Welcome to L.A. TACO’s daily news briefs, where we bring our loyal members, readers, and supporters the latest headlines about Los Angeles politics and culture. Stay informed and look closely.
—Elon Musk allegedly exposed his penis to a Space X flight attendant and propositioned her for sex on a private plane, leading to a $250,000 payment in 2018 for her silence, according to a new report. [Business Insider]
—Five people, believed to be migrants, were found dead on a train in northern Mexico near the U.S. border, most likely from dehydration and heat stroke, after getting on what is said to be the wrong train. [CBS]
—The failed Santa Rosa Taco Fest, which took place last weekend in Northern California, is being compared to the legendary disaster known as the Fyre Festival. [Press Democrat]
—The man who attacked comedian Dave Chappelle at the Hollywood Bowl has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly stabbing his roommate at a transitional housing facility in December 2021. [Deadline]
—L.A. artist RISK claims to be the first artist to paint in Michelangelo's private workshop, where he planned the Sistine Chapel, in 450 years. [RISK/Instagram]
—L.A. hotel workers are fighting for their employers to provide them panic buttons in case of sexual harassment or assault by guests while on the job. [The Guardian]
—B-Real says Cypress Hill and Onyx were "shorted" by Verzuz at their recent battle at L.A.'s Forum by not showing the event on its Instagram Live like it did past battles. [The Source]
—A GrubHub promotion involving free food led to mass chaos in New York City on Tuesday, with 6,000 orders being placed every minute. [Guardian]
—A new documentary looks at rapper Nipsey Hussle's forays into starting a cannabis business with his brother Blacc Sam, who will soon open a dispensary named Marathon Collective. [Complex]
—A fire at a Hollywood building housing multiple recording studios left one dead and two injured on Thursday night. [LAT]
—Federal corrections officer Jose Viera agreed to plea guilty to allegations of raping a female inmate who was in isolation while recovering from COVID in 2020. [NBC]
—Unpacking the racism of the word "marijuana," which may descend from the Aztec term "mallihuan," but was used by cannabis opponents to slander the plant by connecting it with "degenerate" foreign influences. [BDN]
—Viktor Kamenshchikov, a Russian politician who publicly opposed Putin's invasion of Ukraine, has reportedly been detained at the U.S.-Mexico border and possibly arrested for attempting an illegal border crossing. [Newsweek]
—George W. Bush... still a dipshit after all these years. [Immortal Technique/Instagram]