Four in alleged 'bling ring' plead not guilty to break-ins at celebrity homes

Four accused members of the "bling ring" that targeted the homes of young Hollywood celebrities pleaded not guilty today to a variety of charges connected to a string of burglaries that netted more than $3 million in designer clothes, accessories and jewelry.

Nicholas Frank Prugo, 19, of Calabasas; Diana Tamayo, 19, of Newbury Park; Courtney Leigh Ames, 19, of Calabasas; and Roy Lopez Jr., 27, of Reseda, are charged with taking part in various burglaries at the homes of celebrities including Orlando Bloom, Brian Austin Green, Rachel Bilson, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and Audrina Patridge.

Prugo is charged with seven burglaries and has identified the other participants in the burglary ring, according to court records. His attorney has asked that his case be separated from the others because his statement implicating them has been made public.

Federal probe sought in case of woman who disappeared outside Malibu sheriff's station

The family of Mitrice Richardson, who went missing after her release from the Malibu sheriff's station in September, will call today for a federal investigation into her disappearance.

The request is the latest effort by the family to find Richardson, whose disappearance has garnered much attention, including segments on cable TV news shows and a cover story in People magazine.

The trail has gone cold since late October, when the family said there were sightings of Richardson in South Los Angeles.

By all accounts, the Cal State Fullerton graduate who was living in South L.A. was responsible, employed and working on a way to pay for graduate school. Detectives, family and friends believe her disappearance is probably related to a psychological problem that surfaced the night of Sept. 16 when Richardson went to Geoffrey's restaurant in Malibu, told people she was from Mars and began spouting gibberish.

Prominent L.A. sports medicine clinic agrees to settle kickback allegations

A prominent Los Angeles-area sports medicine clinic has agreed to pay $3 million to the federal government to settle allegations that it received illegal kickbacks for referring patients to another healthcare provider, authorities said today.

The Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic received kickbacks from HealthSouth Corp. in the form of stock-option grants, donations to the Kerlan-Jobe Foundation, loan forgiveness on an equipment lease and a high ownership interest in an ambulatory surgery center owned by the two healthcare firms, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

In exchange, Kerlan-Jobe referred patients to HealthSouth facilities for medical care, federal prosecutors said.

"Lining the pockets of physicians corrupts clinical judgment," George Cardona, acting U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, said in a statement. "Referrals should be based on quality of care for the patient, not the financial benefit for any physician or healthcare company."

Representatives for Kerlan-Jobe and HealthSouth could not be reached for comment.

Kerlan-Jobe has offices in Westchester, Beverly Hills, Pasadena and Anaheim. Doctors at the clinic have performed medical procedures on a number of professional athletes, including New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who had reconstruction surgery last year on his left knee.

Kerlan-Jobe doctors have also served as team physicians or consultants to professional teams in Southern California, including the Lakers, Dodgers, Mighty Ducks and Galaxy.

The clinic was founded by Dr. Robert K. Kerlan and Dr. Frank W. Jobe in 1965 as the Southwestern Orthopaedic Medical Group. The name was changed to Kerlan-Jobe in 1985, according to the clinic's website. Kerlan was the team physician for the Dodgers when they moved to Los Angeles in 1958.

Under terms of the agreement, Kerlan-Jobe has two weeks to pay the settlement.

The agreement comes after a December 2007 settlement between the federal government and HealthSouth, which paid $14.7 million to resolve liability for alleged improper relationships with Kerlan-Jobe and a sports clinic in Alabama, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

-- Robert J. Lopez

Judge rules that alleged 'bling ring' member can stand trial for burglary at Orlando Bloom's home

An L.A. Superior Court Judge found sufficient cause today for an alleged member of the "bling ring," which targeted the homes of young Hollywood celebrities, to stand trial on a burglary charge.

Judge Darrell Mavis rejected the argument by a lawyer for Alexis Neiers that the 18-year-old Thousand Oaks resident never knew she was involved in a July burglary at the home of actor Orlando Bloom and that she never intended to commit a felony.

At Neiers' preliminary hearing this morning, LAPD Det. Brett Goodkin said another alleged member of the ring, Nicholas Prugo, 18, identified Neiers as one of four people seen on a security video entering Bloom's Hollywood Hills home. Goodkin said Prugo, who is charged with multiple burglaries, reviewed the two-hour security video shot July 13 and identified Neiers as one of the hoodie-wearing people entering the house.

