Go on and quibble with your best bud over what city truly "owns" fish tacos, and what town can claim to be the capital of date shakes, and which Golden State spot rocks the burgers above all others.

There are going to be profound and strictly observed differences of opinion on such matters, but when it comes to æbleskiver, you and your friend are going to say the same place simultaneously: Solvang.

For while the doughy clouds of Danish-famous dessert-makery can and do pop up elsewhere, devouring one, two, or nine in the Danish Capital of America feels as right as a heap of powdered sugar settling into an æbleskive's yummy crevices.

Solvang Danish Days are dancing through the middle of September, as is tradition, and if you're heading for the Santa Ynez Valley burg from Sept. 14 through 16, take note that æbleskiver will play a starring role.

How central is this all-important role? There's an Æbleskiver Breakfast on Saturday, and again on Sunday, for seven bucks a person ($8 if you add Danish sausage). 

Also? A cooking demonstration, focused on the fanciful orb-like pancake puff, will take place on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., outside the Solvang Restaurnat.

Also? There's an Æbleskiver Eating Contest, on both the 15th and 16th, and, for sure, you can participate, if you're up for the chewy challenge. On Saturday, Raina Huang, a competitive-eating champion, will face down a big plate of pastries, along with anyone else who joins the free contest.

By the by, you have five minutes to down those dough balls. Five. Minutes.

Parades, concerts, magic shows, and Hans Christian Andersen sightings are also on the big-as-a-windmill schedule, so decide how you're going to approach Solvang Danish Days, then start dreaming of all the sweet 'skivery you're going to savor while visiting one of California's prettiest, most Euro-cool towns. 

Meet Bear, the pet of the week for Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018.

Bear is a 7-year-old neutered Chihuahua. He is a spunky little guy that gets along with other small dogs and loves to go for walks. Bear is lovable and is perfectly content being in your arms or lap. 

ID: A1645317

West Valley Center
20655 Plummer Street
Chatsworth, CA 91311
(818) 756-9325 (center)

The dead fetus found in an airplane bathroom at LaGuardia Airport last month was stillborn, according to officials.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for NYC revealed the autopsy findings Wednesday, saying the fetus, which was discovered Aug. 7 aboard an American Airlines flight, “had been non-viable for at least 24 hours prior to the unanticipated delivery.”

The medical examiner added that there was no criminality and no charges will be filed.

A cleaning crew made the grisly discovery just before 7 a.m. on Aug. 7. The plane arrived in Queens from Charlotte late the night before.

American's flight tracker showed the plane, flight 1942, left Charlotte at 8:56 p.m. and arrived at LaGuardia's Terminal B at 10:44 p.m. Aug. 6. Photos from the scene showed Port Authority officers surrounding the jet on a tarmac Aug. 7 after it apparently was removed from the hangar for further investigation.

Detectives tracked down the mother at a hospital in Brooklyn after flight attendants recalled seeing two young women sitting near the back of the plane go into the bathroom after it landed, law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation told News 4 New York. 

The mother, whose name has not been released, told detectives she had been bleeding for a day or two while they were on a trip in Jamaica. Their flight stopped in Charlotte, North Carolina, before heading back to New York -- and when the plane did land in Queens, the mother said she was uncomfortable.

She told cops she miscarried the fetus in the plane bathroom, put it in the toilet and covered it with paper towels. She said the baby didn't make a sound and didn't appear to be alive.

The woman said she didn't even know she was pregnant.

The International Space Station captured images of Hurricane Florence as it approached the Carolina coast on Thursday. The Category 2 storm is expected to make landfall late Thursday or early Friday.

The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Thursday that he will fully cooperate with an investigation reportedly into whether he misused his government vehicle for traveling home to North Carolina on weekends, NBC News reported.

The Department of Homeland Security's inspector general is running the investigation, according to Politico, which reported that FEMA Administrator Brock Long drew interest when a government vehicle was involved in an incident. 

"If we made mistakes on the way a program was run, then we'll work with the (inspector general) to get those corrected," Long said. "You know doing something unethical is not part of my DNA."

