This Week In The LA Weekly

Photographed a homeless Christian-Muslim man from Palestine who has a tent behind the Bed Bath & Beyond store in Northridge. He is also a feral cat feeder.

The story is about how rail road officials want him off the land he is camping on, it is by LA Weekly staff writer Patrick McDonald.

LAPD Arrest Parolee In Lily Burk Murder Case

LAPD announce that they have arrested parolee Charlie Samuel for the murder and abduction of 17 year old Lily Burk. Samuel, a 50 year old career criminal, was arrested by LAPD mounted patrol officers, Ofc. Gary Copeland and Ofc.Miguel Dominguez, in downtown LA for drinking beer in public and having a crack pipe, minutes after he killed Lily Burk. LAPD officials later found Samuel guilty of killing Lily from fingerprints linking him to the crime scene. Lily was abducted last Friday outside the Southwestern University where her mother, Deborah Drooz, worked. Lily was on an errand for her mother to deliver some papers to her.

Charlie Samuel forced Lily to withdrawal funds from a ATM using her credit card. Her credit card would not work, and Lily called her parents asking how to make a cash withdrawal.

Her father, Greg Burk a former LA Weekly colleague, told her it was not set up for that, and to come home.

Lily's parents made several calls in vain to the LAPD to report that she was missing, LAPD would only initially take a missing persons report.

Lily was found dead in the passenger seat of her parent's Volvo near Skid Row in downtown LA at 6:30 am last Saturday.

Samuel is being held without bail at a downtown jail.

My heart along with everyone's at the LA Weekly goes out to the Burk/Drooz family for their tragic loss.

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2009

Giant Surf @ The Wedge

Giant surf with faces up to 25 feet tall grace Newport Beach's the Wedge. Surfers from all over, some even flew in from Hawaii, attempted to ride the massive waves. A huge storm off of the coast of New Zealand sent wave and wind energy across the Pacific Ocean that landed on southern California's south facing beaches. The waves are expected to last until early Monday. One body boarder was killed in the heavy surf on Friday when he was pushed into the rock jetty by the giant surf. Crowds of onlookers on the beach ooohed and ahhed at the surfer's talents. Several rescues took place every hour during low tide this morning.

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2009

Madame Tussauds Hollywood Opens

Madame Tussauds opens today in Hollywood. The $55 million dollar attraction will feature over 300 wax figures, each costing $300,000 to create. Some of the life sized wax figures include Marlene Dietrich, Lance Armstrong, Steve McQueen, and even our Mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, who was at the opening and posed with his wax likeness.

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2009

Julius Shulman 1910-2009

Photographic icon Julius Shulman has died.

Shulman was one of my favorite photographers, still owe him a shot of whiskey.

That's the price he charged me to snap his photo.

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2009

Long Strange Day in LA

Elephants, ponies, and MJ. Only in L.A.

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2009

MJ Memorial @ Forest Lawn

Scenes from Forest Lawn Mortuary this morning, as the friends and family of Michael Jackson arrive via a massive motorcade. After the brief morning ceremony, Michael's casket was placed inside a hearse and driven to the Staples Center in downtown LA for a public memorial.

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2009

MJ Memorial Preparation

Preparations for the Michael Jackson memorial at the Staples Center in downtown L.A.

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2009

Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss California USA, and Miss California Teen USA Visit L.A.

Miss Universe-Dayana Mendoza, Miss USA-Kristen Dalton, Miss California USA-Tami Farrell, and Miss California Teen USA-Chelsea Gilligan visit Los Angeles on a photo tour.

The group of beauty queens stopped by the headquarters of Sledge USA, a contemporary women's clothing line, to gobble cupcakes and visit Sledge exec's

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2009

Mayoral Inauguration @ L.A. City Hall

Antonio Villaraigosa was sworn in as mayor, along with members of the L.A. City Council on the south steps of L.A. City Hall. Derek Fisher of the L.A. Lakers was the emcee of today's event, Kobe and Villaraigosa have had a recent falling out.

The mayor gave his second inaugural speech outlining his 5 goal plan for L.A.

Protesters from the Bus Riders Union lined the perimeter of the event and were quiet for most of the speech.

Gil Garcetti was spotted with his camera taking photos of his son speaking at the dias.

David Freeman was in attendance wearing his signature cowboy hat. The Agape International Choir Ensemble performed a couple of songs, including a Michael Jackson song.

Some empty chairs were spotted at the event, but they were from the early leavers (trying to beat the traffic?)

Photographs by Ted Soqui c 2009