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LOS ANGELES >> The music manager who helped introduce N.W.A to the masses has died. Jerry Heller was 75 years old. Heller’s cousin, Gary Ballen, says Heller died Friday night at a hospital in Thousand Oaks after suffering a heart attack while driving earlier in the day. Heller co-founded Ruthless Records with Eazy-E, which released N.W.A’s seminal album “Straight Outta Compton” in 1988, launching the West Coast gangsta rap movement. Ruthless was also behind such artists as J.J. Fad, Michel’le and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Actor Paul Giamatti played the veteran music manager in last year’s hit film “Straight Outta Compton.” Heller sued the film’s producers for defamation after its release,...

Flanked by his wife and two daughters, Kobeu2009Bryant gried wide Wednesday as the Losu2009Angeles City Council declared Aug.u200924 to be Kobeu2009Bryant Day. Bryant’s wife, Vanessa, is pregnant with the couple’s third daughter, and the retired Lakers superstar told his other two girls, Natalia and Giaa, they would need to help explain to their sister why Bryant had a day named in his honor. • PHOTOS: City of LA celebrates Kobe Bryant Day in council chambers “She’s going to have no idea that I was actually an OK basketball player,” he joked. Bryant retired from the Lakers in April, after 20u2009seasons, five championships and rising to No.u20093 on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Aug.u200...

Los Angeles, San Feando Valley, Santa Monica area American Cinematheque at the Aero: Jerry Lewis Movies: “The Nutty Professor” (1963) and “The Ladies Man” (1961), 7:30 p.m. Aug. 26; “The King of Comedy” (1982) and “Fuy Bones” (1995), 7:30 p.m. Aug. 27; “Artists and Models” (1955) and “Hollywood or Bust” (1956), 7:30 p.m. Aug. 28. “My Inteship in Canada” (2015), 7:30 p.m. Aug. 29. Most tickets $11; $9 seniors and students. 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica. 323-466-3456. www.americancinematheque.com Beverly Cinema: “The Knack...and How to Get It” (1965), 7:30, with “Petulia” (1968), 9:25 p.m. Aug. 26-27. “Kill Bill: Vol. 2” (2004), 11:59 p.m. Aug. 26. Kiddie Matinee: “Safety Last!” (1923), 2 p...

When a building on the north end of Ports O’ Call Village comes down this fall, it will signal the start of what is expected to be a long process to redevelop San Pedro’s waterfront area. But as for the shops and restaurants that remain at Ports O’ Call, not to worry — none of them are going anywhere soon. The first phase of the plaed development includes just the northe portion of the village — Berths 78, 79 and 80 — that will be renamed the San Pedro Public Market. Businesses such as Ports O’ Call Restaurant and many of the other shops that are situated south of that, at Berths 75-77, will be part of a second phase and are not being affected in the initial demolition or construction. Succ...

Country music’s Stagecoach Festival is set to ride out with Old Dominion and Steve Moakler on a new tour that stops in L.A. Tickets for the Stagecoach Spotlight: Old Dominion Meat and Candy Tour go on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday to the general public — and as soon as Tuesday for fans who head to Old Dominion’s website. The show — with Old Dominion as headliners and Moakler as special guest — is set for Dec. 3 at Novo by Microsoft. “Stagecoach Spotlight Tour allows us to continue and strengthen artist relationships outside of a festival setting as well as creating awareness of the festival nationwide,” said Stacy Vee, talent buyer for Stagecoach and the inaugural Stagecoach Spotlight Tour in an ...

Ryan Lochte lost two major sponsors when Speedo USA and Ralph Lauren aounced Monday they were dumping the swimmer over a drunken incident during the Rio Olympics that he initially described as an armed robbery. Speedo USA also said it would donate $50,000 of Lochte’s fee to Save The Children to benefit needy youngsters in Brazil. “While we have enjoyed a wiing relationship with Ryan for over a decade and he has been an important member of the Speedo team, we caot condone behavior that is counter to the values this brand has long stood for,” the swimsuit giant said in a brief statement. “We appreciate his many achievements and hope he moves forward and leas from this experience.” Shortly aft...

