DOWNTOWN — With the holiday season winding down, shoppers were out for last minute deals this week. Yet, local retailers held out little hope for a substantial sales boost.
Dear New Shrink, Everyone is talking about how to avoid all the temptations right now. The holidays seem to bring overindulgence, whether it’s eating, drinking or overspending.
SUNSET PARK — City Council in January could direct city staff to begin working with federal and state agencies to promote research on “ultrafine particles” — tiny pollutants generated by planes that some Santa Monica neighborhood groups have urged City Hall to deal with for years.
On Nov. 30, 2009, John Whitehead of That Rutherford Guy posted a column in the Daily Press entitled “Have we forgotten God?” His observations of religious values and faith being supplanted by “rampant materialism” jangled like winning a big metaphysical money hand of Texas Hold ‘em.
In the middle of a financial crisis, Hollywood is poised to gross $10 billion at the box office this year. The global economy may have melted down in 2009, but the Hollywood economy has never been stronger.
BROADWAY — The local chapter of the Red Cross and WISE & Healthy Aging are teaming up with local merchants and residents to provide emergency disaster kits to homebound and low-income seniors.
DOWNTOWN — As holiday shopping crowds have swarmed the Third Street Promenade in recent weeks, the Santa Monica Police Department has beefed up its Downtown presence, thanks in part to a handful of volunteers.
FAIRVIEW LIBRARY — In many respects, the group’s members have little in common. They range in age from 3-and-a-half to 92 and speak a variety of different languages — Russian, Chinese, Spanish and Hindi, to name a few.
It is indeed appropriate that the most recognized and celebrated day of the year — Christmas, the birth of Christ — is also focused around trees. Trees are truly remarkable.
MID-CITY — Alaina Reed-Amini, the Broadway star and TV actress best known for her long-running roles on “Sesame Street” and “227,” has died. She was 63.
My first Holiday wish would be for our elected officials to get real. A couple of weeks ago, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved $707,000 for Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas to remodel his office.
CITYWIDE — Even for families that are cutting down on holiday expenses, oftentimes a Christmas tree is something they simply can’t do without. As a cherished symbol of the season — and an often expensive luxury item — the Christmas tree market is a unique economic bellwether that can provide a speci