Editor’s Note:
Today is the first of our annual Year in Review coverage summarizing the news from 2023. The next four editions of the print paper will contain the Year in Review and while the physical papers will be filled with end of year coverage, you can find the regular features such as columns, breaking news and calendar listings every day, here, on our website.
January
New $200k contract approved for parking structure security: The City of Santa Monica spent $200,000 on Good Guard Security to provide overnight security in 10 city owned parking structures, after a period of concern and patchwork management of the facilities required a remedy.
New Year rings in new laws: New Santa Monica rules included prohibition against sitting or lying in doorways at night, Measure RC, which caps future maximum general adjustment for rent control tenants, and a change in enforcement against camping in public places to no longer enforce prohibition against homeless individuals merely sleeping with the use of blankets, pillows, sleeping bags and other rudimentary protections against the weather on public property.
Eulogy at the Greek Theatre for P-22: The National Wildlife Federation held a Celebration of Life at the Greek Theatre for P-22, a celebrated mountain lion that became a symbol of urban pressures on wildlife. The cat was euthanized after dangerous changes in his behavior led to examinations that revealed worsening health and injuries likely caused by a car.
California’s 2022 fentanyl seizures could have killed the entire country: In 2022, the opioid epidemic reached staggering proportions, as Gov. Newsom’s office stated that law enforcement seized 28,765 pounds of fentanyl during that year, enough to potentially kill the entire population of North America twice over. A large increase of seizures related to the drug came as overdose deaths were up 3,917% from just five years ago. Deaths were reported throughout the local region in 2022, including in Santa Monica.
One dead in trio of rain-induced traffic accidents: The Santa Monica Police Department responded to several incidents, including a Big Blue Bus colliding with a vehicle and crashing into the Firestone Tires store, a single-vehicle crash into a tree, and a fatal collision in the 400 block of 26th Street when a solo-occupied vehicle collided with a pedestrian that walked into the roadway.
SMMUSD asks for masks for at least ten days following return from break: Students and teachers returning to SMMUSD classrooms from winter break were urged to use masks in indoor spaces for at least 10 days to prevent a spike of COVID-19 cases, along with the spread of respiratory illnesses like the flu and respiratory syncytial virus.
New outreach to LA’s homeless population: New outreach programs in Venice aimed to get people off the streets and into housing, courtesy of the newly-launched Inside Safe program from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Big Blue Bus suffers from shortage of drivers resulting in a reduced service for 2023: Big Blue Bus underwent a reduced service schedule in January as a result of “persistent challenges” in recruiting qualified drivers, or Motor Coach Operators.
Shared bicycles return: Shared bicycles returned to Santa Monica as international mobility company Helbiz deployed its first vehicles in the city. Santa Monica lost the lockless bike option last year when Lyft withdrew from the entire region, but Helbiz’s purchase of existing provider Wheels allowed Helbiz to utilize permits and launch up to 100 electric bicycles.
Going dry in January and avoiding those no-booze blues: Local doctors said a dry January can help overcome overindulgence during the holiday season and to help the “blues.” Bars in Santa Monica offer alternatives to alcohol such as “mocktails” and “zero-proof” drinks.
Santa Monica hopes to divert 40 million gallons of runoff away from the ocean per year: Rain hounded Santa Monica in early January, with gallons of pollution-laden storm water runoff that once would have flown into the Santa Monica Bay now diverted and captured for reuse by the City’s water infrastructure system. Water collected through the City’s Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project during storms and from dry-weather runoff is sent to the Santa Monica Urban Runoff Recycling Facility, where it is treated to be used for purposes including irrigation and plumbing.
Ted Lieu funnels $2.5M into Santa Monica projects: Representative Ted Lieu earmarked federal money to help fund behavioral health efforts and employment services for foster youth. The Santa Monica money is part of $22.6 million in Community Project Funding that Lieu successfully secured for 15 projects in his district.
SMPD officer sues over 2020 crash: A police officer sued the city and a fellow officer over a 2020 car accident at the intersection of Pico and 11th Street. The case asked for general damages in excess of $50,000 and economic damages in the same amount.
