Alexander Soofer, 42, executive director of a Hyde Park charity, pleaded not guilty to defrauding the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority of $5+ million intended for homeless services, with $2M allegedly going toward his properties.
Santa Monica Mayor Caroline Torosis has been selected for the prestigious 2026 Just City Mayoral Fellowship at Harvard, joining seven other mayors nationwide to advance equity-centered projects during a time of rapid change and uncertainty.
Sunny to partly cloudy.
Today: 🌤️ High 72° / Low 59°
Tomorrow: ☀️ High 83° / Low 60°
First Up
College Board meets Tuesday as school heads for fiscal cliff
Santa Monica College'
The Santa Monica City Council voted unanimously to establish a $3.5 million restorative justice program addressing decades of historical harms against African American residents and marginalized communities, funded through a development agreement with RAND Corporation.
Los Angeles County officials report the January 2025 Eaton and Palisades wildfires continue to have severe economic impacts, with rebuilding efforts expected to generate up to 209,000 job-years. Employment losses reached approximately 19% in Eaton and 26% in Palisades fire areas.
Santa Monica Place welcomes families to celebrate Lunar New Year with a free event on Saturday, February 21 from 2-5 p.m. The celebration features traditional lion dances, martial arts performances, calligraphy, crafts, and special red envelope promotions to usher in the Year of the Horse.
Santa Monica College's Board of Trustees will meet Tuesday to address a financial crisis resulting in approximately 70 staff layoffs. The college faces depleting reserves by 2026-27 despite $8.6M in cuts as enrollment has dropped 13% since 2018.
By Dan Walters, CalMatters
This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.
With the not-unexpected entry of San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, the large field of
Abundant sunshine.
Today: ☀️ High 80° / Low 58°
Tomorrow: ☀️ High 75° / Low 53°
First Up
The actual grass may soon be greener after Council rejects turf fields
The Santa Monica City
The Santa Monica City Council unanimously approved a 25-year Parks and Recreation Vision Plan but amended a key policy to re-evaluate existing artificial turf fields for potential replacement with natural grass alternatives at the end of their lifespan.
The Malibu City Council voted 4-0 to develop plans for temporary regulation-sized soccer fields at the Ioki property while continuing design work on a multigenerational community center at Heathercliff, balancing community needs with post-fire recovery efforts.
Big Blue Bus will offer free rides on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, honoring Rosa Parks' birthday and Transit Equity Day. This national day of action supports equitable, affordable, accessible transit with this year's theme 'Transit Moves Democracy'.