Goodkin said Neiers tried to repeatedly conceal her identity and was seen on the video leaving the actor's home with bags of items during the 3 a.m. break-in. Goodkin said the video showed two other alleged members of the ring, Diane Tamayo, 19, of Newbury Park, and Rachel Lee, 18. Tamayo has been charged in the case; Lee was arrested in Las Vegas but has not been charged.

Cyclist struck in West Hollywood hit-and-run

A cyclist was injured this morning after being struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run in West Hollywood, authorities said.

The cyclist was riding southbound on La Cienega Boulevard sometime after midnight when a vehicle pulled in front of him at Holloway Drive. He was struck and later hospitalized for his injuries.

The L.A. County Sheriff's Department asked anyone with information about the collision to call the West Hollywood Station at (310) 855-8850.

--Tony Barboza

Santa Monica launches program to turn cooking grease into biofuel

Santa Monica, known for its eco-friendly initiatives, is launching a new effort to collect cooking grease and turn the waste into biofuel.

The program is primarily aimed at restaurants in the downtown area. Restaurants will be able to dump their excess grease, fat and oil in special containers at public parking structures 2 through 6, which border the Third Street Promenade.

Restaurants outside the downtown area can request containers from city officials by calling (310) 458-8546.

Residents can also participate by leaving their grease at the city's hazardous waste facility, at 2500 Michigan Ave, officials said.

City officials said the program will help reduce dependence on fossil fuels and cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and clogged sewer lines.

-- Robert J. Lopez

State considering investigation into fall by 'Hunky Santa' aerialist [Updated]

State workplace safety investigators are considering opening a formal  investigation into a weekend  incident in which an aerialist was injured during a performance of "Hunky Santa and the Candy Cane Girls" at the Beverly Center mall, a state official said today.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health is determining whether it has jurisdiction in the case, a decision that could turn on whether the injured worker was an employee or contract worker as well as whether the performance was regulated by local ordinances, said Dean Fryer, the spokesman for the agency.

If it is determined to be a state issue, Fryer said the agency would examine whether appropriate safety measures were used.

[Updated, 5:15 p.m.: Cal-OSHA officials said late today that they will proceed with an investigation into the incident. Spokesman Dean Fryer said the agency determined that it had jurisdiction because "this is not an independent contractor situation."]

The show, which began Friday as a holiday promotion to boost sales, features aerial performers wearing sparkly red outfits, suspended in the air inside the mall.

Police looking to question parolee in connection with 21 break-ins near L.A.-Santa Monica border

LAPD investigators in West L.A. are seeking to question a parolee in connection with at least 21 residential burglaries near the city's border with Santa Monica.

Daniel Perez was paroled from state prison in 2004 after being sentenced for a burglary conviction and has twice violated the terms of his parole. He is described as a 28-year old Latino male with black hair and brown eyes. He is five-foot-nine and weighs 185 pounds. 

LAPD officials said they believe that Perez may be involved at least 20 home break-ins since early October reported in Bel-Air, Brentwood and Pacific Palisades. Perez is wanted by Santa Monica police in connection with at least one burglary and possibly others.

Gov. Schwarzenegger is booed at Hollywood Park

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger went to Hollywood Park today to honor Zenyatta, the unbeaten mare. 

But he wasn't warmly greeted during an appearance in the winner's circle. Instead, he received loud -- and sustained -- boos before giving an award to owners Jerry and Ann Moss.

Schwarzenegger appointed Jerry Moss -- the "M" of A&M Records, the company he co-founded with Herb Alpert -- to the California Horse Racing Board in 2004. (Bo Derek, another appointee to the board, was also on hand to greet the governor.)

A call to the governor's office asking for comment was not immediately returned.

Zenyatta, who's 14 for 14 in her career, was paraded on the track after the seventh race and brought into the winner's circle.

"She made impossible possible," Ann Moss said of Zenyatta, who's headed for Kentucky and broodmare duties.

