Scholarships support college-bound foster youth: Ready To Succeed hosted their annual two-day summer camp, Camp Ready, in July. The event is the start of the internship and scholarship program for new participants in the RTS program.
Victim of beachfront stabbing dies at the hospital: A man was killed on July 31 on the Santa Monica beach after being stabbed by a homeless man. Juan Evarstico Barbena, 48, was identified by witnesses and taken into custody following the broad-daylight attack near the public restrooms on the 2000 block of the beach.
New ballot measure would raise tourism taxes to pay for hotel worker housing: Unite Here Local 11, the union representing hospitality workers in the area, filed paperwork for a second ballot initiative, this time to increase taxes paid by visitors to the city to fund new housing for hotel employees. Under the proposal, the union wants to impose an additional 7% tax on hotel rooms and an additional 15% fee on home-share/vacation rentals.
Fire Chief leaves city after joining SMFD in 2022: Santa Monica’s recently hired Fire Chief, Danny Alvarez, left the city after less than one year and four months to return to his former department in Burbank as their new Chief.
Santa Monica certified as a “Better City For Pets”: The city of Santa Monica qualified for a “Better City For Pets” certification that’s awarded after an assessment of pet-friendliness in a city’s shelters, homes, parks and businesses.
Main Street welcomes the chariot parade: Main Street welcomed its second parade of the year with the 47th Annual Festival of the Chariots. Described as a “Feast for the senses,” the Hindu Chariot Festival is a cultural celebration featuring elaborately decorated chariots, vibrant processions, traditional rituals, and captivating performances.
City Hall wants to attract more event tourism: Council asked staff for ideas to revitalize Santa Monica’s events business. Mayor Gleam Davis said the City has had success with “one-off” events in recent history like the Superbowl and the MLB All-Star game hosting events on the Pier. However, she said the city lacks a standard process for working with large partners, preventing the city from pursuing additional opportunities.
Prime vacation spot: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was photographed on the Santa Monica Pier as part of a California vacation with his family. Sunak owns a penthouse apartment in the city but has rarely been seen around town since becoming England’s top elected leader.
With no prohibitions on distribution or documented dangers, why is lifesaving drug kept away from students?: There are no rules actively preventing schools from distributing the lifesaving drug Narcan to local students but lawyers told local district officials that they should restrict access to trained adults for fear of unspecified liability concerns.
More businesses popping up along the Promenade and Montana Ave: Vancouver-based clothing and luggage producer Herschel Supply opened an outlet at 1450 Third Street Promenade. Sogno Toscano opened at 1512 Montana Avenue. A new clothing pop-up has also appeared at 1406 Montana Avenue, offering a variety of carefully curated swimwear styles and accompanying accessories. Called Laya, the store is a labor of love from South Africa-born fashion designer Witney Tucker.
Pico-based barber keeps the business in the family for three generations: Tel’s Barber Shop, located at 2210 Pico Blvd, has been staffed by three generations of the Trujillo family. Current and second-generation owner Brian Trujillo explained the very first incarnation was opened in 1935 on Olympic Blvd and then they moved over to the Pico site 20 years later. Brian’s father, Ted, took over the shop in 1974, and now Brian’s two sons, Jimmy and Andrew, work alongside him.
City prevails in transfer tax lawsuit: Santa Monica’s voter approved measure targeting the sale of luxury properties passed muster following a court ruling.
Labor union accuses hotels of assault in new labor complaint: Unite Here Local 11 filed a complaint with the state regulators over allegations that protesters have been assaulted while picketing at Southern California Hotels. In the Santa Monica case, a video shows an altercation between the Fairmont Miramar’s private security and protesters where the hotel’s driveway meets the sidewalk.
Coroner says man in a barrel was shot in the head: A body was found in a barrel at a popular Malibu beach. Joshua Lee Simmons, 37, and Dennis Eugene Vance, 41, were eventually arrested for the murder of Javonnta Marshann Murphy. Investigators said the two suspects knew the victim. Both suspects had criminal histories and the victim was pursing a career in music at the time of his murder.
