The City of Santa Monica is crediting its revised Christmas tree removal program for contributing to the success of the citywide compost program. From Dec. 29 through Jan. 23, Santa Monica residents took advantage of curbside pick-ups of their holiday trees and added more than 65 tons or 130,000 pounds of compostable materials to the... Read more →

Santa Monica College is proud to present a series of free events in February honoring Black History Month. The events -- which include spoken word, song and dance performances as well as informative talks and discussions on Los Angeles' black history and the current state of Black America at this pivotal time in our nation -- are all held on... Read more →

When city planners unveiled a proposal to add a hotel and office space to the Bergamot Station Art Center last year, some residents and gallerists were up in arms. A year later, City Council has selected a developer (Jeff Worthe Real Estate Group) but the development itself is going back to the drawing board with help from a soon-to-be... Read more →

On a narrow, dead-end street off San Vicente Boulevard, the sliding doors on the Toyota Sienna van click shut below a darkened sky. Seat belts swing across hips and shoulders. Here, in this quiet, residential pocket of Santa Monica, the operation begins. Diana Oliver, Roosevelt Elementary School's PTA treasurer, is at the wheel. School... Read more →

City Hall is suing a landlord who city attorneys say took away the parking space of a tenant with a disability without justification. The City Attorney’s Consumer Protection Division filed the lawsuit against apartment building owner Solyman Khalili for alleged violations of the new Housing Anti-Discrimination Ordinance and the recently... Read more →

The Santa Monica Police Department responded to 394 calls for service on Feb. 10. Below is a sampling of those calls chosen by the Santa Monica Daily Press staff. Disturbance, 100 block Broadway, 12:14 a.m. Disturbance, 2200 block 4th, 1:55 a.m. Fight, 3rd/Santa Monica, 4:57 a.m. Vandalism, 1800 block Lincoln, 5:28 a.m. Battery, 1300... Read more →

Santa Monica Public Library celebrates Black History Month with a screening of the documentary "Free Angela and All Political Prisoners" on Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. in the Main Library's MLK, Jr. Auditorium, 601 Santa Monica Blvd. "Free Angela" is a gripping historic account of the events that catapulted a young University of California... Read more →

The City of Santa Monica Housing Commission will hold a Commission Retreat from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14, in the Multipurpose Room of the Santa Monica Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd. The Housing Commission, a seven-member board that advises the Santa Monica City Council on affordable housing issues, will formulate its... Read more →

It's a Monday evening on the southern end of Palisades Park. Tourists are flocking to the Santa Monica Pier. The sunset looks like a layered Mexican Sangria: a layer of pink, then blue. A 120-pound yellow snake is draped over the shoulders of a little girl. Her family laughs and snaps pictures, handing over a $5 “donation” to Al, the... Read more →

In an effort to reduce water usage, City Hall is considering some changes to its street sweeping practices and parking may open up as a side effect. Street sweeping trucks are being made more water efficient. And down the road, City Hall may reduce street sweeping on some major thoroughfares from six days a week for both sides of the... Read more →

The Santa Monica Police Department responded to 344 calls for service on Feb. 9. Below is a sampling of those calls chosen by the Santa Monica Daily Press staff. Vandalism, 1000 block 2nd, 12:06 a.m. Fight, 1400 block 4th, 12:41 a.m. Disturbance, 1500 block Berkeley, 12:50 a.m. Drunk driving, 16th/Pico, 3:52 a.m. Threats, 300 block... Read more →

Sightings of whales along the Southern California coast are already exceeding last year's record-breaking numbers and Heal the Bay's Santa Monica Pier Aquarium is inviting residents to show some love for the whales Feb. 14-15 during “Whale of a Weekend.” Whale-themed activities will be ongoing both days from 12:30 to 5 p.m. at the... Read more →

A trove of 10 personal letters written from 1948-1950, mostly from Queen Elizabeth II to Sharman Douglas (Princess Margaret's close personal friend in the 1940s and '50s) and her mother, Mrs. Lewis Douglas, sold as a single lot for $4,320 at an auction held Jan. 15 by Los Angeles Auction House, at the Santa Monica Airport. One of the... 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 →

One of three tenants who City Hall says were harassed by their landlord avoided eviction in court last week. Paul Aron prevailed in an unlawful detainer case brought against him by his landlord Barbara Bills, according to Deputy City Attorney Gary Rhoades. In a separate case, City Hall is suing Bills for alleged tenant harassment of... Read more →