Baycrest Caps & Corks on 17th Street closed March 31 after a new owner declined to renew the lease, ending a 65-year run that made it a local fixture and lottery hotspot.

The L.A. Times Festival of Books returns to USC April 18–19 with 550+ authors and free admission. Expect panels, signings, food demos and big crowds across campus.

UCLA-led studies show the January 2025 wildfires worsened health and housing insecurity for unhoused Angelenos. Survey data and national analysis tie property loss to rising homelessness.

A Sterling Heights man was sentenced April 16 after prosecutors say he tried to stab an officer with a screwdriver during a shoplifting arrest at a Van Dyke Walmart. The judge ordered concurrent prison terms and no contact with the store or officers.

Star Wars Celebration returns to Los Angeles April 1–4, 2027. Tickets go on sale May 6 with prices from $76 single-day to a $1,210.99 VIP package.

Long Beach's Shlap Muan is opening a second location in Monrovia this May, taking over the former Burgerim at 1108 S. Fifth Ave.

Don Cuco is returning to Lancaster as Cuco’s Cantina, moving into a new Ave J8 storefront. Owners say they’re finalizing the menu and seeking an ABC permit.

A former Costa Mesa officer admitted to using police databases and license‑plate cameras to track a woman he had an affair with. Prosecutors say he also bombarded her with thousands of calls and messages.

Pokémon Night Out will bring Marshmello and Alison Wonderland to the Intuit Dome on Oct. 24, 2026, with tickets on sale April 17. The show is for fans 16+.

A Los Angeles judge refused to dismiss parts of a $50M lawsuit against Smokey Robinson, letting two accusers' employment and harassment claims move forward.

Pasadena City Council has tapped Riverside City Manager Mike Futrell as the new city manager; he brings decades of municipal and utilities experience and starts May 13.

A man was fatally stabbed near Union Station early Wednesday; LAPD says there is no suspect information and is investigating.

Neighbors say a long-vacant lot on Varna Avenue has become a public-safety and sanitation headache; the city is promising a cleanup this week.