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A man was fatally shot on the 710 Freeway in East Los Angeles today, the second slaying on the stretch of road in less than a week. Authorities closed the freeway just north of the 10 Freeway near Alhambra as the investigation began. No immediate details were available. On Tuesday, a man was fatally shot on the 710 Freeway near 3rd Street. The man was shot while trying to help his girlfriend change a flat tire.
 Now this is an "only in L.A." story. A shooting over a disputed parking place on Hollywood Boulevard -- and then the paparazzi get involved:
At least one man was injured today in a shooting prompted by a dispute over a parking space in Hollywood, officials said. The shooting occurred around 2:20 a.m. near the front of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel at Hollywood Boulevard and Orange Drive, said Los Angeles Police Department Media Relations Officer April Harding. Two men got into a verbal altercation over a space in a nearby parking lot, Harding said. A short time later, one of the men fired numerous shots from a car at the other man, who was with a group of friends near the hotel’s entrance, Harding said. Paparazzi were photographing actress Kathy Griffin as she left the hotel when shots were heard in the background, prompting some people to hit the ground for safety, according to celebrity news website TMZ.com. (CNS)
 We all know that getting through Century City on a Friday is usually a pain. But it will be much worse today at noon because of a janitors march that begins at the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Avenue of the Stars.
Organizers say more than 1,000 janitors from Fox Entertainment Group and Raleigh Studios and their supporters will march for higher wages and access to affordable healthcare.
A rally is planned at Rancho Park Golf Course after the march.
Authorities are investigating this accident as a possible case of road rage: A car careened off the northbound Hollywood (170) Freeway in North Hollywood today and landed upside down in a concrete-lined wash after being cut off by another car, authorities said. No one was hurt in the accident, which occurred around 6:30 a.m. near Victory Boulevard, a California Highway Patrol dispatcher said. The three men in the vehicle walked away unscathed, FOX 11 reported. Witnesses told investigators that the driver of a black Volkswagen Jetta was tailgating a white Honda Civic and harassing its occupants shortly before the crash, the dispatcher said. The Jetta allegedly cut off the Civic, causing its driver to lose control, she said. (CNS)
  
Writing in the Jewish Journal, Raphael J. Sonenshein wonders what's coming next on Villaraigosa's pledge to build the subway under Wilshire Boulevard. As part of an assessment of the mayor's term, he acknowledges the push to have Rep. Henry Waxman drop his opposition to the Purple Line extension. But he wonders if the mayor's very public fight with Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky over the MTA fare hikes will make the "subway to the sea" harder to sell: Villaraigosa has pledged to make a major dent in public transportation and traffic, and those two matters will be closely watched on the Westside especially, but also in the Valley. His conflict with Yaroslavsky over MTA bus fares may presage tougher days ahead as he seeks to build financial and political support for the subway to the sea. And even if that project moves ahead, there will be major political complications from the physical changes that will have to be undertaken. Anything to reduce traffic congestion that is low-cost and quick to implement may help reduce some of the inevitable backlash to any change in these dense streets.
