.
There was also an economic factor, he said.
“I think with the push [to go] green and with higher gas prices, there is some motivation to commute on bikes than in past years,” Puglisi told the Burbank Leader.
ALSO:
Fatal shooting near Occupy Oakland under investigation
Reseda strip mall fire 'suspicious,' fire department official says
High school coach arrested on suspicion of having sex with teen girl
--Maria Hsin, Times Community News
A chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms was forecast for the coastal and valley areas around Los Angeles Saturday evening from the lingering effects of a storm system slowly moving out of the region.
The weaker-than-predicted storm, which brought light rain across the L.A. area Friday night and early Saturday, was moving Southeast and will likely clear out of the region by midnight Saturday, according to the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
“It’s moving away but it’s slower than expected,” NWS meteorologist Carol Smith said. “I’m seeing on the radar a decent batch of showers moving up over southern coastal waters heading into coastal plain and the San Gabriel Valley.”
Between 0.15 and 0.2 of an inch of rain was forecast Saturday evening in Los Angeles, and snow flurries were expected in the mountains above 7,000 feet.
Temperatures were expected to begin warming up Sunday, with possible cloudiness in the morning giving way to clear skies in the afternoon and highs in the mid- to upper 60s.
Smith said the warming trend would probably continue until midweek before once again cooling off.
ALSO:
Oakland again issues eviction notice to 'Occupy' protesters
Marines from special forces recognized for bravery in Afghanistan
Verizon technician accused of sexual battery in customer's home
-- Victoria Kim
Photo: As clouds loom over the mountains, Lauren Kemp and Gary Gill embrace at the Griffith Observatory in Griffith Park. Credit: Katie Falkenberg / For The Times
Oakland police have received almost 790 complaints from around the world about officers' actions during a fierce clash with Occupy protesters last month, the Associated Press reported.
The figures were released in response to an AP inquiry, the news agency said. Police said 12 of the 790 complaints came from people were who at the scene of the clashes, according to the AP. Authorities were still trying to determine the location of an additional 331 people who filed complaints.
Violence erupted Oct. 25 when police used tear gas while raiding the demonstrators’ encampment on Frank Ogawa Plaza at City Hall, along with an annex in a park near Lake Merritt.
Two Marines from Marine special forces have been awarded the Silver Star for bravery during a Taliban ambush in Afghanistan in which they aggressively counter-attacked and helped save the lives of Marine and Afghan casualties.
In a ceremony this week at Camp Pendleton, the awards were made to Sgt. Charles Cartwright and Staff Sgt. Graham Jacobs for their quick reaction and courage during a Taliban ambush that occurred on Sept. 9, 2009, in Farah province.
The award to Cartwight was posthumous. He died of combat wounds in November 2009 at age 26.
Maj. Gen. Paul E. Lefebvre, commander of Marine Special Operations Command, presented the Silver Star to Cartwright's parents, Mike and Carol Ann Cartwright, and his widow, Marissa. Cartwright was on his fifth combat tour and had been twice wounded in previous battles.
"He loved his job and if dying was what it took to accomplish the mission, he was willing to go that far," said Marissa Cartwright. The couple had been married less than a year.
The Silver Star citation said Cartwright "refused treatment until the enemy threat was neutralized and the Afghan casualty was safely treated by the team medic."
The citation for Jacobs said that he "directed the recovery effort while providing accurate fires, eliminating another enemy."
Ten other Marines also received Bronze Stars for valor during battles in Farah and Badghis provinces in 2009 and 2010.
"What they did didn't happen by accident," Lefebvre said, "and it didn't just happen because they are Marines. It was about making a choice and protecting their families."
The Bronze Stars were awarded to: Capt. Paul Marcy; Capt. Steve Keisling; 1st Sgt. Bradley Baiotto; Master Sgt. Jack Kelly; Master Sgt. Jerome Root; Gunnery Sgt. Joshua Nelums; Gunnery Sgt. Joseph Croninger; Staff Sgt. Michael Mackay; Staff Sgt. Michael Musick Jr.; and Staff Sgt. Daniel Price.
