SANTA MONICA—On August 26, a resident spotted a large mountain lion napping on her patio. With Wednesday’s temperatures reaching 101 degrees, the animal drank from the pool before reclining by the sliding-glass-door of Andrea Bailey who resides in the Royal Woods neighborhood, which is situated in a hilly subdivision, against the northern slopes of the Santa Monica Mountains. This is the area near Mullholland Drive and Sepulveda Pass. Bailey captured the incident on her cameras and posted the pictures on her social media pages. “This huge cat sprawled across the slider, leaning up against the glass. Just sat down with him against the glass, probably just a couple of inches from him. So, it was just this incredible experience,” stated Andrea Bailey According to Bailey, the Puma took about an hour’s nap and then meandered off. A neighbor’s video captured the mountain lion walking on the sidewalk, and in the neighbor’s yard. There has been an increase in wildlife encounters reported in Los Angeles County. Wildlife experts have indicated that the heat wave may be pushing the mountain lions, coyotes… into the Valley to find water, and get some sort of respite from the heat. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), mountain lions usually avoid people. They do have a list on their website of documented Mountain Lion attacks from 1890 until 2025. The most recent documented mountain lion attack was in August 2025, in Malibu involving an 11-year-old girl. CDFW reminds the public how to avoid human vs. wildlife conflicts on their website stating: “Do not provide food or water for wildlife. Feeding wildlife does more harm than good. Certain wildlife species such as black bears, bobcats, coyotes, deer, and mountain lions can be displaced into urban areas after a fire.  Do not attempt to rehabilitate wild animals if you are not a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. This places humans, pets, and wildlife at risk. An untrained person may unintentionally prolong suffering and reduce the chance of the wild animal being able to return to the wild.” By Sharon

WESTWOOD—A newly released report from UCLA found that 298,254 K-12 students were homeless in California during the 2024-2025 school year. This was the highest number ever recorded in the state and marked a 10 percent increase since the 2018-2019 school year.

Researchers analyzed data from the California Department of Education to understand how homeless students performed compared to their peers. The findings showed that unhoused students scored roughly 20 percent lower than housed peers on state academic benchmarks.

Seven of the ten school districts with the highest counts of students experiencing homelessness were in Southern California. Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties together accounted for half of the state’s homeless student population.

UCLA’s Center for the Transformation of Schools found that “housing instability affects attendance, academic achievement, graduation, and college-going.”

The report was released after California approved a one-time $116 million allocation to help schools identify homeless K-12 students and connect them with support.

“This new funding is the largest dedicated state funding to prioritize housing-insecure youth in the country. We look forward to working with our state’s policymakers and educators to ensure that California’s most housing-insecure students have an equitable opportunity to succeed. Our hope is that this new research can serve as a roadmap for prevention and systems change,” said Joseph Bishop, executive director of the Center for the Transformation of Schools.

The Los Angeles Unified School District projects an $877 million deficit for the 2026-2027 school year and is in the process of laying off employees and cutting programs.

By Milan Manesh

STUDIO CITY—On August 28, the Director of Wildlife Care of California,  Anna Marie Reams gave an update on the sickly coyote that has been wandering the neighborhoods of Studio City.  Initial reports indicated that Wildlife Care of California wanted the public help in the search with the search. That is not the case at all.  There is a current photograph of the coyote on Facebook.  The abscess on her face is very noticeable in that photograph.  Reams indicated that they’d prefer not to have the extra help locating Sunshine the coyote, for fear that it may hamper their efforts. “She will also change established patterns we have documented over the last month.  As far as what happens when captured, she will be in the care of Wildlife Care of Southern California. We will start her on a cocktail of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory meds for a few days before she goes into the veterinarian for a complete workup. What our veterinarian finds in this exam will determine our next step. Right now, we’re trying to secure donations for this vet visit and her follow-up care. “She has made quite a few friends in the area, seen standing in the street or at people’s doors looking for help. We will not give up until we have her. Thank you, Studio City, for caring about this girl,” Anna Reams of Wildcare of California stated. At first the locals named the roaming coyote “Wendy,” but the Wildlife Care of SOCAL decided to take responsibility for her care and call her “Sunshine.”  She’d been roaming neighborhoods in the region for nearly a year. She does have an abscess that covers the left side of her snout from her left eye to her nose. By Sharon

