Despite objections, SoHo House cleared to open on Sunset Strip

The West Hollywood City Council has agreed to allow an exclusive British club to open on the Sunset Strip despite objections from neighbors.

After a lengthy meeting Monday night, the council voted to reject an appeal by the West Hollywood-Beverly Hills Neighborhood Assn., said city spokeswoman Helen Goss.

“The SoHo House is an esteemed, prestigious club, and we are honored that they would want to come here,” Goss said. “We think that it makes West Hollywood one of the premier places to go internationally.”

SoHo House is planning to lease the top two floors of Luckman Plaza at 9200 Sunset Blvd. The members-only club, which also has an outpost in Manhattan, caters to an A-list entertainment industry crowd.

Healthcare reform supporters, opponents gather in Hollywood

Clergy and grass-roots faith leaders led a prayer vigil today in Hollywood as part of a national effort to press Congress to reform the healthcare insurance system.

A town hall meeting on the subject is scheduled for tonight in Alhambra and will hosted by U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank).

Healthcare reform supporters gathered at 10 a.m. outside Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church on Sunset Boulevard, holding small signs with slogans such as “We stand together for health insurance reform” and “No recess for health reform. Our community supports health reform.”

At least five Los Angeles Police Department officers stood by to keep the peace. Occasionally supporters would chant “Si, se puede,” and “Health care reform now” as cars whizzed past, some honking in support.

The Faith-Based Day of Action was put together by PICO National Network, a group of faith-based community organizations. Making an appearance at the Hollywood event were Democratic U.S. Reps. Xavier Becerra and Diane Watson of Los Angeles.

“I see so many familiar faces involved in the fight" for reform, Becerra told the crowd. “To you I say, 'Welcome.'”

Healthcare reform takes center stage in L.A. today [Updated]

At least two Democratic lawmakers from the L.A. region will be focusing today on healthcare reform.

First up is is Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles), who will hold a rally at 10 a.m. at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Hollywood.

[Updated at 10:10 a.m.: Dozens of supporters for healthcare reform stood outside the church as the program began. At least one protester stood on the sidewalk holding a large photo of President Obama, who is leading the national reform effort, with a Hitler mustache and a question written above the picture, "Ask your health care provider: Is this your president?" Supporters confronted the protester about his portrayal of Obama as Adolf Hitler.]

Tonight at 7, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) will also host a town hall meeting on healthcare reform at the Civic Center Library in Alhambra.

Both events are expected to draw plenty of supporters, but they could also attract opponents, much like town halls held recently around the country where protesters have disrupted discussions and occasionally forced police to intervene.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) has called such disruptions are “simply un-American.”

“We believe it is healthy for such a historic effort to be subject to so much scrutiny and debate,” Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer ( D-Maryland) wrote in a USA Today opinion piece published today.

“However, it is now evident that an ugly campaign is underway not merely to misrepresent the health insurance reform legislation, but to disrupt public meetings and prevent members of Congress and constituents from conducting a civil dialogue,” the two leaders wrote.

“These disruptions are occurring because opponents are afraid not just of differing views — but of the facts themselves. Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American.”

-- Ruben Vives

Man charged in Hollywood stabbings

A man who allegedly roamed busy Hollywood streets stabbing transient men Thursday was charged today with murder and attempted murder, authorities said.

Domingo Linares Rodas, 53, was expected to be arraigned this afternoon in Los Angeles County Superior Court. He is accused of killing Keith Fallin on Thursday afternoon on Hollywood Boulevard and of attempting to kill Ronald Vaughn, who was stabbed as he walked along Argyle Avenue near Yucca Street, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office.

Two other attacks -- one of them fatal -- occurred that day on nearby streets and are under investigation, the district attorney said.

Rodas allegedly preyed on his victims, described by police as transients, over a period of several hours as motorists and pedestrians filled the streets.

The stabbings occurred near the site where Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Police Chief William J. Bratton had held a news conference hours earlier to announce that crime had dropped markedly in Hollywood and that 40 additional officers would be assigned to the area.

City officials said the stabbing illustrates the difficulties of policing in a busy, urban environment.

If convicted, Rodas faces a maximum sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole, the district attorney said.

