# SMDP
> Award-winning local journalism covering Santa Monica, Venice, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and Marina del Rey. Trusted by Westside readers since 2001.
Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts.
Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).
## Pages
### About this site
URL: https://www.smdp.com/about/
Last updated: 2026-06-15T23:31:32.000Z
Founded in 2001 by Ross Furukawa, Dave Danforth, and Carolyn Sackariason—journalists with deep experience shaping the Aspen Daily News, Palo Alto Daily News, San Mateo Daily News, Burlingame Daily News, Redwood City Daily News, Conway Daily Sun and the Aspen Times, the Santa Monica Daily Press (SMDP) was created to serve a vibrant, complex city facing challenges and opportunities much like Aspen, Silicon Valley and the ski towns of New Hampshire. With housing issues, a deep divide over the city’s future, reliance on tourism, and an engaged, educated community, Santa Monica needed a dedicated, thoughtful news outlet. The SMDP rose to the occasion, becoming the go-to source for independent, balanced, and accurate reporting.
In 2019, Todd James joined as a partner, marking a new era of transformation. Carolyn Sackariason exited, and Todd and Ross set the sails toward an innovative future. Committed to meeting readers where they are, the SMDP rebuilt its technology stack, partnered with the Google News Initiative, and participated in multiple accelerators to future-proof the publication. By embracing digital tools and expanding platforms, SMDP remains at the forefront of local journalism in an ever-changing media landscape.
The Santa Monica Daily Press isn’t just the city’s primary source of news—it’s also the most effective advertising platform for local businesses to reach their best customers: those who live, work, and visit in Santa Monica. We believe deeply in the power of community and the idea that people care most about what’s happening close to home. Through this hyper-local focus, SMDP captures the attention of residents, workers, and visitors alike, making it an unparalleled resource for businesses that understand that local customers are the most valuable.
We offer a robust suite of advertising solutions, including:
**Print**: Trusted and widely distributed, our print edition reaches 12,500 key decision-makers daily.**Digital**: Our website generates over 600,000 page views monthly.**Email**: A 6x-weekly newsletter connects 19,000 engaged subscribers to local news and ads.
**Social Media & Podcasts:** Dynamic platforms to engage audiences and extend your reach.
**Building a Community of Readers and Supporters**
SMDP’s success is rooted in community support. Through our membership programs, we deepen connections with local residents who care about quality journalism. Members enjoy exclusive benefits, special offers, and opportunities to engage more meaningfully in the life of our unique city. This strong local support ensures that SMDP continues to thrive as both a trusted news source and a champion of the Santa Monica community.
As Santa Monica grows and evolves, the Santa Monica Daily Press remains steadfast in its mission: to deliver fair, accurate, and balanced reporting while providing a middle ground for thoughtful discourse. Today, we are proud to serve as Santa Monica’s primary source of news and as a bridge between the community’s stories and the local businesses that make this city special. **News That Connects. Advertising That Works. Community That Thrives.**
## Policies and Standards
The Daily Press strives to produce a newspaper that is fair, accurate and free from bias. We strenuously avoid the use of unnamed sources except in cases where personal safety is involved. We fact-check and seek out multiple sources in our reporting.
We promptly correct significant errors brought to the attention of the editor. Online stories are corrected immediately after an error has been found. Stories containing a material error will have a correction published in the next print edition and immediately in our digital platforms.
To submit a correction, please email [editor@smdp.com](mailto:editor@smdp.com)
## Submitting Your Opinion
Opinions expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the Santa Monica Daily Press staff. Letters will be published at the discretion of the paper and on a space-available basis. All letters and guest editorials are subject to editing for space and content. Preference will be given to those that are emailed to [letters@smdp.com](mailto:letters@smdp.com). All letters must include the author’s name, address and telephone number.
## Submitting News Tips
Some of our best stories come from you, our readers! If you have a great story idea or are curious about something happening in Santa Monica, please share it with us by filling out this form. Be sure to include any details, such as contacts, references, or other information that could help our reporters investigate and bring the story to life. We appreciate your input!
### Events
URL: https://www.smdp.com/events/
Last updated: 2025-11-17T21:13:55.000Z
_No content available._
### Topics
URL: https://www.smdp.com/topics/
Last updated: 2025-10-25T00:11:00.000Z
This page creates sections on the front page based on the tags added to this page.
### banner-header
URL: https://www.smdp.com/banner-header/
Last updated: 2025-10-25T00:09:37.000Z
_No content available._
### banner-sidebar
URL: https://www.smdp.com/banner-sidebar/
Last updated: 2025-10-25T00:10:10.000Z
_No content available._
### banner-footer
URL: https://www.smdp.com/banner-footer/
Last updated: 2025-10-25T00:10:34.000Z
_No content available._
### Legal Notices
URL: https://www.smdp.com/legal-notices/
Last updated: 2026-07-24T19:02:40.000Z
## Legal Notices
Fill out the secure form below to submit your legal notice for publication in the Santa Monica Daily Press.
### Submit a Legal Notice
Do you need to publish a legal notice Santa Monica requires? It’s not a suggestion. It’s the law.
You must know where to publish it—should it be in a local paper or a state-wide one? Not every newspaper qualifies, and the wrong choice can void your notice. If your notice gets rejected, it could stall your case. And legal mistakes cost you both time and money.
Ask yourself: Is the newspaper you picked properly adjudicated? Does it meet strict legal standards? Will courts and agencies accept your notice, or will you have to start from scratch? Every little detail matters.
Business owners, attorneys, trustees, and individuals face legal advertising requirements daily. But not all newspapers qualify. Publishing in the wrong place wastes time and money.
Santa Monica Daily Press Legal (SMDP) isn’t another fly-by-night operation. It is a well-established newspaper of general circulation. What does this mean for you? Courts, legal professionals, and government agencies trust SMDP to publish legal notices.
Choosing the wrong publication creates legal headaches. Will your notice hold up in court? Will agencies accept it? SMDP eliminates those doubts. The right choice makes all the difference.
Legal Notices Aren’t All the Same Each notice has specific formatting and timing rules. A mistake requires republishing, which is a waste of time and money. We accept next day rush orders, cutoff time is 3pm one business day prior. LIEN SALE publishing is variable. Email your notice and we'll price it for you within an hour. :)
Questions? Email [legal@smdp.com](mailto:legal@smdp.com) or call (310) 458-7737.
### Tip Jar
URL: https://www.smdp.com/tip-jar/
Last updated: 2025-11-03T20:19:18.000Z
_No content available._
### Advanced User Settings
URL: https://www.smdp.com/advanced-settings/
Last updated: 2025-11-03T20:19:19.000Z
_No content available._
### Group Subscriptions
URL: https://www.smdp.com/group-subscriptions/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T23:10:52.000Z
_No content available._
### Buy a Group Subscription
URL: https://www.smdp.com/buy-group-subscription/
Last updated: 2025-11-03T20:19:19.000Z
_No content available._
### Give a Gift Subscription
URL: https://www.smdp.com/gift-subscription/
Last updated: 2025-11-03T21:43:16.000Z
_No content available._
### actions
URL: https://www.smdp.com/actions/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T16:53:20.000Z
#### Listen to our Podcast
#### Most Loved '26
[READ](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/Most+Loved+2026+web+version.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
#### Read today's print edition
[READ](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/080726.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### Santa Monica Daily Press (SMDP.com) Privacy Policy
URL: https://www.smdp.com/privacy-policy/
Last updated: 2026-01-14T23:03:09.000Z
**Last Updated:** January 2026
Santa Monica Daily Press is owned and operated by **Newlon Rouge LLC**, doing business as **Santa Monica Daily Press** (“SMDP,” “we,” “us,” or “our”).
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect information through smdp.com and associated products including newsletters, memberships, advertising services, and events.
Our mailing address is:
**PO Box 1380, Santa Monica, CA 90406-1380**
---
## **1\. Information We Collect**
### **A. Information You Provide**
We collect information when you:
- Subscribe to newsletters or membership
- Create an account
- Submit advertising or contact forms
- Purchase services
- Comment or participate in surveys or site interactions
This can include:
- Name
- Email address
- Postal mailing address
- Phone number
- Payment information (processed securely through third-party processors)
### **B. Information Collected Automatically**
When you access our website, we automatically collect:
- IP address
- Browser and device information
- Pages visited and referring URLs
- Time spent and engagement activity
- Cookie identifiers and similar technologies
### **C. Information From Service Providers**
To operate our business, we receive or process information through platforms such as:
- **Ghost** (publishing + membership)
- **Outpost** (email + engagement)
- Analytics tools
- Payment providers
- Advertising and data vendors acting on our behalf
- Customer support systems
---
## **2\. Cookies and Similar Technologies**
We use cookies, pixels, and similar tools to:
- Operate the site
- Support login and account features
- Measure readership patterns
- Customize content and email newsletters
- Provide marketing and advertising
When you visit or log in to our website, cookies and similar technologies may be used by our online data partners or vendors to associate these activities with other personal information they or others have about you, including by association with your email or home address. We (or service providers on our behalf) may then send communications and marketing to these email or home addresses. You may opt out of receiving this advertising by visiting [https://app.retention.com/optout](https://app.retention.com/optout?ref=smdp.com).
You may restrict, clear, or disable cookies through your browser settings.
---
## **3\. How We Use Ghost and Outpost**
### **Ghost**
Supports:
- Website hosting and publishing
- Member login and authentication
- Secure storage of user and member records
Ghost processes data under our direction.
All data remains controlled by **Newlon Rouge LLC, DBA Santa Monica Daily Press**.
### **Outpost**
Supports:
- Email newsletters and transactional messages
- Subscriber segmentation
- Performance analytics (opens, clicks)
- Account and list management
Outpost uses data only to provide contracted services.
---
## **4\. How We Use Personal Information**
We use collected information to:
- Provide news, products, and services
- Manage accounts, subscriptions, and memberships
- Send newsletters, alerts, and service notices
- Respond to questions and support requests
- Process advertising and billing
- Improve site performance and user experience
- Personalize marketing and promotions
- Monitor site security and prevent abuse
### **No Sale of Personal Data**
We do not sell personal information to data brokers, marketing buyers, list aggregators, or outside firms for independent use.
---
## **5\. How We Share Information**
We share information only as needed to operate our business, including with:
- Ghost and Outpost platform tools
- Web hosting and technical service providers
- Payment processing vendors
- Analytics and advertising platforms
- Customer support and CRM partners
- Legal authorities when required
- Purchasers or inheritors of our business assets
Partners must protect data and may use it only to perform services for SMDP.
We do not sell, rent, or exchange personal data for unrelated commercial purposes.
---
## **6\. Your Choices and Rights**
You may:
- Unsubscribe from newsletters via included links
- Opt out of cookie-based advertising at [**https://app.retention.com/optout**](https://app.retention.com/optout?ref=smdp.com)
- Block cookies in your browser
- Request access to, correction of, or deletion of stored personal data
- Ask us to limit certain uses of your data
To make a request, email **editor@smdp.com**.
---
## **7\. EU/UK Users – GDPR & UK-GDPR Notice**
If you access our services from the European Union or the United Kingdom, the following additional terms apply.
### **Legal Basis**
We process data based on:
- Consent (newsletters, cookies, marketing)
- Legitimate interests (operating and improving our services)
- Contract fulfillment (when you purchase or sign up for services)
- Compliance with legal obligations
### **Your Rights**
EU/UK users may:
- Request access to personal data
- Correct inaccurate information
- Request deletion
- Object to processing or marketing
- Request a portable copy of data
- Withdraw consent at any time
### **How to Exercise Rights**
Email **editor@smdp.com** with **“GDPR Request”** in the subject line.
Identity verification may be required.
### **International Transfers**
Data may be stored or processed in the United States.
We rely on contractual and vendor safeguards for compliant transfer and protection of that data.
### **Retention**
We retain personal information only as long as needed to provide services or meet legal requirements.
---
## **8\. Data Protection and Security**
We employ reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards, including:
- HTTPS encryption
- User access controls
- Secure vendor systems
- Routine maintenance and updates
We take commercially reasonable steps to protect personal information.
---
## **9\. Children’s Privacy**
Our services are intended for individuals age 13 and older.
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.
---
## **10\. External Links**
Our site may include links to third-party sites.
We are not responsible for their practices or content.
---
## **11\. Changes to This Policy**
We may revise this Privacy Policy as business practices or legal requirements evolve.
Updates will be posted with a revised effective date.
---
## **12\. Contact Information**
**Newlon Rouge LLC, DBA Santa Monica Daily Press**
PO Box 1380
Santa Monica, CA 90406-1380
Email: **editor@smdp.com**
Website: **smdp.com**
### Terms of Service and Membership Terms
URL: https://www.smdp.com/terms-conditions/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T23:11:20.000Z
**Santa Monica Daily Press / Newlon Rouge LLC**
**2219 Main St., Santa Monica, CA 90405**
**Last updated: November 12, 2025**
**Contact:** **members@smdp.com**
These Terms govern your use of smdp.com, our newsletters, memberships, subscriptions, and all related digital services operated by Santa Monica Daily Press (“SMDP,” “we,” “our,” “us”).
By accessing or using our services, including free and paid memberships, you agree to these Terms.
---
## **ELIGIBILITY**
You must be at least 13 years old to use our services.
Paid subscriptions require that you are 18 years old or legally able to enter into a contract.
---
## **ACCOUNTS**
You may create an account to access certain features.
You agree to:
- Provide accurate information
- Keep your login secure
- Notify us of unauthorized access
We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms.
---
## **USE OF THE SERVICES**
You agree not to:
- Interfere with service operations
- Attempt unauthorized access
- Scrape or extract content beyond publicly available feeds
- Upload malicious code
- Use the services in unlawful ways
We may block or restrict use for misuse.
---
## **CONTENT OWNERSHIP**
All articles, images, videos, graphics, newsletters, logos, and trademarks are owned by SMDP or our licensors.
You may access content for **personal use only**.
Republishing or redistributing content requires **written permission**.
### **User Content**
If you submit content:
- You retain ownership
- You grant SMDP a non-exclusive license to use, display, distribute, modify, and archive your content
- You are solely responsible for what you submit
We may moderate or remove content at our discretion.
---
## **PAYMENTS AND PURCHASES**
Some features require payment.
By making a purchase, you agree to:
- Provide accurate billing information
- Authorize us and our processor to charge your payment method
- Pay taxes if applicable
All sales are subject to these Terms.
---
## **EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS**
By providing your email, you agree to receive:
- Service communications
- Newsletters if you opt in
You may unsubscribe from marketing messages at any time.
---
## **THIRD-PARTY TOOLS**
Our services may use third-party integrations, including:
- Analytics tools
- Payment processors
- Commenting systems
- Social media plugins
- Email platforms
- Advertising technologies
Their terms and privacy practices apply in addition to ours.
---
## **DISCLAIMERS**
Our services are provided **“as is.”**
We do not guarantee:
- Continuous access
- Error-free operation
- Availability of content
- Protection from offensive user content
- Accuracy or completeness of published information
Use the services at your own risk.
