TODAY’S ESSENTIAL NEWS
» Gov. Gavin Newsom Asks Feds To Investigate California’s Soaring Natural Gas Bills Gov. Gavin Newsom asked the federal government Monday to investigate why Californians are seeing unusually high natural gas bills this winter. In a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the California Democrat requested that the agency assess whether market manipulation, anti-competitive behavior, or other anomalous activities are driving elevated prices in the Western U.S. Families across California are opening up their utility bills to discover eye-popping charges. Wholesale natural gas prices are up 63% since October. [sacbee]
» Los Angeles County Supervisors To Consider Gun Control Measures In the wake of a devastating mass shooting in Monterey Park last month in which 11 people were killed during a Lunar New Year celebration, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is set to evaluate and discuss new gun control measures in hopes of curbing gun violence in the county. Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Hilda Solis have proposed a motion that would direct the County’s legal counsel to study the feasibility and legality of implementing a countywide gun registry. Horvath and Solis say that the current system for gun tracing is a slow and tedious process and a countywide registry would make it easier for law enforcement officers to track down criminals. [KTLA]
» Schizophrenic Man Shot And Killed By Riverside County Deputies In Moreno Valley The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department tweeted about the shooting just after 1:30 p.m. on Monday, asking the public to avoid the area, but further details were not released. The family of the man say that he had schizophrenia and was having a mental health crisis when deputies responded. They added that he was carrying a BB gun and told dispatchers about that when they called for help. According to the family, deputies cleared the home before entering. When they went inside, relatives say they heard gunshots. “The cops have been to my mother’s house so many times that they know he’s schizophrenic,” the man’s sister Isabel Rodriguez said. [ABC]
» AMC To Price Movie Theater Tickets Based On Where You Sit AMC, the largest movie theater chain in the U.S., on Friday will start selling tickets at different prices based on where a seat is located in a given venue. The new approach, called “Sightline at AMC,” prices seats based on how good their views of the screen are. The company will offer three tiers of seating: value, standard, and preferred. Less desirable seats, such as those located in the theater’s front row, will be sold at a discount at the lowest price point. [CBS]
» Super Bowl Ads Sold Out At Fox (But The Economy Didn’t Help) Fox sold 95% of the advertising inventory for this week’s Super Bowl by September of last year. Then it faced what became an unexpected and difficult challenge: Getting rid of the last 5%. After enjoying heavy demand for Super Bowl ad spots last year, Fox found itself on the precipice of great success, all while seeking eyebrow-raising prices of $6 million to more than $7 million for a 30-second slot. Then came October. “As the economic climate in October changed a bit, people’s enthusiasm to spend $7 million waned,” explains Mark Evans, executive vice president of sales for Fox Sports. [Variety]
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ONE MORE THING
Where To Watch Super Bowl LVII in L.A.
The Super Bowl is making its return to Glendale, Arizona for its fourth run in the game’s history on February 12, and for Angelenos looking for a more local celebration, LAMag has you covered with the best viewing parties and events happening around the city.
Though the events might not be as grand as the large brand-sponsored parties the city witnessed in 2022 while hosting the big game, L.A.’s local bars, clubs and restaurants are still going the extra mile this year to create a fun space for sports fans to watch the Kansas City Chiefs or Philadelphia Eagles take home the Lombardi trophy.
