Tourists in Los Angeles County pumped a record $22.7 billion into the local economy

A record-setting pace of tourists visiting Los Angeles County injected $ 22.7 billion into the local economy last year, countering fears that a strong dollar and tough rhetoric from the White House might scare off international tourists.

The county hosted 41.2 million domestic visitors and 7.3 million…

L.A. Times – Business

Kevin Spacey Sex Crimes Case to Be Rejected by L.A. County D.A.

2:37 PM PT — The L.A. County Sheriff’s Dept. released a statement, saying, “The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau began an investigation into allegations of a sexual assault involving Mr. Kevin Spacey on December 11,…

TMZ.com

Oklahoma county to pay $6M to estate of slain black man

A white former reserve deputy who was convicted in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man has asked the Oklahoma Court of Appeals to rehear an appeal he lost.
FOX News

County Forced to Recruit Volunteers for Jury Duty

The judges, deputies, and clerks showed up for court, but one key element was missing: No one had invited any jurors. The Winston-Salem Journal reports that North Carolina’s fourth-largest county failed to mail notices to the 1,700 or so prospective jurors needed to hear cases this week. After no…
Newser

L.A. County Fair won’t raise ticket prices and will offer food discounts to draw visitors

Hoping to reverse last year’s drop in attendance, the Los Angeles County Fair is giving visitors a break on ticket and food prices.

The fair announced it won’t raise daily ticket prices when it opens at the Fairplex in Pomona in August. In addition, the fair’s vendors will offer discount prices…

L.A. Times – Business

Australians Party as County Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

The Australian Parliament voted on Thursday to allow same-sex marriage across the nation, following a bitter and divisive debate settled by the government polling voters in a much-criticized ballot survey that strongly endorsed change . The public gallery of the House of Representatives erupted with applause when the bill passed to…
Newser

LA Weekly reveals its secret owners: mostly men with Orange County ties

After weeks of mystery, LA Weekly’s new owners were revealed Friday in a short online message from the publication’s new operations manager. The lineup is heavy with men who have strong Orange County ties.

Brian Calle tried to make light of growing concern that Los Angeles’ most famous alternative…

L.A. Times – Business

Baltimore County May Open Schools on Jewish Holidays

Baltimore County school officials are set to decide whether schools next year will be open during two Jewish holy days for the first time in about two decades. The Baltimore Sun reports that the county school board expects to vote Tuesday on whether students would be required to attend school…
Newser

‘Right Now We Need to Grieve’ in Sonoma County

“We are a resilient county; we will come back from this,” Sonoma County Supervisor Shirlee Zane said Monday after devastating wildfires swept through the region. “But right now we need to grieve.” Seven people died in her county, making the total at least 10 across northern California, the Los Angeles…
Newser

Regulators recommend that the state reject a Ventura County natural gas plant

A California Energy Commission committee is urging the state to reject a proposal to build a new natural gas plant in Ventura County.

Called the Puente Energy project, the 262-megawatt power plant would be owned and operated by NRG, a Houston-based electricity company. NRG contracted with Southern…

L.A. Times – Business