New building on West LA VA campus to house 59 homeless and at-risk veterans: Almost 60 formerly homeless veterans received housing at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs (VA) campus in Brentwood with the opening of the newly renovated Building 207 to serve veterans 62 and older who were formerly homeless or are considered at-risk.
Waymo takes testing to the next level in Santa Monica with no human sitting in the driver’s seat: Waymo announced that it advanced its testing to the next level, driving with no human so much as even sitting in the driver’s seat. The new testing was the first time any fully autonomous car has driven in the Los Angeles metropolitan area.
Santa Monica man charged with $12M insider trading scheme: A part-time Santa Monica resident was indicted in a multi-million dollar insider trading case. Terren S. Peizer, allegedly avoided more than $12.5 million in losses by entering into two trading plans while in possession of material, nonpublic information concerning the serious risk that Ontrak’s then-largest customer would terminate its contract.
City Hall greases the wheels to allow fast food back on the Promenade: A decision by Santa Monica City Council to lift restrictions on large chain restaurants reopened the door for fast food businesses to relocate to the city’s flagship retail zone. A ban on businesses with over 150 locations along the Promenade was suspended, with a request from Council for regular updates on any incoming businesses to head off any potential fast food flood.
Salsa dancing adds some spice to Locals’ Night: Santa Monica local Cesar Romero shared his passion for the Latin dance with others and helped make it more accessible with a free outdoor salsa event at the Santa Monica Pier as part of Locals’ Night.
Two hospitalized in morning crashes: SMPD officers responded to a traffic collision involving a solo vehicle in the 1000 block of 4th Street. The driver of the vehicle, an elderly female, struck a city palm tree, BBB bus stop and several parked vehicles. She was cut out of the vehicle by emergency responders and transported to a local hospital where she was last listed in stable condition. SMPD officers also responded to a traffic collision involving a vehicle and pedestrian at the intersection of 28th and Pearl Street. The pedestrian was transported to a local hospital, and has been listed in critical condition. The driver in the second crash is cooperating with the investigation.
PAL poker: The Santa Monica Police Activities League (PAL) held its annual Poker Tournament fundraiser recently, with the top 10 players at the end of the night being Charlie Lopez-Quintana, Manny Hackett, Gustavo Reynaso, Danny Mrakovcic, Richard Caranza, Meghan Sekera, Greg Morena, Frank Stephan, Brian Morena and Ross Furukawa. Santa Monica PAL is a nonprofit organization operated by the City of Santa Monica dedicated to providing free after school programming for youth ages 6-17.
Encampment calls spike as SMPD responds to homeless crisis: Calls to the Santa Monica Police Department for “encampments” spiked last year to 1,896, the highest total in six years. While that number is already up 15% from 2021, it might actually be an undercount, as police officers working an area like the beach or a freeway embankment may contact several nearby encampments during a single call.
SaMoTech Robotics team to compete in Southern California Championship: Nine local middle and high school students formed the SaMoTech Robotics team in 2022, and the team participated in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Tech Challenge in 2023. Despite this being their first year, the SaMoTech team rose to the rank of #1 in Southern California and went undefeated in 19 qualifying matches.
Wrestler takes third in State: Samohi wrestler Taira Sakamoto took third in the CIF State Wrestling Championships. Sakamoto competed in the girls 116 division. Sakamoto went 5-1, taking 3rd place, losing only to the eventual first place finisher. On the way there, she defeated the returning State Champion and the returning State 5th placer.
Latino residents targeted in crypto Ponzi scheme: A nationwide fraud scheme targeting Latino investors claimed at least 30 local victims according to a warning provided by City Hall. Multiple households contacted officials claiming they have been victimized by a crypto Ponzi scheme run by agents of CryptoFX, LLC., a business at the center of a federal enforcement action in Texas.
Council to determine priorities heading into an uncertain economy: According to the council, the City’s economy showed a strong recovery over the past 18 months, but began showing signs of softening. This has been compounded by continued slowdown in global tourism, together with political and economic disruptions in Europe and Asia and “realization that knowledge workers that once filled our community in the daytime have yet to return to the office in the same numbers.”
Development groundbreaking: Officials celebrated the start of construction on the first phase of the Santa Monica Collection, a portfolio of eight development sites across 3.1 acres in Downtown. The first phase of development encompasses four residential buildings with 340 rental apartments and approximately 18,700 square feet of street-level retail.
New Councilmembers reflect on early priorities: After their first 100 days in office, Santa Monica City Councilmembers Caroline Torosis and Jesse Zwick shared some of the challenges, concerns and criticisms on some of the biggest issues currently facing Council. Torosis said she specifically wants to work on economic and workforce development in the city, something that’s “very close” to her heart. Zwick said that the two biggest crises in Southern California were climate change and homelessness, adding that the City’s state of emergency declaration on homelessness hopes to speed up actions on the issue.
