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By Michael Lopez

There's no denying that it's been a rollercoaster year for the Los Angeles Dodgers. There was the departure of famed manager Joe Torre, the vicious fan beating on opening day, and the ongoing disputes between team owner Frank McCourt and MLB commissioner Bud Selig. This week, things took an even more drastic turn with McCourt's announcement that he will be selling the team.

Interestingly, most of L.A. seems to be overjoyed by Frank's decision to step down. Since he took ownership back in 2004 (for a reported $430 million), the team has been plagued with disastrous seasons. There were tons of empty stadium seats, zero trips to the World Series, and expensive sluggers that turned out to be total flops.

Frank's handling of the recent Bryan Stow beating didn't endear him much with fans either. Back in March, Stow was pummeled by two assailants in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium. The brutal nature of the attack (and the lack of proper security) left many fans shocked and hesitant to step foot inside the Stadium again.

To top that off, McCourt's lawyers have insinuated that Bryan was partly to blame for his own beating (a sentiment which did not sit well with the public at large). Not surprisingly, Stow's attorneys have now filed a civil suit against the team, which could cost McCourt a bundle.

"How you are judged in life is how you react after mistakes," Bryan’s attorney Thomas Girardi said. "Oh so here it is: let's blame the innocent guy for the lack of security at Dodger Stadium."

Rumors are circulating that Stow could get as much as $50 million in damages, which may be a major factor in Frank's decision to sell the team. Amazingly, McCourt is hoping to get as much as $1 billion for the Dodgers in a deal that would include the Stadium and the surrounding parking lots.

Whether he gets close to that amount is anybody's guess, but his team certainly has a fair share of suitors. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has expressed interest in purchasing the boys in blue, as has Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio and Boston Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner. Even Oscar de la Hoya hinted about it a while back.

Whoever does take ownership of the Dodgers is in for an uphill battle, but not one without its rewards. L.A. mayor Antonio Villaraigosa spoke publicly about the sale and offered encouraging words for anyone looking to invest in the team.

"As a Dodger fan and an Angeleno, it has been a very, very tough season," he said. "I'm looking forward to local ownership. I want the owner to be from Los Angeles. I want someone who loves this town and believes in this city."

So local billionaires, go ahead and place your bids!

Who do you think should buy the Dodgers? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Antonio Villaraigosa, Baseball, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Bryan Stow, Chisme, Dodgers, Frank McCourt, Los-Angeles, Mark Cuban, MLB, popnews, Sports

By Michael Lopez

It looks like Erik Estrada can rest easy, L.A.'s dreaded "CARmageddon" turned out to be quite lackluster by all accounts. Fears ran high Friday night with the closure of the city's popular 405 Freeway, but when all was said and done, there was very little traffic trouble. Of course, that didn't stop southern California's famous celebs from chiming in on the issue.

"Not gonna lie -loving LA during this #Carmageddon scare -there is zero traffic. It's like LA at xmas peace n quiet EVERYWHERE!" Jessica Alba tweeted.

"LA should shut down the 405 fwy more often...there is NO traffic! #Carmageddon is awesome. :-)" came from Katherine McPhee’s Twitter account.

And Tru Calling star Eliza Dushku wrote,

"Bulls--t media. Barely 3 cars on the road this a.m went 4 pancakes."

In all honesty, the effects of CARmaggedon were far less drastic than expected. Possibly because several motorists skipped town, opting to try their luck in cities like Las Vegas and San Diego.

Kim Kardashian made her escape to Mexico, but still checked in with her L.A. tweeters to see how the freeway situation was holding up.

"So LA, how's the traffic? I'm so curious if its as bad as everyone imagined it to be w the 405 closed!" she wrote.

Monte Carlo star Katie Cassidy also ducked out of the city for a "mini-vacation," albeit not very far.

"At Disneyland! Thanks to #Carmageddon" she wrote.

Several other high-profile Californians preferred to keep their weekend indoors.

