Santa Monica City Hall council chambers with council members voting on the $908.8 million budget

Government & Politics

Santa Monica Council Adopts $908.8M Budget, Sets Stage for World Cup, Olympics

The Santa Monica City Council adopted a $908.8 million citywide budget this week for fiscal year 2026-27, a spending plan that officials say positions the city for a

By Matthew Hall

/ 26 Jun 2026

Government & Politics

Coastal advocates sound alarm over reported Newsom trailer bill that would gut Coastal Act protections in Santa Monica

By Matthew Hall

/ 25 Jun 2026

Santa Monica coastal zone and development area, California

Crime

Man shot in armed robbery at smoke shop

By Matthew Hall

/ 24 Jun 2026

Business

Rent Control Board considers new threshold to prevent eviction for unpaid rent

By Matthew Hall

/ 24 Jun 2026

Santa Monica City Hall exterior with architectural details, Santa Monica California

Entertainment

A musical weekend in Santa Monica

By Matthew Hall

/ 24 Jun 2026

Education

Santa Monica-Malibu schools advance grass field pilot, eye synthetic turf moratorium

By Maaz Alin

/ 23 Jun 2026

Natural grass field installation at Franklin Elementary School in Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District

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Business

Rent Control Board considers new threshold to prevent eviction for unpaid rent

The Santa Monica Rent Control Board will hold a public hearing Wednesday on a package of proposed tenant-protection amendments to the city's rent control charter, including a

By Matthew Hall

/ 24 Jun 2026

Exterior view of Santa Monica Pier with the oceanfront location where California Roadhouse plans to open

Business

California Roadhouse threatens legal action over Santa Monica Pier lease dispute

By Matthew Hall

/ 23 Jun 2026

Lula Cocina Mexicana restaurant exterior on Main Street in Santa Monica, celebrating 35 years in business with anniversary signage

Business

Lula Cocina Mexicana Marks 35 Years on Santa Monica's Main Street

By Maaz Alin

/ 22 Jun 2026

Business

Turtles welcomed to the Promenade

By Matthew Hall

/ 20 Jun 2026

Exterior of Dragon Alley Coffee storefront at 312 Santa Monica Blvd. on Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica during ribbon-cutting ceremony

Business

Dragon Alley brings specialty drinks and a local dream to Third Street Promenade

By Matthew Hall

/ 18 Jun 2026

Crime

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Crime

Man shot in armed robbery at smoke shop

A Santa Monica police officer applied a tourniquet to an injured employee after an armed robbery at a smoke shop on Lincoln Boulevard Wednesday morning. Officers responded at approximately 8:

By Matthew Hall

/ 24 Jun 2026

Emergency responders at Santa Monica Place in downtown Santa Monica during a mental health crisis response

Crime

Police Safely Resolve Mental Health Crisis at Santa Monica Place

By Maaz Alin

/ 23 Jun 2026

Crime

Burglar Enters Occupied 19th Street Home, Steals $2,300 in Belongings

By Matthew Hall

/ 19 Jun 2026

Crime

Perennial political candidate arrested on grand theft charges

By Matthew Hall

/ 19 Jun 2026

Crime

Elderly woman missing from Downtown Santa Monica

By Matthew Hall

/ 18 Jun 2026

Opinion

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Crowd gathered at an outdoor summer festival in Santa Monica with food vendors, live music stage, and festive decorations during daytime celebration

Opinion

Around Town: SO MANY Soulstice, Juneteenth & Father's Day Events!

SMDP's Weekly Guide to Food & Entertainment Goings-On In & Around Town includes SO MANY Soulstice, World Cup, Juneteenth & Father's Day Events, and much

By Sean Besser

/ 18 Jun 2026

Collage of Santa Monica events including World Cup soccer activations at Santa Monica Pier, Pride parade floats on Third Street Promenade, and food festival vendors

Opinion

Around Town: Soccer, Pride, and Strolling Suppers

By Sean Besser

/ 11 Jun 2026

Opinion

If Xavier Becerra is California’s next governor, he’ll be a workhorse rather than a show horse

By Cal Matters

/ 11 Jun 2026

Opinion

Pay no attention to that totenkopf behind the curtain

By Devan Sipher

/ 10 Jun 2026

Opinion

Will Californians pick candidates who are government outsiders or ones with governing experience?

By Cal Matters

/ 31 May 2026

Government & Politics

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Government & Politics

Santa Monica Council Adopts $908.8M Budget, Sets Stage for World Cup, Olympics

The Santa Monica City Council adopted a $908.8 million citywide budget this week for fiscal year 2026-27, a spending plan that officials say positions the city for a

By Matthew Hall

/ 26 Jun 2026

Malibu City Council chambers during discussion of wireless moratorium and residential fix proposal

Government & Politics

Malibu council holds off on wireless moratorium, pivots to 'residential fix'

By Maaz Alin

/ 26 Jun 2026

Government & Politics

Trump renews push to shift homelessness funding. What’s at stake

By Cal Matters

/ 25 Jun 2026

Government & Politics

Coastal advocates sound alarm over reported Newsom trailer bill that would gut Coastal Act protections in Santa Monica

By Matthew Hall

/ 25 Jun 2026

Report cover or business merger graphic related to Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery studios in Los Angeles

Government & Politics

LA County Report Flags Nearly 2,500 Local Jobs at Risk in Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery Merger

By Maaz Alin

/ 23 Jun 2026

Latest

Malibu council holds off on wireless moratorium, pivots to 'residential fix'

The Malibu City Council declined June 22 to adopt an emergency moratorium on new wireless telecommunications facilities, instead directing city staff and legal counsel, in consultation with an attorney representing

By Maaz Alin

/ 26 Jun 2026

Around Town: Sun, Sand, and Pier 360

SMDP's Weekly Guide to Food & Entertainment Goings-On In & Around Town includes the massive Pier 360 Beach Festival, a late-night Pride dip at the Beach

By Sean Besser

/ 25 Jun 2026

Santa Monica Pier and beach with crowds enjoying summer activities and events

Trump renews push to shift homelessness funding. What’s at stake

By Marisa Kendall, CalMatters This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. The Trump administration is renewing its push to change the way it funds homeless

By Cal Matters

/ 25 Jun 2026

Santa Monica Pacific Palisades Lions Club: June Update and a Look Ahead

The Santa Monica Pacific Palisades Lions Club meeting this June was what we call a working meeting. Members assessed the success of our Comedy Night fundraiser and discussed bringing it

By Guest Author

/ 24 Jun 2026

Eyeglasses collected by Santa Monica Pacific Palisades Lions Club for refurbishing and distribution to those in need

Police Safely Resolve Mental Health Crisis at Santa Monica Place

The Santa Monica Police Department safely resolved an incident at Santa Monica Place on Monday involving an individual experiencing a mental health crisis, taking the person into custody without injury.

By Maaz Alin

/ 23 Jun 2026

Hope and change

When’s the last time you turned to elected leaders for moral clarity? Polling shows those in Washington are considered only slightly more trustworthy than telemarketers. That makes what happened

By Devan Sipher

/ 23 Jun 2026

Interior view of Santa Monica City Council chambers showing council members during a meeting discussing rules of order and democratic governance

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