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FireAid mixes music and stories of loss to raise money for LA wildfire relief

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FireAid mixes music and stories of loss to raise money for LA wildfire relief

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Green Day kicked off the massive FireAid benefit concert Thursday night, a two-venue concert extravaganza that is raising money for Los Angeles-area wildfire relief efforts.

They launched into “Last Night on Earth” at the Kia Forum and were soon joined by Billie Eilish for the first surprise of the night. The lyrics are surprisingly astute: “If I lose everything in the fire / I’m sending all my love to you.”

After their set, Green Day frontman Billy Joe Armstrong hugged Billy Crystal, who was there to welcome to the crowd at the Kia Forum.

“Our goal is simple tonight, to spend more money than the Dodgers spent on free agents,” he joked. He told the audience U2 offered the first big donation of the night — $1 million dollars.

Crystal said he was wearing the clothes he had on when when he evacuated. He lost his home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood that he lived in for 46 years.

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The first true-blue Los Angeles moment came from a surprise performance by Dr. Dre. The progenitor of West Coast hip-hop tackled “Still D.R.E.” with Anderson .Paak and Sheila E. before pivoting to Tupac and Dre’s classic “California Love.”

It was followed by the figurehead of Laurel Canyon folk, a moving set of “Both Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell.

An hour and a half after Green Day, the show launched at the nearby Intuit Dome with presenter Samuel L. Jackson, an Altadena fire fighter who lost his home while fighting to save others and Rod Stewart.

“Here’s a new song. Not!” joked Stewart before launching into “Maggie May.”

Pink did a stripped-down version of “What About Us,” Melissa Etheridge’s “Me and Bobby McGee” and Led Zeppelin’s “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You.”

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Music mixed with stories of fire’s toll

Behind the performers, images of firefighters and the devastation brought forth by the fires appeared on screen.

Between sets, survivors telling the stories of losing their homes were broadcast throughout the arena — both in person and in video packages.

Non-celebrities brought heart. The Williams family – four daughters and their mother – took the stage and discussed losing four homes in Altadena, California. They then introduced the folk rock band Dawes, who were also directly affected by the Eaton fire.

Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith lost a portion of the Altadena house he shares with actor-singer Mandy Moore, and his home recording studio and instruments were destroyed. Goldsmith’s brother and bandmate, Griffin Goldsmith, and his pregnant wife also lost their home in the fire.

They were joined by Stephen Stills and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ Mike Campbell for Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth,” one of Stills’ groups. It made for a perfect transition for Graham Nash, who described his Crosby, Stills & Nash collaborator as his “partner of many years.”

Spirits were high. “We’re appreciative of this moment. I hope people remember this concert forever,” said Scott Jones, 54, who brought his daughter to the concert at the Kia Forum. The Los Angeles-resident and his daughter wore black T-shirts with “First Responders” written across their chests.

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“I hope some of the firefighters who are able to attend can come and decompress a little,” Jones said. “They needed it. I’m supportive of what they have done for this city.”

How to watch FireAid

FireAid has taken over two Inglewood, California, venues — the Kia Forum and the Intuit Dome.

It is being broadcast and streamed live on Apple Music, Apple TV+, Max, iHeartRadio, KTLA+, Netflix/Tudum, Paramount+, Prime Video, the Amazon Music Channel on Twitch, SiriusXM, Spotify, SoundCloud, Veeps and YouTube. It will also be shown at select AMC Theatres locations in the U.S.

Who else will perform?

Eilish, Gracie Abrams, Jelly Roll, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Lil Baby, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Tate McRae and Earth, Wind & Fire will perform at the Intuit Dome.

John Fogerty, No Doubt, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stevie Nicks, the Black Crowes and John Mayer will perform at the Kia Forum.

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Mayer and Dave Matthews were originally scheduled to perform live together for the first time, but on Wednesday, the official Dave Matthews Band Instagram account announced that “due to a critical illness in the family,” Matthews will no longer take the stage.

How will donations work?

Those not in attendance can watch the live feed and contribute donations via FireAidLA.org. The link, which is open now, will also be up on the screen for the duration of the broadcast.

Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and his wife Connie will match all donations made during the live broadcast, doubling the proceeds. Crystal noted that because of their pledge, U2’s million dollar donation was worth twice that amount.

All of the proceeds will go to those affected. A 501(c)(3) was set up, and contributions to FireAid will be distributed under the Annenberg Foundation, which with FireAid has assembled a small committee to advise.

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AP Entertainment Writers Mark Kennedy and Jonathan Landrum Jr. contributed to this report.

Los Angeles, Ca

Loved ones search for missing 34-year-old Southern California woman

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Loved ones search for missing 34-year-old Southern California woman

Loved ones are searching for a 34-year-old Southern California woman who has been missing for over a week.

Amy Lynn Edmonds, 34, was reported missing on June 28, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.

Edmonds, who is considered at-risk, was last seen walking away from Coast Plaza Hospital in Norwalk.  