WEST HOLLYWOOD—The city of West Hollywood is spreading the word that it is conducting roadway resurfacing work as part of a Street Rehabilitation Project. Paving on Santa Monica Boulevard on the city’s Eastside is complete. Additional work will continue on Doheny Road and on Santa Monica Boulevard, as follows:

Doheny Road between Sierra Alta Way and Sunset Boulevard:

-Crews are removing the top layer of existing pavement during daytime hours on Wednesday, August 26 with paving scheduled during the day on Thursday, August 27.

Santa Monica Boulevard between N. Gardner Street and N. Detroit Street:

-Nighttime crews will adjust utility covers to the new street level from Wednesday, August 26, through Friday, August 28.

-During daytime hours on Tuesday, September 1, and Wednesday, September 2, crews will conduct survey work and restore roadway markers.

-Nighttime crews will install traffic-detection loops in the roadway on Thursday, September 3.

Final pavement striping will take place during nighttime hours following Labor Day weekend with an anticipated completion date of Tuesday, September 8. West Hollywood’s Department of Public Works coordinated construction activities with affected properties and businesses and has distributed advance notices to impacted community members. Drivers should expect temporary lane closures, traffic controls, and parking restrictions in active work areas.

For more details, contact John Gilmour West Hollywood Engineering Manager/City Engineer at jgilmour@weho.org or at (323) 848-6383. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing dial 711 or 1-800-735-2929 (TTY) or 1-800-735-2922 (voice) for California Relay Service (CRS) assistance.

By Danny Jones

BEVERLY HILLS—The city of Beverly Hills announced that it is inviting the public to join the Beverly Hills Fire Department and Beverly Hills Police Department in honoring the 25th anniversary of 9/11.

The event will honor the lives lost, remember the heroes who responded with courage and sacrifice, and stand in solidarity with the families whose lives were forever changed by 9/11.

The event will take place at the Beverly Hills Fire Department located at 445 N. Rexford Drive on Friday, September 11, 2026. It will take place from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Attendees can attend virtually at www.BeverlyHills.org/Live.

The attacks on America on September 11, 2001, where terrorists’ attacks implemented by al-Qaeda that in the destruction of the Twin Towers in Manhattan, New York. A total of 2,977 people were killed during the attacks, that injured thousands of others.

All are welcome and free 2-hour parking is available next to the Beverly Hills Library. For more information, visit BeverlyHIlls911Memorial.org.

By Danny Jones

SANTA MONICA—On Wednesday, August 26, the city of Santa Monica announced that the sixth annual Americana in the Park returns to Gandara Park, 1819 Stewart St., on Sunday, September 13, 1:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. This all-ages event features kid-friendly activities, onsite food trucks and more.

Presented by McCabe’s Guitar Shop in partnership with the city of Santa Monica’s Cultural Affairs Division and KCRW, the free concert will feature local talent including Albert Lee, Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca, Abby Posner & the Big Fall, Jason Luckett, and the Bob Baker Marionettes playing traditional Americana music, as well as its more modern forms. Attendees are asked to bring a blanket, lawn chair and picnic.

The 2026 concert lineup includes:

Albert Lee – Grammy Award-winning British guitarist Albert Lee is a multiple-time recipient of Guitar Player Magazine’s “Best Country Guitarist” and is celebrated by fans and musicians the world over for his fingerstyle and hybrid picking technique. Lee has worked both in the studio and on tour with many notable musicians across a wide range of genres.

Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca – Ricardo Lemvo has established himself as a pioneer with his innovative music blending Afro-Cuban rhythms with pan-African styles (soukous, Angolan semba and kizomba). He embodies the Afro-Latin Diaspora which connects back to Mother Africa via the Cuban clave rhythm. Truly multi-cultural, he is equally at home singing in Spanish, Portuguese, Kimbundu, Turkish, Lingala and Kikongo.

