Family, friends and community members gathered at Anaverde Park in Palmdale to honor Veronica Aguilar, 27, a second-grade teacher found murdered on Dec. 20.

“It’s a huge loss to the community, a huge loss to the school,” said Chris Welch, a parent at the school where Aguilar taught. “She was an awesome teacher and it was devastating to my kids and everybody else that she tragically passed.”

Emergency crews first responded to a house fire in the Quartz Hill neighborhood on the 41400 block of 38th Street West around 8:30 a.m. 

Arriving firefighters found heavy smoke and fire coming from the garage. Two charred vehicles were found inside along with Aguilar’s body in the trunk of a car, said LASD. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

At the time, no other occupants were located inside the home which was heavily damaged from the blaze.

The next day, detectives arrested the homeowner, Matthew Switalski, 37, as a suspect in Aguilar’s death. He was taken into custody in Kern County.

The two were believed to be dating at one point. Aguilar was living at Switalski’s home when she was killed.

Neighbors told KTLA that Switalski was previously employed by Northrop Grumman and reportedly rented out several rooms of his house to Northup Grumman employees.

Aguilar grew up in Southern California and graduated from UCLA before becoming a teacher at Anaverde Hills School.

“Great dedication to boys and girls and great dedication to making a difference,” said Regina Rossall, Superintendent of the Westside Union School District. “A tremendous loss. Young energy, she coached for some of our athletic teams, always willing to help.”

Many gathered to honor Aguilar, including her current and former students. Handmade signs filled with photos of Aguilar were seen at the candlelight vigil.

“I volunteered for her for the whole year when my son was in her class and she made a very big impact on my son and on me,” said Trivina George, a parent of Aguilar’s former student. “She became more than just my son’s teacher, she became my friend. It’s just terrible what’s happened. We’re just trying our best to get through it.” 

“We’re a small family and now we’re even smaller,” said Juan Aguilar, the victim’s brother during the Wednesday night vigil. “We are heartbroken and there is a hole in our hearts that will never be filled.”

“We’re never going to forget my sister,” said Alejandro Aguilar, the victim’s brother. “She will always have a spot in our hearts.”

Switalski was arrested on murder charges and is being held on $10 million bail. His next court hearing is scheduled for Jan. 18.

It doesn’t take those visiting the 1.3-mile stretch along Hollywood Boulevard to realize that much of the area is more grit than glam.  

“It’s definitely not what we expected it to be,” tourist Sarah Saryan said. “It’s not clean and everything like it appears in movies.”  

The famous tourist destination is plagued by homelessness and filthy streets and has become an area where many locals say they don't feel safe.  

Evie Pasi Rosca, who works at a gift shop along the Walk of Fame, said theft is a serious problem in the store.  

“Every day they try to steal stuff, crazy people every day,” she says.  

Steve Nissen, president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, said he believes these are valid concerns about the state of the Walk of Fame.  

“If you sense something that makes you uncomfortable, you’re not going to come back,” Nissen told KTLA’s Mary Beth McDade.  

One of the problems, according to the chamber president, is a lack of police patrols. Pre-pandemic, 60 officers were assigned to just the Hollywood Entertainment District. That number has since been cut in half, making it much harder to control crime.  

KTLA filed a public records request for crime reports for the last several years along the main tourist stretch, from Vine Street to Highland Avenue along Hollywood Boulevard.  

While incidents involving unhoused people have increased, as have assaults with a deadly weapon and sexual assaults, Hollywood as a whole is seeing progress.  

Overall, violent crime is down 11.6% from 2022 to 2023.  

“Some of that is attributable to the great nonprofits that work the streets here,” Nissen said, referring to the unarmed volunteers who started patrolling the streets last year.  

The volunteers help people who may be experiencing mental health or addiction crisis. In addition, many of the businesses along Hollywood Boulevard have hired private security guards, but the chamber president admits that perception is important.  

“Part of feeling safe is not just that the crime statistics are going down, but also that you’re walking streets that look clean and these streets are not often clean,” Nissen said. “You can walk down the street; you don’t want to be panhandled, accosted.”  

A beautification plan called the “Heart of Hollywood” was created three or four years ago by a councilman who was later voted out of office, so the modernization project never got underway. There is, however, a new councilman who has been devising his own facelift plan.  

