Today’s News: Jenni Rivera mourned; Judge to rule on secret church abuse files; Film Critics love ‘Amour’

Soulful singer. Family members and fans on both sides of the border are morning singer and TV star Jenni Rivera, who died yesterday when her small jet went down near Monterrey in northern Mexico. The Banda star was born in Long Beach. Her soulful voice and openness about her personal troubles helped her build a large and passionate following in the U.S. and Mexico. Rivera was filming the third season of her Telemundo reality show and was reportedly working on a new show with ABC. The National Transportation Safety Board today said it would help Mexican authorities investigate the crash. Rivera was 43. CNN

Partial clearing. Secret files kept for decades by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles on priests accused of sex abuse could soon become public. A judge is scheduled to hear final objections today from accused priests who want to keep their files private. A plaintiffs’ attorney who has seen the files calls them “explosive.” They contain letters between church leaders, including the recently retired Cardinal Roger Mahoney, as well psychological and medical records. But the L.A. Times reports many of the documents have been scrubbed of what some regard as the most important information: the identities of church higher-ups who moved accused priests between parishes. L.A. Times

. The attorney for a Southern California terror suspect says his client had a broken facial bone, cuts and was suffering from memory loss when he was transferred to the U.S. from Afghanistan. The lawyer says the injuries apparently occurred when Sohiel Omar Kabir was detained by U.S. Special Forces in Kabul, where he was staying with family members. Kabir, a U.S. citizen, is suspected of being the ringleader in a plot to kill Americans and bomb military bases overseas. USA Today

Connected. California’s poorest residents – including the homeless – could soon be eligible for free cell phone service. The phones would be handed out through a federally funded Lifeline program that’s already in place in 36 other states. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the California Public Utilities Commission is expected to approve the program before the end of the year. The Lifeline program was established to ensure that low-income people have access to phone service, but it’s only recently been expanded to include mobile devices. Under the plan, people who qualify would get 250 minutes of talk time and 250 free texts per month. San Francisco Chronicle

Loving ‘Amour.’ The French-language drama “Amour” has been chosen as the year’s best film by the L.A. Film Critics. The 1950’s period piece “The Master” walked off with three honors last night, including Best Director (Paul Thomas Anderson), Best Actor (Joaquin Phoenix) and Best Supporting Actress (Amy Adams). “Amour” star Emmanuelle Riva shared the best-actress honor with Jennifer Lawrence of “Silver Linings Playbook.” Los Angeles Film Critics Association