BMW’s Designworks to open new HQ on Olympic Blvd: Global creative consultancy Designworks opened a new 16,500 sq ft office space on Olympic Blvd in Santa Monica. Designworks is a wholly owned subsidiary of BMW Group and has two additional studios in Munich and Shanghai. Bought by BMW in 1995, Designworks proved instrumental in the design of a number of mass produced vehicles, including the XL Sports Activity Vehicle and the 5 Series.
Bubbles Dog Rescue is on a mission to find homes for rescue dogs: Sisters Isabelle and Inna Kreydin and friend Sienna Monnier came together to create Bubbles Dog Rescue, with the goal of pulling as many dogs as possible off of euthanization lists and placing them into loving homes.
Storm warnings issued but city receives little more than a soaking: A winter storm moving through the area triggered wind, flood and beach warnings on Jan. 9, but Santa Monica received little, if any, damage.
New veterinary services come to Santa Monica: Palms and Paws Veterinary Center at 1655 9th Street celebrated a recent opening with a ribbon cutting featuring the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce. Along with Palms and Paws, Santa Monica Veterinary Group recently took over the former Jones Animal Hospital at 1708 17th Street with plans to make facility improvements and upgrades.
Los Angeles County declares a homeless emergency: The declaration of homelessness as a local emergency had a goal of ushering in a new sense of urgency regarding the issue and providing tools necessary to address it.
Covid outlook remains optimistic, but City Council urges more boosters and vaccinations: Despite over 90 percent of the Santa Monica population having received at least one COVID-19 vaccination, the Santa Monica City Council urged everyone to continue getting booster shots, since only 34 percent of Santa Monica residents have received one since September 2022.
After accusations of undercounting, county officials make changes for the 2023 homeless count: County officials announced plans to revise the system for measuring homelessness in Los Angeles County after critics of 2022 results said the system produced obviously inaccurate results. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority announced an “array of updates” for 2023 including: Hiring a demography and two data scientists to help optimize data analysis, increased training, deployment of a new app for volunteers, backup systems in case the digital count software fails and a new policy to consider any census tract with missing data to be “uncounted” requiring the use of make-up count teams to verify results.
Maudit Film Festival brings smaller movies to the screen: Santa Monica’s 4th annual Film Maudit 2.0 festival took place with an emphasis on showcasing lesser-known and unique films. The festival featured over 100 cinematic works from more than 25 countries, some of which have rarely been shown at festivals.
Smoke free zone extended to 30 feet of any public building: Rules already banned smoking in elevators, public parks, the beach, inside public buildings, outdoor dining hotels and within 20 feet of entrances to buildings open to the public but an expansion extended the smoke free zone to 30 feet from the entrance, exit or open window of any building open to the public.
Covid cases remain stable following holiday season: Following weeks of travel, gathering and celebrations, LA County did not have a spike in COVID-19 cases. LA County Department of Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said that average case numbers remained stable at around 2,000 to 2,400 per day through the end of December, and had fallen to about 1,900 per day by early January. Hospital admissions were also down in early January as compared to late December.
Media reports prompt increased concern over coyote sightings in Santa Monica: Santa Monica Animal Control and Shelter Administrator Robert Silverstein said social media posts about coyotes didn’t correlate with the prevalence of animals in the city. Silverstein said increased reports were response to a spate of coyote-related incidents in the San Fernando Valley that have been picked up by TV news.
City Council approves a new system for choosing the mayor that favors seniority over popularity: Santa Monica officials approved a system in January that radically restructured the process for selecting a mayor. Council selected a “rotational mayor” system, which would allow Council to select the longest continuously serving Councilmember, whether initially elected or appointed, to serve as mayor for a one-year term. Each subsequent December, the next longest continuously serving Councilmember would be selected as Mayor for the same term.
Former Rent Control staffer chosen as newest Commissioner: The Santa Monica Rent Control board appointed Lonnie Quinn to fill the seat vacated by Caroline Torosis when she won a position on Santa Monica City Council in November 2022. With the vacancy filled, the board replaced four of its five members going into 2023.