"Hey LA, who's scared of Carmageddon? I'm not leaving my house to drive anywhere this weekend. Traffic is going to be #bRutal!" Paris Hilton wrote.

Tom Hanks posted a similar amusing tweet,

"This weekend, LA! Avoid Carmageddon, Gas-zilla, 405-enstein, Grid-lock-apalooza! STAY HOME. Eat & shop local! Hanx."

By 11:30am on Sunday, the dreaded freeway closure was all over. Appearing on the local news, L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa happily announced that the construction work had finished, ending CARmageddon a full 18 hours early.

But before all of you California locals get too excited, keep in mind that the same stretch of the 405 will be closed for one more weekend 11 months from now.

Did you get a chance to experience CARmageddon? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Antonio Villaraigosa, Blogger: Michael Lopez, CARmageddon, Celebrities, Eliza Dushku, Jessica Alba, Kim Kardashian, Los-Angeles, Paris Hilton, twitter

By Michael Lopez

In the past few weeks, we've spent a lot of time delving into the popcorn epics lighting up the summer movie screens. But let's not forget that this season also promises a slew of high-profile video games to keep vacationers occupied. And one particular title that's on every console player's mind is the intense crime saga, L.A. Noire.

The much-anticipated video game is out this week. Six years in the making, this 1940's crime drama actually became the first video game ever shown at the Tribeca Film Festival. The film-like game got a story reminiscent of the golden age of cinema, the same motion-capture technology that was used in Avatar, and a design team that helped create Grand Theft Auto. Not only that, Rockstar Games has given Noire the same marketing push you'd expect from a blockbuster summer film, complete with posters, trailers, and massive billboards.

Noire has already gotten a ton of praise from critics within the video game community. With its state-of-the-art graphics and complex plot, it's actually quite different from the type of shoot-em-up action you'd expect from the guys behind GTA. This title seems to go for the slow burn, focusing on detailed police work and investigative clue gathering.

Following the life of a grizzled 40's detective named Cole Phelps, players are given the opportunity to solve intricate murder cases and (just like Grand Theft Auto) chase down hoodlums through the city streets. As with all Rockstar titles, there are still plenty of gunplay elements, as well as fistfights and hard-nosed interrogations.

Plus, Los Angeles is very much a character in the game and several of the city's most famous landmarks have a prominent role. There are 21 total cases to solve, each one with its own twist and its own connection to the greater story arc.

And interestingly, the makers of L.A. Noire are also reaching out to the Latin gaming world, via Spanish trailers and subtitles throughout the cut-scenes. Overall, we're expecting big things from this button masher, but be careful. We've heard it can be quite addicting and we'd hate for you to spend the next three pool-friendly months cooped up in front of your Playstation 3.

Are you planning on picking up L.A. Noire? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Grand Theft Auto, Hot Stuff, L.A. Noire, Los-Angeles, Rockstar Games, video games

By Michael Lopez

Acting and politics seem to go hand in hand in California. The golden state’s sitting governor is '80s action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger, and now comedian George Lopez wants to be Los Angeles' next mayor. Yup, Conan's new BFF told a local morning show he wanted to run, but later recanted the claim to TMZ.

Frankly, Los Angeles could use some political help right now. The city, currently run by Antonio Villaraigosa, is facing a $320 million budget deficit that's expected to reach $343 million in the next year.

L.A. needs a fresh candidate to help revitalize the city when the mayor's seat is up for election in 2013. Could George be the guy for the job?

"I'm going to run," he told Good Day L.A. "Although I don't believe I'll pass the background check now ... I do intend to run for mayor at some point of Los Angeles ... in eight years.”

Eight years is a long time, but it sounds to us like there could be a game plan in the works to trade in that couch for a desk job at City Hall.

Do you think George Lopez would make a good politician? Comment below or @MTV3.

Tags Antonio Villaraigosa, Celebrities, George Lopez, Los-Angeles, Politics, TMZ

Can’t sing? Not in a band? No hay problema. Enter the Dame un Break Fan Sweepstakes for the chance to win a trip for two to see the Dame un Break video shoot in Los Angeles.

