GRIFFITH PARK—Los Angeles Dodgers rookie catcher Eliezer Alfonzo who lost two family members following twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, made his debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday, July 5.

The stronger of the two earthquakes measured with a magnitude of 7.5, following a 7.2 magnitude earthquake just 39 seconds earlier, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. As of July 5, Venezuelan officials reported nearly 3,000 people dead, more than 12,000 injured, and over 41,000 people still missing. The numbers continue to rise as rescue efforts continue.

Alfonzo’s stepmother, Patricia, and his 16-year-old sister, Eliana, were reported missing. They were found dead on Sunday, July 5, in the rubble of a collapsed hotel in La Guaira, Venezuela.

Alfonzo was called up from the minor leagues on Saturday, July 4, to serve as a backup catcher for the Dodgers. He learned of his family members’ deaths on Sunday, just hours before the game, and made his major league debut that same night.

Dodgers’ infielder Miguel Rojas, a friend of Alfonzo’s father and a fellow Venezuelan, wrote “Alfonzo” along with a cross and “Fuerza Matatán” on his cap to show his support. Alfonzo wrote “E y P, RIP” near the brim of his own cap in honor of his stepmother and sister.

Despite the Dodgers losing 5-2 to the San Diego Padres, Alfonzo made his debut just hours after receiving the news.

By Milan Manesh

HOLLYWOOD HILLS—The Hollywood Bowl has introduced its first major sound system upgrade in decades. The venue has been fitted with a new, fully immersive 360-degree sound system, including an L Series speaker system that allows sound to be louder while preserving audio clarity.

The centerpiece of the new system is an AI learning program called Source Intelligence, which isolates onstage vocals to provide clearer sound. L-Acoustics, the French audio company that designed the system, aimed to fix a problem live performers have faced for decades.

The company says Source Intelligence blocks background noise, such as crowd noise and other instruments, that would previously blur a singer’s voice through the speakers. The upgrade has received praise from those who have used it.

Ryan John, a front-of-house engineer, called it the biggest improvement to live vocal quality he has experienced in his career. Source Intelligence is not only installed at the Hollywood Bowl, but it is also touring with major acts such as Harry Styles, The Weeknd, and Bruno Mars.

By Milan Manesh

SANTA MONICA—On Saturday, July 11, from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m., three blocks of Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade will shut down for the evening and transform into an open-air food and music festival known as the Santa Monica Block Fest Vol. V.

According to Secret Los Angeles, Block Fest Vol. V is a free, all-ages summer festival series hosted by the city of Santa Monica that will feature live DJ sets, a night market, food vendors, and allow open containers for adults over the age of 21+ in the designated Santa Monica’s Entertainment Zone (EZSM).

Block Fest Vol. V will split Third Street Promenade into two distinct stages, giving attendees the opportunity to experience diverse DJ sets hosted by either Yappy Studios or Beat Repeat.

Featured on Posh, the event website, the artists who will take the Block Fest Vol. V stages are: Distant Matter, Moonlght, Sam Silver, Marzi, Wenzl, Nash Rly, Plexusplay, KNWN, Waxthieves, Kira X, and J Nikole.

The festival will be held at 1400 Street Promenade. For more information or to RSVP for the event, either visit https://posh.vip/e/santa-monica-block-fest-vol-v-free-music-festival or, text “vol5” to 310-882-7842.

By Megan Hanson

SANTA MONICA—On July 7, the city of Santa Monica voided their lease negotiations with the business owners of California Roadhouse to occupy the restaurant space located at 256 Santa Monica Pier. According to Santa Monica City Manager, Oliver Chi, the lease agreement process has reportedly been called off due to non-compliance. The company failed to meet employee protections required to utilize the space. The process began six months ago in November 2025, with negotiations to bring in a new restaurant into the vacant Rusty’s location on the Santa Monica Pier. On January 7, the City of Santa Monica again announced that the Historic Santa Monica Pier building was to become Route 66 themed California Roadhouse. Following a delay from the Unite Here Local 11 Labor Union, prompted officials to pull them off the March 24 agenda. On April 13, the city gave an update indicating that the leasing process had been stalled. July marks the one-year anniversary since Chi took over as City Manager accepting an annual salary of $410,604. This is reportedly the fifth city that Chi has held the top position, the first being Rosemead at 27. He oversees a city budget of close to $8 million and approximately 2,000 employees. For those in the restaurant industry looking to occupy the vacant 4,000 square foot pier space, there are strict rules to abide by. The cost is $27,000 per month with a three percent annual increase. Business owners sign a lease agreement with the understanding that they must give preference to former pier restaurant employees before hiring new personnel. This practice is referred to as a worker-recall ordinance. Tenant Improvements are expected and the city may allocate funds from time to time up to $500,000 for improvements. Improvement allowances are audited to prove the work paid for has been completed. Leases may include maintenance waivers to help business owners and operators to manage the upkeep of their patio grades to match the rest of the pier. Leases must pass a unanimous vote from the City Council and the City Manager finalizes the leases terms of agreement. By Sharon

BEVERLY HILLS—The city of Beverly Hills announced that Festival Beverly Hills is returning on Sunday, July 12 to Beverly Gardens Park.

