logo
#

Latest news with #Angelenos

Highly Opinionated: An Eater Editor's Favorite Barbecue in Los Angeles
Highly Opinionated: An Eater Editor's Favorite Barbecue in Los Angeles

Eater

time16 hours ago

  • Entertainment
  • Eater

Highly Opinionated: An Eater Editor's Favorite Barbecue in Los Angeles

When it comes to barbecue, there are as many opinions as there are styles. Los Angeles might not be the hotbed of barbecue like Texas, Kansas City, Memphis, or the Carolinas, but there is still plenty of top-quality smoked meats to be found. Southern California pitmasters have to deal with stringent air quality standards and often difficult permitting processes, but once set up, there's no reason why the barbecue can't be as good as the best in Austin or Dallas. Those places certainly have a deep, decades-long tradition of barbecue with hundreds of practitioners, but I would submit any of my favorite places in Los Angeles as top-tier. Don't just take my word for it, even famed Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn has praised these restaurants. Here are my favorite barbecue places to try around town. Waiting for barbecue at Snow's in Lexington, Texas in 2015. Matthew Kang The counter at Snow's BBQ in Texas in 2015. Matthew Kang The overall favorite: Moo's Craft Barbecue in Lincoln Heights Meats and more from Moo's Craft Barbecue in Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles. Matthew Kang In 2021, Andrew and Michelle Muñoz's longtime pop-up Moo's Craft Barbecue established a permanent home in Lincoln Heights, capturing a casual blend of walk-up-style Texas barbecue sprinkled with a good dose of California and Mexican flavor. Their brisket is irreproachable, balanced with juiciness and heavy oak smoke flavor without being overwhelming. Ribs, turkey breast, and jalapeño cheddar sausages are also fantastic, everything smoked to a high-level of detail in large pit smokers in the back. What I especially enjoy about Moo's is the sides, like esquites, tangy and crunchy coleslaw, and saucy brisket beans. Andrew takes on LA-style flavors with the Korean barbecue pork belly burnt ends, which tug at my Korean heart with a balance of sweetness and rich smokiness. Sitting out on the patio with a dozen friends, diving into the Muñozs' barbecue with my hands, and experiencing all of it together, I feel an incredible amount of comfort and joy. Michelle especially brings a welcome level of service to the barbecue experience that's rare in the mostly male arena. A meal here is the exact kind of seasoning, smoke, and creativity that Moo's brings to every tray, and what makes this place a world-class barbecue destination. Worth a journey and a wait: Heritage Barbecue in San Juan Capistrano Smoked meats, brisket, chicken, sides, and beef rib at Heritage Barbecue in San Juan Capistrano. Stan Lee It was very difficult to make a choice between Moo's Craft Barbecue and Heritage Barbecue, Daniel Castillo's immense smoked meat destination down in San Juan Capistrano. The drive down takes about an hour for most Angelenos, and probably even half that for those living in the more densely populated parts of Orange County. Once there, Heritage captures the feeling of Austin, its mostly outdoor seating sprawled across a skinny plot of land, the big steel smokers billowing out wood aromas throughout the morning. Folks line up for hours just like in Texas, marinating in the smoke while they work up an appetite. Yet instead of cattle auctions or warehouses (like at Snow's in Lexington), there's a historic California mission across the street, its church bells ringing right when Heritage opens at 11 a.m. Castillo and his team's prowess with the smoker is evident with the entire array of the dishes at Heritage of which there are something like 19 depending on how you count. The smoked meats are much more diverse than what one would find in Texas, including whole smoked chicken, maple-glazed pork ribs, and even tri-tip, something more associated with Central California/Santa Maria-style barbecue. Depending on the day, char siu pork belly, whole beef ribs, and a burger will show up as specials. Across the board, Heritage's meats are amazing, deeply smoky, highly peppered, and well-seasoned. Close your eyes, and the brisket is as luscious and evocative as the best in Texas. The beef rib doesn't reach the heights of say, Black's Barbecue in Lockhart, but it is also terrific. Instead of turkey breast, it's