WESTWOOD—On Monday, May 4, the Los Angeles Fire Department announced they battled a high-rise fire. The blaze was reported at 1:53 p.m. at 10560 W Wilshire Blvd. for a 23-story high-rise with smoke alarm activation and reports of active fire upon LAFD arrival.

Firefighters ascended via stairwell and quickly extinguished a contents fire on the 15th floor. Residents sheltering in place are being assisted and medically assessed. Traffic was impacted as Wilshire Boulevard was closed between Warner Avenue and Manning Avenue.

Three total patients assessed on scene all refused hospital transport. Three units on the 15th floor suffered significant smoke damage are under assessment for habitability — all other residents are returning to the building. No details on the cause of the fire has been reported to the public.

By Danny Jones

BEVERLY HILLS—On Friday, May 1, the Beverly Hills Police Department disclosed that they arrested a driver on Rodeo Drive.

An officer spotted a vehicle committing multiple CVC violations, including driving with a passenger on the hood. Following an investigation, the driver was arrested for DUI and reckless driving.

The person arrested in a video posted on the BHPD Facebook page is heard saying, “It’s f***ing insane bro. I’m really going to get a f***ing DUI cus I came on Rodeo. I should have never f***ing came over here man.”

The BHPD is warning the public that those who plan to visit Rodeo Drive to make TikToks “like this…you might want to rethink it.”

The name and age of the suspect have not been disclosed to the public.

By Danny Jones

BEVERLY HILLS—On May 1, the Beverly Hills Police Department announced that it is reminding travelers to always buckle up and secure children in the right car seats when visiting friends and family. This year’s Click It or Ticket campaign runs from May 18 to 31.

During this time, BHPD will have additional officers on patrol actively looking for drivers and passengers who are not wearing seat belts. This includes vehicles in which children are not secured in child safety seats or the appropriate safety seats for their age.

“Our priority is protecting the people in our community. Wearing a seat belt or properly securing children in car seats or a booster seat gives everyone a better chance of surviving a crash,” Beverly Hills Police Chief Mark G. Stainbrook said. “We want every trip – short or long – to end safely, so please buckle up every time.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2023, 10,484 people killed in crashes in the U.S. were not wearing a seat belt. In California, there were 780 unrestrained people killed in crashes that same year, including 24 children. Unrestrained child fatalities in California increased by 4.3 percent from 2022 to 2023.

California law requires all children under 2 years old to ride in a rear-facing car seat, unless the child is 40 or more pounds or is 40 or more inches tall. Once a child reaches these milestones, all children under 8 years old are still required to be secured in a car seat or booster seat.

Children under 8 may not ride in the front seat unless the vehicle is not equipped with a rear, forward-facing seat. Children 8 and older, or those at least 4 feet and 9 inches tall, may be secured in a booster seat, but must at a minimum wear a properly fitted safety belt.

Parents and caregivers are asked to keep children in the proper rear or forward-facing seat as long as possible and use the “Five-Step Test” to determine if their child is big enough to safely use a seat belt without a booster seat.

Funding for the program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

By Danny Jones

BEVERLY HILLS—The city of Beverly Hills is celebrating National Bike Month. On Sunday, May 17 at the Farmers’ Market, Beverly Hills will host a Used Bicycle Collection for residents to donate old bikes and parts to non-profit organization, Walk ‘n Rollers @walkandrollers, who will fix them up and distribute the refurbished bicycles to children and adults without the resources to purchase bikes on their own.

The full calendar of Bike Month events includes:

-May 1: 5-mile Bike Ride Challenge begins / Log your ride miles all month for a chance to win prizes

-May 6: National Bike and Roll to School Day

-May 14: National Bike to Work Day Pit Stop 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Wilshire/La Cienega D Line Station

-May 17: Free Bike Repairs and Used Bicycle Collection at Public Works Day 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Beverly Hills Farmers’ Market

-May 31: 5-mile Bike Ride Challenge ends

Anyone with questions should call the askBH Hotline at (310) 285-1000 or visit www.beverlyhills.org/bikes for more details.

By Danny Jones

BEVERLY HILLS—Starting Sunday, May 3, the city of Beverly Hills is celebrating drink water week.

The city highlights tap water is good for your health and boosts energy levels and skin glow, and it’s also a win for our environment. By choosing a reusable bottle, it helps to reduce plastic waste in our beautiful community.