---
## **LIMITATION OF LIABILITY**
To the maximum extent permitted by law, we are not responsible for:
- Indirect
- Incidental
- Consequential
- Punitive
- Special damages
Our total liability for any claim is limited to:
- The amount you paid to us in the past 12 months, **or**
- **$50 if no payments were made**
---
## **INDEMNIFICATION**
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless SMDP from:
- Claims
- Losses
- Liabilities
- Expenses
Arising from:
- Your use of the services
- Your content
- Your violation of these Terms
- Your violation of any laws or third-party rights
---
## **TERMINATION**
We may suspend or terminate access if:
- You violate these Terms
- Fraudulent or abusive activity occurs
- Legal or regulatory requirements apply
- Operational needs require it
You may request account deletion at any time by emailing **members@smdp.com**.
---
## **GOVERNING LAW**
These Terms are governed by the **laws of the State of California**.
Any disputes must be resolved in the **state or federal courts located in Los Angeles County, California**.
---
## **CHANGES TO TERMS**
We may update these Terms.
Updated terms will include a new “Last updated” date.
Continued use of the services constitutes acceptance.
---
# **MEMBERSHIP TERMS**
These Membership Terms apply to all free and paid SMDP accounts, including **Ghost-based logins**.
---
## **TYPES OF MEMBERSHIP**
### **Free Membership**
Includes:
- Free articles
- Newsletters
- Commenting if enabled
- Basic features
### **Paid Membership**
Includes:
- Members-only content
- Premium newsletters
- Exclusive features
- Special events
Benefits may change over time.
---
## **BILLING AND RECURRING PAYMENTS**
Paid memberships may be billed monthly, annually, or one-time.
By subscribing, you authorize recurring charges until you cancel.
Payments are processed by **Stripe** or another provider.
Taxes may apply.
---
## **FREE TRIALS**
If offered, trial duration will be shown at signup.
Regular billing begins at the end of the trial unless you cancel beforehand.
---
## **CANCELLATIONS**
You may cancel anytime:
- In account settings, or
- By emailing **members@smdp.com**
Cancellation stops **future** charges.
We do not refund **past** payments unless required by law.
Access continues until the end of the billing period.
---
## **REFUNDS**
Refunds may be issued only for:
- Billing errors
- Duplicate charges
- Legal obligations
Requests must be submitted within **30 days** of the charge.
No prorated refunds.
---
## **ACCOUNT SHARING**
Memberships are for **individual use**.
You may not share login credentials.
We may restrict or suspend accounts showing suspicious simultaneous logins.
---
## **MEMBER CONTENT**
If you post comments or submit content:
- You grant SMDP a license to use, display, and moderate it
- We may remove content at any time
---
## **CHANGES TO MEMBERSHIPS**
We may modify or discontinue:
- Features
- Pricing
- Benefits
- Membership tiers
If pricing changes, we will notify you in advance.
Continued membership equals acceptance.
---
## **MEMBERSHIP TERMINATION**
We may suspend or terminate memberships for:
- Policy violations
- Abuse
- Fraud
- Chargebacks
- Legal reasons
You may request deletion of your personal data under our Privacy Policy.
---
## **DISCLAIMERS SPECIFIC TO MEMBERSHIPS**
Membership access and content are provided **“as is.”**
We do not guarantee:
- Availability
- Uninterrupted access
- Error-free performance
Our liability is limited to the amount you paid in the **past 12 months**.
---
## **CONTACT**
Questions about these Terms or Membership:
**members@smdp.com**
© 2025 Newlon Rouge LLC
### calendar
URL: https://www.smdp.com/calendar/
Last updated: 2025-11-17T21:50:38.000Z
_No content available._
### Advertise
URL: https://www.smdp.com/advertise/
Last updated: 2026-05-07T19:00:51.000Z
[  ](https://www.smdp.com/) **The Power of Local News Advertising**
[Offerings](#offerings) [Audience](#audience) [Pricing](#pricing) [FAQ](#faq) [Contact](#contact)
# Reach the people who live, work, and buy here.
Flexible advertising with local credibility. Choose Print for impact, Digital for scale, and Newsletter for inbox engagement — or bundle all three for best results.
[Start a Campaign ](#contact) [See Pricing](#pricing)
Brand-safe
Local expertise
Transparent reporting
PRINT
High-impact pages
Premium placements, inserts, and special sections.
DIGITAL
Viewable reach
Display ads, sponsorships, and branded content.
NEWSLETTER
Own the inbox
Daily sponsorships and native placements.
BUNDLES
Better together
Save 15% — 25% with cross-channel bundles.
Print Digital Newsletter
## Print Advertising
High-impact placements in our trusted print edition. Perfect for brand building.
Full, half, quarter pages or custom sizes
Premium inserts up to 64 pages
Print ads have highest trust rate: >70%
Higher reader retention
Tactile, emotional connection
**Great for:** Retail openings, seasonal promotions, professional services, events, and overall brand lift.
### Channel Metrics
12,500
Avg. Print Readers/Issue
300+
Distribution Points
5
Issues per Week
### Recommended Packages
- **Launch:** 4-week flight; 2x/wk in-print + website leaderboard + 2 newsletter sponsorships
- **Always-On:** Monthly run-of-site + weekly newsletter + 4 print ads/mo
- **Event Push:** 2-week burst; homepage sponsorship + 3 newsletter sends + 2 print ads
82% household reach
Across print, site, and email within our primary ZIPs each month (surveyed).
Hyper-local coverage
Neighborhood-level reporting that keeps our audience returning and engaged.
High reader trust
Independent, community-focused journalism that advertisers benefit from.
## Simple pricing, flexible packages
Select a channel below to see rates. Frequency discounts of up to 20%.
Print Digital Newsletter
## How it works
Step 1
Plan
Define goals, audience, and flight dates; pick channels.
Step 2
Create
Provide assets or use our studio for ad builds and copy.
Step 3
Launch
We place, proof, and push live across selected channels.
Step 4
Report
Receive a clean summary with reach, clicks, and next steps.
## Frequently asked questions
Can you help me build my ad?
Absolutely! Our in-house design studio creates print and digital ads and builds native content for not only our clients, but dozens of publications throughout the country.
Do you publish obituaries?
Yes. And our studio can handle design work. More details [here](https://www.smdp.com/obituary-3/).
What file formats do you accept for ad submissions?
PDFs for print and JPGs/PNGs for web and newsletter.
Do you handle legal/public notices?
Yes. We are legally adjudicated for public notices and our [online form](https://www.smdp.com/legal-notices/) makes the process quick and easy.
## Let's plan your campaign
Tell us your goals and timeline. We'll recommend a package across Print, Digital, and Newsletter.
(310) 458-7737
ads@smdp.com
2219 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
© Santa Monica Daily Press. All rights reserved.
[Advertising Terms](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tgC1vubwpGyPsA7bAt4q07YPCjGlJoJHT952rrhFgmU/edit?usp=sharing&ref=smdp.com) [Ad Specs](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZKx3hE2R7s-ixeQWtugixfHGTze8uY2o/view?usp=sharing&ref=smdp.com)
### Obituary
URL: https://www.smdp.com/obituary-3/
Last updated: 2025-12-19T00:45:39.000Z
## Obituary
Celebrate and honor the lives that touched our hearts. Every life is unique and deserves to be celebrated. Obituaries run regularly in the Santa Monica Daily Press and we make it easy for you to share your obituary to loves ones that are out of town. Our graphic department will create heartfelt and personalized obituaries that pay tribute to your loved ones in a meaningful way. Please fill out the form below and attach a picture of your loved one. For more information please contact dina@smdp.com/ 310-573-8342.
  
### Latest
URL: https://www.smdp.com/latest/
Last updated: 2025-12-18T12:24:00.000Z
_No content available._
### Event
URL: https://www.smdp.com/event-3/
Last updated: 2026-01-28T23:11:46.000Z
_No content available._
## Posts
### Negotiations for the Civic Auditorium anchor Tuesday's council meeting
URL: https://www.smdp.com/negotiations-for-the-civic-auditorium-anchor-tuesdays-council-meeting/
Last updated: 2026-08-08T10:00:07.000Z
The long delayed redevelopment of the Civic Auditorium may take a step forward Tuesday when officials consider a proposal from the organizers of this year’s upcoming beach music festival to occupy the location.
The Santa Monica City Council will consider entering into exclusive negotiations with Goldenvoice|AEG Presents over the future of the Civic Auditorium when it meets Tuesday, Aug. 11, at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers.
Staff are recommending the council authorize the city manager to negotiate and execute an Exclusive Negotiation Agreement with Goldenvoice|AEG Presents to evaluate potential redevelopment and operation of the Civic Auditorium at 1855 Main St. The item would advance a process that has included a prior negotiation agreement with Revitalization Partners Group over renovation, programming and operation of the venue.
Goldenvoice is producing the upcoming Ocean Way festival and the new discussions follow an aborted effort to secure a partnership with other music industry organizations.
Also on the agenda is a staff report on oversight of the Virginia Avenue Apartment Project, a 2033-2101 Virginia Ave. development. Staff are recommending the council simply receive and file the informational report, which responds to a council request for information and includes a presentation from Community Corporation of Santa Monica along with a breakdown of the city's loan expenditures on the project through July 2026.
The council will also weigh new funding guidelines for the city's Human Services Grants Program. Staff are asking the council to approve funding guidelines for the FY 2027-31 grant cycle and authorize release of a request for proposals for the four-year funding period. Supporting materials include the city's Homelessness Strategic Plan for 2025-2030, an Aging and Disability Action Plan, and a situational analysis of the city's renter protections program.
Under public hearings, the council will consider a resolution approving the California Municipal Finance Authority's issuance of up to $80 million in revenue bonds to benefit 1318 4th Street, L.P. The bonds would help finance a 122-unit affordable apartment development at 1318 4th St. Staff say the project's environmental review was already completed as part of the city's 6th Cycle Housing Element Environmental Impact Report, and the hearing is required under the federal Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act.
The consent calendar includes several other significant items. The council will consider a $24 million contract modification with Gillig LLC to purchase additional battery-electric buses for the Big Blue Bus fleet, bringing that agreement's total to nearly $89 million. Other consent items include a construction bid award for the second phase of the city's street lighting modernization program, a purchase order for new recycling and trash bins, a construction contract for the third phase of pier fire sprinkler replacement, approval of a parcel map subdividing a property on 18th Street, and an increase in contract authority for county lifeguard services on Santa Monica State Beach. The council will also consider ratifying a resolution affirming the city's 2025 proclamation declaring a local emergency on homelessness.
The council is scheduled to meet in closed session beforehand to discuss ongoing litigation, including dozens of cases involving the Santa Monica Police Activities League, as well as potential new litigation.
Under councilmember discussion items, the council will consider accepting resignations from Bradley Ewing on the Recreation and Parks Commission and from Hajar Muqtasid St. Claire on the Housing Authority Board, and authorizing the city clerk to publish both vacancies.
### Two arrested after Santa Monica traffic stop yields burglary tools, stolen plates
URL: https://www.smdp.com/two-arrested-after-santa-monica-traffic-stop-yields-burglary-tools-stolen-plates/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T18:58:59.000Z
Two men were arrested early Aug. 3 after a Santa Monica traffic stop turned up burglary tools, copper wiring, stolen license plates and other items, police said.
Officers on extra patrol near Cloverfield Boulevard and Pearl Street spotted a vehicle with an altered and unreadable license plate about 2:01 a.m. and initiated a stop near 25th Street and Pearl Street, according to the Santa Monica Police Department.
Officers determined the driver, Walter Hernandez, 28, was driving without a valid license and observed open containers of alcohol inside the vehicle, police said. A subsequent search turned up burglary tools, about 10 feet of heavy-gauge copper wiring, drug paraphernalia, multiple vehicle key fobs and two license plates that did not belong to the vehicle. One of the plates had been reported stolen from a BMW. Three cell phones wrapped in clear tape were later found inside a backpack.
Hernandez and his passenger, Cristian Alberto Portillo, 41, were arrested on suspicion of possessing burglary tools, theft of copper wire, possession of stolen property and criminal conspiracy. Hernandez was also arrested on suspicion of offenses related to the altered license plate, driving without a license, possession of an open container and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Portillo was additionally found to have an outstanding felony warrant from Ventura County for grand theft and criminal conspiracy, police said.
The vehicle was towed, and the recovered property was booked into evidence. Detectives are continuing to investigate the origin of the copper wiring, license plates, key fobs and other items.
Anyone who believes they may have been the victim of a related theft is encouraged to contact the Santa Monica Police Department at 310-458-8491.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Malibu urges state partners to accelerate action against PCH erosion
URL: https://www.smdp.com/malibu-urges-state-partners-to-accelerate-action-against-pch-erosion/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T18:58:59.000Z
The city of Malibu is working with Caltrans and other state and regional partners to address worsening coastal erosion threatening Pacific Coast Highway in the Palisades Fire burn area, and it is urging faster action on permanent fixes.
While Caltrans has taken interim steps to protect the roadway, the city continues to press the agency to move quickly on permanent stabilization measures to protect public safety and critical infrastructure.
Immediately after the Palisades Fire, the city began investigating conditions along the PCH corridor, documenting active erosion, coordinating emergency protective measures and bringing together the agencies responsible for the roadway and the utilities beneath it.
"The City of Malibu and Caltrans have been working side-by-side to evaluate conditions and coordinate the next steps to protect public safety," City Manager Joe Irvin said. "While we appreciate that Caltrans has committed to important interim measures, the erosion continues to accelerate. Malibu is requesting immediate, coordinated action on a permanent stabilization strategy with a clear timeline before winter storms arrive."
Left unaddressed, the erosion will continue to remove the material supporting the roadway embankment, the city said. The onset of El Niño conditions this storm season significantly raises the likelihood of heavy rainfall, high surf and wave events that could compress months of expected erosion into a single storm cycle.
The city said it has taken several actions within its authority. It conducted joint field observations with Caltrans at all 16 red-tagged high-priority parcels posing immediate roadway risk and coordinated with Caltrans District 7, Los Angeles County Waterworks District No. 29 and SoCalGas to assess utility conditions.
The city also committed staff to monitor affected parcels and reach out to every high-priority property owner, provided support through the Rebuild Center for affected owners, and briefed the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath and the Governor's Office of Los Angeles Recovery on PCH conditions, including coastal erosion.
For more information, visit malibucity.org/PCHErosionResponse.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica to celebrate unveiling of Silas White Street
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-to-celebrate-unveiling-of-silas-white-street/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T18:58:59.000Z
The city of Santa Monica will host a ceremony Aug. 10 to commemorate the renaming of a portion of Vicente Terrace to Silas White Street.
The event is free and open to the public. It will take place at 4:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 10, at 1846 Main St.
"I am proud of the innovative and critical work that Santa Monica is doing in the restorative justice space," Mayor Caroline Torosis said. "This is about more than property. It's about truth, accountability, and taking real action to repair the legacy of racial injustice in our city."
The renaming follows action by the City Council last year to enter into a settlement agreement with the family of the late Silas White, a prominent Black entrepreneur in Santa Monica in the 1950s who envisioned opening the Ebony Beach Club for Black families to enjoy.
The settlement also established Oct. 12 as Silas White Day in Santa Monica and aligns with the city's recent establishment of a[ ](https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2026/05/20/santa-monica-establishes-restorative-justice-commission?ref=smdp.com)[Restorative Justice Program](https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2026/05/20/santa-monica-establishes-restorative-justice-commission?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica seats new Restorative Justice, Housing commissions in marathon appointment session
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-seats-new-restorative-justice-housing-commissions-in-marathon-appointment-session/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T15:59:59.000Z
The City Council seated the members of two newly created and reconfigured advisory bodies and began working through a long slate of annual board appointments during a special meeting July 28, filling more than a dozen seats through a ranked-choice process that council members acknowledged was difficult and that at times bogged down.
