BEVERLY HILLS—On October 8, the city of Beverly Hills Police Department announced that One Beverly Hills Construction will start on Saturday, October 10 through December 6, lanes will be reduced on Wilshire Boulevard between N. Santa Monica and the LA Country Club, for the installation of new and upgraded sewer and gas utility laterals.

Weekend Hours: 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Weekday Hours: 8 p.m. – 6 a.m.

Traffic Impact:

-Lanes will be reduced to one lane in each direction for the installation of new and upgraded underground pipes for sewer and gas utilities.

-Left turns onto Whittier Dr. will generally remain accessible for most of the duration, however there will be days/times when those left turns will not be accessible.

For more information contact the One Beverly Hills Construction Hotline at (424) 252-1338.

By Danny Jones

BEVERLY HILLS—The 16th annual Beverly Hills Doggy Daze 90210™ at Roxbury Park’s “Wiggly Field” returns on Sunday, November 1, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. located at 471 S. Roxbury Drive.

Produced by the BH Community Development Department, the FREE pet extravaganza will feature a pet adoption, pet parade, pet talent contest, dog agility performances, dog obedience demonstrations, pet-related vendors, food trucks and more.

Celebrate a beloved pet/s who made a forever place in one’s heart. Stop by the Pet Ofrenda booth and drop off a framed photo of a beloved pet or create your own.

How to participate:

-Bring a framed photo of your beloved pet to add to the Pet Ofrenda display. Photos should be no larger than 5” x 7”.

Create a frame onsite: Bring your favorite 4” x 6” photo of your pet/s, or print one onsite, and decorateawooden frame (free frames and supplies while they last) to create a one-of-a-kind tribute.

Frames for decorating will be available while supplies last.

Decorated frames will remain on display until 3 p.m. at the Beverly Hills Doggy Daze 90210 Pet Ofrenda booth. To pick up a frame after the event, leave your name and contact information with a staff member, and pickup details will be sent to you. Personal frames and pet photos are left at your own risk. We recommend bringing inexpensive frames and copies of photos rather than irreplaceable originals.

Sponsorship provides a unique opportunity to showcase your business to thousands of attendees while receiving exclusive recognition and promotional benefits that go beyond what is offered to standard event vendors.

Choose from three sponsorship levels:

-Gold Bone Sponsor – Our premier sponsorship level with the highest level of visibility, recognition, and exclusive promotional opportunities.

-Silver Bone Sponsor – A great way to elevate your business presence with enhanced event recognition and promotional benefits.

-Bronze Bone Sponsor – An affordable way to gain additional exposure and recognition while supporting this special community event.

Additional information on each sponsorship tier is explained on the sponsorship application.For more information, visit beverlyhills.org/csevents.

By Danny Jones

LOS FELIZ—On October 7, the Los Angeles Fire Department battled a brush fire in Los Feliz. The blaze was reported at 5:50 p.m. at 2270 N. Fern Dell Drive.

First arriving companies report 50 foot by 50-foot slow moving fire in light to medium brush. First arriving companies requesting additional fire companies. Fire is slowly moving uphill with one home at the top of the hill. Firefighters are implementing structure protection on the home above the fire.

By 6:12 p.m., the LAFD reported forward progress of the brush fire was stopped by firefighters. The size of fire was updated to a 25 foot by 25-foot area of burned brush. No structures damaged and no injuries reported. The cause of the fire is undetermined and under investigation.

By Danny Jones

WEST HOLLYWOOD—On October 9, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department West Hollywood Station posted a community update on its Instagram page addressing violent crime in the city. Between January and August 2026, high-volume crimes, classified as Type 1 Crimes, decreased by nearly 10 percent. Through August 2026, robberies fell by about 21 percent, to 49 reported, compared with 62 reported through August 2025.

The update follows several violent incidents in the city. On October 8, actor Keegan Allen, who played Toby Cavanaugh on the TV show “Pretty Little Liars,” was robbed at gunpoint and with a knife outside the Laurel Supply grocery store at 8445 Santa Monica Boulevard. The LASD Major Crimes Bureau is investigating. A robbery recently transpired by three masked suspects outside the Fugazi clothing and shoe store, located in the 8700 block of Holloway Drive near Hancock Avenue.

The LASD West Hollywood Station plans to increase patrols throughout the city, including the Rainbow District. The station will use available technology platforms and collaborate with the Major Crimes Bureau to identify offenders. The West Hollywood Sheriff Station reminds citizens that the staff is committed to supporting victims, preventing crime, and maintaining a visible presence throughout West Hollywood.

By Daniel Diquinzio

SANTA MONICA—On October 10, the Santa Monica Police Department announced that the Police Officers Association of Los Angeles County awarded the department’s Traffic Services Unit the Excellence Award in Community Support. The award recognizes the unit’s role in the department’s response to the 2025 Pacific Palisades Fire.

