This tweaks the model for how to pay for big-city newspaper journalism. The Los Angeles Times, still one of the biggest newspapers in the country and by far the most potent in California, has accepted a $1 million grant to hire new reporters on selected beats: "immigration and ethnic communities in Southern California, the California prison system, the Southwest border region and one of the most important international stories in our region, Brazil." Here's the "Dear Comrades" memo from editor Davan Maharaj. From: Davan Maharaj Date: Thu, 17 May 2012 12:25:26 -0700 To: yyeditall Subject: Ford Foundation Grant to The Los Angeles Times Comrades: In these tough economic times, we don’t get to crow very often about significant additions to our staff, so please excuse ... Continue reading →

Officials investigate the scene where an allegedly drunken La Puente man crashed his car through a wall and into a swimming pool at Barrydale Street and Orange Avenue in La Puente on the morning of Sunday, May 13, 2012. (Photo courtesy of Beatriz Diaz)Gallery: Photos of Lexus in La Puente home's pool LA PUENTE - A family got a rude awakening early Sunday when a car plowed through the cinder block wall surrounding their backyard and ended up submerged in their swimming pool. Modesto Cabral, 40, of La Puente was booked on suspicion of driving under the influence after the 5:25 a.m. crash on Barrydale Street at Orange Avenue, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Steve Licon. "We woke up to an awful noise and ... Continue reading →

Donna Myrow, the founder and executive director of the nonprofit that publishes LA Youth, emails: "We've received $187,000 from individual donors. Fundraising continues and the presses roll next week [on] the May-June issue." She had previously said the paper faced closure, prompting items here and mainstream media coverage. Statement from LA Youth added: We knew we had only two weeks to raise a lot of money and that we couldn’t go back to our traditional funders—the foundations. We had to get the word out to a new audience that explained why it was so important that they support the uniquely vital resource we provide to tens of thousands of students and more than 1,000 teachers every year. To do that we had to get media ... Continue reading →

Tara Todras-Whitehill, one of the 12 photojournalists featured in the documentary "Deadline Every Second," has a unique perspective on luck. "I think I've been pretty lucky so far," she says over the film's opening images of her clad in a flak jacket, helmet and gas mask in the West Bank town of Ramallah, photographing Palestinian protesters clashing with Israeli soldiers. "I've had a couple, like, concussion grenades go off at my feet, but that didn't affect me." Todras-Whitehill goes on to explain, rather matter-of-factly, how she deals with rubber bullets, tear gas and unruly crowds. She adds, "You sort of have to decide how important the picture is," but one gets the sense that for her and her peers it's always pretty important. The hourlong ... Continue reading →

Yet Lock, the executive vice president of City News Service, came to the local wire service from the mayor's office. Mayor Sam Yorty — in 1972. This makes him "possibly the longest-serving news executive in Southern California," CNS says in a release. “Through all these years, Yet Lock has managed to remain the `gentleman news executive,’” said CNS Editor Lori Streifler. “He has always related to the hundreds of CNS subscribers and literally thousands of CNS staff members through the years in a cordial, collegial manner,” she said. “At the same time, Yet managed to be effective and highly successful in a key role that helped CNS grow into the professional and trusted wire service that it is today.” She said Lock “will be greatly ... Continue reading →

AP apologizes for firing reporter over WWII scoop By DAVID B. CARUSO, Associated Press – 38 minutes ago NEW YORK (AP) — In World War II's final moments in Europe, Associated Press correspondent Edward Kennedy gave his news agency perhaps the biggest scoop in its history. He reported, a full day ahead of the competition, that the Germans had surrendered unconditionally at a former schoolhouse in Reims, France.For this, he was publicly rebuked by the AP, and then quietly fired.The problem: Kennedy had defied military censors to get the story out. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Harry Truman had agreed to suppress news of the capitulation for a day, in order to allow Stalin to stage a second surrender ceremony in Berlin. Kennedy ... Continue reading →

SANTA ANA – Nadya Suleman – known as Octomom – filed bankruptcy papers on Monday here in federal court. Suleman's debt could be as much as $1 million – 20 times more than her net worth, according to court documents. The mother of 14 has up to $50,000 in assets. Nadya Suleman and some of her 14 children and thier baby sitters pose on the red carpet in front of Millions of Milkshakes in West Hollywood in this 2010 photo.LOU PONSI, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER ADVERTISEMENT "I have had to make some very difficult decisions this year, and filing Chapter 7 was one of them," Suleman, 36, said through an e-mail sent by her manager, Gina Rodriguez. "But I have to do what is best ... Continue reading →

LOS ANGELES — Henry Keith Watson remembers April 29, 1992, as if it happened just last week. History won't allow him to forget it. It was a day that marked the beginning of one of the deadliest, most destructive race riots in the nation's history, and one in which Watson's spur-of-the-moment decision to take part made him one of the enduring faces of the violence. He was at home that day like thousands of others when he heard the news that was racing across Los Angeles: A jury with no black members had acquitted four police officers in the videotaped beating of Rodney King, a black man stopped for speeding nearly 14 months before. "I got caught up in the emotions like everyone else," Watson ... Continue reading →

(04-23) 11:02 PDT San Juan Capistrano, Calif. (AP) -- An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 3.9 has shaken the Orange County area of Southern California. The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake occurred at 10:37 a.m. Monday and was centered 1 mile west of San Juan Capistrano. The quake occurred at a depth of just over 2 miles and was felt in the central county area as a strong jolt. Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Marc Stone says there have been no immediate reports of damage. Continue reading →

With Florida’s housing sector still stuck in the cellar, the building materials giant turns to infra... Continue reading →

MINNEAPOLIS -- Michelle Morgante, former assistant chief of bureau for the Associated Press in Miami, has been appointed bureau chief for Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.Morgante, 44, succeeds Randy Picht, who was named executive director of the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism, his alma mater. As chief of bureau, Morgante will be responsible for leading business development and account management in the four-state region, ensuring AP meets the market needs of members and customers. She will be based in Minneapolis.Morgante has recently helped direct publisher accounts for iCircular, a mobile advertising solution developed by the AP for newspapers. The interactive shopping tool, launched last year by AP and 40 member newspapers, is now being rolled out to ... Continue reading →