 That freeway shooting that killed a 25-year-old man on the 710 in East L.A. keeps getting more troubling the more we learn. Turns out the shooting actually occurred on the shoulder when the victim arrived to help his girlfriend fix a tire:
Deputy Luis Castro said the suspect approached the victim about 10:20 last night, while he was pulled over on the northbound 710 near 3rd Street to help his girlfriend change a flat tire. "While he was changing that tire, the suspect drove up in a ’93 to ’95 Nissan Altima, asked the victim if he needed help changing the tire, and the victim said no," Castro said. "And at that time, for some unknown reason, (he) brought out a gun and started shooting the victim, killing him right there." The victim, who died at a hospital, was identified as Paul Michael Miller, 25, of Bell Gardens, according to Capt. Ed Winter of the coroner’s office. (CNS)
Anyone with information can call the L.A. Sheriff's Department at (323) 890-5500
 Officials expect 167,000 people to use the new UCLA-to-LAX FlyAway that opened today in Westwood. And (not surprising) the mayor was there for the press conference:
Nonstop FlyAway bus service between Los Angeles International Airport and UCLA began today. The city Airport Commission voted in May to pay $65,000 to the University of California Board of Regents to operate the shuttle service for one year between LAX and the Westwood campus, with two additional one-year options. "This is one-tenth the cost of a cab ride, one-third the cost of a private drop-off and one-quarter of the cost to use a private shuttle van service," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said at a ceremony marking the beginning of the service. "So this is a good thing. With this Westwood FlyAway service, travelers would spend a fraction of the time stuck in traffic and a fraction of the money from their wallets." (CNS)
 You might not think of small Rolling Hills Estates as a place with major traffic problems. But concerns about traffic have killed a major "smart growth" project that called for another dense "pedestrian-oriented" mixed-use development, the Breeze reports:
Visions of vehicle-clogged roads derailed an ambitious plan five years in the making intended to create a vibrant pedestrian-oriented urban village in Rolling Hills Estates' commercial core. But supporters of what's dubbed smart growth said Tuesday's dramatic City Council decision to abandon the so-called Peninsula Village Overlay Zone may not signal the stunning repudiation of the philosophy it appears to represent. The proposal would have set in place a planning framework to build hundreds of condominiums -- the exact number was unclear -- in a 45-acre area where today there are none. Proponents envisioned the plan would inject a degree of economic vitality into a struggling business district along Deep Valley Drive some residents regard as tacky and outdated.
 The MTA budget appears to be in for smooth sailing. But the board is asking for more money for much-needed mechanics:
As the MTA board of directors prepares to vote on the agency’s proposed multibillion-dollar budget, staffers were asked today to find an additional $4.5 million to hire more mechanics. Over the last three years, the MTA has increased its fleet by 300 buses but has not hired more mechanics. As a result, the transit agency is spending more money on overtime and falling behind on preventive maintenance repairs, according to a motion put forth by two MTA board members. Under the motion by Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke and Long Beach City Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal, which was approved by the full MTA board, staffers were directed to return next Wednesday with a plan to secure $4.5 million to hire 22 mechanics and 11 electricians. (CNS)
 MTA officials said at Wednesday's budget hearing that they expect the much-debated fare hikes will reduce ridership more than 3% but increase revenue:
The proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 reflects the board’s recent decision to increase bus and rail fares. The regular cash fare, currently $1.25, will increase to $1.50 in July 2009 and to $1.80 in July 2011. Day passes will increase from $3 to $5 in July, to $6 in July 2009 and to $7.25 in July 2011. As a result of the fare change, MTA officials expect revenue to increase 13% to $321.5 million in the next year, while ridership will likely decrease 3.4%. "The fare change gave us the ability to look farther down the road and be able to do the kinds of corrections we need to do now to avoid future problems," said MTA Chief Executive Officer Roger Snoble. (CNS)
 The California Incline in Santa Monica is one of Southern California's most distinctive roadways. But on June 20, the city will present a plan for major changes to the 100-year-old road that runs down the bluff of Santa Monica to PCH, according to the Palisadian-Post:
Engineers say that the Incline, which ascends from Pacific Coast Highway to Ocean Avenue along a high, unstable bluff, is deteriorating and needs large structural repairs. The new Incline would be approximately 750 feet long and 51 feet wide -- nearly six feet wider than the current three-lane road. The extra space would be used to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists, not an additional car lane. The Incline has been largely unchanged since 1940, and engineers believe that the Incline is 'entirely supported on soil along the eastern side,' according to the draft EIR. City engineering studies describe significant damage from the Sylmar and Northridge earthquakes, citing chipping concrete and exposed concrete rebar. If the final Incline plans are approved, new 'pile bents' would be built below the surface of the bluff, which would give the Incline greater structural support.
 Have you ever heard of getting a ticket for jogging in a bike lane? Well, the OCR's Honk! found a strange case in South Orange County:
No one likes getting ticketed and when Christine Valdivieso of Laguna Niguel was pulled over on Marina Hills Drive, she was certainly no exception. When Valdivieso looked over to the side and noticed a motorcycle deputy signaling her to pull over, she was distraught and confused. I mean, how do you get pulled over while you're running? .... It's not common for pedestrians to be ticketed, but it does happen, said Orange County Sheriff's Deputy Paul Wade of the traffic division. Valdivieso was running on the bicycle lane of Marina Hills Drive, a space strictly reserved for bicycles.
