TODAY’S ESSENTIAL NEWS
» Utah Governor tells Californians to “Stay In California Instead Of Coming As Refugees” Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah said Friday that Californians should “stay in California,” in part because his state is beset by problems including housing and water shortages. A June 2021 report by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah found that California accounts for the largest influx of people to Utah from across the country. In 2018, 18,000 people arrived in Utah from California, compared to the more than 50,000 Californians that headed to other states in the union. [L.A. Times]
» Austin Majors, Child Actor In NYPD Blue, Dies In L.A. Homeless Shelter at 27 Austin Majors, a former child actor best known for his role in NYPD Blue died Saturday in Los Angeles. Major’s death was confirmed by the L.A. County Medical Examiner-Coroner. He was 27. He had been living at a downtown Los Angeles facility for homeless individuals and appeared in the Los Angeles Daily News last week when L.A. mayor Karen Bass toured the facility. [Variety]
» Why Beverly Hills Is Cutting Down A Century Of Trees The city of Beverly Hills plans to cut down nearly 100 trees to prevent further damage to sidewalks and buildings, despite concerns from some businesses who say they were never included in the city’s decision-making process. An official with the city said the plan to replace 87 trees along Robertson Boulevard is necessary because roots are damaging sidewalks and resulting in pedestrian injuries. [KTLA]
» L.A. City Officials Launch Unarmed Alternative to Policing City officials launched a public safety initiative Monday aiming to provide trauma training and services to community intervention workers who implement an unarmed response alternative to policing. Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, who chairs the City Council’s public safety committee, announced the Project TURN initiative—which stands for Therapeutic Unarmed Response for Neighborhoods. The program, launched with $2.2 million in city funding, seeks to help the over 100 community intervention workers in L.A. with training provided by the Community Based Public Safety Collective, The Reverence Project and the BUILD Program. [CNS]
» Here’s Your Go-To Guide to All the Fairs Taking Place Over Frieze Week in Los Angeles That’s right, it’s time for Los Angeles art week once again—a crush of art fairs, parties, gallery shows, and museum exhibitions to chase away the winter doldrums. This article from Artnews has everything you need to know about the fairs taking place this week. [Artnews]
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TOP STORIES FROM L.A. MAG
On the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, Iran’s Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi surprised a massive crowd, joining in demanding rights and freedom in his country
Famed civil rights lawyer Ben Crump reps ex-Dodgers outfielder Puig in his fight to prove he was unfairly targeted by Feds in gambling probe
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ONE MORE THING
Wednesday Star Jenna Ortega Reveals Details of Nightmare Shoot
Showbiz is tough—but it sounds like it was especially rough on Jenna Ortega, the actress who played the Adams Family daughter on Netflix’s major hit series, Wednesday.
Speaking at a Q&A session hosted by Netflix on Thursday in Hollywood, Ortega detailed just exactly what she had to do—and learn—to play the psychic misfit of Nevermore, as Variety reports.
Besides the long hours of filming a full season of a television series, which is typically over five to six days a week, the young actor had to take lessons in multiple disciplines related to her character: cello, canoeing, fencing, and German lessons, to be specific.