Santa Monica-based Focusing Philanthropy has donated over $100 million to global causes: Since it was founded over 10 years ago, over $100 million has been donated and more than 10 million people’s lives improved globally. Founder and Chairman of the Board Larry Gilson, a Southern California native, recently handed off his CEO responsibilities to Teresa Burton, who has stepped up to the role of Executive Director.
Community treasure Tony Todd hosts movie night in Virginia Ave. Park: One of Santa Monica’s truly original characters invited everyone into what is practically his front yard to celebrate the local community. The night at Virginia Ave. Park included a screening of “Little Big League,” a visit from longtime Santa Monica celebrity Tony Todd and health screenings provided by Providence Medical Group. Todd was the guest of honor, both for his role in the movie and his time working on behalf of local youth.
UCLA Medical Center hosts Taylor Swift-inspired therapy animal ‘red carpet’: Crowds gathered in the Harman Gardens of the UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center to enjoy a “fashion show” complete with runway where the stars were therapy animals dressed in Taylor Swift-inspired attire, each one reflecting a different period of the artist’s music.
‘Zombie’ drug found in countywide testing: Xyalzine, a veterinary tranquilizer known to exacerbate drug overdoses, was found in Los Angeles County promoting a warning from local health officials regarding the use of illegal substances. The drug is often combined with the already deadly fentanyl to create a drug cocktail that mirrors heroin, but is resistant to several current overdose methods. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued a warning over its presence after the Sheriff’s department found xylazine in limited quantities of illicit drugs.
Credit: Elizabeth Noble
Skeletal body found in Malibu Park: For the second time in two weeks, a body was found in Malibu. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reported two hikers in Malibu Canyon found skeletonized remains in the Malibu Creek State Park. The area is extremely rugged with heavy foliage and the body was found near a destroyed vehicle. The vehicle was known to authorities and had been marked about a year and half ago but hadn’t been well examined.
Homeless man arrested for attempted murder after beating at the Ocean Park library: For the second time in as many weeks, a homeless on homeless assault sent a man to the hospital with critical injuries. A library employee tried to wake up a homeless man at the front doors and discovered he was badly injured. Later that day, detectives investigating the incident spotted a person of interest who was loitering in front of the library. The homeless suspect, Nathanael Roger Lavoie, 40, was booked for attempted murder, felony battery on a police officer, giving false name to a police officer and resisting arrest.
Wilmont neighbors welcome families to Reed Park movie night: Reed Park was the spot of a Second Saturday Movie Nights free showing of Finding Nemo. Organized by Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition (Wilmont), the movie nights were scheduled for the second Saturday of each summer month. July’s movie was The Princess Bride, August’s was Finding Nemo, and September finished it off with Toy Story. Along with the movie, free music, popcorn and lemonade were provided.
Open Main Street festival series starts with impressive lineup of events and activities: Open Main Street festivals kicked off, with all manner of events and activities organized by local businesses.
Labor protests are largely exempt from local noise ordinance: With ongoing union protests targeting local hotels, Santa Monica officials said the noise generated by protests was largely exempt from local noise ordinances despite other municipalities filing legal challenges to protests. Residents impacted by the protests began making regular trips to Council meetings demanding more be done to protect their quality of life but no action was taken by the City. While hospitality strikes were the only local actions, actors and writers also staged strikes this year before eventually coming to deals that allowed the entertainment industry to restart with more protections over the use of A.I.
Santa Monica senior services organization set to operate as center to address elder abuse: WISE & Healthy Aging was awarded a contract to run the new Adult Protective Services (APS) Center of Excellence. This new center seeks to serve older adults and those with disabilities who are experiencing abuse, neglect or exploitation by working to ensure their safety, prevent further abuse and to seek justice on their behalf.
