Look across the vast regions of Los Angeles County and you will probably find an event marking LGBTQ+ Pride this month. From the South Bay to the San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys to, of course, West Hollywood and Hollywood proper, the queer community is putting on parades, flag-raisings, street fairs, arts festivals and marches. These are often seen as twofold: Part freedom of expression, part celebration of their differences with all-comers — both queer and straight. There appear to be more events, though the numbers are not officially counted. Some reasons for an increase could be a back ..read more

Granada Hills Charter School held its 2024 high school graduation on Thursday, May 30 on the field at the school’s John Elway Stadium at its Zelzah Avenue campus. The school’s ceremony welcomed 1,134 graduation candidates, as well as family members who had tickets, to the evening event. Student Liesel Mendoza led the Pledge of Allegiance against the backdrop of a huge U.S. flag, and Jeremy Alexander, among a group of seniors who achieved a grade point average of 4.0 or above, gave a stirring and joyous valedictorian speech. Jessie Ma, the school’s associated student body president, addressed h ..read more

Why sit home staring at a screen when the world is full of free things to do?  Here’s a list of some good local ones for June 2024. Conejo Valley Pop-Up Arts Festival, Thousand Oaks (June 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29) : Enjoy 10 free arts and music events throughout the month on Fridays and Saturdays at different locations. Most start at 7 p.m. bapacthousandoaks.com/show-details/pop-up-arts-music-festival-2024 Discovery Days at Centennial Farm, Costa Mesa (Monday, June 3, 9 a.m. to noon): Fun things to do at this 3-acre demonstration farm, which is also open most days. On Discover ..read more

A San Fernando man who led Pasadena Police on a foot pursuit in April that ended in a scuffle with a police K9 was fatally shot after attempting to reach for a handgun, officials said Tuesday as they released body-worn camera footage of the shooting. Ricardo Guade Andrade, 36, was approached by police on the evening of April 13 while parked in a white pickup truck on Hudson Avenue, near Del Mar Boulevard, police said. His truck was parked in the wrong direction on a one-way street when officers attempted to conduct a check on the vehicle. Andrade turned the engine on and attempted to ..read more

Boy Scouts, from Boy Scouts of America Western Los Angeles County Council, joined community members on Saturday, May 25, in a huge Memorial Day effort to place flags on nearly 90,000 grave sites at the Los Angeles National Cemetery. Avery Foley, 10, and Samantha Avila, 10, with Girl Scout Troop 70656 in Burbank, salute after placing a flag for Memorial Day at the Los Angeles National Cemetery on Saturday, May 25, 2024.(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)   “We are honored to continue the tradition of placing American flags on the graves of our fallen heroes,” said Lee Harris ..read more

  Primrose (A513278) is a gorgeous and outgoing shepherd mix. Just over a year old, this petite (55 pound) lady is fun and adventurous! She’s very active and loves to explore, but she appreciates having her people nearby. Adopt your own walking buddy at Pasadena Humane’s “Free Adoption Day,” 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, May 25. Adoption fees will be waived for all available dogs, cats, and critters thanks to the Carol, Edward, Ariana and Joseph Wong Family Foundation. View adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org. (Photos courtesy of Pasadena Humane)     This column was originally publi ..read more

The Glendale Sunrise Rotary Club, in collaboration with Forest Lawn-Glendale, has set up their “Field of Honor” display of 1,000 American flags on Tuesday, May 21, 2024. The Rotary Club will hold their Memorial Day program, 11 a.m. May 27. Forest Lawn-Glendale holds their Memorial Day program at 1 p.m. May 27. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG) Here is a sampling of Memorial Day events in the Los Angeles area honoring and remembering the men and women who died during active service in the United States armed forces and deceased veterans who served at any time. Open today thr ..read more

Like doughnuts? Well, you can get a free one at participating Krispy Kreme restaurants Saturday, May 18 if you dress like singer-songwriter Dolly Parton, wear a piece of her merch or sing one of her songs. Crazy, right? The give-away is to celebrate Parton’s creation of a signature Krispy Kreme line called the Dolly Southern Sweets Doughnut Collection. This includes doughnuts dipped in strawberry icing with glitter sprinkles, peach filling and brown sugar icing, banana pudding and wafers and a chocolate cream pie with whipped topping. Sweet tooths rejoice. And can anyone say “diabetes?” To get ..read more

  Milo came to Pasadena Humane with a badly broken leg. Thanks to the generosity of the shelter’s supporters, Milo underwent specialized surgery to save his leg. He’s now recovering in a foster home and is expected to fully recover. Milo is the poster pup for Pasadena Humane’s third annual “Day of Giving.” Now through Tuesday, May 21, all gifts up to $60,000 will be quadruple matched thanks to an anonymous donor. Learn more at pasadenahumane.org/give2024 (Photos courtesy of Pasadena Humane)   Today’s Pasadena Humane column is written by Dr. Maria Pyrdek, chief veterinarian at Pasaden ..read more

Federal agents this week arrested four men, including two from Burbank, who a grand jury said were part of a lucrative San Fernando Valley-based drug smuggling business that shipped hundreds of thousands of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills and other drugs to customers nationwide. The four — Alejandra Soto and Austin Blacano, both 21 of Burbank, and Craig Rushton, 23, and Christian McKibben, 20, both of Las Vegas — were hired to pack and ship the drugs as part of a smuggling ring primarily operating online and through the U.S. Postal Service, according to the grand jury’s indictment f ..read more