MLK Day celebration honors the civil rights icon: The Martin Luther King Jr Westside Coalition held a celebration at John Adams Middle School to honor the legacy of the civil rights leader. Dr. Benjamin Chavis, a civil rights leader himself who had worked with King before his assassination, spoke at the event and reflected on the progress that has been made since his death, while reminding the audience that there is still a long way to go. Six local high school students were also recognized for educational achievements during the celebration.
County accelerates implementation of specialized mental health courts: The County of Los Angeles accelerated implementation of a new legal framework to deliver services to individuals suffering from severe mental health disorders, as Supervisors approved plans to begin CARE courts by December 1, a full year ahead of schedule.
Burst of new businesses opening on Montana defy economic uncertainty: New businesses making their mark in 2023 included home and office store Poketo, winery and vintage clothing store Divine Vintage, bike outlet Thömus Bikes, U.S. lingerie brand store Else Lingerie and clothing, glass and ceramic ware store Casa Cu.
Egg shortage hits food bank: Westside Food Bank turned to alternative suppliers to try and find eggs in January as scarce shelves shocked customers around the country. The food bank said it was unable to purchase eggs due to an avian flu outbreak and inflation, and had to resort to buying from retail establishments outside their usual purchasing from wholesale food brokers.
Construction plans advance at elementary and middle schools: Preplanned projects throughout the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District continued in January, with plans for work at McKinley Elementary School and Grant Elementary School becoming open for public review.
Santa Monica takes steps towards an electric future with new building codes going into effect: Two new building codes that went into effect at the start of January require all newly built constructions within city limits to be all-electric and include an increased number of electric vehicle charging spaces as part of efforts to reduce the city’s carbon footprint.
SMC Volleyball: Santa Monica College men’s volleyball players and coaches from throughout the years took part in the first-ever “All Alumni Day & Match” on Jan. 13 at the college’s Corsair Gym. Players and coaches took part in an evening of recognition, camaraderie and friendly competition, with guests including legendary/U.S. Olympian athletes and coaches like Butch May, Dave DeGroot, Pat Powers and Marc Dunphy.
Muck Rock makes a big splash with smaller works at her Venice studio: Artist Jules Muck began to create vibrant, colorful, eye-catching murals in Venice. Now 15 years after her arrival, she purchased a house in Venice, converted it into a studio and invited the public in to see some of her lesser known work, including smaller canvases and oil paintings.
Vons Broadway development set to impact local business: The Vons superstore that was eventually demolished began its closing down stock clearance sale. The closure carved a path for a 280-apartment development that includes space for a new 53,500 square feet store on the ground floor with 1,500 square feet of retail, restaurant and fitness use. Local businesses were impacted including Timeless Symbols, which had to move away from the site.
Credit: Scott Snowden
Congressman Ted Lieu presents $898,053 check to St. Joseph Center in Venice: Congressman Ted Lieu visited St. Joseph’s Center in Venice, presenting the organization with an $898,053 check. Part of a 2022 Congressional Community Project Grant, the money will help support the Center’s programs, which include providing job training for individuals experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless to prepare them for careers.
Muir/SMASH project to now include structural upgrades: John Muir Elementary and Santa Monica Alternative School House (SMASH) were displaced through all of 2024 due to construction delays associated with repairing mold and water damage on campus. SMMUSD officials noted that the delay is to incorporate a full structural upgrade to the current code, meaning the campus’ four buildings will all be retrofitted to be in line with current structural codes, in addition to work to address the water damage.
Samohi grad attends Davos: Avery Salumbides, a 2016 Samohi graduate who also attended Lincoln Middle School and Roosevelt Elementary School, participated in the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, representing Microsoft and presenting “The Future of Tech” to the Worlds Economic Leaders.
Thömus bike store on Montana hosts world unveiling: Swiss high-end bike maker Thömus held an international unveiling event at its new store on Montana Ave in January, bringing in a sizable crowd of invited guests from professional cycling, local businesses, media, celebrities and a Swiss Ambassador.