“The idea of modernizing and making Hollywood Boulevard one of the most beautiful streets in the world is still there,” Nissen explained.  

In the meantime, some businesses have shown they’re looking ahead too. Netflix has recently become a tenant of the entertainment district as well as Kim Kardashian who has headquartered her shapewear and clothing brand company SKIMS there.  

In addition, there are several new high-rise apartment buildings.

The goal, according to Nissen, is for the Walk of Fame to have a big reveal in time for the 2028 Olympics. 

“We want the rest of the world to see Hollywood Boulevard and go back and talk about it with friends and neighbors all around the globe rather than leave like they do today, a bit disappointed,” he said.  

For those who want to weigh in on the Hollywood Boulevard Safety and Mobility Project, a virtual town hall is being held on Thursday, Feb. 1. More information on the project and how to RSVP for the event can be found by following this link.  

The chase, which was initiated in the San Fernando Valley by officers with the Los Angeles Police Department, quickly turned into a dangerous situation.

The suspect was clocked at incredibly high speeds, running red lights and weaving in and out of traffic. As the suspect evaded authorities, sparks were seen coming from beneath the vehicle every time the driver hit the brakes.

Due to the dangerous conditions, police on the ground backed out of the pursuit.

LAPD was tracking the vehicle from the air before losing sight of it and deciding to no longer attempt to apprehend the suspect.

The critically missing girl was identified as Zahira Boydston, 16, by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Boydston was last seen near Sepulveda Boulevard and Century Boulevard in the Westchester neighborhood at around 1:45 p.m.

She is described as a Black female with black hair and brown eyes. She stands 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighs around 200 pounds. She was last seen wearing a gray hoodie and black pants and could be wearing eyeglasses.

According to loved ones, Boydston has a diminished mental capacity. Her family has not heard from her since and they are concerned for her well-being.

Anyone who may know of the girl’s whereabouts or has information on her disappearance is asked to call LAPD’s Pacific Juvenile Detectives at 310-482-6366.  

The public can also call LAPD at 1-877-527-3247. Anonymous tips can be provided to LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.

The Jan. 15 incident occurred just before 10 p.m. at the corner of 10^th Street and Plymouth Avenue, according to a news release from the Los Angeles Police Department.  

After he had picked food for delivery, the victim told police he noticed he was being followed by a vehicle described as a black, newer model SUV that ultimately cut him off and blocked his path.  

“Two suspects exited the vehicle and, at gunpoint, ordered the victim to exit his vehicle and patted him down, taking his wallet and his car keys,” police said, adding that two other suspects stayed inside the black SUV.  

The armed suspects, described as Hispanic males 20-25 years old, also took the victim’s white 2013 Hyundai Sonata, which has still not been recovered.  

No description was available for the two suspects that remained in the SUV.  

The investigation into the carjacking and robbery is ongoing and detectives are searching for security camera footage in the area that may have captured the suspects’ vehicle.  

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact LAPD Wilshire Robbery Det. A. Aguayo at 213-922-8215. Anonymous tips can be made through L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or online at L.A. Crime Stoppers.  

The suspects were identified as Jose Cruz Martinez, 47, and his wife Dawn Renee Johnson, 48, according to the Riverside Police Department.

The couple was arrested following an investigation into the reported abuse of two juveniles that took place 10 years ago. The juvenile victims were only identified as a boy and a girl.

Between 2016 to 2023, Martinez worked as a youth volunteer at a local church in Riverside. Due to his proximity to children through this role, detectives believe there may be other victims who have not yet come forward. 

Specific details on the alleged abuse the two children experienced were not released. 

After a months-long investigation, Martinez was arrested on Jan. 5 for multiple counts of sexual and physical abuse violations of a minor under the age of 10. 

His wife, Johnson, was arrested on Jan. 10 for multiple counts of aiding and abetting the sexual abuse of a minor and physical abuse. 

Both suspects are being held on $2 million bail at the Robert Presley Detention Center.

Police are searching for additional possible victims. The suspects' photos have been released in case victims may recognize them.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact Detective C. Wilcox at 951-353-7133 or CWilcox@RiversideCA.gov, or Detective V. Mutuku at 951-353-7945 or VMutuku@RiversideCA.gov. 

