Santa Monica grappled with significant business changes and community developments in June, while celebrating diversity and addressing public safety concerns.
Macerich Co. defaulted on the Santa Monica Place mortgage, returning the iconic shopping mall to its lender after owning it since 1999, highlighting ongoing challenges in the downtown retail sector. During a Chamber of Commerce event, developer Rick Caruso expressed concerns about downtown vacancies, particularly on the Third Street Promenade.
The city approved $6 million to settle two long-standing lawsuits, while former Human Relations chief Lori Gentles filed a discrimination lawsuit alleging racist practices in workforce management. The City Council unanimously decided against investigating leaks of confidential information from closed sessions.
Community celebrations included Pride events on the Third Street Promenade and at Santa Monica College, where students participated in the West Hollywood Pride Parade. The Santa Monica Pier hosted its Pier 360 summer festival, featuring ocean sports competitions and live entertainment.
In public safety news, a violent incident occurred near the Pier when a man was charged with attempted murder after allegedly trying to drown a woman in her 70s. The U.S. Postal Service highlighted Los Angeles as the nation's most dangerous city for mail carriers, with 65 reported dog attacks.
Local institutions marked milestones as the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District honored 63 retiring employees, including some with decades of service. The Santa Monica History Museum partnered with the California Historical Society to showcase "Telling Stories of Mexican California," highlighting the region's indigenous heritage.
JUNE
Local student bringing warmth to homeless one hoodie at a time: Crossroads School freshman Nathan Ravitz distributed warm clothing to Westside homeless shelters as the Los Angeles representative of Hoodies for the Homeless. Over two years, Ravitz collected more than 2,500 sweatshirts, donating them to shelters like Upward Bound House, The People Concern, Venice Family Clinic, and PATH.
Council takes first step in researching Silas White resolution: A Santa Monica City Council meeting focused on reparations research regarding the Silas White property controversy. City Project Manager Lisa Parson explained reparation options including property restitution, compensation for lost opportunities, and rehabilitation services for those harmed.
SMC shows its pride during annual parade: Santa Monica College students and staff participated in the West Hollywood Pride Parade, spreading joy and solidarity. Students dressed in cheerleading outfits, joining local institutions and celebrities along the parade route.
Vikings' Ponce picks ELAC for college: Samohi Vikings baseball senior pitcher Tony Ponce committed to East LA College. In 12 appearances, Ponce contributed significantly to the team's bullpen, achieving a 4-1 record with an impressive 0.68 earned run average.
Inclusive dance group gains GoFundMe support to stay afloat: Santa Monica-based Free2 Be Me Dance, offering dance classes for people with disabilities, successfully raised funds through a GoFundMe campaign. The organization collected $33,766 to support studio rentals and staff development.
Amos brings the blues in blackbox performance: NAACP award-winning author and Grammy-nominated producer Shawn Amos performed in his "blackbox" series at the BroadStage Plaza. The series created a diverse space for artists of color, growing to include a performance space with drinks and dancing.
Salvation Army celebrates National Doughnut Day with Downtown giveaway: The Salvation Army distributed 2,000 doughnuts on the Third Street Promenade, supported by Lionsgate Studios and DK Donuts. The event honored local first responders, including police, fire stations, 911 dispatch, and the Veterans Affairs center.
New restaurant Chelsea offers interesting eating to the top end of Wilshire: A new restaurant, Chelsea, opened on Wilshire Blvd., created by the father-and-son team of Moez and Karim Megji. The menu incorporated global flavors, with an atmosphere inspired by London's west end.
Los Angeles takes a literal bite out of Post Office deliveries: The United States Postal Service put out a national awareness campaign highlighting the frequency of dog attacks on mail carriers and asking residents to keep Fido inside when the mail arrives. Incidents involving dog attacks on Postal Service employees rose to more than 5,800 cases in 2023, according to a report. California was the most dangerous state with 727 total attacks and Los Angeles was the most dangerous city in the nation with 65 reported attacks.
First marketplace for local, diverse small businesses opens on Pico Blvd: Pico Roots, the first marketplace for local and diverse small businesses, opened in the Brunson Terrace building. Developed by the Community Corporation of Santa Monica, the retail space attracted local media and city council attention.
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 moved 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.
City sued over alleged racism in firing of former HR chief: Lori Gentles, former head of human relations, filed a lawsuit against Santa Monica, alleging racist discrimination and retaliation for her efforts to diversify the city's workforce.
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.
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: 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.”
Skate worlds, coffee collide for limited-edition latte: Dogtown Coffee launched a special "GRLSWIRL Latte" supporting the female skateboarding collective. The honey lavender creation donated $1 per latte to GRLSWIRL's initiatives.
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.
Retail giants shed Downtown Santa Monica assets: Macerich Co. defaulted on the Santa Monica Place mortgage, returning the iconic shopping mall to its lender. The company cited ongoing challenges with the property it had owned since 1999.
Peace be with Will Rogers with new initiative: Will Rogers Learning Community launched the Peacemakers initiative, training students in conflict resolution. Twenty-five students wearing orange vests with peace signs mediated potential disputes during recess and lunch.