Former city staff oppose hiring more city staff: As part of Santa Monica City Council’s meeting to debate budget priorities, council was asked to create a new internal city department to facilitate efforts to fight homelessness, but two former department heads said the proposal is wasteful and unnecessary. Staff said new sources of funding were about to roll in and the city’s current organizational structure was ill equipped to capitalize on that money.
New Downtown Din Tai Fung diner will delight dumpling devotees: Celebrated Chinese restaurant chain Din Tai Fung announced a whopping 10,615 square foot, indoor/outdoor location with ocean views on the third level of the Santa Monica Place Mall. Din Tai Fung is a Chinese restaurant specializing in Xiao Long Bao, or soup dumplings.
Local comedian brings comedy to Heal the Bay Aquarium under the Pier: Comedian Sean Leary has partnered with Heal the Bay Aquarium to host monthly comedy shows at their location under the Santa Monica Pier.
Downtown transformation continues as construction starts on 501 Broadway: More than two years after the design was approved, which itself was more than a year after its preliminary hearing, construction work finally began on the eight-story, mixed-use building at 501 Broadway, where the supermarket Vons used to be. The site, located on the northeast corner of 5th and Broadway, will feature 7,260 square feet of ground-floor retail space and a three-story underground garage, proposed to offer subterranean parking for 72 vehicles and 163 bicycles.
Warren Olney brings half a century of experience to his new role as a professor at Santa Monica College: After 50 years working in journalism and broadcasting, KCRW host Warren Olney began sharing some of what he learned throughout his career with students at Santa Monica College by teaching a current affairs class in the school’s Emeritus Program for older adults this semester.
Pop-up seafood eatery Isla finds a new permanent home on Main Street: Celebrated seafood pop-up restaurant Isla, which had been alternating between two Santa Monica sites for over a month, found its forever home on Main Street. The outlet opened in the space formerly occupied by Little Prince at 2424 Main Street, sandwiched between Augie’s on Main and Jinya Ramen Bar.
Unrelated weekend fires injure local man and kill a dog in Venice: A pair of weekend fires left a man injured and a dog dead. The first occurred at the Holiday Motel & Suites. One individual, who narrowly escaped the fire, was found by police officers in the alley with moderate burns and smoke inhalation. The second fire occurred in Venice, when a business owner heard popping sounds inside his e-scooter rental business near the beach. Investigators said those sounds were from a lithium-ion battery overheating, triggering the fire. It took 32 firefighters about 35 minutes to bring the fire under control and at least two adjacent businesses were also damaged. The pet dog of the business owner was found deceased in the structure.
Council to consider Concealed Carry Weapon license fee increase: The Santa Monica Police Department started issuing Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) licenses for the first time in several years. SMPD recommended the use of a third party service to streamline the process with a proposed fee of $617 for new applicants. These costs do not include other fees for fingerprinting, psychological evaluation, and a range safety course.
Former Loews hotel to become the Regent in ownership change: The iconic, Pacific-facing property formerly known as Loews beach-front hotel will be rebranded as the Regent Santa Monica Beach and “will usher in a new era of extraordinary experiences to the California coastline.” The site is being remodeled as a “resort” rather than just a hotel experience.
SMMUSD to discuss turning former headquarters into housing: The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District discussed possibilities for its former headquarters at 1651 16th Street, including potentially converting the building into housing. According to the district, this site could be turned into affordable housing, fair market housing, workforce housing or a combination.
Lawsuit alleges harassment at UCLA Medical Center: UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center was sued by a pair of women who claim they were subjected to racist and sexist abuse while on the job. Namesha Cavitt and Takesha Essombe filed the suit claiming the hospital failed to prevent a pattern of abuse and unfairly target the pair for disciplinary action as retaliation for reporting hate speech.
New city department will target homelessness and housing with voter approved funding sources: Santa Monica created a new department focused on homelessness funded largely by a pair of recent ballot measures. To handle homelessness, the city will leverage two new funding streams, Measure CS and Measure GS, to realign the Community Services Department and allow for the creation of a new Housing & Human Services Department.
Arrest for Palisades Park stabbing: A homeless man was arrested after stabbing a city worker in the chest. The assault occurred when the city employee attempted to move the suspect from the area around Camera Obscura in Palisades Park. The suspect, later identified as Allen Cranford Barn, stabbed the employee in the chest and then fled the area.
Sexual assault suspect arrested: A man was arrested for a string of sexual assaults, including at least one in Santa Monica. Anthony Pittman was arrested in West Hollywood and accused of a series of crimes that took place in August and September of 2022 targeting homeless women. According to the Santa Monica Police Department, DNA evidence was used to link three assaults.
Samohi students capitalize on late SAT tests with extra prep time: Initially scheduled for March 1, Samohi’s grade wide SAT for juniors was postponed to March 22 due to an inability for Samohi to receive SAT testing materials in time for the March 1 date.
New Board of Education members reflect on their first 100 days in office: Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District’s newest Board of Education members, Alicia Mignano and Stacy Rouse, had been in office for just over 100 days and sat down with the Daily Press to reflect on the first few months. Both were surprised when Ben Dart announced he would be leaving the Superintendent role in the district, but embraced the opportunity to help find a new leader. Both board members also expressed a deep appreciation for the role of public education in society.
