Clean Cars, Solar Power and the Dodgers' Next Step
The sunny city's still got it: Los Angeles had two environmental milestones this week
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The fully electric BMW i3 and the hybrid BMW i8 are the first electric and hybrid-electric vehicles to use primarily carbon fiber that is a strong and lightweight material that that could significantly reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
Los Angeles solidified its role as a leader in green energy and the city's baseball team took one step closer to finding a new owner this week in Southland news.
L.A. Shines Second in Solar Power Study
Los Angeles took second place in California’s solar energy production, according to a report by the Environment California Research and Policy Center.
The report quantified production power according to the number of solar installations on residential, commercial and government buildings.
Since Sept. 2011, L.A. has added 4,018 solar installations, and the sunny city has tripled its amount of solar power installed since 2009.
The growth isn’t just Earth friendly, but could show some love to the state’s struggling economy.
"People are interested in solar installations. I've had to hire more people because lately we've been busier," said Shawn Alvandi, owner of LA Solar Energy, a Los Angeles solar system installation company.
Cop Shooting is Third in Three Days in LA County
Police from different agencies in Los Angeles County used lethal force three times in as many days, killing suspects officials said had or were suspected of having weapons.
A man was killed in Lancaster after police said he reached for his waistband during a foot pursuit.
Christian Cobian, 26, was riding his bicycle to buy cigarettes when police attempted to pull him over for riding without a headlight. A search of the scene turned up no weapon.
The next day, a 22-year-old man was killed in the driveway of a North Hollywood apartment when police said he refused to drop his gun. Police recovered a pistol near him.
Another man was shot and killed by police in Monterey Park after they said he was smashing the windows of a Carl’s Jr. with a metal pole.
Just a few weeks earlier, four men were killed by police in separate incidents in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties.
Regulators OK California’s “Clean Cars” Program
New rules were approved that would require more fuel-efficient and less Earth-damaging cars on California’s roads.
Hybrid cars make up slightly more than 4 percent of California’s market, according to the California New Car Dealers Association; but the new rules are hoping to increase that figure.
The Advanced Clean Car regulations call for 1.4 million more electric and hybrid vehicles and require that vehicles emit about 75 percent less pollutants. The new rules will go into full effect by 2025, and the standards begin with model year 2017 vehicles.
Redistricting Final Draft Slammed by Councilmembers
Not every councilmember is happy with the proposed plan that would redraw LA’s 15 City Council districts.
Based on 2010 census data, the reconfiguration creates 15 districts of equal population that will remain in effect until at least 2020.
Councilmembers upset with the changes fear that different groups – based on factors ranging from common interests to race to sexual orientation – could lose or gain key representation.
Ninth District Councilwoman Jan Perry and Eight District Council Bernard Parks have partnered to create an alternate draft, calling this final draft just a “first effort.”
LA Dodgers Potential Bidders
If anyone is still interested in buying the Dodgers, sadly, they’ve dropped the ball.
The deadline for bidders of LA’s baseball team passed on Jan. 23 and the winning bidder will be identified in April, with a sale complete by April 30, according to the agreement reached between Major League Baseball and team owner Frank McCourt.
Some notable names on the list of potential buyers include former Lakers star Magic Johnson, Larry King, and former Dodgers manager Joe Torre.
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