WILSHIRE BLVD — The family of a Los Angeles man who was shot and killed nearly three years ago by Santa Monica Police during a brief pursuit has received a $250,000 settlement from a wrongful death lawsuit filed against City Hall. The settlement, approved by the City Council earlier this month, concludes a two-year battle by the family... Read more →

DOWNTOWN — As cases of swine flu continue to be reported around the globe, Santa Monica residents are taking appropriate precautions, but are for the most part feeling healthy and safe, they said. Though there was some concern on Tuesday morning that the virus had reached Southern California, reports confirmed that swine flu was not the... Read more →

PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY —Detectives released a composite sketch Monday of the man suspected of opening fire at three women north of Montana avenue, wounding two of them. The women were standing behind an apartment building Friday night on San Vicente Boulevard near Palisades Park when they were approached by a gunman in a black-hooded... Read more →

CITY HALL — The shrinking surf camp universe in Santa Monica is getting even smaller. More than a year after City Hall instituted a new permitting system to regulate surfing instruction, dramatically decreasing the presence of camps on the beach, the number of licensed companies is slated to go down by half. The City Council tonight... Read more →

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School district will be hosting its second Special Education Spring Forum on Saturday, May 2 from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the John Adams Middle School cafeteria. Per recommendations from the forum held in the fall, the meeting’s discussion will focus on level-to-level transitions for special education... Read more →

Dear EarthTalk What is the status of Hawaiian monk seals and how will the new national monument designation in the waters around the Hawaiian Islands affect them? Polly LaBarre New York, NY Easily exploited by hunters, whalers and fishermen in the 19th century, Hawaiian monk seals essentially never recovered. As early as 1976, the Hawaiian... Read more →

SM BEACH — Standing next to a massive Victorian sand sculpture, Claudia Freire stared across the sand at the families dancing to the Beach Boys’ “Don’t Worry Baby” in celebration of the grand opening of the Annenberg Community Beach House, known for years simply as 415 PCH. “This is beautiful,” she... Read more →

WISE & Healthy Aging in Santa Monica, in partnership with City of Hope, is conducting a 12-week pilot study on the lingering physical and mental effects of treated disease on cancer survivors. With funding from the California Breast Cancer Research Program, the “Mindful Movement Program for Breast Cancer Survivors” is designed... Read more →

NORTH OF MONTANA — Three women shot at in an alley just off of Santa Monica’s Palisades Park may have been targeted because of some sort of dealings in their past, and one of the two people hit by gunfire remains in critical condition, police said Saturday. Doctors passing by the shooting Friday night stopped and immediately began... Read more →

VENICE — The Venice Neighborhood Council recently opened deliberations to form a policy recommendation concerning medical marijuana dispensaries for Los Angeles City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl. VNC member Challis Macpherson made the motion to open the debate, having received complaints from Venice residents, whom she would not... Read more →