Abby Posner & the Big Fall – Abby Posner is a genre-defying multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and producer originally from the mountains of Colorado. Recently featured on NPR’s Mountain Stage, Posner captivates audiences with a dynamic sound that blends haunting folk with high-energy Americana and infectious, foot-stomping anthems.

Jason Luckett – A singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Jason Luckett blends jazz, soul and samba influences and his work often engages social justice themes. His lyrics and essays appear in multiple anthologies, and he composes for film and theater. Second Saturdays Jazz Night+ with Jason Luckett & Friends is in its third year in Pasadena, Calif.

Bob Baker Marionette Theater – Bob Baker Marionette Theater is the country’s most iconic nonprofit puppet theater and a Los Angeles Cultural-Historical Monument that has served its community with creativity, joy and imagination since 1963. Their mission is to preserve, educate and innovate at the intersection of puppetry and the allied arts.

Americana in the Park is free and open to the public. Public transportation is encouraged. Big Blue Bus Route 43 serves Gandara Park, with buses running every 45 minutes.

Metro Rail’s E Line serves the nearby 26th St./Bergamot Station, with trains operating between East Los Angeles and Downtown Santa Monica every 10 minutes.

By Danny Jones

SHERMAN OAKS—On Wednesday, August 26, the Los Angeles Fire Department battled a grass fire in Sherman Oaks. The fire was reported at 2:09 p.m. at 5600 N. Fulton Avenue. First arriving units report a 1/4 acre of grass and trees are burning along the busway.

Bus traffic was stopped within 2 blocks in each direction of the incident. Street traffic was equally impacted as a result.

The fire was held to 1/2 an acre of light grass and trees. No structures were damaged. The LAFD remained on scene for an extended mop-up period. Street traffic will continue to be impacted through the conclusion of the incident.

The MTA restored bus service at their discretion once the incident has concluded. The cause of the fire has not been disclosed to the public.

By Danny Jones

SHERMAN OAKS—A grocery store employee in Sherman Oaks was stabbed Tuesday, August 25, while taking out the trash, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The attack took place at the Pavilions shopping center at 14845 Ventura Blvd.

According to police, the suspect had been loitering in the area before following the employee into an elevator before 11 p.m. as he was heading down to take out the trash. The suspect approached him on foot, pulled out a knife, and stabbed him before fleeing on foot.

The victim was taken to the hospital, where he is reported to be in stable condition. Law enforcement described the assailant only as a man, possibly wearing glasses. No additional details about the incident have been released.

According to City News Service, a representative for Albertsons, the company that owns Vons and Pavilions stated:

“The safety of our associates and customers is our top priority. We are aware of the incident that occurred outside our store and are focused on supporting our associate. Because this is an active investigation, we cannot provide additional details at this time.”

By Milan Manesh

SHERMAN OAKS—A rider fell off his motorcycle in the fast lane of the southbound 405 Freeway before being struck and killed by other vehicles on Wednesday, August 26. The crash occurred around 11:15 a.m. on the 405 South, just north of the 101 interchange near Burbank Boulevard in Sherman Oaks.

The California Highway Patrol and the Los Angeles Fire Department arrived on scene to administer aid to the victim, but he was pronounced dead at 11:35 a.m. The name and the age of the victim have not been disclosed to the public. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

The CHP set up a hard closure of all southbound lanes, diverting traffic to Burbank Boulevard. Two lanes reopened at about 12:10 p.m., but traffic remained backed up to around Nordhoff Street.

Motorcycles are considered the most dangerous method of transportation not only in California, but in the country, with riders facing a far higher risk of death than occupants of other vehicles. According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, motorcycle fatalities account for about 14 percent of statewide traffic deaths despite motorcycles making up a small share of registered vehicles.

Officials urge riders to wear proper protective gear and keep a safe following distance at all times. The cause of the motorcyclist falling off his bike is under investigation.

By Milan Manesh