Misuse of taxpayer funds on travel has dogged President Donald Trump's administration, leading to some resignations.

The Trump administration has reached a settlement agreement with lawyers representing migrant families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border that may give the families a second chance to claim asylum in the U.S., NBC News reported.

Many parents had felt pressured to drop asylum cases in order to see their children again or said they were misled into thinking that leaving their children in the U.S. was the only way they could be reunited.

The settlement, which still needs a federal judge's approval, would let some parents and their children redo their asylum interview with a lawyer present.

An ACLU lawyer said the settlement "will now finally give parents a meaningful opportunity to seek asylum with their children." The Justice Department declined to comment while the Department of Homeland Security didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Hurricane Florence is expected to make landfall overnight, but the Carolina coast is already getting hit with intense winds and heavy rains as the storm approaches.

Halloween Horror Nights: The opening of any mega 'n monstrous event can always put a person on tenterhooks, but knowing you'll be calling upon a certain spirited suburban house, from "Poltergeist," can really turn that clown, er, frown upside down. The maze debut that has people buzzing is "Stranger Things" — no waffling, you're going inside — but there's so much to dreadfully do, from the Terror Tram, a maze themed to "Halloween 4," the permanent "Walking Dead" attraction, and other eeks. Plus? The RIP Tour brings the not-so-pernicious perks. It's all haunting Universal Studios Hollywood, on select nights, from Sept. 14 through Nov. 3.

California Coastal Cleanup Day: Certainly, and we'll go out on a limb here, or, rather, a long piece of kelp, there is a bit of beach or a section of shoreline that is very important to you. Perhaps more than a bit, even, if you love all of the places where water meets land around the Golden State. How to keep your beach or shore shipshape? Joining this huge volunteer effort, "the state's largest annual volunteer event," is a swell idea. Thousands of give-backers'll take to the rivers and bluffs and banks of our ocean and waterways on Saturday, Sept. 15, all to send litter packing. 

Son of Monsterpalooza: While pop culture conventions and Halloween conventions do flourish 'round these parts, pretty much at all points of the year, there are gatherings that are so ghoulish, and fang-tastic, and scar-scary, that they deliver some true monster magic. Make that monster make-up magic, for this three-day gathering at The Marriott Burbank Convention Center & Hotel will have plenty of demos from pros, celebrity guests (hello, Kathy Najimy of "Hocus Pocus), and plenty of vendors to pursue. Better lumber, monster-style, to Burbank from Sept. 14-16.

Pride of the Valley: So you dig open streets events, as in those happening where various thoroughfares are closed to motorized traffic. And you dearly love the SGV, and look for all the ways to soak in the splendor and culture and community that shines in the San Gabriel Valley. Lucky you: On Sunday, Sept. 16 over four miles of major roadage'll shutter to cars, leaving you free to stroll 'n roll on your bike. There shall be live music, and vendors, and info booths, and lots to see. Bonus? The weather is looking mighty fine, as in summer's last hurrah, so don't delay. Open-street-it-up, SGV-style, in Baldwin Park and Irwindale.

Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch: To say that the openings of our region's biggest pumpkin patches will be rolling out in the coming days is to make kind of a joke, because, well, pumpkins roll. So do trains, in a sense, and this slice of Orange sweetness will have that kid-cute train on the roll, and lots of activities (face painting, bounce house, and such), and oodles of locations that should prompt that perfect child-sitting-near-a-squash snapshot. Opening day for 2018 is Saturday, Sept. 15, and while activities and pumpkins cost, entry is free.

Universal Studios and NBC-owned TV stations operate under the same parent company NBCUniversal.

Have you ever wished that there was a restaurant devoted to your favorite food?

Such longings have been fulfilled in the past. There was a day when there were no mac 'n cheese eateries in the world, nor French fry stands, nor places devoted to waffles.

That's all changed. What a world.

But hoping that a food-serving space devoted to Flamin' Hot Cheetos would magically appear? It's almost like a snack-loving eater of the Frito Lay favorite was dreaming a dream that was just too grand.

It would be easier to eat a whole bag of Flamin' Hot Cheetos without your fingertips giving you away, or so it seemed.

