Southern California breaking news and trends
Kobe Bryant will fork over about $75 million and all three Newport Beach mansions in divorce
Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images
Kobe and Vanessa Bryant attend the skills competition at the NBA's All-Star Saturday Night in Dallas in February, 2011.
Kobe Bryant is not like most men.
When most men get divorced they lose the house to the ex-wife and drive away in the station wagon.
Kobe Bryant is losing the house, the other house, and the third house. Yes, all three Newport Beach mansions will go to the Laker guard's soon-to-be ex-wife.
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that property records at the Orange County Clerk-Recorders Office in Santa Ana indicate that the homes have been recently transfered to Vanessa Bryant.
The three OC properties are worth a total of $18.8 million. But before you shed a tear for #24, Kobe made about $35 million in 2011 according to Sports Illustrated.
The couple, who have been together for 10 years, have yet to officially divorce, but the Times speculates Kobe is worth about $150 million, thus will be ordered to fork over approximately $75 million since the pair never signed a pre-nuptial agreement.
Dr. Seuss' 'Oh, The Places You'll Go' revealed as 2013 Rose Parade theme
Congratulations!
Today is your day!
The theme was announced
for the next Rose Parade!
OH!
THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!
"Oh, the Places You'll Go!," the inspirational book by former La Jolla resident Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, has been chosen as the theme for next year's Rose Parade, 2013 Tournament of Roses President Sally Bixby announced yesterday on Facebook.
So...
come to Pasadena
by car or by ferry.
And do not forget a rhyming dictionary.
You're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your parade is waiting.
So...get on your way!
Lady products recalled: FDA finds Staphylococcus, benzocaine, unsubstantiated claims
Two highly questionable feminine products are being recalled by a Los Angeles-based company following the Federal Drug Administration discovery of Staphylococcus bacteria and other pathogens in one product, and the anesthetic benzocaine, in the other.
The products are sold to herbal stores, beauty shops and drug stores by an Alhambra-based company called USA Far Ocean Group Inc. (U.S.A. Far Ocean), that promotes the product with disturbing questions like, "Are you deeply concerned about female diseases?" and "Do you want to get rid of them forever and regain your charm?"
The products, sold also in stores, online and via mail order, are packaged individually as "Vagifresh Ball" and "Vagifresh Gel," and packaged together as "Female One."
FDA lab analysis found that the Vagifresh Gel contained benzocaine, a local anesthetic commonly used as a topical pain reliever, while analysis of the Vagifresh Ball found bacteria including Staphylococcus lentus, S. sciuri, Bacillus Lantus, Alloiococcus otitis, Aerococcus viridans, Aeromonas salmonicid, Gemella spp, Leuconostoc spp.
Make no bones about it, cadaver dog helps investigators (with video)
Renee Grand Pre
Earlier today we ran a feature on Indiana Bones, the cadaver dog who gave investigators a hand on the severed limbs case in the Hollywood Hills.
Here is some video with Indy and her handler and coroner's investigator Renee Grand Pre. Videographer John Vande Wege takes us to Indy when she was on the job and training as a 4-year old:
And since a lot of great stuff often gets left on the chopping block, here's a tidbit from the notebook:
Indy might be a local celeb now, but she's also witnessed real star power.
In 2005, Indy and Grand Pre took a flight to Tennessee to train at its infamous "Body Farm," which holds the nation’s only and largest catalogue of human remains for study. Indy stretched out on the floor in coach, but up front was Lassie, primly in a first-class seat with her handler beside her.
Neil Young 'LincVolt' sued after '59 hybrid goes up in smoke
AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
Musicians Neil Young and Daniel Lanois are photographed beside Young's 1959 hybrid Lincoln Continental in Woodside, CA.
LincVolt, a company founded by folk-rock icon Neil Young during the fuel-effiiency conversion of his 1959 Lincoln Continental, is being sued over a fire that authorities say began in the modified vehicle. The suit alleges that Young, listed as a LincVolt LLC officer, was negligent in the process of turning his vintage vehicle into an electric and biodiesel-powered hybrid.
Unigard Insurance is seeking $500,000 that it says was paid to the owner of two warehouses damaged in the 2010 San Francisco Bay Area fire. A three-alarm blaze was sparked by a charging malfunction, and caused about $1 million in damage, much to "a lifetime of rock 'n' roll memorabilia -- instruments, photos and film footage as well as the Lincoln -- Young had stored in the warehouse," explains the Mercury News.
Young chose to have the car rebuilt, and the era-confused vehicle is currently undergoing a series of driving tests. LincVolt's progress is being tracked and detailed online.
