hollywood

May 5 2011

$100 and $200 gift certificates

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—The City of Los Angeles Gun Buyback program will offer $100 and $200 gift certificates to people who turn in weapons this Saturday at several locations.

"This is designed to take guns off the streets,'' Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Ivan Minsal told the San Fernando Valley Sun.

"If you have a firearm that you no longer use, maybe you no longer go to the shooting range or if your life has changed and you don't have any need for that firearm, this is an easy way and the proper way to dispose of them.''

Mar 4 2011

Minister of music

LOS ANGELES, Calif.— Jacob Lusk of Compton was named as one of the 13 "American Idol'' finalists.

The two other Los Angeles County residents who were among the 24 semifinalists failed to advance to the finals, Clint Jun Gamboa of Long Beach and Julie Zorrilla of Hollywood.

Lusk, 23, is a minister of music at his church and works as a spa concierge. He began singing when he was 4 years old. He also enjoys acting and playing the piano.

Feb 25 2011

Jacob Lusk, Julie Zorrilla

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Jacob Lusk of Compton and Julie Zorrilla of Hollywood were among the 19 contestants named today as "American Idol'' semifinalists.

Clint Jun Gamboa of Long Beach was named as a semifinalist Wednesday.

The male semifinalists will compete Tuesday and the female semifinalists Wednesday on the Fox Broadcasting singing competition.

The field will be cut to 12 next Thursday.

Feb 16 2011

Kidnapping, extortion, identity theft and drug trafficking

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—A multi-agency state task force arrested 74 members and associates of the Armenian Power organized crime group today on a range of charges that include kidnapping, extortion, bank and identity theft and drug trafficking.

Two federal indictments name 99 suspects, 88 of whom are associated with the gang known as AP or AP13, according to federal agents. All together, the gang is believed to have stolen more than $20 million.

Feb 15 2011

Secrets and celebrity hot spots

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.—Tourists looking for a different view of Tinseltown will soon get a look at more of Hollywood's underbelly, thanks to a partnership announced today between Starline Tours and the entertainment-news website TMZ.com.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.
 

Alabama
Freeman A. Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will address the annual African American Business Council luncheon on June 28. Hrabowski, who is chairman of President Barack Obama’s Advisory Commission on Education Excellence for African Americans, has a national reputation for his work studying the performance of minority students in math and science. Hrabowski, named one of the 10 best college presidents in the country by Time magazine, was a child leader in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham in the 1960s.
 

Arkansas
The Liberty Counsel filed a motion and a brief in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas seeking to intervene on behalf of a Concepts of Life crisis pregnancy center to defend against a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights. The groups seek to impose a permanent injunction before the Human Heartbeat Protection Act goes into effect July 18. Liberty Counsel also filed a brief opposing the ACLU’s request for an injunction. The “Heartbeat” bill states that when a woman seeks an abortion at or after the 12th week, doctors must test for a fetal heartbeat before an abortion is performed and inform the pregnant mother that the child in her womb has a heartbeat. If a heartbeat is detected, a woman cannot have an abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, and if a mother’s life is in danger. “As we promised when the legislation was introduced, Liberty Counsel will defend this law without reservation for the people of Arkansas, born and pre-born,” said Matt Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. “No right is more foundational than the right to life. Without life, all other rights are irrelevant,” concluded Staver.