Thriving city ‘shines once again’ while leaders focus on top issues
Local leaders gathered at John Adams Middle School on Feb. 29 for the 2024 State of the City event, touching on city successes and the challenges to come. The community packed into the school’s performing arts center to hear speeches from Mayor Phil Brock and City Manager David White, with Brock reflecting on city accomplishments and future goals with an eye toward Santa Monica’s 150th birthday in 2025. Brock also passionately asked for residents to petition California legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom to “give us our city back” when it comes to local control over zoning.
John Adams Middle School recognized for exceptional student performance
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District’s John Adams Middle School (JAMS) was recognized as being “exceptional” for both closing the achievement gap and demonstrating student performance in February, named as part of 293 middle schools and high schools selected for the 2024 California Distinguished Schools Program. Schools are recognized for exceptional student performance as well as closing the achievement gap.
Klein dazzles with second straight no-hitter for Samohi
In a March 1 baseball matchup between the Samohi Vikings and Grace, senior pitcher Jackson Klein pitched seven scoreless innings without giving up a single hit, his second straight no-hitter after also achieving the feat against Hamilton on Feb. 24. Klein threw a total of 25 strikeouts over the two contests, and won his first four outings of the 2024 season without giving up a run or earned run over 23 innings.
Historical novel ‘final frontier’ for local entertainment veteran
Local entertainment industry veteran Catherine Butterfield has penned and published her first novel, the historical novel The Serpent and the Rose based on the life of 16th Century French princess-turned-queen Marguerite de Valois. The novel is told in diary form, voicing de Valois’ concerns with religion, her oppressed status by the patriarchy and constant bad press from politically-charged attacks.
Top athletes begin expeditions with Pier starting line
Paul Johnson and Andrew Linder began their respective cross-country runs across America at the entrance point of the Santa Monica Pier. Johnson, a Navy officer, is running in support of military veteran wellness nonprofit Team Red, White & Blue, attempting to break a world record of a 42-day pace for the roughly 3,000 miles from Los Angeles to New York City. Linder’s “Pier to Park” trek will be the first cross-country run completed with a 15-pound weighted vest with the athlete running in support of Sisters Rising Worldwide and the fight against human trafficking.
Fresh food spot cuts into community with ceremony
On Feb. 28, the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce welcomed Rabano Handcrafted Food & Drinks to the community with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The restaurant at 2507 Main Street is Rabano’s second location alongside a spot in Hermosa Beach, and everything on the menu is made with locally sourced ingredients.
Travel expenses detour Council’s budget discussion
The Feb. 27 council meeting took an unexpected twist when the administrative task of approving the 2023-24 Midyear Budget was derailed over travel allowances for councilmembers. A proposal to increase travel allowances caused a rift, resulting in a number of counter-proposals and re-votes before landing on an acceptable proposal. The motion puts $15,000 into a discretionary fund. The funds are not earmarked for any specific project and can be used for any purpose, including paying for travel.
Federal requirements force cuts to SMMUSD physical education staff
The Board of Education approved of a shift in the district’s physical education staffing at a special Feb. 27 meeting, reducing the number of physical activities specialists by nine people to stay compliant with federal program monitoring requirements. The district was notified that it was out of compliance in the elementary school physical education program, as the program is not being run by certificated teachers in that area.
Lady Mariners drop state tournament contest amid impressive season
A second straight trip to the CIF State Girls Basketball Championships ended in defeat for the Lady Mariners of Saint Monica, as the 2023-24 season came to a close in a 59-46 loss to Francis Parker in the state tournament Feb. 27. The squad, retooled around first-year head coach Doug Kim, went 22-11 overall and achieved 20-plus victories for the second straight season.
MUD\WTR hopes to clear the mind with mushroom based caffeine alternative
A new cafe with a unique concept has opened up in an interesting location at 2515 Main Street. Called MUD\WTR, the liquid refreshment is not made with coffee beans, or even tea leaves, instead utilizing almost every kind of conventional, non-psychedelic member of the mushroom family. Founder and CEO Shane Heath’s mother worked for Monterey Mushrooms, arguably the biggest grower in North America, primarily for gourmet mushrooms.
Youth leaders honored for sizable local contributions
The future of Santa Monica was on full display on Feb. 27, as the Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Monica hosted a ceremony at Lunetta to honor the organization’s 2024 Youth of the Year and runner-up. Earning the honor was youth leader Jayson Bautista, a senior at University High School Charter and a dedicated advocate of the Mar Vista Gardens branch, while Samohi student Haley Castanaza earned the runner-up distinction.
School district trustee area voting petition denied by county committee
The years-long saga of a petition attempting to shift Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District from at-large elections to trustee area voting ended on March 6, as the Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization voted 9-1 to deny the petition. The committee members specifically voted on the legality of the map submitted by Malibu attorney Kevin Shenkman in 2022 on behalf of residents, saying it was not legal.
Public protests persist for Gelson’s replacement project
Residents packed the Santa Monica Architectural Review Board (ARB) meeting at City Hall on March 4, voicing their concerns with the proposed mixed-use housing development poised to replace Gelson’s grocery store and surrounding shops at 2601 Lincoln Blvd. During the meeting, the ARB approved of the design, colors, materials and landscape plans for the Lincoln Center Project (with several conditions), which calls for a six-story, 65-foot tall development consisting of 521 residential units (53 of those being affordable units) and 30,200 square feet of ground floor commercial space. Despite the limited scope of the ARB, over a dozen public commenters bemoaned the project’s overall size and unwieldy nature that residents felt did not match the environment of the Ocean Park neighborhood.
Big Blue Bus begins safety officer program
Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus transportation system took the next step in rider safety on March 10, introducing its fleet of safety officers onto high-traffic routes and specific bus stops. The program was passed unanimously by Santa Monica City Council on Jan. 23, with the officers contracted from California-based company Good Guard Inc. specifically trained in assisting riders with navigation and safety concerns.
District discussion paves path to potential smartphone policy
Grant Elementary School held a Smartphone Town Hall on March 5, attended by SMMUSD parents as officials like members of the district’s Board of Education. Moderated by Grant Principal Christian Fuhrer, the town hall involved a panel and question-and-answer session for intrigued parties, wanting to know more about district policies and what can be done about the increased smartphone use on campuses, specifically at the middle school and high school levels.
ross@smdp.com