Police are investigating how a veteran LAPD firearms instructor wounded another officer in the left hamstring at a training facility when he mistook a loaded handgun for a mock version of the weapon. Monday at the Edward M. Davis Training Facility in Granada Hills as the two instructors, who train new recruits, were transitioning from teaching a class with live firearms to an exercise using mock handguns that look and sound like real weapons but do not discharge bullets.
Parts of the non-firing weapons are marked with orange paint, but the instructor failed to notice he had picked up the wrong handgun, police said. The gun was fired accidentally by Hector Villanueva, 35. The injured officer is expected to return to duty.
An internal investigation was launched. VAN NUYS - Investigators were probing the cause of a fire that gutted a vacant Van Nuys home today. The fire was reported at 1:50 a.
m. today in the 13000 block of Enadia Way, south of Sherman Way, It was knocked down at 2:12 a.m.
, fire officials said. Flames as high as 50 to 60 feet burned through the roof of the structure, which was undergoing remodeling. Apparent drunken man assaults sheriff's deputy An apparently intoxicated man came out of a residence today and swung at a sheriff's deputy, injuring him, while the deputy was conducting a traffic stop, authorities said.
David Burnside of Tulsa, Okla., walked out of a home, at 12:45 a.m.
near Normandie Avenue and West 98th Street and swung at the deputy, authorities said. Burnside, who authorities believe was intoxicated, was related to some people in the car, officials said. The deputy suffered minor injuries but did not require hospitalization.
Burnside was booked on suspicion of an assault on a police officer. Jurors in the Phil Spector murder trial are expected to hear more testimony today from a retired forensic pathologist who said the scientific evidence proves actress Lana Clarkson committed suicide. Spector, 67, is accused of fatally shooting Clarkson, a 40-year-old House of Blues hostess, in the foyer of his Alhambra mansion during the early hours of Feb.
He maintains Clarkson's death was an accidental suicide. $3.21 billion budget for MTA The Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Board of Directors is expected to approve the agency's proposed $3.
121 billion budget today. MTA officials propose spending $1.39 billion, about 44 percent of the budget, on bus operations.
Another $742 million - 23.8 percent of the budget - is earmarked for Metro rail operations. The MTA has proposed $592 million be set aside for highway and other regional transportation programs, such as freeway carpool lanes, sound walls, street widening, traffic coordination and ride-sharing incentives.
The transit agency's debt over the next year will be $308.5 million - 9.9 percent of the budget.
The remainder of the budget, $86 million, is earmarked for transportation planning and other expenses. Lancaster ranked 10th among the 25 fastest-growing big cities in the country. Seven California communities - including two in Los Angeles County - made this year's ranking.
Lancaster has a population of nearly 141,000, up 5 percent over the previous year, according to U.S. The statistics are based on residential construction in cities with populations of 100,000 or more from July 1, 2005, to July 1, 2006.
River to get $2 million for rehab efforts The state will give nearly $2 million to Los Angeles for Los Angeles River revitalization efforts. The city will use the funds to build two miles of a multi-use parkway with recreational elements, two acres of habitat restoration, storm water quality improvement and an educational program along the Los Angeles River. In total, 35 river parkway projects statewide are set to receive $32.
7 million worth of grants as part of the California River Parkways Program during a ceremony scheduled for 10 a.m. in Rancho Cordova, a Sacramento suburb.
The grants, made possible through Proposition 50, will be used by 31 cities, counties, public agencies and nonprofit organizations for the acquisition, restoration, protection and development of areas along rivers, streams and creeks. Curb, former Valley man, to get star on Walk of Fame HOLLYWOOD - Mike Curb, whose music industry breakthrough came in the form of a motorcycle commercial jingle, will receive the 2,341st star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame tomorrow, honoring his work as a songwriter, producer and record company owner. Singer Pat Boone and disc jockey Casey Kasem will join Curb in speaking in the late-morning ceremony in front of Capitol Records.
Curb will receive his star on the day Curb Records releases the soundtrack for the film "Evan Almighty," last weekend's box office champion. 24, 1944, in Savannah, Ga., Curb began performing with his own bands as a student at Grant High School in Van Nuys.
As a freshman at what is now Cal State Northridge, working in the practice rooms of the Department of Music building, Curb wrote, "You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda," which help boost its motorcycle sales. Eastwood to get 'Spirit' award WESTWOOD - Oscar-winning filmmaker and actor Clint Eastwood will receive the "Spirit of Independence Award" today as part of the 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival. Eastwood will receive the award during a private 6 p.
m. reception at the Hammer Museum in Westwood. Tony Bennett, who is the focus of a new documentary for which Eastwood serves as executive producer, will be the presenter at the event, during which emerging filmmakers will hear Eastwood speak about his work and his influences.
Morning commute could be slowed Your morning commute could be slowed today because of a a stretch of the southbound San Diego (405) Freeway in the Westside of Los Angeles was closed for road maintenance. The closure applies between Santa Monica Boulevard and National Boulevard in West Los Angeles, said the California Highway Patrol. Traffic was being taken off the freeway at Santa Monica Boulevard and allowed to re-enter the 405 from National Boulevard.
Temps could get into 90s today Temperatures today are expected to be in the upper 80s and 90s in the San Fernando Valley. Friday will be in the high 80s to mid 90s. In Palmdale, highs are expected to be in the 90s with southwest gusting up to 30 mph this afternoon.
Friday in Palmdale is expected to be in the 90s with west winds up to 30 mph in the afternoon. Santa Clarita could see highs in the lower to mid 90s today with southwest winds up to 20 mph this afternoon. Friday in Santa Clarita could see highs in the lower 90s with southwest up to 20 mph in the afternoon.
For up-to-date news and observations on crime in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, check out the Daily News' crime blog by clicking here. Return to Top Police are investigating how a veteran LAPD firearms instructor wounded another officer in the left hamstring at a training facility when he mistook a loaded handgun for a mock version of the weapon.
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