Local News Roundup - Jan. 19, 2009

Updated 5:26 PM PST, Mon, Jan 19, 2009

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Here are some of the stories in the Southland on Monday afternoon...

MLK DAY AND INAUGURATION OF BARACK OBAMA

As Martin Luther King Junior Day winds down around the Southland, the inauguration of the first U.S. president of African ancestry is the next celebration. Along the MLK parade route in South LA, there was a renewed sense of optimism. Police Bill Bratton says the crowd was the biggest he's seen during his six years in Los Angeles. Dozens of inauguration-viewing parties are planned, starting early Tuesday morning, around Southern California. (NBCLA.com)

OBAMA WAS STUDENT IN LOS ANGELES

Barack Obama spent two years in Los Angeles as a student at Occidental
College in Eagle Rock. The soon-to-be president, who was known as Barry then, says it was at Occidental when he made the conscious decision to "grow up" and to try to make a difference in the world around him.

ALLEGEDLY ARMED MOTORIST SHOT DURING TRAFFIC STOP IN LONG BEACH

A motorist who allegedly jumped out of car with a gun during a traffic stop in Long Beach was shot and wounded Monday afternoon. His condition was not immediately made public. Police said the shooting occurred as officers made pulled over a vehicle at Studebaker Road and East Second Street about 1 p.m.

RECORD HEAT WAVE

At 3 p.m, the mercury hit 82 degrees at the USC weather station, making it the ninth day in a row that temperatures have exceeded 80s. Monday's high should rank as a new January record, since Sunday broke the old record of seven days straight of 80-degree-plus weather. That heat wave occurred Jan. 8-14, 1983.

GAS PRICES

Gasoline prices have risen again, but just six-tenths of a cent. The
Auto Club says the LA County average is now $2.03 for a gallon of regular. That's up 8 cents since last week and up nearly 30 cents since last
month.

SCOOPED OUT OF ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST

Two people whose car got stuck on the side of a mountain road were airlifted out of the Angeles National Forest early Monday. The two were on Big Tujunga Canyon Road near the Angeles Forest Highway when their vehicle got stuck at about 4:20 a.m. They were not injured, but fire officials sent a helicopter to get them because of the difficult terrain.

MIRACULOUSLY, NO DEATHS IN HOUSE COLLAPSE

Fire officials are still unsure about what caused the front of an apartment house in Harvard Heights to collapse on Sunday night, injuring three people and leaving four families homeless. Neighbors said they heard a hissing sound like a gas leak and then an explosion. The damaged house was slated to be destroyed after being condemned by city inspectors.

HIT-AND-RUN ON 110 FREEWAY

A possible hit-and-run accident on the northbound 110 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles on Monday morning left two cars in flames, but nobody was injured. Traffic through downtown was backed up in both directions after the driver of one of the vehicles -- a man -- fled the crash scene by crossing the south-bound lanes of the 110 on foot.