Good morning - here's what's happening 5.27.2008 *
Seven traffic deaths and 27 injuries in L.A. over the three-day weekend, including a grisly six-car pileup in South Los Angeles last night. In that crash, which happened about 6 p.m., several cars burst into flames so hot, they melted a traffic signal. Ruben Vives and Anna Gorman have the details.
Remember that bright idea to settle a lawsuit about overcrowding in federal prisons by sending low-risk offenders to county jails and local rehab programs? Local officials are speaking up and asking where the heck the money to pay for all that is going to come from. Logic says the state should pay, but don't count on it. Patrick McGreevy explains.
So L.A. is changing -- again. Two black men are fighting to become county supervisor in the vast 2nd District, where Latinos now outnumber African Americans almost 2 to 1. Michael Finnegan looks at the changing demographics of the 2 million residents of area.
Want your HDTV? You're better off in Houston, San Diego or even Charlotte, N.C., all of which got lots more HD stations than L.A. cable subscribers. You could switch to satellite for more options, and check out Alana Semuels' story for more info.
Sydney Pollack died of cancer in his Pacific Palisades home Monday at the age of 73. He made "Tootsie," of course, and "The Way We Were," and starred in "Michael Clayton" with George Clooney, who said "Sydney made the world a little better, movies a little better and even dinner a little better. A tip of the hat to a class act. He'll be missed terribly." More in Dennis McLellan's obit here.
Feeling bad about the Laker's lousy performance in Game 3? Let Bill Plaschke cheer you up.
The Burroughs High principal just said no to the kids in his school putting on "The Laramie Project," a play about the murder of a gay college student. So the high schoolers got some funding, took the play off campus and now have a high-profile production on their hands. Mike Boehm has the story.
-- Veronique de Turenne
Photos: Los Angeles Times; Associated Press
*Updated: the number of traffic injuries was changed to 27, to reflect the latest information.
