Los Angeles, Ca
'They not like us': Dodgers celebrate championship with parade, rally
The Los Angeles Dodgers, including Shohei Ohtani and his dog, celebrated their eighth World Series championship with a downtown parade and a raucous on-field party on Friday.
“This is so special,” said Ohtani, who usually only speaks in his native Japanese but addressed a packed Dodger Stadium in English. “I’m so honored to be here. Congratulations, Los Angeles. Thank you, guys.”
Fellow Japanese star Yoshinobu Yamamoto added in English, “Thank you, Dodger fans.”
Rapper Ice Cube kicked off the bash by performing “It Was a Good Day,” with manager Dave Roberts dancing and joining in on the lyrics from a blue circular stage in the middle of the field.
“You guys wanted a parade. We got a parade,” Roberts said. “Guys, let’s get ready to run this back next year, too.”
Players exchanged hugs and back slaps on the stage as blue-and-white confetti drifted in the air and the team’s signature song, “I Love LA,” blared. Their children played on the field, with Freddie Freeman’s 8-year-old son, Charlie, leading some of them in jumping up on the lower retaining wall near the crowd.
Players took turns passing around the Commissioner’s Trophy.
“Who else has more championships than us in the 2020s?” asked utilityman Kiké Hernández. “Absolutely nobody.”
Roberts introduced Freeman as someone who “played with one leg and one rib,” in reference to the first baseman’s injuries.
“I did everything I could to get on the field for you guys and I’m so glad I did because we got a championship now,” Freeman said. “I can’t wait to run this back next year.”
Earlier, seven double-decker buses filled with players, their families and the coaching staff rolled through streets packed on both sides with blue-clad fans. The Los Angeles Police Department estimated the crowd to be 150,000.
“This is incredible,” said Freeman, the World Series MVP. “LA really showed out today.”
Several players smoked cigars and drank beer aboard the buses on the sun-splashed day.
“It’s the best thing I’ve ever been part of,” pitcher Clayton Kershaw said. “I’ve never seen this many people in my life. They’re all Dodger fans.”
A shirtless Hernández hung over the front of his bus with a beer in his hand. Ohtani held his dog, Decoy, in his arms with his wife, Mamiko, nearby.
“I’m totally overwhelmed with the amount of fans who are here,” Ohtani said through an interpreter as the bus rolled along. “It’s been an incredible year. I’m so happy that I was able to contribute. The fans and everybody has been so welcoming.”
Asked if he would take his shirt off like Hernández, a smiling Ohtani shook his head and replied in English, “No, never.”
Walker Buehler, who pitched the ninth inning in the Series finale, did a beer bong while wearing Orel Hershiser’s jersey from the team’s 1988 World Series championship.
“This is crazy, man. I love this,” outfielder Teoscar Hernández said.
Fans cheered and waved at their heroes. The parade occurred on what would have been the 64th birthday of Fernando Valenzuela, the 1981 NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year winner who died days before the World Series began.
The Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in five games, clinching the title with a 7-6 victory in the Bronx on Wednesday.
A portion of the proceeds from the ticketed stadium event will be donated to the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation.
There were more than a dozen arrests during informal celebrations after the team’s comeback win to clinch the Series. Burglaries, vandalism and fires occurred in some parts of the city.
Los Angeles, Ca
Stolen credit card, over $1K in merchandise found in Upland mail theft bust
Officers arrested two suspects for stealing mail, over $1,000 in merchandise and more in San Bernardino County, police announced on Monday evening.
The Upland Police Department wrote in an X post that officers received a call last week about two men breaking into mailboxes and driving a Mercedes that didn’t have license plates.
The department said officers were able to identify the suspect vehicle, “which started the shift challenge of who could find it first.”
An officer “didn’t take long” to find the Mercedes at a gas station at Foothill Boulevard and Benson Avenue, according to police.
“It also wasn’t hard to spot the two making a couple of trips to the trash can,” the department added.