The evening's marquee action was the first appointment of members to the city's new [Restorative Justice Commission](https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2026/05/20/santa-monica-establishes-restorative-justice-commission?ref=smdp.com), a body established to address harms to historically underserved communities of color. The council named seven members. Karen Gunn, Lainie Zepeda, Peta Lindsay and Jaenell Cowart were appointed to four-year terms, while Gina DeBaca, Hajar Muqtasid St. Claire and Willa Wells received two-year terms.
The council then filled seven seats on the consolidated Housing & Human Services Commission. Kevin Glover, Sadie Gill and Brett Morrow won four-year terms, and Michael Terranova and Jillian Gomez took two-year terms. Two seats reserved for affordable-housing program participants went to Jack White, who filled a seat set aside for a resident who was formerly unhoused, and Lydia Garcia, appointed by acclamation to a seat reserved for a participant 62 or older.
White's appointment came with a note of levity. He attended the meeting in person even though his name did not initially appear on the clerk's electronic ballot. As staff searched the roster, Mayor Caroline Torosis remarked that he was "here in the flesh." He was ultimately voted into the affordable-housing seat, and Torosis congratulated him afterward. "You stayed here the whole time," she said.
The appointments unfolded through a QR-code ranked-choice balloting system that repeatedly lagged as council members nominated candidates, some of whom were not on the printed lists. Councilmember Ellis Raskin paused the proceedings before the first vote to reflect on the exercise. "It's incredibly hard to rank humans against other humans in this kind of way," he said, noting that the council was drawing "some really fine distinctions" among a strong field. "Ranking people is hard."
Councilmember Barry Snell, who said he had missed a Saturday candidate session but watched a recording of it, praised those who spoke, calling them "really amazing candidates." Councilmember Dan Hall reminded colleagues that they were free to rank as they chose. "You don't have to vote for everyone who was nominated," he said. "You can rank whoever you want, as long as they were nominated." Torosis repeatedly asked staff to display results on screen, saying the council wanted "to make sure that everyone feels confident that this is a transparent process."
Ahead of the vote, the Committee for Racial Justice had urged the council to select particular applicants. For the Restorative Justice Commission, the group endorsed five people, three of whom — St. Claire, Gunn and Wells — were appointed. For the Housing & Human Services Commission, the committee backed Morrow and William Kozicki; Morrow was chosen and Kozicki was not. In a separate message, St. Claire had asked the council to weigh whether Restorative Justice applicants aligned with the formal apology to the Black community that the council issued in November 2022.
From the council's annual round of appointments to standing boards and commissions, only one seat was filled that night: the council named Bradley Ewing to the [Planning Commission](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-launches-two-year-vision-plan-for-beach-and-pier/), filling a seat left by a departing commissioner. Because Ewing currently serves on the Recreation and Parks Commission, his move will create another vacancy for the council to fill.
Facing a lengthy agenda, the council voted to continue the remainder of the annual appointments — covering boards including the Airport Commission, Landmarks Commission, Architectural Review Board, Arts Commission and Recreation and Parks Commission — to its Sept. 8 meeting. Those bodies, unlike the three commissions filled that evening, already have seated members in place, so the seats did not need to be filled immediately.
Among the items held over was a closely watched Airport Commission seat that drew by far the largest volume of written public comment submitted for the meeting. More than a dozen residents wrote urging the council to reappoint incumbent Chair Diane Reynolds, praising her preparation and even-handed leadership as the city moves toward the airport's planned closure at the end of 2028\. Others pressed the council to instead choose Dave Hopkins, a pilot and flight instructor, with several writers contending that current commissioners "have no aviation knowledge" and calling that a safety liability for the city.
Torosis thanked city staff for arranging the special meeting so the council would not have to reconvene the following day. "Thanks for working so hard," she said.
### Met Her at a Bar finds its next love story on Main Street
URL: https://www.smdp.com/met-her-at-a-bar-finds-its-next-love-story-on-main-street/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T15:31:13.000Z
As Santa Monica continues its push to revitalize Main Street, a new restaurant is betting that what neighborhoods need most isn't just another place to eat, but Santa Monica's next neighborhood gathering place.
The sixth restaurant from owners Mindy and Vinny Kinne, a husband-and-wife duo whose journey blends generations of hospitality with culinary innovation. The new Main Street location is the couple's first venture in Santa Monica, bringing an all-day café concept designed specifically for the Westside. "We didn't come to Santa Monica just to open another restaurant," Vinny Kinne said. "We came here because we believe in Main Street. This is one of Southern California's great neighborhoods, and we want to be part of its next chapter. If we can create a place where locals gather, visitors discover, families celebrate, and other businesses benefit too, then we've done our job."
The story behind the Kinnes' restaurant group begins long before Los Angeles. Vinny grew up surrounded by hospitality. His family owned and operated Russo's Bar & Grill in upstate New York for more than a century, instilling a deep appreciation for neighborhood restaurants that become woven into the fabric of a community.
Mindy brought a different perspective. Before entering the restaurant industry, she spent nine years as a food scientist, combining technical expertise with a passion for creating memorable dining experiences.
Together, they launched their first café, Met Her at a Bar, in 2017 in Los Angeles' Miracle Mile neighborhood. What began as a brunch café quickly evolved into one of the city's most distinctive independent restaurant groups.
Today, the couple operates five neighboring concepts clustered around La Cienega Boulevard and Eighth Street:
Met Her at a Bar – an all-day brunch destination known for its Belgian waffles and signature Thai chicken & waffles.
Met Him at a Bar – serving homemade pasta, family recipes and authentic Neapolitan pizza crafted by a Naples-certified pizzaiolo.
Her Thai – inspired by authentic Thai street food.
The Night We Met – a Pan-Asian dining concept.
Her Little Bar – an intimate neighborhood cocktail bar.
Rather than expanding across Southern California, the couple intentionally built a walkable culinary district where guests can experience multiple concepts within a few blocks.
Now they're bringing that collaborative philosophy to Santa Monica, a culmination of all their properties with one restaurant, multiple personalities. The new Main Street location isn't simply another outpost of an existing restaurant, but a flagship concept that combines the most popular dishes and experiences from across the Kinnes' restaurant portfolio into one all-day destination.
Guests can enjoy coffee and brunch favorites in the morning before the menu transitions into handmade Italian pasta, authentic Neapolitan pizza and select Pan-Asian dishes later in the day. A robust cocktail program rounds out the experience, making the café equally suited for breakfast meetings, afternoon gatherings and evening dinners.
Perhaps its most distinctive feature is tucked behind the restaurant. A hidden "secret garden" patio features lush greenery, a fireplace and a tranquil water feature, creating an intimate outdoor space for approximately 50 to 60 guests. Even before opening, the venue has generated strong interest for private events and celebrations.
The vision is to create a restaurant that naturally evolves throughout the day, where families gather for brunch, neighbors meet for lunch, remote workers enjoy coffee, and friends linger over cocktails long after sunset.
For the Kinne's, the investment extends far beyond opening another restaurant. The Santa Monica location is expected to create approximately 100 jobs, while the menu will emphasize seasonal ingredients sourced from local farmers markets whenever possible. "California has some of the best produce in the world," Vinny said. "We want to work with local farmers, use the freshest ingredients we can find, and invest in the community we're joining. Great restaurants don't exist in isolation, they become part of the neighborhood."
That philosophy aligns closely with Santa Monica's broader efforts to revitalize Main Street by attracting locally owned businesses that create both economic activity and neighborhood identity.
Rather than simply occupying a storefront, the Kinnes hope to become active participants in the community, collaborating with local organizations, supporting nearby businesses and helping restore energy to one of the city's most iconic commercial corridors.
Independent restaurants often become the heartbeat of a neighborhood by creating jobs, activating sidewalks, supporting nearby merchants, hosting celebrations and giving residents another reason to stay local.
The Kinnes believe that's exactly what Main Street deserves. "We're here for the long haul," Kinne said. "I hope years from now, people don't just remember the food, they remember the birthdays they celebrated here, the first dates, the business meetings, the family brunches. That's what restaurants are really about. They become part of people's lives."
For a couple whose hospitality roots span more than a century and whose entrepreneurial journey began with a single café in Miracle Mile, Santa Monica represents more than their sixth restaurant. It represents the next chapter in building places where community happens. If that vision takes hold, Met Her at a Bar may become more than Main Street's newest dining destination, but one of Santa Monica's newest living rooms.
### Son of Grammy-nominated singer Jubilant Sykes pleads not guilty in father's stabbing death
URL: https://www.smdp.com/son-of-grammy-nominated-singer-jubilant-sykes-pleads-not-guilty-in-fathers-stabbing-death/
Last updated: 2026-08-06T21:35:22.000Z
The son of Grammy-nominated opera singer Jubilant Sykes pleaded not guilty Thursday to murdering his father at the family's Santa Monica home last December, as newly released autopsy findings detailed the extent of injuries in the killing.
Micah Curtis Sykes, 31, was arraigned on one felony count of murder with a special allegation that he used a deadly weapon in the crime. Prosecutors also allege he inflicted great bodily injury on a victim 60 or older. He entered his not guilty plea after his arraignment had been continued multiple times since the case was filed Dec. 11.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement that the killing was "a painful reminder of how older adults remain vulnerable to violence, even from those closest to them," adding that his office's Elder Abuse Section is committed to holding accountable those who harm older victims.
According to the criminal complaint, Micah Sykes fatally attacked his 71-year-old father at approximately 9:20 p.m. on Dec. 8, 2025, at the family's home in the 1700 block of Delaware Avenue, using a dagger, garden shears and a barbell. Jubilant Sykes' wife, Cecelia, was home at the time and called emergency services after finding her son attacking his father, police said. Santa Monica Fire Department personnel pronounced the victim dead at the scene.
A Los Angeles County medical examiner's autopsy report found the singer suffered 68 stab wounds and multiple broken bones, according to the report. The autopsy showed Jubilant Sykes was stabbed in the heart, liver and lungs and was also struck with a 10-pound dumbbell during the attack. His son allegedly used garden shears in the assault, the criminal complaint states.
Micah Sykes was found inside the residence and taken into custody without incident, and he has remained held without bail since his arrest. A request for comment from the public defender's office was not immediately returned.
Detectives from the Santa Monica Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division secured the scene and obtained a search warrant, and forensic specialists processed physical evidence, including a weapon recovered at the scene. Police have said the incident appears to be isolated and occurred within a private residence, with no ongoing threat to the community.
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorneys Cesar Rodriguez and Julia Cohn of the DA's Elder Abuse Section and remains under investigation by the Santa Monica Police Department. A preliminary hearing setting is scheduled for Sept. 2 in Department 34 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center. If convicted as charged, Sykes faces up to life in state prison.
Jubilant Sykes grew up in Los Angeles, where he sang soprano as a child, and went on to build a career as a baritone with performances at the Metropolitan Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, London's Barbican Centre, the Apollo Theater, the Hollywood Bowl and the New Orleans Jazz Festival. In 2010, he received a Grammy nomination for his recording of Leonard Bernstein's "Mass."
The District Attorney's Office is urging anyone concerned about the safety of an older adult to speak up. Its Elder Abuse Section handles cases involving elderly and dependent adult victims and said it seeks to use counseling, treatment and incarceration as appropriate while ensuring victims are protected and a just result is reached.
To report physical abuse, emotional abuse or neglect involving an older adult, the DA's office directs residents to contact local law enforcement or the Los Angeles County Elder Abuse Hotline at 1-877-4R SENIORS (1-877-477-3646). The office also publishes a pamphlet on how to identify and report elder abuse.
The charges against Micah Sykes are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
### Santa Monica man given life sentence for bus stabbing
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-man-given-life-sentence-for-hate-cri/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T18:09:35.000Z
A Santa Monica man was sentenced Thursday to life plus seven years in state prison with the possibility of parole for the attempted murder of a stranger during an unprovoked hate crime attack aboard a Metro bus in March 2023, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced.
Gerald Pitts, 67, was convicted of stabbing Santos Tejas Gonzalez multiple times after shouting racial slurs at him and continuing the assault even after the victim fell from the bus.
"A hate crime is more than just a criminal act against one person, it tears at the fibers that hold our community together," District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement. "These crimes are meant to intimidate entire communities and weaken the trust that holds us together."
Hochman said Pitts attacked a complete stranger because of his race or perceived race, repeatedly stabbing him and continuing the assault even after the victim fell from the bus.
"We're grateful the victim survived and relieved that he is continuing to recover," Hochman said. "This kind of violence is exactly what hate crime laws are meant to address."
Hochman called on county residents to reject such behavior.
"I urge everyone in Los Angeles County to reject this behavior whenever they see it and to stand with one another across every community," he said. "Public safety depends not only on enforcing the law but on refusing to tolerate bias-driven violence in any form. This office will not tolerate hate incidents and crimes in our communities and will respond with the full force of the law."
A jury found Pitts, born April 9, 1959, guilty of attempted murder on June 16\. Jurors also said the crime was committed willfully, deliberately and with premeditation, that Pitts personally used a knife, that he personally inflicted great bodily injury, and that the offense was committed in whole or in part because of the victim's actual or perceived nationality, race or ethnicity, making it a hate crime.
According to prosecutors, the attack occurred March 25, 2023, at approximately 9 p.m. when Gonzalez boarded a Metro bus and attempted to walk past Pitts to take a seat. Pitts immediately began shouting racial slurs at him, prosecutors said.
When Gonzalez tried to leave the bus at the next stop, at Western Avenue and Exposition Boulevard, to avoid further confrontation, Pitts stabbed him multiple times in the abdomen, arm, hand and face, prosecutors said. As the victim fell from the bus, Pitts kicked him repeatedly in the head while continuing to yell racial slurs, according to the District Attorney's Office.
Gonzalez survived the attack despite suffering life-threatening injuries, prosecutors said.
The DA's office has posted video of the attack [online](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17EmX%5Fcc9ZM&ref=smdp.com) (warning: graphic violence).
The District Attorney's Office said it has made combating hate crimes a priority through aggressive prosecution, community outreach and close collaboration with law enforcement agencies and community organizations. The office said it continues to encourage victims and witnesses to report hate crimes so perpetrators can be held accountable.
Hochman said he has also pushed back against policies that allow perpetrators of violent hate crimes to avoid standard incarceration, according to the District Attorney's Office. Earlier this year, the office successfully petitioned a California Court of Appeal to overturn a Los Angeles County trial court's decision granting mental health diversion to Job Uriah Taylor, who was charged with attempted murder, including a hate crime allegation. The appellate court agreed the defendant's case should proceed through the traditional criminal justice process, which the office said reinforces that violent hate crimes demand accountability that protects the public.
### Big Blue Bus rolls out service changes starting Aug. 9
URL: https://www.smdp.com/big-blue-bus-rolls-out-service-changes-starting-aug-9/
Last updated: 2026-08-06T18:59:00.000Z
Big Blue Bus will launch a series of service enhancements beginning Sunday, Aug. 9, that the agency says are designed to make riding easier, faster and more convenient.