Brambila Salon celebrates 20 years in Santa Monica: For Mary Brambila, the founder and owner of Brambila Salon on Ocean Avenue, hair and beauty have always been a passion, and 20 years later she has a team of dedicated stylists and an established and loyal clientele at her oceanfront location. Brambila said it was a dream come true seeing her last name on Ocean Ave, and that it means “so much” being a first-generation American whose parents immigrated here from Mexico.
First look inside The Beacon hotel, formally known as the Shangri-La: The summer saw significant changes to the hotel formerly known as the Shangri-La, which is now the Beacon. The hotel got new owners and a new name.
Two hospitalized after weekend assaults: Santa Monica Police Department responded to a pair of assaults over the St. Patrick’s Day weekend. In the first incident, officers responded to a fight on Main Street involving several customers and security personnel. Several hours later an unrelated fight broke out on the 200 block of Ocean Ave, in an incident where a group of between 6-10 men attacked a second group of mixed gender. While the fight was reported to the police, all individuals involved had fled prior to officers arriving.
A sneak peek inside the new Pierside Hotel: The Daily Press was granted access to observe firsthand the significant changes underway at the hotel formerly known as the Wyndham and now rebranded as the Pierside. The hotel offers 132 guest rooms and suites, along with a brand new signature restaurant called the Surfing Fox.
WorkAbility program benefits students and local businesses: Several hours a week, high school students in special education programs in SMMUSD help out at local businesses as part of the state-funded WorkAbility program. Through the program, the California Department of Education provides grants to subsidize the wages of these students to work at local businesses with the aim of helping them develop valuable skills and gain experience. The program grant also provides funding for para educators and other district employees to act as job coaches and accompany students at their work placements.
Santa Monica Pier’s iconic Ferris Wheel gets Earth Hour dark: Santa Monica Pier plunged into darkness in order to raise awareness of the urgent need to address environmental damage and climate change.
Builders Remedy destroys local control: A total of 16 large-scale projects were proposed in Santa Monica that would have dwarfed nearly every other development in the city due to the City’s failure to adopt a compliant housing element. These projects ignored every zoning code, height restriction and neighborhood norm, and while there was no means to stop them, the developer with the majority of projects in the system, NMS, eventually signed a deal with City Hall securing bonuses to several projects in exchange for dropping plans for others.
New tapas restaurant to offer more dining diversity to Downtown: Xuntos opened at 516 Santa Monica Blvd, the former Heroic Italian space, and is run by celebrated southern Californian chef Sandra Cordeo.
Santa Monica’s iconic Georgian Hotel announces reopening date: Arguably the city’s most notable architectural contribution to Santa Monica’s ocean-facing skyline, the Georgian Hotel re-opened its doors to the public on April 3. From October 2022 to February 2023 the site was completely closed for renovations and construction work, after which it was only partially opened. The hotel now offers a total of 84 suites, made up of 56 classic rooms and 28 one-bedroom suites.
JAMS assistant principal on a mission to empower parents: Following 20 years working in education, John Adams Middle School Assistant Principal Joseph Eure channeled the insight he has gained throughout his career into a book series for parents to help them better support their children’s learning. The series, titled “Courage to Change,” is an initiative of Sudden Impact, a non-profit organization founded by Eure along with partners Melvyn Miller and Leo Posada, with the goal of giving parents the tools and knowledge they need to be effective advocates for their kids.
English-themed pub The Daily Pint to open its doors once again following renovation: Santa Monica has three English-influenced pubs now that The Daily Pint reopened following an extensive renovation. Current owner George Hemingway bought the pub in June 2022 from Englishman Phillip McGovern, who had run it for over 35 years. Hemingway is proud of the changes and improvements that have been made to the pub, including a life-size mural of King Charles III that Hemingway hopes will become an Instagram hotspot.
Innocent bystander hurt by suicide attempt at Santa Monica Place: A visitor to Santa Monica Place mall was injured when they were hit by an individual who jumped from the third floor of the shopping center. A man in his 50s had jumped from the 3rd-floor level inside the mall near the Nordstrom store and landed on a woman in her 70s on the ground level. The man was treated and transported to a local trauma center and was alive upon arrival at the hospital. The female patient also suffered significant injuries, and was treated and transported to the local trauma center.
From Santa Monica Pier to Las Vegas on foot: The Santa Monica Pier was the starting point for the 10th annual Speed Project race to Las Vegas. Among the 2023 competitors in the 300-mile race was Jesus Leon, a former UCLA employee who discovered a love for running just a few years ago.
About 10% of school roofs need repair or replacement: After weeks of unprecedented storms and rainfall, the need for roof repair and replacement prompted the district to dedicate nearly $5.2 million for such work. SMMUSD Interim Superintendent Mark Kelly said that the district’s facility tram is currently working to fix over 110 leaks and that 2% of the district’s 576 roofs need to be fully replaced while 7.4% need repair and restoration.