NEW YORK >> American swimmer Ryan Lochte said he over-exaggerated what happened at a Rio de Janeiro gas station and acknowledged it was his “immature behavior” that got him and three teammates into a mess that consumed the final days of the Olympics. Lochte, in a portion of an interview with NBC’s Matt Lauer that aired Saturday, continued backtracking from a story that he initially described as an armed robbery. Police have said the swimmers vandalized a bathroom after a night of partying and armed guards confronted them and asked them to pay for the damage. “It’s how you want to make it look like,” Lochte said. “Whether you call it a robbery or whether you call it extortion or us jus...

RIO DE JANEIRO — Three American Olympic swimmers plaed to meet with Brazilian law enforcement Thursday to discuss a reported robbery targeting 12-time medalist Ryan Lochte and his teammates, a U.S. Olympic Committee official said. USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky said late Thursday moing that Jack Conger, Guar Bentz and Jimmy Feigen were scheduling a time and place to meet with authorities. “All are represented by counsel and being appropriately supported by the USOC and the U.S. Consulate in Rio,” Sandusky said. Conger and Bentz were released by local authorities early Thursday after being pulled from a flight at the Rio de Janeiro airport amid uncertainty over what truly took place during ...

RIO DE JANEIRO >> A Brazilian judge ordered Wednesday that the passports of American swimmers Ryan Lochte and Jimmy Feigen be seized, confining them to the country as authorities investigate their claim they were robbed at gunpoint during the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. It was not immediately clear whether the swimmers were still in Brazil. The office of Judge Keyla Blank confirmed the order Wednesday in a statement. The U.S. Olympic Committee said police went to the athletes village Wednesday moing to try to collect the passports, but the swim team had already moved out. Spokesman Patrick Sandusky declined to say whether Lochte and Feigen were still in the country. “As part of our stand...

RIO DE JANEIRO >> Ryan Lochte and three other American swimmers were robbed at gunpoint early Sunday by thieves posing as police officers who stopped their taxi and took their money and belongings, the U.S. Olympic Committee said. In the latest security incident to hit the Rio de Janeiro Games, Lochte told NBC that one of the robbers put a gun to his forehead before taking his wallet. No one was injured. Lochte and his teammates were retuing to the athletes village by taxi after a night out at the French Olympic team’s hospitality house in the Rodrigo de Freitas area in the upscale south zone of the city. The outing was several hours after Olympic swimming ended Saturday night at the R...

Few things are as aoying to us Southe Califoians as the constant traffic gridlock we often face on freeways and surface streets. And it impacts business — big time. On any given day, scores of Southland employees arrive late for work because they’re grappling with a traffic backup or a road construction project that always seems to be going on at the most inopportune time. When employees arrive late that means they’re late in getting their day started. So that important meeting or project they were intending to tackle will have to wait, or in some cases be postponed until the following day. One employee arriving late to work might not have a significant impact. But multiply that by the hund...

LOS ANGELES — Delta Airlines lifted a ground stop today that was ordered after a power outage in Atlanta wreaked havoc with the company’s computer systems, the airline aounced. A statement on the airline’s website, posted at 5:40 a.m., said the ground stop “has been lifted and limited departures are resuming following a power outage in Atlanta that impacted Delta computer systems and operations worldwide.” “Cancellations and delays continue,” the airline said. “Customers heading to the airport(s) should expect delays and cancellations. While inquiries are high and wait times are long, our customer service agents are doing everything they can to assist. There may also be some lag time in the ...

LOS ANGELES — Pitbull was sued by a former manager who alleges he is owed commissions for helping the rapper jump-start his career. Charles Chavez is the CEO of Latium Entertainment Inc. The lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court lists the company as the plaintiff. • PHOTOS: Pitbull picks up a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame The suit alleges breach of an oral agreement. It also seeks a court order directing the rapper to pay Latium 10 percent of all recording and publishing income from six albums recorded from 2007-13 to provide an accounting to determine how much money Pitbull owes the company. The suit also seeks more than $1 million in damages. A representative for the 35...