Riders will benefit from expanded service hours and improved access and connectivity on several routes serving the UCLA campus, the UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center and the Expo/Sepulveda Metro Rail E Line Station. The updated routes are[ ](https://us.list-manage.com/hjBNHheZuW6?e=a0db37eea4&c2id=5e8562874d015bef8498e77eadede6f4&ref=smdp.com)[Route 1](https://us.list-manage.com/hjBNHheZuW6?e=a0db37eea4&c2id=5e8562874d015bef8498e77eadede6f4&ref=smdp.com),[ ](https://us.list-manage.com/kvHCiyFxUoV?e=a0db37eea4&c2id=5e8562874d015bef8498e77eadede6f4&ref=smdp.com)[Route 2](https://us.list-manage.com/kvHCiyFxUoV?e=a0db37eea4&c2id=5e8562874d015bef8498e77eadede6f4&ref=smdp.com),[ ](https://us.list-manage.com/HIgW3eRklXA?e=a0db37eea4&c2id=5e8562874d015bef8498e77eadede6f4&ref=smdp.com)[Route 8](https://us.list-manage.com/HIgW3eRklXA?e=a0db37eea4&c2id=5e8562874d015bef8498e77eadede6f4&ref=smdp.com),[ ](https://us.list-manage.com/40nkkSFU0dP?e=a0db37eea4&c2id=5e8562874d015bef8498e77eadede6f4&ref=smdp.com)[Route 9](https://us.list-manage.com/40nkkSFU0dP?e=a0db37eea4&c2id=5e8562874d015bef8498e77eadede6f4&ref=smdp.com),[ ](https://us.list-manage.com/Fs2HRICKyqg?e=a0db37eea4&c2id=5e8562874d015bef8498e77eadede6f4&ref=smdp.com)[Route 17](https://us.list-manage.com/Fs2HRICKyqg?e=a0db37eea4&c2id=5e8562874d015bef8498e77eadede6f4&ref=smdp.com) and[ ](https://us.list-manage.com/mQ210SrP1Q7?e=a0db37eea4&c2id=5e8562874d015bef8498e77eadede6f4&ref=smdp.com)[Route 18](https://us.list-manage.com/mQ210SrP1Q7?e=a0db37eea4&c2id=5e8562874d015bef8498e77eadede6f4&ref=smdp.com).
The agency said the changes are intended to provide smoother transfers and more reliable travel throughout the area, reducing wait times for riders.
The enhancements are part of Big Blue Bus's ongoing[ ](https://www.bigbluebus.com/Rider-Info/Brighter-Blue.aspx?ref=smdp.com)[Brighter Blue](https://www.bigbluebus.com/Rider-Info/Brighter-Blue.aspx?ref=smdp.com) service improvement plan, which focuses on making public transit a more appealing alternative to driving and supports Santa Monica's commitment to a cleaner, greener future.
Riders can use the agency's[ ](https://www.bigbluebus.com/planner?ref=smdp.com)[trip planner](https://www.bigbluebus.com/planner?ref=smdp.com) or download the[ ](https://www.bigbluebus.com/Rider-Info/Track-Your-Ride-in-Real-Time!.aspx?ref=smdp.com)[Transit app](https://www.bigbluebus.com/Rider-Info/Track-Your-Ride-in-Real-Time!.aspx?ref=smdp.com) to plan trips and view the most up-to-date travel information. The customer service team is available Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at (310) 451-5444.
To learn more about the upcoming service change, visit[ ](https://us.list-manage.com/5OoMyAAY%5FW0?e=a0db37eea4&c2id=5e8562874d015bef8498e77eadede6f4&ref=smdp.com)[bigbluebus.com/servicechange](https://us.list-manage.com/5OoMyAAY%5FW0?e=a0db37eea4&c2id=5e8562874d015bef8498e77eadede6f4&ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Pacific Park offers free $100 game card with annual pass purchase
URL: https://www.smdp.com/pacific-park-offers-free-100-game-card-with-annual-pass-purchase/
Last updated: 2026-08-06T18:59:00.000Z
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier is marking the end of summer with a promotion that rewards new annual pass holders with a free $100 Midway Game Play Card.
From Aug. 6 through Aug. 21, guests who buy a new annual pass will receive the complimentary card, adding to a year of unlimited rides and passholder benefits.
"There's no better time to become a Pacific Park Annual Pass holder," said Steve Garcia, director of sales and marketing at Pacific Park. "Guests receive unlimited rides for an entire year, valuable discounts on food and merchandise, and during this special promotion, an additional $100 in complimentary midway game play to enjoy with family and friends."
The park offers two options. The Annual Premium Pass, $199, includes unlimited rides any day for one year after redemption and 20% off food and retail. The Annual Weekday Pass, $149, includes unlimited rides Monday through Friday for one year after redemption and the same discount.
Purchasers of either pass during the promotion will receive one complimentary $100 Midway Game Play Card for use at the park's collection of games overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
The promotion runs Aug. 6 through Aug. 21\. Passes may be purchased online or at the Pacific Park Ticket Booth. Additional terms and conditions may apply.
Pacific Park, described as Los Angeles' only admission-free amusement park, offers 12 rides, 14 midway games, five food offerings at Snackville and seaside retail shopping. Prices and operating hours are subject to change.
For more information or to purchase a pass, visit[ ](http://pacpark.com/?ref=smdp.com)[pacpark.com](http://pacpark.com/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### ICE releases identity of man arrested outside SMPD headquarters
URL: https://www.smdp.com/ice-releases-identify-of-man-arrested-outside-smpd-headquarters/
Last updated: 2026-08-06T18:06:35.000Z
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released a statement on social media this week identifying a man recently arrested in Santa Monica and emphasizing the lack of cooperation between local agencies and the federal government.
The agency said local officials refused to honor a detainer placed against Juan Manuel Saravia, a Salvadoran national ICE described as a twice-convicted burglar.
“Instead of holding the Salvadoran criminal illegal alien for ICE, Santa Monica police released him back into the community. So, ICE LA officers targeted him for arrest to protect Americans and to follow through on his final order of removal,” said a post on the agency’s Facebook account.
According to ICE, officers located Saravia in a public area near police headquarters on July 23\. The agency said officers were wearing clearly marked body armor when they approached him. Saravia immediately fled, but the pursuit was brief, ICE said. Although he resisted, officers apprehended him without incident, according to the agency.
Saravia will remain in ICE custody pending a removal flight to El Salvador, the agency said.
At the time of the arrest, SMPD said officers had arrested an adult male that morning on suspicion of vehicle burglary and possession of burglary tools, cited him and released him from SMPD custody.
The arrest reflects an ongoing tension between federal immigration authorities and the Santa Monica Police Department over the city's approach to immigration enforcement.
SMPD has reiterated that it does not honor civil immigration detainers or participate in federal immigration enforcement operations. The department has said its policy is consistent with California's Senate Bill 54, known as the California Values Act, and with Title 8 of the U.S. Code.
"Our responsibility is to protect public safety and enforce criminal laws within the City of Santa Monica," Police Chief Darrick Jacob said in a past statement about working with federal authorities. "Immigration enforcement is the responsibility of designated federal agencies and is not a function of this department."
Jacob has said SMPD does not conduct immigration sweeps, raids or detentions based solely on a person's immigration status, and does not independently enforce federal immigration law.
"Public safety depends on trust between the community and law enforcement," Jacob has said. "Fear of immigration consequences should never prevent someone from calling for help or cooperating with the Santa Monica Police Department."
At the same time, Jacob has said the department continues to enforce criminal laws regardless of a person's immigration status. "Accountability for criminal behavior is essential to public safety, and no one should interpret our policies as tolerance for crime," he has said.
SMPD said the incident this month did not change its policy. The department said immigration status does not affect a person's ability to report a crime, request assistance or cooperate with police as a victim or witness.
### Around Town: Oceanfront Arts Fest, Free Tattoos & Jazz Fest
URL: https://www.smdp.com/around-town-oceanfront-arts-fest-free-tattoos-jazz-fest/
Last updated: 2026-08-06T15:59:59.000Z
SMDP's Weekly Guide to Food & Entertainment Goings-On In & Around Town covers a car free Ocean Ave. Art Festival, citywide jazz festivals, beach house picnics, dessert pizza, and much more!
**SMPL at the Beach:** Southern California's only beachside pop-up library is heading back to the Beach House for a day of bookish fun in the sun! Sign out books from our beach reads collection (no library card required), make nautical crafts, play games, or kick back, relax and read in our Surfside Lounge. Seaside Storytime at 10:15 a.m., followed by Nautical Crafts, and an interactive musical performance from Sweet Potato Music at 11:30 a.m. For all ages. **Friday, Aug. 7, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Annenberg Community Beach House, 415 PCH** [https://www.santamonica.gov/events/4f4chrrsrckhn636b3cj4naqxy/202608071000](https://www.santamonica.gov/events/4f4chrrsrckhn636b3cj4naqxy/202608071000?ref=smdp.com)
**FX's 'The Shards' Present: Sunset Sessions at Penmar:** From Executive Producer Ryan Murphy, this seductive new drama is set in 1980s Los Angeles and follows a group of glamorous high school seniors drawn into a life of wealth, beauty, parties and excess. Camber guest list will receive free first drink tickets, and an exclusive blanket (all while supplies last!). **Friday, Aug 7, 5:30 p.m.** [tickets.thepenmar.com/e/sunset-sessions-date-4-5-11-8](http://tickets.thepenmar.com/e/sunset-sessions-date-4-5-11-8?ref=smdp.com)
**Free Bean Tattoos:** 🫘Yes you read that correctly! If you’re a lover of legumes, Heyday (the company making beans cool again) is offering free tattoos of your favorite bean over the weekend. **1306 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice** [instagram.com/p/DbWIShuBnsl](http://instagram.com/p/DbWIShuBnsl?ref=smdp.com)
**Santa Monica Summer Craft Showcase:** This free local art and design pop-up event features handmade goods and creative designs. **Friday - Sunday, Aug. 7 - 9**, **9 a.m. - 6 p.m.** **at the Santa Monica Pier** [eventbrite.com/e/santa-monica-summer-craft-showcase-local-art-design-pop-up-tickets-1993264707397](http://eventbrite.com/e/santa-monica-summer-craft-showcase-local-art-design-pop-up-tickets-1993264707397?ref=smdp.com)
**SMC Planetarium's August shows explore Mars, telescopes and eclipses:** It will present live-hosted shows on Friday evenings in August, along with a Sunday Family Matinée on Aug. 16, featuring programs on the Mars rover Curiosity, the Great Observatories, eclipses and moon phases, and the sun. **1900 Pico Blvd.** [smc.edu/planetarium](http://smc.edu/planetarium?ref=smdp.com)
**Sunset Swim at the Annenberg Beach House:** Spend your evening poolside at the historic Annenberg Community Beach House, home to the iconic 1920s Marion Davies estate built by media mogul William Randolph Hearst. Sunset Swim invites adults to enjoy an evening of swimming, relaxing, and connecting by the sea at our historic and heated pool. Float under the evening sky, unwind with friends old and new, and enjoy complimentary s’mores and pool floaties while taking in the ocean air and sunset views. **Friday, Aug. 7, 415 PCH** (also Aug. 21) [santamonica.gov/events/49c3xhnjw5g4v5918cz3g4735y/202607101800](http://santamonica.gov/events/49c3xhnjw5g4v5918cz3g4735y/202607101800?ref=smdp.com)
**Santa Monica's New Oceanfront Arts Festival:** Ocean Ave. will be car free as it transforms into a vibrant outdoor gallery featuring over 100 California visual artists, live music, an oceanfront wine garden, interactive art experiences, and breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. **Saturday, Aug. 8, 1 1 a.m. - 6 p.m., Ocean Ave. between California & Montana Ave.** [art-on-ocean.com/santamonica](http://art-on-ocean.com/santamonica?ref=smdp.com)
**New Outdoor Music & Movie Series Saturdays at Tongva Park:** Spend your Saturday nights under the stars at TONGVA TWILIGHT: Sounds & Cinema, a free outdoor series blending live music, iconic films, and summer vibes in Tongva Park. Grab your friends, pack a picnic and enjoy complimentary popcorn on movie nights while supplies last. The series kicks off with all-star jazz and ska big band Western Standard Time Orchestra on Aug 8\. **Saturdays, Aug. 8 - Sept. 12, 7 - 10 p.m., 1615 Ocean Ave.**
**A Sofar Show with a Creative Twist: 🎶** Live music from some of LA's best and brightest, with craft breaks in between. Get creative, hang with friends, or chat with the artists. The exact location of this intimate, secret concert (where you can picnic outside) will be revealed after you grab your tickets. **Saturday, Aug. 8** [https://www.sofarsounds.com/events/66006](https://www.sofarsounds.com/events/66006?ref=smdp.com)
**Wilmont Movies in the Park:** The first of 3 monthly free movie screenings is Paddington 2 in Reed Park featuring live music, picnicking, free popcorn for the movie (also Sept. 12 and Oct. 10). **Saturday, Aug. 8, 6 p.m., 1133 7th St.** [wilmont.org](http://wilmont.org/?ref=smdp.com)
**Free Venice Street Fair:** With more than 150 local artists and makers, the fair will close 3rd Ave between Rose Ave and Sunset Ave.. **Sunday, Aug. 9, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.** [instagram.com/theartistfair](http://instagram.com/theartistfair?ref=smdp.com)
**The Surfrider Malibu launches 'Sunday Sessions' summer concert series with Aviator Nation Dreamland, Malibu Pier:** General admission is free and open to all ages, with access to the Malibu Pier Stage, Dreamland Stage and Dreamland Patio. Guests 21 and older can buy VIP passes for exclusive access to The Surfrider Roof Deck and the Lola Blankets Lounge on Malibu Pier. **Sunday, Aug. 9, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.** [tixr.com/groups/dreamland/events/sunday-sessions-aug-9-196029](https://www.tixr.com/groups/dreamland/events/sunday-sessions-aug-9-196029?ref=smdp.com)
**Annenberg Beach House Sunset Picnic - Route 66 Edition:** Bring your own picnic and enjoy a relaxed night by the ocean. Come with friends, family, or on your own and join a communal table. There's live music, ocean views, complimentary s’mores (while supplies last) & board games. **Thursday, Aug. 13, 5 - 8 p.m., 415 PCH** [eventbrite.com/e/sunset-picnic-tickets-1989064540585](http://eventbrite.com/e/sunset-picnic-tickets-1989064540585?ref=smdp.com)
**ONGOING:** [Museum of Illusions](https://moisantamonica.com/?ref=smdp.com); [The CUBE VR](https://www.thecubeevents.com/santamonicaexperiences?ref=smdp.com); [Splatter Studio](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/california-live/paint-sip-and-create-in-santa-monica/3834517/?ref=smdp.com);
**What to Eat & Drink?**
**The Sunday Table Curry Club:** This is a monthly Indian family style dinner on Chelsea's patio, held the second Sunday of each month. Gather around a communal table under the string lights for three courses of shared plates - rotating menu from our families' recipes. **Sunday, Aug 9, 6:30 p.m., 2460 Wilshire Blvd.** [https://resy.com/cities/santa-monica-ca/venues/chelsea/events/sunday-table-curry-club-2026-08-09](https://resy.com/cities/santa-monica-ca/venues/chelsea/events/sunday-table-curry-club-2026-08-09?ref=smdp.com)
**Andrew's Cheese Shop's "Premium Pours and Grilled Cheese Night":** They're bringing out the good stuff. The bottles you don’t usually see on shelves, all in one place. We’ve gathered a lineup of small-batch producers for our premium beverage and grilled cheese pairing event back by popular demand, featuring 4 courses of expertly paired sandwiches, rare beers, sparkling wines, and a show stopping Basque cheesecake finale. **Friday, Aug. 14, 7 p.m., 728 Montana Ave.** [eventbrite.com/e/premium-pours-and-grilled-cheese-night-tickets-1996302677046](http://eventbrite.com/e/premium-pours-and-grilled-cheese-night-tickets-1996302677046?ref=smdp.com)
**Not No Bar on Main St. Featured on The Infatuation's "Most Fun Dinner Spots In LA" List: “**A night at Not Bar Bar is frenetic and a bit lawless. Walk into this pizzeria-cocktail bar from the Dudley Market people in Santa Monica and you’ll find dates smooshed up against the bar and groups packed into booths. On Friday and Saturday nights, you’ll probably have to wait in line for a little bit while DJs spin throwback Euro disco over the hi-fi. A spacious table is never a guarantee, but the reward is excellent tiki-inspired cocktails and bubbly-crusted pizza that goes toe-to-toe with the best on the Westside.” [https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/the-most-fun-dinner-spots-in-la](https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/the-most-fun-dinner-spots-in-la?ref=smdp.com)
**Tartine Bakery List as #1 Croissant in LA:** This list crowns both their frangiapane and plain croissants as best in show. [instagram.com/p/DbWExQ0iRsb](https://www.instagram.com/p/DbWExQ0iRsb?ref=smdp.com)
**Prince St. Pizza Debuts Black Currant Apple Pie Dessert Pizza:** 🍕🍇Throughout August, the Black Currant Big Apple Pie Pizza pairs the familiar comfort of apple pie with a black currant drizzle and McCormick Black Currant Finishing Sugar. **326 Lincoln Blvd, Venice** [princestreetpizza.com](http://princestreetpizza.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**Further Afield:** **The LA Jazz Festival** will spread across the city for 17 days in August, mixing dozens of free neighborhood concerts with a two-night beachfront finale. The festival spans free "Jazz in the Park" concerts, restaurant pop-ups called "Jazz After Dark," a Caribbean Street Carnival in Venice and a closing "Jazz on the Beach" weekend headlined by John Legend, Janelle Monáe, Parliament Funkadelic featuring George Clinton and Raphael Saadiq. Terrace Martin was among the newest additions to the beach lineup. **Aug. 7 - 23** [lajazzfestival.com](http://lajazzfestival.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**Looking Ahead:** [Dine LA Restaurant Week](https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/dinela?ref=smdp.com) (8/14-28); Main St. Farmers Market in the Street Event (8/23); [Thai Fest by the Beach](https://www.thaifestbythebeach.com/?ref=smdp.com) (9/19-20); [A Pierfect Benefit](http://santamonicapier.org/apierfectbenefit?ref=smdp.com) (9/19); [Ocean Way Festival](https://www.oceanwayfestival.com/?ref=smdp.com) (9/26-27); [Off the Hook Seafood Festival](https://offthehookseafoodfest.com/?ref=smdp.com) (10/11); [Main St. Day of the Dog Festival](https://www.petapaloozawest.com/santa-monica?ref=smdp.com) (10/18)
If there’s something you think is worth highlighting, you can reach out directly at[ ](https://www.instagram.com/seanbesser/?ref=smdp.com)[instagram.com/seanbesser](https://www.instagram.com/seanbesser/?ref=smdp.com) or email me at [sean@smdp.com](mailto:sean@smdp.com).[ ](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com)[Here](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com) are my past columns and let me know if you have any feedback on **Around Town: Oceanfront Arts Fest, Free Tattoos & Jazz Fest**
### Santa Monica Council advances 'cottage court' plan to house city's workforce
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-advances-cottage-court-plan-to-house-citys-workforce/
Last updated: 2026-08-06T16:33:05.000Z
The Santa Monica City Council on Tuesday directed staff to fold a Planning Commission blueprint for small-scale "missing middle" housing into the city's next housing plan and to weigh backing a state bill that supporters say could cut construction costs, advancing an effort to build homes for the teachers, nurses and firefighters who cannot afford to live in the city they serve.