Benefits of Beverly Hills Tap:

-Strict Quality Controls: Tested thousands of times a year for your safety.
-Cost-Effective: A fraction of the cost of bottled water.
-Eco-Conscious: Zero plastic waste produced.

The dedicated Public Works Water Team works to bring residents the “gold standard” of hydration right to their faucet that is clean, refreshing, and safe.

By Danny Jones

HOLLYWOOD HILLS—On Friday, May 1, the Los Angeles Fire Department announced that it had to assist a man who injured his leg. The incident was reported at 12:14 p.m. at 1758 N Taft Avenue.

LAFD units arrived to find an approximately 40-year-old male with an injury to his leg from attempting to climb a fence.

Due to the nature of the injury, extrication from the fence will be required. The patient is awake, alert, and receiving medical assessment/care while LAFD USAR members safely remove him from the fence. The patient will be transported to a local hospital for further treatment.

By Danny Jones

WEST HOLLYWOOD—At 7:21 p.m. on Friday, May 1, the city of West Hollywood Government announced on Facebook that May is AANHPI Heritage Month. AANHPI is short for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander. Pacific Islanders are individuals who either come from or are descended from those who come from islands in the Pacific Ocean.

The purpose of West Hollywood’s participation in Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is to celebrate the contributions of West Hollywood citizens from such backgrounds to the city.

The fields in which they have done so range from “history to art to everyday impact”, according to the city of West Hollywood Government. Citizens are being asked by the city to continue celebrating accomplishments of ANHPI individuals after the month ends.

By Daniel Diquinzio

WEST HOLLYWOOD—On Friday, May 1, the West Hollywood Sheriff Station announced via Facebook page that around 9:10 p.m. on Thursday, April 16, deputies responded to a report that was made to the station of an assault.  They arrested a suspect for assault and vandalism.

The assault occurred in the 8600 block of Santa Monica Boulevard, where the perpetrator was arrested for felony vandalism (violation of 594 (b)(1) PC) and battery. The name and age of the suspect has not been disclosed to the public.

The investigation is ongoing and “investigators will present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office,” which will determine whether or not charges will be filed.

The West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station asks that any citizens who possess knowledge of the attack contact the station at 310-855-8850.

By Daniel Diquinzio

SANTA MONICA—On Thursday, April 30, the Santa Monica Police Department announced on Facebook that several officers traveled to Sacramento to represent the police department during the California Highway Patrol Statewide Explorer Competition. The competition was hosted by the CHP at its Academy.

The purpose of this event was to bring together officers from Explorer posts from other police departments and agencies in California for a two-day competition.  Officers from Santa Monica, got a chance to meet and bond with officers from other parts of California.

During the Statewide Explorer Competition, officers from Santa Monica “put their skills to the test in a range of law enforcement-based challenges,” according to the Santa Monica Police Department.

According to the Santa Monica Police Department, the department is proud of its officers who competed and of “the professionalism, effort, and teamwork they demonstrated.”

The Santa Monica Police Department expressed gratitude to the California Highway Patrol for hosting the Statewide Explorer Competition at the California Highway Patrol Academy and congratulated all who participated in the competition.

By Daniel Diquinzio

BEVERLY HILLS—On Thursday, April 30, the Beverly Hills Police Department announced on Facebook that one of its officers received the William H. Spurgeon III Award. The award is given out by the Western Los Angeles County Council, which is a part of Scouting of America.

The award is named after William H. Spurgeon III, who is the grandson of William H. Spurgeon,  known as Uncle Billy and who is believed to be the founder of the city of Santa Ana in California, and also worked for years as a leader in Scouting of America, which was originally known as Boy Scouts of America.  Part of his service involved promoting the Exploring Program, one of Scouting of America’s co-ed programs for teenagers.

The officer received the department’s award for her dedication to the Explorer Program, and belonged to the Police Explorer Program, which is affiliated with Scouting of America’s Explorer Program and through which she received law enforcement training. The program was based in the city of Montebello in California.

In 2019, she became a Cadet in the Beverly Hills Police Department.   In 2023, she joined the department as an officer.

The officer has “remained committed to the program every step of the way, leading physical training sessions, creating study guides, taking Explorers on ride-alongs, and mentoring them through real-world experience,” the BHPD stated. The award was a result of “the dedication and leadership she brings to this program,” the BHPD added.

By Daniel Diquinzio