Dear EarthTalk: Could it really be true that we are in the midst of the worst drought in the United States since the 1930s? — Deborah Lynn, Needham, Mass. Indeed we are embroiled in what many consider the worst drought in the U.S. since the “Dust Bowl” days of the 1930s that rendered some 50 million acres of farmland barely usable. Back then, drought conditions combined with poor soil management practices to force some 2.5 million Americans away from [...]
Archive for Category: "Columns"
May 17, 2013 1:40 PM
Dancing to the beat of a different drum
May 16, 2013 7:36 PM
Who needs the aggravation phase?
May 15, 2013 7:51 PM
Let’s not sacrifice our privacy on the altar of cyber security
May 14, 2013 6:27 PM
Don’t leave ‘em with two nickels to rub together
May 14, 2013 6:26 PM
Now that’s news I can really use
May 13, 2013 7:08 PM
Blogging and dogging it
May 12, 2013 9:50 AM
Nothing like clueless politicians
Other News
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Santa Monica unveils memorial concept
14TH STREET — Santa Monicans gather at Woodlawn Cemetery, Mortuary and Mausoleum each Memorial Day to remember the lives of those who served and died for their country, but this year, city officials will unveil a new tribute to the fallen that will stand all year round. Those that attend the 75th annual Memorial Day celebration on Monday will get a sneak peek at a commemorative wall that will hold the names of each Santa Monican who has died while [...]
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Featured News -
Local mother finds way to build trust
MAIN STREET — When she was younger, Summer Germann wouldn’t tell her mother things because she was afraid of her reaction. So when she had her own child, she vowed that she would be different. Germann got her chance when her 9-year-old daughter Ocean had a secret to tell, but wasn’t comfortable disclosing it. Summer Germann suggested that she should write her secret down. “I was kind of scared at first because I thought that it was basically the same [...]
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Community Profiles Featured Life People -
Fiscal storm clouds are coming
Dark clouds are gathering. I’m talking about the looming $13.2 million budget gap City Hall faces by 2017. Although it appears that the city should have a balanced budget for the next two fiscal years, the hammer could start dropping in 2015-16. City officials are in disaster mode planning — eyeing cuts and instituting new fees in preparation for the approaching fiscal storm. The proposed budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year is nearly $530 million; $306.1 million is for General [...]
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Columns Featured My Write Opinion -
Road advisories
Expo Light Rail Line Project Note the following activities: 1. Colorado Avenue between Fifth and 17th streets: Expect westbound and eastbound lane closures during day time hours. Expect reduction of travel lanes during the non-peak day at Ninth Street at Colorado and 10th Street at Colorado. 2. Colorado Avenue between Ninth and 11th streets: Night time (9 p.m.-6 a.m.) Colorado night street closure (two days), Wednesday through Friday. 3. Colorado Avenue between Fifth and 17th streets: Expect westbound and [...]
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Featured News Transportation -
Problem with pictures
Dear EarthTalk: Is nature photography good or bad for the environment? — Cal Moss, Camden, Maine Nature photography is a wonderful way to share the beauty and wonder of the natural world with others who don’t have the opportunity to see a given subject first-hand. An obvious benefit of the art is raising awareness about and generating empathy for special landscapes and species. But too much love can be a bad thing if landscapes are trampled and wildlife is [...]
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Columns Earth Talk Featured Opinion -
Letter: Bad bike riders
Editor: For several weeks I have been trying to call the Santa Monica Police Department’s attention to the menace of sidewalk bicyclists on Ocean Park Boulevard. I often do my 3-mile daily walk on the stretch from 17th Street to 31st Street and back, and can bear witness to the fact that this crowd is completely oblivious to pedestrians. So far, I have taken the following actions: 1. I phoned in complaints directly from my walk, was given the number [...]
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Letters Opinion -
Linking fishermen, foodies at Farmers’ Market
MAIN STREET — A seafood supplier at the Sunday Farmers’ Market on Main Street is making a splash with its new business model that connects consumers directly to fishermen, cutting out waste and cost in the process. Community Seafood does for seafood what Farm Fresh to You, SavRaw or other groups serving Santa Monica do for vegetables. For a set price each week, clients can stop by the market and grab a pre-set quantity of fish caught by a small [...]