The proposal, called the [Missing Middle Housing Realignment Plan](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-does-not-have-a-zoning-problem/), centers on the cottage court — a cluster of six or seven detached homes of about 850 square feet arranged around a shared courtyard. Planning Commissioner Shawn Landres, who presented the plan on the commission's behalf, said the form itself, if built at the right size and density, can deliver homes at prices working households can reach without subsidizing every unit.
"Santa Monica can build homes for its own workforce on the open market if we let the building form do the work," Landres told the council.
The plan targets households earning roughly 120% to 200% of area median income — people Landres described as earning "too much for subsidized housing but too little to buy here." A firefighter and teacher together making $162,000, a police officer with a working spouse, and a nurse raising children all fall in that band, he said, yet none qualify for subsidized [affordable housing](https://housing.lacity.gov/housing/affordable-housing?ref=smdp.com) while the median home now sells for well over $1 million. About 90% of the people who work in Santa Monica live somewhere else, he added.
Under the commission's design, at least one cottage in every court would be permanently price-restricted at 200% of area median income, while the smaller size of the remaining units would hold down their market prices. The commission, which voted unanimously to send the plan forward, recommends allowing the form on single-family and small multifamily parcels, in the city's Moderate Income Housing Overlay, and on so-called community assembly parcels, where congregations may build on their land.
Landres estimated the program could yield roughly 300 cottages, depending on choices by homeowners, families consolidating adjacent lots and congregations. He pressed the council on a package of eight policy changes, singling out two: unbundling the city's transportation impact fee so that non-drivers no longer subsidize vehicle costs, and a Portland-modeled "ratcheted" density trade that grants more building capacity only as projects add more units, discouraging what he called "mansionization" and pricey townhomes selling for $2.1 million or more.
He was blunt about why the city's existing congregation-development program has stalled. "Our community assembly pathway has built zero units," Landres said, arguing that community land trusts and nonprofit development partners, paired with a revised affordability mix, could finally make such projects "pencil."
Much of the discussion touched on cost and equity. Councilmember Barry Snell noted the analysis assumed construction of $380 to $455 per square foot. Landres cited state legislation, Assembly Bill 1070, that would study applying the simpler California Residential Code to small residential buildings — a change he said has saved about 10% on hard costs in other states without a documented safety incident. Responding to a question from Snell about racial disparities, Landres tied the plan to the city's history of displacement, particularly of its African American community.
"We can't just write paper rules. We can't just upzone on paper," he said. "It's one thing to say you're sorry. It's another thing to actually offer people a pathway to a solution to make things right."
Because the item was a commission report, the [council](https://www.smdp.com/city-pursues-homeless-services-at-palm-motel-while-voting-to-delay-closure-of-downtown-shelter/) could not formally adopt it. Instead, Mayor Caroline Torosis moved to have staff incorporate the analysis into housing element preparation and to have the city's intergovernmental affairs team return with a recommendation on whether to take a position on AB 1070\. The motion was seconded and passed without dissent.
The plan drew written support from residents ahead of the meeting. "We need incentives for builders to create homes that people who live and work in Santa Monica can afford," wrote Ethan Goldstine, a resident of more than 36 years.
The vote came as Landres closes out 11 years on the Planning Commission. Councilmember Ellis Raskin called the plan a fitting capstone, praising Landres for helping build "a more just and equitable city."
### Author Nina Fresco to discuss Santa Monica Airport history at book talk
URL: https://www.smdp.com/author-nina-fresco-to-discuss-santa-monica-airport-history-at-book-talk/
Last updated: 2026-08-05T18:58:59.000Z
Proteus Air Services will host a book talk and signing with author Nina Fresco on Saturday, Aug. 8, to celebrate the release of her new book, "First Around the World: The History of the Santa Monica Municipal Airport."
Fresco will read excerpts from the book, and copies will be available for purchase. The event will take place at Proteus, 2501 Airport Ave., Santa Monica.
The book traces the origins of the Santa Monica Municipal Airport to the 1920s, when aviation was new and rapidly expanding and Santa Monica did not want to be left behind. When the city was offered a strip of dirt near Ocean Park Boulevard to serve as the Santa Monica Municipal Air Field in 1921, it seized the opportunity and made history.
"Author Nina Fresco brings the rich history of Santa Monica Airport to life in this compelling look at aviation in Southern California and its dramatic impact on the City of Santa Monica in the 20th Century," said Mike Machat, curator of the Santa Monica Museum of Flying.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica to present free 'Tongva Twilight' summer music and film series
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-to-present-free-tongva-twilight-summer-music-and-film-series/
Last updated: 2026-08-06T02:13:49.000Z
The City of Santa Monica will present "Tongva Twilight: Sounds & Cinema," a free outdoor series of live music and films every Saturday evening from Aug. 8 through Sept. 12 at Tongva Park.
The six-week series, produced by the Recreation & Arts Department in partnership with concert producer[ ](https://t6eyaadab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001J-2fwxRIFAJdTsEO7QVB9NdC%5FjgSaXdJPnv3es5dYE2F4BzLyyKJ3sjlweM6gHLA2oKPmObsZRzkJpmGVTS3Mq0I26%5FvZoDweTOPldfckiLkdEf0n-9oud34LRKYpnfnIHxHHt1M3g1bUz91LatCIQ==&c=AI-1s-aoKCm1kedHCgtiGK-MxR9WnnnipDX1oSVHjkTglWzvGrAJbg==&ch=0PqqT5zC7wBYeLMqGOKLbILUBPNvTfhM9LY3tiaXFM8k30ZG3Fy1gQ==&ref=smdp.com)[Rum & Humble](https://t6eyaadab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001J-2fwxRIFAJdTsEO7QVB9NdC%5FjgSaXdJPnv3es5dYE2F4BzLyyKJ3sjlweM6gHLA2oKPmObsZRzkJpmGVTS3Mq0I26%5FvZoDweTOPldfckiLkdEf0n-9oud34LRKYpnfnIHxHHt1M3g1bUz91LatCIQ==&c=AI-1s-aoKCm1kedHCgtiGK-MxR9WnnnipDX1oSVHjkTglWzvGrAJbg==&ch=0PqqT5zC7wBYeLMqGOKLbILUBPNvTfhM9LY3tiaXFM8k30ZG3Fy1gQ==&ref=smdp.com), begins at 7 p.m. on the park's lawn. Organizers encourage guests to pack a picnic and bring a blanket or low-back chair. Admission is free.
The series builds on the inaugural Santa Monica International Jazz Festival at Tongva Park in May and the FIFA World Cup celebrations across the city in June and July.
The lineup opens Aug. 8 with all-star ska jazz ensemble Western Standard Time, followed by New Orleans funk band The Rumble on Aug. 15\. Salsa orchestra Son Mayor performs Aug. 22, with a complimentary salsa lesson before the show. The Windbreakers bring yacht rock hits Sept. 5\. Additional performances and film screenings will round out the series, with the full schedule to be announced on the City of Santa Monica's[ ](https://t6eyaadab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001J-2fwxRIFAJdTsEO7QVB9NdC%5FjgSaXdJPnv3es5dYE2F4BzLyyKJ3hUmwqjN8l3RPpPZShY29EcMNFpnKjSrLca87Bn-1InFlusPeyvpUKjsNZ8Gr7VJEHB-Z9%5F0XKaUxASEj%5FzyKqijbJFDK8Nulg==&c=AI-1s-aoKCm1kedHCgtiGK-MxR9WnnnipDX1oSVHjkTglWzvGrAJbg==&ch=0PqqT5zC7wBYeLMqGOKLbILUBPNvTfhM9LY3tiaXFM8k30ZG3Fy1gQ==&ref=smdp.com)[website](https://t6eyaadab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001J-2fwxRIFAJdTsEO7QVB9NdC%5FjgSaXdJPnv3es5dYE2F4BzLyyKJ3hUmwqjN8l3RPpPZShY29EcMNFpnKjSrLca87Bn-1InFlusPeyvpUKjsNZ8Gr7VJEHB-Z9%5F0XKaUxASEj%5FzyKqijbJFDK8Nulg==&c=AI-1s-aoKCm1kedHCgtiGK-MxR9WnnnipDX1oSVHjkTglWzvGrAJbg==&ch=0PqqT5zC7wBYeLMqGOKLbILUBPNvTfhM9LY3tiaXFM8k30ZG3Fy1gQ==&ref=smdp.com).
"The new series reflects the City's continued commitment to activating Santa Monica's parks with free arts and cultural programming that brings neighbors together while celebrating the City's vibrant creative community," Mayor Caroline Torosis said.
The series' title nods to the city's much-loved Twilight Concerts of the past.
"Once again, we can gather in the cooling breeze under the stars and within earshot of the waves to enjoy specially curated concerts and films," said Martin Fleischmann, producer of Tongva Twilight and founder of Rum & Humble. "So grab your friends, pack a picnic, and join us."
Tongva Park spans 6.2 acres between Ocean Avenue and Main Street, just south of Colorado Avenue. The award-winning park features rolling hills, Mediterranean gardens, more than 100 plant species, a splash pad, playground, amphitheater and ocean overlooks. Located at 1615 Ocean Ave., it is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Parking is available at the Santa Monica Civic Center Parking Structure and at metered spots nearby.
For more information, visit[ ](https://t6eyaadab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001J-2fwxRIFAJdTsEO7QVB9NdC%5FjgSaXdJPnv3es5dYE2F4BzLyyKJ3sjlweM6gHLAYPcXWt9jsVEDIkpcmCT5IRdhNAXpuO5Ie9WMhtKtYQIKVmkhyG3xeg1aX7wbrvdVBQqivhMtOU1SnWnWviJDzb6EQ2MPnzERcHpsbmcX2NbGtXz%5F81qegmt5MEce2W-Y&c=AI-1s-aoKCm1kedHCgtiGK-MxR9WnnnipDX1oSVHjkTglWzvGrAJbg==&ch=0PqqT5zC7wBYeLMqGOKLbILUBPNvTfhM9LY3tiaXFM8k30ZG3Fy1gQ==&ref=smdp.com)[santamonica.gov/places/parks/tongva-park](https://t6eyaadab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001J-2fwxRIFAJdTsEO7QVB9NdC%5FjgSaXdJPnv3es5dYE2F4BzLyyKJ3sjlweM6gHLAYPcXWt9jsVEDIkpcmCT5IRdhNAXpuO5Ie9WMhtKtYQIKVmkhyG3xeg1aX7wbrvdVBQqivhMtOU1SnWnWviJDzb6EQ2MPnzERcHpsbmcX2NbGtXz%5F81qegmt5MEce2W-Y&c=AI-1s-aoKCm1kedHCgtiGK-MxR9WnnnipDX1oSVHjkTglWzvGrAJbg==&ch=0PqqT5zC7wBYeLMqGOKLbILUBPNvTfhM9LY3tiaXFM8k30ZG3Fy1gQ==&ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### California nearly achieved universal healthcare. Now, millions are losing coverage
URL: https://www.smdp.com/california-nearly-achieved-universal-healthcare-now-millions-are-losing-coverage/
Last updated: 2026-08-05T16:00:00.000Z
Two years ago, California hit a milestone decades in the making: Nearly every person in the state qualified for health insurance, regardless of immigration status and income, pushing the state’s insured rate to a record 95%. Now that progress is unravelling.