-- Robert J. Lopez

Detectives seek motive in Hollywood stabbing spree that killed 2

Los Angeles police detectives this morning were trying to determine the motive in a stabbing spree Thursday on the streets of Hollywood that left two homeless men dead and one critically wounded.

Authorities said the assailant seemed to roam through Hollywood stabbing transients randomly, though officials are investigating whether the suspect had any connection to the victims.

The violence occurred over several hours along Hollywood and Sunset boulevards and Argyle Avenue. The three victims were transients, said Det. Gus Villanueva of the Los Angeles Police Department.

The incidents came hours after Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and LAPD Chief William J. Bratton held a news conference to tout how crime had declined in Hollywood.

Damian Durado, 54, was arrested shortly before 5 p.m. less than a block from where the second stabbing occurred, Villanueva said. Durado was allegedly carrying a knife.

"Detectives think he is the guy who did all three," Villanueva said.

The violence began about1:30 p.m. when officers responded to reports of a victim shot in the 5500 block of West Sunset Boulevard. They found the first victim with multiple stab wounds. He was taken to a hospital, where he died, Villanueva said.

The second stabbing took place 30 minutes later in the 6100 block of Hollywood Boulevard. Police took the victim to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Villanueva said.

At 4:40 pm, police responded to a stabbing report at Argyle Avenue and Vine Street. Officers found a man with stab wounds. He was taken to a hospital and listed in critical condition. Villanueva said the victim was expected to live.

The victims' names were not released. Police said their ages were 51, 43 and 49.

Anyone with information is asked to call (877) LAPD 24-7 (527-3247).

-- Robert J. Lopez

Caption: A bicyclist rides infront of the Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood, where one of three stabbings took place. The victim was stabbed infront of the gold door of the theater and was pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital. Credit: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

Possible arson suspect barricaded in Los Feliz [Updated]

Los Angeles police officers this evening were surrounding a building in Loz Feliz where a possible arson suspect had barricaded himself, authorities said.

The suspect, who may be armed, was inside a structure in the 5400 block of Russell Street, said Officer Gregory Vaek, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department.

He said personnel from the department's SWAT team were circling the building.

Earlier in the day, officers from the LAPD's Hollywood Division were investigating an unrelated incident and saw the suspect. He then fled into the structure, Vaek said.

[Updated 11:08 p.m.: The suspected arsonist was arrested by Los Angeles police about 9 p.m. Gregory Barrett, 47, is believed to have set fires in Los Angeles and Long Beach, said Battalion Chief Ronnie Villanueva of the Los Angeles Fire Department. The standoff began about noon when arson investigators from the Los Angeles and Long Beach fire departments arrived at the residence to serve a warrant on Barrett, Villanueva said.]

--Robert J. Lopez

L.A. City Council approves loan for Cirque du Soleil renovations at Kodak Theatre

The acrobats of Cirque du Soleil and a developer won a victory today when the L.A. City Council unanimously approved a $30-million loan to help finance upgrades that will allow the Kodak Theatre to host the troupe for 368 performances a year.

The city owns the Kodak Theatre, which is operated by CIM Group. Officials plan to draw from a $350-million federal fund for economic development and job creation to make the project happen.

Cirque du Soleil is contributing $50 million toward the $103.5-million project, and CIM Group will spend $20 million.

If CIM were to default on the loan, the city would get a piece of the Hollywood & Highland shopping and entertainment center, where the Kodak is located.

CIM has told the city the show would create 858 jobs in entertainment, retail and restaurants.

The federal government must still approve the loan. Once that happens, the city will receive a 1.5% fee for administering the loan. That comes to $450,000 in this case.

-- Maeve Reston at L.A. City Hall

L.A. City Council to vote on $30-million loan to Kodak for Cirque du Soleil

If the Los Angeles City Council votes today to approve a $30-million loan to developer CIM group for renovating the Kodak Theatre into a home for a permanent Cirque du Soleil show, there will be one interesting safeguard.

If CIM, which owns Hollywood & Highland, the complex where the Kodak is located, defaults on the loan, the city gets a piece of the shopping and entertainment center.

“They are using the complex, itself, to securitize the loan,” said Julie Wong, spokeswoman for Council President Eric Garcetti, a big supporter of the Cirque venture. The Hollywood complex is in his district.