However dreams, as mentioned, do come true, and Roy Choi, the culinary legend behind Kogi BBQ and so many other foodie favorites around Southern California, is going to be the meal-helming pro behind the Cheetos. And, yep, Frito Lay is a partner on the project, too.

The hot headline? Get ready for a three-day-only restaurant that's solely about dishes that incorporate the spicy munchable.

Those days? Tuesday, Sept. 18 through Thursday, Sept. 20.

The place? Head for 1835 N. Cahuenga Boulevard (so, yep, Madera Kitchen).

Reservations? Please.

That's all we'll say. As in "please" don't even ask, because you know you'll need to reserve your spot, as well as "please" do secure your seat at once.

Pretty please. And thank you.

So what are the super-whimsical culinary creations centered around the FHC? Here goes, so hang on: XXTRA Flamin' Hot Rice Bowl, which comes with either grilled chicken or broccoli, Flamin' Hot Chipotle Ranch Wings, Flamin' Hot Elotes, and Cheetos Sweetos Hot Cakes.

What a moment in time this is, honestly. 

This particular Cheeto has been showing up atop all sorts of edibles at various fairs, including the LA County Fair, where it has been found covering baskets of fries and chicken skewers in recent years.

Sprinkles Cupcakes also made a Flamin' Hot Cheetos cupcake in July. That really happened. 

It was only a matter of tasty time before a full-on restaurant showed up. And given his optimistic, unfussy, and embracing approach to the foods we all love to eat, Mr. Choi is perfect chef to helm the (actually) hot spot.

Unhand that snacky bag, lick those fingertips clean, and make your reservation for the brief but already buzzy pop-up.

Note: A waitlist has now begun, so add your name and keep those Cheeto'd fingertips crossed.

Parts of North Carolina were already underwater Thursday afternoon ahead of Hurricane Florence making landfall.

It's ironic that Jed Clampett and the rest of the Beverly Hillbillies discovered oil back east and then moved to Southern California. because there's plenty of oil here right under our feet -- even in Beverly Hills. 

In fact, the Los Angeles area sits on the largest urban oil field in the country. Oil prospectors from Pennsylvania arrived in the late 19th century and started drilling, but the Chumash Indian tribe found uses for the thick oil seepage long before then. They would coat their canoes with the natural sticky asphalt they found oozing out of the ground. When Spanish explorers sailed up the west coast, they saw the Chumash doing this and named the area Carpenteria (the carpentry shop). Seeing how well it worked, it wasn't long before the Spaniards adopted the practice.

The early days of oil drilling in Southern California had its share of colorful characters. Ed Doheny and his business partner Charles Canfield were gold prospectors but not finding much success in the Los Angeles area. The story goes that Doheny spotted a wagon wheel stained black from rolling through an oil drenched area. Doheny realized the black muck might have value. He had the driver show him the spot and decided that would be a good place to drill LA's first oil well (not far from Dodger Stadium).

And then there was Emma Summers. Nicknamed the "Oil Queen of California," Emma was a piano teacher with a keen eye for a good business opportunity. She risked her life savings to become part owner of a well and when it didn't pay off, she doubled down, borrowing money to reinvest. Her faith was rewarded when her well hit pay dirt. Summers learned every aspect of the oil business, was know to treat employees and customers respectfully and was a major player in the oil industry of Los Angeles for decades.

Our oil industry has also created man made drilling islands off the coast of Long Beach. Built in 1965 and originally called the THUMS Islands, an anogram for:

• Texaco
• Humble (now Exxon Mobile)
• Union oil
• Mobil
• Shell

In 1967 the islands were renamed "The Astronaut Islands", with each one given the name of a NASA Astronaut who died serving in the space program. Ed White, Roger Chaffee and Gus Grissom all died in a 1967 capsule fire while conducting an Apollo 1 pre-launch test exercise. The 4th island is named after Ted Freeman, who perished in a T-38 jet plane crash in 1964.

Click on the video above and join our host, Jaysha Patel with more about Oil in LA.

Our thanks to The California Oil Museum. The California Oil Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Learn more about Santa Paula here. 

