Roadblock. Today’s the busiest travel day of the year and people heading to LAX could run into some significant delays. But it’s not the typical holiday hustle and bustle. The Service Employees International Union is planning to hold a rally outside the airport to protest against a local aviation company. LAX is advising people heading to the airport to give themselves plenty of extra time. We’ve posted alternate routes on our KCRW Shortcuts blog.
Fill ‘er up. If you’re one of the estimated three million Southern Californians driving to get your Thanksgiving dinner this year, there’s good news about gas prices. The average price of a gallon of self services unleaded has dropped for the 43rd consecutive day – to $3.82 a gallon. City News Service
Terror plot. The FBI says three Southern California men charged this week with plotting to join up with overseas terrorists were unaware that one of their cohorts was an informant. The trio allegedly spent months planning a trip to Afghanistan, where they hoped to meet up with the fourth defendant and alleged ringleader, Sohiel Omar Kabir, a naturalized U.S. citizen and Afghan native. The agency says they made preparations by simulating combat with paintball rifles and cleansed their Facebook pages of any Islamic references. AP
Response response. The L.A. Fire Department is looking at new ways to shorten the time it takes rescuers to respond to 911 calls. Officials acknowledged earlier this year that the department published incorrect response times – making it appear that rescuers were arriving on the scene quicker than they actually were. The L.A. Times reports that fire commissioners agreed yesterday to reexamine one program that was tested six years and then abandoned. Known as “quick launch,” it allows dispatchers to send units before determining the nature of an emergency. L.A. Times
J wait. Two weeks after the election, the outcome of a transportation tax measure is still up in the air. Measure J would extend a half-cent sales tax hike for transportation projects in L.A. County for another 30 years. The L.A. Times reports that with more than 200,000 ballots still be counted, Measure J is falling just short of the the-thirds approval needed for passage. L.A. Times
Subway stop. The Beverly Hills School District is suing U.S. transportation authorities in an effort to block $2 billion in federal funding for a Westside subway extension that would run under the city’s high school. The lawsuit claims federal officials didn’t know about serious seismic and methane gas risks when the approved the MTA’s plan. AP