Anonymous tips can be emailed to RPDTips@RiversideCA.gov or provided through the Riverside Police Department’s “Atlas 1” mobile app using the “Send a Message” feature.

The former water polo coach, Barham Hojreh, was convicted in Nov. 2022 on 23 of 24 felony counts all related to the sexual assault of minors.  

Hojreh, who was known for coaching Olympic prospects at the International Water Polo Club in Los Alamitos, according to reporting by the L.A. Times, was sentenced in Jan. 2023 to 18 years and four months in prison.  

In total, the settlement comes to $4.8 million, with the Anaheim Union High School District settling for $2.5 million and the Irvine Unified School District settling for $2.3 million.

“It is a truly horrific example of the failure of adults to protect children from the predators that lurk in the youth sports,” the victims’ attorney Morgan Stewart told The Times in 2018 when the lawsuit against AUHSD was announced.  

Stewart’s law firm had previously sued USA Water Polo and International Water Polo, where Hojreh also coached, on behalf of a dozen other young women. That lawsuit was settled in 2021 for $13.8 million.  

“Barham Hojreh is a monster who was allowed free reign over vulnerable young girls for many years," Stewart said in a news release announcing the latest settlements. “Complaints by parents and female players themselves were ignored. Hojreh’s bizarre and threatening behavior towards these girls was ignored. The neglect by these school districts resulted in young women, minors at the time, being victimized by a predator.”  

KTLA has reached out to officials in both school districts and is awaiting comment.  

The break-in happened at El Valle Oaxaqueño bakery on the 1600 block of Vermont Avenue at around 3 a.m.

Security video inside the bakery shows the suspects shattering a glass door to enter. An overnight employee is seen running for his life as several masked intruders carrying construction tools chase after him.

The worker hid in a nearby bathroom where suspects tried opening the locked door. He recalled the terrifying ordeal through a translator.

“I went to the oven to check the bread,” said the victim, who wished to remain anonymous. “At that moment, they broke in and started screaming. The only reaction I had was running to the restroom. I thought, ‘I’m going to die.’ I thought they were going to kill me.”

Cameras captured the group of thieves eventually forcing the remaining workers in the bakery into another restroom.

The bakery’s owner, Arturo Aguilar, said while the employees were locked up, the intruders ran around the shop for eight minutes, searching for cash and valuables. 

“They didn’t find money because we don’t keep money here,” Aguilar said through a translator. “At the end of the day, they just took a basket with candies and small stuff and they left.”

The five intruders exit the bakery and head to a getaway car described as a newer model dark-colored Cadillac SUV. A license plate was not captured as it had been covered. 

Authorities believe a sixth suspect may have been the getaway driver.

Still shaken from the terrifying ordeal, Aguilar said he's thankful nobody was hurt. However, he estimates the damage left by the suspects will cost thousands of dollars to repair. 

He plans to implement additional security measures to hopefully prevent a similar situation from happening again. He also said he believes local government needs to be stricter on criminals targeting small businesses like his.

The suspects remain at large. Anyone with information on the incident can call the Los Angeles Police Department at 1-877-275-5273.

Officials are encouraging beachgoers to avoid swimming, surfing and playing in the ocean water at the following locations:

• The entire swim area at Latigo Shore Drive in Malibu
• 100 yards up and down the coast from the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica
• 100 yards up and down the coast from the Pico-Kenter storm drain at Santa Monica Beach near South Tower 20
• Entire swim area at Marie Canyon Storm Drain at Puerco Beach in Malibu
• Entire swim area at Mothers Beach in Marina Del Rey
• 100 yards up and down the coast from the public restrooms at the Malibu Lagoon at Surfrider Beach

However, it’s not all bad news. A warning for the beach area near the Ashland Avenue storm drain near South Tower 28 has been lifted, a news release said.

Residents can get more information on beach conditions by calling the county’s beach hotline at 1-800-525-5662 or by visiting the L.A. County Public Health website.

The first incident occurred at 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 12 when the suspect, identified as Hardy Arriaza, followed a woman to her apartment in the 9000 block of Rangely Avenue.  