Facing budget shortfalls and new federal restrictions, state leaders have begun rolling back the coverage system they built. Analysis at [the UC Berkeley Labor Center and UCLA Center for Health Policy Research](https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Over-2-million-more-Californians-projected-to-lack-health-insurance-by-2030-1.pdf?ref=smdp.com) project California’s uninsured rate could nearly double, to almost 15%, by 2030.
“I knew it was going to be bad, but seeing that doubling was shocking to me,” said Miranda Dietz, director of the labor center’s healthcare program.
An estimated 2.2 million people could lose insurance over the next four years from combined state and federal cuts, the researchers found. The losses will fall hardest on undocumented immigrants and low-income Californians, with the uninsured rate more than doubling among Black and Asian Californians. The southern part of the state will bear the brunt, driven by its larger share of low-income and immigrant residents.
Many Californians remember how difficult it was to get healthcare before the state expanded and improved insurance options.
In 2008, Kandi Hill had just given birth to her third child. When she started throwing up and experiencing irregular menstrual cycles with heavy bleeding she struggled to find a doctor who would run any tests other than an STD panel. In a matter of months, she died from stage four cervical cancer. She was 31.
Cervical cancer has a [91% five-year survival rate](https://www.cancer.gov/types/cervical/survival?ref=smdp.com) if caught and treated early, according to the National Cancer Institute, but back then the Medi-Cal system was bare bones, and doctors didn’t seem to take poor Black patients seriously, said her husband, Ramonte Means.
Means was left to raise two small children and an infant alone. He has been the sole provider for his family ever since, often working part-time and frequently without insurance, stitching together multiple jobs — janitorial work, customer service, job coaching — to make ends meet. Usually, Means said, his employers won’t give him full-time hours so that they don’t have to provide benefits. With multiple part-time jobs, he tries to keep his income low enough to qualify for Medi-Cal and ensure his kids stay covered too. He’d rather get insurance through an employer, but he can’t afford a plan out-of-pocket.
“None of us want anything for free. I work two jobs. My kids go to school,” Means said. “We’re just asking for some dignity.”
Today’s Medi-Cal isn’t perfect, Means says, but it’s much better than when his wife died — patients have more benefits and can see specialists.
“I truly believe if all this happened now, she’d have been fine,” Means said. “The system failed my kids more than anything — failed the whole family.”
## **Millions gain coverage**
When the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010, California quickly expanded its Medicaid program. Previously, the program was reserved for women and children, seniors, and people with disabilities. Low-income adults were excluded unless they had dependent children. The law allowed California to open enrollment to childless adults and raised the income limit to 138% of the federal poverty level — about $22,000 for an individual today.
More than 5 million Californians gained coverage, including Means, who had occasionally earned too much money before the change.
“So 138% poverty is not a lot of money in terms of increasing income, but when you talk about how many people actually become eligible it has a significant impact,” said Nadereh Pourat, associate director at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
An additional 1.7 million middle-income Californians bought insurance through the commercial Affordable Care Act marketplace known as Covered California.
“That’s a huge policy change,” said Rachel Linn Gish, spokesperson for Health Access California, a consumer advocacy group. “Millions and millions and millions of Californians covered in 10 years. No other state can say that.”
Still, one major group remained uninsured: undocumented immigrants. They account for about 2.3 million residents, according to the [Public Policy Institute of California](https://www.ppic.org/publication/immigrants-in-california/?ref=smdp.com).
## **Newsom: The healthcare governor**
Gov. Gavin Newsom campaigned on a promise to bring single-payer healthcare to the state. He pivoted to expanding access within the existing system — transforming Medi-Cal with new benefits and a focus on high-quality primary care.
The Democratic governor’s administration also launched the state’s second-largest coverage expansion, phasing in Medi-Cal eligibility for low-income undocumented adults until all adults and children qualified in 2024.
“We’re making sure that universal access to healthcare coverage becomes a reality here in California,” Newsom said in 2022 when the state allowed undocumented seniors to enroll in Medi-Cal.
At its peak, the state-funded expansion covered 1.4 million adults and 217,000 children and cost more than $10 billion a year.
Republican lawmakers have sharply criticized that price tag, and increasingly, so have moderate Democrats.
“We need to have cost containment,” said Sen. [Catherine Blakespear](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/catherine-blakespear-21275?ref=smdp.com), a Democrat from Encinitas, [when the state passed last year’s budget](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/259500?ref=smdp.com#t=810&f=b33a3219ddacef3983adc2d54ecfde7b).
Total Medi-Cal spending has more than doubled since Newsom took office in 2019, growing from about $96 billion to $217 billion this year. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office attributes most of that growth to [higher spending per recipient](https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5146?ref=smdp.com) — added benefits, higher drug prices and some demographic changes — rather than enrollment alone. People are seeing doctors more, and each visit is more expensive.
## **Medi-Cal cuts loom**
Orlando and Lourdes are immigrants from El Salvador. CalMatters is using only their middle names because they fear being identified by immigration officials. Orlando has lived in Los Angeles for more than 20 years and works in construction with a work permit. Lourdes manages a store and is undocumented.
Recent federal immigration raids have already upended their lives. They’ve had to counsel their 6-year-old daughter that there are “good police” and “bad police.” Now Lourdes, who needs radiation therapy for cancer, worries about losing her Medi-Cal insurance.
To slow Medi-Cal’s growth, the state froze enrollment for undocumented adults starting in January; roughly 86,000 fewer undocumented immigrants are covered.
Starting next summer, immigrants without legal status will lose dental benefits and face new monthly premiums. These and cuts to coverage for some legal immigrants are expected to push about 800,000 people off insurance, according to the UC Berkeley Labor Center.
“We pay taxes every year. We deserve to have health insurance,” Orlando said.
Services have also been curtailed more broadly. Last year, the [state dropped coverage of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic](https://calmatters.org/health/2025/05/medi-cal-coverage-weight-loss-drugs-newsom-california/?ref=smdp.com) for people who are simply overweight, keeping them only for more serious diagnoses like diabetes. This year, lawmakers scaled back wraparound services, including case management and medical meal-delivery services for low-income patients. They also reinstated a wealth test that caps how much savings an enrollee can have, regardless of their income, which advocates say punishes people for building a financial cushion.
The cuts have stirred outcry from lawmakers on the left, some of whom want the state to raise revenue through corporate taxes or other means rather than shrink Medi-Cal.
Sen. [Lena Gonzalez](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/lena-gonzalez-165452?ref=smdp.com), a Democrat from Long Beach and chair of the Latino Caucus, said she pressed Newsom and his team twice to save benefits for undocumented people.
“I said this is legacy work for you, and I don’t want you to ever forget that,” Gonzalez said. “For this to happen was just really surprising.”
Linn Gish credited Newsom with supporting healthcare access “from day one” but called the recent rollbacks disappointing: “We hoped he would be a champion until the end.”
Newsom’s office declined an interview request. In a statement, the Department of Health Care Services emphasized that the Legislature voted to approve the budget that included the cuts and said Newsom remains committed to “responsibly” supporting universal coverage.
“Gov. Newsom has consistently highlighted California’s coverage gains as central to his broader commitment to universal healthcare coverage and a more inclusive safety net,” the statement said.
## **Federal challenges**
Many Democrats, Newsom chief among them, blame President Donald Trump, whose One Big Beautiful Bill tax reform law rewrote Medi-Cal rules and cut federal funding to California. The law also let enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies expire, contributing to a 140,000-person drop in Covered California enrollment. State officials estimate the Medi-Cal program could lose more than $30 billion annually once federal changes fully take effect in 2027.
The biggest change: Many adults must now prove they’re working or volunteering at least 80 hours each month. Research has shown [most low-income adults already meet requirements](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7497731/?ref=smdp.com) but lose coverage anyway because of [bureaucratic errors](https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/the-problem-with-medicaid-unwinding/?ref=smdp.com).
“All it takes is one piece of lost mail and all of a sudden you lose coverage … and things can snowball,” said Dylan Roby, a health policy researcher and professor at UC Irvine.
Combined with shorter eligibility periods, the state estimates this will cause [1.3 million people to lose insurance](https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DHCS-FY-2026-27-Budget-Act-Highlights.pdf?ref=smdp.com) in the next four years.
Those losses won’t be spread evenly. Los Angeles and other parts of Southern California could see the steepest declines, according to the Labor Center, which also projects that Latino Californians will lose coverage faster than other groups.
Linnea Koopmans, CEO of Local Health Plans of California, which represents Medi-Cal insurers, said the combined cuts will create a two-tiered system of haves and have-nots. “There’s a lot at stake and a lot to be lost,” Koopmans said.
But some Republican lawmakers counter that blaming Washington, D.C. is disingenuous. California has run deficits for four straight years, predating most federal restrictions, which haven’t even taken effect yet.
Sen. [Roger Niello](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/roger-niello-165442?ref=smdp.com), a Republican from Roseville and vice chair of the budget committee, put the current impact of federal healthcare restrictions at $3 billion out of a $351 billion state budget.
“It’s difficult (to argue) that the woes are being caused by the federal government,” Niello said, calling the state’s spending problem structural. Revenues have grown, but spending has grown faster.
The current budget leaves the toughest healthcare decisions to the next governor.
“Gov. Newsom says he solved the deficit for the next governor. He hasn’t,” Niello said**.**
**—--------**
Kristen Hwang is a health reporter for CalMatters covering health care access, abortion and reproductive health, workforce issues, drug costs and emerging public health matters.
### California voters have approved billions of dollars in bonds. Why don’t we track results?
URL: https://www.smdp.com/california-voters-have-approved-billions-of-dollars-in-bonds-why-dont-we-track-results/
Last updated: 2026-08-05T16:00:00.000Z
Californians have consistently invested in new government programs. Over the past quarter century, voters have approved tens of billions of dollars in state bonds to [build schools](https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2024/11/california-election-result-prop-2/?ref=smdp.com), improve water systems, [address climate risks](https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/11/california-election-news-proposition-4-environment/?ref=smdp.com), expand housing opportunities and strengthen public infrastructure. Those investments shape daily life across our state.
Yet years after the votes are counted and projects are underway, it can be surprisingly difficult to answer a simple question: Did we get the results we were promised?
California has long tracked how bond dollars are spent, to guard against waste and fraud. We have yet to consistently measure whether those investments achieved the outcomes voters expected.
That distinction matters. Since 2000, the state has issued $196 billion in general obligation bonds and now has $81.8 billion bonds outstanding. This fiscal year alone the state will spend nearly $8.6 billion servicing bond debt.
These investments support priorities Californians overwhelmingly value, allowing the state to finance projects that benefit generations of residents while spreading costs over time.
As these investments grow, so should our commitment to tallying their impact.
Did a bond-funded program improve wildfire resilience? How many families benefited from new housing investments, and did the investments increase affordability? Did infrastructure projects deliver the benefits promised?
These are questions investors ask. The government and voters should ask them, too.
Across the private and nonprofit sectors, measuring outcomeshas become standard practice. Organizations report how much they spent and demonstrate what those investments accomplished.
Public sector spending should meet that same standard — not to assign blame, but to improve future decisions.
While California already requires agencies to report on bond expenditures, [compliance is inconsistent](https://calmatters.org/politics/capitol/2024/02/california-laws-are-they-working/?ref=smdp.com) and the reports often emphasize dollars spent rather than results achieved. That leaves legislators, taxpayers and future voters without a clear picture of what worked, what didn’t and what can be improved.
As a measured next step, [Assembly Bill 1754](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca%5F202520260ab1754?ref=smdp.com), authored by Assemblymember [Blanca Pacheco](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/blanca-pacheco-165430?ref=smdp.com), would require statewide bond measures to define clear objectives, establish meaningful ways to measure progress, and collect data to evaluate success and publicly report — in a simple-to-read format — whether those outcomes are being achieved. Think of it as a one-page report card.
The cost of reporting would be covered through bond administration rather than the state’s general fund.
It’s been suggested that this new requirement may slow project funding or create unnecessary paperwork. However, defining a project’s evaluation criteria would logically flow from the objectives proposed for issuing the bonds. The expected reporting is brief: a sentence or a single number per project, part of a one or two-page summary.
Accountability and efficiency are not competing values. In fact, better outcome reporting can help policymakers identify successful investments, improve future bond programs and build stronger public confidence in how taxpayer dollars are used.
That confidence matters. California will continue asking voters to invest in schools, [housing](https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/01/2026-housing-agenda/?ref=smdp.com), transportation, water infrastructure and climate resilience. Those investments deserve broad public confidence.
The strongest argument for future bond measures isn’t simply that California has important needs — it’s that the government can demonstrate previous investments achieved meaningful results.
Evidence builds trust. Trust strengthens confidence in public institutions. And confidence makes it possible to continue investing in California’s future.
—----------------------
**by Cathy Cockrum Dean**
### Homelessness on L.A. Metro System Falls 57% Since 2024, Agency Says
URL: https://www.smdp.com/homelessness-on-l-a-metro-system-falls-57-since-2024-agency-says/
Last updated: 2026-08-05T16:29:43.000Z
The number of people experiencing homelessness on the Los Angeles Metro transit system has dropped 57% since 2024, transit officials announced Monday, marking a second consecutive year of steep declines that the agency credits to a public safety approach pairing outreach services with law enforcement.
The 2026 point-in-time count found 31% fewer unhoused people on the system than a year earlier. This year's tally estimated 395 to 517 people experiencing [homelessness](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-reports-double-digit-decline-in-homelessness/) on Metro, down from 631 to 684 in 2025 and 1,041 to 1,092 in 2024\. Because the count is not an exact census, results are reported as a range to account for statistical margins of error.
Metro attributes the progress to what it calls an integrated public safety model, which combines care-based services with coordinated law enforcement and security. In January, the agency's Department of Public Safety launched a Care-Based Services Division that brought Metro Ambassadors, the Homeless Outreach Management and Engagement program, and Community Intervention Specialists together under one umbrella.
"This continued decline reflects the dedication of Metro employees and our many partners who work every day to address homelessness with compassion, accountability and coordination," Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins said. "These results show that our model is making a real difference — for people experiencing homelessness and for the tens of thousands of customers who rely on Metro every day."
Metro Board Chair and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass tied the gains to policies adopted during her tenure. "During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, many more unhoused people began to populate our Metro system," Bass said. "We combined compassionate outreach with enhanced public safety strategies to get people housed with the services they need. These results prove that our approach is working and these efforts must continue."
The agency said its results depend on collaboration with the Los Angeles County Department of Homeless Services & Housing, the city and county of Los Angeles, and community-based organizations that provide outreach, interim housing and permanent housing placement. In fiscal year 2026, Metro's outreach teams connected 354 individuals to permanent housing.