-- Eric Sondheimer

More breaking news in L.A. Now:

Polanski remains in prison as Swiss officials await conditions of bail to be met

Decision on criminal charges in Michael Jackson case 'months' away

Pamela Bach, David Hasselhoff's ex-wife, charged with drunk driving

Aerialist hospitalized after fall during holiday performance at Beverly Center

An aerialist performing during a holiday show at the Beverly Center mall was injured and hospitalized after falling to the shopping center floor, authorities said today. One witness said the performer appeared to fall about 40 feet -- from the third level of the shopping center to the first.

The 26-year-old woman slipped while she was hanging upside down from a solid metal hoop suspended from the ceiling during the finale of the show "Hunky Santa and the Candy Cane Girls," said Ray Pierce, owner of Hollywood Aerial Arts, the firm putting on the performance.

She managed to turn herself right side up before falling into a video projection cube and injuring her wrist and pelvis. She was not wearing a harness, and there were no nets to break her fall, he said.

"She's a total pro, for some reason she slipped in this one move," Pierce said.

Los Angeles firefighters responded at 6:15 p.m. Saturday to a report of a woman having fallen at the shopping center in the 8500 block of Beverly Boulevard and transported her to a local hospital.

Susan Vance, marketing and sponsorship director for the mall, called the fall an “isolated incident.”

“She’s been evaluated and is doing well,” she said. “These are all world-class performers, they do this all the time. It was a human error, basically."

Snow falls in Grapevine, fisherman rescued in marina as winter storm moves in [Updated]

Snow was falling in the Grapevine this morning and scattered showers were expected today as a Pacific storm moved into Southern California.

[Updated at 9:15 a.m.: The California Highway Patrol said major mountain highways, including the Grapevine and Cajon Pass, were open as of 9 a.m. However, officers were using traffic breaks to slow down motorists during the storm.] 

The National Weather Service called for a 40% chance of rain -- as well as snow in some mountain regions. For part of the morning, the California Highway Patrol was escorting cars through a snowy Tejon Pass.

High surf is also expected. And overnight, a fisherman who was setting up bait near Marina del Rey was washed out to sea. He was rescued, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. [Updated at 7:45 a.m.: The weather service reported a strong storm cell moving into Catalina, producing rain and possible hail.]

Despite the mountain rain and snow, some parts of the L.A. Basin were clear this morning.

Skies will be mostly cloudy in the morning and partly cloudy by the afternoon. Lows will be in the upper 40s to mid-50s and the highs in the lower 60s. Winds will be out of the southwest at 15 mph.

The weather service has issued a winter weather advisory for the Ventura, San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains that will remain in effect until 3 p.m. The storm, which is coming out of the north, is expected to bring a chance of showers and snow accumulations of 3 to 6 inches.

Because of the cold and unstable nature of the system, meteorologists say the precipitation could be highly variable throughout the mountain areas. The snowfall may be heavy at times and reach levels as low as 3,500 feet.

The weather could affect travelers on Interstate 5 near Gorman and the Tejon Pass as well as Highway 33 in the Ventura County mountains. Winds will be 20 to 30 mph, with gusts up to 40 mph in those areas.

At local beaches, a strong west-northwest swell will produce 4-to-6-foot waves with 8-to-10-foot faces. A high surf advisory will remain in effect until 10 a.m. Sunday, when the swell is expected to fade.

The weather service predicts that it will be mostly sunny and breezy Sunday. Highs will be in the mid-60s to low 70s, and nighttime temperatures will be in the mid-40s to low 50s. Clear skies are predicted for Sunday evening.

-- Dan Weikel and Shelby Grad

Roadway to LAX shut down as bomb squad investigates bags thrown from car [Updated]

A main connector road to Los Angeles International Airport has been shut down after police responded to reports this evening that two duffel bags were tossed out the window of a passing car, authorities said.

A bomb squad from the airport police is on the Sky Way access road, which runs alongside Terminal 1 from West 96th Street to World Way North, authorities said. Police responded around 6:30 p.m. after reports that the bags were thrown from a Mercedes sedan.

A witness flagged down police after seeing the bags tossed onto the roadway, authorities said.

Traffic in and around the airport has been heavy much of the day as travelers leave and arrive for the Thanksgiving weekend.

No additional details were available.

[Updated, 7:45 p.m.: The roadway has been reopened, and two people who police believe were engaged in an argument that led to the bag-tossing incident are being questioned.]