She is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown hair. She was last seen wearing a blue jacket and was carrying a black backpack.

Amy Lynn Edmonds, 34, was last seen in Norwalk on June 28, 2026. (Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department)

It’s unclear where she may have been heading when she disappeared. 

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Authorities said Edmonds has mental health and medical issues that require medication. Neither hospital staff nor loved ones have heard from her since and they are concerned for her well-being.

Anyone who may know Edmond’s whereabouts or has information on the case can call LASD’s Missing Persons Detail at 323-890-5500.

Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Waymo video could determine charges after teens’ bizarre California ride

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Waymo video could determine charges after teens’ bizarre California ride

Police are still waiting for video from Waymo before deciding whether two teenagers accused of drinking alcohol and firing an Orbeez gun from inside one of the company’s self-driving vehicles could face additional charges, a San Mateo police spokesperson told KTLA.

The incident unfolded around 2:10 p.m. Monday when a Waymo representative contacted the San Mateo Police Department to report suspicious behavior inside one of the company’s autonomous vehicles.

“The Waymo rep who contacted us told us they saw what they described as a firearm in the vehicle, described it black in color, and at some point believed that the passengers were firing it outside of the vehicle,” Community Relations Officer Janine Luna said. “Even at one point saying they believed they saw a recoil.”

The representative also reported that the passengers appeared to be intoxicated and had an open bottle of alcohol inside the vehicle, Luna said.

Believing they were responding to reports of a firearm being fired from a moving vehicle, officers coordinated with Waymo to conduct what police described as a high-risk traffic stop.

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  • San Mateo police officers examine an Orbeez gun recovered after stopping a Waymo vehicle and detaining two teenagers during a high-risk traffic stop.
  • San Mateo police officers examine an Orbeez gun recovered after stopping a Waymo vehicle and detaining two teenagers during a high-risk traffic stop.

Luna said Waymo remotely disabled the vehicle in a location where officers could safely respond. The company then informed the passengers that the vehicle was experiencing mechanical problems while officers made their way to the scene.

Although the vehicle was disabled, its doors remained unlocked and the passengers could have exited if they wanted to, Luna said. Instead, they stayed inside until officers arrived, cleared the vehicle and detained the occupants.

Investigators later determined the suspected firearm was an Orbeez gun, a motorized toy that fires water-filled gel pellets.

While Orbeez guns are legal to possess, Luna said the one recovered by officers had been partially painted black, making it appear more like a real firearm.

“We’ve been seeing that a lot, where people are taking BB guns, water guns, toy guns, completely painting them over, and then in a lot of cases they actually do really look like real guns,” she said.

Police said no injuries or property damage have been reported, and no victims have come forward.

The two passengers, both 15 years old, were released to their parents and were not arrested, Luna said.

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Authorities have already forwarded the underage drinking allegation to the juvenile district attorney for review. However, investigators are still waiting to receive Waymo video before deciding whether to recommend any additional charges.

“We’re still waiting to receive that video to determine what, if anything, they’ll be charged with,” Luna said. “Obviously it’s a water gun or toy gun. It’s not illegal to carry, but depending on shooting from a moving vehicle, there’s some of that that can come into play.”

Luna said this was the first time the San Mateo Police Department had handled an incident in which Waymo contacted officers in real time to report suspicious activity inside one of its vehicles.

The incident comes just weeks after another high-profile Waymo incident in Southern California. In late June, several teens were seen hanging out of the windows of a self-driving Waymo as it traveled through Santa Monica traffic. Waymo later told KTLA those riders’ accounts had been suspended for violating the company’s user agreement.

Luna also urged parents to keep an eye on their children during summer break and reminded the public not to alter the appearance of toy guns to make them resemble real firearms.

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“We want to give our kids freedom to have fun and enjoy their time off from school,” Luna said. “But because they’re not in school, just keep an eye on them. Make sure you know where they’re at. Make sure you know who they’re hanging out with.”

Iman Palm and Aaron Tolentino contributed to this report.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Bicyclist killed by hit-and-run driver in Long Beach

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Bicyclist killed by hit-and-run driver in Long Beach

An investigation is underway after a bicyclist was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Long Beach.

On July 6, Long Beach police responded to a crash near Cowles Street and Santa Fe Avenue just after 2:30 a.m.

Officers found the victim, a man in his 50s, lying unresponsive on the roadway. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver who struck him fled the area before officers arrived. 

A bicyclist in his 50s was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Long Beach on July 6, 2026. (Google Maps)

A preliminary investigation indicated the bicyclist was riding westbound on Cowles Street when he was struck by an unknown vehicle that turned onto Cowles from Santa Fe Avenue.

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The victim’s name is being withheld pending positive identification by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.

No further details, including a suspect or vehicle description, were released.

Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information on the incident is urged to call the Long Beach Police Department’s Collision Investigation Detail at 562-570-7355. 

Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.

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