Another scary accident to report involving an MTA bus: Six people have been injured in an accident involving a motorcycle and an MTA bus, which crashed into the center divider of the northbound Hollywood (170) Freeway at Burbank Boulevard in North Hollywood at 6:13 p.m., says d’Lisa Davies of the Los Angeles Fire Department. She says other vehicles were probably involved, and the additional injuries may have been from "exploding" concrete when the divider was struck. (AP)
 Motorists filling up at one Camarillo station immediately had problems with their cars. It turned out they had bought gas tainted with water. The station owner, who now faces charges, said it was all a mistake:
A Camarillo gasoline station owner who claimed water was inadvertently mixed with his fuel said he would plead no contest to charges he sold tainted gas to customers. Benjamin Shavit, owner of the Camarillo Car Wash and gas station, said Tuesday he decided to enter the pleas to misdemeanor charges because a judge told him selling "nonconforming gasoline" could carry jail time. "I didn’t want to risk that," said Shavit, adding he will plead no contest to selling gas tainted with water to three customers. He will be placed on two years’ probation. The county Department of Weights and Measures discovered the water-laced gasoline in Shavit’s tanks and referred the case to the district attorney’s office for prosecution. (AP)
 The Daily News editorial board is impressed with presidential contender Bill Richardson's promise to push for transportation solutions for L.A. (including more money for light rail). It sees Richardson's comments as a rare example of leadership on the traffic issue:
Now, we know better than to take campaign promises at face value. Still, it's stunning to see an out-of-state leader do what no one in L.A. or California ever does: address the problem intelligently, and offer a solution proportionate to its magnitude. It seems moving up California's primary has already achieved its purpose -- getting the candidates to pay more attention to the state. Or at least one candidate. So, what do the others propose for L.A.'s traffic mess -- Hillary? Rudy? Barack? Mitt? John? The other John? We're waiting ...
 This part of Orange County has been the scene of several bad bike/car accidents, in part because it draws a lot of cyclists. Now there's been another fatal incident:
A bicyclist was killed today in a collision with a vehicle in Dana Point, the California Highway Patrol reported. The biker died at the scene of the accident, which occurred shortly after 5 a.m. near the connector road from southbound Pacific Coast Highway to the southbound San Diego (5) Freeway, said CHP Officer Denise Quesada. The connector road was closed for about two hours while an investigation was conducted, Quesada said. (CNS)
Remember that string of freeway shootings a couple of years ago? Well, things seem to have calmed down somewhat since then. But we got a reminder overnight with this fatal shooting on the 710: The northbound Long Beach (710) Freeway was shut down in East Los Angeles for more than five hours as detectives investigated the gunshot slaying of a motorist. The investigation into the shooting, which occurred at 10:20 p.m. yesterday, was focused on a stretch of the 710 at 3rd Street, said Sgt. Duane Allen of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The victim, described only as a man, was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Allen said. All northbound lanes were closed at South Humphreys Avenue at 10:39 p.m. and reopened at 3:40 a.m., a California Highway Patrol officer said. (CNS)
 You might not be able to drive that huge hybrid SUV solo in carpool lanes. New federal rules would reserve that right just for the most fuel-efficient:
When it comes to using carpool lanes, only the most fuel-efficient hybrids need apply, the government said. The Environmental Protection Agency proposed new criteria for certifying vehicles as clean and energy-efficient for states that let hybrid drivers use the special lanes for avoiding rush-hour traffic. Driver-only hybrids would need to achieve 25% higher combined fuel efficiency compared with similar gasoline-fueled vehicles to qualify for the high-occupancy-vehicle, or HOV, lanes. Only four manufacturers -- Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co., Ford Motor Co. and Mazda Motor Corp. -- produce vehicles that would qualify. A limited number of natural-gas vehicles built by Honda and Ford would also meet the standards. (See list of allowed vehicles below.)