The loan will come from $350 million in federal Section 108 funds (NOT to be confused with Section 8 housing money) for loans the city can administer to projects designed to aid economic development.

“There are pretty strict federal requirements in terms of what the projects need to meet to qualify,” said Wong. “One of the chief requirements is creating jobs.”

CIM told the city that the installation of a Cirque du Soleil show at the Kodak would create 858 jobs in entertainment, retail and restaurants.

Even after the city approves the loan, the feds have to approve it. (“It’s their money,” said Wong.)

Once they do approve it, the city gets a 1.5% fee for administering the loan, or in this case $450,000.

-- Carla Hall

Kodak Theatre owners seeking government money for Cirque du Soleil renovations

It's an old Hollywood story: a well-liked performer with a pretty face who just can't deliver the goods every time.

In this case the performer is the Kodak Theatre, glamorous temple of the Academy Awards seen one night each year on television by millions of people. But on far too many other nights, the vast theater tucked into the Hollywood & Highland shopping center is dark and not generating revenues or taxes, its operators say.

The development company CIM Group, which owns Hollywood & Highland and runs the Kodak, says it could strengthen the theater and buoy tourism revenues in Hollywood by signing the famed acrobatic troupe Cirque du Soleil to a long-term contract.

But that would mean $50 million in renovations, and CIM wants to fund part of that with a federal job-creation loan, obtained through the city of Los Angeles. The City Council is scheduled to vote today on whether to sponsor the $30-million loan, which supporters say would earn the city $500,000 in administrative fees.

Read the full story here.

--Roger Vincent

Panel OKs $30-million loan for Cirque du Soleil in Hollywood

A five-member committee of the Los Angeles City Council voted this morning to move ahead with a $30- million loan that would bring a decade of Cirque du Soleil performances to the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.

The council’s Housing, Community and Economic Development Committee unanimously forwarded the loan proposal to the full council for a vote, saying the deal would boost the economy by drawing tourists to the Hollywood & Highland shopping mall, where the theater is located.

Under the proposed loan agreement, TheatreDreams LA/CHI would promise to create no fewer than 858 jobs and stage the acrobatic show 368 times per year.

“This is really going to be, outside of the Academy Awards, the landmark show in Hollywood,” said Council President Eric Garcetti, whose district includes the mall.

State budget would hit three major L.A. redevelopment projects

Officials estimate that a $1.7-billion cut in redevelopment funds as part of the state budget agreement would result in Los Angeles' redevelopment agency losing $72 million this year, potentially putting 2,300 construction jobs at risk.

The agency says that the cut could mean the loss of more than $360 million in private investment that could leave the city if projects are halted because of the cut.

 Among the threatened projects, according to the agency:

-- A mixed-use affordable-housing project on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Western Avenue.

--A shopping center on Sherman Way in Reseda.

-- The rehabilitation of the Orchard Gables Cottage historic site in Hollywood.

Under the budget agreement, cities and counties would lose an additional $1 billion in transportation money, and the state is seeking at least $1.7 billion -- and possibly billions more -- from local redevelopment agencies.

As part of the agreement, lawmakers will also be given the option to greenlight a controversial plan that would give some local redevelopment agencies broad new discretion to tear down and rebuild neighborhoods under their jurisdiction for decades to come, regardless of whether those areas are blighted.

-- Jessica Garrison

$500,000 in jewelry, cash and art stolen from Orlando Bloom

“Pirates of the Caribbean” star Orlando Bloom’s Hollywood Hills home was recently burglarized, with one or more thieves stealing about $500,000 in jewelry, cash and artwork, Los Angeles police said today.

The break-in was discovered Wednesday night by a relative of the British actor, police said. The suspect or suspects were clearly familiar with the secluded home, sources said.

Bloom is the latest Hollywood celebrity to run afoul of burglars. In May, the Los Angeles Police Department released images of two burglars in a Dodge Magnum who tried to break into a home used by Lindsay Lohan.

In December, about $2 million worth of jewelry was stolen from Paris Hilton’s home, police said.

Also, a notorious burglary crew is believed to be responsible for break-ins at the homes of former Paramount Pictures chief Sherry Lansing, the Bel-Air mansion of basketball star Cuttino Mobley and the home of country music stars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.

