Former “Jett Jackson” star and “Rizzoli & Isles” cast member, Lee Thompson Young was found dead in his North Hollywood apartment Monday. He was 29-years-old.

Police officers were called to Young’s house after he failed to show up for work Monday morning. The LAPD has not released an official cause of death, but Young’s manager, Jonathan Baruch, released a statement saying the actor committed suicide shortly after the news broke.

“It is with great sadness that I announce that Lee Thompson Young tragically took his own life this morning,” the statement said. “Lee was more than just a brilliant young actor, he was a wonderful and gentle soul who will be truly missed. We ask that you please respect the privacy of his family and friends as this very difficult time.”

According to TMZ reports, Young’s body was found with a gunshot wound that appeared to be self-inflicted.

Young first appeared on television at age 14 as the star of the Disney show “The Famous Jett Jackson,” which aired from 1998 to 2001. The show followed a child star that stars in an action show who later decides to move production back to suburban North Carolina from Hollywood so he can resume life with his family.

He later appeared in the films “Friday Night Lights,” and “Akeelah and the Bee.” Young also had a successful run on several TV shows including “Smallville,” “Scrubs,” “CSI: NY, ” “Flash Forward” and most recently “Rizzoli and Isles.”

“Everyone at Rizzoli & Isles is devastated by the news of the passing of Lee Thompson Young,” TNT, Warner Bros. and Rizzoli & Isles executive producer Janet Tamaro said in a statement. “We are beyond heartbroken at the loss of this sweet, gentle, good-hearted, intelligent man.

“He was truly a member of our family,” the statement said. “Lee will be cherished and remembered by all who knew and loved him, both on- and offscreen, for his positive energy, infectious smile and soulful grace. We send our deepest condolences and thoughts to his family, to his friends and, most especially, to his beloved mother.”

Young often said he cherished his roots as a child star.

“It’s always a really great feeling when I talk to people who watched ‘Jett Jackson,’ because we were the same age,” he told EW.com in 2011. “We were all kids. I was 13 when I started working on that show and that was part of my childhood. And it’s kind of like we have that in common.

Lee Thompson Young was born in South Carolina in 1984.  He started acting when he was 10-years-old.  He got an agent a few years later after traveling to New York.  He auditioned for the lead role in “The Famous Jett Jackson” in 1997 and the show aired in 1998. Young also starred in a made for TV movie based on the show called, “Jett Jackson:  The Movie.”  It was the first time that the Disney Channel made a movie that was based on an original Disney series.

The actor later attended USC’s School of Cinematic Arts on a full academic scholarship and graduated magna cum laude in 2005.

Young is survived by his mother and sister.

Production on “Rizzoli & Isles” has been temporarily shut down. No word on when filming will begin again.

Near the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and San Vicente lies what has been deemed “the gayest store on Earth,” at least that’s what the owner calls it.

The store’s official name is Block Party. It is part clothing store and part novelty items. Customers have the option of buying a tank top, an “out and proud magnet,” or even adult literature. Owner Larry Block likes to think there is something for everyone, but he doesn’t want people to forget they are in the heart of “Boystown.”

“West Hollywood is becoming a homogeneous city. And that’s not good,” Block said.
Block opened his store a few months after A Different Light Bookstore closed in 2009. Selling adult books for the gay, lesbian, and transgendered community in West Hollywood, the store had been a staple in the city for almost 30 years. When Block heard about the closure he wanted to make sure the building continued being a part of the gay community. He knew the store’s owners were considering selling the store to American Apparel and he did not want the deal to happen.

“They told me that the lease was out to American Apparel. I got nauseous,” Block said. “One day American Apparel, the next day Banana Republic.   What is going to happen to this street, the community?   A couple of weeks later I called the landlord again. They said American Apparel was dragging their feet. I asked for a meeting and they gave me a lease. First one signed with a check gets the space. I came back the next day. It was like saving the gay street.”

