Electrical explosion jolts Westwood

The blast at an underground transformer vault near UCLA sends up flames and smoke and propels a manhole cover into the back of a Metro bus. No passengers are injured.

Marina del Rey halibut tournament returns with conservation in mind

Two years after competitors hooked just seven fish in a two-day contest, event organizers have scaled back the event to help conserve the species. This year's contest will be a one-day event, and anglers will be allowed to catch other varieties of fish.

Cuttino Mobley puts his Beverly Hills Post Office-area home on the market

Cuttino Mobley's five-bedroom, Mediterranean-style home is designed for entertaining, with French doors opening to a swimming pool, spa and lawn.

Raise $1 million in a week to save school jobs? Not even in Beverly Hills

The Beverly Hills school district falls short of its official goal but raises enough cash to cause the board to cancel 11 layoffs.

New league gives basketball amateurs a shot at glory

The People's Games pits an L.A. team against one from New York on Sunday in Venice Beach.

L.A. Councilman Koretz introduces motion to bar sales of pets from mills

The L.A. lawmaker wants to ease the city's pet overpopulation problem and limit large-scale breeding operations housing puppies and kittens in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions.

U2's The Edge finds conservancy's price

The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy softens its opposition to the rocker's plans for an exclusive development on a Malibu ridge in exchange for $750,000.

Saudi prince scales back plans for Benedict Canyon compound

The revised mansion complex would total roughly 60,000 square feet on three parcels, eliminating a planned 27,000-square-foot 'son's villa.'

Prosecutor says man accused of killing wife admits plot to cellmate

James Fayed complained to a fellow inmate that the people who carried out the 2008 attack on Pamela Fayed in Century City had passed up better opportunities to kill his wife. Authorities say James Fayed also plotted from behind bars to kill other participants in the crime.

Heavy-duty nets to protect pedestrians at Santa Monica Farmers Market

Santa Monica plans to use the nets and other measures to prevent accidents like the deadly 2003 crash in which a driver sped through the farmers market, killing 10.

Beverly Hills school leaders set a lofty goal: Raise $1 million in one week to stave off cuts

A weeklong fundraiser with a $1-million target is under way in Beverly Hills, where parents and educators are trying to maintain small class sizes and arts programs in the 4,700-student school system.

Voters must register by Monday for congressional election

The election to fill the coastal seat vacated by former Rep. Jane Harman (D-Venice) will be held May 17. Mail-in ballots can be requested until May 10.

A luxury fortress high above the Sunset Strip

The three-level contemporary home sits along the spine of narrow promontory with unobstructed views that stretch from the San Gabriel Mountains to the Getty Center.

Agency won't oppose Malibu-area compound, in return for funding and dedicated open space

The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy reverses course on a proposal by U2 guitarist the Edge for multiple mansions on an undeveloped ridgeline.

LAPD beefs up patrols on Venice Beach, boardwalk

The action is a response to a recent rash of attacks, including a shooting and a stabbing.

Major development in Marina del Rey approved by Los Angeles County supervisors

Residents object, saying they don't want greater density. Plans for a 19-story hotel are scrapped.

Eldon Davis dies at 94; architect designed 'Googie' coffee shops

Davis incorporated aerodynamic designs into his whimsical midcentury coffee shops, including the original Norms on La Cienega Boulevard in L.A. and Pann's in Westchester, to attract passing motorists.

Hikers battle developer over Franklin Canyon trail

Landowner wants to build homes on his acreage in L.A. above Beverly Hills. People who enjoy walking on the Hastain Trail have formed a group that plans to sue.