-- Andrew Blankstein

Homeless man deemed sane during 2005 killing of LAX officer

A Los Angeles jury decided today that a homeless man convicted of killing an LAX officer in 2005 was sane at the time of the crime, paving the way for a likely sentence of life in prison without parole.

William Sadowski, 51, of Venice allegedly carjacked Officer Thomas Scott’s patrol vehicle, dragging the officer for a quarter-mile before hitting a fire hydrant and killing him. Authorities believed Sadowski may have been plotting to drive a vehicle onto the airfield at LAX and into an airplane.

Dressed in a striped blue button-up, his beard gray, Sadowski appeared nervous in court. After the jury’s decision was announced, his glare turned downward and his feet tapped frantically.

UCLA-USC rivalry week claims casualty as The Bruin statue is splattered in cardinal and gold paint [Updated]

Authorities are trying to determine this morning who splashed cardinal and gold paint -- USC school colors -- all over a statue of the UCLA Bruin mascot on the Westwood campus.

Police say the prank is being treated as a felony vandalism investigation.

The Bruins and Trojans will meet Saturday in the traditional crosstown football game, and UCLA spokesman Phil Hampton said it's unclear when the statue, which had been wrapped to protect it from harm, was vandalized. But it could have been between 10 p.m. Tuesday and 6 a.m. today, when the paint-splattered bear was discovered. [Updated at 10:02 a.m.: A previous version of this post incorrectly indicated that the game was Thursday.]

Despite the heated passions of rivalry week, there have been few pranks because officials from both universities have taken steps in recent years to protect icons on campus from vandalism.

The statue sits in Bruin Plaza and was unveiled in 1984, Hampton said. Since 1999, school officials have  protected the statue with a tarp during rivalry week, telling students the bear is hibernating.

LAPD cruiser in fatal collision in Venice was not speeding, city officials say

A police cruiser involved in a fatal collision in Venice last month was traveling at a safe speed when it broadsided another vehicle that failed to yield the right of way, city officials said today.

Devin Petelski, 25, died after her BMW was struck by a Los Angeles Police Department patrol car Oct. 15. Petelski had entered the intersection of Venice Boulevard and Glyndon Avenue at the time of the crash.

Petelski's family and friends blame the police for causing her death. The officers, who suffered injuries in the crash, were speeding east on Venice with their headlights, sirens and flashing lights off as they slammed into her vehicle, according to Petelski's friends.

The posted speed in the area is 40 mph.

Bob Pallone, an assistant city attorney, said today that the officers were traveling between 41 and 45 mph when they struck the vehicle shortly before midnight.

Given the light traffic conditions at the time, Pallone said, "45 would be safe."

Motorist dies after crashing into Westwood bakery [Updated]

A man died this morning after his vehicle crashed into the back of a Westwood bakery, police and a witness said.

No one else was injured when the vehicle smashed into Paris Pastry at 1448 Westwood Blvd., said Los Angeles Police Sgt. Josh Min.

[Updated: 2:53 p.m.: Investigators said Saturday afternoon the man was struck by his own delivery truck as he was standing in front of it. It then rolled into the bakery. Police believe he may have forgotten to put the brake on.] 

A sales clerk at the store said a delivery truck hit the rear of the shop in an alley; the store was not damaged and remained open for business. She said the alley was cordoned off.

The driver, whose name was not released, was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of the crash is under investigation, Min said.

-- Baxter Holmes

Santa Monica police officer injured in crash on PCH

A Santa Monica police officer suffered moderate injuries this morning when his motorcycle crashed into the back of a truck he was attempting to pull over on Pacific Coast Highway, police said.

The crash occurred about 7:50 a.m. on PCH near the California Incline, said Santa Monica Police Sgt. Cody Green. The motorist slammed on the brakes, causing the officer to crash into the rear end of the vehicle, Green said. The officer, whose name was not released, was transported to a hospital.

The motorist was questioned at the scene but was not arrested.

The California Highway Patrol closed the westbound Santa Monica (10) Freeway transition to northbound PCH at the McClure Tunnel for 30 minutes while the crash was investigated.

-- Ruben Vives

UCLA students end a day of protest over fee hikes

After a day of protests over student fee hikes that roiled the UCLA campus, a final group of students who had taken over Campbell Hall left the building peacefully this evening.

