The weather on Sunday morning was perfect as hundreds descended upon Woodley Park in the San Fernando Valley for the SRLA Endurance Run. 

SRLA (Students Run L.A.) is a program that creates opportunities for students at 190 Greater L.A. area schools to train – and eventually run in – the Los Angeles Marathon. 

600 volunteer teachers help more than 3,200 students of all backgrounds and abilities to train, SRLA says on its website. 

Sunday’s Endurance Run – which raised money for students hoping to compete in the marathon – consisted of a 9.3-mile 15K run as well as a 5K fun run. A virtual run for those who couldn’t attend in person was also available. 

KTLA 5’s Erin Myers spoke to a student, a senior at Nathaniel Narbonne High School in Harbor City named Gabriella, who has already participated in two marathons and enjoys her experience with SRLA for multiple reasons. 

“It’s really a unique experience, especially as a high school student, since you don’t really think high schoolers would be out running marathons,” she said. “But I think it’s really interesting…it’s something new and it really motivates you to go step-by-step into the next day, trying to be better than you were.” 

Not only that, but Gabriella says SRLA helps with her focus in school and her drive to succeed at the next level. 

“It really helps inside the classrooms with my focus in school, but also outside [the classroom] since it really helps with goal setting and confidence over time. At the end of the day, it’s all something that I like to do.” 

For those who are interested in partaking in the next SRLA event, another “Friendship Run” will be held on Feb. 16 at the Hansen Dam. 

The Friendship Run takes place exactly one month before the L.A. Marathon. 

Looking for something sooner? SRLA is also hosting a Holiday Half Marathon on Dec. 15 at the Pomona Fairplex. 

For more information on SRLA – including ways to donate – click here. 

Deputies arrested a Homeland man after a group of juveniles allegedly exposed him for being a sexual predator, authorities announced Saturday.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to Nicolas Road Park in the city of Temecula on Friday afternoon for a tip that an adult was meeting with a minor for sexual purposes.

“Upon arrival, a deputy was met with a crowd of approximately 20 juveniles recording the encounter,” the department said.

Deputies detained the suspect, identified as 46-year-old William Vandenbush. 

Authorities said an investigation revealed Vandenbush sent nude photographs and agreed to meet a minor for sexual purposes.

Deputies arrested Vandenbush for multiple felonies and booked him at the Cois Byrd Detention Center for sending harmful matter to a minor, contacting a minor for sexual purposes and arranging to meet with a minor for sexual purposes, according to the department.

Although the sheriff’s office did not specify how exactly the juveniles exposed Vandenbush in its press release, officials made a point to discourage residents from conducting their own undercover investigations and arranging to meet with potential suspects.

“This action unnecessarily jeopardized the safety of everyone in the vicinity of the park,” wrote the department. “We encourage anyone with information related to child sexual abuse, or online sexual exploitation of minors for sex, to immediately contact their local law enforcement agency.”

“Law enforcement professionals investigating these types of egregious crimes have specialized training and follow specific protocols to ensure a proper investigation, evidence preservation, and public safety,” the sheriff’s office continued. “By following these specific protocols, the investigation is not compromised and ensures a thorough investigation is presented to their local district attorney’s office for prosecution.”

Authorities said that while this is an ongoing investigation, no further information will be released.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said it encourages anyone with information on this case to call Investigator Alissa Morris or Deputy Kevin Au at 951-696-3000.

Images in this story and above video may be considered disturbing

Rumors are aplenty, and nobody knows the real reason why, but Los Angeles and its surrounding areas have been fortunate to be populated with beautiful, “model citizen” parrots for decades.

But as of late, in a disturbing trend, many of these birds in the San Gabriel Valley are being found by residents with severe wounds, or even dead.

Cleo Watts, founder of non profit animal rehabilitation center Cleo’s Critter Care in Pasadena, says she’s received several calls reporting severe injuries or deaths to the friendly creatures in the area.

“I’ve been getting a lot of phone calls for birds being shot down,” Watts told KTLA’s Jennifer McGraw. “It’s very upsetting to know that somebody would do this to these animals.”

Watts admits that the colorful birds are a controversial topic in Pasadena, Altadena and the rest of the San Gabriel Valley. They can be loud and somewhat obnoxious, she said, leading to some wishing the birds weren’t populating the area.

“We have leaf blowers, we have people with loud [car] exhausts, crying babies, barking dogs,” she said. “We don’t go shooting them. So why these guys?”

The suspected targeting of these birds isn’t the first time it’s happened in the L.A. area — it happened just last year in Temple City, when someone placed nets into trees, resulting in the death of some birds.

This time around, Watts said it appears that someone is “shooting” the birds with some kind of weapon. As many as 11 parrots have been killed or severely injured in recent weeks.

The surviving, injured birds have been placed into Watts’ care. She’s taken some to specialists, where they can receive intensive care as needed.

One parrot brought into her care was missing half of a wing, according to Watts.

Anyone with information as to a suspect in these crimes are encouraged to call police. Anyone that finds an injured bird is encouraged to reach out to Watts at cleoscrittercareca@gmail.com.