WESTWOOD—A man and a woman were found shot to death in Westwood on Friday, July 10 in what police are investigating as a possible murder suicide. Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department responded to a call they received around 5:40 a.m. to a multi-story home in the 1300 block of Holmby Avenue, just west of South Beverly Glen Boulevard.

The deceased have not been identified. Officers found the man and woman’s bodies inside the home, suffering from what police described as possible gunshot wounds. It is not known who placed the call.

No motive has been established, and the relationship between the man and the woman has not been confirmed by authorities.

By Milan Manesh

WESTWOOD—On July 9, the Westside Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House located at 927 Hilgard Avenue announced that they have become the recipients of a generous donation of $1 million from the Mendez Family Foundation to help complete construction at the Westwood Ronald McDonald House. On February 18, 2025, the Ronald McDonald House announced that they officially completed the first phase of the Westside Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House and opened to the public. The completion of phase one included the transformation and conversion of a former boutique hotel to a facility to house up to 11 families near the UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital. According to the Ronald McDonald House charity webpage, upon completion, the facility will be a multi-storied home away from home with 33 rooms that will be free long-term housing for families who have a family member receiving critical care at Westside hospitals. The Amenities include a hot daily meal, laundry facilities, lounges, and family play places. This is the realization of a 30-year dream of dedicated donors and staff that the Ronald McDonald House non-profit had dubbed the “McFamily.” It wasn’t long ago that this same group announced that they had land. “With the recent acquisition of a wonderful property, this dream will become a reality.” In February 2025, another announcement caused even more excitement. “This newly opened area features 11 guest room and a variety of shared family spaces, including a fully equipped kitchen, a bright and welcoming dining room, a spacious business and volunteer hub, a cozy family room…” The following came directly in-part from the website which is updated with each new accomplishment, only made possible through the works and support of others. “The House will be open 24 hours/day, 365 days/year, and provide a home-like setting for the entire family when a child is sick, so they can stay together and focus on what matters most. Our Westside House will now provide vital support to families with children being treated at UCLA Children’s Hospital, St. John’s Children’s Hospital, and Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s Hospital. The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California purchased the Hilgard House Hotel in the heart of Westwood Village with the vision of transforming it into a 33-room Ronald McDonald House, the 7th in Southern California. While we continue to raise funds to begin full construction and renovations, the urgent need for local, no-cost housing for families of patients at UCLA Children’s Hospital drove us to act quickly. As the only children’s hospital in California without a nearby Ronald McDonald House, they were in desperate need of such support. The Ronald McDonald House is a non-profit organization that provides a temporary “home away from home” for families with critically ill or injured children. It allows families to stay close to the hospital where their child is receiving treatment, easing financial burdens and reducing stress.” By Sharon

BEL AIR—On July 9 at 10:15 a.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a structure fire within the attic of a two-story family home at 15510 W Azzure Ct. in Bel-Air.

According to the LAFD #0630 report, around 30 firefighters responded to a 911 call on Thursday morning, for smoke and fire showing from the attic of a family home. LAFD operated in offensive mode, and the fire was extinguished 49 minutes from when the 911 call was first placed.

No injuries have been reported, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

The Azzure fire marks the second structure fire that has transpired in the Bel-Air community this month. On July 1, the Roscomare Road fire broke out at a family’s residence. As the California summer brings higher temperatures, the LAFD emphasizes fire prevention and preparedness for residents and businesses.

By Megan Hanson

PACIFIC PALISADES—Developer Rick Caruso announced that Palisades Village will officially reopen on Saturday, August 15, after being closed since January 2025 as a result of the Palisades Fire. The outdoor shopping center was closed for 19 months, marking the end of one of the community’s best-known gathering places being unavailable to residents.

The center itself survived the blaze because it had a private fire department, private water tanks, and fire-retardant materials.

While buildings in the shopping center survived, the site required extensive repairs and environmental remediation to remove contaminants left behind by smoke, ash, and fire debris. Crews worked to tear the buildings down to the studs in order to treat the wood and rebuild the walls. Caruso indicated the process cost more than $100 million in repairs and environmental remediation before Palisades Village could safely reopen to the public.

