SMFD starts the year with new plan and a new chief
The first Santa Monica City Council meeting of 2024 had a jam-packed agenda, including a presentation by the Santa Monica Fire Department (SMFD) of their five year strategic plan. Interim SMFD Chief Wolfgang Knabe presented a summary of the strategy to Council, a five year plan that is very much standard in the industry, including a plan to replace two stations (Fire Stations 3 and 7). Knabe explained they are not currently budgeted for, but that the five year plan "is sort of a vision of what we want."
Details of the security guard program for Big Blue Bus revealed with unanimous Council approval
Big Blue Bus is set to follow in the footsteps of Metro in the hiring of transit security officers, with Big Blue Bus Transit Safety and Training Manager Listen Guizar telling City Council that the goal "is to get as much coverage throughout the system as possible based on the security incident data that we receive from our operators." Guizar said that on weekdays, guards will be starting early in the morning when buses have the majority of incidents.
Campus plans in motion at district elementary sites
While construction at one Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District elementary campus site began in December, another elementary site’s new conceptual plan was given a go-ahead to move forward by the district’s Board of Education recently. On December 8, 2023, a groundbreaking ceremony was held at Will Rogers Learning Community, beginning Phase 1 of its campus plan. A little over a month later, a Board of Education meeting on Jan. 18 supported an updated "Master Plan" at Franklin Elementary School. Both projects aim to support students at the Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Kindergarten levels, as well as improve outdoor learning spaces.
Officials say lack of SMAlert during shooting was an oversight
SMAlerts is the City of Santa Monica’s mass notification platform, designed to provide residents, businesses and visitors notifications about incidents that pose imminent, unmitigated threats to public safety that require the public to take an immediate action or are a severe burden on the surrounding area. However, there was no alert for the shooting death of William Edwards III on the platform. In response, SMPD Lieutenant Erika Aklufi from the Office of the Chief of Police said that as the incident was still unfolding, SMPD prioritized social media as a means of getting verified information to the community, but said not initiating an SM Alert was "an oversight" that the office regrets. Aklufi added that the oversight was addressed the same day.
Density bonus rules allow developers to double the size of some projects
A nomination of new laws coming out of Sacramento have significantly increased the possible density of new development while simultaneously undermining the ability of local agencies to oppose those projects according to a recent report presented to the Santa Monica Planning Commission. The Commission received its annual update on new legislation in January with significant attention to a new law, Assembly Bill 1287, that allows developers to potentially double the density of their projects.
Happy Birthday Marion
The Santa Monica Conservancy and Annenberg Community Beach House hosted a free, all ages event to celebrate the silent film star and philanthropist Marion Davies on Jan. 27. The actress, having become famous during the golden age of Hollywood, was known for her bubbly personality as well as the parties she and paramour William Randolph Hearst hosted at the oceanfront estate where the Annenberg Community Beach House now sits.
Public hearing takes place for district-based school board voting issue
The Los Angeles County Office of Education Committee on School District Organization held a public hearing Jan. 31 on the Malibu Campus of Santa Monica College, receiving public input on the legality of the voting map submitted as part of the Trustee Area Voting Petition, which aims to establish district based voting in SMMUSD. No decisions were made at the meeting regarding the petition, with the hearing focusing solely on the legality of the proposed electoral map.
McKinley showcases world of cultures
On Jan. 26, McKinley Elementary School played host to a Multicultural Day Celebration, featuring activities, cuisine and performances representative of various countries and cultures. Representatives of Thailand, Germany, Japan, Ukraine, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland, Russia, Colombia and Serbia participated, as well as regions and cities such as New Orleans, Palestine and Hong Kong, In addition, the day featured the cultures of the African-American, LGBTQIA, ASL and Autism communities.
Chamber summit brings new trends to local businesses
The Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce held its second annual Business Summit at Santa Monica Bee Works Jan. 25, featuring several panels on hot industry topics as well as the awarding of the Outstanding Business Leader Award to Providence St. John’s CEO Michael Ricks. A gathering of business and other local stakeholders listened in as experts relayed information relating to workforce development, business procurement and marketing using artificial intelligence (AI). In accepting his award, Ricks recognized everyone from the Chamber, his team at Providence St. John’s, his family for "tolerating" the time he spends away at work, and his colleagues in healthcare.
