Drizzle + Memorial Day Happenings + Freeway Shootings

Happy Memorial Day Weekend, Los Angeles!

It's been a busy week with the arrest of a suspect in the Southland freeway shootings and the unveiling of coronavirus vaccine incentive programs ranging from $75 Target gift cards for all to a chance to win LA Kings, Lakers and Galaxy season tickets ,and one of several $1.5 million cash prizes.

Police recorded one of the biggest meth busts in local history. And a two-year-old wowed the world as the nation's youngest American Mensa Member thanks to her IQ of 146.

Patch has your round-up of Memorial Day deals and happenings here. Stay safe and know that police in Los Angeles will be out in force with patrols and checkpoints looking for intoxicated drivers all weekend.

To all the military families on this Memorial Day weekend, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Let's get to LA's top stories.

Saturday's Weather Report:

There is a chance of fog and drizzle before 11 am followed by cool temperatures with a high of 72 and a low of 59, according to the National Weather Service.

Patch Pick: How To Help Families Of The 9 San Jose Shooting Victims: GoFundMe verified campaigns have been established for six of the nine victims in the rail yard shooting. There are other ways to help, too. (More on Patch).

Here are the top 5 stories in Los Angeles County today.

1. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday ordered an independent investigation into the quadruple-murder case of death row inmate Kevin Cooper. It's a move that could open Pandora's Box, following years of high-profile accusations that Cooper was framed. Judge William A. Fletcher of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit outright accused San Bernardino Sheriff's deputies of framing Cooper, a prison escapee at the time of the hatchet murders. The renewed momentum to review the case stems largely from this stellar piece by New York Times' Nicholas Kristof (More).
2. Los Angeles County gave out $75 Target gift cards to people getting their first coronavirus vaccine shot Friday. There are a lot more giveaways and vaccine sweepstakes to come in the coming weeks including some season tickets (More).
3. Looking for things to do this Memorial Day weekend in Southern California? Patch has you covered. There is the SeaWorld Food Fest; Big Bear BBQ: County Fair and more (More).
4. Jesse Leal Rodriguez, a SoCal man arrested this week in connection with at least one of the more than 100 recent Southland freeway shootings, was charged Friday with three counts of attempted murder Friday (More).
5. Law enforcement agencies across Los Angeles County will be out in force this weekend. The Los Angeles Police Department and California Highway Patrol both announced DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols to last through Monday (More).

Featured Events to look forward to this week:

“identity”: A Pop-Up Exhibition Exploring Asian Americanness, Saturday, 3:00 p.m., 953 Chung King Road, Los Angeles

• In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, local contemporary artist, Dr. Anson Yew, presents a thought-provoking art exhibition at Exhale Unlimited Gallery in Chinatown, DTLA.

ROCA Pizza Pop-Up 2021: Americana At Brand, Glendale, Saturday, 10:00 a.m., The Americana at Brand, 889 Americana Way, Glendale

• "Rick Rosenfield, the original co-founder of California Pizza Kitchen, along with his wife, Esther, announces the forthcoming opening of ROCA – an elevated fast-casual interpretation of Roman-style street food pizza 'al taglio,' which translates to 'by-the-cut. Opening Friday, May 28, 2021 as a pop-up experience at The Americana at Brand in Glendale, the restaurant celebrates the Roman origin of its style of pizza ('RO') with a California-inspired ethos ('CA'), which blends creativity and commitment to premium products and ingredients sourced locally and internationally