Headlines: L.A. Home Buyers Are Taking Advantage of Falling Mortgage Rates and Home Prices

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.

—Los Angeles: Home buyers continue to find deals in the shifting Southern California housing market. Falling mortgage rates and home prices bring some buyers back into the Southern California market just in time for spring. [L.A. Times]

—Hacienda Heights: A man was arrested for allegedly killing Auxiliary Bishop David G. O’Connell on Saturday. According to authorities, Carlos Medina, is the husband of a housekeeper that worked for the bishop. Medina allegedly pulled up to the bishop's home in Hacienda Heights in a compact SUV and shot him at least once. On Monday, authorities went to Medina's home in Torrance. After barricading himself in the home for several hours, Medina was arrested. He's currently being held on $2 million bail.

—Compton: The cafeteria at Dominguez Highschool in Compton was destroyed by a fire that burned for more than four hours on Monday night. It's unclear what started the blaze. For now, the school is closed. "Further information will be provided to staff, parents, and students regarding the continuance of school operations once that is known," school officials said in a statement. [KTLA]

—Westwood: A new 73-unit housing development for veterans is being built at the Veteran Affairs campus in Westwood. Urbanize reports that the apartment complex is slated to open late next year. The project is part of a redevelopment effort to create more than 1,500 homes on the sprawling campus. Last year a group of unhoused veterans sued the VA for discrimination and "illegally" leasing land that could have been used to house the homeless. [Urbanize]

—Long Beach: Cal Worthington, the iconic West Coast car retailer known for their commercials, sold their final dealership. The news surprised some employees who have been with the company for decades. The new owner, Nouri/Shaver Automobile Group, plans to retain all Worthington Ford employees if they choose to reapply for their jobs. The Worthington Ford sign is slated to be taken down next month. [LAT]

—"Light rain," snow in the Santa Monica Mountains, and freezing cold temperatures in central L.A. are forecasted for later this week. DTLA could experience temps in the upper 30s, according to a meteorologist. But the path of the storm is uncertain. The National Weather Service said "confidence remains low" for snow at low elevations. [LAT]

—Two men were killed, and three people were injured when a train collided with a vehicle in South Los Angeles. Relatives of the deceased and injured said that the five men had just left work at a nearby soap manufacturer. No passengers on the train were reportedly injured. On the same day, a man was injured by a train one stop away from the fatal train collision. [CBS News]

—Two people were critically injured during a fire in South LA on Monday, and the firefighter was sent to a hospital for smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. [NBC]

—Two hundred L.A. County firefighters and first responders, as well as 12 canines, returned back to Los Angeles after assisting rescue crews in Turkey, following two devastating earthquakes. [CBS]

—Virgil Village: Metzli Taqueria is returning to Virgil Village's Melody Wine Bar for their firs popup of 2023 this week. Cold Hearted Gelato will be serving dessert. [Metzli/IG]

—Compton: The Compton Art & History museum opened this weekend in the City of Compton. [Ryan Porter/IG]