Community - SMDP

League of Women Voters honors Santa Monica leaders at 2026 Yellow Rose Awards

The League of Women Voters of Santa Monica used its 2026 Yellow Rose Awards on Wednesday night to honor women whose work has shaped civic life, sustainability, and community care

By Michelle Edgar

/ 22 Mar 2026

Women civic leaders at the League of Women Voters 2026 Yellow Rose Awards ceremony in Santa Monica

From comeback to cultural moment with Venice Fest arrives at the beach for the first time

What started as a pandemic era block party has grown into one of the Westside’s most anticipated community gatherings, and this Saturday it reaches a defining milestone. On March

By Michelle Edgar

/ 20 Mar 2026

From comeback to cultural moment with Venice Fest arrives at the beach for the first time

Pacific Palisades Scout Troop Rebuilds After Fire, Empowers Young Leaders

At 13 years old, Emmett Haggenmiller has already opened a bank account, managed a professional budget, coordinated meals and logistics for camping trips, and led community service projects restoring monarch

By Maaz Alin

/ 20 Mar 2026

Group of young scouts in uniform meeting with an adult woman outside the Santa Monica Museum of Flying building

Former Santa Monica Mayor Judy Abdo named 2026 Assembly District 51 Woman of the Year

California Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur has named former Santa Monica Mayor Judy Abdo as the 2026 Assembly District 51 Woman of the Year, recognizing her decades of public service and

By Matthew Hall

/ 18 Mar 2026

Five California Assembly members stand together at ceremony in Santa Monica, with Judy Abdo in center receiving commendation from Rick Chavez Zbur

Braiding bread and history at Lincoln Middle School

By Devan Sipher At a time of war and polarization, a group of 160 Santa Monica students and family members gathered at Lincoln Middle School last month for an after-school

By Devan Sipher

/ 14 Mar 2026

Students and families gathered around tables making challah bread at Lincoln Middle School in Santa Monica during Holocaust education event

Low and slow meets forever: US postage stamps honor lowrider car culture

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN Associated Press From Mexican American and Chicano barrios in the American Southwest to the halls of the Smithsonian on the National Mall and even the streets

By Associated Press

/ 13 Mar 2026

Low and slow meets forever: US postage stamps honor lowrider car culture

Ruskin Group Theatre to celebrate new permanent home with Saturday ribbon cutting

The Ruskin Group Theatre will officially open the doors to its new permanent home with a public ribbon cutting ceremony Saturday at 2800 Airport Avenue, capping a years-long journey that

By Matthew Hall

/ 13 Mar 2026

Exterior or interior view of the new Ruskin Arts Center building at Santa Monica Airport

Residents celebrate International Women's Day with multicultural fashion show

Eight countries were represented Saturday as residents of Santa Monica Christian Towers wore traditional dress from their homelands in celebration of International Women's Day. The fashion show, organized

By Maaz Alin

/ 12 Mar 2026

Julieta Tobar, president of Santa Monica Christian Towers Residents Council, speaking to audience at International Women's Day fashion show in Santa Monica

Scouts learn rocket science at Museum of Flying

Scouts from Palisades-based Troop 223 got a masterclass in aerospace engineering on Feb. 28 when they met with recently retired rocket scientist Adrienne Russo. Russo shared her expertise with the

By Guest Author

/ 9 Mar 2026

Boy Scouts from Troop 223 learning about aerospace engineering with retired rocket scientist Adrienne Russo outside the Museum of Flying in Santa Monica

Palisades Recovery Becomes a Test of Leadership, Insurance, and Accountability

In a community still rebuilding from one of the most devastating coastal fires in recent memory, Thursday’s gathering in Pacific Palisades was less about ceremony and more about control

By Michelle Edgar

/ 4 Mar 2026

Rick Caruso and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan walking through fire-damaged areas of Pacific Palisades, California during community recovery tour

LA Marathon returns with personalized race guides to commemorate every runner’s accomplishments

The Los Angeles Marathon is back for 2026, and for the first time in the race's four-decade history, every runner who crosses the finish line at Avenue of

By Matthew Hall

/ 2 Mar 2026

LA Marathon returns with personalized race guides to commemorate every runner’s accomplishments

Santa Monica Native Launches Literary Project to Preserve Pico Neighborhood's Vanishing Voices

As rising rents and redevelopment continue to reshape one of Los Angeles County's most storied working-class neighborhoods, a Santa Monica native is fighting back with poetry, essays, and

By Maaz Alin

/ 2 Mar 2026

Raquel 'Rocky' Perez standing in front of Santa Monica Pier selling poetry books at a community event