But buying the store was only the beginning for Block. Less than a year after opening Block Party, he began to think of other ways to keep the “gay” in West Hollywood. He said he was upset to see that not as many people from the LGBT community were moving into the city. Block and many other residents were starting to think that high rents were forcing people into other areas of L.A.
“The politics of the city have made investments that did not favor the gay population but rather was very generic to the population at large,” Block said.

His frustration with the changes he was seeing prompted him to reach out to the city council and ask for help. Block began talking with friends about ways to keep the LGBT culture alive and prevent more people from moving out. After a few months of speaking with friends he decided to ask the city council to officially designate part of West Hollywood as Boystown.

During the March 21 city council meeting, Block pointed out that Los Angeles has areas named for the ethnic populations living in Thai Town and Little Ethiopia. He wanted to know why West Hollywood has not followed suit for its gay population so he suggested the area along Santa Monica Boulevard between Robertson and La Cienega be officially called Boystown.

The idea was simple, but he has been gaining a lot of support over the last few weeks.

“A lot of people know Larry now because of it and they always want to compliment him and tell him that it was a really good idea,” said Brandon Wright an employee at Block Party.

City council members have also decided to support Block’s idea. Both John Heilman and John Duran announced their plans to vote in favor of the designation. If they pass the notion, the area will likely be called “Historic Boystown” instead of “Boystown,” because the name does not include lesbians or other minorities.

Not everyone in West Hollywood agrees with the designation for that very reason. Others are more concerned about where the boundaries will be.

West Hollywood resident and local comedian Jerome Cleary said he feels the designation leaves out a lot of other LGBT areas within West Hollywood.

“I feel like he wants it to be preserved in that area because of his store. He wants to sell t-shirts and stuff,” Cleary said. “My thought of mind is there’s a long history in our city that covers a lot of different locations in West Hollywood and a lot them are on the east side, way past La Cienega and Santa Monica. How are you going to balance that out?”

Block’s employee, Wright said the point is not to exclude people. He said that area just happens to be filled with mostly gay men, more so than in the rest of the city.

“I mean I think you go by the predominance of what it’s been and I mean it kind of is a boystown you know. I don’t think that’s excluding anybody, everybody’s more than welcome, its just predominantly gay men. It’s more of like a safe haven too, for gay men. Especially gay men moving out here that don’t know a lot about the scene, knowing that this is boystown they know ‘oh we should go to boystown because that’s somewhere you definitely fit in and it’s a safe area to live and everything too.’ So from that perspective that’s kind of cool.”

Los Angeles City officials announced their support Wednesday of a proposed federal bill that would ban large ammunition magazines like the one used in the recent Tucson shooting.

“You know the US has got to get beyond it’s fascination with unrestricted access to fire arms and recognize that a civilized society does not need implements of war in the hands of its citizenry in order for home protection,” said LAPD Chief Charlie Beck in an interview later. “There is no need for magazine capacity above 10 rounds in civilian hands.”

Beck, City Council President Eric Garcetti, City Councilmember Paul Koretz, and City Attorney Carmen Trutanich held a press conference urging the U.S. House of Representatives to pass H.R. 308. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.) sponsored the pending federal law that would prohibit magazines holding more than 10 rounds. A magazine is an ammunition feeding and storage device used in automatic and semiautomatic weapons. The magazine may be detachable or internal.

The large capacity magazine that was used in the recent Arizona shooting allowed the gunman to fire more than 30 bullets in 15 seconds. Officials sited other deadly shootings that involved high capacity magazines including the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting, which killed 33 people and the 2010 Connecticut Beer Distributor shooting, which left 8 people dead.

“Looking at it through the eyes of the recent massacre that we’ve had and the fact that many of those people would in all likelihood not have been shot if the shooter was limited to a ten-bullet clip rather than a 30-bullet clip, it makes so much sense [the ban],” Koretz said in an interview later.
Large capacity ammunition magazines were illegal up until 2004. The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 law expired in 2004 and was not renewed by Congress.

“Large capacity ammunition magazines have no business being on our streets,” Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said.

Garcetti and Koretz co-authored the resolution to officially support H.R. 308. New York City is currently the only other city with a similar resolution.

