Archive: 2008 in review

"This is a human tragedy that is beyond words. A horrific night this evening." — Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at Metrolink crash scene in Chatsworth "Officer Randal Simmons was a...

"I didn’t have to put much thought into it....It’s really an honor." — Lindsay Lohan, on posing nude as Marilyn Monroe for New York Magazine "What we need is...

"I always keep my options open." — LAPD Chief William Bratton, dismissing speculation he was a candidate for London police chief "Barack's better half not only has stature but...

"We used the internet to win the internet." — WGA head Patric Verrone, on the writers strike "Trying to get a story on the front page is so similar...

Dutton's farewell gathering "It is with profound regret and sorrow that Dutton’s Brentwood Books must announce that it will be closing on April 30, 2008." — Note from owner...

Everyone in power at the Los Angeles Times vowed that 2008 would be the year the paper stopped making news for the wrong reasons — remember how unbelievable 2007 seemed?...

On Sept. 12, a Metrolink commuter train headed for Simi Valley and Moorpark smashed head-on into a southbound Union Pacific freight train in Chatsworth. Twenty-five passengers and crew have died...

Noting the deaths of prominent, newsworthy or interesting Los Angeles figures and of LA Observed's colleagues in the media is a regular thing we do here. There seems to be...

Bob Benoit, photographer Mr. Blackwell, fashion figure Manuel Bogran, Breeze carrier Bernie Boston, photographer P.J. Corkery, editor Elmer Dills, TV restaurant critic Bill Drake, radio executive Clay Felker, editor...

Art Aragon, boxer Buzzie Bavasi, baseball man John Buttera, hot rodder Billy Consolo, player Dock Ellis, pitcher Craig Fertig, USC star Georgia Frontiere, owner Ed Justice Sr., motors Pete...

Ron Boltz, announcer Bernie Brillstein, manager Bud Browne, filmmaker George Carlin, comedian Warren Cowan, publicist Gene Evans, fireworks showman Johnny Grant, honorary mayor Charlton Heston, actor Bobbi Holtzman, director...

Forrest J Ackerman, archivist Tina Allen, artist Arthur C. Clarke, author Philip Conisbee, curator Michael Crichton, author Bo Diddley, rocker Elaine Dundy, author Patricia Faure, art dealer Robert Graham,...

Randal Simmons, LAPD SWAT "It wasn't until I saw the 10 o'clock news that I fully appreciated how many people lined Vermont and Slauson to greet the procession escorting...