Staples is doing its part to show appreciation to teachers for their hard work. On Aug. 15, the first 100 teachers visiting various Staples stores between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. will receive an EcoEasy bag full of supplies including notepads and writing utensils. “Every year, teachers reach into their own pockets to pay for classroom... Read more →

Crime Watch is a weekly series culled from reports provided by the Santa Monica Police Department. These are arrests only. All parties are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Thursday, Aug. 6, at 6:55 p.m., Santa Monica police officers were inside a restaurant in the 200 block of Wilshire Boulevard — California Pizza... Read more →

CITY HALL — Residents might want to refrain from driving with a heavy foot around town. The City Council on Tuesday adopted an ordinance establishing new speed limits at 14 locations in Santa Monica, a dozen of which will be reduced. The ordinance will become final upon a second reading at a future council meeting. The new speed... Read more →

DOWNTOWN — Fire Chief Jim Hone, who is credited with enhancing the Santa Monica Fire Department’s emergency preparedness following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, will retire in January 2010, he told his staff Thursday. Hone, who joined the SMFD in 1980 after spending six years in the United States Air Force, was promoted to fire... Read more →

Editor’s Note: This is a series in which Daily Press writers overhear and observe happenings around Santa Monica. THIRD STREET PROMENADE — A street musician wails on the soprano sax outside Barney’s Beanery Wednesday evening. At 7 p.m., all the brightly striped outside booths are occupied by at least one person. A blond... Read more →

School is looming ever closer, and the Department of Public Works hopes to teach kids an important lesson: Put trash where it belongs. The department is reminding parents and teachers about the importance of educating children to recycle and properly dispose of their litter. Throwing trash out of car windows or leaving candy, gum and food... Read more →

SM MOUNTAINS — Staff with the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area are awaiting the results of DNA testing to determine whether or not a newly collared female mountain lion is the kitten of a lion recently seen in the Hidden Valley region. The DNA testing is currently being done by UCLA to determine the relationship between... Read more →

SM PIER — Tonight’s concert for the 25th Annual Twilight Dance Series brings together two artists whose music spans different continents yet project a similar message, a celebration of multi-cultural heritage and a nation’s diversity. Hailing from Israel, Idan Raichel introduces his unique music project to the pier. Called... Read more →

CITY HALL — Animal rights activists staged a small protest before the City Council meeting Tuesday in opposition to a plan to install netting underneath the Santa Monica Pier in an effort to prevent pigeons from fouling the waters. Their hope is to change the minds of city officials who just last month approved a $107,758 contract... Read more →

CITY HALL — There’s a new contender emerging in the small pool of possible maintenance yard locations for the Exposition Light Rail. That candidate is a roughly 13-acre chunk of land made up of two city blocks bounded by Colorado Avenue to the north, Olympic Boulevard to the south, Ninth Street to the west, and 11th Street to... Read more →