Officers said they then stopped the car and found stolen mail from Upland, as well as drugs, burglary tools and paraphernalia.
Police also found more stolen mail after officers went back to the gas station and searched the trash.
In addition, Upland PD said officers found a sizeable amount of merchandise from a retail store as well as a receipt that showed a partial card number from the credit card used.
“In one of the guys’ wallets was a freshly stolen credit card with matching numbers,” wrote the department. “Turns out the card was just stolen, then used to ‘purchase’ over $1,000 in merchandise.”
Upland PD said officers arrested and booked the suspects for commercial burglary, felony identification theft, mail theft, narcotics and more. Officers also impounded the Mercedes.
“Great job to our vigilant citizens for reporting what they saw,” praised the department.
Los Angeles, Ca
Man, woman released after 17 years due to 'wrongful conviction' in East Los Angeles murder
A man and a woman who spent more than 17 years in prison for an East Hollywood murder had their convictions vacated, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced Monday.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William C. Ryan also ordered the immediate release of Charlotte Pleytez and Lombardo Palacios who were imprisoned for the 2007 murder.
“I want to extend my deepest apologies to Ms. Pleytez and Mr. Palacios for the years of hardship they endured due to these wrongful convictions,” Hochman stated. “I also want to recognize the tragic loss of Hector Luis Flores and share my heartfelt condolences with his family. His death is a painful reminder of the heavy responsibility we bear to ensure justice not only holds the right people accountable but also honors the lives of victims and their families.”
Flores was fatally shot during a verbal altercation in a shopping center parking lot in the 5200 block of Sunset Boulevard on March 28, 2007.
Pleytez and Palacios were arrested following eyewitness identifications and other circumstantial evidence, the DA’s Office stated.
Palacios and Pleytez were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 50 years to life in prison but years later, the DA’s Office was asked to revisit the case.
“We are reluctant to say justice has been done, because the injustices our clients have suffered for nearly two decades are unfathomable, but this is definitely a cause for celebration,” said attorney Matt Lombard.
The District Attorney said that there was no evidence to suggest that law enforcement or prosecutors acted inappropriately during the case. “The request for relief in this case was based entirely on new evidence uncovered by the joint CRU and defense investigation,” Hochman stated.
Los Angeles, Ca
Vigil held to honor L.A. firefighter lost at sea in free dive off Long Beach
SEAL BEACH, Calif. (KTLA) – Family, friends and colleagues gathered Sunday in Seal Beach to honor the life of Connor Lees, a firefighter with the Los Angeles Fire Department who died earlier this month during a recreational free dive.
The Dec. 5 incident occurred when Lees, 29, and three other divers in their 20’s went for a free dive, which entails a person holding their breath for as long as they can while diving without scuba gear, in the waters off Long Beach, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Long Beach Fire spokesperson Brian Fisk told The Times one of the men was presumably piloting the small watercraft while the others were free diving, adding that only two of the three returned from the dive.
The three men called for emergency help just before 10 a.m., launching a multi-agency search with divers from the U.S. Coast Guard, LAFD, L.A. County Fire, LBPD and the L.A. Port Police.
More than 19 hours after the search began, officials made the difficult decision to transition from a search and rescue mission to a recovery mission.
“The decision to transition operations to a recovery mission is not taken lightly,” LBFD said in a post to Instagram. “As we make this transition, our thoughts and prayers continue for the family of the missing diver and for our brothers and sisters at the Los Angeles City Fire Department.”
Officials told The Times that investigators did not suspect foul play, and that Lees was believed to be lost at sea.
Lees, who grew up in Seal Beach and was a six-year veteran of LAFD, was remembered Sunday night as something of an institution in the community, one whose untimely and tragic death has affected so many that knew him.
Friends said the 29-year-old loved the ocean and the beach and that the place he grew up was the perfect spot to honor lasting memory.
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