Caruso framed the reopening as a symbolic win for the broader Pacific Palisades community, which is still in the early stages of rebuilding. In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Caruso said, “The stores are going to be open, the restaurants are going to be open, and this community is back, and it will be growing.”

Caruso indicated the reopening will bring back many longtime local businesses alongside new tenants. The center is about 99 percent leased, with roughly one-third of tenants new to the property. The Village, which first opened in 2018, is set to reopen on Saturday, August 15, with events starting at 10 a.m. and a “big surprise” planned for later in the evening, as Caruso described.

By Milan Manesh

WESTWOOD—Beginning on July 16, and continuing through August 6, the Westwood Village Theater, operated by The American Cinematheque (AC), will screen a special three-week run of Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” featuring three shows daily, in dual-projector 70mm film for audiences. The theater is located at 961 Broxton Ave. Los Angeles, CA, 90024.

The Westwood Village Theater is currently undergoing a soft-opening this summer, with a planned closure in the fall to prepare for its $25-million restoration and grand reopening in 2027. The restoration process will add a restaurant, bar, gallery, and shared space for filmmakers to host premiere events, according to the Los Angeles Times.

According to reports from The Hollywood Reporter, the three-week screening of Nolan’s “The Odyssey” has been orchestrated by Universal Pictures, The American Cinematheque, and the Village Directors Circle to fundraise for the Westwood Village Theaters’ renovation and restoration efforts.

As seen on the American Cinematheque Instagram, with the anticipated release of film, the Westwood Village Theater will show the film on dual restored Norelco 70mm projectors, restored by Ben Tucker, Chief Projectionist at AC, and Paul Smith, CEO of D-Mation INC, which will complement Nolan’s trademark analog film technique and bring a seamless look of The Odyssey onto 70mm film.

Megan Hanson

WESTWOOD—On July 8, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced that Jeffrey Ying, 39, of Fremont, near San Francisco Bay, was sentenced to 366 days of home confinement for stealing rare copies of historical Chinese manuscripts from the University of California, Los Angeles library. The value of the manuscripts is $216,000.

Ying was arrested in August 2025. He pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of theft of a major artwork for stealing a manuscript that was made in the 17th century during China’s Qing dynasty.

In December 2024, he borrowed rare manuscripts from the library, and days later returned a copy he made instead of the original. Each time, Ying would also travel to China several days later.  During this period, he used the name Austin Chen, Jason Wang and Alan Fujimori.

In 2025, university librarians noticed rare manuscripts were missing.  Their search revealed that the texts had been reserved by Alan Fujimori, due to their value, the texts were not included in those placed in regular circulation and were checked out by him.

An investigation by the UCLA Police Department commenced where authorities searched Ying’s hotel room in Brentwood, and discovered asset tags, pre-made labels used by libraries for inventory and checkout. They also found blank manuscripts and paperwork that resembled the books Ying checked out of the library.

After Ying was arrested, he was in possession of an ID bearing the name Austin Chen, along with two library cards, one bearing that name and the other bearing the name Jason Wang. The FBI’s Art Crime Team also conducted an investigation, and no further information has been released to the public.

By Daniel Diquinzio

BEVERLY HILLS—Around 11:30 a.m. on June 30, officers with the Beverly Hills Police Department responded to reports of vandalism by three elderly women near Gregory Way and La Cienega. According to NBC 4 Los Angeles, the three women are 75, 65, and 60 years old.

Another officer spotted the women and reported them.  After the responding officer arrived at the scene, they found the women posting political signs on traffic utility boxes owned by the city of Beverly Hills and using glue from a bucket to secure them.

The BHPD issued them a citation for vandalism defined by Title 5, Chapter 9 of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code and by Section 594 PC of the California Penal Code as occurring when someone either defaces property with material or graffiti or damages or destroys property.

The women were cited because removing the glue from the boxes would be difficult. They were released by police but had to pay a fine of less than $400.

By Daniel Diquinzio

MALIBU—On July 8, the city of Malibu announced its inclusion in California’s 2026 Fire Risk Reduction Community List (FRRCL), awarded by the Board of Forestry & Fire Protection of the state of California.