Youth Animal Rescue Initiative seeks more volunteers as school time nears: A group of young animal lovers, aged between 10 and 18 called the Youth Animal Rescue Initiative looked to boost awareness, raise more funds and recruit more volunteers.
New grant funding cycle keeps local arts alive: City Hall distributed $525,525 to 56 local artists/arts organizations as part of its biannual grant cycle and local recipients said the money is a key resource to keep arts viable in Santa Monica.
Popular Santa Monica restaurant Tallula’s set to close: Much-liked Mexican restaurant and bar Tallula’s closed its doors concluding a six-year long chapter with the Rustic Canyon family of businesses.
State legislature moving to close eviction loophole: Sacramento lawmakers worked to limit no-fault evictions to require the property owner, partner or family member to occupy the property for a minimum of 12 continuous months as the person’s primary residence.
Los Angeles Councilwoman asks for more homeless services money: Los Angeles Councilwoman Traci Park introduced a motion to the Los Angeles City Council calling for a more equitable distribution of Measure H homeless funds as the measure approaches its expiration and possible renewal by voters.
Online scams growing in sophistication: A renewed wave of scams targeting locals prompted repeated warnings from local authorities over the perpetually worrying trend. The most common type of scam in Santa Monica and the Los Angeles area at large are known as “imposter scams,” wherein a criminal impersonates someone (typically an authority figure) to solicit money from the victim. An increasingly popular form of imposter scamming in 2023 was “smashing,” a form of phishing when scammers pose as United States Postal Service representatives, telling victims they have a package that needs to be delivered.
Santa Monica drivers face the case the mysteriously malfunctioning meters: Parking meters throughout the city were preventing drivers from selecting the amount of time they want to pay for at the meter. Instead, drivers were required to pay for however many hours the meter defaults to, regardless of the amount of time they want to spend at that location. City Hall was aware that some meters were broken and said customers who were overcharged could request a refund.
Pier shows live simulcast of LA Opera’s opening night of Mozart’s Don Giovanni: The Los Angeles Opera presented a live simulcast of its opening night of Mozart’s Don Giovanni in high-definition video from nine cameras at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to large LED screens at the Santa Monica Pier.
Council set to submit guarantee confirming beach volleyball venue for the 2028 Olympics: Council authorized a venue guarantee letter that confirms the use of the local beach during the 2028 Olympic Games. The swathes of Santa Monica sand will be used to host the beach volleyball competition.
Hilary slams area with absurd amount of August rainfall: An extremely rare and historically significant storm pounded Santa Monica and the greater Los Angeles area as Tropical Storm Hilary brought heavy downpours almost unheard of for the month. Hilary’s 36-hour total rainfall observed at the National Weather Service’s Santa Monica Municipal Airport station was 3.52 inches.
Foundation Donation: Santa Monica Education Foundation Executive Director Mikko D. Sperber presented a check totaling $2,483,610 to the school district. The check accounts for money accrued during the foundation’s 2022-23 fundraising campaign, receiving contributions from over 2,200 separate donors.
Santa Monica Fire Department mourns the loss of Dominic Smith: The Santa Monica community gathered at St. Monica’s Church in August to bid farewell to Fire Engineer Dominic (Dom) Smith, who died in July following a long and courageous battle against a work-related illness.
Anger from business owners over homelessness inaction dominates Downtown meeting: A group of approximately 75 business owners and retail representatives took issue with the city’s handling of issues like crime and homelessness. Business owners said enforcement of rules on Metro was a significant problem and while local officials sympathized with the critiques, they said there were limits on their ability to address some of the key complaints.
Something’s fishy on the Pier, but in a good way: Heal the Bay, an organization committed to public health and environmental justice for the Bay’s wide range of species, officially opened a welcome center and gift shop location on the Santa Monica Pier.
Drivers beware: students (and traffic) return to school: On the first day of school, drivers and pedestrians alike were faced with renewed traffic impacts typical of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District calendar year.
