West LA Times

California legislature passes environmental bills amid special session controversy

By West LA Times | Sep 6, 2024

A series of environmental bills passed the California Legislature before the legislative session ended on Saturday, Aug. 31. These bills now await Gov. Gavin Newsom’s approval. In an unexpected development, Newsom has called for a special session to address gas prices this fall, but the Senate president pro tempore has refused to convene it. Two UCLA environmental law experts believe this situation will spark further discussion about Newsom’s initiative to lower gas prices through increased oil refinery oversight.

UCLA unveils Four-Point Plan focusing on safety, dialogue, free speech

By West LA Times | Sep 5, 2024

UCLA has introduced a new framework aimed at enhancing campus safety, fostering dialogue, and promoting freedom of expression. The Four-Point Plan for a Safer, Stronger UCLA was announced by Interim Chancellor Darnell Hunt in response to recent events related to the Israel–Hamas war that led to demonstrations and counter-demonstrations on campus.

UCLA Film & TV Archive announces 'Science Fiction Against the Margins' series

By West LA Times | Sep 5, 2024

The UCLA Film & Television Archive, in collaboration with the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television’s cinema and media studies program, will present its “Science Fiction Against the Margins” series from October 4 to December 14. This event is part of Getty’s “PST ART: Art & Science Collide” initiative.

West Coast braces for major heatwave; UCLA expert to discuss impact

By West LA Times | Sep 4, 2024

UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain will host a video session today to provide context on the ongoing major heatwave affecting the West Coast. The session, scheduled for 2 p.m. PT, follows Swain's Monday blog post where he detailed the unusual nature of the current weather conditions.

UCLA psychiatrist receives award for suicide prevention research

By West LA Times | Sep 4, 2024

Dr. Juliet Beni Edgcomb, associate director of the Mental Health Informatics and Data Science Hub at the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, has been awarded the 2024 Klerman Prize for Exceptional Clinical Research by the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation.

Hammer Museum partners with LACMA and MOCA on contemporary art collection

By West LA Times | Sep 3, 2024

The directors of the Hammer Museum at UCLA, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA), have announced a joint initiative to manage a new collection of contemporary art. This collection will be founded through the acquisition of 260 works from local philanthropists Jarl and Pamela Mohn.

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West LA Times area weekly mass times

By West LA Times | Sep 2, 2024

The following parishes in the West LA Times coverage area hold weekly mass at these designated times.

North American birds alter behaviors more than locations in response to global warming

By West LA Times | Sep 2, 2024

North American birds are altering their locations and annual behaviors in response to global warming, according to a new UCLA study. The research, which analyzed 27 years of data across 311 land-based species, found that more than half of the changes are through phenology—adjustments in annual cycles such as breeding times—rather than shifts in latitude and elevation.