“A struggle ensued, and the victim was able to break free and enter a neighbor’s apartment,” according to a news release from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.  

A little less than two hours later, Arriaza allegedly removed a kitchen window at a nearby residence on the same block and entered another woman’s home. The victim in that case heard the suspect and screamed.  

“The suspect continued to enter the residence and threatened the victim,” the release stated, adding that the woman was able to flee her apartment.  

When deputies from the West Hollywood Station arrived at the scene, they located the 41-year-old inside the second victim’s apartment and arrested him.  

The investigation into Arriaza’s attempted strong-arm robberies is ongoing.  

The 41-year-old is described as 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing around 143 pounds with brown eyes and black hair.  

Anyone with information about these two incidents or other similar crimes is encouraged to contact LASD Detective Zeff at 310-358-4033 or by email at bgzeff@lasd.org. Those wishing to remain anonymous can contact L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or online at L.A. Crime Stoppers.  

That's at least the case in one Italian province, according to the Guardian.

Dog owners in Bolzano are now being ordered to submit their dog's DNA so that authorities can match them up with any feces left on city streets.

As required by law, owners are required to pay for the DNA tests, which cost about $70, so that that evidence can be collected as part of a large dog doodoo database.

Fines for failure to pick up after Fido range from $315 to a whopping $1,100 (the equivalent in Euros, of course). Additional fines exist for owners who neglect to get their dogs registered.

Bolzano is located in the mountainous Trentino-Alto Adige region of North Italy and is home to some 45,000 dogs, the Guardian says.

Dog owners had a New Year's Day deadline and fines were supposed to start being levied in March. But so far, only 5,000 samples have been compiled, the publication says, citing Italian media.

Responsible dog owners say it's unfair that they have to pay to get their dog registered and others have voiced concerns about stray dogs and tourists making a mess of the streets with no repercussions.

Others have questioned how expansive and expensive a program like this could be and whether or not it's the best use of the government's time.

Local government officials say the program will have other uses like identifying animals that have attacked other animals or people, or informing owners if their pets have been killed in traffic collisions.

Despite those that say the new law stinks, that same Italian official claimed other unnamed regions are considering similar measures.

Giddey, 21, was allegedly involved in a relationship with a girl who was 15 or 16 at the time; in California, the age of consent is 18.

The Newport Beach Police Department investigated the matter after the allegations were posted on social media and despite information and photos posted online, police were "unable to corroborate any criminal activity."

TMZ, which was the first to report that Giddey would not face charges, previously reported that the girl and her family were refusing to cooperate with the police investigation.

In a statement released Wednesday evening, Newport Beach police said detectives had conducted a "thorough and exhaustive examination" of the case. The Police Department, which was relatively quiet throughout the process, said it was committed to "ensuring that accurate information was disseminated to the public, while also ensuring the rights of those involved."

The Australian star has not commented on the allegations.

Despite the active police investigation, Giddey continued to play for the Thunder who are currently second in the NBA's Western Conference.

The NBA has previously indicated it was conducting its own independent investigation but commissioner Adam Silver said in December that the league would "take a backseat" and wait for the criminal investigation to conclude.

The league could still suspend the rising star under its player conduct policy, but it remains to be seen if such a punishment will be made.

Diners in San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles counties have been warned about eating raw oysters, as more than 40 people were believed to have been infected with noroviruses as of Tuesday.

But on Wednesday, with suspected infections topping 150, health officials directed their advisories toward the source.

"At this time, Public Health is warning consumers not to eat raw oysters from Laguna De Guerrero Negro, Baja California, Mexico; Laguna Manuela, Baja California, Mexico; and Bahia Salina, Sonora, Mexico because they may be linked to outbreaks of norovirus illnesses in California," Public Health said in a news release.

To avoid being sickened, diners should ask the restaurant and/or oyster vendor where the mollusks were harvested.

If you've been sickened by eating raw oysters or by consuming something else, you're encouraged to report that to the California Department of Public Health using this link.

It all took place on Jan. 12 in Pacoima, and video released by the Police Department Wednesday sheds new light on the man's final moments.

The unidentified pedestrian was attempting to cross San Fernando Road, just south of Montague Street, when he was hit by a white pickup truck equipped with utility racks that was traveling northbound.

