185 speed cameras are going live in Los Angeles

Over a single week in September, Malibu's handful of speed cameras clocked about 100,000 speed violations

https://patch.com/california/los-angeles/amp/34943330/ca-about-to-go-pedal-to-the-metal-on-speed-cameras-when-and-where-185-cameras-go-live

the 1959/1961 Devin C with a supercharged Corvair engine was fielded by Andy Granatelli in the 1961 Grand Prix at Riverside

The factory-built Devin C built by Bill Devin and his team in 1959. The cars developed by Devin deserve to be more famous than they are, in period they won 32 SCCA races, the 1956 SCCA H Modified National Championship, and they were six-time Pikes Peak Unlimited Class winners.

Bill Devin who invented the use of a toothed timing belt in an engine, he developed a version of the Deutsch-Bonnet engine with cylinders and heads from a Norton Manx and used timing belts to drive the overhead cams.

The car was tested for the October 1961 issue of Sports Car Graphic magazine before being borrowed by Andy and Vince Granatelli for high-speed supercharger testing at the Bonneville Salt Flats, which was detailed in the January 1962 issue of SCG. The Granatellis also ran the supercharged car at various drag strips, scaring away the competition with a sports-car record 12.44-second quarter-mile run at 109.75 mph.

A few weeks later, with the supercharger removed, the Devin C was entered by its first owner (the well-known dealer Hollywood Sports Cars) at the LA Times-Mirror Grand Prix at Riverside in October 1961. 

Dealership employee Pete Woods battled hall-of-fame racing giants like Stirling Moss, Jim Hall, Dan Gurney, Roger Penske, Jack Brabham, Bruce McLaren, Ken Miles, Walt Hansgen, George Follmer, and Augie Pabst during a 10-lap introductory qualifying race, before a seized engine prevented the car from running the main event.

https://silodrome.com/devin-c-car/

https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/az22/lots/r0032-1959-devin-c

just how much of a lead on the cops does a biker need to have, to feel confident enough that they won't get caught while they stop at a gas station to tank up? (Thank you Marc! )

So, this moron just turned 19, stole the bike, and we can only guess he figured (not having actual thoughts about what he was doing has to figure into this idiocy) that he could get away with a stolen dirt bike in East LA

But he did something no one else I've ever heard of, has ever pulled off... he got a friend to drop a gallon of gas off in a park, where he stopped and tried filling the tank on the motorcycle with it... serious, that's some damn cool planning under high stress conditions! 

New meaning to Phone A Friend! 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/dirt-bike-rider-fleeing-police-013039835.html

very cool to learn that signpainters are still coming up in the business and becoming famous in the craft - Valentina Trentini began professionally less than 10 years ago, focuses on vintage race cars, and is based in LA

https://www.brushettasigns.com

https://www.instagram.com/brushettasigns

https://boldjourney.com/meet-valentina-trentini

if you'll pardon the seemingly slightly provocative company names, Titmouse and Meow Wolf, are working together to start a Meow Wolf location in the West LA Howard Hughes center mall, in the former Cinemark theater, with a chopper inspired by Ed Roth's Mysterion, and custom car paint design of layers and fades... but did you know there was a George RR Martin connection? (Game of Thrones author)

obviously the only headlight design that has ever been in the 3 bulb arrangement,

 

 was Ed Roth's Orbitron, I posted about it in 2009 https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/05/orbitron-coulda-been-yours-if-you.html

https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2025/05/i-kid-you-not-only-obstacle-in-my-way.html

the paint job instantly is recognizable, but I can't recall (very tired) the name of the outstanding painter I associate it with, from a car that was on display at the GNRS a couple years ago... legendary painter. 

of the 100s of people in room 25 ABC during the panel on the Titmouse and Meow Wolf collaboration in immersive art/entertaiment, when they announced this centerpiece, the "Space Chopper", I was very certainly the only one who saw the custom car world inspiration of Roth / Orbitron / Roth's choppers / and candy paint 

https://www.latimes.com/travel/story/2026-07-09/meow-wolf-los-angeles-titmouse-animation

The two groups’ new collaboration includes co-development of an original animated series based on Meow Wolf’s interconnected story universe

Titmouse will also produce and direct animation for Meow Wolf’s upcoming Los Angeles exhibition, which is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2026, while consulting on the attraction’s visual and narrative design. 

https://www.cartoonbrew.com/series/titmouse-meow-wolf-series-exhibition-264569.html

https://templeofgeek.com/sdcc-2026-why-meow-wolf-and-titmouse-are-the-animated-powerhouse-duo-we-needed

The Los Angeles Police Department is ending its agreement with Flock

 https://abc7.com/amp/post/lapd-ending-agreement-surveillance-company-flock-safety/19483200/

your feel good story for the week - James Blair, a U.S. Navy veteran who has spent the last two decades working at John Wayne Airport, was seen limping across the airport tarmac

plans to continue working, as he has for as long as he can remember, so that he can pay for his 90-year-old mother's hospice care.