“It’s important to support it because the city of LA has some good gun laws that actually reflect H.R. 308 but the city is not an island,” Police Chief Beck said. “It’s surrounded by multiple other municipalities and other states that do not have these laws.”

Even with support from L.A. and N.Y.C. chances of the bill’s passage are considered slim because of strong opposition from gun-rights advocates.

“Well we’re going to do whatever we can to help lobby for it. It’s not going to be easy. The current make up of the House of Representatives is very pro gun,” said Koretz.

The National Rifle Association released a statement on its website after the bill was proposed stating that the bill violates individuals’ constitutional right to bear arms. They also said the bill would not stop criminals from obtaining large capacity firearms.

A father whose son was murdered by gang members a few years ago partly agreed with the NRA’s sentiment. John Maldonado of Fountain Valley, CA said he did not understand how a law would prevent guns from being sold on the black market.

“Really what’s the point because there’s still going to be guns out there,” Maldonado said. “It only took four bullets to kill Matthew so what good is it? All guns are dangerous if they’re in the wrong hands.”

L.A. officials said they support the ban despite some of the concerns that have been raised. They also said the second amendment is not limitless.

“Well I think it’s certainly a debatable issue. The constitution provides the rights for individuals to bear arms but certainly it does not provide an unlimited right,” Koretz said in an interview later. “There’s no indication in the Constitution that somebody could walk around with a bazooka in front of the White House and that would be perfectly acceptable.”

Rock the Vote went down to Orange County on Tuesday to help all the locals celebrate on election night.

People from all parties were invited to Original Mike’s in Santa Ana to listen to music and watch the returns as they came in.

Attendees enjoyed free food, drink specials, and live music throughout the night to help them wind down after a long day of campaigning and rallying people to vote.

Major political figures from all parties invited to the event. Loretta Sanchez (rep.), Miguel Pulido (Mayor, City of Santa Ana), John Hanna (Trustee, Rancho Santiago College District), and John Karczynski-Ferguson (Former Chair of Log Cabin Republicans) were all confirmed to attend.
The mood was mellow at Original Mike’s.

Many people stopped by just for a quick bite to eat and to catch up with some friends.
Because there were two other elections parties going on within blocks of each other, many people were party hopping throughout the night. Loretta Sanchez and the Democratic Party of Orange County each had separate celebration parties in the area.

Many people did not seem to pay much attention to the election coverage being broadcast on the big screen.

People said they wanted to socialize and listen to performers Killola, ACIDIC and Dian Katz. Even though not many people were talking politics among their friends, everyone knew exactly what was going on in the election. Every time someone asked for an update a friend was nearby with the answer.
The South County Democratic Party Vice Chair, Jacob Sangiorgio, likened the night to being at a Super Bowl party.

“I’m here to relax with some friends but also watch the returns,” Sangiorgio said. “When you’re a politico it’s kind of like Super Bowl Sunday but to a greater length because there’s so many elections going on right now and there’s so much at stake so it should be fun to watch and see who’s winning and what initiatives are getting passed and to share in the celebration with everyone.”

Frank Barbaro, chairman of the Democratic Party of Orange County, shared similar sentiments. After a long day of talking with the media and encouraging others to vote, he wanted to sit down and enjoy watching the returns.

“I came over here, I wanted to catch the results as they come in and I’m very happy to see that they’ve called Jerry Brown and Barbara Boxer victors already and I’m waiting to see some of our local races because we’ve got some pretty hot items going on here in Orange County,” Barbaro said.

The hot races Barbaro referenced included the race between house rep Loretta Sanchez (D) and former assemblyman Van Tran (R). It was the most difficult race Sanchez had to face in 14 years. Many supporters were paying close attention to the race, fearing that she might lose her seat in the house.
Other important elections in Orange County included the race between Allan Mansoor and Phu Nguyen and the race between Melissa Fox and Don Wagner.

Unfortunately, attendees didn’t have an easy time keeping up with local election results.

“The problem with the TV is that they’re not covering the smaller local races because they’re all nationwide channels and I’m curious to see how Melissa Fox is going to do for assembly and Beth Krom for Congress and also we have some city council candidates running all over the county,” Sangiorgio said.