Defendants already charged with murdering a Downey police officer Nov. 18 engaged in a crime spree of shooting and robbery prior to the shooting the same night, Los Angeles County prosecutors aounced Tuesday. New charges stemming from those crimes have been filed, and an attempted murder charge was filed against a fourth defendant, a woman said to be to the girlfriend of one of the men accused with killing Downey Police Officer Ricardo “Ricky” Galvez, 29. That charge stems from a separate crime alleged to have been committed last October at a Montebello convenience store, according to the Los Angeles County District Attoey’s office. Galvez, a five-year member of Downey’s police force who pr...

Defendants already charged with murdering a Downey police officer Nov. 18 engaged in a crime spree of shooting and robbery prior to the shooting the same night, Los Angeles County prosecutors aounced Tuesday. New charges stemming from those crimes have been filed, and an attempted murder charge was filed against a fourth defendant, a woman said to be to the girlfriend of one of the men accused with killing Downey Police Officer Ricardo “Ricky” Galvez, 29. That charge stems from a separate crime alleged to have been committed last October at a Montebello convenience store, according to the Los Angeles County District Attoey’s office. Galvez, a five-year member of Downey’s police force who pr...

A 27-year-old San Ysidro woman was arrested when federal customs agents discovered more than 11 pounds of crystal methamphetamine hidden in the lining of her suitcase at Los Angeles Inteational Airport, authorities said Wednesday. The woman’s hidden cargo was found July 18 when she arrived from Guadalajara, Mexico, and was referred for secondary inspection because of her nervous behavior, authorities said. An inspection found a false compartment containing tape-wrapped packages of crystalized methamphetamine. “Once again, the training, expertise and commitment of our LAX CBP officers prevented dangerous narcotics from entering and harming our community,” CBP Los Angeles Area Port Director M...

The board overseeing the Port of Long Beach unanimously approved a $46.4 million program intended to lessen pollution damage on the surrounding community. Lori A Guzman, president of the Harbor Commission, called the vote on Monday night before a room full of neighbors and activists “historic” and a “legacy” the commissioners should be proud of. “There is no other port in the world that is doing something like this,” Guzman said. “This will lead other ports globally to change the way they think.” The program is an acknowledgement of the harm done to the community where asthma rates are higher than other parts of the county. More than a dozen residents and community workers who live and work...

As the 33,000-acre Sand fire in Santa Clarita spread on Monday, officials proclaimed a local emergency. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is set to ratify the local emergency at Tuesday’s Board meeting. This would assist in the “reimbursement for all of the fire fighting, but more importantly, helping those who have been in danger as a result of that fire,” said county Supervisor Mike Antonovich. • RELATED: The Sand fire - Day 4: What you need to know today • PHOTOS: The Sand fire continues buing on Day 4 • VIDEO: John Tripp of LA County Fire: Things got worse on Sunday Already, 18 homes have been destroyed, with about 20,000 people evacuated. The fire is 10 percent contained. Res...

The Port of Long Beach plans to put a pricetag on the environmental damage it causes the community, a figure some residents say isn’t hardly high enough to cover the true cost. The body overseeing the port will vote Monday to pay $46.4 million to a compensation fund used to help residents deal with pollution and other environmental impacts created by the nation’s second busiest seaport. Lori A Guzman, president of the Harbor Commission, called it an example of the port’s “longstanding and long-term commitment to the environment and the community.” Mitigation grants are nothing unusual at the ports of Los Angeles or Long Beach, the single largest source of pollution in Southe Califoia. But w...

LONG BEACH — All coastal beaches in Long Beach remain closed following Monday’s 2.4 million-gallon sewage spill near downtown Los Angeles, even after a stretch of coastline in Seal Beach was reopened to swimmers and surfers on Thursday following a roughly three-day closure. The Orange County Health Care Agency aounced Thursday that water testing showed bacteria levels were within acceptable health standards, and the ocean in Seal Beach between the San Gabriel River Mouth and Anaheim Bay was re-opened. Health officials in Long Beach said Wednesday that an initial round of testing came back mostly clean, but further tests showed that bacteria levels still had not dropped enough for the beache...