Citywide
Local wins Twelfth Annual Emerson College Entrepreneurial Expo award
Twenty creative student entrepreneurs showcased their ventures, and competed for cash awards at the Emerson College Entrepreneurial Expo, held on Friday April 21. This year’s keynote speaker was Jules Pieri, Co-Founder & CEO of The Grommet, whose story about the rewards and challenges of the entrepreneurial journey inspired students and Expo attendees.
The day featured pitches by juniors and seniors from Emerson College, judged by a panel of Boston area academic, entrepreneurial and business professionals. Student ventures were scored on the merits of pitch clarity, innovation, value proposition, market/competitive analysis, go-to-market plan and business sustainability. The top three winners received cash awards to help launch their startups.
1st Place $5,000 winner:
This year’s top winner is Lea LeBlanc '17, Marketing Communication major from Santa Monica, CA, for her venture, Wunder, a fashionable and reliable new undergarment for older women with incontinence, empowering them to live active lives.
- Submitted by Leslie Medalie Leary & Co, Inc. Public Relations
Underage Decoy Operation
On April 20, officers from the Santa Monica Police Department’s Vice Unit conducted a minor decoy operation targeting alcohol retail establishments. The Minor Decoy Program uses supervised individuals under the age of 20, who attempt to purchase alcohol at licensed premises. Any sale of alcohol to a minor decoy, may result in criminal and administrative sanctions for the employee and the licensee.
The team visited ten alcohol retail establishments in the city of Santa Monica. The minor decoys were furnished alcohol at two locations: Burgers N Brews-3021 Lincoln Blvd and Lula Cocina- 2720 Main Street. The violators were issued a citation for 25658(a) Business & Professions Code – Furnishing Alcohol to a Minor.
The following locations engaged in responsible sales of alcohol by asking for the decoy’s age, identification and refusing to sell alcohol upon determining the minor was under 21:
The Craftsman 119 Broadway
The Counter 2901 Ocean Park Blvd.
El Torito 3360 Ocean Park Blvd.
Signature Wine 2717 Ocean Park Blvd.
OP Market 2305 Ocean Park Blvd.
Daily Pint 2310 Pico Blvd.
Sunset Plaza Liquor 2602 Pico Blvd.
Gaslight 2030 Wilshire Blvd.
The Minor Decoy Program has proven to be an effective tool in promoting responsible practices in the sales of alcoholic beverages by licensees, reducing substance abuse and enhancing community welfare by limiting underage access to alcohol.
This project is part of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s Minor Decoy/Shoulder Tap Grant Project funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- Submitted by Lieutenant Saul Rodriguez