The man was injured but alive and as he attempted to get back to his feet he was struck again by another northbound vehicle.

That vehicle, believed to be a light-colored full-size SUV, hit the man a second time, the impact of the collision sending him into the opposite lane where he was struck a third time by a dark-colored mid-size SUV traveling south.

None of the three vehicles who hit the man stopped to provide help, and the video released by police showed that at least two other vehicles appeared to slow down as they approached the critically wounded man in the roadway before driving off.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics. His name has not yet been released and he's been identified only as a Hispanic man in his late 20s or early 30s.

Police released security footage from a nearby building that shows the three collisions and the multiple vehicles involved.

The video has been uploaded online and police are asking for the public's help if they recognized any of the vehicles shown.

While the worst of the collisions is blurred, the video may still be considered difficult to watch.

To view the video, click here.

Anyone with information about this deadly collision is urged to contact LAPD Valley Traffic Division Officer Sison at 818-644-8022 or Officer Freeman at 818-644-8115. Anonymous tips can be made online or by calling 1-800-222-8477.

In-N-Out took the sixth spot on Glassdoor’s 2024 “Best Places to Work” list of large, United States-based companies. The ranking was created based on Glassdoor users’ reviews.

In-N-Out employees cited pay, benefits and flexibility as some of the top reasons the company is a great workplace. However, reviews regarding poor management styles and favoritism dominated the negative reviews.

In-N-Out was the only fast-food restaurant that ranked within the top 100 "best” places to work and ranked higher than companies like Google, Microsoft and Apple.

About 85% of In-N-Out employees who left Glassdoor reviews would recommend the job to a friend and 92% approved of the company’s CEO Lynsi Snyder.

The complete study can be viewed here.

But after wearing a Fitbit Charge 6 for a few weeks, I can see the appeal if you want distraction-free tracking - especially for fitness and sleep.

It's a slim and lightweight tracker that fits easily on your wrist.

And, while the display and navigation seem dated compared to a smartwatch, this device is all about the stats.

New features include YouTube music controls, Google Maps and Google Wallet. Yeah, you might remember Google purchased Fitbit for a cool $2 billion dollars.

My favorite features include 24/7 heart rate tracking, which happens every 5 seconds, or every second when you’re actively exercising. Also, the built-in GPS and long battery life. It can last up to a week between charges.

The device uses a proprietary charging cable with a short cord.

While I take my smartwatch off for bed, I didn't mind leaving the Fitbit on for sleep since it nearly disappears on your wrist.

I love and hate seeing my sleep stats, but the metrics are easy to understand and you get a daily sleep score, too.

The device tracks more than 40 exercise modes and when I compared it against the Apple Watch, the numbers were very similar.

I like how Fitbit breaks down the time in each zone in an easy-to-understand way - light, moderate, vigorous, and peak.

It’s not fancy, but it is full-featured. If you’re looking for a simple way to track your fitness and sleep without having a small computer on your wrist, the Fitbit Charge 6 is a less connected alternative to a smartwatch.

It retails for $160 dollars, but is often cheaper.

The Fitbit Charge 6 also has notifications for high and low heart rate. You don’t need a subscription to use it, but for $10 dollars a month for Fitbit Premium, you can get extra features like a daily readiness score.

The crash on Clybourn Avenue near Oxnard Street took place at about 7:20 a.m., when a 77-year-old man was riding on the sidewalk and entered the intersection, police said in a news release.

It was in the intersection that the black sedan headed east on Oxnard struck the bicycle before fleeing the scene, police said.

"The bicyclist sustained major injuries as a result of the collision and was transported to a local trauma center where he is being treated for life-threatening injuries," police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Traffic Investigator R. Murphy at 818-238-3103.

Brittany Pietsch, 27, told the Wall Street Journal she has no regrets about posting the video and has been flooded with responses congratulating her on sticking up for herself.

Cloudflare is a networking and cybersecurity firm. Pietsch started working there last August and says she's received high marks from her boss.

Nevertheless, she was contacted at her Atlanta home recently by a pair of Cloudflare HR employees, who broke the bad news that she was being handed her hat because she didn't meet expectations.

Pietsch didn't just roll over.