—Richard Winton

Authorities worry about road safety if Michael Jackson memorial is held at Neverland Ranch

Authorities have safety concerns over apparent plans for a memorial for Michael Jackson at the Neverland Ranch, saying that the narrow hillside road could be overtaxed by thousands of vehicles.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Lt. Butch Arnoldi said two-lane Figueroa Mountain Road is not designed for a crush of cars and that his department is discussing how to make the route to Neverland as safe as possible.

There have been reports that the Jackson family would like to have some sort of ceremony for Jackson at the ranch, located north of Santa Barbara in Los Olivos, perhaps after a public ceremony at Staples Center. Although the plans remain unclear, sheriff's officials have been planning for such a contingency for a few days.

 “We have not been approached by any family members of the Jackson family about an event that’s to occur in our county,” Arnoldi said. “We don’t want to be caught behind the eight-ball here.”

News vans and media vehicles have started to line up along the road outside Neverland Ranch. Notes, balloons and flowers for Jackson have also been left at the gate.

On a piece of cardboard, someone wrote “Thank you for being such a ‘Thriller.’ ”

On a lined piece of white paper, a fan wrote “ Michael, you will never be forgotten! We love you! You are an idol and will always be the king of pop!”

The gates have opened for some vehicles, including a fire vehicle. Only a few fans waited outside the ranch. Many people drove up, took pictures and left.

--Ruben Vives, and Ari B. Bloomekatz in Los Olivos, Calif.

Michael Jackson's death: Fans still flocking to Hollywood Boulevard

Hundreds of fans continued to line Hollywood Boulevard today to catch a glimpse of Michael Jackson's star on the Walk of Fame.

To help move the large crowd past the star, the Los Angeles Police Department erected metal barricades to move mourners through in one direction.

Damecia Stingley was one of hundreds who went to pay her respects. The 32-year-old Los Angeles resident credits Jackson's music with saving her from a suicide attempt.

"I'm devastated," she said. "I kept waiting to hear it was a hoax. I feel like a piece of me is dead."

-- Gerrick Kennedy in Hollywood

More coverage

Michael Jackson: the wounds, the broken heart
Times obituary: Michael Jackson's life was infused with fantasy and tragedy
Appreciation: A performer who kept transcending boundaries
Jackson's mourning fans gather
Media: Front pages from around the world
TV misses out as gossip website TMZ reports death first
Jackson's mourning fans gather
Michael Jackson: King of style
Fans dance into the night
Flowers placed on Hollywood star
Day of mourning for King of Pop
Jermaine Jackson speaks
Fans gather at wrong Hollywood star

Photos: Michael Jackson, 1958-2009

Photos: Fans grieve worldwide

Interactive map: See significant sites in the life and death of Michael Jackson, including Neverland Ranch and his boyhood home in Gary, Indiana.

Michael Jackson's death: Crowd control at Hollywood star [Updated]

[Updated at 11:50 a.m.: Police have placed barriers on Hollywood Boulevard to control the scores of fans who have gathered around Michael Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The foot traffic is being funneled between the barriers, allowing people to catch a glimpse of the pop singer's star in the sidewalk as they walk past.

At one point this morning people were pushing and shoving their way through the thick crowd gathered around the star, and some fans had gotten into shouting matches with photographers and cameramen.]

The Los Angeles Police Department is trying to control large crowds in Hollywood and at the county coroner's office as people mourn Michael Jackson.

At least 200 people are crowded around Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and officials are considering placing a barricade around it because pedestrians are having trouble walking on the sidewalk. Hollywood Boulevard will remain open for cars.

The LAPD is also dealing with a flood of reporters and photographers at the Coroner's office, where officials are performing an autopsy on Jackson this morning.

-- Gerrick Kennedy in Hollywood and Ruben Vives

Michael Jackson's death: Flowers placed on Hollywood star

Shortly before 9 a.m., a representative of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce appeared and wordlessly placed a large flower arrangement on Michael Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was made of white roses and purple baby's breath and tied with a huge black bow.

The crowd surged forward, frantically snapping pictures.

Fans had been crowding around the star on Hollywood Boulevard in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater since early this morning. Many were in tears as they maneuvered closer, trying to get photos of the star.