That's right; the winner and their guest will be flown to Los Angeles AND get to record their ultimate fan experience via their brand spankin' new Droid Incredible device — all from the set of the Dame un Break video shoot!

A free trip to Los Angeles, 4 nights in a hot hotel, a FREE Droid Incredible and exclusive access to a music video shoot? What are you waiting for, get on this!!!

Enter for your chance to win by visiting www.dameunbreakfan.com. The Sweepstakes starts tomorrow (July 12) at 12 PM EST.

Are you an artist on the rise? Don't miss out on this year's Dame un Break! El ganador will have their song & video made by Latin Grammy award winning producers and be featured on Tr3s, Yahoo en Español and V-Cast from Verizon.

Tags contest, Dame un Break, Droid Incredible, Fan Sweepstakes, Los-Angeles, Tr3s

images via CASTLA.org

Human trafficking and slavery shouldn't be issues in 2010, but unfortunately they are. These heinous crimes are the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the 21st century — a nine billion dollar industry.

The Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST) works tirelessly to end human rights violations. They will host their Annual Gala From Freedom To Slavery today (June 3) at the House Of Blues in LA.

Their cause is especially relevant to the struggle for immigration rights, as 48% percent of CAST’s clients are Latino.

Immigration agents estimate that 10,000 women are being held in Los Angeles' underground brothels; this does not include the thousands of victims in domestic work, sweatshops or other informal industries. CAST hopes to change these statistics and make everyone aware of the current slavery issues at hand.

According to CIA estimates, as many as 50,000 men, women and children are trafficked into the US every year and Los Angeles is one of the top three points of entry. The majority of victims are women and children; however 14% of CAST’s clients in 2008 were male.

Human trafficking ranks second, after drug smuggling and tying with arms dealing, in organized crime activities. An estimated 27 million people are enslaved around the world today – that’s more than the population of 18 States!

States such as California, Florida, New York Nevada and Ohio are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking because of their proximity to international borders and significant immigrant populations.

CAST's mission is to assist persons trafficked for the purpose of forced labor and to work toward ending all instances of such human rights violations.

Each 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month at 2pm, members of CAST's survivor caucus will be sharing their story at the Museum of Tolerance, as part of their Survivor Speaker Series.

The Museum of Tolerance
Simon Wiesenthal Plaza
9786 West Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90035

For more information, log on to CASTLA.org.

How can we help CAST prevent human trafficking? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags CAST, human rights, human trafficking, Immigration, Los-Angeles

The premiere for Michael Jackson documentary 'This Is It' went down in Los Angeles Tuesday night and was chock full of our favorite red-carpet ready Latinos! The roster included Jennifer Lopez, Roselyn Sanchez, Mario Lopez, Rosie Perez, and even former MTV VJ, Daisy Fuentes. Will Smith and Katy Perry also attended, as well as Paris Hilton and Paula Abdul. 'This Is It' hit theaters yesterday and will run for two and weeks.  The film follows Jackson during the concert rehearsals leading up to his untimely death.

Photos via Getty Images

Tags Daisy Fuentes, documentary, Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, Los-Angeles, Mario Lopez, michael jackson, Paris Hilton, Paula Abdul, Premiere, Red Carpet, Roselyn Sanchez, Rosie Perez, This Is It, Will Smith

Have you heard? Clothing company American Apparel was forced to fire 1,800 of its employees because of their illegal status. That number happens to be more than a quarter of their work force. Ay! Apparently, the paperwork the employees in question turned in when they were hired had some irregularities. American Apparal had been under a 17 month  investigation  by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency that led to the discovery of all of this.

Now, the reason for the investigation wasn't because American Apparel was exploiting their garment workers. On the contrary, AA employees were provided health insurance, life insurance, and they made decent money.  We're guessing the reason for the investigations started by former Presidente George Dubbya, was that he figured if the ICE investigated the companies he thought were employing illegal immigrants instead of raiding them, there would be less controversy. WRONG!  The firings have definitely stirred up some chaos, with dividing arguments being thrown around the city of Los Angeles.