Over 70 homes in Lawrence, Massachusetts went up in flames following an explosion from a gas line. It is believed that the explosion was caused by an overpressurized gas line.

Draw a pumpkin, or a ghost, or another icon of autumn, and you might follow the same lines and designs that you always have, since you were a kid.

And, now that you think about it, your ghost and your pumpkin and your bat all kind of look like how other people might illustrate such fall-famous sights.

But a monster? Ohhh eek. Your picture could summon the fellow from Dr. Frankenstein's lab, or something from the murky depths, or even a denizen of outer space.

This isn't to say there isn't a wide range of ghosts, pumpkins, and bats, for, yep, there is, but monsterdom? It has proven to be beyond mega in our collective imagination.

Which means so much monstro-o-sity will be packed into Son of Monsterpalooza, a three-day convention with a focus on all that is spooky and super-creative in the monster-y make-up department.

Like Monsterpalooza, Son of Monsterpalooza's springtime convention counterpart, this fall festival has celebrity cameos, pro-led make-up demonstrations, and oodles of knowledgeable people selling stuff that'll make your next costume, or film, look completely creepy.

It's all lurking and lumbering and moaning at the Burbank Marriott Convention Center & Hotel from Sept. 14 through 16.

A one-day ticket? That's $25, but you can nab a three-dayer of a pass for sixty bucks.

Stars set to show include Fairuza Balk, Kathy Najimy, Mindy Sterling, Joanna Cassidy, and so many other majors of the vast genre.

Freaky films, cool artists, and other eye-popping, brain-eeking stuff'll fill the monstrously large spread o' scares.

Whether you aspire to work in movies, or put together a jump-filled Halloween haunt, or you're a longtime fan of frights, through and through, matters not, dear monsters of SoCal.

Shamble your way to Burbank, and this creature-packed gathering, for all sorts of chilling ways to up your monster-based creativity, output, and aspirations.

America's Got Talent judge Howie Mandel stopped by the NBC 4 studio to talk about his heart health.

The 62-year-old was diagnosed with high cholesterol 30 years ago but fell off the wagon with his meds, despite warnings from his doctors. Now he's partnering with TakeCholesteroltoHeart.com to encourage people of all ages to get their cholesterol checked.

"I recently learned that at least 50 percent or more people stop taking their statins (cholesterol medications) after a year of starting them," Mandel says.

He recalls how his medication didn't make him feel very good, so he stopped. And he says, once they were out of sight, it was out of mind as well.

Mandel tells me he's back on his meds and he's feeling great, which is a good thing because he's busier than ever. He's judging season 13 of America's Got Talent and regularly performs about 200 stand-up comedy shows a year.

He laments the shift in comedy these days and how much different it is than it was when he started stand-up in the 1970s.

"In the clubs, you want to be able to try out things and maybe step over the line," he says. "But everybody's so politically correct and so sensitive now. And they have the ability to record you and take things out of context, that I have friends who because of a joke, have lost whole careers."

He also talks about his need to stay connected on social media less his FOMO get the best of him. And he has a special message for internet trolls that you'll want to hear.

The season 13 live finale of America's Got Talent airs Sept. 18 and 19 on NBC 4.

An appellate court has found that a convicted sex offender has been denied due process in the nearly 18 years since he finished his prison sentence, but continued to be held in state mental hospitals without the allegation of his being a sexually violent predator ever going to a jury.

In the ruling issued Tuesday, a panel of California's Second Appellate District agreed with a Los Angeles Superior Court decision that George Vasquez, now 45, should be released.

The court faulted a "systemic breakdown in the public defender system" in the years of delays that put off the commitment trial to which Vasquez was entitled when the Los Angeles County District Attorney petitioned to have him declared a sexually violent predator.

"This breakdown forced Vasquez to choose between having prepared counsel and a timely trial," wrote Justice Gail Ruderman Feuer in her opinion.

The office of the Los Angeles County Public defender declined to comment. The District Attorney's Office has not revealed whether it will try another appeal. Absent that, the case will return to mental health court, which issued the ruling last year that Vasquez should be released without the long-delayed commitment trial.