Continue reading "Feds crack down in carpool lane" »
 The DMV is testing a new eye chart system for driver's tests that some senior citizens worry could jeopardize their licenses. But the Sacramento Bee reports that some advocates argue the state needs to do more to weed out senior drivers who should not be behind the wheel:
A series of new eye charts hung from the ceiling, each containing rows of letters that become successively more faded. By line six, the letters are so ghostly they are invisible to many people... The Pelli-Robson contrast sensitivity test shows if drivers will have trouble seeing dark objects in the shadows or light objects, such as a gray truck, in the fog. It's the most visible -- and for some, intimidating -- part of a five-month trial program the DMV hopes will identify more people with visual, physical and cognitive limitations that could make them unsafe drivers.
 What are the nation's worst traffic bottlenecks? Forbes magazine has put together a list, and several Southern California interchanges are on it. Here are a few highlights from around the country:
-- Los Angeles' US-101 and I-405 interchange, which results in 27 million-plus hours of delay each year.
--Houston's I-610 and I-10 interchange, at 25 million-plus hours of delay.
--Chicago's I-90/94 and I-290 interchange (known as the Circle Interchange); 25 million hours of delay.
--Phoenix's I-10 and SR-51 interchange; 22 million hours of delay.
--Los Angeles' I-405 and I-10 interchange. This San Diego Freeway exchange causes 22 million hours of annual delay.
Any other candidates?
 Several hundred residents turned out for the Caltrans hearing on the 405 widening through the Sepulveda Pass. Their message was clear: They don't want any homes taken to make way for the new carpool lanes. (All of the Caltrans alternatives call for some private property to be taken.) KNBC has a good video report about the meeting, quoting one activist as saying: "We want to stop this Caltrans madness. If one house is taken, we regard all our houses as taken." There are threats of legal action -- though it remains unclear if the protests pose a major threat to the long-discussed project.
Here's more on the widening plan.
 The big opening of the 210 Freeway extension is only a few months away and there are already projected winners and losers. The Times' Rong-Gong Lin II reports that Rialto is already seeing a development boom thanks to the new freeway. And commuters will get some relief as some traffic moves off the 10 Freeway. But certain surface street traffic near the new 210 will increase, to the dismay of some:
The $233-million, 8-mile extension is scheduled to open by the end of the year. The Foothill Freeway now extends 67 miles from Sylmar in the San Fernando Valley through Pasadena, Arcadia, Azusa and San Dimas along the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. It ends abruptly in Fontana, not its ultimate destination of San Bernardino. About a three-quarter-mile portion of the extension is open. The extension will link the 210 Freeway to Interstate 215 and the present California 30, giving many San Bernardino-area residents what they have wanted for decades — relief from the congested San Bernardino Freeway and an alternate route to Los Angeles. The effect on surface streets will be mixed, residents say. North-south streets congested with cars now headed for Interstate 10 should see an improvement, but streets near the new freeway should see the flow increase.
 The Times editorial board looks at the MTA budget and comes out agreeing the agency needs more money for rail and bus projects. Where does the money come from? The board mentions two possible scenarios we've heard before (but never as more than talk): a gas excise tax and congestion pricing. It says that's better for several reasons than another sales tax hike:
The simplest and most effective solution would be to raise the state excise tax on gasoline, which has been frozen at 18 cents a gallon since 1995. Because the tax isn't indexed to inflation, the revenues it generates are shrinking. Higher gas taxes would discourage driving and thus decrease traffic, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions; they also would encourage conservation and research into alternative fuels, thus reducing U.S. reliance on foreign oil. Congestion pricing is another possible route. This might involve charging tolls for using major commuter freeways at peak hours. One of the more elegant solutions would be to demand that large employers stop providing free parking to their workers; instead, they could be made to charge for parking, and that money could pay for employee transit vouchers.
 The proposal to build a light-rail line connecting downtown Long Beach with the city's east side (including Cal State Long Beach) is getting a mixed reception. The Press Telegram's editorial board wonders whether it's even worth a study:
There are some really big problems here, starting with just taking a look at the ideas. A serious study could cost up to $500,000 (and similar ones have been done before). A transit "spine" to replace existing bus lines could cost tens of millions of dollars, and the spokes a lot more. Rail lines are intriguing, especially to urban planners, but they sometimes just shift bus riders to trolleys, at huge cost and with no noticeable improvement in traffic congestion. Also, there is serious competition for transportation money. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is looking for billions to finish off subways to the sea and multi-hued rail lines to the Valley, East L.A., San Gabriel Valley and such. Long Beach is looking for hundreds of millions for freeway and bridge improvements.