Sunset Park murder suspect enters a plea of ‘not guilty’
Kayla Delise Mackie, 27 years old, was arrested and taken into custody on Jan. 26. According to SMPD, Mackie is homeless and was found in West Los Angeles. According to SMPD, William Edwards III, a 46-year-old resident of Los Angeles was shot at about 10:25 a.m. on the 2600 block of 29th street, just off Ocean Park Blvd. Officers found Edwards still seated in his vehicle and while he was transported to a local hospital, he did not survive. On Jan. 30, Mackie had her arraignment at the Los Angeles County Court, with the District Attorney’s Office filing a murder charge for the Santa Monica homicide along with additional charges related to other Los Angeles incidents. Public Defender E. John Myers entered into the record a plea of not guilty with bail set at two million and fifty thousand dollars and a court date was set of March 21, 2024, in department 31 in the Airport Courthouse.
Disproportionality discussions back on for school board
A host of Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education policies and administrative regulations may soon reflect the board’s plan to address disproportionality in district Special Education programs. During a Feb. 1 meeting, the board discussed proposed updates to board policies to address the problem including clarification of who should be eligible for special education programs.
Independent voices and diverse subject matter anchor the Santa Monica Film Festival
On Feb. 3, the AMC Broadway 4 theater on the Third Street Promenade hosted the 18th annual Santa Monica International Film Festival, a full day of films that explore a myriad of themes. Behind the festival operation is a local voice, David Katz, who grew up and went to school in both Malibu and Santa Monica and wanted to open a new avenue for independent filmmakers like himself. Representing Santa Monica in the 2024 festival was Brendan Beachman, who directed the short film "A Wedding Day" about the tribulations of two newlyweds.
Santa Monica embraces Black History Month with Council proclamation
Santa Monica City Council proudly embraced Black history with a recent proclamation declaring that February will officially be Black History Month in the city. To honor Black history, there will be a series of events throughout the month, including food trucks and dancing gatherings and the Santa Monica Greens Festival at Virginia Avenue Park.
Baby boomers dominate home ownership, leaving little for Gen Z
Recent reports have shown that buying a home has grown increasingly difficult for Generation Z, those aged 25 and younger, due to negative economic factors like inflation and high mortgage rates. According to Point 2 Homes, recent Census data shows that the percentage of Generation Z householders that actually own their own home is less than 17%, despite making up 21% of the United States population. Meanwhile, more and more home inventory is being taken up by the Baby Boomer generation (those born from 1946-1964), with a report by Construction Coverage showing that the generation accounts for 39% of homeowners in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metro area, despite making up 18.9% of the metro’s population.
Los Angeles DA announces 200 organized retail theft cases were filed in 2023
On Feb. 1, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced that "approximately 200" organized retail theft cases involving adult and juvenile defendants were filed by the office in 2023. The cases were filed through the efforts of organized retail task forces, which are composed of regional law enforcement agencies and the District Attorney’s Office partnering together to prosecute these crimes.
Governor adds Santa Monica to "prohousing" list
Santa Monica has been added to a list of communities designated as "Prohousing" by the State. On Jan. 31, Governor Gavin Newsom announced seven communities, including Santa Monica, received the designation bringing the total to 37 statewide. In the announcement, the California Department of Housing and Community Development said the state needs to plan for 2.5 million new homes over the next eight years, with at least one million serving the needs of lower-income Californians.
Broadway standout political comedy comes to Geffen
The Geffen Playhouse’s first show of 2024 is the Los Angeles premiere of "POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive," featuring a star-laden cast directed by Jennifer Chambers. "POTUS" tells the tale of seven women behind the scenes at the White House attempting to clean up a public relations disaster, echoing multiple situations from past presidencies. The play took playwright Selina Dillinger 18 months to pen, and eventually ended up on Broadway after receiving placement on the prestigious Kilroys’ List of highly recommended plays by female authors.
Stormy weather set for round two after drenching area
Residents woke up to a drenched Santa Monica on Feb. 1, with the National Weather Service’s observation station at the Santa Monica Municipal Airport reporting that 1.45 inches of rain fell between 10 p.m. on Jan. 31 and 10 a.m. on Feb. 1. The area was preparing for round two of the storm in the following days, with the National Weather Service calling the Feb. 4-7 event the "largest storm of the season" for Los Angeles.
SMASH site treated for termites
Buildings on the campus of Santa Monica Alternative School House (SMASH) and John Muir Elementary School were recently tented due to pest management at the site. Through Tuesday, all buildings on the campus (with the exception of six bungalows) are being treated for termites, with both drywood and subterranean termite treatment done. The treatments are part of the John Muir/SMASH Water Intrusion Project, which encompasses a "complete overhaul" of roofing systems, stucco, windows, doors and interior finishes "as well as significant structural upgrades to meet current building code requirements."
ross@smdp.com