nice to see chicken here for non-red-meat eaters, and the heavy herb seasoning balances nicely with the smoke. The sides are also highly complementary, like Korean-style chile pickles that would please a grandmother (kimchi and American food usually spooks me out but it really works here). The spiral macaroni and cheese is dense and salty and hearty beans almost look like Texas chili until you look at the actual cheese-topped chili, rich enough to feed a trucker for an entire day. Queso comes with crisp tortilla chips, while a peach and cherry tomato salad brings a welcome summery freshness. Castillo and the kitchen go absolutely beyond the call to create a meal brimming with excellence, so it's not hard to imagine why he was a 2025 James Beard Award finalist for Best Chef: California. Will Heritage eventually join the four Michelin-starred barbecue spots in Texas (LeRoy & Lewis, Interstellar, La Barbecue, and Corkscrew)? I definitely think it should. Another excellent spot for Texas-style barbecue: Ray's Barbecue in Huntington Park Smoked meats and sides from Ray's Barbecue. Matthew Kang Ray Ramirez was one of the most consummate hospitality professionals I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. Prior to his untimely death in 2022, he served my wife and me an ample tray of Texas-style brisket, ribs, sausage, and pulled pork. His sides of macaroni and cheese, vinegary cole slaw, and potato salad were great but I most loved the Salvadoran-inflected rice and beans studded with bits of meat. Ramirez left behind an amazing legacy of working-class barbecue in the heart of Huntington Park, a neighborhood just south of Vernon set in the middle of an industrial zone. His two sons Raul and Sebastian along with his wife Anabell, continue his work serving barbecue worthy of Texas Monthly's Vaughn. A recent visit confirmed my first experience. The brisket here is juicy and well-smoked while the ribs are competition-level. The well-browned jalapeño cheddar sausage is also delightful. The damp coleslaw still conjures pupusa-style curtido, while the seasoned rice remains difficult to stop eating. Ramirez taught his sons well, and Ray's continues to be one of the best barbecue places in Los Angeles. Pro tip: out of the top three barbecue spots I selected, Ray's is the only one open on Tuesdays. Other excellent barbecue spots around town: Domestic BBQ in La Puente. Matthew Kang Domestic BBQ La Puente (and Covina) barbecue destination Domestic straddles that happy medium between Texas and California, serving well-smoked meats and very good sides like bacon-topped macaroni and cheese. The tri-tip here hews closer to Santa Maria-style, slightly dried out (dip it into the side of jus to re-moisten) but smoky enough, while the brisket will certainly be tender. The ribs were a standalone, as was the extra-long smoked sausage. In all, its very handy barbecue hangout with an impressive craft beer selection for those located in east San Gabriel Valley. Bludso's BBQ I've always enjoyed Bludso's, a place very conducive to hanging out with friends and catching a ballgame on the screens. Founder Kevin Bludso's Texas-style barbecue is very consistent, with moderate smoke and high-quality meats. The beef ribs are probably the best overall meat (as they are at most barbecue joints) but the turkey is a nice respite from beef. Smoked wings are another specialty worth trying as an appetizer. Maple Block Meat Co. Finding good barbecue in central parts of Los Angeles isn't always easy. Maple Block Meat Co. has been a reliable place for smoked meats since it opened in Culver City in 2015. Recently, the menu, under the direction of talented pitmaster Rudy Suazo, has taken a turn to Mexican flavors, like brisket tacos, smoked carnitas tortas, esquites, and smoked carne en su jugo, but the main part of the smoked meats leans Texas-style. Smoke Queen Barbecue Winnie Yee's distinct Asian-style barbecue comes out of three massive 1,000-gallon smokers and a welcoming cottage in the city of Garden Grove, where fans line up to try the pitmadam's smoked char siu, crispy siu yuk pork belly, and beef brisket. Yee's approach aims for balance, with sweetness and smoke interplaying with spice and texture. Her mapo chili will bring on a flavor likely unseen in places like Texas, while spicy cucumber pickles wouldn't look out of place at a Sichuan restaurant. Eater LA All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