The Rock the Vote party kept going in full swing until the bar closed at around midnight. By that time most partygoers had a pretty good idea who had won the elections.

He looms over his church — 6-foot-8, swaying between members with fiery eyes and a booming voice.

“They say, do NOT talk about politics and do NOT talk about religion,” hepreaches. “Well tonight, I’m breaking some rules.”

Smoke rises up from a select few in his congregation. The reggae band waits patiently behind the pulpit.

Today, just days before the 2010 Midterm Elections, King Oji — priest of The First Church of Rasta — is commanding his Rastafarian congregation to take heed to a different sort of message.

Yes, they reject Western society. Yes, they are encouraged to stay away from mainstream political involvement.

But yes, King Oji is breaking the rules.

“If they crack down on Prop 19, we’ll have to run one of us for governor,” he shouts.

The congregation breaks into applause. Rastafarians, for one rare instance, have been encouraged to enter the political realm.

Rastas are members of a religious movement that arose from Jamaica in the 1930s, their societal caricature depicted by dreadlocks and marijuana.

California Proposition 19 — the passage of which would allow people over the age of 21 to smoke and cultivate up to 25 square feet of plant for personal use —has elicited opinions from all sides, even a community which prides itself in political indifference.

It is the most publicized proposition on today’s ballot, the first time in California history that full legalization of marijuana has been up for a vote. While California midterm elections usually only garner 41 percent of eligible voters, many counties are expecting a turnout over 50 percent. Some publications have reported that higher turnout can be attributed to controversial propositions like 19. Counties with high-expected turnouts include San Diego, Riverside, Orange, Sacramento and Placer counties.

For Rastafarians, whose way of life includes the spiritual use of cannabis, it’s a hot topic.

In another time, King Oji — I-Priest of the church — was Vernon Vanoy, 100 pounds heavier, and a defensive tackle bouncing between NFL teams. His still-hulking figure commands attention, despite the humble conditions. The ministers struggle to pay $1,800 per month for rent on the two rooms that make up the church, crunched in between a line of other businesses along West Venice Blvd. in Los Angeles.

The clutter within both rooms borders on the conditions of a hoarder. The back room is something like a dirty garage, but, in fact, is where five ministers live. Bedsheets lie on the ground. A fold-up table contains a blender, liquids and a bunch of bananas — their kitchen.

“It’s a lot like being a monk,” said Henry W. Brown III (also known as Aminifu), prime minister of the church.

During his sermon, King Oji begins with a call for his congregation to focus on economics, not money. Soon, he turns to a more taboo subject: politics.

“This is something worthwhile,” he says with conviction. “It will stop someone like you from going to prison and going to jail.”

He continues on: “We resist. We deserve it. These are values. This is what we can teach to the world. The whole world needs these things.”

In most situations, members of the Rastafarian community do not trust government. They see Western government as a symbol of oppression. Rastafarians also do not believe the interests of politicians are in sync with the interests of their people. Yet, there is something different about this election. Leaders of the church are using Prop 19 as an example of how government can cater to Rastafarian interests.

“A lot of Rastas don’t vote in the elections because they see the candidates as the lesser of the two evils. I grew up a different way. I was born in Wisconsin,” said Aminifu. “I voted in the Obama election, I’ll be voting on Nov. 2. These are some of the discussions we’re having in the church as well because we want people to know we can make a change.”

Marijuana is already legal in the Rastafarian community. In 2002, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit decided that some Rastafarians are protected under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Because the use of cannabis is a religious sacrament to Rastafarians, the court said the act might protect Rastafarians who possess or smoke marijuana as part of their religious practices. Even though they are legally allowed to smoke, leaders of the church still feel the passage of Prop 19 is important.

“The police have abused their authority with regard to the cannabis culture. For example, you have all the cases that were considered where marijuana is a factor in the case,” Aminifu said. “The jails would be half empty and their budgets wouldn’t be as hefty.”