Some brought flowers, balloons and even original artwork. One person showed up with a picture of a young Michael Jackson that he had fashioned from old vinyl records. Another man crouched beside the star, painting a picture on the sidewalk.

Among the mourners was actor Prince Selvage, 36, of Van Nuys, who was wearing a long-sleeve Michael Jackson T-shirt from a Stockholm concert. He said his parents used to take him to Michael Jackson concerts when he was about 5 years old and by the second show, "I was hooked."

Selvage said he used to wear a white glove and red jacket to school and later worked as a Michael Jackson impersonator. Through his tears, Selvage said he had already purchased tickets for Jackson's comeback tour, choosing the Sept. 10 show as a birthday present to himself.

"It's hard to put into words." Selvage said, adding he didn't believe the news about Jackson's death when his father told him.

"I woke up thinking I had a bad dream."

-- Gerrick Kennedy in Hollywood

Photos: Michael Jackson, 1958-2009

Photos: Fans grieve worldwide

Interactive map: See significant sites in the life and death of Michael Jackson, including Neverland Ranch and his boyhood home in Gary, Indiana.

Michael Jackson's death: Day of mourning for King of Pop [Updated]

Hundreds of fans are gathering this morning at Michael Jackson's star on Hollywood Boulevard and at the Jackson family home in Encino to mourn the death of the King of Pop.

Today at 9 a.m., flowers will be placed at Jackson's star by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

At 6 a.m., about a half-dozen fans sat outside the Encino house, where the planter out front was filled with dozens  of bouquets of roses, daisies and sunflowers. Handmade posters were taped to a brick wall. Many read: "We love you Michael."

Envelopes and cards addressed to the family were placed among the flowers, and small candles on the ground were shaped into an M and J.

The scene was played out throughout the night in various locations throughout Los Angeles. Over at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood, where Jackson was first taken after he went into cardiac arrest, a few hundred people sang and held signs Thursday night. Among them was Zai Bryant of Inglewood.

"I came because no one around me felt my pain," said Bryant, a customer service representative who lives in Inglewood. "I said, 'You know what -- those people at UCLA, they feel my pain. I need to be among fans who know what I'm going through.'"

It was a family affair for others. Henry Barravino, 46, took his teenage daughter, Lemyza, and his 13-year-old son, Ivan, all of whom grew up on Michael Jackson music.

"It's an honor to say goodbye," Henry said. "I grew up with his music."

In Encino on Thursday night, Wilbert "Chico" Ross, Diana Ross' brother, said that when the Jacksons first moved to Los Angeles, they lived with his family for about a month because they didn't have any other place to go.

[Updated at 9:35 a.m.: A previous version of this post misidentified Wilbert Ross as Diana Ross' son.]

"I'm a Motown brat," Ross said. "We were all family."

He stopped by the Jackson residence to pay his respects but left his identification in the car, so he couldn't get through the gate. Ross said Jackson's death is like losing a brother.

"I cried when I first heard," he said. "I'm still crying."

He said he has many memories of Jackson, with whom he grew up.

"We were little kids together," he said. Aside from playing sports, such as baseball and basketball, with the Jackson crew, he said they'd all have sleepovers. Ross, who is three years older than Jackson, said he would pick him up from school, since he got out earlier than Jackson.

"I'm probably his oldest friend," he said.

Ross said Jackson had a gentle spirit.

"I'm just sad," he said. "It's a sad day for America."

He said Jackson was unfairly persecuted by some, and Ross said he never believed the claims of misdeeds.

"As you get older, you realize your friends. ... They die, they leave you."

-- Nicole Santa Cruz in Encino and Carla Hall in Westwood

Photo: Charley Gallay / Getty Images

More Michael Jackson updates

Map: Michael Jackson's L.A.

Photos: Michael Jackson, 1958-2009

Photos: Fans grieve worldwide

Downtown intersection named after philanthropist Ezat Delijani

Leading members of the Iranian American community in Los Angeles gathered today at the corner of 7th Street and Broadway to celebrate the dedication of the first city intersection to be named after one of their own: real estate magnate and noted philanthropist Ezat Delijani.

For many of those attending, the event offered a brief respite from days of worry about family and friends in Iran,  which has been rocked by the worst unrest in 30 years.