Santa Monica man missing after swimming near Pacifica: A Santa Monica went missing after being swept out to sea in Northern California. Hamzah Al-Saudi, 22, was with two friends in Pacifica when they entered the water. While in the water, Al-Saudi was struck by a large wave and pulled away from shore. Al-Saudi was a native of Baghdad, Iraq and attended Palisades High School. He attended Santa Monica College and Cerritos College before transferring to San Francisco State University.
Officials tour Samohi’s mental health services: Samohi hosted Colorado Governor Jared Polis, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Jennifer Siebel, wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom, as part of the National Governors Association programs in the area. The group toured several campus locations where students may make therapy appointments, walk in for support, attend group supports, find resources and services, and relax and be mindful.
Construction at Will Rogers and JAMS to begin this summer: Construction began on several facility improvement projects as the Board of Education approved campus plans for projects at Will Rogers Elementary School and John Adams Middle School. The plans include renovation of the library and a new building and landscape upgrades at JAMS, along with construction of three new buildings, a new playfield and track and reconfiguration of parking lots at Will Rogers.
Pressure mounts for SMMUSD to transition to 100% renewable energy: Members of Samohi’s Team Marine environmental activism club addressed the Board of Education to advocate for more green energy, stating that the sustainability plan the Board adopted in 2019 had set a goal to transition to fully renewable electricity by 2020. SMMUSD is a customer of the Clean Power Alliance, an organization that offers a variety of power plans with differing levels of renewably-sourced energy, and the District is on the lowest plan, receiving only 40% of its energy from carbon-free sources.
Aging workforce seen as liability for future worker-compensation claims: Claims against the city for job-related injury or illness are at their lowest levels in more than five years, but the good news will likely be short lived as an aging workforce is predicted to file more costly claims going forward.
While some eateries dine and dash, others make reservations for Downtown Santa Monica: The closure of the popular Flower Child restaurant in downtown was one of several in the area. Joining Flower Child in closing were the Santa Monica outlet of Heroic Italian and Pink Daisy Cafe. However, new restaurants opened in the downtown area, such as Tacos 1986 and Bar Monette.
Is homelessness on the rise in Santa Monica? 300 volunteers tried to find out: Volunteers gathered at St. Monica’s Church to count the number of individuals experiencing homelessness on Santa Monica’s streets. The goal of the point-in-time count is to get a snapshot of the homeless population, aiding in regional homeless counts to make it less likely to double count or miss individuals who move around. The data is used to inform local and regional efforts to address homelessness and can affect how resources are allocated.
Council wants to revitalize 3rd Street Promenade: Council asked staff to work in association with Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM) along with stakeholders to develop strategies to revitalize the 3rd Street Promenade. The strategy should include, but not be limited to, establishing an arts and entertainment district in the 1200 block of the Promenade, expanding outdoor dining opportunities and promoting available space and development opportunities.
Girl Scout cookie season 2023 kicks off with new Raspberry Rally flavor: The Girl Scout Cookie Program was able to endure the pandemic by pivoting to a virtual business, and the tradition was back for 2023 with the new flavor Raspberry Rally, described on the Girl Scouts of Los Angeles website as “thin, crispy cookies infused with raspberry flavor, dipped in a chocolate coating.”
Breaking Barriers hopes to raise money and spirits with comedy fundraiser: Comedy fans in Santa Monica had a unique opportunity to support a local organization with the Breaking Barriers Comedy Night Out Fundraiser at The Crow comedy club. Breaking Barriers is a non-profit group that provides a wide array of support services to people who experience developmental disabilities. This includes education, vocational and social skill development, and paid internship and work placement programs, among others.
City to fight lawsuit over new taxes: Santa Monica officials defended the voter approved Measure GS from a lawsuit seeking to overturn the measure. An organization called the California Business Roundtable, which is composed of senior executive leadership from major employers throughout the state, filed a suit against the City of Santa Monica to block Measure GS, which established a third tier of real estate transfer tax.
There is such a thing as a free lunch at SMMUSD: A State law that expanded free meals in schools to all students has doubled the number of meals served in the local district each year. Under the recently passed Assembly Bill 130, all students are eligible for a free breakfast and lunch, with many taking advantage of the newly available food.