Endorsement for Prop 19 has come from the likes of current and former politicians, Newsweek and New York Times editorials, Facebook, Gmail and PayPal, in addition to a long list of mainstream organizations, including the California NAACP, Latino Voters League and California Young Democrats. Opposition has come strong and steady from just as many sides, including Governor Schwarzenegger, police and sheriff associations and the editorial boards of the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle and Sacramento Bee.

A First Church of Rasta service showcases the diversity descending on the polls today; voters from all walks of life.

Rasta, in and of itself, fosters such an environment, encouraging individualism and ideology over religion.

There are ministers living a minimalist-type life, sleeping in the back room, sticking to the strictest natural diet. There are attendees mostly there “to get lifted.” There are devoted followers hanging on King Oji’s every word. Others are musicians mostly there for the gig. There are members amusingly banging away at conga drums, while budding young violinists carefully prepare. Some are there for a safe night out, others for the church fellowship. Young and old, male and female —there’s a little bit of everything, a rallying point primarily for the black community.

Deeper into the night, the service grows as the music gets louder. Aminifu enjoys playing during the service. To him, music is the best way to spread love and acceptance. He calls the Rastafarian services “joyful noise.” They are a safe haven for those who feel misunderstand or as if they have nowhere else to go.

“I was one of the first participating Rastas in the community. In those days we used to get physically attacked, spit on, called the devil and all kinds of things,” Aminifu said. “And even now with the emergence of dreadlocks people still do not understand what we’re about and there’s still a lot of prejudice because there isn’t understanding.”

During the music, marijuana smoke drifts into the air. But not all partake. Some are there for other reasons. Wency Marjorie changed up the musical mood with her rendition of “Unchained Melody” — on the violin.

“The whole Rasta family here has been a huge source of encouragement and support to me,” she said. “As a budding artist, they invited me to perform. Hands down, I came.”

After a rousing applause, pleas followed for her to “play a Bob Marley song!”

“Next week,” she promised.

Marjorie graduated from Florida State with a minor in music before she took classes at the Berklee College of Music. She currently calls Beverly Hills home while she “tries to forge a path as a solo artist.”

The music often goes until 5 a.m.

Just as Marjorie has come to understand Rasta through music, Aminifu also said the passage of Prop 19 would give their community an opportunity to educate the general public about the Rastafarian lifestyle. He said a lot of people think that Rastas only care about marijuana and smoking. According to Aminifu, Rastas believe everything consumed should be natural. They eat a clean, largely vegetarian diet.

“We start out by not even calling it a diet, that’s what’s killing people. We call our regime of fasting and eating ‘a living,’” Aminifu said. “We eat foods that replenish your body and give it energy rather than things that take away from that. Generally, that’s processed food and animals.”

Rastas view marijuana as a “way to reach God.”

Roseanne Ware, the executive director of Sol Adventurers Foundation, a non-profit that works with youth in Los Angeles and Jamaica, came to know Rasta like many, through reggae.

“In the Bible, it’s even said, herb is for the service of man,” Ware said. “That comes from the Bible. It’s about uplifting people and spreading positive vibration.”

Despite their leaders’ push for Prop 19, some Rastas don’t feel it will accomplish much, or that the perception of their members will not change.

“I think Prop 19 is more about wanting control over what’s happening out there and making money off it,” Ware said.

For the First Church of Rasta ministers, it’s been about spreading the word. The latest Kings Chamber Jah program — distributed to church members and throughout the community — calls for members to “make your ballot count.”

And, on Friday, there was one last sermon from King Oji.

“We have a right to smoke our weed in our places of peace,” he said from the pulpit. “We’re not going to take a defeat. We’re going to organize and keep on working.”

People from all walks of life came to the University of Southern California on Friday for the chance to see President Barack Obama in the flesh.

The commander in chief made a special visit to the campus to try to energize the Democratic Party. He was rallying supporters to get out to vote for the midterm elections. School officials originally estimated a turn out of 30,000 people, but by the looks of it there were many more than expected. The center of the campus was completely closed off to the public and security was preventing students from going where they needed to be. Even when there wasn’t a police officer waiting to tell a student he or she could not pass, a make shift fence and caution tape was able to do the trick.

