Los Feliz

LOS FELIZ—On Thursday, August 7, Jaquory Arman Watson,18, and Damari Zair Charles, also 18, were arrested in connection with a robbery ring that broke into celebrity homes on Valentines Day, and Brad Pitts home on June 25. On Monday, August 11, both men were charged for first degree burglary. They both pleaded guilty as charged and are being held without bail.

The following information on the suspects charged came directly from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) Inmate Locator.

Jaquory Arman Watson is described as a black male, born October 10, 2006, standing six feet tall, and weighing 180 lbs. He was previously arrested on felony charges on April 11 and booked into LAPD 77th Street Jail with no bail. He was released on April 15. The record states RLSED PER 849(B)(1) PC A DETENTION ONLY which in layman’s terms means the release of an individual from custody due to insufficient grounds for a criminal complaint.

Damari Zair Charles is described as a black male, born April 11, 2007, standing 5 feet 11 inches and weighing 181 lbs. He was previously arrested by Beverly Hills Police Department on August 3 on felony charges. Permanent housing was assigned the same day, but he was released on his own recognizance. His court date was scheduled for August 5. There is no further information listed.

These men and two others are reportedly the men who scaled a fence behind Brad Pitt’s home on June 25 broke into the home and completely ransacked it. An undetermined number of items were taken from the home in the burglary. Brad Pitt was out of the country at the time of the incident filming the new movie, Formula 1, directed by Joseph Kosinski.

Brad Pitt’s home was not the only celebrity home broken into last summer. Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson’s home in Pacific Palisades was also broken into. Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman’s Beverly Hills home was ransacked and burglarized similarly to Brad Pitts.

By Sharon

LOS FELIZ—Authorities arrested a trespasser on Sunday, July 6, in the neighborhood of A-list celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard. The news was first reported by TMZ about a man being arrested by authorities after finding a way through a gate in the exclusive neighborhood.

The trespasser tried to run from authorities before he was captured and detained. Bell and Shepard were not home at the time of the incident. Video from the Citizen App displayed the individual being detained by officers. No homes were broken into in the neighborhood at the time of the incident.

Last week the home of Jolie’s former husband, Brad Pitt was broken into in Los Feliz. The actor was in Tokyo, Japan at the time of the incident. Pitt’s home was broken into on June 25.

Details on what was stolen from Pitt’s property has not been disclosed to the public. The intruders smashed a window to gain access into the actor’s home. According to the Daily Mail, there has been more security detail at Pitt’s home since the incident.

Jolie previously appeared in the movie “Maria.” Pitt is currently appearing in the action-flick “F1: The Movie” alongside Damson Idris. Pitt won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the Quentin Tarantino film “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”

By Danny Jones

LOS FELIZ—On February 13, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported that a vehicle collided into a building. The incident was reported at 10:35 p.m. at 2611 N. Hyperion Avenue. One vehicle crashed into a structure, with one patient inside building transported to a local hospital in unknown condition. L

The LAFD structural specialists and Building and Safety were enroute to determine best course of action regarding extrication of automobile from structure. No additional details about the incident or the cause has been disclosed to the public.

By Trevor

LOS FELIZ—On Wednesday, January 15, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported that one person was killed after a vehicle crashed into a building.

The incident was reported at 1:38 a.m. at 1826 N Western Avenue. Officials arrived to find one vehicle into a two-story apartment building with a total of three patients.

Two patients were trapped under the vehicle (in the apartment unit) and required extrication: approximately a 50-year-old male patient was determined deceased on scene, 9-year-old male patient transported in serious condition. The name of the victim has not yet been disclosed to the public.

A 34-year-old female patient (driver) was transported with minor injuries. There are a total of seven displaced occupants. Red Cross and Mayor’s Crisis Response Team notified to provide help.

LA Dept of Building and Safety will determine whether the building is safe for occupation. No further details about the incident or the cause has been disclosed to the public.

By Trevor

LOS FELIZ—On September 5, at approximately 5:00 p.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) responded to a call of a male construction worker trapped in an 8-foot-deep trench at a residential construction site.  According to a press release on the LAFD Alert page, it took dozens of firefighters doing rotations for several hours to free the man.

According to the LAFD webpage, the individual who was rescued was transported by LAFD Paramedics to a regional trauma center in serious condition.

