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UC hospitals cancel surgeries, divert patents amid strike

By Anna Gorman and Maria L. La Ganga, Los Angeles Times — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:50:00 PDT

The walkout by patient care workers shuts down some services at medical centers in L.A., Irvine, San Diego, San Francisco and Sacramento.

A strike by University of California patient care workers Tuesday caused the cancellation of hundreds of surgeries, the closure of laboratory stations and the diversion of emergency room patients, officials said.

Family of man killed by Downey police settles for $4.5 million

By Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:58:00 PDT

Although a prosecutor found that the shooting of Michael Nida in a case of mistaken identity was legal, the city's insurer decided to avoid a trial.

The family of an unarmed man killed by a Downey police officer with a submachine gun in a case of mistaken identity has agreed to a $4.5-million settlement with the city's insurer.

L.A. mayor's race inspires 2 youngsters to activism

By Catherine Saillant, Los Angeles Times — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 PDT

Politics fascinates Adam Brown and Zoe Donahoe, both 12. Zoe has worked in Wendy Greuel's campaign and Adam recently introduced Eric Garcetti at a fundraiser.

He's only 12, but Adam Brown has already volunteered for a presidential campaign, started his own nonprofit to get other kids involved in politics, and, last month, ran for student body president at Sylmar's Los Angeles Mission College, where he takes classes.

Angelina Jolie's courageous act will save women's lives

By Robin Abcarian, Los Angeles Times — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 PDT

She has also shone a light on a Supreme Court battle over whether a company has the right to patent a human gene.

Four days after her April 27 breast reconstruction, the third and final surgery aimed at sparing her an early death from breast cancer, Angelina Jolie was in good spirits at home.

L.A. elections may be decided by older, white voters, poll shows

By Michael Finnegan, Doug Smith and Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:21:00 PDT

The survey of likely voters finds that non-Latino whites make up 32% of the city's population but are likely to total 51% of the vote. Latinos make up 44% of the population, but many are ineligible to vote.

Tuesday's elections will sweep in new leadership for Los Angeles' 3.8 million residents, but the races are likely to be decided by an older, whiter and more educated fraction of the city's population.

L.A.'s Mid-Wilshire neighborhood could be election bellwether

By Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:21:00 PDT

The 2.8-square-mile area west of downtown has picked the mayor in every vote since 2001. This year, interviews suggest that it also shares the apathy and ambivalence of voters elsewhere in the city.

It's a small swath of Los Angeles, near the city's heart, that hasn't received much attention from the mayoral candidates.

Salt Lake City has highest rate of same-sex couples raising kids

By Emily Alpert, Los Angeles Times — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 PDT

More than 25% of gay or lesbian couples in the Utah capital and its outskirts are rearing children, a new study says. Among states, Mississippi is tops with 26%.

Salt Lake City: the gay parenting capital of the United States?

L.A. County supervisor outlines a new jail proposal

By Jason Song, Times Staff Writer — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 PDT

Zev Yaroslavsky advocates tearing down part of the Men's Central Jail and building a facility to house inmates who are mentally ill or addicted to drugs.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky wants the board to consider tearing down part of the troubled Men's Central Jail and building a facility to house mentally ill and drug addicted inmates, which he says would offer all prisoners a better chance of rehabilitation while potentially saving the county millions of dollars.

Murray didn't have a signed contract with AEG

By Jeff Gottlieb, Los Angeles Times — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 PDT

Testimony reveals emails discussing pay and employment details with the doctor who administered the fatal dose of propofol to Michael Jackson.

Dr. Conrad Murray, who administered the fatal dose of the anesthetic propofol to Michael Jackson, did not have a signed contract with the promoter of the London concerts by the singer, who died two weeks before they were scheduled to begin.

Bank official's boyfriend held in $565,500 robbery

By Richard Winton and Matt Stevens, Los Angeles Times — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 PDT

Reyes 'Ray' Vega and two others are accused of staging a holdup in which a fake bomb was attached to the assistant manager.

It seem like the perfect crime: Masked men snatch an assistant bank manager in her garage, strap a bomb to her and force the woman to rob her own East Los Angeles bank of $565,500.