Lion Survival Story; Sturgeon Moon; Suspected Rapist Captured; Top Rewards Programs: Patch PM

LOS ANGELES, CA — Here are the Los Angeles and Orange County Patch stories people are talking about today:

• Mountain Lion Crosses 101 Freeway In Rare Survival Story A young mountain lion has beaten the odds to make it across the 101 Freeway, and he didn't stop there, going on to test fate on the 118 too.
• These Hotels And Airlines Have The Best Rewards Programs Plan your next trip with companies that make your loyalty worthwhile.
• Income Needed To Buy LA Home Puts Ownership Out Of Reach For Most Housing affordability continues to slip to new low statewide, and in LA, where you need to earn $103,070 to afford the median-priced home.
• LA Pedestrians Ticketed For Bogus Law By The Thousands, Legislators Say Nearly 20,000 LA pedestrians were fined because of an outdated law that preys on residents to fill coffers, an LA legislator alleges.
• Troubling Incident Prompts Push For New Fire Helicopter LA city officials are looking at buying another firefighting helicopter after the city found itself shorthanded during a recent blaze.
• Mountain Lion Watches Calif. Hikers In Tense Standoff: WATCH Hikers stumbled upon the large cat but suddenly became potential prey after following the animal up the trail putting it on the defensive.
• Celebrity Chef Lost 70 Pounds But Doesn't Believe In Diets Devin Alexander, Manhattan Beach resident and celebrity chef, helped a client lose 220 pounds without following a strict diet
• .Felon Charged With Murdering Man In Front Of Child To Appear In Court Today Jason Monroe Daniels will appear in court today to determine whether or not there's enough evidence to move forward with a trial.
• Orange County Teen Explorers Week: SEE VIDEO "Sir, yes, sir!" See how these teens from throughout OC spent a week this summer. Classroom, discipline, push-ups and more. Take a look ...
• Additional Sex Assault Victims Of 'Tiburon The Shark' Sought In Orange County The 41-year-old already is accused in attacks of two teens, 16 and 19, in San Juan Capistrano and Santa Ana.
• Victim Withdrew Cash, Looked 'Happy' Before Being Gunned Down At ATM: Cops Police said it appears the suspects were casing the bank before robbing and killing the 35-year-old in Orange County.
• Cassini Spacecraft To Enter Saturn's Atmosphere After 20 years of exploration, JPL-managed Cassini's spacecraft will pass through Saturn's upper atmosphere this weekend.
• Despite Bluster, North Korea Can't Bomb U.S. Yet, USC Expert Claims North Korea's strategic ballistic missiles still can't reach California, a USC professor of international relations said Tuesday
• Motorist Sentenced To 4-1/2 Years For Fatal DUI In West Covina The 20-year-old was under the influence of nitrous oxide when he crashed into a pole and killed his passenger, officials said.
• Supe Spitzer's Restaurant Clash: County To Pay News Agency's Legal Fees Voice of OC sued to acquire emails related to the supervisor's 2015 citizen's arrest of a man at a Wahoo's restaurant.
• Student Reports Kidnap Attempt At UC Irvine BREAKING: Police said the suspect drove a blue Toyota Rav4 and told the female he had a gun when she refused to get into his vehicle.
• Jumper Snarls 101 Freeway In Hollywood A man threatening to jump from an overpass onto the 101 Freeway in Hollywood has been safely taken into custody.
• Glendale Businesswoman Killed In Robbery: Shooter At Large Police believe a 67-year-old woman shot in the head outside her Glendale home was targeted for robbery: BREAKING.
• LA's Parking Scofflaws Put On Notice Six years after LA stopped ticketing people who park on the parkway or driveway apron, officials warn that ticket-free days are over.
• Jail-Violence Data Proves Inaccurate, Unreliable In L.A County: Watchdog Agency Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies "themselves said that they didn't believe their own data," inspector general said in new report.
• Hiker Missing In Sierra Madre Police and local community groups searched the foothills for the 59-year-old, missing since Sunday, police said.
• Suicidal Man Kills Himself During Standoff A crisis team spent about five hours with the man in a Trabuco Canyon park.
• City of Malibu Teams Up With Boys & Girls Club For New Program The afterschool program will focus on science, technology, engineering, art and math.
• Live Streaming Camp Mars Brings Concert To Your Home The Camp Mars Music Festival will be live streamed August 12 so those at home can watch Thirty Seconds to Mars for free.
• Santa Monica Pier Sees The "Sturgeon" Moon: Photo Of The Week Patch loves photos! Share your photos with Patch and your work could be featured.
• Main Street Murder Suspect Pleads Not Guilty The 46-year-old allegedly gunned down a man in Santa Monica and then got into a shootout with police.
• Cinematographer Elected New President Of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences John Bailey received the American Society of Cinematographers Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and has robust cinematography credits.
• Venice Man Killed By Police Identified Authorities identified a 53-year-old Venice man shot and killed by police Friday.