UCLA researchers are seeking women aged 18 to 55 who have been diagnosed with vulvodynia or vestibulodynia, a chronic pain condition that affects the vaginal area and often occurs without an identifiable cause or visible pathology. The purpose of the study is to help physicians understand the physiology and genetic makeup of this... Read more →

Stop sitting on the sidelines and get to know how your government works. Santa Monica City Hall is encouraging residents to sign up for The People’s Academy, a behind-the-scenes look at local government operations, partnerships and innovations. It is a free course that mixes local government basics  with information relevant in everyday... Read more →

A homeless man sleeps on a bench in Palisades Park on Monday. A recent count has the number of homeless on the decline. (Paul Alvarez Jr. editor@smdp.com) CITYWIDE — Homelessness is down 5 percent in the city by the sea, rebounding after two years of increases, according to City Hall’s annual homeless count. There were 742 homeless... Read more →

Editor’s note: This story is part of an ongoing series that tracks the city’s expenditures appearing on upcoming Santa Monica City Council consent agendas. Consent agenda items are routinely passed by the City Council with little or no discussion from elected officials or the public. However, many of the items have been part of public... Read more →

A woman signs a petition during the citywide referendum signing party outside of Surf Liquor on Saturday. Activists are seeking to nix a City Council approval of a major development on Olympic Boulevard. (Paul Alvarez Jr. editor@smdp.com) CITYWIDE — How many signatures have been gathered on the petition to fight off Hines’ Bergamot... Read more →

Cars line up at the corner of Colorado Avenue and Fourth Street. (Daniel Archuleta daniela@smdp.com) Expo Light Rail Line Note the following activities: 1. Colorado Avenue between Fourth and 18th streets: Street closures in the east and westbound directions. Expect westbound and eastbound lane closures during daytime hours. Expect... Read more →

DOWNTOWN — In honor of Women’s History Month and in collaboration with City Hall’s Commission on the Status of Women, the Santa Monica History Museum is seeking Santa Monica Women of World War II to participate in its Discover the History program. Immeasurable Contributions — the name of the exhibit — will include a slide show... Read more →

WASHINGTON — Seeking to correct potential acts of bias spanning three wars, President Barack Obama will award the Medal of Honor to 24 Army veterans — include one Santa Monica native — following a congressionally mandated review to ensure that eligible recipients were not bypassed due to prejudice. The unusual mass ceremony,... Read more →

SMMUSD HDQTRS — The second the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation fundraiser ended on Jan. 31, another one began. The Vision for Student Success, an initiative managed by the foundation to fund learning programs evenly across the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, brought in $3.2 million over 15 months. The Board of... Read more →

COUNTYWIDE — The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has received a report of an influenza A (H1N1)-associated death of a pregnant woman and her unborn baby from the South Bay area. Although influenza activity in Los Angeles County has been on the decline, it is still widespread and will continue at least through March, public... Read more →