In the News
A group of Los Angeles International Airport baggage handlers arrested last week for allegedly stealing electronics, jewelry and other items from checked luggage were hired by several different companies but had each passed multiple background checks, according to airport officials.
A joint task force of Los Angeles and airport police arrested six baggage handlers on March 27. Fourteen others were detained by investigators, who served 25 search warrants at suspects' homes, LAX Assistant Police Chief Michael Hyams said.
The debate over the presence of armed police officers at airport passenger screening areas continued Friday as lawmakers met at Los Angeles International Airport to take a fresh look at November's deadly shooting and the steps airport and federal officials have taken in its wake.
More than four months after a shooting at Los Angeles International Airport left one TSA agent dead, others wounded and passengers terrified, a congressional hearing was held Friday to review recommendations for security improvements at LAX.
An LAPD officer and her K-9 leave after making a sweep of the re-opened Terminal 3 on Nov. 2, 2013, a day after a shooting at Los Angeles International Airport. (Credit: Getty Images)
The congresswoman whose district includes Los Angeles International Airport says the Transportation Security Administration's recommendations to improve security are a good first step in addressing concerns after a deadly shooting last year.
Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters says the TSA's recommendation for armed law enforcement to be stationed at screening checkpoints during peak hours addresses a concern about the airport's security protocols that she identified last year.
Yet another proposal for winding down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and overhauling the nation's housing finance system will be put before Congress on Thursday, this one by Representative Maxine Waters of California, the ranking Democratic member of the Financial Services Committee.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles International Airport was ill prepared for a crisis when a gunman ambushed security officers last year, and the emergency response was hindered by communication problems and poor coordination, according to a report released Tuesday.
The report spotlighted flaws in various divisions of the airport and in systems that were in place, but it did not single out individuals responsible for problems.
Family, friends and dignitaries paid their final respects to Ovarie "OV" Smith on March 22nd at Trinity Baptist Church.
Smith was the greatest advocate and crusader for people who suffered from mental disabilities, and a woman who commanded the attention of elected officials for more than 50 years passed away on March 14. She was 99 years old.
Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, called Tuesday for a federal investigation into the Los Angeles County Office of Education's handling of Head Start programs in Los Angeles.
"We're here today because Head Start in this county is being threatened time and time again in so many ways," Waters said of the federal program that promotes school readiness for underprivileged children up to 5 years old.
A local congresswoman Tuesday called for a federal investigation into the Los Angeles County Office of Education because of events that could lead to the closure of Kedren Head-Start centers across the county.
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) protested outside the county Board of Education meeting in Downey with a few dozen Kedren staff members and parents clutching signs and their children who attend those preschool centers.
Officials celebrated the groundbreaking Tuesday for the $2.06-billion north-south Crenshaw Line that will connect the Mid-City Expo Line with the South Bay's Green Line.
"This is a day that Angelenos deserve, a great day for L.A., a day to move America forward," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said.
The Department of Transportation also announced Tuesday that the project would receive a $545.9-million loan. The project also is expected to receive about $130 million in other federal transportation funds, according to a statement.