ALSO:
Pasadena gets its 18-foot fork back
Occupy movement plans Rose Parade protest
West Covina officials not laughing over video spoof
-- Tony Perry in San Diego
Photo: Maj. Gen. Paul Lefebvre, commander of Marine Special Operations Command, presents the Silver Star to the parents and widow of Sgt. Charles Cartwright. Credit: Marine Corps
A parolee was killed and eight others injured after an 80-mph pursuit with California Highway Patrol officers through streets of the west side of San Bernardino that ended when his car collided with three others Friday night.
The name of the 42-year-old parolee of San Bernardino was withheld pending notification of next of kin, according to a CHP report.
The two passengers in his car, Brenton Sterling, 22, and Ray Nelson, 25, who is also a parolee -– both are from Highland -- were sent to area hospitals with major injuries, the CHP said. Sterling has an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
Drivers and occupants of the other vehicles -– six people in all -- suffered minor injuries in the accident at 5th Street and Mount Vernon Avenue.
A weaker-than-expected storm dropped less than half an inch of rain in parts of Southern California early Saturday, while depositing a couple of inches of snow in some mountain areas.
By 8 a.m. Saturday, rainfall totals ranged from .10 of an inch in Ontario, .12 of an inch in South Gate, .17 of an inch in Beverly Hills and .44 of an inch in Canoga Park, according to the National Weather Service.
Some southern slopes of the Santa Monica mountains received almost an inch of rain, said David Sweet, meteorologist at the NWS in Oxnard.
Some significant snow fell in higher elevations. Big Pines, near Wrightwood in the Angeles National Forest, received 2 ½ inches of snow, enough to require snow plows, Sweet said.
Earlier in the week, NWS forecasters thought the storm had a chance to drop between 1 and 3 inches of rain on the Southland. But as days passed, the storm veered south over the ocean.
“Out in the ocean the dolphins are using their umbrellas,” Sweet said.
A surf advisory was in effect, with waves expected between 4 and 7 feet in Orange and San Diego counties, and 3 to 6 feet in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
The rain seemed to have little effect on the roadways. The California Highway Patrol reported seven relatively minor accidents in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and Ventura counties.
Forecasts call for a 20% chance of showers Saturday, with lows in the low 50s. Sunday is expected to be sunny with highs in the mid-60s.
ALSO:
Pasadena gets its 18-foot fork back
Occupy movement plans Rose Parade protest
West Covina officials not laughing over video spoof
-- Sam Quinones
A parolee was killed and eight others injured after an 80-mph pursuit with California Highway Patrol officers through streets of the west side of San Bernardino that ended when his car collided with three others Friday night.
The name of the 42-year-old parolee of San Bernardino was withheld pending notification of next of kin, according to a CHP report.
The two passengers in his car, Brenton Sterling, 22, and Ray Nelson, 25, who is also a parolee -– both are from Highland -- were sent to area hospitals with major injuries, the CHP said. Sterling has an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
Drivers and occupants of the other vehicles -– six people in all -- suffered minor injuries in the accident at 5th Street and Mount Vernon Avenue.
Orange County authorities continue to ask the public for help in searching for an English professor at Saddleback College who has been missing since August.
Amy Ahearn, 40, who lives in Lake Forest, did not show up for classes at the college when the semester started on Aug. 22.
On Nov. 20, a search team from Saddleback College will be traveling through the Norwalk area, where she was last seen, according to her sister, Marjorie Ahearn.
Ahearn has no family in California, Marjorie Ahearn said, though she was recently divorced by her husband, a teacher at another community college. Her family, from Illinois, has hired a private detective to help locate her.
Ahearn was last seen in Norwalk on Sept. 18, when she was taken in by a family who found her in front of their home on Ferina Street. The next day they took her to a motel and she wandered away while waiting for a room to come available. A family member later saw her in front of a Norwalk grocery store.
Developers of Pasadena’s famous fork in the road hope that their food drive this weekend will generate as much enthusiasm as the 18-foot utensil.
Residents can drop off food from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Pasadena and St. John avenues.