George Lucas gave a sneak peek of the Lucas Museum at Comic-Con
George Lucas gave a sneak peek of the Lucas Museum at Comic-Con

Time Out

time19 hours ago

  • Entertainment
  • Time Out

George Lucas gave a sneak peek of the Lucas Museum at Comic-Con

The Force was strong in San Diego over the weekend as George Lucas made his Comic-Con debut. The Star Wars creator joined Oscar-winning artist and Lucasfilm senior vice president Doug Chiang, Oscar-winning filmmaker and Lucas Museum board member Guillermo del Toro and panel moderator Queen Latifah to talk about what Angelenos—and the scores of people the museum will undoubtedly draw to L.A.—have to look forward to from the eagerly awaited Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. 'We're here today because my dear friend Goerge wanted to create a space where anyone could come and be inspired by the same art that inspired him,' Queen Latifah said to introduce Lucas. And while it was light on concrete details (like a specific opening date), the panel featured an interesting discussion of the upcoming museum that drew over 6,000 to Hall H on the final day of this year's Comic-Con. The creative minds assembled talked about the importance of narrative art—which 'tells the story of a society' and its common beliefs, according to Lucas—and shared some of the highlights of the museum's collection. Speaking to the Comic-Con crowd about the mission of the museum, Lucas explained that he's worked with hundreds of illustrators in his career, but lamented the fact that they don't receive enough recognition. To that end, he said his museum will be 'a temple to the people's art.' On his part, Chiang said he hopes that the Lucas Museum 'will inspire the next Norman Rockwell or Frank Frazetta.' And now for a bit of background on the museum itself. By now you're likely familiar with the verdant spaceship that's landed in Exposition Park between the Natural History Museum and the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. The curvaceous building topped with solar panels and gardens adds something decidedly different to L.A.'s architectural scene. Work on the $1-billion museum first broke ground in March 2018 after Los Angeles was chosen as the museum's home (San Francisco and Chicago were the other contenders). But due to delays including pandemic-related supply-chain issues, the opening date has been pushed back from 2021 to 2022 to 2023 to 2025 to finally (fingers crossed!) 2026. Situated on 11 acres, once it's completed the five-story, 300,000-square-foot museum will feature not only gallery space but two state-of-the-art theaters, as well as classrooms, a library, dining options and a gift shop. Outside, the lush landscaping is a draw unto itself—the green spaces will double as a public park open to all, no ticket needed. Inside the galleries, you'll find more than an institutionalized shrine to Star Wars, as might be expected. In fact, the 'Narrative Art' part of the museum's moniker reflects a collection Lucas has been amassing for the past 50 years, made up of tens of thousands of artworks that reflect the importance of illustrated storytelling. So you'll find pieces by Norman Rockwell, Frida Kahlo, Jack Kirby, R. Crumb, Beatrix Potter, N.C. Wyeth, photographer Dorothea Lange and more modern names like cartoonist Alison Bechdel all under the same roof—in short, something for everyone. Some recently announced collection highlights include the first-ever Flash Gordon comic strip, an original splash page from Black Panther (1968) and original Peanuts strips from the 1950s and '60s.

Celebrated Los Angeles philanthropist Wallis Annenberg dies at 86
Celebrated Los Angeles philanthropist Wallis Annenberg dies at 86

USA Today

time2 days ago

  • Business
  • USA Today

Celebrated Los Angeles philanthropist Wallis Annenberg dies at 86

Wallis Annenberg used her family's publishing-industry fortune to help transform the arts, research, social issues and the environment around LA. Publishing heiress and billionaire philanthropist Wallis Annenberg, a longtime supporter of the arts, wildlife, education and the elderly through her family foundation, died July 28 at her home in Los Angeles. She was 86. Annenberg's death was confirmed by the Annenberg Foundation. The cause was complications of lung cancer, the Los Angeles Times reported. The heiress of her father Walter Annenberg's publishing empire, Wallis Annenberg worked for her father's company, Triangle Publications, which included titles such as TV Guide. She stepped in as vice president of her family's charitable foundation following her father's death in 2002, and as chair after the death of her stepmother, Leonore, in 2009. For more than 20 years, Annenberg oversaw more than $3 billion in charitable grants and donations to projects, many of which bear her name. They include the Wallis Annenberg Building at the California Science Center in Exposition Park and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, affectionately known as "The Wallis." Robert van Leer, executive director & CEO of The Wallis, said in a statement that Annenberg believed in the capacity of the arts to unite people from all walks of life and bring about meaningful change. "In honoring her memory, we commit to continuing her work by championing diverse voices and nurturing the next generation of artists and audiences," van Leer said. "Her vision will continue to inspire us as we carry forth her mission at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts." The world's largest wildlife crossing: The Wallis Annenberg Crossing, a historic highway overpass for animals that cost nearly $100 million, is almost done Annenberg also contributed to the upcoming Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, which claims to be the world's largest, spanning 10 lanes on the 101 Freeway in the Santa Monica Mountains. The overpass will allow wildlife to cross freely above one of the nation's busiest highways. In a statement, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Wallis Annenberg's leadership transformed the city in profound and lasting ways. "There are unhoused Angelenos sleeping inside because of her. There are young people throughout the city expanding their horizons and exposure to the arts and sciences in new and exciting ways because of her," Bass said. "There are institutions, museums, as well as public spaces like beaches and parks that are enhanced and improved because of her. "Put simply ‒ Los Angeles is stronger because of her. Her legacy of generosity will live on forever through the many lives changed by her service." Gov. Gavin Newsom described Annenberg as a visionary who believed not just in a better world, but in a kinder one. "She worked on broader societal issues, including funding medical research, economic development, and environmental protection, but she deeply believed in supporting the American right to the pursuit of happiness," Newsom said in a statement. "She was always determined to find new ways to help people achieve a better, more joyful quality of life, and above all else, to help people connect with each other." Wallis Annenberg is survived by four children and five grandchildren.