The transit count was conducted Jan. 20 as part of the broader Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count led by the [Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority](https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&pf=1&ai=DChsSEwjMuIjSnYeWAxUjqGgJHd0uDVMYACICCAEQABoCd2Y&co=1&ase=2&gclid=Cj0KCQjwm8bTBhDWARIsAC9Hi8kP7cyVPS2oS-uwn1U%5FSo5oR%5FnWCXzu8Qr8mD%5Fp-Iw5JOqtXILwVLwaAinTEALw%5FwcB&cid=CAASWuRoVI01XkHVJUf21LRF6oSzv96v6xl1ThrxWpDwBx-7MTKHYil1qYy8RU0XzZDLj-BnpGAMt%5FId5VI5UVQ4RVFV-WpGly2JqrMBuSK0q6DvxWx24aaUTffLrw&cce=2&category=acrcp%5Fv1%5F32&sig=AOD64%5F2iA%5FerSXozOsRJ2oOWVl6c%5FqqaEw&q&nis=4&adurl=https://ushs.org/?gad%5Fsource%3D1%26gad%5Fcampaignid%3D10397587899%26gbraid%3D0AAAAADuaWxf0GbuR2sWW2PWc8LUdK2jHz%26gclid%3DCj0KCQjwm8bTBhDWARIsAC9Hi8kP7cyVPS2oS-uwn1U%5FSo5oR%5FnWCXzu8Qr8mD%5Fp-Iw5JOqtXILwVLwaAinTEALw%5FwcB&ved=2ahUKEwjwxP%5FRnYeWAxVMU6QEHQ4jK7IQ0Qx6BAgJEAE&ref=smdp.com). Sixty-two volunteers, including outreach workers, Metro employees and riders, surveyed the rail and busway system in a single evening, focusing on stations, rights-of-way and parking lots. The methodology matches the countywide effort and aligns with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development standards, though the Metro-specific figures were not included in LAHSA's published regional total.
Metro carries nearly 1 million boardings daily across a fleet of 2,200 buses and six rail lines. The agency said its April 2026 customer satisfaction survey found approval had risen to 87%.
The transit improvements run counter to the broader regional picture. LAHSA's 2026 count found homelessness across the county rose 1.2%, to an estimated 73,040 people, and climbed 3.4% within the city of Los Angeles, to about 45,194 — reversing two consecutive years of declines. Unsheltered homelessness in the city jumped 7.9%.
LAHSA attributed the regional increase largely to a funding-driven pause in a flexible rental assistance program, which slowed movement through the rehousing system. Interim chief executive Gita O'Neill said access to permanent housing remains the decisive factor. "When our unhoused neighbors lost access to rental subsidies, the system slowed, there was less upward movement in interim housing, and progress stalled," she said.
Bass offered a different emphasis on the regional reversal, attributing it to federal policy under the Trump administration and to what she described as a 50% cut in state Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention funding, from $1 billion to $500 million, which she said cost the city of Los Angeles $70 million.
LAHSA also cited economic pressure, noting that a Los Angeles County household must earn $110,000 a year to afford the average rent of $2,745 a month, and that the region lacks more than 473,000 affordable homes it needs.
The counting methodology has faced scrutiny. A RAND Corporation study published in 2025 found LAHSA's volunteer-led count has significantly undercounted the region's unsheltered population in recent years, and a HUD-mandated review of the 2025 count identified duplication and utilization errors that prompted revisions. LAHSA has also weathered a forensic audit, the loss of roughly $350 million in annual county funding and the resignation of its former chief executive over the past year.
Officials describe the point-in-time count as a directional indicator rather than a census, cautioning that year-over-year changes should be read alongside other local data.
### Third Annual Marina del Rey Career Day Brings Career Possibilities to Life for Local Students
URL: https://www.smdp.com/third-annual-marina-del-rey-career-day-brings-career-possibilities-to-life-for-local-students/
Last updated: 2026-08-05T09:59:59.000Z
More than 40 local students got a firsthand look at careers in the maritime, public safety, tourism and hospitality industries during the third annual Marina del Rey Career Day, hosted by the Marina del Rey Tourism Board in partnership with the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell.
The event connected students from local Boys & Girls Clubs with industry professionals through guided tours, hands-on activities and interactive presentations highlighting career paths available throughout Marina del Rey.
Students toured the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Marina del Rey Station, City Cruises, FantaSea Yachts, Hilton Garden Inn and The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey, meeting with professionals in tourism, hospitality, maritime operations and public safety. Along the way, they learned about the training and skills required for jobs including sheriff's deputy, executive chef, hotel manager and boat captain.
"We're proud to introduce local students to the rewarding careers that Marina del Rey tourism and hospitality industries have to offer," Janet Zaldua, CEO of the Marina del Rey Tourism Board, said in a statement. "With our partners at the Office of Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell and local Boys & Girls Clubs, Career Day has sparked curiosity and helped local students envision the opportunities available in their backyard."
Mitchell said the event gives students a look at career paths within Los Angeles County departments and the industries that support the marina.
"It's important for students to see the opportunities available within our Los Angeles County departments and the industries that help Marina del Rey thrive," Mitchell said. "This event is about investing in the next generation and supporting the workforce and businesses that make this world-class marina a welcoming destination for residents and visitors alike."
The day concluded with a recognition ceremony at the Hilton Garden Inn, where students received completion certificates presented by Mitchell's office. A raffle rewarded participants for their engagement in the day's activities.
Angel Silva, director of teen programming at the Boys & Girls Club of West San Gabriel Valley & Eastside, said the event exposes students to possibilities they might not have otherwise considered.
"The teens love Marina del Rey Career Day, which offers an invaluable opportunity to learn about career paths directly from professionals in the field," Silva said. "It opens their eyes to possibilities that they didn't even know existed, feeding their curiosity and encouraging them to confidently pursue new paths."
The Marina del Rey Tourism Board said the annual event reflects its commitment to introducing local youth to career opportunities while supporting the workforce behind the marina's tourism and hospitality industry.
### Santa Monica Place Offers Line Dancing, Movie Nights and More in August
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-place-offers-line-dancing-movie-nights-and-more-in-august/
Last updated: 2026-08-04T19:00:00.000Z
Santa Monica Place invites locals and visitors to enjoy the final weeks of summer with a full calendar of entertainment, dining and family-friendly experiences throughout August at the open-air destination steps from the beach.
Western Wednesday returns each week with complimentary line-dancing lessons led by professional instructors, along with giveaways while supplies last. The series runs Aug. 5, 12, 19 and 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. in Center Plaza, with pre-dance happy-hour offerings at participating restaurants.
The Makers Hive Marketplace returns Aug. 9 from noon to 5 p.m., featuring local makers, artists and small businesses. Sounds of Santa Monica brings free live music and DJ sets to Center Plaza on Aug. 14, 15 and 16.
The Gourmandise School hosts several hands-on classes, including a sourdough starter class and coffee tasting Aug. 16, a cake decorating workshop Aug. 23 and a farmers market tour and class Aug. 29.
Wellness on the Westside, presented by AI Wellness, offers a full day of movement, recovery and self-care on Aug. 23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event features yoga, Pilates and fitness classes, recovery experiences, a wellness marketplace and expert talks. Early bird tickets start at $30 and are available at WellnessOnTheWestside.eventbrite.com.
Cayton Children's Museum continues its Summer Friday Movie Nights every Friday through Aug. 28, pairing an after-hours museum experience with family films. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and movies begin at 6 p.m. The lineup includes "Ratatouille" on Aug. 7, "Hook" on Aug. 14, "Coco" on Aug. 21 and "Matilda" on Aug. 28\. Tickets are available through Cayton Children's Museum.
LouLou Restaurant Rooftop & Lounge offers weekly dining and entertainment, including weekday lunch specials, Jazz A Go Go on Wednesday evenings, Saturday Rosé Brunch and its Pardon My French! Sunday brunch. Some experiences are limited to guests 21 and older.
Events take place at Santa Monica Place, 395 Santa Monica Place, with several held in Center Plaza on Level 1\. For the latest event information, visit SantaMonicaPlace.com/events.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Five SMC Students Selected for Competitive Space Camp Scholarship
URL: https://www.smdp.com/five-smc-students-selected-for-competitive-space-camp-scholarship/
Last updated: 2026-08-04T18:59:59.000Z
Five Santa Monica College students were selected to receive competitive Space Camp scholarships from the Proctor Foundation for Art and Science, chosen through a national application process from a pool representing community colleges across the country.
The recipients — Nafiseh Pirmoradi, Angel Gonzalez, Stephanie Hernandez Hernandez, Julissan Gonzalez and Aria Hightower — attended the all-expenses-paid program July 10-12 at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. They took part in simulations, team-based missions and training designed to mirror real aerospace challenges.
The scholarship recognizes students showing strong potential in STEAM fields — science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics — and a commitment to advancing inclusive participation in space-related careers. It covers travel, lodging, meals and educational programming.
"We believe access to transformative experiences like Space Camp can ignite curiosity, build confidence, and open pathways into careers in space and STEAM," said Dr. Sian Proctor, the astronaut, artist and educator who founded the foundation.
Pirmoradi said piloting during simulations was her highlight, describing it as "a distant dream turned into reality." She said her background bridging art, mathematics and architecture helped her approach technical tasks with both creativity and precision. Taking three tries to launch a rocket, she added, taught her "there is no such thing as failure, only opportunities to try again."
Hightower, a formerly homeschooled freshman taking her first airplane flight and first trip out of state, said the experience sparked a fascination with biology and its connections to space. She encouraged African American and homeschooled students to pursue STEAM careers, saying "life is vast and ready for you to reach for the stars."
Hernandez Hernandez, visiting Alabama for the first time, said the trip gave her "added confidence that it's okay to fail, but to keep pushing forward."
Gonzalez-Villeda, a native of South Los Angeles, said connecting with peers in different disciplines was refreshing and reinforced the importance of mentorship and scholarships for underrepresented students.
Julissan Gonzalez said meeting peers and STEM professionals was her favorite part. "From watching Endeavour fly overhead at seven to becoming a Space Camp alumna, I'll never stop pursuing my dreams," she said.
SMC offers study in numerous STEM fields, and its students have interned at institutions including NASA-JPL, NOAA, UCLA and UC Berkeley. To learn more, visit smc.edu/STEM.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Keep an eye on these 5 deals as California lawmakers close out the legislative session
URL: https://www.smdp.com/keep-an-eye-on-these-5-deals-as-california-lawmakers-close-out-the-legislative-session/
Last updated: 2026-08-04T18:59:59.000Z
Lawmakers have returned to Sacramento ready to hammer out — and potentially spike — several legislative deals before they adjourn for the year on Aug. 31 and hit the campaign trail.
Think of this year’s end-of-session as a bonus episode to last year’s saga over climate and energy policy. Much of the unresolved business has roots in the deal that renewed the state’s carbon market. But new topics have entered the plot too, and Senate President Pro Tem [Monique Limón](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/monique-limon-13069?ref=smdp.com) will bring a different dynamic to negotiations among the “Big Three.”
As usual, much of the negotiating will take place at the leadership level behind closed doors. Here are five deals we’re watching this month.
## **Climate fund a centerpiece to budget talks**
How to spend the state’s main climate fund will be a primary sticking point this month after Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative Democrats failed to reach an agreement in time for the [June budget](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca%5F202520260ab111?ref=smdp.com).
Now, they have less than a month to settle their differences. Assembly Budget Committee Chair [Jesse Gabriel](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/jesse-gabriel-160858?ref=smdp.com), an Encino Democrat, told reporters in June that the climate budget would be “at the top of the list” for negotiations during the summer recess.
Newsom and lawmakers last fall reauthorized the state’s carbon market, which charges companies to pollute and deposits the dollars in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for climate programs. The deal also set the order in which projects would receive funding.
But that revenue source, which was estimated to generate $4 billion a year, could shrink by half under new climate rules the Newsom administration adopted this year, endangering funding for various legislative priorities and [angering Senate Democrats](https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/06/newsom-climate-rules-budget-fight-senate-democrats/?ref=smdp.com), who in turn threatened to block Newsom’s funding proposals and presented alternative spending plans in June.
Legislative leaders agreed to use [$115 million](https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/06/california-gavin-newsom-final-budget-deal/?ref=smdp.com) of the fund for Newsom-backed electric vehicle incentives and another $1.25 billion to backfill the state fire department’s budget. But still at stake is funding for the controversial high-speed rail project, which was set to receive $1 billion a year until 2045\. Projects such as safe drinking water, affordable housing and transit are also at risk of losing funding.
Separately, top leaders put off negotiations over Proposition 4, the voter-approved $10 billion bond for climate projects. Last year, state lawmakers [fought](https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/11/california-budget-earmarks-2025/?ref=smdp.com) to secure a piece of the fund for pet projects, some tangentially related to environmental protection, in their own districts in a secretive process that even many lawmakers bemoaned.
## **Tech-backed California Forever seeks a deal**
California Forever, the tech billionaires-backed group seeking to develop swaths of Solano County farmland, [is hoping to get a carve-out](https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/06/california-forever-solano-shipyard-deal/?ref=smdp.com) on environmental rules for the development.
For months, the group and its labor union allies told state lawmakers the relief was necessary to help California land a deal with Saronics Technologies Inc., a Texas-based shipbuilder they said was eyeing California for its next shipyard. The group wanted the state to streamline environmental reviews and override county restrictions for the development, but no legislation materialized as opponents accused the group of bypassing local resistance and sidestepping environmental regulations.
The shipbuilder announced last month that it would build in Texas, a decision California Forever blamed on state lawmakers. “We were passed over because … our approval process cannot accommodate the required speed without special legislation, which was not passed in time,” [the group said in a statement](https://californiaforever.com/statement-from-labor-and-business-coalition-on-saronic-shipyard-going-to-texas/?ref=smdp.com).
“California and Solano County must not miss the next opportunity,” it continued.
California Forever has spent $455,000 since last year lobbying state lawmakers and the governor’s office, according to its lobbying report released Friday.
The proposed development appears to have Newsom’s blessing. The governor’s office called a meeting Thursday to discuss the project with a couple of Solano County supervisors, California Forever representatives and Assemblymember [Lori Wilson](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/lori-wilson-165454?ref=smdp.com) and Sen. [Christopher Cabaldon](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/christopher-cabaldon-5699?ref=smdp.com), who represent the region.
Dee Dee Myers, who heads the governor’s office of business and economic development that’s been pushing for the development, was also present. In a memo last month, her office called the region a “world-class industrial site” and touted the importance of building a shipyard and an advanced manufacturing hub in the area.
“California is better positioned to attract billions of dollars in investment, tens of thousands of new good-paying jobs and a more resilient supply chain than it has been in decades,” the memo said. “And no project represents this opportunity more clearly than the proposed Solano Shipyard and Solano Foundry.”
## **Will Newsom’s wildfire plan benefit utilities?**
Newsom is also [proposing legislation](https://calmatters.org/economy/2026/07/wildfire-liability-battle/?ref=smdp.com) to address growing wildfire risks in California but is not giving specifics.
Consumer advocates, wildfire survivors and insurers say he’s trying to reduce utilities’ liability for causing wildfires, shift wildfire recovery costs to insurance policyholders and make it harder for fire victims to get compensation or legal representation — claims Newsom’s office declined to address.
Newsom spokesperson Anthony Martinez said discussions about potential legislation followed a [California Earthquake Authority study](https://www.cawildfirefund.com/sites/wildfire/files/documents/2026/sb254-natcatresiliencyreport-locked-4-7-26.pdf?ref=smdp.com) in April that examined ways to better prepare California for natural disasters. The study was required by a [last-minute deal](https://calmatters.org/environment/2025/09/newsom-climate-energy-overhaul-laws/?ref=smdp.com) Newsom and state lawmakers struck last year, which required utility companies to pay into the state’s wildfire fund while allowing them to shift certain costs onto customers.
Wildfire Survivors First, a utilities-funded coalition despite its name, is lobbying state leaders to adopt several proposals listed in the study, arguing they would reduce wildfire risks and make property insurance more affordable.
