THE LANDFILL — aIt’s not much of a stretch to liken America’s relationship with cell phones to a once sizzling romance that ends in good-bye. Fated love affairs typically begin with inflamed passion before reality sets in, cooling the embers enough to allow more guarded, sometimes less attractive aspects of the self to... Read more →

DOWNTOWN — Out of all the parts that make up the Third Street Promenade, from the artists to retail carts to the merchants that line the strip, there’s one that’s been absent for the past few years. That missing piece of the puzzle — food carts — is due to return this fall. There was a time when shoppers on the... Read more →

WILMONT — As hundreds of hikers head out to their favorite trails this weekend, they would be wise to stop and smell the roses, or whatever foliage is around, for the hike could be their last — in the state park that is. Faced with devastating budget cuts totaling $53.6 million, the California Department of Parks and Recreation... Read more →

Tuesday. Aug. 18, at 1:54 p.m., Santa Monica police officers responded to the 1900 block of Arizona Avenue regarding an attempted robbery. When officers arrived, they made contact with the alleged victim who told officers that he was walking to work when he was confronted by the suspect, who demanded $20. The victim, in fear for his safety,... Read more →

CITY HALL — There once stood a stack of more than two dozen applications from residents who were interested in replacing late Councilman Herb Katz after he died in January from cancer, making up a larger pool of candidates than in the election just a few months prior. It’s been a different story for the vacancy on the unsung Rent... Read more →

Editor’s Note: This is a series in which Daily Press writers overhear and observe happenings around Santa Monica. DOWNTOWN — A girl in a yellow halter top sits on the edge of the ivy-covered triceratops fountain on the Third Street Promenade. She runs her fingers through her curly brown hair as the wind lifts it gently. The... Read more →

BROAD STAGE — What does an Asian-American youth orchestra, a West African drum ensemble, and a punk-folk-country-protest musician all have in common? The answer is Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, best known for its fourth movement, “Ode to Joy.” Billy Bragg, the punk, folk, country and political singer-songwriter, is... Read more →

In mid-June Uncle Teddy came to my mother’s Hyannis Port home for a drink before dinner. My family and I had just arrived from Santa Monica. Even though we were tired, Teddy and his wife Vicki wanted to welcome us to town. So a little cocktail party was planned. They arrived at 6:30 p.m. in a golf cart, just the two of them. We went out... Read more →

SUNSET PARK — Lloyd Saunders remembers when Ocean Park Boulevard was his go-to route, driving on the neighborhood’s main drag daily to reach any points east and west. Today, the 30-year Santa Monica resident avoids it at all costs, opting for other streets because of “bottleneck traffic” that he blames on the current... Read more →

A lunch at the fire station awaits anyone who donates $1,000 or more to the Santa Monica Firefighters Association’s Firefighters Relief Fund — one of only two yearly fundraisers. The association, comprised of current and retired firefighters from the SMFD, puts out a program twice a year with advertisements from businesses and... Read more →

SM PIER — Lovers of California funk may not be familiar with The Lowrider Band, but they sure know their signature sound. That’s because the group is comprised of the creators behind such classic hits as “Spill the Wine,” “Slippin’ into Darkness,” “The Cisco Kid,” “Why Can’t We... Read more →

DOWNTOWN — For Raphael Mawrence, it isn’t a strange sight to see plastic bottles floating on water as opposed to containing it. “I go to the beach and see a lot of trash in the water,” the surfing regular said. It’s for that reason that the Santa Monica High School student pledged to support public drinking... Read more →

11TH STREET — Parking is precious in Santa Monica, so when resident Daniel Davidsohn awoke one morning to find a new “No Parking” sign in front of his building, he was naturally upset. He thought City Hall had finally declared war against the gas guzzling SUV after examining the sign, which prohibited parking for vehicles... Read more →

The SMPD Traffic Enforcement Section conducted a DUI checkpoint in the 300 block of Pico Boulevard Friday evening, nabbing four suspected drunk drivers, issuing eight citations and impounding seven vehicles, police said. The enforcement, funded by a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, began at 9 p.m. and ended 1:30... Read more →

The Santa Monica Pier and The Lobster restaurant have launched an eBay auction to benefit the Special Olympics of Southern California. In honor of the pier’s Centennial Celebration on Sept. 9, the auction features a dinner for six at The Lobster with exclusive VIP viewing of the centennial fireworks show. The Lobster’s premier... Read more →