Raising a family, doing business in California not easy, In-N-Out boss says
Raising a family, doing business in California not easy, In-N-Out boss says

Los Angeles Times

time3 days ago

  • Business
  • Los Angeles Times

Raising a family, doing business in California not easy, In-N-Out boss says

There's something about In-N-Out that strikes a fierce if not irrational sense of pride among many Angelenos and Southern Californians. There are several fan clubs and awards, including Yelp's No. 1 Fast Food chain honor earlier this year and Market Force's 2022 'best burger experience.' For some reason, there isn't the same fervor for Southern California's own McDonald's, one of the top 10 brands in the world, or for Santa Barbara's The Habit, which beat In-N-Out in July 2024 for USA Today's best fast food burger accolade. Times readers even lambasted former food columnist Lucas Kwan Peterson when he placed L.A.'s Fatburger atop his fast food burger rankings in 2022. Maybe that's what made the news that Lynsi Snyder, billionaire owner and chief executive of the iconic Baldwin Park brand, was leaving the Golden State last week all the more jarring. Colleague Piper Heath broke down the announcement Monday, while columnist Lorraine Ali opined on what the decision meant. Snyder made an appearance on the podcast 'Relatable' on July 18, hosted by conservative commentator Allie Beth Stuckey. During the interview, Snyder uttered a statement that created shockwaves locally. 'There's a lot of great things about California, but raising a family is not easy here. Doing business is not easy here,' she said as part of her announcement that her business was continuing its eastward expansion. The move to Tennessee represents a seismic shift for the leader of the brand. Currently operating more than 400 locations across eight states — California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, Colorado, Texas and Idaho — In-N-Out has long thrived on being the burger chain you couldn't find everywhere. Snyder's comments set off a disinformation blitz, launching the Double-Double into the middle of a red-state/blue-state culture war where, clearly, nothing is sacred, Ali wrote. Anti-Cali factions incorrectly crowed about yet another business fleeing the West Coast. More proof that Gov. Gavin Newsom's 'failing' state sucks! It appeared that In-N-Out was following Tesla and Charles Schwab, companies that cited regulatory challenges and operational costs among their reasons for relocating. Chevron also fled. Many in SoCal felt abandoned and disrespected. They, after all, propped up the chain for 76 years, only to be told by its owner that the place that made her family's business — their home — is no longer to her liking. On X, Oracle Park Seagull posted ''Not easy for In N Out to do business in California…' Said the person who became a billionaire doing business almost exclusively in California. So much so, it was a point of pride for the chain. Gotcha.' During the podcast, Snyder discussed elements of California policy that make the state hard to operate in, referencing pandemic-era restrictions as particularly challenging. She told Stuckey 'the bulk of our stores are still going to be here in California.' The relocation of both corporate operations and the CEO signals a fundamental change in the company's center of gravity. 'It will be wonderful having an office out there, growing out there, and being able to have the family and other people's families out there,' Snyder said, though she maintains limits on expansion. Newsom even chimed in, starting his X post with, 'For those interested in the facts, rather than fiction, In-N-Out is expanding East — creating a second HQ in Tennessee.' Snyder responded Monday in an Instagram post: 'Where I raise my family has nothing to do with my love and appreciation for our customers in California.' Immigration and ICE raids Trump Administration policy, actions and pushback Crime, courts and policing Health and medicine Get wrapped up in tantalizing stories about dating, relationships and marriage. Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team Jim Rainey, staff writerDiamy Wang, homepage internIzzy Nunes, audience internKevinisha Walker, multiplatform editorAndrew J. Campa, reporterKarim Doumar, head of newsletters How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@ Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on