 Democratic presidential hopeful Bill Richardson talked up rail today in West Hollywood. While short on specifics, Richardson said that if elected, he would partner with L.A. officials to build a "light-rail network" in the region (as opposed to new freeways):
With gas prices rising and roadways jammed, Richardson said it was time to rethink a federal transportation policy that pumps billions of dollars into new roads each year. Mass transit, he said, will be the best, cleanest way to move metropolitan residents in the future. If elected, he said, he would "make it a major effort to refocus transportation construction of roads into light rail and more energy efficient transportation," the New Mexico governor told reporters at a news conference. "I would make light rail at least an equal partner" with highways, he said. With more rail and clean-running buses, "it’s going to improve the quality of life in this country." Richardson provided few specifics about funding but said the construction would be financed with bonds backed by the state and federal government. (AP)
Here's another battle in the war on street racing. This one in Commerce, which has a popular spot because of the wide industrial streets: Authorities issued citations to the occupants of about 125 vehicles and impounded about 30 vehicles in a crackdown on illegal street racing, a sheriff’s lieutenant said today. Sheriff’s deputies and Bell police officers went to Garfield and Malt avenues in Commerce, where illegal street racers were gathered, about 11 p.m. yesterday, said Lt. Nick Tippings of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s East Los Angeles Station. Tippings said the impounded vehicles were from drivers without valid licenses. (CNS)
 There is another hearing on the widening of the 405 through the Sepulveda Pass tonight. The Times' Rong-Gong Lin II read through the new documents and found some potentially encouraging words for residents fighting the alternative that takes the most private property:
"Brentwood Glen has exhibited a particularly tenacious unity and community character as they were made aware of the potential for property acquisition in their community along Church Lane." Also worthy of note: "There is a justifiable perception in the Brentwood Glen neighborhood that if Alternative 3 were selected, the acquisition of approximately 30 properties, including a church along Church Lane, would have an adverse impact on community cohesion. The potential removal of the Village Church further contributes to the potential impact on this community’s character and cohesion."
Details from Caltrans: The hearing will be held at the Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049. Caltrans personnel will be available to answer questions and review maps beginning at 5 p.m. The hearing of public comments will begin at 6:30 p.m.
 Be aware that Pacific Coast Highway in the South Bay will be an even bigger traffic headache in the coming weeks thanks to a Caltrans project, the Breeze reports:
The California Department of Transportation has briefly postponed plans to repave a roughly three-mile stretch of Pacific Coast Highway through Redondo Beach and Torrance. The nighttime work expected to begin this month won't get underway until after July 4 because crews are wrapping up a water line project on the same swath of roadway, said Caltrans spokeswoman Jeanne Bonfilio. Despite the late start, the agency still plans to finish by its September deadline. The project has residents in Torrance and Redondo Beach bracing for some restless summer nights. To avoid daytime traffic hang-ups, Caltrans has scheduled construction from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday.
 Are we better drivers than our elected officials? Well, an AP investigation looking at the driving records of legislators using government cars is sobering:
Lawmakers using state-issued vehicles filed auto insurance claims at a far higher rate than the general public, costing California taxpayers nearly $90,000 the last two years, according to records obtained by the Associated Press. The lawmakers, some of whom are no longer in office, filed 54 claims during the period, many for accidents and damage they caused. Several were the victims of other drivers, roadway debris or had their vehicles vandalized. But often the legislators themselves were clearly at fault. They rear-ended or backed into other motorists, improperly turned into the path of other cars and struck curbs, poles and other objects, according to the records, which were provided by the state Department of General Services in response to an AP request. Those records show that 10 lawmakers filed more than one claim during the two-year period, including state Sen. Carole Migden. The San Francisco Democrat put the state’s policy of providing vehicles for legislators under the microscope when she triggered a chain-reaction accident May 18 while driving her state-owned 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid.
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