Author: 2UrbanGirls

Flowers have long been a powerful form of expression in African American culture, carrying deep meanings in celebrations, spirituality, and everyday life. Whether given as a gesture of love, used in ceremonies, or displayed as a tribute to ancestors, flowers connect generations and tell stories without words. Even today, when people want to honor traditions or show appreciation, they often choose to send flowers as a heartfelt symbol. Flowers in Ancestral Traditions and Spirituality In African American heritage, flowers have played a significant role in spiritual practices and ancestral veneration. Many traditions trace their roots back to West African customs, where…

Palisades residents and contractors will be able to access homes via Chautauqua Boulevard with passes LOS ANGELES – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) today announced that in anticipation of predicted rain, PCH will be closed to the public on Tuesday, Feb. 4 between Chautauqua Boulevard in Los Angeles to Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu, with Palisades residents still able to access their homes via Chautauqua Boulevard with their resident passes. The closure will remain in effect until Friday, Caltrans officials said, when their geotechnical engineers will assess the slopes and canyons to inform the public of the decision on…

“The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl” celebrates the enduring legacy of “The Lion King” in a concert special coming to Disney+ on Friday, February 7, 2025. This live-to-film concert experience includes epic performances with a 70-person orchestra, a troupe of skillful dancers, state-of-the-art projection mapping images, and the Broadway show’s award-winning costumes and puppetry giving viewers across the globe a front row seat to the unprecedented musical extravaganza celebrating the world of “The Lion King.” In honor of “The Lion King’s” 30th Anniversary, the Hollywood Bowl transformed into the Pride Lands for an immersive concert event featuring a reunion of…

Ever walked into an office and immediately felt like you’d rather be anywhere else? Maybe the lighting was too harsh, the desks were cluttered, or the energy just felt off. When a workspace doesn’t feel good, it’s hard to stay motivated, and that’s a problem for any business. For businesses in Indiana, whether it’s a small family-run shop in Evansville, a manufacturing plant in Fort Wayne, or a fast-growing tech company in Indianapolis, creating a space where people actually want to work can be a game-changer. Happy employees get more done, stick around longer, and make the workplace better for…

LOS ANGELES – Mayor Karen Bass announced tonight that checkpoints in the Palisades will remain in place. This is the result of work today by Mayor Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom, who has offered the city additional law enforcement resources to enable this effort to keep the Palisades closed to the public. The Mayor’s plan addresses concerns from the Palisades community as well as strains on the LAPD’s ability to operate citywide – LAPD has been on Tactical Alert since January 7. “I am grateful to Governor Newsom for his continued partnership as we respond to this unprecedented disaster,” said Mayor…

EAST LOS ANGELES – A 14-year-old was reportedly shot late Friday night in East Los Angeles. Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department deputies with the East Los Angeles station responded to reports of shots fired near the intersection of Union Pacific Avenue and S. Bonnie Beacj Place around 11:00 p.m. Upon arrival, they located several shell casings in the street where it was believed the teen was shot. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFiuSp9SV0A/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== According to videographers on the scene, it is believed the victim was transported by private vehicle to a local hospital in an unknown condition. Anyone with information about this shooting was asked to…

WILMINGTON – A body was discovered inside a burning recreational vehicle late Friday night. Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a report of a vehicle fire in the 1000 block of E. Anaheim Street around 11:40 p.m. Upon arrival, LAFD located a pickup with a camper on the bed in flames. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFir9FiSiC9/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== Crews quickly extinguished the flames and located a body in the vehicle/camper. The victim was declared deceased at the scene and Los Angeles Police Department officers with the Harbor Division were requested. The person’s death is being investigated as a homicide. Their identity is being withheld pending notification…

LOS ANGELES – A person was fatally shot in the Leimert Park neighborhood and an investigation into the shooting is underway Friday. Los Angeles Police Department officers from the Southwest Division were called at 1 a.m. to 3400 block of S. 9th Ave. and Martin Luther King Boulevard where they found the victim with a gunshot wound to the head, according to an LAPD officer. Videographers on scene indicate the shooting was a result of a domestic violence dispute that turned deadly. LAPD officers were flagged down by residents in the street and they pointed out a person laying on…

