A linchpin at the Los Angeles Times editorial pages has stepped out from behind the scenes to put his vast knowledge of local government to work.

He's Jim Newton, the paper's most recent editorial page editor. He says his new column will give Southern California's elected and appointed officials some...

Beloved Gelson's employee Maniso Vongsavanh got a giant-sized "Get Well" card signed by shoppers, friends, and fellow employees this past Sunday.

"Manny" has been struggling with cancer and last week was in intensive care at a Covina hospital. A manager at the Gelson's on...

Los Angeles, of course, is known for its cultural diversity. And for decades, the city's live music programmers have worked hard to capture that at venues ranging from concert halls and stadiums to churches, parks, and beaches.

Armenian-American Nova Safo has been pondering the possibilities too. A trained opera...

On Sunday, September 5, 2010, ten brave paddlers led by Brendan Nelson with Anthea Raymond took to the waters of the Los Angeles River.

Calling themselves the LAPFD -- after the life vests they wore by law -- they were journalists, photographers, urban planners, carpenters, arborists, lawyers, entertainment industry pros,...

Jaime Hernandez and his brothers began publishing the alternative comic Love and Rockets in the 1980s out of Oxnard. That's where they grew up.

The comic glossed punk rock, wrestling, sci-fi, Chicano culture and fairly traditional family values. Much of it took place in a town called Hoppers, which seems...

Artist Lauren Bon puts the bright hues back in so-called "social brown fields." She takes socially abandoned spaces and enlivens them with events, activities, and arts, education. She gives them a place in the community. Good things happen. Bon calls it "metabolic sculpture."

Take her Cornfield Project downtown. Acres of...

Beautiful art, music, weather, and sport made for a great time yesterday at Vista Hermosa Natural Park just west of downtown Los Angeles.

The First Annual Outpost Cup featured a soccer tournament organized by urbanist Jeremy Rosenberg and music and artistic performances curated by Carolyn Castano.

You don't always link UCLA and baseball. But this year has been a good one for fans of the Bruins and the sport.

The Bruins (41-12) are ranked seventh in the nation. They are almost certain to make the NCAA Tournament, and, perhaps, the College World Series. And...

A downtown Los Angeles organization called WriteGirl is this year's California Nonprofit of the Year. The group received a Medal for Service May 6 in Sacramento at the California Museum.

Executive Director and founder Keren Taylor accepted the award from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver.
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Imagine a children's television show popular with celebrities, especially musicians. It was on early Sunday morning and coincided nicely with the end of their Saturday nights.

We might be talking about Pee Wee's Playhouse, which also had artsy adult fans. But it's Kids Are People Too, which aired on ABC...

Last Thursday was KCRW General Manger Ruth Seymour's birthday. It was also the day staff and station friends gathered at the Rose Cafe in Venice to honor Ruth for the thirty-two years she spent helping KCRW transcend its basement location to shape the culture in Los Angeles.

As most who...

Director Gregory Everett didn't know his father growing up. But he did know that he had been a Black Panther. Everett would sometimes mention that when he wanted kids to back off on the playground. And they did.

In 2001 Everett...

David Frank started his own business at 23. But unlike many young entrepreneurs, he didn't start a restaurant, a fashion line, or a music label. The dreadlocked surfer founded Sunshine Daydreams Childhood Development Center instead.

With his mother's help, he completely re-configured the inside of a Culver City home...

Rick Rickman grew up knowing no matter what your age, you can be vital and engaged.

His grandfather showed him that. He retired and had two more careers -- as an auto mechanic and an architect. But Rickman didn't know many others who had role models like his...

In 1982, Vietnam veteran Jeffrey Giglioli hadn't been feeling very well. His therapists at the Veteran's Administration encouraged him to return to his first love, still photography.

So he spent the summer at the Santa Monica Pier taking pictures every day. The carnies and commercial fisherman got used to...

Ours is the city of the Emmys, the Oscars, and, often, the Grammys. Awards in advertising, architecture, and planning also abound. Our journalism community alone has as many as six different events each year: the Southern California Journalism Awards, which I coproduced for four years, and the Golden...