Malibu was recognized for its dedication to reducing wildfire risk, and creating safer environments for wildlife, residents, and vegetation through its fire planning and prevention strategies. This list, which includes 41 other committed California cities, took effect on July 1, 2026, and will remain active until July 1, 2028.

To showcase the dedication Malibu has taken in protecting its community against wildfires, Malibu presented its After-Action Review (AAR), specific to Malibu’s wildfire operations, to the Malibu City Council on March 9, 2026, and to the Public Safety Commission Meeting on April 1, 2026.

Malibu’s AAR consists of 10 major focus categories, all of which provide recommendations to improve emergency response and operations. As listed in Malibu’s AAR, the 10 major focus categories are:

Preparedness, ECO & Incident Management, Government & Policy, Operational Coordination, Communication, Community Evacuation, Emergency Public Information, Technology, Emergency Purchasing Process, and Workforce & Staff Sustainability.

Malibu has already begun implementing the strategies presented in their AAR as early as June. On June 27, 2026, the city announced the Merlin Circuit Undergrounding, which is covered in the Communication category of the AAR.

As stated in the cities announcement, with FRRCL recognition comes its own set of advantages and priorities from organizations such as CAL FIRE, including access to fire prevention grants, state funds, and potential lower insurance costs for Malibu homeowners.

To read Malibu’s AAR, visit https://malibucity.org/DocumentCenter/View/37295/FINAL_-PUBLIC_Malibu-AAR_-2526

To read Malibu’s Merlin Circuit Undergrounding, visit https://www.malibucity.org/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/2104

To read more on FRRCL, visit https://bof.fire.ca.gov/projects-and-programs/fire-risk-reduction-community-list/

By Megan Hanson

GRIFFITH PARK—Two baby raccoons were spotted wandering into Dodger Stadium during the baseball game on Tuesday, July 7 against the Colorado Rockies. They were seen roaming underneath the outfield wall padding and along the warning track. Broadcasters acknowledged the furry critters on air and told viewers that help was on the way.

The two raccoons, one brown and one gray, went viral on social media. Multiple posts and clips spread quickly across platforms including TikTok, Instagram and X. Fans joked online about wanting to adopt the raccoons, despite it being illegal to do so.

Officials gave no explanation for how the animals got onto the field. The incident occurred during the same game in which Shohei Ohtani hit his 300th career home run. The Dodgers lost the game 4 to 3, falling behind after Colorado scored three runs in the eighth inning.

By Milan Manesh

BEVERLY HILLS—The Union 76 Gas Station on the corner of Crescent Drive and Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills, is expected to transition into Maggie’s Refuel, a high-end luxury gas-station founded by Alex Canter and set to open its doors later this year.

As seen on Maggie’s Refuel website, the gas station labels itself as “the first nice gas station,” with founder Alex Canter promoting that promise to future customers through the company’s social media platforms. Maggie’s Refuel is set to feature a coffee bar, specialty snacks, soft-serve ice cream, Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations, craft beer and fine wines, and locally sourced pastries from Beverly Hills bakeries.

CEO and Founder Alex Canter is also known for his association with the Los Angeles restaurant, Canter’s Deli, and is the co-founder of Nextbite. With this next business venture, Canter is looking to bring a luxury-style experience to Beverly Hills by reimagining gas-station culture. Maggie’s Refuel is looking to take gas-station convenience and elevate it into a luxury experience for all customers.

According to Finally Offline, Maggie’s Refuel has raised $2 million in pre-seed funding through capital firms Matchstick Ventures, Mucker Capital, and Everywhere Ventures. In addition to the funding, Jim Keyes, the former president and CEO of 7-Eleven, and Walter Robb, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, are listed as two of the five advisors on the Maggie’s Refuel advisory board.

There is no exact opening date yet, but Alex Canter and Maggie’s Refuel Inc. have advertised a 2026 opening.

For more information on Maggie’s Refuel, visit https://maggiesrefuel.com/about/ page.

By Megan Hanson