L.A.'s bid to rewrite its City Charter starts off with a spicy leadership battle
L.A.'s bid to rewrite its City Charter starts off with a spicy leadership battle

Los Angeles Times

time4 days ago

  • Politics
  • Los Angeles Times

L.A.'s bid to rewrite its City Charter starts off with a spicy leadership battle

Good morning, and welcome to L.A. on the Record — our City Hall newsletter. It's David Zahniser, with an assist from Julia Wick, giving you the latest on city and county government. Here you thought charter reform would be boring. A 13-member citizens commission is just getting started on the painstaking, generally unsexy work of poring through the Los Angeles City Charter, the city's governing document, and coming up with strategies for improving it. Yet already, the commission has had a leadership battle, heard allegations of shady dealings and fielded questions about whether it's been set up to fail. But first, let's back up. Mayor Karen Bass, City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson and former Council President Paul Krekorian chose a collection of volunteers to serve on the Charter Reform Commission, which is charged with exploring big and small changes to the City Charter. The commission is part of a much larger push for reform sparked by the city's 2022 audio leak scandal and a string of corruption cases involving L.A. officials. The list of potential policy challenges the commission faces is significant. Good government types want the new commission to endorse ranked-choice voting, with Angelenos selecting their elected officials by ranking candidates in numerical order. Advocacy groups want to see a much larger City Council. Some at City Hall want clarity on what to do with elected officials who are accused of wrongdoing but have not been convicted. 'You are not one of those commissions that shows up every few years to fix a few things here or there,' said Raphael Sonenshein, who served nearly 30 years ago as executive director of the city's appointed Charter Reform Commission, while addressing the new commission last week. 'You actually have a bigger responsibility than that.' The real work began on July 16, when the commission took up the question of who should be in charge. Many thought the leadership post would immediately go to Raymond Meza, who had already been serving as the interim chair. Instead, the panel found itself deadlocked. Meza is a high-level staffer at Service Employees International Union Local 721, the powerful public employee union that represents thousands of city workers and has been a big-money spender in support of Bass and many other elected city officials. Meza, who was appointed by Bass earlier this year, picked up five votes. But so did Ted Stein, a real estate developer who has served on an array of city commissions — planning, airport, harbor — but hadn't been on a volunteer city panel in nearly 15 years. Faced with a stalemate, charter commissioners decided to try again a few days later, when they were joined by two additional members. By then, some reform advocates were up in arms over Stein, arguing that he was bringing a record of scandal to the commission. They sent the commissioners news articles pointing out that Stein had, among other things, resigned from the airport commission in 2004 amid two grand jury investigations into whether city officials had tied the awarding of airport contracts to campaign contributions. Stein denied those allegations in 2004, calling them 'false, defamatory and unsubstantiated.' Last week, before the second leadership vote, he shot back at his critics, noting that two law enforcement agencies — the U.S. attorney's office and the L.A. County district attorney's office — declined to pursue charges against him. The Ethics Commission also did not bring a case over his airport commission activities. 'I was forced to protect my good name by having to hire an attorney and having to spend over $200,000 in legal fees [over] something where I had done nothing wrong,' he told his fellow commissioners. The city reimbursed Stein for the vast majority of those legal costs. Stein accused Meza of orchestrating some of the outside criticism — which Meza later denied. And Stein spent so much time defending his record that he had little time to say why he should be elected. Still, the vote was close, with Meza securing seven votes and Stein picking up five. Meza called the showdown 'unfortunate.' L.A. voters, he said, 'want to see the baton passed to a new generation of people.' The 40-year-old Montecito Heights resident made clear that he supports an array of City Charter changes. In an interview, Meza said he's 'definitely in favor' of ranked-choice voting, arguing that it would increase voter turnout. He also supports an increase in the number of City Council members but wouldn't say how many. And he wants to ensure that vacant positions are filled more quickly at City Hall, calling it an issue that 'absolutely needs to be addressed.' That last item has long been a concern for SEIU Local 721, where Meza works as deputy chief of staff. Nevertheless, Meza said he would, to an extent, set aside the wishes of his union during the commission's deliberations. 