Ex-appraiser arrested in probe of assessor's office

L.A. County appraiser is accused of improperly lowering assessments on Westside homes.

Carwash workers file class action against L.A.-area owners

Workers allege that overtime pay was withheld and breaks were denied at carwashes in Venice, Santa Monica and Lakewood.

Actor Kelsey Grammer relists Beverly Crest home

Now reduced to $18 million, the mansion is described in the listing as modern Traditional in style. The two-story house, built in 1980, features a central hall, media room, a library, a wine cellar and a service entrance.

Leonardo DiCaprio lists Malibu home for lease

The Cape Cod-inspired home leases for $75,000 a month for a long-term tenant. The actor's Malibu Colony compound was recently remodeled and features a four-bedroom main house on the ocean side and a two-bedroom guest house.

Metro bus driver shot, killed in West Hollywood

The 51-year-old driver was leaving a layover area near Santa Monica Boulevard and West Knoll Drive when the lone passenger allegedly shot him. The passenger was taken into custody, but the motive is unknown.

Ellen Degeneres downsizes into 8,500-square-foot Beverly Hills home

The daytime show host has sold her 3-acre Beverly Hills compound, which includes four structures, to Ryan Seacrest.

Westside charter school teacher gone after allegations of cheating

Teacher at an Ocean Charter campus was found to have given fourth-graders a chance to correct their mistakes on a state test, risking the school's API rating.

Degeneres takes a 1958 BevHills home

While Ryan Seacrest is expected to close escrow this week on Ellen Degeneres' Beverly Hills compound, she has decamped to a Hal Levitt-designed midcentury on less than an acre.

Julie Andrews' Brentwood house isn't going for a song

The home Andrews owned with her late husband, director and screenwriter Blake Edwards, is listed for $2.649 million. It's already in escrow less than a month after going on the market.

Home of the Week: Sleek contemporary in Beverly Hills

The modern four-bedroom, 41/2-bathroom house is designed for entertaining and features a massive concrete fireplace, a glass-walled loft and walls of glass looking out onto the swimming pool and deck.

Joy and disbelief greet Obama's support of same-sex marriage

Gay communities and urban centers in California ignite in celebration. In West Hollywood, crowds gather at City Hall and in cafes.

Detectives seek to question son of Pepperdine's president

Christopher Benton was probably the last person to see Katie Wilkins alive, sheriff's detectives say. The body of the 25-year-old Malibu woman was found in her parents' garage April 28.

Stacey Sher and Kerry Brown list in Beverly Crest

Film producer Stacey Sher and musician Kerry Brown have listed their house at $5.795 million. Originally designed by Wallace Neff, the 1948 house was once the home of actress Julie Andrews and director Blake Edwards and later remodeled.

Actor Jesse Metcalfe sells in Beverly Crest

The 'Desperate Housewives' actor's Mediterranean main house and guesthouse, which sold for $2 million, have 2,500 square feet of living space, including four bedrooms. Built in 1999, the house features stone fireplaces, plank wood floors and wood-beam ceilings.

'Chinatown' writer Robert Towne lists Westside estate

Built in 1926 and designed for grand entertaining, Towne's restored English country-style mansion and guesthouse have seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms and 10,000 square feet of living space. It's listed at $12.995 million.

West Hollywood councilman's meal expenses invite scrutiny

Receipts show that over a three-year period, City Councilman John Duran spent more than $7,000 at local restaurants. Los Angeles County prosecutors are examining whether those meals violated California law.

Video paints doomsday scenario for planned Westside subway extension

A video released by the parent-teacher council pairs giant fireballs with students walking the corridors of Beverly Hills High School, which sits above old oil wells. An engineer who appears in the video says parts of it are over the top.

Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell lower their price

Actors Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell have put their Malibu beach house back on the market, chopping $3.5 million to price it at $11.2 million. The Balinese-inspired, 4,300-square-foot house faces sand dunes and the ocean.