Council votes to join lawsuit over new bail system:
Santa Monica City Council voted to join a lawsuit over the County’s newly implemented Zero Bail policy at its meeting on Oct. 10. Beginning Oct. 1, police agencies throughout Los Angeles County had to follow a new bail system that prevents LAPD and the Sheriff’s department from demanding cash bail for low-level offenses. A total of 12 cities in the county filed a lawsuit to delay implementation of the policy prior to Santa Monica’s involvement, including Arcadia and Palmdale, claiming it is dangerous.
School district ‘steps aside’ from Civic Proposal:
During its most recent Board of Education meeting, the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District confirmed that it will not be submitting a proposal to purchase the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium under the Surplus Land Act (SLA). SMMUSD Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton said that the district “continues to be interested” in the property, but will not be submitting a formal proposal to the City of Santa Monica, clearing the path for the City to end the SLA process.
Santa Monica Pier evacuated just days before previously scheduled emergency evacuation test:
On Oct. 9, a man claiming to be in possession of a bomb climbed the 130-foot-tall Ferris Wheel on the Santa Monica Pier. According to the Santa Monica Police Department, the subject was heard by witnesses claiming he had a bomb, sparking an evacuation of the pier along with Pacific Park. Officers were able to speak to the man, 37-year-old Juan Gonzalez of Garden Grove, and eventually took Gonzalez into custody. Gonzalez was not in possession of an explosive device.
Students to drop and cover for earthquake preparedness:
Thursday morning will see students across the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District take part in the 2023 Great California ShakeOut, an earthquake preparedness drill that will gauge how well the district is prepared for a significant emergency. The annual drill will have students practicing the “drop, cover, hold on” steps in class settings.
Friends, survivors connect again for annual walk:
Longtime friends and breast cancer survivors Janna Boelke and Mande Raiher have turned their tribulations into productivity, teaming as part of the “Worthe It To Thrive” fundraising unit. The fundraising team helps with the American Cancer Society’s “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” walk, taking place on Oct. 28 at the Santa Monica Pier.
Santa Monica’s annual winter ice rink gets substantial upgrade:
The annual Ice at Santa Monica event is receiving upgrades for the 2023-24 winter season, including an all-new rink along with hangout areas and a firepit. The corner of 5th Street and Arizona Avenue is turned into a skating paradise every November through January, and Downtown Santa Monica Inc. Operations & Placemaking Director Jeremy Ferguson said that the rink is 25% bigger than any previous year.
A small coffee is the gateway to a lifetime of music at Endless Noise:
For nearly 30 years, Endless Noise production studio has worked with a wide swath of artists, composers and more. The studio also houses a hidden coffee shop, originally intended to be a hub for local artists. When locals and clients loved the experience, Endless Noise improved the shop to add a barista and an expanded menu, reopening the business in January 2023.
Diners delighted during local food celebration:
Through Friday, diners will have the chance to partake in special lunch and dinner menus at local restaurants to celebrate Dine LA Restaurant Week. The 2023 fall edition of the bi-annual celebration promotes dine-in only, with 34 Santa Monica locations participating in the event.
‘Party’ comes to Playhouse for west coast debut:
Samuel Baum, executive producer of the new NBC series “The Irrational,” has the west coast premiere of his play “The Engagement Party” taking place at the Geffen Playhouse through Nov. 5. The show follows a couple who welcome guests at their engagement party before a mystery breaks out, leading to a web of lies that Baum frequently enters when writing plays and television.
Samohi artists recognized in statewide expo:
Santa Monica High School students Emmaline Thorpe, Victoria Davis and Shana Lindsey were selected as winners in the 2023 California Young Artist Expo contest. Thorpe was awarded as the Young Artist of the Year for her submissions in categories like “Adapting to a New Normal” and “My Identity & Self Expression.” The trio’s work now resides at the expo’s exhibit at the intersection of the Third Street Promenade and Arizona Avenue.
Orchestra goes to the movies for magical fundraiser:
Barnum Hall played host to the Santa Monica High School orchestras “Movie Music Magic” concert on Oct. 5, featuring selections from popular movie franchises like “Shrek” and “Harry Potter.” The combined sinfonia and intermezzo orchestras began the night, followed by the philharmonic orchestra and the symphony orchestra. The event also acted as a fundraiser for the orchestra program, complete with a bake sale held outside the venue.
Choral anniversary season performance serenades through iconic poetry:
The Verdi Chorus, a longtime staple of operatic music in Santa Monica, began its 40th anniversary season on Oct. 15 with a performance of “This, and My Heart, A Portrait of Emily Dickinson and Her Worlds Through Text and Song.” Held at the First Presbyterian Church, the combination of theater and concert piece interspersed spoken readings with musical settings of her poems. The show was co-written by Verdi Chorus Artistic Director Anne Marie Ketchum, who was joined on stage by Fox Singers Alexandra Bass, Tiffany Ho and Megan McDonald.
World-traveled conductor comes home for U.S. debut:
A homecoming for 2013 Santa Monica High School graduate Elias Peter Brown took place on Oct. 15 at BroadStage. Brown made his United States conducting debut alongside musicians of the LA Philharmonic, performing Stravinsky’s “The Soldier’s Tale.” First performing at BroadStage as a Samohi trumpet player, Brown has been world-traveled since, recently coming back to the U.S. to serve as assistant conductor at the San Francisco Symphony.
Santa Monica shipping center cuts ribbon:
On Oct. 7, the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce welcomed the area’s newest shipping services location, Santa Monica Shipping Center and More. A provider of DHL international express shipping, the grand opening event at 1003 Broadway featured a concert ticket raffle and giveaways of “green” goodie bags to promote DHL’s goal of companywide net-zero emissions by 2050.
World-renowned think tank hopes to foster new ideas for its Santa Monica office:
The RAND corporation, Santa Monica’s very first development agreement, is asking officials to void the agreement that governs its Santa Monica office. The corporation wants officials to work on a new deal that would account for the declining number of workers physically coming into the office, with RAND stating that they cannot do anything other than leave offices vacant under current rules. The organization has called Santa Monica home for more than 70 years, with its current office standing in the city for about two decades.
Cosmic ballet continues as ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse sweeps across West Coast:
This past Saturday, the United States West Coast was able to observe the cosmological event known as an annular eclipse. The path of the shadow created by the Moon passed in front of the Sun, sweeping across the country in a southeast direction from Eugene, Oregon to San Antonio, Texas. California residents were able to see between 70-80% of the phenomena.
SMPD emergency responses tested in Pier exercise:
After the Santa Monica Pier shut down on Oct. 9 due to a bomb threat, the Pier played host to another Santa Monica Police Department development this past week. On Oct. 12, the department took part in a training exercise designed to test officers’ mettle in a rapid evacuation scenario, beginning with a mock “shootout” at the eastern end of the Pier, followed by an active hostage scenario.