First marketplace for local, diverse small businesses opens on Pico Blvd
The first marketplace for local and diverse small businesses opened on Pico Blvd. in a ribbon cutting ceremony that attracted the attention of local television news media, along with residents and members of City Council. Called Pico Roots, the retail space is on the ground floor of a mixed use building called Brunson Terrace. Developed by the Community Corporation of Santa Monica, together with Brooks + Scarpa, it is the non-profit organization’s latest affordable housing complex in the Pico community. Currently, a total of seven small businesses have set up home at the site, including Adey Gojo Coffee & Catering and Tiny Bee Cards.
Decades of teaching excellence celebrated by school board
During a special meeting of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education on June 6, the board took time to send well wishes to 63 district retirees, ranging from teachers and administrators to a host of staff members in various roles. Many of the employees spent decades with the district, making the ceremony a giving of thanks within the whirlwind of graduation season. Retirees include Edison Language Academy Principal Lori Orum as well as Samohi Paraeducator Thelma Custodio, who worked for 42 years in the district.
2024 class of model Mariners celebrates diverse successes
The 76 graduates of Saint Monica Preparatory will be moving onto the next stage of their lives after a June 7 graduation ceremony, full of excitement for the future and bittersweet emotions when looking at the past four years. The class dealt with remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic during freshman year, something Salutatorian Anav Oommen didn’t want to dwell on because "we all lived through it," but made note that the time took a mental health toll on both students and faculty. Valedictorian Dylan Smith added that the class became closer when they eventually returned to in-person classes. Oommen also made special mention of Mariners athletics during his speech, including the 2023 CIF Southern Section Division 13 champion football team.
City sued over alleged racism in firing of former HR chief
The City of Santa Monica is being accused of racism and discrimination by a former employee who alleges the stress of dealing with persistent bigotry caused damage to her mental health before she was fired in retaliation for her complaints. Lori Gentles, the former head of human relations for the city, filed the lawsuit against the city in February, just after being terminated from her position. She alleges the decision was motivated by a longstanding campaign against her by white management that was resistant to her efforts to diversify the city’s workforce. Gentles is asking for as yet unknown financial damages while the city is asking the court to dismiss the case with prejudice.
Snackers’ delight ready for Pacific Park feasts
The Santa Monica Pier’s Pacific Park amusement park introduced "Snackville" on June 7, a colony of customer-pleasing food stands serving burgers, fries, churros, ice cream, funnel cake and frozen fruit treats. The new locale is the first of $10 million in capital investments committed to Pacific Park via new operator SC Holdings, and is the culinary concept of Michelin Star Chef James Kent. Kent has a rich history in the New York City food scene, including opening Crown Shy and SAGA in the landmark Art Deco building in the mecca’s Financial District. Both restaurants have been awarded Michelin stars, adding to Kent’s already-solidified legacy. Making the trip to Snackville from its homestead in Arizona is eegee’s frozen fruit drinks, including flavors like peach and strawberry.
Chamber ceremony celebrates motorcycle dealership
City officials and business leaders revved up for an exciting afternoon at Triumph Santa Monica, taking part in the "Boulevard Bikes and Brews" open house event on June 1. The Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the motorcycle shop at 1710 Santa Monica Blvd, a location that carries the largest United Kingdom-owned motorcycle manufacturer. In addition to selling new and pre-owned motorcycles, the dealership also features a service, repairs and maintenance department, and can order parts as needed.
Eighth graders SMASH their way to high school in final ceremony
For 20 soon to be high schoolers, their final day as Santa Monica Alternative School House (SMASH) students was much like their school experience, full of both playful and poignant moments. On June 11, SMASH held a graduation ceremony for students that finished "Core 4" learning on the campus. SMASH, offering a robust social curriculum alongside its academics, focuses on models such as Project-Based Learning to enhance their time on campus. SMASH Principal Jessica Riche said this particular eighth grade group has left "quite a legacy" on campus, including helpful mentorship to younger students and a "combination of very loud and quiet advocacy." The SMASH ceremony was full of playfulness, from seventh graders writing humorous new lyrics to songs like "Party in the USA" and "We Didn’t Start the Fire" to commemorate the class, to various jokes thrown out during graduate speeches.
Skate worlds, coffee collide for limited-edition latte
On June 13, Dogtown Coffee in the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows launched its special "GRLSWIRL Latte," a honey lavender creation named after the female skateboarding collective. For a three-month limited run, $1 from every latte sold will directly support GRLSWIRL’s initiatives, including funding group skates and mentorship programs across the globe. GRLSWIRL co-founder Lucy Osinski said that the partnership was a natural one due to both Dogtown Coffee and the skate group coming to prominence in the Venice and Santa Monica areas.
Wayfinder rollout continues, as two more kiosks appear on Ocean Ave
In addition to the prototype Wayfinder kiosk that popped up at the corner of Wilshire and 4th on May 1, two more have appeared. One is at the intersection between Pico and Ocean, on the southwest corner next to Cha Cha Chicken, and the other has materialized at the southwest corner of the Ocean Ave and Arizona t-junction, outside the Sonder-owned hotel, The Beacon. Based on the City of Santa Monica website, the first phase of the rollout incorporates a total of six displays with a deployment date of July 1.
Suspect who shot homeowner following burglary attempt in 2016 convicted
Following a lengthy investigation, Vacho Shahen (39) of Las Vegas was found guilty of 16 of the total 17 charges brought up against him following an interrupted home invasion and subsequent shooting in 2016. Early on the morning of Sunday, August 28, 2016, a homeowner on the 600 block of Adelaide Drive interrupted a suspected robbery and was shot once in the torso. The suspect fled and the victim was transported to UCLA hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Detectives collected DNA evidence after the break-in but didn’t make any connections until Shahen was arrested and incarcerated in Philadelphia in 2017 for an alleged debit-card scam that used sophisticated skimmers to steal personal information. In July of 2018, it was announced that officers from the Santa Monica Police Department had traveled to Pennsylvania to interview Shahen in Federal Prison before officially filing the charges related to the California crimes.
Wine lovers united in boozy Venice venture
Venice was bubbling with boozy activities on June 8, celebrating National Rosé Day during the 2nd Annual Rosé on Rose Wine Fest. The wine crawl and street fest featured two VIP Wine Garden experiences, with exclusive tastings from top regional brands. Along with the wine gardens, specials were featured from a selection of Rose Avenue restaurants and retail stores, such as Cafe Gratitude and Wabi on Rose. The day ended with an official after-party at The Rose Room, where locals danced with a DJ and took part in more tastings. A portion of net sales from the event went toward the Venice Family Clinic, a leader in local healthcare for vulnerable populations.
thomas@smdp.com
