» A week after the company hinted that a rebrand was coming, Facebook announced Thursday that it will now be known as Meta. “Today we are seen as a social media company, but in our DNA we are a company that builds technology to connect people, and the metaverse is the next frontier just like social networking was when we got started,” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said during a media event. [CNBC]
» Ramit Varma, an entrepreneur from Encino, said Wednesday that he is entering the already crowded race for mayor of Los Angeles. During a news conference at the Bank of California Stadium, which he rented for the grand announcement, Varma promised to end homelessness, cut government waste and “build a city of the future — right now.” [Los Angeles Daily News]
» Authorities confirmed Thursday that the human remains found in Yucca Valley desert earlier this month belong to Lauren “El” Cho, a 30-year-old woman from New Jersey who went missing in June. Cho’s cause and manner of death is still being determined, officials said. [KTLA]
» Two months after he resigned as governor of New York following sexual harassment allegations, Andrew Cuomo was accused Thursday of committing a misdemeanor sex crime. Prosecutors said they didn’t know that the one-page criminal complaint—filed by an investigator with the Albany County Sheriff’s Office—had been filed, and the woman’s attorney said she hadn’t been given the chance to decide whether she wanted to move forward with a case. [Los Angeles Times]
» An actor who appeared in Parks and Recreation was arrested earlier this month for allegedly vandalizing a bronze statue of George Floyd in New York City. Micah Beals, 37, who is also known by his stage name Micah Femia, was charged with criminal mischief. [USA Today]
TOP STORIES FROM L.A. MAG
» First Gender ‘X’ Passport Issued in the United States The state said it will be able to offer the option to nonbinary, intersex and gender-nonconforming people next year
» The New California Dream Is in Portugal Hollywood A-Listers and Tech Influencers from Silicon Alley to Silicon Valley are flocking to the Golden State’s European Twin
» Here Are Some of the Spookiest Ways to Celebrate Halloween in Los Angeles Haunted houses, screenings of classic scary movies, immersive experiences, and other fun ways to celebrate the season
ONE MORE THING
Halloween Takeover and 28 More Best Things to Do in L.A. This Weekend
After a long pandemic shutdown, Los Angeles is open—and that means there’s fun stuff to do all across the city. Here’s a list of some of the coolest events happening in L.A. this weekend.
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