 He was recorded limping, visibly struggling, by a woman traveler who knew that someone in that position shouldn't have to continue putting so much wear on themselves. 

 So she started a fund raiser, and the GoFundMe raised more than $170,000 for him

 https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/john-wayne-airport-employee-go-fund-me-fundraiser-mother-hospice-care/

Posted because it's awesome, it's charity, and it's an airport. I post all three of those things

thank you Marc for letting me know about Barney Oldfield Day at Museum of Fulton County! I didn't know that he became a movie star and even owned the “Oldfield/Kipper Saloon” in Los Angeles, which previously was the the Old Crow Bar, opened in 1906. They hadn't licensed the name from Old Crow liquor though, and were sued

1913... there's a parking garage there now... I bet Barney would hate the idea of a parking garage instead of a saloon, a race track would probably be fine, btu a parking garage? That's insulting to the memory of a race car driver

His car racing career began in 1902 when fledgling automobile designer Henry Ford hired him to race his model 999 car.

Barney was the first automobile racer to achieve a mile a minute

William Nolan, in his book “The Barney Oldfield” story, states that Oldfield took money earned from barnstorming to form a partnership with a former railroad conductor by the name of Jack Kipper. They took over the location and opened the Oldfield Kipper Saloon in late 1912.

Finally tiring of the saloon trade, Oldfield sold out in 1920 to the Rappaport Brothers, who operated a hattery business out of the building. In 1923 they changed their name to the New York Hat Co., continuing to operate through 1939

By the late 1940s, a Western Union Telegraph Office operated at 534 S. Spring St. Over the next ten years they would be robbed seven times.

https://www.crescent-news.com/special/entertainment/barney-oldfield-day-at-museum-of-fulton-county/article_48cdd6a7-7be0-43ba-8df4-e7742d46debf.html

https://ladailymirror.com/2016/09/26/mary-mallory-hollywood-heights-barney-oldfield-sets-up-shop-in-downtown-los-angeles/

https://www.thehenryford.org/collections/explore/articles/detail/articles/2022/03/29/barney-oldfield-america-s-racer

LAPD impounded 72 vehicles and issued trespassing citations after responding to a car meetup inside the Los Angeles River

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1553982759484885

The event they were there for was advertised as a photo shoot, https://fordauthority.com/2026/06/ford-mustang-drivers-among-those-arrested-in-la-river-operation-video

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a plan to install 125 speed cameras. Some are on interstates, most aren't

Automated citations will trigger for drivers traveling at least 11 mph over the limit, with fines ranging from $50 to $500.

The program, authorized by state law AB 645, marks a shift toward data-driven, non-police enforcement aimed at reducing the city's rising rate of pedestrian and traffic fatalities.

https://ladot.lacity.gov/speed-safety-system#locations

SF Gate newspaper just posted the origin story of the taco truck!

In 1969, Mexico City-born husband-and-wife team Raúl and Lupe Martinez arrived in Los Angeles by way of Tijuana. After a few years, the couple grew a fledgling street taco operation that centered around MacArthur Park into a true business, converting an ice cream truck into a fully operational kitchen in 1974. The pair promptly launched the rebuilt rig on the streets of greater LA, setting up curbside to quickly serve smaller, more compact tacos to people at bars or events.

King Taco was able to pump out from its truck. Here, carne asada, cabeza and al pastor ruled, served with simple additions and salsas for a more discerning Mexican customer base around LA.

The truck’s unique setup, with an ordering window, flattop grill inside and tremendous mobility, was more than a novelty of the age — it is today widely regarded as the first taco truck in the county, including by Los Angeles Times columnist Gustavo Arellano in his book “Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America.”

Within a decade of King Taco rolling out on wheels, there were more than 500 different taco trucks in the LA area.

According to L.A. in a Minute, the truck sold $70 worth of tacos on its first night in 1974, doubling that number on its second evening of service. The Martinezes would later grow King Taco into a fleet of trucks and more than 20 standalone brick-and-mortar locations across Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.

https://www.sfgate.com/la/article/first-taco-truck-la-22075020.php

https://kingtaco.com/

King Taco sponsors a Nascar team, and a 24 Hours of LeMans team

A violent five-vehicle pileup in Covina injured four people Wednesday morning was the result of attempted vehicular manslaughter, when a husband chased his wife’s vehicle before the crash around 5:50 a.m. near the intersection of North Hollenbeck Avenue and East Cypress Street

A witness who helped the trapped woman described the harrowing scene.

