Bereft parents try to fill the holes in their hearts

By Corina Knoll, Los Angeles Times

A support group, Parents Of Murdered Children, offers support and solace when grief is unbearable.

PHOTOS: Parents of murdered children find solace

Whitman's words put spotlight on deeds

By Evan Halper and Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times

A lucrative Goldman Sachs deal, a Craigslist battle and personal investments raise questions.

Meg Whitman in brief

Volunteers fan out to survey Hollywood's homeless

By Alexandra Zavis, Los Angeles Times

Cataloging them and their needs helps speed social services to those most at risk, officials say. Similar efforts in New York, Santa Monica and Long Beach have helped hundreds into permanent housing.

PHOTOS: Taking a census of L.A.'s homeless

A case study in healthcare hell

By Steve Lopez

At 22, Jovan Rodriguez was carefree, fit, employed but uninsured. So the diagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma came as a shock, and the ensuing bureaucratic nightmare rages on years later.

L.A. Now
Southern California -- this just in

Half of all guns traced by California police came from L.A. County 05/12/2010, 7:39 a.m.
L.A. City Council to consider $56-million Arizona boycott over illegal-immigration law 05/12/2010, 7:27 a.m.
San Diego school board condemns Arizona's illegal-immigration law 05/12/2010, 7:14 a.m.
'Jason Bourne' suspect may have fled country, LAPD fears 05/12/2010, 7:02 a.m.
L.A. County prosecutors: Ralphs overcharged customers 05/11/2010, 10:09 p.m.
Strong winds expected through Wednesday morning 05/11/2010, 8:45 p.m.
LAPD seeks leads in Boyle Heights slaying 05/11/2010, 8:34 p.m.
Man killed, child hit by bullet but not injured in Inglewood shooting 05/11/2010, 6:50 p.m.

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Steve Lopez

A case study in healthcare hell - May 12, 2010 - Jovan Rodriguez, an Orange County supermarket clerk, awoke one day with a...

Bio | E-mail | Recent columns

George Skelton

The politics and perils of public pensions - April 29, 2010 - No question: California public employee pensions are a big problem &#...

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Sandy Banks

Manicures and lap dances, on our dime - May 11, 2010 - I appreciate a cold beer and a quick manicure as much as anyone.

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Hector Tobar

A polyglot effort to keep L.A. history alive - May 7, 2010 - Archaeologists and architects will tell you that an unoccupied building...

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Notable names on the Walk of Fame

Fred Astaire Ingrid Bergman Humphrey Bogart Marlon Brando Johnny Carson Charles Chaplin Joan Crawford Cecil B. DeMille Clark Gable Greta Garbo Judy Garland Cary Grant Audrey Hepburn Katharine Hepburn Alfred Hitchcock Bob Hope Dean Martin Marilyn Monroe Paul Newman Gregory Peck Mary Pickford Dick Powell Elvis Presley Ronald Reagan Frank Sinatra James Stewart Elizabeth Taylor Spencer Tracy Rudolph Valentino John Wayne

Tour The Times' Walk of Fame database »

California Tales

Once a lonely bachelor, Reggie the alligator has a new life partner

More California News

Mojave Desert cross, focus of long legal battle, is stolen

By David Kelly, Los Angeles Times

The 7-foot steel and concrete symbol honoring WWI vets had stood atop Sunrise Rock since 1934.The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that it could stay put. The VFW has offered a $25,000 reward.

L.A. City Council's budget committee recommends 1,000 more job cuts

By David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times

The committee's budget plan, which goes to the full council Friday, omits revenue the mayor expects from privatizing city parking. One councilman called it 'fake money' because the deals aren't final.

Half of all guns traced by California police came from L.A. County

Expansion of Disney 'creative campus' approved by Glendale

'Jason Bourne' suspect may have fled country, LAPD fears

Man killed, child hit by bullet but not injured in Inglewood shooting

L.A. prosecutors: Ralphs overcharged customers

San Diego school board condemns Arizona's illegal-immigration law

L.A. City Council to consider $56-million Arizona boycott over illegal-immigration law

Hunger strike at UC Berkeley winding down, strikers say

State regulators to inspect Olive View hospital

By Rong-Gong Lin II and Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times

Hospital and L.A. County officials also say they did not know the neonatal intensive care unit had been downgraded for more than a year and a half.

Whitman's lead shrinks, but by how much?

By Evan Halper, Los Angeles Times

Poizner has closed what had been a 50-point gap, but by how much is in dispute.

L.A. has $56 million in Arizona-related investments

By Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times

City analyst urges several steps to reduce business ties to the state, which recently adopted a tough anti-illegal-immigration law.

Probation Department is still out of compliance on improvements for youth offenders

By Garrett Therolf, Times Staff Writer

Despite federal mandates, health and safety problems remain widespread, L.A. County officials acknowledge.

Gray whale wanders into Dana Point Harbor, then heads out to sea

By Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times

A marine biologist says the 35- to 40-foot whale, estimated to weigh about 30 tons, was emaciated, lethargic and appeared close to death. He said it could have been up to 60 years old.

No more absentee 'yes' votes for L.A. council

By David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times

New rules say L.A. City Council members must sign out if they leave a public meeting for private parleys. But Day One didn't go too well.

3 men convicted in Orange County sexual assault take case to California Supreme Court

By Joseph Serna, Los Angeles Times

Gregory Haidl, the son of a former assistant sheriff, and two others who videotaped their attack on a 16-year-old girl want their convictions overturned and do not want to register as sex offenders.

Family of Iraqi boy who was set on fire is granted asylum in the United States

By Anna Gorman, Los Angeles Times

Youssif was doused in gas and set ablaze in 2007. He's being treated at the Grossman Burn Center. Youssif, his parents and younger sister fear they'll be harmed if they return to Baghdad.

Judge hears evidence as Dole Food Co. seeks to overturn pesticide verdict

By Victoria Kim, Los Angeles Times

The firm alleges that banana pickers who said they were left sterilized by exposure to chemicals were part of a scheme to defraud U.S. courts and firms. The workers were awarded $2.3 million in 2007.