There were about 25 students when the group dispersed shortly before 7 p.m. Students had been occupying the building since about 12:30 a.m. Students used a bike rack to block hallways and desks to block doors. Pizza boxes were strewn in the third-floor hallway.

"This is only the end of this moment," said Patricia Torres, 30, a first-year graduate student in the School of Urban Planning. "We are still dialoguing, but not stopping."

Vigil held for driver killed in crash with LAPD cruiser [Updated]

 

Marchers are hitting the streets of Venice tonight for a candlelight vigil to call attention to the death of Devin Petelski, whose car was broadsided last month by a Los Angeles Police Department cruiser.

Organizers said about 200 people are at the scene of the Oct. 15 crash on Venice Boulevard at Glyndon Avenue, and plan to walk several miles to the LAPD's Pacific Division station. Petelski was struck as her BMW entered the intersection shortly before midnight. She died two days later in a hospital, where she had been on life support.

[Updated at 9:12 p.m.: Marchers reached the Pacific Division station, where they spoke with Capt. Joseph Hiltner and Councilman Bill Rosendahl, whose district includes Venice.]

Petelski's friends and relatives have accused  police of causing her death. Two officers, who suffered minor injuries, were in the cruiser and had been speeding along Venice Boulevard without their headlights, sirens or flashing lights, critics say.

The accident remains under investigation by the LAPD, but city officials say the preliminary police investigation indicates that the officers were using their headlights as they drove along Venice Boulevard.

Friends say Petelski was a Santa Monica resident who enjoyed yoga and trips to the beach. She was a graduate of Crossroads High School in Santa Monica and studied communications at UC Santa Barbara, friends said.

UC regents approve fee hike amid loud student protests [Updated]

Amid loud student protests that roiled the UCLA campus, the UC Board of Regents this afternoon approved a 32% increase in student fees.

The fee hike of $2,500, or 32%, will come in two steps by next fall. That would bring the basic UC education fees to about $10,300, plus about another $1,000 for campus-based charges, for a total that would be about triple the UC cost a decade ago. Room, board and books can add another $16,000.

Only student regent Jesse Bernal voted against the undergraduate fees.

The noise of protesters came through the window as the regents voted. It was only lightly discussed, with UC President Mark G. Yudof urging that students explore all the financial-aid possibilities so they don’t get scared away or drop out.

Groups of UC students from several other campuses arrived in Westwood to join a demonstration against the fee hike, and a group of protesters was occupying a UCLA classroom building.

UCLA officials declared Campbell Hall, where the sit-in continued, closed for the day. Inside, about 40 to 50 students who had chained the doors shut shortly after midnight were issuing e-mail statements.

“We choose to fight back, to resist, where we find ourselves, the place where we live and work, our university,” their statement said. Campus police surrounded the classroom building, but no arrests were made.

Amid loud student protests that roiled the UCLA campus, the UC Board of Regents this afternoon approved a 32% increase in student fees.

The fee hike of $2,500, or 32%, will come in two steps by next fall. That would bring the basic UC education fees to about $10,300, plus about another $1,000 for campus-based charges, for a total that would be about triple the UC cost a decade ago. Room, board and books can add another $16,000.

Only student regent Jesse Bernal voted against the undergraduate fees.

The noise of protesters came through the window as the regents voted. It was only lightly discussed, with UC President Mark G. Yudof urging that students explore all the financial-aid possibilities so they don’t get scared away or drop out.

Groups of UC students from several other campuses arrived in Westwood to join a demonstration against the fee hike, and a group of protesters was occupying a UCLA classroom building.

UCLA officials declared Campbell Hall, where the sit-in continued, closed for the day. Inside, about 40 to 50 students who had chained the doors shut shortly after midnight were issuing e-mail statements.

“We choose to fight back, to resist, where we find ourselves, the place where we live and work, our university,” their statement said. Campus police surrounded the classroom building, but no arrests were made.

'BMW bandits' spreading from Westside into Valley, LAPD says

The "BMW bandits," a group of professional thieves who have been stealing air bags and headlights for luxury cars on the Westside and in the Mid-Wilshire area, appear to be spreading to the San Fernando Valley.

In recent months, about 54 BMWs on the Westside or in Mid-Wilshire have had air bags, which can cost thousands of dollars to replace, and highlights ripped off by one or more skilled auto thieves.

