TODAY’S ESSENTIAL NEWS
» 2 Arrested In Central California Shooting That Left 6 Dead Two suspects were taken into custody after a shootout ended in a “cartel-style” massacre last month that left six people dead in central California, including a young mother and her 10-month-old son, authorities announced Friday. The suspects, identified in charging documents as Angel Uriarte, 35, and Noah Beard, 25, are known members of the Norteño gang, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said during a news conference. He said the January 16 shooting was the likely result of a conflict with members of the Sureños, a rival gang. [CNN]
» LAPD Officer Caught Saying “Happy Hunting” Before Fatal Shooting A Los Angeles police SWAT officer who was caught on body-camera video telling his colleagues “happy hunting” before a fatal police shooting last spring has received a two-day suspension after an internal investigation, according to LAPD disciplinary records. The newly released records identify the officer by his rank—police officer III—but don’t name him, due to state privacy laws. His remark was made while preparing with other SWAT officers to surround a man named Leron James, who was armed with a handgun and had barricaded himself in a downtown L.A. apartment building. Police say James, 54, fired down on officers from a window and the officers returned fire, killing him. [L.A. Times]
» Karen Bass’ Mission: Get 17,000 People Off The Streets Karen Bass has pledged to tackle the homelessness problem by getting 17,000 people off the streets during her first year in office. But her success as mayor will depend on what happens after that. Her strategy is to move thousands of people into motels as a stopgap measure while the city works out a long-term fix. Susan Rice, Biden’s top domestic policy adviser, spent a weekend with Bass last month discussing the crisis and meeting with residents. [Politico]
» Tribes, Researchers Debate Final Fate Of P-22, Famed L.A. Puma The popular puma P-22 cast a spotlight on the troubled population of California’s endangered mountain lions and their decreasing genetic diversity. Now, with his remains stored in a freezer at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, wildlife officials and representatives from the region’s tribal communities are debating his next act. Biologists and conservationists want to retain samples of P-22’s tissue, fur and whiskers for scientific testing to aid in future wildlife research. But some representatives of the Chumash, Tataviam and Gabrielino (Tongva) peoples say his body should be returned, untouched, to the ancestral lands where he spent his life so he can be honored with a traditional burial. [AP]
» Beyoncé Sets A New Record For Most Grammy Wins In History Beyoncé has now captured more Grammy awards than any other artist, thanks to a quartet of trophies for her album Renaissance. Two-thirds of the way into the evening’s live telecast, she won her fourth award of the year for a total of 32 in her career, shattering the record for the most Grammys of any artist in the prize’s 65-year history. [NPR]
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ONE MORE THING
You Don’t Have to Go to a Sports Bar to Celebrate Super Bowl Sunday
If you want to see the Super Bowl but don’t like sports bars, there are other places to catch the action with friends—and eat real food—without a guy with a painted face screaming next to you. The Chap and The Den are great choices for Super Bowl Sunday… and beyond.
“This is definitely not a sports bar,” says owner Brett Latteri, emphatically. That doesn’t mean that the games are not on tap. As Latteri assures his guests: “You can watch sports here, but we’re a neighborhood place meant for everyone.”
In a century-old building on Sunset, The Den has had a strong group of regulars for years, but Latteri pivoted after the pandemic, overhauling the interior, hiring a serious chef and a bar consultant. “I knew it could be more than just a bar,” says Latteri, who, as a teenager cruising Sunset, dreamed of having a place on the Strip.