Prosecutors have released a superseding indictment against Sean “Diddy” Combs that adds new victims and kidnapping allegations. While the charges remain the same, the new filing extends the alleged racketeering conspiracy to 20 years, adds multiple new victims, and introduces kidnapping allegations and new claims of arson, according to court documents filed on Jan. 30 in Southern District Court of New York. The new charges expand the timeline of the mogul’s alleged crimes, claiming his criminal activities spanned from 2004 through 2024. The new charges allege his billion-dollar enterprise was built on crime and they are seeking to seize any…

The 33rd Pan African Film & Arts Festival is set to open Tuesday, February 4, 2025 at The Culver Theater with MAGAZINE DREAMS, the gripping and critically acclaimed drama from writer-director Elijah Bynum, starring Emmy-winning actor Jonathan Majors (“Lovecraft Country”) in a transformative performance. MAGAZINE DREAMS, which stars Majors alongside Haley Bennett, Taylour Paige, Harrison Page, and Mike O’Hearn, will set the stage for another groundbreaking year of celebrating Black storytelling on the big screen. Majors, who is also a celebrity ambassador for the 2025 PAFF, will attend hitting the red-carpet alongside a star-studded list of celebrities. He will be introduced by actress Meagan Good (“Harlem”). “We are thrilled to open the 2025 Pan African Film Festival…

COMPTON – A 19-year-old man who was found shot to death in a vehicle in Compton was identified Thursday by county authorities. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office identified the victim as Matthew Alvarado, of Bell Gardens. The shooting was reported around 10:20 p.m. Tuesday in the 2200 block of East Rosecrans Avenue, between North Willowbrook Avenue and Mulberry Street, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFaTdtCNtUh/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== Deputies responding to reports of a shooting located Alvarado suffering from gunshot wounds still seated inside the vehicle. According to Alvarado’s friends, he had just left work and was headed…

SACRAMENTO – More than 1,000 local restaurant owners want Governor Newsom and the Fast Food Council to hear them loud and clear: continuing to mandate wage increases will have devastating consequences for California restaurant owners. Their urgent plea comes as the Fast Food Council is being asked to consider yet another wage increase in the coming weeks, less than a year after $20/hr minimum wage went into effect last April. In the letter sent to Governor Newsom and the Fast Food Council on Wednesday, local restaurant owners wrote to express their “strong opposition to any further wage increases by the Fast Food Council…

PARAMOUNT – Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department homicide detectives are investigating the fatal shooting of a suspect by deputies in Paramount early Thursday morning. The shooting occurred at 12:15 a.m. in the 15000 block of Paramount Boulevard and First Street, east of Somerset Business Park, said LASD homicide Lt. Steven De Jong. According to videographers at the scene, the shooting occurred outside the Paramount Sheriff’s Station. https://www.instagram.com/p/DFdjfcXtKnm/ The department has not indicated why the person was considered a suspect and who was pronounced dead at the scene by Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics. Anyone with information regarding the shooting…

LOS ANGELES –  The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the death of a pedestrian who was struck by multiple vehicles by a hit-and-run driver in the South Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, authorities said Thursday. LAPD officers were called to 4520 S. Central Ave. and East 46th Street at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday where they learned at least three vehicles traveling north on Central struck the pedestrian — who was walking in the roadway — at high rates of speed, according to an LAPD spokesman. The driver of the second vehicle stopped to render aid to the victim, who was pronounced…

LOS ANGELES — The Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) is providing replacement vital records (i.e., birth, death, marriage), real estate/property records, and business filing/registration records at no cost to those impacted by recent wildfires. “Los Angeles County is dedicated to assisting residents to rebuild and recover from the impacts of recent wildfires,” said Dean Logan, Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. “Vital records, real estate/property records, and business filing records are often essential components in disaster recovery efforts, and the RR/CC is committed to ensuring those impacted by fires have access to important records during this challenging time.” WHO CAN REQUEST RECORDS • Vital records: Only immediate family members…