Man stabbed to death in Malibu: A man was stabbed to death in Malibu. A woman was arrested in the death of Emmanuel Baltazar, 21, who the sheriff’s department said was killed in a domestic dispute.
Council wants lawyers, and new laws, to protect Santa Monica renters from evictions: City Hall debated new rules to protect tenants from evictions that included limiting evictions for non-payment of rent less than the amount of one month’s rent, requiring relocation assistance for rent increases that exceed the lesser of the Consumer Price Index, plus 5%, or alternatively 10%, a requirement that any “buyout” agreement payment reached between landlord and tenant be at least the minimum relocation required under City law for a no-fault eviction and requiring that buyout agreements reached between landlord and tenant must be registered with the City of Santa Monica.
Eager Edgar takes new role in ‘culture epicenter’: Michelle Edgar stepped into the position of Arts Commissioner for Santa Monica. A resident of the Los Angeles area for over a decade, Edgar has made her impact felt in the arts and entertainment world, combining philanthropy work with professional ambitions in the music industry by becoming an agent with ICM Partners in 2016.
Grabbing a Handel on Santa Monica sweets: Handel’s homemade ice cream expanded its fast-growing footprint by adding a location at 1701 Ocean Park Boulevard, run by Peg Hale.
Council seeks to scrutinize LA County syringe exchange program: A court case prompted the City Council to take a new look at a local needle exchange program with an eye towards additional restrictions on local distribution. All seven councilmembers voted to direct the City Manager and City Attorney to investigate and analyze the process employed by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and its syringe exchange program currently operating in Santa Monica.
City Council makes moves to reduce number of vacant property violations: Vacant properties must be kept to minimal safety and cleanliness standards according to new rules passed by City Council.
Fresh faces focused on first role in principal roles: The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District 2023-24 school year was the first in the SMMUSD principal role for both Jose Cuevas and Dr. Amy Onyendu, taking the reins at Lincoln Middle School and Roosevelt Elementary school, respectively.
Clinic that cares for all, cared for by Hollywood legend: Television mastermind Chuck Lorre’s contributions to Venice Family Clinic led to extensive renovations at its Rose Avenue location, newly renamed as the Chuck Lorre Rose Avenue Health and Wellness Center.
Toothpaste now under lock and key at local retailers: As stores across the region and state battled growing trends of retail theft, Santa Monica shoppers saw first hand how businesses are protecting their goods with newly installed locked cabinets inside the city’s two Target stores.
Dead man in Palisades Park died from self inflicted gunshot: A man who was found dead in Palisades Park appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound according to the Santa Monica Police Department.
Council wants a development density discussion to educate residents about affordable housing: Council asked staff to explain the relationship between the Affordable Housing Production Program (AHPP) and eligibility for a State Density Bonus. The online forum explained that state density rules allow developers to bypass most local restrictions if they qualify for density bonuses tied to housing production.
Girl Scout project cultivates creativity: To get the kids of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Monica off the cellphone screen and into a productive after-school period, Girl Scout Morgan Davidson put her creativity to work, making the “Creation Station” at the venue, a room designed to encourage fun arts and crafts projects and the camaraderie that comes with it. Davidson earned the Gold Award with the Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles for her 80 hours of work on the station, the highest achievement in Girl Scouts and the pinnacle of her scout work that began all the way back in Kindergarten.
The Feast of Saint Monica: St. Monica’s Catholic Church held a celebration of the city’s namesake recognizing the Feast of Saint Monica.
Santa Monicans unite for Maui victims: In August, the Hawaiian island of Maui was ravaged by several deadly wildfires and several local groups including the Assistance League of Santa Monica and the Fairmont Miramar Hotel held fundraisers to support victims.
Los Angeles considers new prohibitions on RV camping: Los Angeles Councilwoman Traci Park proposed new rules for the city that would restrict RV parking around sensitive areas such as schools, daycare centers, parks and homes.