On the inside of the school some students were upset that they could not maneuver their own campus, but the outside looked like a big block party. Musicians were serenading the President’s supporters with a variety of different tunes. On one side of the cinema school an indie rock band was playing a short set for donations. They were even selling copies of their CD.

Just a few hundred feet away on the corner of McClintock and 34th a sax player was taking requests on songs. Henry William Brown III is a Rastafarian priest who goes by the name Aminifu. His Rasta name means steadfast and able to follow through. Originally from Wisconsin, Aminifu came to the campus to spread the joy of Rasta.

“I’m here today cause I’m supporting my president and the issues coming up. You know, I want everybody to know what’s going on and I’m also making a joyful noise,” Aminifu said. Aminifu was playing a variety of music ranging from top 40 to John Coltrane. He said he was having a great time watching people support the president, but in terms of money it was not a profitable day for him.

“I judge by the dollars in my case, that’s my barometer, and I make this much at Starbucks,” Aminifu said. “People been kind of tight right now. You know the economy’s kind of touch and they didn’t expect me to be here, I’m not on the playbill.”

For a Rastafarian sax player like Aminifu, making money from his music is the only way he survives. He said he goes up and down the coast playing his sax to be able to eat and pay his rent. At times he would express anger towards the system because he works hard playing his music and rarely gets rewarded for it, but he was quick to say it is best to stay positive.

In general, Aminifu is not a fan of capitalism, but he said he supports the president and what he is trying to accomplish.

“Well if you look at the system, it’s like a jigsaw puzzle,” Aminifu said. “The president is one piece of the puzzle. I’m out here to support Obama and the good things that he’s doing but I know that when he fits into that puzzle it’s blocking out other things that are important to me. We do what we can in a democracy, you got to align yourself with the positive forces.”

Aminifu said he planned on staying until the line moved closer to the center of campus then he would go home and watch the rally on television.

“I don’t think I’ll even be able to get in. There’s so many people, so I’ll probably hear more if I watch the news,” Aminifu said.

At the heart of the campus, people in suits and cocktail dresses were forming a line to get inside the campus center. The doors of the center were filled with police officers that were checking names and making sure only invited guests were in the area.

Many rally attendees walked by the area without noticing that anything was going on. No one told them about the exclusive lunch senator Barbara Boxer was having with the president and invited guests. The lunch was part of a fundraiser supporting Boxer’s re-election.

At the back of the line was a well-dressed man in a blue suit and his wife. She was wearing a beige blouse with a large pendant in the middle of her chest. The two were quietly waiting to enter the special event.

Phil and Christine Bronstein came from San Francisco to attend Boxer’s lunch. As the Executive Vice President and Editor-at-Large of the San Francisco chronicle, Bronstein is used to covering rallies such as this.

“My wife made me go, I’m a journalist so I’m supposed to be non partisan, but my wife bought the tickets and I’m just coming along as her date,” Bronstein said.

Christine Bronstein is a long time Boxer supporter, but she was most excited about seeing the president for the first time. The couple paid $2,500 per ticket to be up close with President Obama. Mrs. Bronstein said a picture with the president would cost $10,000. Having already met the president up close and personal, Mr. Bronstein did not need a picture.

“He [the president] came to our editorial board at the San Francisco Chronicle when he was running for office so we met then, but that was before he was president,” Bronstein said.

When asked how the president was in person, Bronstein said, “Chill, he was very chill. In fact, I kept asking him question and at one point he reached over and said ‘stop being so cynical’ and you know I explained ‘that’s my job.”

Bronstein also knew senator Boxer long before her career in the senate. He covered her first race for elected office in Marin County.

“I’ve known her that long,” Bronstein said. “She was very helpful when we had the Falco case in San Francisco and the government was coming after us trying to get us to reveal our confidential sources. We fought that for quite some time.”

The Bronstein’s did not plan on staying for the entire rally. After the lunch the two had to catch a flight back to San Francisco and get back to their three children.