 “In the midst of sadness and tragedy and bad news, we need a shining moment like this,” said Najmedin Meshkati, an engineering professor at USC.

Although the timing of the event was a coincidence, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa asked for a moment of silence in honor of those killed in the days of protests against a disputed election, which saw hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad returned to power.

“Half a world away, at this very moment, there are freedom fighters speaking out and standing up for democracy and the rule of law, some of whom have died for their conviction,” said Villaraigosa, who formally dedicated the intersection Ezat Delijani Square.

Michael Jackson's death: Fans gather at wrong Hollywood star

A crowd of about 75 people gathered in front of a Michael Jackson star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame this afternoon, but it was actually the wrong star--this one was for the former KABC radio personality of the same name.

Jackson's real star near the front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard was covered by scaffolding in preparation for the "Bruno" movie premiere so fans gathered at the other Michael Jackson star to light candles and place purple flowers.

Helene Kress, 43, of Los Angeles described the time her daughter auditioned for a Disney dance troupe to  Jackson’s “Rock With You.”

“She got the job because of that,” Kress said, choking back tears. “He was so positive, how could you not love him? There’s never going to be another Michael Jackson.”

Kress said she learned of Jackson's death while her daughter, Cheyenne Haynes, 13, was at an audition and did not tell her until after they left.

“I didn’t want her to know because I didn’t want her to get upset,” Kress said.

Afterward, they headed for the radio personality's star to join a prayer circle and sing “We Are The World.”

“He’s still here. He isn’t going anywhere,” Cheyenne said as she cried.

At the star for “The Jacksons” someone had scrawled “5” on top of the “S.”  A helicopter hovered overhead and people gathered on patios nearby, snapping photos. LAPD officers directed passersby to join the circle or keep moving.

-- Gerrick Kennedy in Hollywood

Fans of pop star Michael Jackson sit vigil at talk radio host Michael Jackson's Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on June 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images)

Use The Times interactive map to see significant sites in the life and death of Michael Jackson, including Neverland Ranch and his boyhood home in Gary, Indiana.

Michael Jackson: Recent medical screening 'declared him healthy'

Those close to Michael Jackson say he had been working diligently to get back in shape for his planned comeback next month in London.

A year ago, he was gaunt and using a wheelchair, but in preparation for a 50-show run in London, he was exercising with a trainer in addition to daylong rehearsals with dancers half his age. He also was a strict vegetarian.

“He’s working out. He’s in great shape,” his manager, Frank Dileo, said last month.

In order for concert promoters to get insurance for the concerts, which were scheduled to begin July 13, Jackson underwent a four-hour physical in Los Angele this spring with an independent doctor flown in from New York.

Rand Phillips, the chief executive officer of promoter AEG Live, said in an interview last month that the medical screening uncovered “no issues whatsoever.”

“He declared him healthy,” Phillips said. “His cholesterol level is better than mine.”

But a physical may not have revealed a looming heart attack, Dr. John Harold, a Cedars-Sinai Medical Center cardiologist, said.

“This is the type of patient who could have a stress test the day before and it could be completely normal and the next day could have a plaque rupture and a fatal heart attack,” said Harold, who did not treat Jackson.

-- Harriet Ryan

Michael Jackson: Fans gather outside pop singer's home [Updated]

About a dozen reporters and photographers were gathered outside Michael Jackson’s rented Bel-Air home this afternoon as a news helicopter hovered above. Several tourist vans also stopped by the house just off Sunset Boulevard as tourists snapped photos of the large, black wrought-iron gates adorned with two large wreaths decorated with red ribbons.

Tourist Sue Mossell, 46, and her two sons, Ryan, 7, and Jimmy, 12, who were visiting from Georgia, were among those milling outside the house, which was blocked from view by trees and shrubbery. Mossell said the family was on a star tour the day before that included the Jackson house and decided to drive back this afternoon after hearing the news.

“I was in shock,” she said. “I mean, who hasn’t heard of Michael Jackson? I think we’re going to hear a lot more of his songs.”

Another tourist, Angelina Winkvist, 28, who was visiting from Sweden, said she also took a tour a day earlier that stopped by the Jackson house and rushed back today after hearing that Jackson had been taken to the hospital.