In addition, two LAFD first responders were treated at the scene for heat exhaustion, one of whom was later taken to an area hospital for a full medical evaluation. No other injuries were reported.

By Sharon

LOS FELIZ—On Friday, February 2, the Los Angeles Police Department announced the arrest of a suspect believed to be responsible for multiple incidents where he stole over $31,000 in merchandise from a local business.

The LAPD reported on January 31, around 5:20 p.m., the suspect entered a retail store in the 600 block of North Dillon Street in the Silver Lake area near Los Feliz. The suspect removed over $700 in merchandise and exited the business without paying. Rampart area officers arrested the suspect in the parking lot without incident.

Target Asset Protection employees advised detectives that the suspect stole approximately $31,872.48 worth of merchandise over a 7-month period.

The suspect was identified as Brandon Krause, 34, of Los Angeles. He was booked for 487(a) PC: Grand Theft under booking number 6752035 with $35,500 bail.

Anyone with details about this crime or these types of incidents is asked to contact the LAPD Rampart Burglary Theft Detectives at (213) 484-3490. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can call the LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org.

By Trevor

LOS FELIZ— The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office has identified the victim found in the aftermath of a fire that burned three vehicles as 83-year-old Warren Loo. It remains unclear whether Loo was already dead before the fire or if he perished in the fire; the cause of death is still under investigation. 

On Thursday, May 18, three vehicles and a detached garage were set ablaze behind a residence at 2030 North Edgemont Street. Los Angeles Fire Department firefighters fully extinguished the flames and found an adult male body – later identified as Loo – inside one of the vehicles, LAFD reported. 

At around 1:12 p.m., LAFD responded to three vehicles on fire next to a two-story structure behind a residence near Ambrose Avenue. By 1:30 p.m, 46 firefighters were called to the scene to battle intense flames that extended from the vehicles to the adjacent two-story structure behind the main house. LAFD firefighters took 52 minutes to access, confine and fully extinguish the flames threatening the main house and other properties, LAFD said.

“It [was] a detached garage with living quarters on top of it – or a shop of some kind – which had three vehicles parked in front of it that seemed to be on fire which extended to the structure itself and got into the attic,” an LAFD investigator told ABC 7. “The firefighters were able to start working on the structure, extinguish the vehicles and keep the fire confined to the original building.” 

Firefighters extinguished the fire before it could affect the main house, as well as surrounding properties. No other injuries were reported. 

The Los Angeles City Coroner’s Office is still investigating Loo’s cause of death.

LOS FELIZ—La Petite Ecole du Soleil summer camp for pre-schoolers those entering pre-kindergartners is running for five weeks from June 19 thru July 21.  La Grande Ecole is for kindergartners – 5th graders.

Ecole Du Soleil states on its website:

“Our objective is to introduce children to the French language and culture at an early age while they still have a linguistic openness to easily learn a second language. Their adaptability, their lack of inhibition, and, above all, their ability to reproduce any sound accurately will help them learn a second language with great ease. We provide a unique learning context in which your children will learn at their own pace in a fun, genuine, French summer camp environment. French classes are taught by a group of highly experienced teachers accredited by the French ministry of education. Previous exposure to French is not required.”

At Petite Ecole du Soleil Campers will learn “greetings, colors, fruits, and days of the week, to name a few. Mornings will focus on the acquisition of the French language. The afternoons will consist of various fun activities including games, arts, crafts, sports, singing, and reading.” Each week also has a theme during the camp.

Along with learning French, campers will do activities such as soccer, art and bilingual activities. The camp is located at 4155 Russell Avenue in Los Angeles, CA 90027 For questions call (323) 665-4526 or fax (323) 665-2607 or email: losfeliz@lilaschool.com.

Daily Schedule

8:00-9:00	Drop-off and daycare
9:00-9:15	Morning routine
9:15-10:30	Fun bilingual activities
10:30-11:00	Snack and recess
11:00-12:30	Fun bilingual activities
12:30-1:30	Lunch
1:30-2:30	K-2nd: French classroom time; 3rd-5th: sports
2:30-3:30	K-2nd: sports; 3rd-5th: French classroom time
2:15-3:30	French
3:30-5:00	Pickup and daycare

Registration links are available:

Petite Ecole | Rising Preschool

Petite Ecole | Rising Pre-K

Grande Ecole | Rising K-5th

By Rob

LOS FELIZ— An Albertson’s grocery store located at 2035 Hillhurst Avenue was robbed at gunpoint last night on Tuesday, April 11. Canyon News spoke with Los Angeles Police Department’s Officer Moore who confirmed the incident.