The event is free to the public and will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for a day of music, dance, interactive workshops, and culinary delights that showcase the rich tapestry of many cultures from around the world.

The festival is a celebration of artists who have shaped regional and international cultural landscapes. This year’s program line-up of artists includes, Maruja Limon, an all-female quintet on tour from Barcelona known for its vibrant music that blends flamenco, pop, and Latin rhythms; Elida Almeida, a Cape Verdean-born artist who infuses her Cabo Verdean beats – batuque, funaná, coladera and tabanka – with Latino energy; Latin Grammy-nominated, Afro-Peruvian jazz saxophonist and producer Anibal Seminario; Los Angeles-based Viver Brasil Dance Company, who create culturally rooted and aesthetically bold Afro-Brazilian dance theater with an emphasis on ancestral practices, street styles, and live music; Shivam Arts Dance, who blend traditional Northern Indian dance with contemporary music and choreography; and Klezmer Juice, representing the Jewish diaspora by way of Argentina, who will bring his ebullient musicianship back to the Festival after a two-year hiatus.

The Farhang Foundation returns as a festival partner, sponsoring a performance from Black Cats, a new iteration of the legendary Iranian pop group led by Shahbal Shabpareh. The tribute will feature energy of Iranian pop with fresh, modern influences, creating a sound that resonates across generations.

Additional partnerships include Horotropzi in collaboration with the Bulgarian Consulate; music, dance, culinary, and performances and hands-on creative arts with the Chinese American Cultural Association; dance performances from the Indonesian Consulate; the Carpathian Trio from the Romanian Consulate; and stilt walker Eddie Olive, from the Trinidad and Tobago Consulate; ballet folklorico with Spotlight Award finalist Aleyda Arreola; and Latin jazz and mariachi presented by the Neighborhood Music School, among others.

Festival goers will be able to explore the Mayan calendar and learn soccer’s ancestral game P’ok Ta Pok with Casa Maya de la Cultura; experience a traditional coffee ceremony with Little Ethiopia’s Nikki Legasse; create a soccer-themed zine with the Boyle Heights-based Las Fotos Project; and make maracas with the Neighborhood Music School, among other activities.

AYSO will host a youth soccer clinic celebrating Summer of Soccer 2026 and the international games.

Festival Beverly Hills is a celebration of culture and community. For additional artists, program and activation announcements visit: www.beverlyhills.org/csevents.

By Danny Jones

BEVERLY HILLS—Suite Homes, LLC has proposed a new residential development in the city of Beverly Hills. The proposal includes demolishing a pair of 1920s-style duplexes in order to make way for a seven-story building with 23 apartments and parking for up to 41 vehicles.

The building will consist of one, two, three, and four-bedroom apartments ranging from 1,065 to 3,065 square feet. Four of the units would be set aside as affordable housing for very low, low, and moderate-income levels. A gym and a rooftop deck will also be included.

The intended site is located at 227-231 N. Swall Drive in Beverly Hills, south of Burton Way. The Beverly Hills Planning Commission received the proposal in a presentation reported on July 6, and a staff report has recommended approval.

The project reflects an ongoing wave of proposals in the city that rely on state density bonus incentives, which allow developers to build beyond standard zoning limits in exchange for including affordable units. Multi-family housing is in high demand in areas like Beverly Hills, where land is limited and difficult to come by.

By Milan Manesh

SANTA MONICA—Michelin-Bib Gourmand Pakistani Restaurant, Khan Saab Desi Kraft Kitchen, is opening its second location in Santa Monica. While currently in its soft opening phase, the expected grand opening is set for July 16 at 7 p.m. Khan Saab will be located on 115 Santa Monica Blvd., with hours of operation Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 2 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. 

Khan Saab first opened its doors in 2020 in Fullerton by Chef partner Imran Ali Mookhi and business partners Ahmad and Iqbal Hosseini. Khan Saab was awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2021 and has earned it every year since. 

Pakistan-born Chef partner Imran Ali Mookhi approaches the restaurant’s cuisine by blending regional tradition with Southern California ingredients and seasonal influences.

