🌱 Fire At 255 S Grand Ave + LAUSD Requires Non-Cloth Masks

Sylvia Cochran
Updated ·4 min read

Happy Tuesday, Los Angeles, and happy National Irish Coffee Day! Let's get you all caught up to start today off on an informed note.

A restaurant under renovation caught fire. Also, LAUSD students have to wear non-cloth masks. Finally, a conman is pleading guilty and facing 20 years.

First, today's weather:

Areas of fog, then sun. High: 68 Low: 49.

Here are the top five stories today in Los Angeles:

  1. There was a restaurant fire on Monday. Located at 255 South Grand Avenue, the LAFD was able to extinguish the flames before they made their way up the 27-story high-rise. There was an “adult male outside the building with significant, critical burn injuries.” “The large building, built in 1988, comprised several ground level restaurants with three floors of business and the remaining 23 floors of residential.” A total of 120 FD workers were on the scene. (LAFD)

  2. The LAUSD is putting new face mask rules for students in place. We learned Monday that students must wear non-cloth masks. If a student doesn’t have one, the District will supply it. These are “well-fitting, non-cloth masks with a nose wire” that must be worn at all times. (Patch)

  3. A 41-year-old Baldwin Hills man pleaded guilty to “conning 128 people between 2016 and 2019.” Operating out of an office on Sunset Boulevard, he selected victims from the SwapALease.com service. Customers looking to find credit-worthy people to take over their burdensome luxury car leases ended up talking to this individual, who took the cars without legally binding paperwork and rented them out for himself. The scam cost clients $1.56 million, ruined credit profiles, and resulted in a variety of parking and traffic fines. Sentencing is scheduled for May, and the defendant is looking at 20 years in prison. (MarketWatch)

  4. There was a standoff in the Walnut Park area. A man “was spotted with a gun on the roof of a house” in the early morning on Monday. He eventually surrendered to the LAPD. (Turn to 23)

  5. Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer, a candidate for mayor, announced Monday that he had “an eight-point plan to address increasing gun violence.” Line items include “collaborations from officials across jurisdictions,” “a Gun Crime Violence Review Commission,” and “more gun buyback programs.” He hopes to enlist the help of private foundations to fund some of these efforts. (Los Angeles Sentinel)

Last week, we told you about our new favorite non-alcoholic go-to — the refreshingly bitter drinks from our partners at Betera. They’re chef-created from natural botanicals, lightly effervescent and worthy of life beyond “Dry January.” We mentioned that their Ginger-Orange was excellent; we’ve since tried Elderflower-Lime and loved it as well — light and floral with the perfect amount of zing. We're converts.

Enough of you took Betera up on their 15% discount on first orders for Patch Daily readers that they’ve extended the offer for another week. Use PATCH15 at checkout. Highly recommended — try Betera here.

Today in Los Angeles:

  • Manhattan Beach Certified Farmers’ Market at the Metlox Plaza (11 AM to 3 PM)

  • Robbie Burns Dinner at Tam O'Shanter (5:30 PM and 8:15 PM)

  • Best of the Store - Marc Maron, Chris Spencer, Annie Lederman, Esther Povitsky, Lara Beitz + more at the Comedy Store (7 PM)

  • Rubee Tuesdays at the Laugh Factory (7:30 PM)

  • DJ Printz at the Dime (10 PM)

From my notebook:

  • Mayor Eric Garcetti reminds residents that applications are NOW OPEN for ROUND 3 of the “Comeback Checks” program. (Instagram)

  • A Warehouse District neighbor is rehoming a Corgi mix.Has all shots.Not neutered. (Nextdoor)

  • Our Arlington Heights neighbor is wondering if there are any nice off-leash dog parks in the area. (Nextdoor)

  • A kind Southeast Hollywood East neighbor found a small black female chihuahua mix dog. No tags. No chip. Is it yours? (Nextdoor)

  • An Angelino Heights neighbor needs resources on how to find childcare in Angelino Heights (or Echo Park). (Nextdoor)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll be in your inbox tomorrow with a new update.

— Sylvia Cochran

About me: Sylvia Cochran works out of sunny Southern California and has been freelance writing full-time since 2005. She loves dogs, cats, books, plays Best Fiends (don't judge), embraces social justice, and tries to live out Micah 6:8.

This article originally appeared on the Los Angeles Patch