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TV binge-watchers, take note: SeriesFest, Season 9, kicks off Friday

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:55:14 GMT

Randi Kleiner and Kaily Smith had an idea for a festival that celebrated television much the way the Sundance Film Festival highlights indie film. Budding and veteran creators would get a public-facing platform; industry types would be drawn to new work; business veterans would share insights; and panels would bring creatives together to tell stories about, well, their storytelling.Oh, yeah, and there’d be some killer guests who’d make certain the gathering had the feel of the place to be.SeriesFest cofounder Kaily Smith, left, and Randi Kleiner flank Netflix’s Ted Sarandos and Liberty Global’s Mike Fries ahead of their memorable Innovation Talk in 2019. (Provided by SeriesFest)Nine years in, SeriesFest continues to make good on that vision of an episodic storytelling festival that is generative, illuminating and, at times, a little mind-blowing. (The 2019 Innovation Talk with Liberty Global CEO Mike Fries and Netflix’s Ted Sarandos remains a high point.)SeriesFest Season 9 launches...

Mike Johnston out-fundraises Kelly Brough in first month of runoff race for Denver mayor

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:55:14 GMT

Mike Johnston has now brought in more direct campaign contributions than Kelly Brough as the two most well-monied candidates in the first round of the Denver mayor’s race face off in the runoff stage of the election.The Brough and Johnston campaigns filed reports this week covering their fundraising from March 30 through April 30. Brough, the top fundraiser in the field of 16 candidates in the primary election, brought in $228,761 during the first month of the runoff. She also recorded $800 in in-kind contributions and $10,255 in refunds.Johnston meanwhile raised $283,482, per his campaign’s report. He received $1,253 in in-kind contributions and refunded $18,465.That roughly $55,000 advantage in April fundraising was enough to push Johnston ahead of Brough when it came to total campaign contributions so far during the city’s 2023 election cycle. He has now reported $932,060 to Brough’s $895,612.Brought campaign spent $177,176 over the course of the month a...

'Star Wars' filming locations that you can visit in California

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:55:14 GMT

The legendary "Star Wars" films may be set in a galaxy far, far away, but a trip to some iconic filming locations is within reach for California residents and visitors.This guide will stick to the first three movies from the late 1970s and early 80s: "A New Hope," "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" (numbers four, five and six in the story's chronological order).The original trilogy has the best-known Golden State shooting locations. It's also the only one that matters, if you ask some folks, but we won't litigate that here.Here are some of the places you can visit in California today if you want to walk in Luke, Leia and Han's footsteps:Death ValleyA crew films droids C-3PO and R2-D2 in California's Death Valley for a scene in one of the original "Star Wars" films. (Photo: National Park Service)This sprawling desert valley, near the Nevada border in central California, reaches some of the highest temperatures on Earth. It's the hottest, driest and lowest national par...

California, New York probing workplace discrimination at the NFL

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:55:14 GMT

The attorneys general of New York and California announced Thursday that they are investigating allegations of workplace discrimination at the NFL, citing lawsuits filed by employees that describe sex, racial and age bias, sexual harassment, and a hostile work environment.Attorneys General Letitia James, of New York, and Rob Bonta, of California, said they have issued subpoenas to NFL executives as part of an examination into the workplace culture at the league's corporate offices in both states. The officials, both Democrats, said they are exercising their legal authority to seek information from the NFL regarding allegations of gender pay disparities, harassment, and gender and racial discrimination.The investigation focuses on the league's corporate offices, not specific teams or players.“No person should ever have to endure harassment, discrimination, or objectification in the workplace,” James said in a statement. Bonta said he and James have “serious concerns about the NFL’s r...

Rohan Marley Talks Lion Order 

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:55:14 GMT

Nearly a decade ago, Rohan Marley helped his family take its first steps in the cannabis space, now his personal brand is rolling along strong after launching in Michigan. Rohan is the middle child of Bob Marley’s nine kids. He and Stephen are the closest in age of the group and were born a month apart in 1972. When it was time for the family to start dabbling in cannabis in the mid-2010s following the first successful legalization initiatives, Rohan took the lead. The family founded Marley Naturals in 2014. Marley Naturals was originally a partnership between Privateer Holdings. The brand would have some hiccups as it came to market. The family would buy the rights out in 2019 and take full control. Not too long after, Rohan would get the ball rolling on the cannabis element of Lion Order that recently launched in Michigan after a couple of years of pheno hunting before the flower went into full production. We flew out to Detroit to check out Rohan’s new flowers and hear the lesson...