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Business Featured Food Life News -
Village Trailer Park decision postponed until July
CITY HALL — The Rent Control Board will wait until the day before its drop dead date to decide whether or not to stand in the way of a development that would replace one of the last two trailer parks in Santa Monica. Board members decided Thursday to wait until the July 11 Rent Control Board meeting to consider for a last time a removal permit for the Village Trailer Park, the site proposed for a 377-unit apartment complex already [...]
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Business Development Featured News -
Rent Control Board divided on landlord fees
CITY HALL — The Rent Control Board is sure that it wants to raise registration fees on rent-controlled apartments to close its yawning budget gap, but how much and who should shoulder the burden is still up in the air. The five member board went 20 rounds on the subject Thursday night, running through a wide range of ways to divide the $2 to $3 increase in the annual $13 fee between landlords and their tenants that covers the vast [...]
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Business Featured News -
Military families get in free at pier aquarium
SM PIER Starting this Memorial Day weekend, the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium will begin offering free admission to military families from May to Sept. 2. This is the third year the aquarium has collaborated with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families and the Department of Defense to benefit veterans in the community. The aquarium will admit all active duty servicemen and women and up to five family members, sans charge all summer long. The aquarium is closed [...]
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Briefs Featured News -
SMC student wins national scholarship
SMC — Santa Monica College psychology student Scott Pine was recently awarded with the Jack Kent Cooke scholarship, the largest privately funded scholarship of its kind in the nation. The generous scholarship grants students $30,000. Pine’s recognition marks the second time in three years that a SMC student was awarded the scholarship, college officials said. The winners are chosen by a selection committee made up of 37 admissions professionals, predominantly from selective four-year institutions. Pine was one of only 73 [...]
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Education Featured News Santa Monica College -
SMC names Medina student athlete of the year
SMC — Santa Monica College quarterback Alfonso Medina — who led the Corsairs to back-to-back Conference Championships for the first time in 30 years — was named 2012-13 Student Athlete of the Year this week. Medina was named one of 17 outstanding SMC students as 2012-13 Student Athletes of the Year in their individual sports, but this is only the second year the college picked an overall winner. All the student athletes were selected for demonstrating scholastic achievement as much [...]
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Education Featured News Santa Monica College -
Food: More fish in the sea
So much for soft openings. Seasalt Fish Grill, a casual seafood bistro, has been in business for less than a week and is already getting slammed with lines more familiar to Bay Cities Deli, a local institution with years of saturation. Located on a heavily traveled section of Santa Monica Boulevard, it’s easy to see why. While curiosity may have killed the cat, it’s working wonders for Seasalt. Once in the restaurant you may notice huge orders rolling out for [...]
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Featured Food Life Tour de Feast -
Food: Going a little south for brunch
VENICE — I love a good brunch. It’s not necessarily the food or the bottomless mimosas (there’s usually cheap sparkling wine poured, which gives me a headache), but more the relaxed, pool-party atmosphere that keeps me in good spirits as I fight off the rapidly approaching Monday blues. Weekends seem so short these days, so any excuse to extend the feeling of freedom that comes with days off is welcomed. I have my favorite brunch spots. Brick + Mortar on [...]
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Featured Food Life -
Renewable energy standards: Building blocks for nation’s future
For the first time a United States president has announced that tackling climate change is a national priority. Yet, Congress shows no signs of passing meaningful legislation. For now, it’s up to states and localities to turn this declaration into action. But this isn’t new. When it comes to renewable energy, state policy has yielded by far the most progress. In 29 states this has come mainly through renewable portfolio/energy standards, known as RPSs. These laws require public utilities to [...]
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Columns Opinion Your Column Here -
Letter: We’re people, not eyesores
Editor: It is a debacle of human civility and liberty as an American citizen born in this country to not only have to endure the ignorant prejudices of others towards the homeless, such as myself, but also to be subjugated to harassment at the bullish hands of law enforcement or, more appropriately, Santa Monica’s henchmen. Being illegally detained without being read one’s rights for alleged “camping,” only to be held for the sole purpose of being told that the condition [...]
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Featured Letters Opinion
