🌱 False Alarm At University HS + P-22 Seen In Hollywood Hills

Hello, neighbors! Today, we enjoy National Brownie Day! I'm here with your Thursday edition of the Los Angeles Patch newsletter, filled with all the local information you need to know right now. Including:.

• 🚒 The one-day closure of Fire Station 42
• 🛑 A ban on Styrofoam sale or distribution
• 🤔 The questionable legality of many short-term rental units

❤️ Loving the Los Angeles Daily? Tell a friend and send them this link, so they can subscribe!

🌤️ But first, today's weather:

Partly sunny. High: 63 Low: 44.

⛽ Three of the Cheapest Gas Stations in the City of Los Angeles

• Berri Brothers at 3860 E 3rd St., $4.23
• United Oil at 4931 W Pico Blvd., $4.25
• Sinclair at 1060 S Ditman Ave., $4.29

🍪 Holiday Treats Poll! 🎄
December is the month for holiday treats and goodies. Which is your favorite? So far, 39.2% love See’s Candies, while 13.7% look forward to sugar cookies. Peppermint bark appeals to 7.8%, and eggnog has a loyal following of 35.3%. Poached pears and King Cake are favorites for 2% each.

📰 Here are the top stories in Los Angeles today:

1) University High School at 11800 Texas Avenue was locked down on Wednesday. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) reportedly “received unconfirmed reports that there was a man with a rifle” on the campus. Officers searched the campus and found “no evidence of a shooting or a person with a gun.” (NBC)

2) Why did nobody pick up the phone at Eagle Rock’s Fire Station 42 last Friday, the day of a deadly Hepner Avenue house fire? We learned on Wednesday that the fire station, which would have been closest to the fire, “was closed because a staff member was absent.” A spokesperson explained that firefighters “cannot respond with less than four people in a fire engine.” Officials don't believe the fatality had to do with the responding firefighters being farther away. (The Eastsider)

3) P-22 is stalking the Hollywood Hills. After recently reporting on the big cat’s killing of a chihuahua, we learned on Wednesday that he’s been sighted again. A Hollywood Hills homeowner “said he had just driven into his garage when his dog spotted something and darted out into the street.” This time, there was no attack, and the mountain lion walked away. It’s important to note that the dog in this case weighs around 70 pounds and is a pitbull mix. “Based on GPS tracking collar data, officials said as of Wednesday morning, P-22 has moved back into Griffith Park.” (Fox, ABC)

4) On Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Council voted to “ban the sale or distribution of Styrofoam products.” Businesses with more than 26 employees have to comply by April 2023. Smaller businesses have until April 2024. "Stop using these products. That's the solution. Stop using them in the first place," said Council President Paul Krekorian. He accused producers of Styrofoam products of lying to people by claiming “somehow it's OK to use these products because they're recyclable,” which, he explained, they aren’t. (ABC)

5) Is your neighbor’s short-term rental unit illegal? It was reported on Wednesday that “nearly half of recent listings on Airbnb and Vrbo appeared to be out of compliance with the city’s ordinance.” A study suggested that the city was entitled to collect around $300 million in fines in 2021, but it only billed for $40,000. “The laws are clear, and the city must do more to ensure that those who are purposely evading rules are held accountable,” said Councilman Blumenfield. (The Real Deal)

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📆 Today in Los Angeles:

• How To Break Into The Music Industry at the Scientology Celebrity Centre (10 AM)
• Spanish Through Music & Movement at the Playa Vista Branch Library (10 AM)
• Club Electric at The Viper Room (6:30 PM)
• ¡Feliz ChristmaHanuKwanza! Show plays at The Elysian Theater (7:30 PM)
• The Adam Cohen Trio featuring Liela Avila at The Gardenia Restaurant (9 PM)

📓 From my notebook:

• "Early yesterday morning, LACoFD firefighters from Battalions 5 and 20 were honored to stand alongside the procession route to pay their respects to a U.S. Sailor from the Battleship USS West Virginia who was killed on December 7, 1941." (Los Angeles County Fire Dept. via Instagram)
• "Thanks to the FCC's Emergency Connectivity Fund, made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration’s American Rescue Plan, all 73 libraries will have more laptops and hot spots to lend to Angelenos who don't have internet access at home." (Mayor Eric Garcetti via Instagram)
• "A huge shout-out to Peninsula Heritage School students for collecting and donating toys to the Spark of Love Toy Drive. Captain Damien Spencer, his crew, along with Sparky, expressed their thanks to the children and teachers." (Los Angeles County Fire Dept. via Instagram)
• "Sheriff Luna has restored the Office of Inspector General’s access to the LASD" (Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department via Facebook)
• "We celebrate and salute Board Member Mónica García for her leadership and guidance throughout the years. Ms. García has led with her heart, and we are grateful for her tireless efforts to support and lift up the voices of students." (Los Angeles Unified via Instagram)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. See you all tomorrow morning for another update!

— Sylvia Cochran

About me: Sylvia Cochran works out of sunny Southern California and has been freelance writing full-time since 2005. She loves dogs, cats, books, plays Best Fiends (don't judge), embraces social justice, and tries to live out Micah 6:8.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Los Angeles Patch newsletter? Contact me at losangeles@patch.com