According to his attorneys Robert S. Gerstein and Mark P. Brandt, Vasquez remains held at the Coalinga State Hospital, a high security facility that houses primarily sexually violent predators, and provides treatment programs. The attorneys are hopeful Vasquez will now be freed within two months.

At age 21, Vasquez was convicted in 1995 of four counts of committing lewd or lascivious acts on a child under the age of 14. He served five years in state prison, then on his release was transferred immediately to a state mental hospital.

The law permits a convict to remain detained temporarily as an alleged sexually violent predator on the opinion of two therapists and a judge's finding of probable cause, but requires trial to make the final determination. At the time, a commitment was limited to two years, and any extension required a new trial. And yet, Vasquez is in his ninth two-year period without a single commitment trial.

In Vasquez's case, that trial was repeatedly delayed as new lawyers were repeatedly appointed to take his case. Some asked for continuances on the grounds they were not prepared.

Vasquez agreed to the delays, but his attorneys argued he cannot be held responsible, given the option of going to trial and having his fate presented by an attorney who did not feel prepared to represent him.

"Enough is enough," Vasquez objected after his fifth attorney "requested yet another continuance," as the episode was recounted in the appellate opinion. Superior Court Judge James Bianco relieved the Public Defender's Office and appointed Brandt, who moved to dismiss the DA's petition.

The years of delay and the affirmed ruling leave undetermined the underlying question of whether Vasquez is in fact a sexually violent predator, and whether his release due to a breakdown in the justice system will imperil public safety.

His attorneys pointed out that after a later examination of Vasquez, one of the clinical psychologists no longer classifies Vasquez as an SVP, though other therapists disagree. Though barring another appeal and a reversal, a jury will never be asked to make that decision.

"It is the state's burden to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that this man is a continuing danger," said Gerstein. "And we haven't gotten to that."

Gerstein noted the opinion references cutbacks in the public defender's office, at one point involving the elimination of paralegal positions and half the attorney staff.

In recent years, the office has undergone turmoil, and the position of Public Defender had remained unfilled two years until last month, when County Supervisors appointed attorney Ricardo Garcia. 

The moon may soon get its first tourist — and first human visitor in more than four decades. SpaceX announced Thursday that it's booked the world's first private passenger to the moon.

Elon Musk's space technology company said on Twitter the unnamed traveler would board its BFR (or Big Falcon Rocket) to the moon, where only 24 people have ever traveled. Only 12 of those people actually walked on the moon, and they were all Americans.

The last manned flight to the moon was the Apollo 17 mission in December 1972.

SpaceX didn't reveal any details about the potentially historic voyage but said it plans to reveal the traveler's identity and more on Monday, Sept. 17. The company called the plan "an important step toward enabling access for everyday people who dream of traveling to space."

Musk shared the announcement on his personal page but remained tight-lipped as well. However, when asked if the passenger was him, Musk responded with an emoji of the Japanese flag.

This isn't the first time SpaceX dabbled in lunar tourism. Musk had said in February 2017 that two people paid the company a "significant" amount of money to go on a weeklong trip around the Moon this year. However, details about the supposed trip were never revealed.

SpaceX has held a bold vision for commercial space travel. Musk said in March that the first Mars spaceship could be ready for short trips by early 2019. But he lowered those expectations in the same address, joking that "sometimes, my timelines are a little, you know..." 

Look, we get it: The closing of "Jurassic Park — The Ride" at Universal Studios Hollywood over Labor Day Weekend was bittersweet.

On the one hand, you likely heard that a new, super-dino'd ride based on the "Jurassic World" movies will open in its place in 2019.

On the other hand, you might have breathed a sigh, knowing that, at least for the next few months, you wouldn't meet any roaming dinosaurs around Universal City, like, on the 101.

Because you totally know those animatronic dinos left the ride at night, right?

But hold onto your T. Rex-related sighs, for there actually are a pack of prehistoric creatures, the size of tall trees, stomping back into Southern California, via the silver screen, for three nail-biting days.

It's the return of "Jurassic Park," in honor of its 25th anniversary, and the rapturous, raptor'd movie'll roar at several local cinemas on Sunday, Sept. 16, Tuesday, Sept. 18 and Wednesday, Sept. 19.