At 8:34 p.m., LAPD responded to a call that a suspect – described as a White male with black hair, brown eyes, around five foot eight inches, 150 pounds and with tattoos on his face and neck  – brandished a handgun inside the market and stole an unknown amount of merchandise. The suspect allegedly has a snake tattoo on his neck and a swastika tattoo on his cheekbone, Citizen app reported. 

The suspect was last seen heading northbound on Hillhurst Avenue, Officer Moore said. No injuries were reported. 

Canyon News spoke with an Albertson’s store associate who declined to comment.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to call LAPD’s Northeast Division at (323) 561-3211.

By Lacy

LOS FELIZ—On Friday, December 16, Zohra Fahim, the President and founder of the Los Angeles Alliance for Animals confirmed their findings of animal abuse at the Pony Rides in Griffith Park, which resulted in the death of four ponies.

Stephen Weeks, the owner of the pony ride attracted has reported that the animals did not die of abuse, but of illness, and old age.

Week’s defended himself and the care of the animals.  He told Inside Edition that,

“The last thing I want to do is when I have a sick pony, I don’t want to call the City of LA, I want to call my vet out here 24 hours at night if necessary. According to reports, Weeks is currently in the process of rehoming the ponies.

Canyon News spoke to Fahim who reported she had first-hand knowledge of the abuse and the deaths of the ponies. and spoke of algae in their drinking water. 

Fahim provided video footage of the ponies in extreme temperatures, kicking up dust on carriage rides, and giving little children rides on a turnstile they were chained to. The footage is posted on Fahim’s personal Facebook page.

Fahim provided pictures of the ponies the Alliance for Animals had been fighting to protect. 

The following is a list of what LAAA has documented of geriatric ponies working in hot temperatures over the Summer.

On August 7th geriatric ponies worked at 100 F (rides were not shut down)

On August 7th geriatric ponies worked later in the day at 97 F (rides were not shut down)

On August 12th geriatric ponies working at 93 F (rides were not slowed down)

On August 13 the geriatric ponies worked in 97 F (rides were not shut down)

On August 17th geriatric ponies worked at 91 F (rides were not slowed down)

On August 31st geriatric ponies worked in 96 F (rides were not shut down)

On September 1st geriatric ponies worked in 100 F (rides were not shut down)

On September 2nd geriatric ponies worked in 97 F (rides were not shut down)

On September 25th geriatric ponies worked in 90 F (rides were not slowed down)

On September 27th geriatric ponies worked in 98 F (rides were not shut down)

On September 28th geriatric ponies worked in 95 F (rides were not shut down)

A recent report from the City of Los Angeles veterinarian mentioned that 4 elderly ponies died this year, two in March, one in April, and one in August.

 

 

Canyon News reached out to the number on the Griffith Park website for the Pony Ride attraction, but the voicemail was full.  A statement could not be obtained by the National Park Service in time for print.

By Sharon

 

BEVERLY HILLS—The city of Beverly Hills indicated in a press release that the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) will issue a new Health Officer Order that requires customers to show proof of their COVID-19 vaccination prior to entering indoor bars, wineries, breweries, nightclubs and lounges.

Under the modified Order, employees and customers are required to have at least one vaccine dose by October 7 and both doses by November 4.

The New Health Officer Order will require workers and attendees at outdoor mega events (consisting of crowds over 10,000 people) to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours before working or attending the event.

Attendees at indoor mega events are already required to show proof of vaccination or a negative test prior to entry. These requirements will also apply to theme parks within the county.

While not required, LACDPH also recommends vaccine verification at indoor portions of restaurants to reduce transmission risk.

This announcement impacts businesses in the City of Beverly Hills. When available, theupdated Health Officer Order can be viewed at beverlyhills.org/coronavirus.

To find the nearest vaccination site, visit VaccinateLACounty.com or beverlyhills.org/covidvaccine. For questions about business impacts from the new Health Office Order, email businessrecovery@beverlyhills.org.

To stay updated on the latest COVID-19 news, visit beverlyhills.org/coronavirus or call the City’s COVID-19 Hotline Monday-Friday from 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. at 310-550-4680.

By Donald