Included on the menu, guests can expect Pani Puri, Goat Cheese Kulcha with butter tomato sauce, Khan Biryani, Sloppy Khan, a fun, playful take on a Sloppy Joe consisting of keema pav grass-fed wagyu beef, and much more. 

Khann Saab also serves a variety of vegan dishes such as Bhel Puri with pomegranate and sesame leaves and the signature Pakistani dish Dal Lala Musa. 

Chef-partner Imran Ali Mookhi told Food and Beverage Magazine:

“Our goal has always been to showcase the richness and diversity of Pakistani and Indian cuisine through exceptional ingredients, thoughtful technique, and genuine hospitality, and we can’t wait to share the flavors and traditions of our culture that have earned Khan Saab recognition throughout Southern California.”

By Ryley Metten

WEST HOLLYWOOD—West Hollywood’s Melrose Triangle property is in the works for a new development after a recent proposal, pivoting away from commercial offices and towards high-density housing. The Melrose Triangle is located on a block-spanning site at 9060 Santa Monica Boulevard. 

The Melrose Triangle currently sits as a vacant 2.7-acre triangular dirt parcel. Earlier proposals for the project opted for a heavily emphasized workspace, holding almost 250,000 square feet for offices, with only 76 apartments. 

A new plan was presented at a community meeting on May 27, the project would include building three interconnected seven-story buildings with 282 apartments, including 66 affordable housing units for seniors. The development would also leave 96,000 square feet for retail and restaurant space and include 528 parking spaces across the three levels.

The project’s aesthetics and layout are being handled by the architecture firm Corbel Architects and landscape designers SWA Group. The new blueprint organizes structures around a central courtyard for outdoor dining and foot traffic 

In discussing the layout for the project at the community meeting, the presentation stated:

“Rather than a single plaza, the experience unfolds as a walkable sequence of distinct zones-arrival, social gathering, flexible exhibition, and garden retreat — each with its own character and level of activity,” The New York Post reported.

The plan currently awaits approval from the West Hollywood City Council before construction can begin. For more information about the project for the Melrose Triangle visit: https://www.melrose-triangle.com.

By Ryley Metten

BEVERLY HILLS—On July 6, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a heat advisory for Southern California including; Downtown Los Angeles, Compton, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Culver City, and Norwalk. The heat advisory remains in effect from Wednesday, July 8, at 10 a.m. until Friday, July 10, at 8 p.m. The NWS predicts temperatures up to 90 degrees in Los Angeles County’s Inland Coast including downtown Los Angeles. “There is a high risk for heat illness for sensitive populations including the very young, the very old, those without air conditioning and those that are active outdoors,” the NWS stated. “The warmest temperatures with this event are expected to occur Wednesday and Thursday afternoons with only a very modest cool down Friday providing little relief. Temperatures are expected to cool down slightly over the weekend but remain above normal into the following week.” On July 6, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) notified the public of the heat advisory listing other areas including (but not limited to) the following areas thru July 10: -Santa Clarita Valley -West San Fernando Valley -East San Fernando Valley -Santa Susana Mountains -Western San Gabriel Mountains and the Hwy 14 Corridor -East San Gabriel Mountains -San Gabriel Valley -Northwest LA County Mountains -From Wednesday, July 8 through Friday, July 10, Los Angeles Inland Coast. LACDPH warns that the hot weather is, “expected to cause discomfort and may lead to heat-related illness for those who are vulnerable to heat.” Health officials remind the public to stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, take cool showers and baths, stay indoors. “Watch out for each other. Check on those who are sick or have chronic conditions, older adults, pregnant people, children, those who live alone, pets, outdoor workers, and athletes.” The LACDPH emphasized the importance of knowing how to recognize if someone may be experiencing a heat-related illness. Symptoms may include a body temperature of 103 degrees or higher, dizziness, nausea, passing out, headache, a fast, strong pulse, confusion, and hot, red, dry, or damp skin. Heat stroke and heat related deaths are prevalent in extreme heat. LACDPH advises the public to take precautions and call 911 if these symptoms are present. By Sharon

MALIBU—On Monday, July 6, at 6 a.m., the City of Malibu posted an alert on its website informing all drivers that all lanes of PCH have been closed for the remainder of the day at Paradise Cove Road, Malibu, due to a vehicle crashing into a power pole.

A SigAlert was issued by the California Highway Patrol after 5 a.m. after a motorist collided with a power line on Paradise Cove Road along PCH. Southern California Edison reported the outage on its website at 3:16 a.m. A total of 270 customers are impacted by the outage.

SCE announced a repair crew is tending to the downed power line on its website, and the road remains closed. During this time, the city of Malibu advises drivers to look up alternate routes to their destination.

No additional details on the driver have been released to the public.

By Megan Hanson