All the food collected from “Put a Fork in Hunger” will benefit Union Station Homeless Services to feed people in Pasadena’s Central Park on Thanksgiving Day.
“It’s really taken a life of its own,” said organizer Phil Coombs of the fork and its philanthropic arm. “It’s become more of a movement than anything else.”
Coombs came up with the idea to run a food drive in 2009 when the fork’s fate was still in jeopardy.
“If we do something really nice,” he thought, “there will be pressure to keep it there.”
So the self-proclaimed “Fork in the Road Gang” ran the first installment of a food drive that raised 2 tons of food for Thanksgiving. Now that the fork is back, the food drive is too. And Coombs said organizers hope to bring in 5 tons of food this time around.
Coombs said a kickoff party held Thursday garnered more than 1,000 pounds of food in advance. And he reiterated that rain or shine, the volunteers will stand out at the fork in bright orange shirts, ready to unload cars and receive bags.
ALSO:
Pasadena gets its 18-foot fork back
Occupy movement plans Rose Parade protest
West Covina officials not laughing over video spoof
-- Matt Stevens
Photo: An 18-foot fork is now permanently installed in Pasadena. Credit: Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times
A parolee was killed and eight others injured following an 80-mph pursuit with California Highway Patrol officers through streets of the west side of San Bernardino that ended when his car collided with three others Friday night.
The name of the parolee, 42, of San Bernardino, was withheld pending notification of next of kin, according to a CHP report.
The two passengers in his car, Brenton Sterling, 22, and Ray Nelson, 25, who is also a parolee – both from Highland -- were sent to area hospitals with major injuries, the CHP said. Sterling has an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
Drivers and occupants of the other vehicles – six people in all -- suffered minor injuries in the accident at 5th Street and Mount Vernon Avenue.
Which is more important: a cat being swung by its tail by a teenage thug, or the possibility of France and Germany setting up an exclusive “club” within the eurozone? If the number of comments posted by Daily Telegraph readers are an indication of their priorities in current affairs, there’s an interesting comparison on this morning’s front page: “Cat attack”: 235 comments. “France plots eurozone breakaway group”: 233 comments.
This might give the impression that the readership is made up of outraged animal lovers; in fact, if you read the “cat” comments, the truth is very different. The only reason that the subject has generated so much online discussion is that a significant number of those commenting are cat haters who see nothing wrong with the cruelty caught on camera. Their casual indifference to the physical abuse inflicted on the cat has then generated a torrent of comments in defence of the animal.
If the only comments posted had been along the lines of “Unspeakably cruel”, there would have been no more than a scattering of posts. But when someone makes statements like “How do you know that the animal didn't actually enjoy it?” and “It's only a cat”, there’s an understandable strong reaction.
Cats have become the most popular pet in the UK, but they evoke a much stronger love or hate reaction than their canine cousins. To an ailurophile, a cat is a small furry person, with likes, dislikes and idiosyncrasies like any human being. To a cat-hater, that same creature is little monster, creating mayhem by killing wildlife and defecating in other people’s gardens. The unfortunate Mowgli, the victim of the tail swinging, seems to have sparked an online civil war between the two camps.
The good news for cats is that the tide is flowing in their favour: 400 years ago, cats were burnt at the stake with owners who’d been accused of being witches. Today, it’s front-page news when they’re physically abused.
There will always be a vocal minority who choose to ignore the sentience of cats, classifying them as vermin and subjecting them to inhumane treatment. But thankfully, this minority is dwindling: there’s probably never been a better time or place to be a cat than the UK today.
A male pedestrian was struck and killed by a train Friday evening, a Los Angeles County coroner's spokeswoman said.
The incident occurred about 7:30 p.m. near Willowbrook Avenue and 124th Street in Willowbrook.
Los Angeles County sheriff's homicide detectives conducted a routine investigation, but the death appeared to be a suicide, Deputy Pete Gomez said.
The man's name was not released.
ALSO:
Fatal shooting near Occupy Oakland under investigation
Reseda strip mall fire 'suspicious,' fire department official says
High school coach arrested on suspicion of having sex with teen girl
-- Gale Holland
