Watts Towers get $500,000 grant toward upkeep

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art's new role as conservator of the Watts Towers has brought an almost immediate payoff: a $500,000 grant from the James Irvine Foundation, announced Wednesday, to help fund repair and preservation of the landmark folk-art masterpiece.

Before the grant came through, only $150,000 in city funding had been budgeted for the towers this year.