As a result, all unit personnel, including the manager, officers, and supervisors, were recognized. The traffic unit developed Santa Monica’s Brush Fire Evacuation Plan. As the fire raged, the unit implemented traffic closures on the I-10 Freeway, the Pacific Coast Highway, Moomat Ahiko Way, and the California Incline. It also supported regional efforts and assisted with mandatory evacuations. The unit’s staff provided perimeter security and controlled access to affected areas.

It ensured that utility workers, essential personnel, humanitarian aid providers, and emergency response personnel could enter. The traffic unit continued these duties until National Guard personnel relieved them. The SMPD celebrates and congratulated the men and women of the Traffic Services Unit.

By Daniel Diquinzio

WOODLAND HILLS—Los Angeles City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield indicated the proposed housing project at the Woodland Hills Country Club has not been killed, despite a ruling by the city that the site qualifies as mountain lion habitat. In an opinion piece published in the Orange County Register on October 4, Blumenfield said the project remains eligible for the city’s normal review process, which includes fire safety and evacuation routes.

Blumenfield noted the developer tried multiple shortcuts to fast-track the 398-unit project without review for fire safety or environmental impacts. The site sits in a very high fire hazard severity zone, near the burn areas of the Palisades and Woolsey Fires. He argued the site does not qualify as transit-oriented development under AB 2011, since it sits nearly a mile from the closest bus stop.

On January 13, 2026, Blumenfield stated on the official city of Los Angeles website the following:

“Because so many of us are extremely, and appropriately worried about the proposal for development at the Woodland Hills Country Club, I am writing to provide an update- even though there are still many more questions than answers. Right now, City Planning has paused the developer’s application to build hundreds of single-family and multi-family homes at the highly sensitive site of the Woodland Hills Country Club (WHCC). While this pause is welcomed news, it is very much a temporary pause.

As you know, there has been a lot of recent attention on new state laws that took away local control over certain land use policies, and we are seeing the unintended consequences of these laws playing out in our West Valley community. This massive housing proposal at the WHCC would have traditionally gone through many steps in order to be approved, including CEQA review and the Council’s Planning and Land Use Committee, which I Chair. Had the proposal been made three months ago before the new State laws were adopted, it would have.

Typically community questions would be discussed at various required community and public meetings. However, with the signing of AB 2243 and AB 893 in October, bills which expanded the definition of what a commercial corridor is, this is not the case anymore as the state made certain types of housing construction ministerial even if the uses along a corridor are not actually commercial uses. That means without public scrutiny or review, making this large development on a single family street a “by-right” project.”

Blumenfield has made it his goal not to stop development on the site, but to balance fire safety and environmental concerns with housing needs. He wrote that developers who abuse state housing laws are “putting profits over the public’s interest.”

In August, the Los Angeles City Planning Department determined the golf course qualifies as wildlife habitat for mountain lions, blocking the developer from using the streamlined approval process under AB 2011. The decision came after neighbors, biological experts, and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy submitted extensive documentation showing the golf course serves as mountain lion habitat.

The developer’s biologist, Matt South, disputed the city’s habitat finding in a July 17 report. Blumenfield said at the time that the developer and property owner were likely to sue over the determination.

By Milan Manesh

BEVERLY HILLS—The National Weather Service Station for Los Angeles and Oxnard issued an extreme heat warning for Los Angeles County, effective from 10 a.m. Friday, October 2, to 8 p.m. Thursday, October 8, due to a prolonged heatwave. Beverly Hills is reminding the public that three public cooling centers are open for residents to use to stay cool and safe.

The first cooling center is at Roxbury Park Community Center, 471 South Roxbury Drive, and is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and on weekends from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The second cooling center is at La Cienega Park Community Center, 8400 Gregory Way, and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. It is closed on weekends. The final cooling center is at the Beverly Hills Public Library, 444 North Rexford Drive. The library is open Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. To obtain a full list of cooling centers in Los Angeles County, residents can call the LA County Information line at 2-1-1 or visit the County of Los Angeles Office of Emergency Management website.

Beverly Hills advises the public to practice heat safety to protect themselves and others. Those most at risk of heat-related illnesses include children and infants, people with chronic medical conditions, and those 65 and older. During the day, residents should stay hydrated by drinking cool, non-alcoholic beverages and, if possible, avoid unnecessary exertion. If they feel faint, thirsty, or dizzy, they should drink a sports drink or water and rest in the shade. Do the same if they experience physical signs of discomfort, such as headaches or muscle cramps. If people develop more severe symptoms, they should seek medical attention, as they may be experiencing heat exhaustion.