It’s Report Card Season For Your Child: Is it OK to Reward Good Grades?

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:55:14 GMT

As a parent, it can be challenging to determine the best approach when it comes to your child’s academic performance. Should you reward them for a good report card or punish them for a bad one? It’s a question that has been debated for years, with no clear answer. Some argue that rewards can motivate children to work harder and achieve better grades, while others believe that punishment can be a more effective way to encourage children to take their studies seriously. Read the full article on our sister site, the Marina Times, here. Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.The post It’s Report Card Season For Your Child: Is it OK to Reward Good Grades? appeared first on LA Weekly.

Fear Factory Returns With Mystery Singer

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:55:14 GMT

Fear Factory returns with mystery singer: Guitarist Dino Cazares is the sole remaining member of the classic Fear Factory, but still, it’s great to have them back. He’s been keeping the identity of the new singer close to his chest, and as far as we’re aware the guy isn’t a “name” — they’re going in fresh. Should be fun. Lions at the Gate, Infinite Sleep, Against the Grave, Plagues Ov Khaos, Sleeping Faceless, and Slanderus also perform.We spoke to Cazares in the summer of 2021, just as the band was releasing the Aggression Continuum album featuring the vocals of former singer Burton C. Bell.“There’s a big organization – let’s call it Skynet – that is capturing humans and extracting their memories and their mind, their consciousness, and basically uploading them into an automaton so it can think it’s human,” Cazares said. “So it’s a relationship between humans and AI. This AI thinks it’s human but it’s not. Through the whole process of Fear Factory, it’s always been a relationship b...

Henry Eric Vanderveen Pronounced Dead in Motorcycle Crash on East End Avenue [Pomona, CA]

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:55:14 GMT

Two-Vehicle Crash Near Third Street Left One 34-Year-Old Chino Man DeadPOMONA, CA (May 4, 2023) – Sunday night, a motorcycle accident on East End Avenue claimed the life of Henry Eric Vanderveen.The fatal collision happened around 9:15 p.m. at East End Avenue and Third Street in the city of Pomona.At this time, the circumstances that led up to the incident remain unclear. However, police said another driver was involved in the collision.Responding paramedics from Los Angeles Fire Department arrived and performed life-saving on the motorcyclist.Unfortunately, the rider succumbed to his injuries at the scene.Later, the coroner’s office identified the deceased motorcyclist as 34-year-old Henry Eric Vanderveen of Chino.Authorities said the other driver did not sustain any injuries.In addition, the collision also prompted the closure of East End Avenue from Mission Boulevard to First Street Bridge temporarily.Those with additional information about the motorcycle crash are encourag...

Woman Injured after Car Crash into Apartment on Memory Lane [Santa Ana, CA]

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:55:14 GMT

Hit-and-Run Car Crash into Apartment on Memory Lane near Garden Grove Boulevard left a Woman InjuredSANTA ANA, CA (May 4, 2023) – Late Monday night, a hit-and-run car crash into an apartment on Memory Lane left a woman injured.The incident happened on May 1st, at around 10:20 p.m., at the Vista del Rio Apartments near Garden Grove Boulevard.According to reports, a van traveling in the area lost control and struck several objects before crashing into an apartment building. While crashing into an apartment, the van struck a woman, who was sitting on the couch watching TV. The impact of the collision left her pinned underneath the van.Following the collision, the driver of the van got out of the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.First responders to the site of the collision transported the victim and another woman, believed to be the victim’s caretaker, to a local hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries.At this time, officials are still investigating the car crash i...

Is Game 2 a must-win for the Warriors? Here’s what history says about 0-2 deficits

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:55:14 GMT

Seemingly nobody is panicked about the Warriors’ Game 1 loss to the Lakers Tuesday night at Chase Center.Los Angeles was better rested after the Warriors had to beat the Kings in an intense Game 7 Sunday in Sacramento. Golden State expects to wear down the Lakers’ stars with its fast-paced motion offense. LeBron James is limited by a foot injury already and Anthony Davis has a history of injuries.The Warriors are seven-point favorites to win Game 2.But what if those expected advantages don’t take effect before the final buzzer sounds Thursday night? What if the Lakers steal another road game in San Francisco and head home with two games in downtown LA looming for a Warriors team that struggled mightily on the road in the regular season?Here’s what history says about Golden State’s odds of recovering from an 0-2 hole:In NBA history, 446 teams have lost their first two games. Only 33 (7.4%) have recovered to win their series. The Warriors just did that la...