Tickets? Stomp, claw, and leap over to Fathom Events to secure your Jeep, er, seat, or check at the box office of a theater showing the film.

A film that stars Laura Dern, Sam Neill, Richard Attenborough, and Jeff Goldblum, who memorably wanted us all to know that "life, uh, finds a way."

Indeed it does, so best find your way to a screen showing this heartbeat-raising, feet-running-in-place gem, a movie that may only be 25 but feels much, much, much older, as in prehistorically older, as in... from the Jurassic.

A multi-million-dollar house caught in flames in Brentwood early Friday morning. 

The fire was reported at 3:58 a.m. on the 300 block of Rockingham Avenue.

According to Zillow, an online real estate database company, the 7552 square ft house was sold in March for $13.7 million. 

As of 5:51 a.m., there are 101 crew members battling the fire, LAFD said on Twitter.

Authorities suggest avoiding the Sunset Boulevard and Rockingham Avenue areas. Detours have already been set in place in the surrounding areas of the fire.

The one-story house was found to be vacant and under renovation. No serious injuries have been reported.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.

Target announced Thursday it plans to hire 13,000 seasonal employees in Los Angeles. The company also plans to hire 28,000 seasonal employees across California and 120,000 across the country.

The company will host hiring events nationwide starting Oct. 12 through Oct. 14 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

There will be a chance for eligible applicants to interview on the spot and receive a conditional job offer during the weekend events.

Employees hired after Sept. 16 will begin at $12 an hour minimum wage. The retailer is committed to increasing its minimum hourly wage to $15 per hour by the end of 2020.

New seasonal employees will be expected to help guests find the perfect gift for everyone on their wish lists, stock shelves with the latest toys, decorations and holiday meal essentials.

Fulfillment and distribution centers employees will process freight to stores and fulfill online orders, including receiving, picking and loading items.

This year, Target is investing more than $2 million to reward team members working during the busy holiday season as part of its work.win.give. appreciation program.

One lucky employee will be randomly selected to receive a $500 holiday gift card and an opportunity to donate $500 to the local community organization of their choice.

Additionally, Target will celebrate the grand opening of its Mission Viejo small-format store on Nov. 11, 2018, and will begin hiring 100 team members at an event on Sept. 18.

Candidates for Target’s seasonal positions and those interested in a distribution center role can apply at TargetSeasonalJobs.com.

Languages the world over possess amazing words, words that emotionally encapsulate the passage of time, the changing of the seasons, and how it feels when a particular stretch of the calendar comes to its expected conclusion.

We can feel a tad blue, in short, when fun times conclude, but in the case of a caliente happening that begins in early August and ends in early September, well, we feel not so much blue, but very green.

For that's the general window for the roasting of Hatch green chiles, the hot pods that hail from the rich pepper-growing country of Southern New Mexico. 

Residents from the Land of Enchantment, and those well beyond the state's borders, know the allure of the spicy fruit: It smells wonderful while it is roasting, and it makes wonderful Mexican and New Mexican dishes even better, all fall and winter long.

But now that it is the middle of September, where can one find a chile roast?

They've pretty much wrapped up in most Southern California spots, which they tend to do following the second or third weekend of the month. 

Good thing, then, that Panxa Cocina in Long Beach has you covered, chileheads, with a two-day roast on Saturday, Sept. 15 and Sunday, Sept. 16. Yes, you can buy chile to take home, for your own cookery, or you can dine at the "Southwestern restaurant with modern, latin-inspired cuisine."

For September is Hatch Chile Month at the eatery, and Panxa Cocina has even partnered with the Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University to make it extra-super delicious.

Special menu items might include a heirloom blue corn quesadilla with Hatch chile jam (as well as other yummy additions, like queso fresco made in-house), and Wagyu country fried steak complete with gravy made with Hatch chiles.

Of course, chile goodness exists throughout the year, thanks to freezers and jars, but August-into-September is for roasting, and buying freshly roasted chile, and it is a window that's closing as quickly as a chilehead can devour a cheese-melty relleno.