Council votes not to proceed with an investigation into closed session leaks: The Santa Monica City Council unanimously decided not to investigate leaks of confidential information from Closed Sessions. The Brown Act allows municipalities to hold private discussions, with council able to disclose information beyond legal requirements, but open discussion without prior authorization remains a violation.
Undisclosed payments to Rent Control chair force revote on Justice for Renters act endorsement: A conflict of interest with Rent Control Chair Ericka Lesley forced the Rent Control Board to revote on its endorsement of the Justice for Renters Act. California law prohibits voting on matters involving personal finances, compelling Lesley to recuse herself due to paid consultancy work.
Maru Sushi opens on Wilshire following months of permitting delays: Maru Sushi opened at 331 Wilshire Blvd., owned by head chef Nick Choi, who also owns Otto Sushi. Choi selected the location for its public parking and desire to create an affordable sushi restaurant. He encountered significant permitting challenges in Santa Monica compared to other locations.
Local director takes deep dive into ocean sustainability with new PBS series: Santa Monica-based director Brian Peter Falk's documentary "Hope in the Water" explored work of fishers, aqua farmers, and scientists harvesting aquatic species. Falk aimed to showcase environmental promise, including sea urchin divers clearing harmful kelp-eating urchins and sustainable fish agriculture programs.
Pride on the Promenade features piano painting with celebrated artist Andre Miripolsky: Celebrated artist Andre Miripolsky painted pianos with Santa Monica YMCA children during Pride celebrations. Miripolsky, co-founder of Viva LA, began his career designing Elton John's piano jacket for a massive Central Park concert.
The Santa Monica Daily Press won an ongoing lawsuit against rental scam suspect: Santa Monica resident Patricia Anglano lost her third lawsuit against the Daily Press for coverage of city complaints. The most recent ruling dismissed her defamation case, with the judge advising her to end her vendetta.
Former addict comes clean about homelessness crisis in new book: Jared Klickstein, who overcame chronic homelessness and drug addiction, published a memoir detailing his struggles. The book chronicles his heroin addiction, dropout from UC Santa Cruz, and decade spent primarily on Skid Row and in Santa Monica.
Seniors earn their stoles in Legato Latino celebration: Graduating Samohi seniors received special Legato Latino stoles during their final walk. The stoles recognized seniors who excelled academically and in extracurricular activities associated with the club.
Council approves $6M for two legal settlements: Santa Monica approved $6 million to settle two long-standing lawsuits. One settlement involved a city vehicle collision, while the other addressed allegations of improper detention during protests.
Mariners trio joins football captain as latest signees: Saint Monica Preparatory seniors signed with colleges, including Kaya Ghobrial joining Loyola Chicago's basketball program and Shadel French attending Glendale College. Carolina Calzada headed to King University to continue her golf career, joining previously signed Joshua Barnes.
Homeless man accused of trying to drown beach goer: A brutal assault on the beach led to two attempted murder charges against the perpetrator. Santa Monica Police Department responded to reports of a male subject assaulting multiple victims near the Pier. The suspect, Jawann Dwayne Garnett of Los Angeles, attacked a woman in her 70s, pulling her into the ocean and holding her underwater. The District Attorney subsequently filed charges against Garnett.
Rick Caruso laments downtown vacancies as a 'blemish' on the city: The Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce hosted a packed "Toast of Santa Monica" program at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel. During a fireside chat, Rick Caruso discussed the city's business outlook, highlighting Macerich's return of Santa Monica Place mall to lenders and the concerning vacancies on the Third Street Promenade.
Promenade packed out for Pride event: The Third Street Promenade transformed into a vibrant LGBTQ+ celebration, featuring local exhibitors and musicians. The event stretched across the Promenade and Santa Monica Place mall, with performances by artists including Jeffrey Chan, Kao Wonder, Tori Kay, and Big Kim.
Exhibit holds artifacts, tales from Mexican California: The Santa Monica History Museum collaborated with the California Historical Society to showcase "Telling Stories of Mexican California: Real Life and Myth Making." The exhibit preserved firsthand accounts of California's indigenous people, particularly highlighting the Tongva people integral to Santa Monica's founding.
New focaccia-style sandwich shop on Montana will satisfy those with a lust for crust: Bread Head Sandwiches opened a permanent location on Montana Avenue, transitioning from a pop-up concept. Co-Owner Alex Williams, who began baking during the pandemic, offers a unique selection of sandwiches served on signature crispy focaccia-style bread.
Beeline made for the beach for the sensational summer festival, Pier 360: Pier 360 summer festival celebrated beach life with diverse activities including ocean sports competitions, live music, food, drinks, and interactive games. Santa Monica Pier Corporation Executive Director Jim Harris welcomed the summer season with the free event.$76 ceiling imposed in annual rent general adjustment: The Santa Monica Rent Control Board unanimously passed a resolution limiting the annual rent adjustment to $76. The 3 percent adjustment aligned with 75 percent of the Consumer Price Index increase in the Los Angeles metropolitan region.
