CITY HALL — Following a successful Los Angeles Marathon that ended in Downtown Santa Monica for the first time on March 21, officials here are continuing to hold talks with organizers who hope to give Santa Monica a race all its own. The proposed event would be shorter, but its 13-mile course would be entirely within Santa Monica and... Read more →

DOWNTOWN — Although Santa Monica has not made it through the recent recession unharmed, one local industry — tourism — continues to perform at a fairly consistent level. While other parts of the country are listing 50 percent decreases in tourism revenues, Santa Monica is making it through with much less... Read more →

CITY HALL — Dead bees typically don’t get much sympathy. For most humans, the buzzing, stinging creatures just don’t have the appeal that mammals like, say, bunny rabbits or whales do. But for Santa Monica resident Daniel Salisbury, the insects are as deserving of fair treatment as any of the cuter species, not least of all... Read more →

Dear EarthTalk A friend with many minor health problems recently switched to a diet of only raw plant foods and reports feeling much better. She also insists her new eating habits are better for the environment. Does this make sense or is the strange diet making her crazy? Phil C. Reno, Nev. A raw foods diet typically consists of unprocessed... Read more →

MID-CITY — Nurses at Saint John’s Health Center kicked their labor dispute with hospital management up a notch this week, placing a billboard ad on Santa Monica Boulevard that questions their leadership’s commitment to Catholic social justice. Nurses at Saint John’s who favor unionization have long been at odds with... Read more →

DOWNTOWN — Streets were slammed with runners and spectators, giving the impression that businesses were benefiting from the influx, but the Los Angeles Marathon didn’t bring the boon that some merchants had hoped for. In interviews with the Daily Press, several local businesses reported no significant spike in sales on Sunday,... Read more →

DOWNTOWN — For 50 years, the Santa Monica Playhouse has persevered as a multiple award-winning and well-recognized theatre company that has produced over 500 shows and received an abundance of rave reviews. “I think it has made a tremendous contribution to the arts in Santa Monica, in particular in terms of developing the... Read more →

CITY HALL A plan to raise Big Blue Bus fares has been delayed after officials at Santa Monica College raised concerns that the proposed price hike could mean the end of its free bus ride program for students and staff. The City Council had been scheduled to consider raising bus fares this week, but the item was pulled from the agenda after... 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. Wednesday, March 17, at 7:46 p.m., Santa Monica police officers responded to the 2300 block of Ocean Park Boulevard — Lee’s Market —... Read more →

SM PIER — With $133,000 raised in the past two and a half weeks from City Hall contributions, private donations and sponsorship deals, Santa Monica Pier officials are planning at least seven free concerts this summer. The Pier Restoration Corp.’s board on Wednesday voted to approve the concerts, collectively known as the annual... Read more →

CITY HALL — Supporters of the “emergency” parcel tax to help fund local public schools received a boost Tuesday night when the City Council unanimously endorsed the measure. Measure A, which would generate roughly $5.7 million annually, will appear on a May 25 special mail-in ballot election. The measure is intended to help... Read more →

CYBERSPACE — It might be a bit corny, but it’s catchy. Tech-savvy City Hall has released a one-minute, 48-second video on YouTube featuring a singer/songwriter and his acoustic guitar as he belts out a ballad in front of Internet giant Google’s offices on Arizona Avenue, all in an attempt to win a high-speed Internet... Read more →

SM PIER — Over the weekend the Santa Monica Pier’s Ferris wheel was transformed into a giant — and illegal — advertisement for Asics shoes, catching City Hall officials off guard. The “supergraphic” went up on Saturday, a day before the L.A. Marathon brought tens of thousands of runners and spectators to... Read more →

The 61st annual Stairway to the Stars, one of the most popular and longest running musical events in the city, kicks off tonight, putting the spotlight on the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District’s music students, teachers and curriculum. This year, 26 bands, orchestras and choirs will dazzle the audience at the Santa Monica... Read more →

Southern California had the highest number of energy-efficient buildings last year meriting the EPA’s Energy Star standards, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced this week. Some 296 energy-efficient buildings were either built or remodeled, including Arena Corporate Center in Anaheim, Maguire Properties Lantana West in... Read more →