Will Rogers students keep Civil Rights history alive with powerful presentations
On the morning of Feb. 22, the fifth-grade students at Will Rogers Learning Community presented the "Living Museum" to fellow students, teachers and parents, showcasing a portion of the Civil Rights Movement through art and speech. Throughout the outside halls and courtyard portion of the school were fifth-graders providing factoids about Civil Rights leaders, events and topics learned during a unit on the movement, as well as more modern contributors. Several classes participated in the creation of a poster or art project on their chosen topic, with each student preparing a speech to go along with the visual aid.
Black community speaks out over Silas White property controversy, descendants call for land to be returned
The majority of public comment on non-agenda items during a recent City Council meeting was in regards to the controversial issue of ownership of the land where the Viceroy Hotel now sits at the corner of Ocean Avenue and Pico Boulevard. A Black entrepreneur and Santa Monica resident named Silas White purchased the land in 1957, but just one year later, the City of Santa Monica claimed the property through eminent domain. Public comment at Council included family members of the deceased White, calling for restitution. In a statement, the City said that it is "committed to getting this right" and Councilmember Caroline Torosis said the city is working on developing a citywide equity plan that will explore models for restitution and reparations, though it is unclear what action will be taken in regards to returning land to the White family.
Shell shock as pistachio eating contest goes nuts with new champion
Pacific Park played host to the second-annual Wonderful Pistachios Get Cracking’ Eating Championship on Feb. 26, featuring the competitors of Major League Eating (including competitive eating legend Joey Chestnut) and Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Joey Bosa. Over 1,600 pistachios were consumed in an eight-minute period, including a new world record for the tiny snack. James Webb, the fifth-ranked eater in the world from Sydney, Australia, shattered the previous record of 188 pistachios with an astonishing 338 pistachios consumed, taking home the championship title and a $5,000 check.
Lawsuit challenges needle distribution program in parks
The Santa Monica Coalition has filed a lawsuit against County Health Director Barbara Ferrer, the Los Angeles County Health Department and the Venice Family Clinic in connection with the Needle Distribution Program, which has been conducted for a period of approximately four years at Reed Park, Palisades Park and Tongva Park. In the case, the Coalition alleges that on June 12, 2018, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Board of Supervisors authorized a needle distribution program, operated by RPI Venice Family Clinic, to prevent the spread of blood-borne viruses, including HIV. The program was initially approved for a three-year term, with options to extend for two additional one-year periods. Petitioners claim that the authorization violated Health and Safety Code section 121349, pointing to several alleged infractions, such as failure to consult local law enforcement, exceeding the initial two-year operation limit and inadequate notice to law enforcement agencies.
District sings the blues alongside national group
In February, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) students found out all the facts of blues music during a partnership with national nonprofit JazzReach. As part of SMMUSD’s Black History Month education, district Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator Tom Whaley led efforts to secure grants for a four-day JazzReach visit to district sites. This featured the assemblies entitled "Yes Indeed!," guiding fourth through eighth graders through the history of the blues genre, and ended with a performance with the Samohi Jazz Band and a professional JazzReach combo during lunch at the Samohi Discovery cafeteria.
Boys and Girls Club of Santa Monica to leave longtime Lincoln facility and sell property
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Monica (SMBGC) recently announced intentions to sell the land parcels of its longtime facility at 1220 Lincoln Blvd and eventually relocate to a new facility within the city. Both the selling and relocation processes are running concurrently, and the transition began in January when elementary-aged students shifted after school program attendance to their respective school campuses. SMBGC Chief Executive Officer Brynja Seagren stated that a number of options were considered for the Lincoln location over the past four years, with in-depth analysis and expert consultation resulting in a decision to move facilities rather than make renovations to the older facility.
Pier marks starting point for two incredible cross-country journeys
On the morning of March 1, two top athletes began to expend energy for cross-country journeys across America for important causes. Beginning at 8 a.m. at the Santa Monica Pier, both Andrew Linder and Paul Johnson took their first steps in respective journeys spanning 3,000-plus miles, heading from Los Angeles to New York City. Linder’s "Pier to Park" trek will cover from the Pier to NYC’s Central Park, and will be the first cross-country run completed with a 15-pound weighted vest attached, adding awareness to Sisters Rising Worldwide and the fight against human trafficking. Johnson is running with pace in mind in an attempt to break a world record of a 42-day pace for the 3,000 miles, also poised to be completed in NYC, and will be running to raise attention to military veteran wellness through Team Red, White & Blue.
Vice Mayor Lana Negrete announces cancer diagnosis
The Feb. 27 meeting of Santa Monica City Council included sad news as Vice Mayor Lana Negrete confirmed that she has been diagnosed with cancer. Many residents of Santa Monica were already aware as Negrete first posted the news a few days ago on her Facebook and Instagram channels. Negrete used her platform at Council to make note of February being National Cancer Prevention Month, stating that she’s going to use her voice going forward "as much as possible" to be vocal "about all things surrounding cancer." Mayor Phil Brock echoed others’ thoughts by wishing Negrete the best and stating that she will beat the disease.
ross@smdp.com