BMW owners and Los Angeles Police Department officials in the Valley say they are seeing a similar phenomenon, but officials said the number of cars hit in the Valley is somewhat smaller.

It goes in waves. Usually they move from brand to brand of vehicle," said Capt. Bill Eaton of Van Nuys Division. "They are usually fulfilling orders."

FAA computer glitch fixed; few flight delays expected at West Coast airports

A glitch in the FAA system that collects airlines' flight plans was repaired this morning and is not expected to affect travel to and from West Coast airports, officials said today.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said there will be some residual delays, but not many because the glitch occurred early in the morning when West Coast air traffic was low.

The FAA experienced a problem with one of its computers that processes flight plan information. Flight plans include all planned information for a flight, including destination, type of aircraft, speed and destination. They are processed nationwide by computers at centers in Atlanta and Salt Lake City.

Students storm UCLA building to protest expected UC system fee increase [Updated]

About 30 students stormed UCLA’s Campbell Hall and barricaded the doors with chains and bike locks early this morning to protest a student fee increase that is expected to be endorsed by the University of California’s Board of Regents today.

[Updated at 8:39 a.m.: The UC Regents have started to meet, and hundreds of students have surrounded the building, protesting the proposed fee hike.]

Students who spent the night were sprawled outside Campbell Hall in sleeping bags. They carried posters and signs that read, “Don’t take our education away” and “Don’t privatize, democratize.” Many wore bandannas over their faces.

Dozens of other students spent the night camped out in tents on top of Parking Structure 4. Hundreds of other students are expected to join the protesters and demonstrate at the UC Regents meeting that will take place later today.

The proposed two-step student fee increase would raise UC undergraduate education costs more than $2,500, or 32%.The annual cost of a UC education, not including campus-based fees would rise to $10,302.

Candelight vigil planned for woman killed in Venice crash with LAPD cruiser

Devin Petelski's BMW had just entered a Venice intersection shortly before midnight Oct. 15, when she was broadsided by a Los Angeles Police Department cruiser. She died two days later in the hospital, where she had been on life support.

In the weeks following the collision, friends and relatives of the dead 25-year-old have accused police officers of causing her death. The two officers, who suffered minor injuries, had been speeding along Venice Boulevard without their headlights, sirens of flashing lights, critics allege.

The accident remains under investigation by the LAPD, but authorities deny allegations that the officers were driving without their headlights on. 

Still, the circumstances of Petelski's death have generated outrage among some local residents.

Tomorrow evening, mourners plan to hold a candlelight march from the accident site at Glyndon Avenue and Venice Boulevard to the LAPD's Pacific Division.

They've also created a Facebook page, which has more than 2,600 members, to provide updates on the case and seek witnesses to the crash.

Friends say Petelski was a Santa Monica resident who enjoyed yoga and trips to the beach. She was a graduate of Crossroads High School in Santa Monica and studied communications at UC Santa Barbara, her friends say.

Although she had struggled with alcohol abuse, Petelski had turned her life around, according to friend Sheyla Molho. Petelski was driving home from her job as a substance abuse counselor at a Venice rehab clinic when she was hit, Molho said.

"She had changed her life," Molho said. "It's just tragic."

Lifeguards find massive, century-old ship anchor off Santa Monica Pier

A 100-plus-year-old anchor was pulled up from the ocean off Santa Monica Pier, a relic from the days when the area was a major shipping port.

Lifeguards found the anchor two miles up the coast from the pier about three weeks ago. The discovery occurred around the former site of the Long Wharf, a shipping center that served Southern California on Santa Monica Bay from 1892 to 1919.

“It’s not every day you find something like that,” said Andrew Greger, rescue boat captain with the L.A. County Fire Department, who spotted the anchor three weeks ago during a training dive.

The Long Wharf was built by railroad tycoon Collis Huntington. At the time, it was the world's largest and  became a tourist attraction. Huntington wanted to make Santa Monica the region's main port, but L.A. city leaders eventually chose San Pedro.

The anchor was pulled up Tuesday with the help of a tractor. It’s  resting in a garden just outside the Los Angeles County lifeguard station at 1642 Ocean Front Walk in Santa Monica.

--Baxter Holmes

Photo: Scott Grisby / L.A. County Fire Department