The city issued guidance on how residents can protect themselves from the heat when outdoors. At a job site, take breaks in the shade whenever possible and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Residents should check on the sick and the elderly, as well as those without indoor air conditioning. Do not leave children or animals unattended in vehicles, and check that none are in your car before locking the door.

When outdoors, residents should stay hydrated. They should also wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing made of lightweight material. Residents should also seek shade and limit strenuous activity.

By Daniel Diquinzio

BEVERLY HILLS—The city of Beverly Hills issued a traffic advisory for the weekends of October 3 and 4, and October 10 and 11. Street paving will occur on those dates in the southbound lanes of San Vicente Boulevard between Wilshire Boulevard and La Cienega Boulevard. The work will run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Some lanes will be closed during the road work. During the first two weekends of October, only one southbound lane will be open on San Vicente Boulevard, and street parking will be restricted. On these weekends, motorists will not be able to make left turns from or onto the boulevard.

Driveways will remain open. Trained safety professionals will be on site to direct traffic. As work occurs, the intersection of San Vicente Boulevard and La Cienega Boulevard will remain fully open. North Gale Drive will be open and accessible from Wilshire Boulevard via North Hamilton Drive and Clifton Way.

Beverly Hills advises motorists to allow extra time for their commute and, if possible, to use alternate routes to avoid the lane closures. Residents with questions can call the ask Beverly Hills Customer Service hotline at 310-285-1000.

By Daniel Diquinzio

SANTA MONICA—At 6:42 a.m. on September 26, a murder-suicide involving a married couple occurred at a home in the 3100 block of Pico Boulevard. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has now confirmed their identities.  The husband is Hendrik Rabitzsch, 48, and the wife is Nicole Rabitzsch, 47.

The medical examiner has also determined their manner of death. Nicole died from a homicide caused by a gunshot wound to the head, with the bullet entering and remaining inside. Her husband’s death was a suicide, caused by a perforating (hole-making) gunshot wound to the head.

At 9:39 p.m., officers from the Santa Monica Police Department arrived at the residence to conduct a welfare check on Hendrik and Nicole. Inside the residence, the officers discovered the bodies and a firearm. Early findings of the investigation suggest that Hendrik shot his wife and then himself.

The SMPD noted that this was an isolated incident with no other individuals involved and that there is no threat to the public. Anyone with details about this incident is asked to call the SMPD at 310-458-8427 and speak with the Watch Commander. No further information has been released to the public as the investigation is ongoing.

By Daniel Diquinzio

BEVERLY HILLS—On Wednesday, September 30, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office announced that Ivanna Lisette Ortiz, 36, of Orlando, Florida, was indicted for attempting to kill musician Rihanna after she fired a semiautomatic rifle at the singer’s Beverly Crest home earlier this year.

An indictment was unsealed charging Ortiz with one count of attempted murder, 10 felony counts of assault with an assault weapon, and three felony counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling or camper.

She pleaded not guilty and is set to return on October 29 for a pretrial hearing in Department 112 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center. Bail was set at $2.65 million. The indictment was returned on June 18.

On March 8, at about 1:20 p.m., Ortiz is accused of driving up to the front of a home belonging to Rihanna in the 9500 block of Heather Road and firing an assault weapon multiple times at the house. Rihanna, her boyfriend, A$AP Rocky, their children and several other people were on the musician’s property as well as in an adjacent home, but no one was struck by gunfire.

The Los Angeles Police Department announced on Monday, March 9 that Ivanna Lisette Ortiz, 35, was arrested and has been booked with attempted murder. Her bail was set at $10.2 million. Ortiz drove to Rihanna’s home located in Beverly Hills in a White Tesla. A motive for the shooting has not been disclosed to the public.

Ortiz was later arrested in Sherman Oaks by authorities in a parking lot. If convicted as charged, Ortiz faces up to life in state prison.

In March 2023, Rihanna had a fan travel from South Carolina to her home in Beverly Hills hoping to meet her. In 2018, Eduardo Leon was arrested after he allegedly broke into the Grammy winner’s Hollywood Hills home and waited for over 12 hours. Leon, 27, at the time, hopped a fence, entered the singer’s home, and stayed overnight.

Rihanna is a singer who has earned 9 Grammy Awards and is known for her hits, “S.O.S.,” “Umbrella,” “Take a Bow,” “Rude Boy” and “Only Girl (in the World).” She has sold over 250 million records worldwide. She has appeared in the films “Battleship,” “Ocean’s 8” and performed voice work in the latest animated “Smurfs” film in 2025.

Case 26CJCF03759 is being prosecuted by Alexander Bott of the Major Crimes Division and remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division.

The charges filed in this case against Ortiz are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

By Danny Jones