"Every single one-on-one I've had with my manager, every conversation I've had with him, he has been giving me nothing but I am doing a great job," she told the HR reps, and asked to hear the real reason she was being let go.

She speculated that Cloudflare, like many tech companies, had overhired and now couldn't afford its payroll.

"If that's the real answer, I would rather just you tell me that instead of making up some bull**** and telling me that right before I lose my job from someone that I've never met before," she said.

The HR duo declined to go into specifics.

"To be let go for no reason is like a huge slap in the face," Pietsch said. She was equally miffed that her manager wasn't willing to do the dirty work himself, outsourcing the task instead to HR.

After the video went viral, Cloudflare's CEO, Matthew Prince, weighed in via Twitter (aka X).

"The video is painful for me to watch," he admitted. "Managers should always be involved. HR should be involved, but it shouldn’t be outsourced to them."

Prince said employees should never be blindsided with a verdict that they're underperforming. "We don’t always get it right," he said.

The video has been viewed millions of times -- and has drawn mixed reactions on social media. Some see it as a breach of trust between an employee and her employer.

But most viewers responded with you-go-girl enthusiasm for how Pietsch defended herself.

"Reputable companies have reached out to me and told me, 'I want someone like you on my sales team,'" she told the Journal.

Proving that a little gumption can go a long way.

The answer, according to sports betting research company Oddspedia, is yes; L.A. offers visiting basketball watchers some of the best overall gameday experiences in the NBA. 

A study conducted by Oddspedia ranked all 29 NBA arenas by assessing their quality (including capacity and local ratings), gameday costs, travel and accommodation ease, nearby entertainment options and each city’s sports culture. Each category was put on a 100-point scale and then averaged, with scores closer to 500 representing more visitor-friendly arenas. 

L.A. and Crypto.com Arena ranked fourth on the list of best destinations, the study found, noting that while the legendary home of the Lakers and Clippers is one of the most expensive in the league, the gameday atmosphere is among the NBA’s best, not to mention that the City of Angels is home to some of America’s most popular tourist attractions. 

When coming to Los Angeles and Crypto, Oddspedia researchers advised traveling fans to “plan on spending more than you might expect [in order] to get your visitations’ worth.” 

Taking the cake as the most visitor-friendly city and stadium, according to Oddspedia, is the home of the reigning NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets.  

The study found that Ball Arena, located in downtown Denver and surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, is among the most pocket-friendly venues in the league and offers seats with some of the best sightlines, meaning that the experience of watching your team take on 2021 and 2022 NBA MVP Nikola Jokic is that much more enjoyable. 

Oddspedia's best NBA arenas for visiting fans can be viewed in the table below: 

Steely Dan — co-founded by Donald Fagan and the late Walter Becker — finally got into the hall despite being a staple of classic rock with songs like “Reelin’ in the Years,” “Do It Again” and “Hey Nineteen.” They went into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

R.E.M. — the inducted members are Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe — are behind such alt-rock hits as “Losing My Religion,” “Everybody Hurts” and “It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine).” And Nashville hitmaker Lindsey helped write “Girl Crush” for Little Big Town and "Jesus, Take the Wheel" for Carrie Underwood.

The class of 2024 also includes Pitchford, who helped Kenny Loggins with the megahit “Footloose” and also co-wrote “Fame” and “Holding Out For a Hero,” and producer-writer Timbaland, the mastermind behind Justin Timberlake’s “SexyBack” and Missy Elliot’s “Get Yer Freak On.”

On the ballot but unlucky this year were Public Enemy, Bryan Adams, George Clinton, Tracy Chapman, Blondie, Heart, The Doobie Brothers and David Gates.

Eligible voting members turned in ballots with their choices of three nominees from the songwriter category and three from the performing songwriter category. The induction ceremony will be held on June 13 in New York City.

Last year's inductees included Snoop Dogg, Gloria Estefan, Sade, Jeff Lynne, Glen Ballard and Teddy Riley. Some of those already in the hall include Carole King, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Brian Wilson, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty.

The Songwriters Hall of Fame was established in 1969 to honor those creating popular music. A songwriter with a notable catalog of songs qualifies for induction 20 years after the first commercial release of a song.