"The car that was flipped over, somebody kept on yelling ‘help!’ She was just screaming the whole time that her husband was trying to kill her and that he was after her. He was chasing her in another car."

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/domestic-dispute-leads-5-car-134000053.html
https://www.facebook.com/ABC7/posts/the-violent-crash-involving-at-least-five-vehicles-stemmed-from-a-domestic-viole/1349708593964438/
https://www.foxla.com/news/covina-5-car-crash-injuries

https://hoodline.com/2026/03/covina-husband-s-chase-turns-quiet-intersection-into-5-car-smashup/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1310115422351233/posts/26963998713202885/

I read the headline and KNEW this was some ghetto shit

the Hassan Brothers, tow truck company owners, were busted for defrauding workers’ compensation insurers of nearly $6 million in premiums.

The scheme involved underreporting payroll by over $13 million and using "shell companies" to hide employee wages and avoid tax withholdings.

a California Department of Insurance investigation revealed they reported only $3 million in payroll when the actual figure was over $16.7 million.

Mark Hassan, who operated numerous towing businesses across Los Angeles—including Hadley Tow, Courtesy Tow, and California Coach Towing—held active contracts with several Southern California law enforcement agencies at the time of his arrest.

https://www.foxla.com/news/hassan-brothers-california-towing-insurance-fraud-arrest.amp

A driver in Los Angeles was ticketed for using a jacket carefully wrapped around the front seat with the seatbelt fastened across it to resemble a person to cheat carpool lane laws

CHP pulled the driver over on the 10 Freeway on March 3 for using the HOV lane without a passenger. $500 dollar ticket minimum

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/l-a-county-driver-caught-using-phony-passenger-in-carpool-lane-chp/

The Whisky A Go Go, 1964. The first ever live music venue to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame (thank you Capt Doug!)

https://whiskyagogo.com/calendar/history/

The Whisky had to spell its name without the ‘e’ in whiskey because Los Angeles city zoning laws didn’t allow any club to be named after alcohols

Apparently the morons in city hall had no understanding of the word Whisky/Whiskey is the same alcoholic beverage, but spelled with an E in the Irish and American version, and without the E in the Scottish version

the Go Go dancer was a term coined here, when they got the dancing going by the DJ between songs by the featured artist, Johnny Rivers, later they got dancers to dress in the similar costume of a typical "go go" dancer

Johnny Rivers is best known for a string of 1960s hits, including his #1 single "Poor Side of Town," the iconic theme "Secret Agent Man," and popular live covers of "Memphis," "Mountain of Love," and "The Midnight Special". Other notable hits include "Summer Rain," "Baby I Need Your Loving," and "Rockin' Pneumonia And the Boogie Woogie Flu"

pretty stupid of the city to arrest the guy painting the cross walk BEFORE he was finished.... think of the savings to the taxpayer if the city waited for the work to be completed first!

the street safety activist was arrested for misdemeanor vandalism charges after Los Angeles police arrested him in December for painting unauthorized crosswalks in Westwood.

a group of volunteers, known as Peoples’ Vision Zero, were painting the third of four crosswalk legs at the Westwood intersection. As of Tuesday, the city has not repainted, eliminated or finished the crosswalks at the intersection.

https://laist.com/brief/transportation/vision-zero-jonathan-hale-la-westwood

Ansel Adams, Burbank

 

https://petapixel.com/2026/01/14/ansel-adams-photos-of-pre-war-los-angeles-feature-in-new-exhibit/

1953 on the southeast corner of Hollywood and Cahuenga Blvds, and Figueroa St. and Sunset Blvd

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1425688885785632&set=a.181986760155857

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1133363408351516&set=a.181986760155857

terrific roadside ice cream stand idea for instant visual identification without signage!

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1300114775009711&set=a.181986760155857

Volkswagen of America said it offered to restore the 1977 microbus that survived the Palisades fire and made the news in this photo

Though the microbus appeared unscathed, the vehicle in reality was a basket case and in need of more than 900 replacement parts, Volkswagen of America said in a statement on its restoration.

That iconic photo eventually reached VW enthusiasts and, finally, Volkswagen of America, which tracked down Weinraub, received permission to tow it from the otherwise off-limits fire zone, and trucked it to its makeover at VW's Oxnard facility

Body panels were handled by a Porsche specialist, while VW technicians replaced anything needed to make the microbus roadworthy, the company said.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/classic-blue-vw-bus-azul-palisades-fire-gets-full-restoration-rcna245553