LAX COURTHOUSE — A Santa Monica man was convicted of second degree murder last week in the 2012 killing of his friend. Ryan Bright, 28, stabbed his friend Jensen Gray to death at a party in the 400 block of Broadway in Downtown Santa Monica. Gray, of Laguna Beach, was pronounced dead at the scene. He was 27 years old at the... Read more →

CITY HALL — At least one Rent Control Board member is concerned that drought response measures could lead to harassment of renters. As city officials prepare water reduction plans for City Council’s approval, they addressed the board about impacts the proposed plan might have on renters. An ordinance requiring 20 percent reduction in... Read more →

CITY HALL — The new zoning code is still months away from City Council, but council members are already weighing in. Last week, council directed code compliance officers not to enforce the current zoning code — which dictates land uses throughout the city — as it relates to two specific properties because they intend on addressing the... Read more →

CITY HALL — After numerous conversations over the course of months, City Council tightened up tenant harassment laws last week. The unanimous vote increases penalties, prohibits landlords from entering apartments for certain reasons, and modifies the standard for what’s considered tenant harassment. Tenant harassment complaints have... Read more →

CITY HALL — City Council wants you to know your lobbyists. After discussing some specific philosophical beliefs about the definition of lobbying, council voted unanimously to have city attorneys draft an ordinance requiring lobbyists to register with City Hall. The attorneys will come back with a specific ordinance for council’s... Read more →

CITYWIDE — The train is coming but Big Blue Bus isn’t going to get all competitive about it. In fact, BBB officials are predicting a 14 percent increase in ridership after the opening of the Expo Light Rail. And in preparation for the coming train, BBB officials want to revamp the bus routes — eliminating redundancies between BBB,... Read more →

CITYWIDE — On the mantel in Jay Johnson and Rachel Sene's Santa Monica living room is a bucket filled with $1 buttons showing the faces of five men; next to it sits a stack of letters, some more than 10 years old, written by the same men. The Cuban Five, as the men have come to be known, were first arrested in September 1998 in Miami.... Read more →

SMMUSD HDQRTRS — Eleven people have thrown their names in to be considered for the open Board of Education seat. The list of candidates, who have not yet been vetted for eligibility by the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School district, includes a recently-ousted board member, a local real estate attorney, a district attorney, Santa Monica... Read more →

CULVER CITY — The scene played out like the opening of a TV drama. After hours of surveillance, undercover officers in an unmarked car saw the suspect enter his seedy hotel room. Once the suspect was inside, the nearby SWAT team took up positions surrounding any potential exits, officers hit the room with spot lights and Santa Monica Police... Read more →

On December 8 at approximately 9:35 a.m. A Santa Monica Police officer saw the suspect sitting on the ground near the middle of the 1800 block of Alley 8 and began talking to him. When the officer asked the suspect if he was on probation or parole, the suspect admitted to being on probation. The suspect seemed nervous, so the officer also... Read more →

CITY HALL — When City Manager Rod Gould retires at the end of next month, Assistant City Manager Elaine Polachek will take the reins, at least until Gould's replacement is selected. City Council voted unanimously to name Polachek to the position of interim city manager upon Gould's departure. Polachek, who has in the past served as Santa... Read more →

CITY HALL — There was about as much excitement as you'd expect around the prospect of substantially raising water rates at City Council's meeting Tuesday night. Council voted 5 to 1, while expressing ambivalence, to keep a five-year, 77.7 percent rate hike on the table. City officials will come back for final approval in February and... Read more →

SMMUSD HDQRTRS - The top vote-getter in this year's Ed Board election was named president of the board last week. Laurie Lieberman will chair the Santa Monica-Malibu Board of Education for the second time in three years. Longtime Boardmember Jose Escarce will serve as the board's vice chair. Lieberman was elected to the position... Read more →

Please contact Rose Mann to reserve your space! Click on the link below to download information on the Official Race Guide! Asics LA Marathon 2015 Rate... Read more →

COLORADO AVE — I hear the train a-comin’. The company tasked with constructing the incoming Expo Light Rail says that trains should be on the tracks for testing by March at the latest. “It's going to be in the first quarter of 2015,” said Skanska-Rados construction manager Robb Fonkalsrud. “Probably more towards the latter part of... Read more →