With the unemployment rate where it is right now, it's no wonder the chief executive of American Apparel, Dov Charney protested with his employers against the firings over the summer. Mr. Charney says that "no matter how you we chose to define or label them, illegal immigrants are hard-working, taxpaying workers." In efforts to campaign to grant legal status to illegal immigrants, American Apparel has come out with t-shirts that display "Legalize LA." [New York Times ]

Que piensan de todo esto?

Photos via Google Images

Tags American Apparel, George Bush, Immigration, Immigration and Custons Enforcement Agency, Legalize LA, Los-Angeles

We announced last week that Beyoncé would be gracing the VMA stage with her "Diva" presence, but we are personally just as excited about Cuban rapper Pitbull participating in the Wale-emceed house band.  Pit, along with the All-American Rejects and 3OH!3 will be performing versions of their hit canciones with Wale throughout the VMA espectáculo.   We pulled Pitbull aside to ask algunas preguntas about how the whole VMA gig went down and to find out which of the VMA nominees have Mr. 305's stamp of approval.  Read the whole thing below!

You're gonna be part of the VMA house band in this year's show. How did that come about, and what can viewers expect to hear from you during the show?

What can be expected is great energy, a good vibe.  We going to put it down Dade County style!

What do you think are the chances of Wisin y Yandel winning the VMA for Best Pop video, and do you think they deserve to win?

I really don't know what their chances are, but if they win it's a great victory para todos los Latinos.

Who are you rooting for at the VMAs for Video of the Year?

Lady Gaga, because she has taken the music industry by storm with her distinctive music and style.

What do you have in store for us for your future music videos? Do you think we'll see a Pitbull video nominated for a VMA anytime soon?

I think you will see a Pitbull video nominated in the near future.  We will continue to make sexy, sophisticated videos with nothing but the finest, most exotic beautiful women in the world!

Lastly, congrats on being granted the key to Miami!  What does that honor mean to you?

It's a blessing and a great honor, especially for someone born and raised in Miami.

Ahí lo tienes.  Check out VMA.MTV.COM para más información about the show, and make sure to tune-in to the VMAs on September 13th at 9pm EST on MTV.  Watch it again con la familia entera when it airs con subtítulos en español on MTV Tr3s, September 20th at 5pm EST!

Photo via Ace Buhr (RCA Music)

Tags 2009 mtv video music awards, 3OH!3, All-American Rejects, Beyonce, Exclusive Entrevista, Lady Gaga, Los-Angeles, Miami, Mr. 305, Pitbull, VMAs, Wale, Wisin y Yandel

Struggling with how to spice up your wardrobe for back-to-school?  Save the brainstorming for your classes and let us show you el camino...

Karen Crawford, a Los Angeles ad exec raised in NYC's Spanish Harlem, has designed a line of stylish, statement-making and affordable (times are tough, güeys!) tees for Latinas.   With shirts bearing words como "Paz," "Amor," y "Mamacita," KC Los Angeles tiene una camiseta para todos, y una camiseta para cada causa.  Además, Crawford's work is dedicated to her mom; who doesn't love una hija leal?!

KC Los Angeles isn't just stylish, it's giving back to la comunidad.  Ten percent of sales proceeds from KC Los Angeles products are given to la fundación Para Los Niños, a family service organization that aims to better the lives of impoverished families in Los Angeles.

Which tee do we feel like wearing hoy?  Nos parece que esta es bastante adecuada, no? Now KC Los Angeles just needs to make a tee that says "Lo Hicimos! Gracias Sonia!"

Images via KC Los Angeles

Tags amor, clothing, designer, disenadora, Estilo, fitted tees, kc los angeles, Latina, Los-Angeles, Mamacita, moda, paz, ropa, shirt, Sonia Sotomayor, Style, tee, trendy