'On the commission, I am an individual resident of the city,' he said. Stein, for his part, told The Times that he only ran for the leadership post out of concern over the commission's tight timeline. The commission must submit its proposal to the council next spring — a much more aggressive schedule than the one required of two charter reform commissions nearly 30 years ago. Getting through so many complex issues in such a brief period calls for an experienced hand, said Stein, who is 76 and lives in Encino. Stein declined to say where he stands on council expansion and ranked-choice voting. He said he's already moved on from the leadership vote and is ready to dig into the commission's work. Meza, for his part, said he has heard the concerns about the aggressive schedule. But he remains confident the commission will be successful. 'I don't think we have the best conditions,' he said. 'But I do not believe we've been set up to fail. I'm very confident the commissioners will do what's needed to turn in a good product.' — STRICTLY BUSINESS: A group of L.A. business leaders launched a ballot proposal to repeal the city's much-maligned gross receipts tax, saying it would boost the city's economy and lower prices for Angelenos. The mayor and several other officials immediately panned the idea, saying it would deprive the city's yearly budget of $800 million, forcing cuts to police, firefighters and other services. — INCHING FORWARD: Meanwhile, another ballot proposal from the business community — this one backed by airlines and the hotel industry — nudged closer to reality. Interim City Clerk Petty Santos announced that the proposed referendum on the $30-per-hour tourism minimum wage had 'proceeded to the next step,' with officials now examining and verifying petition signatures to determine their validity. — GRIM GPS: The Los Angeles County Fire Department had only one truck stationed west of Lake Avenue in Altadena at a critical moment during the hugely destructive Eaton fire, according to vehicle tracking data analyzed by The Times. By contrast, the agency had dozens of trucks positioned east of Lake. All but one of the deaths attributed to the Eaton fire took place west of Lake. — CHANGE OF PLANS: On Monday, Bass nominated consultant and Community Coalition board member Mary Lee to serve on the five-member Board of Police Commissioners. Two days later, in a brief email, Lee withdrew from consideration. Reached by The Times, Lee cited 'personal reasons' for her decision but did not elaborate. (The mayor's office had nothing to add.) Lee would have replaced former commissioner Maria 'Lou' Calanche, who is running against Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez in the June 2026 election. — SEMPER GOODBYE: The Pentagon announced Monday that the roughly 700 Marines who have been deployed to the city since early June would be withdrawing, a move cheered by Bass and other local leaders who have criticized the military deployment that followed protests over federal immigration raids. About 2,000 National Guard troops remain in the region. — HALTING HEALTHCARE: L.A. County's public health system, which provides care to the region's neediest residents, could soon face brutal budget cuts. The 'Big Beautiful Bill,' enacted by President Trump and the Republican-led Congress, is on track to carve $750 million per year out of the Department of Health Services, which oversees four public hospitals and roughly two dozen clinics. At the Department of Public Health, which is facing its own $200-million cut, top executive Barbara Ferrer said: 'I've never actually seen this much disdain for public health.' — HOMELESS HIRE: The commission that oversees the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority selected Gita O'Neill, a career lawyer in the city attorney's office, to serve as the agency's interim CEO. O'Neill will replace Va Lecia Adams Kellum, who stepped down Friday after more than two years in her post. — THE JURY SPEAKS: The city has been ordered by a jury to pay $48.8 million to a man who has been in a coma since he was hit by a sanitation truck while crossing a street in Encino. The verdict comes as the city struggles with escalating legal payouts — and was larger than any single payout by the city in the last two fiscal years, according to data provided by the city attorney's office. — LOOKING FOR A LIAISON: Back in May, while signing an executive directive to support local film and TV production, L.A.'s mayor was asked whether she planned to appoint a film liaison as the City Hall point person for productions. 'Absolutely,' Bass said during the news conference, adding that she planned to do so within a few days. That was two months ago. Asked this week about the status of that position, Bass spokesperson Clara Karger touted the executive directive and said the position was 'being hired in conjunction with industry leaders.' She did not provide a timeline. That's it for this week! Send your questions, comments and gossip to LAontheRecord@ Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Saturday morning.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store