“It’s huge,” Winkvist said of Jackson’s death. “He’s one of the biggest stars in the world.”

A neighbor, Roxana Radnia, 21, said she had no idea the pop star was living at the house. She said she always saw cars parked out front and had worried about possible drug activity. Radnia said she was walking her dog, Maddie, about 1 p.m. today and saw three ambulances outside the house and a lot of commotion.

“I didn’t know what was going on,” she said. She said she was a big fan of Jackson and his music and had been looking forward to his comeback tour.

“He’s amazing,” she said. “I can’t believe this happened.”

[Updated at 4:35 p.m.: Karina LeBlanc, 29, a member of the Los Angeles soccer team Sol, who lives a block from Jackson’s Bel-Air house, said she drives by every day on her way to practice.

She said she saw Jackson once as he and his entourage were arriving at the house. LeBlanc said she heard helicopters hovering above the neighborhood this afternoon and turned on her TV to find out what was going on.

She said she was deeply saddened by the news. She said her soccer team always listened to his music before a game, particularly the song “Man in the Mirror.”

“He’s got the beat,” she said. “His music is so riveting and inspiring.”

She said the news was especially distressing because Jackson had gone through such a tough time in recent years. Still, it was hard to believe that he was dead, she said.]

-- Anna Gorman in Bel-Air

Oscars to allow 10 nominees for best picture

The next Oscars derby will be more heated – and crowded. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences just announced that the best-picture race will now include 10 contenders instead of five.

From 1932 to 1943, that Oscars category usually included 10 nominated films, but was pared to five starting with the awards show that honored movies released in 1944. The most impressive top 10 back then was for 1939, when "Gone With the Wind" claimed the prize, beating out "Dark Victory," "Goodbye, Mr. Chips," "Love Affair," "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," "Ninotchka," "Of Mice and Men," "Stagecoach," "The Wizard of Oz" and "Wuthering Heights."

Read the full story at Gold Derby, The Times' entertainment awards season blog.

--Tom O'Neill

Nikki Finke moves her Hollywood blog amid speculation over expansion

Influential and sometimes controversial Hollywood blogger Nikki Finke is moving her blog to Mail.com, the end of much speculation about where she would land (her blog is now part of L.A. Weekly). Over at All Things D, there is speculation about whether this is part of an effort to expand her Deadline Hollywood Daily in the competitive field of online entertainment business news:

The Nikki Finke auction is over, and the winner is… Mail.com. Jay Penske’s Mail.com Media Corporation, which owns the Mail.com email service and a small portfolio of Web sites, has acquired the blogger, whose Deadline Hollywood Daily is a must read for Hollywood. No details on pricing, yet. The fate of Finke’s site, which was managed by the LA Weekly, has been the subject of lots of speculation in recent months, including spirited back-and-forths between Finke and competitors like Variety and Sharon Waxman’s The Wrap.

Ennis House, a Frank Lloyd Wright landmark in Los Feliz, is for sale

Frank Lloyd Wright's Ennis House, a Los Feliz hilltop masterpiece composed of patterned and smooth concrete blocks that has been mightily threatened by man and Mother Nature, is being offered for sale at $15 million by the private foundation that has been restoring it.

Eric Lloyd Wright, the architect's grandson and a member of the nonprofit Ennis House Foundation's board, said that, given harsh economic realities, private ownership would be the best way to save the house and honor his grandfather's intentions.

Torrential rains had caused a retaining wall to buckle in March 2005, sending several patterned blocks tumbling down the hill. City inspectors briefly red-tagged the estate, spread on half an acre along a ridge with breathtaking views in the Hollywood Hills.

Read the full story here.

-- Martha Groves

Ennis House is located in the 2600 block of Glendower Avenue in Los Feliz. To learn more about the demographics and schools in this community visit Mapping L.A.'s Neighborhoods.

Universal Studios' Courthouse Square reopens after fire

A Universal Studios Hollywood backlot that was destroyed by fire one year ago is once again open for public tours.

A marching band, famous movie characters and a champagne christening helped kick off the reopening of the famous Courthouse Square film location today.

Read the full story at KTLA News.

Photo credit: Los Angeles Times