Most legislative leaders were tight-lipped about the potential package. Sen. [Ben Allen](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/benjamin-allen-70?ref=smdp.com), a Los Angeles Democrat running for state insurance commissioner, said he would “carefully review” any legislation and urged against proposals to “simply shift around the costs consumers pay.” Democratic Sen. [Sasha Renée Pérez](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/sasha-renee-perez-187431?ref=smdp.com), who represents Eaton Fire survivors, said she would oppose last-minute deals to cap compensation for fire victims.
## **Business and labor clash over antitrust proposal**
Lawmakers will determine the fate of a controversial bill that would give Californians the ability to [sue large companies in state court](https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/07/california-monopoly-law-compete-act/?ref=smdp.com) for using monopolistic practices to stifle competition.
The bill, known as the COMPETE Act, has infuriated the business community and set the California Chamber of Commerce on a warpath. The powerful industry group has called [Assembly Bill 1776](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca%5F202520260ab1776?ref=smdp.com) “the largest expansion of antitrust law in world history” and warns its members that the legislation would “leave every business of every size in California vulnerable to massive legal liability.”
Business advocates also argue that the bill gives predatory law firms a new way to shake down California businesses by opening the floodgates for what’s known as “private right of action” lawsuits. For years, business owners have complained about California laws that allow activists and a cottage industry of lawyers to bombard them with cash demands and lawsuits over [disability access](https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/07/california-ada-lawsuits-competing-bills/?ref=smdp.com), [product warning labels](https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-07-23/prop-65-product-warnings?ref=smdp.com), [labor complaints](https://calchamberalert.com/2026/02/13/business-coalition-applauds-key-provisions-of-new-paga-regulations/?ref=smdp.com) and [consumer privacy](https://www.skadden.com/insights/publications/2026/06/cipa-is-still-a-mess?ref=smdp.com).
The legislation, authored by Assembly Majority Leader [Cecilia Aguiar-Curry](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/cecilia-aguiar-curry-101332?ref=smdp.com), a Davis Democrat, has support from labor-friendly progressive lawmakers, but also some who have more moderate records such as Assemblymember [Jasmeet Bains](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/jasmeet-bains-165424?ref=smdp.com) and Senator [Melissa Hurtado](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/melissa-hurtado-165039?ref=smdp.com), both Central Valley Democratic lawmakers.
Several of the state’s most powerful unions have lined up as co-sponsors, including the California Federation of Labor Unions, SEIU California and the United Food and Commercial Workers.
The bill is scheduled to be heard in the Senate appropriations committee on Aug. 10.
## **Counties seek reprieve from costly assault claims**
Los Angeles County is leading a behind-the-scenes effort to limit lawsuits from Californians who allege they were abused as children by public employees while in county or school district custody.
The effort comes in response to [a deluge of lawsuits](https://calmatters.org/education/2026/02/sex-abuse-california-2/?ref=smdp.com) that followed [a 2019 law](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=201920200AB218&ref=smdp.com) that dramatically expanded the time people have to sue for the alleged abuse. Survivors now have until they turn 40 to file claims, rather than the previous cutoff of age 26 or within five years of becoming aware of trauma caused by the alleged abuse. The resulting litigation and settlements have cost counties and school districts billions of dollars.
Last April, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a $4 billion settlement with 6,800 people who claimed they suffered abuse while in county juvenile detention facilities. Some of those cases dated back more than 65 years.
Lawmakers attempted to broker a compromise, [Senate Bill 577](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca%5F202520260sb577?ref=smdp.com), at the end of last session that would satisfy survivors and roll back the scope of the law to provide some financial reprieve to cash-strapped counties and school districts. But that effort, led by Sen. [John Laird](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/john-laird-3108?ref=smdp.com), a Democrat from Santa Cruz, couldn’t gain traction, and Laird eventually shelved the issue.
Now, public employee unions are pushing for a reprieve again, largely to avoid potential pay concessions from their financially burdened public employers. Negotiations will likely take place at the Democratic leadership level between Limón and Assembly Speaker [Robert Rivas](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/robert-rivas-165041?ref=smdp.com).
—---------------------------------
**by** [**Yue Stella Yu**](https://calmatters.org/author/yue-yu/?ref=smdp.com) **and** [**Maya C. Miller**](https://calmatters.org/author/maya-miller/?ref=smdp.com)
### Existential Change is Coming to Santa Monica's Built Environment
URL: https://www.smdp.com/existential-change-is-coming-to-santa-monicas-built-environment/
Last updated: 2026-08-04T16:55:53.000Z
Following years of NIMBY driven project rejection at the local level, the development industry, academics and millennials, who’ve increasingly been shut out of the state’s housing market by rising rents and prices, teamed with Sacramento legislators to advance a series of laws accelerating the supply of housing in California’s cities.
These laws circumvent local control, and permit developers double the housing density otherwise allowed under the current zoning ordinance provided they agree to include specified percentages of deed restricted affordable housing in their housing mix. If these developments comply with state law, project approvals are granted by City staff, without public hearings that were historically required at the Planning Commission or City Council.
As a result, developers are submitting project applications for 6 – 8 story building heights along neighborhood commercial boulevards like Pico and Ocean Park, and state and municipal law currently grants them the right to build up to 10 dwelling units on a single family lot (depending on the lot’s size), and possibly even more if the City elects to introduce ADUs into the mix.
The profile of our built environment will radically change over the next decade, and traffic congestion, and the demand for on-street parking and resources like water and electricity, will dramatically increase.
[The Neighborhood Taskforce](http://theneighborhoodtaskforce.org/?ref=smdp.com), a community based non-profit, organized late last year in response to these developments. We embrace the need for increased housing supply, look forward to increasing height and density in our downtown, and welcome vibrant new development along our neighborhood commercial boulevards. The only constant in life is change, and we welcome it. However, such change needs to be thoughtfully implemented, and that is not currently the case here in Santa Monica
First, the City is not requiring developers to deliver the breadth and depth of affordability called for by California’s density bonus law. While Santa Monica is on pace to meet or exceed its targets for market rate housing, it is woefully underdelivering on its deed restricted affordable housing goals. We need affordable housing priced below market in perpetuity for qualifying lower income people who work here, so they and their families can choose to live in Santa Monica, thereby reducing the many long commutes they must make from less costly environs to their workplace, and the traffic congestion that follows.
Second, City planning staff has signalled its willingness to grant excessively generous waivers from the zoning code’s building height limits, when, in fact, developers can reduce their storied height by moving above grade parking to subterranean garages. State law explicitly allows for height waivers only when developers would otherwise be physically unable to do so. The sometimes higher costs of subterranean parking do not justify waivers under state law; developers can account for those costs up front, and accordingly reduce the residual purchase price they offer underlying owners of properties they intend to develop. As it stands, land sellers are realizing substantially increased profits, thanks to the doubling of the residential unit count previously allowed on their properties. The City shouldn’t effectively subsidize them at the expense of our community’s urban streetscape and quality of life.
Third, our City Council recently adopted a thoughtfully crafted Realignment Plan which proposes, among other things, to focus housing development downtown, and concurrently explore ways to ensure future housing development along our boulevards remains compatible with our existing lower density residential neighborhoods. Encouragingly, last month City planning staff submitted a draft Resolution of Intent to the Planning Commission to do just that. However, the Commissioners rejected staff’s proposal the very same night, instructing them to resubmit a one sided alternative which simply called for intensified development of the downtown. Why can’t we implement the tradeoff the adopted Realignment Plan and city planning staff suggested, and achieve a win-win?
It makes sense to redistribute some housing density away from our outlying neighborhood commercial boulevards to the city’s urban core. Newly built apartments located there will facilitate residents’ ease of pedestrian access to higher concentrations of employment, commerce and the Expo line. This will help reduce automobile traffic citywide, and contribute to the revitalization of downtown Santa Monica as our city center.
As recent state laws have stripped neighborhood constituencies of their voice at most public hearings, we must develop new pathways to constructively engage City staff, appointeds and electeds to thoughtfully interpret and implement state laws with rigor and the community’s best interests in mind. We believe if all parties genuinely listen to and work with each other in good faith, we can deliver win-wins for developers, the City and our neighborhoods. If that effort fails, we must organize for change.
Loren Bloch
Loren is the president of [The Neighborhood Taskforce](http://theneighborhoodtaskforce.org/?ref=smdp.com), and was a Santa Monica Housing Commissioner for seven years.
### Snap Inc. reports 19% revenue growth, narrower loss in second quarter
URL: https://www.smdp.com/snap-inc-reports-19-revenue-growth-narrower-loss-in-second-quarter/
Last updated: 2026-08-04T15:59:59.000Z
Snap Inc. reported second-quarter revenue of $1.6 billion Monday, a 19% increase from a year earlier, as the Snapchat parent company posted a narrower net loss and its highest free cash flow performance to date for a second quarter.
The Santa Monica-based technology company said revenue for the three months ended June 30 totaled $1,598,993,000, up from $1,344,930,000 in the same period last year, according to a news release. Revenue for the first six months of 2026 reached $3.13 billion, a 15% increase from $2.71 billion during the same period in 2025.
Snap posted a net loss of $163,960,000 for the quarter, or 10 cents per diluted share, an improvement from a net loss of $262,570,000, or 16 cents per diluted share, a year earlier. Operating loss also narrowed to $170,721,000 from $259,676,000.
Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure the company uses to gauge underlying business performance, rose to $249,615,000 from $41,270,000 in the prior-year quarter, a 505% increase. The company said its results included $128.5 million in restructuring charges that were excluded from the adjusted figure.
Net cash provided by operating activities was $176,214,000 for the quarter, compared with $88,494,000 a year earlier. Free cash flow, defined as operating cash flow minus spending on property and equipment, was $120,538,000, up from $23,793,000 in the same quarter last year.
"Q2 reflects the progress we are making to strengthen our core business and build a more durable financial foundation for Snap," co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel said in the release. Spiegel said the company grew revenue by 19%, expanded margins and generated positive free cash flow while improving advertising performance and growing its direct revenue business. He said Snap remains focused on serving its 971 million monthly active users, delivering value for advertisers and investing with discipline to increase free cash flow per share over time.
The company reported 493 million average daily active users for the quarter, a 5% increase year-over-year, and 971 million average monthly active users, up 4%. Average revenue per user was $3.25, a 13% increase from a year earlier.
By region, North America generated $942,883,000 in revenue, up 15% from a year ago. Europe revenue rose 33% to $353,806,000, while revenue from the rest of the world grew 17% to $302,304,000, according to the release.
Common shares outstanding totaled 1,682,281,000 as of June 30, essentially flat compared with the same date in 2025\. The company had 4,723 full-time employees as of quarter's end, a 9% decrease from a year earlier.
Snap's balance sheet showed total assets of $7.47 billion as of June 30, down from $7.68 billion at the end of 2025\. Cash and cash equivalents stood at $958,848,000, compared with $1,030,435,000 at the end of last year. Total stockholders' equity was $1,927,088,000, down from $2,281,495,000 six months earlier.
During the quarter, the company repurchased $250,465,000 of Class A non-voting common stock, according to the cash flow statement in the release.
Snap did not issue specific financial guidance for the third quarter of 2026 in the release, saying it would discuss its outlook during an earnings call and investor letter. The company hosted a conference call Monday at 2 p.m. Pacific time to discuss the results, with an audio webcast made available on its investor relations website.
Snap Inc., headquartered in Santa Monica, operates the Snapchat visual messaging app along with Specs Inc., a subsidiary focused on computing hardware, in addition to Bitmoji, Saturn and other digital services, according to the release.
### Lights. Camera. Community as SMPD host National Night Out 2026 at City Hall
URL: https://www.smdp.com/lightsanta-monica-police-to-host-national-night-out-2026-at-city-hall/
Last updated: 2026-08-04T10:00:42.000Z
The Santa Monica Police Department will host National Night Out 2026 on Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Santa Monica City Hall, 1685 Main St., offering residents a free evening of community-building activities with law enforcement and city staff.
This year's event, themed "Lights. Camera. Community.," will transform the City Hall campus into an interactive gathering featuring police vehicle displays, children's activities, community resource booths, entertainment, food and giveaways, according to the department.
Attendees will have the chance to meet Santa Monica police officers and staff, view specialized police equipment and programs, and learn about crime prevention and emergency preparedness resources while connecting with organizations that serve the community.
This year's event includes free Habit burgers for the first 1,000 residents, along with ice cream, face painting, photo booths and police vehicle displays. Free parking will be available in the Civic Center Parking Structure.
The event marks the first National Night Out under Chief Darrick Jacob, who was sworn in Jan. 14, becoming the first internal chief to lead the department in more than 40 years.
Santa Monica police have hosted National Night Out since at least 2012, when then-Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks led the event at the Civic Center. In 2016, the department shifted to a decentralized format with four separate park events organized by police beat before later returning to the City Hall and Main Street format.
National Night Out began nationally in August 1984 as a symbolic "lights on" campaign in which neighbors turned on porch lights and sat outside together. The event was founded by Matt Peskin, a community-watch volunteer from Lower Merion, Pennsylvania, who had established the nonprofit National Association of Town Watch in 1981.
According to the U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Assistance, the inaugural event launched with a $15,000 grant and drew 2.5 million participants across 400 communities in 23 states, including Detroit, Houston, Minneapolis, New York and Philadelphia.
The event's stated goals are crime prevention, stronger police-community relations and neighborhood camaraderie. Over four decades, it has evolved from simple porch vigils into block parties, cookouts, parades, festivals, safety demonstrations and first-responder visits nationwide. Peskin now serves as the National Association of Town Watch's executive director.
### Santa Monica council backs pier boxing fundraiser despite lone dissent
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-backs-pier-boxing-fundraiser-despite-lone-dissent/
Last updated: 2026-08-04T18:29:01.000Z
The Santa Monica City Council voted 6-1 on July 28 to waive up to $16,950 in city fees and to commit $12,500 in council discretionary funds for the Butterfly Brawl, a charity boxing event returning to the Santa Monica Pier next month.
The lone opponent, Councilmember Dan Hall, said he supported the event itself but objected to waiving public fees for what he described as a private company.
The [Butterfly Brawl](https://fightbook.com/butterfly-brawl?ref=smdp.com), billed as a combination of high-level boxing, entertainment and philanthropy in support of cancer-related causes, is scheduled for Aug. 22 on the pier. Negrete said "the proceeds go to the American Cancer Society," with a focus this year on youth with cancer.
The request came from Councilmembers Lana Negrete and Barry Snell and Mayor Caroline Torosis, who together pledged the discretionary money: $5,000 from Negrete, $5,000 from Snell and $2,500 from Torosis. The fee waiver covers the city's portion of costs associated with staging the event on the pier.
Negrete, who introduced the item, said the event had personal origins. "We had it for the first time last year," she said, recalling that it began as the "Butterfly Ball" — spelled B-A-L-L — to support a family member of a person "who lost their life to cancer." She said the event later "morphed" into the Butterfly Brawl, shifting its focus to up-and-coming and female fighters.
"Last year it was beyond a success," Negrete said. She said the event drew favorable press and even attracted boxing announcers who, organizers later learned, lived in Santa Monica. "There was no incidents," she added.
Negrete said organizers came out of pocket last year to involve young people, including children from the Police Activities League and other community youth. She encouraged residents to attend, calling it "pretty cool to have a boxing ring on the pier" and saying "everybody should go."
Because the council had approved a similar package of support for the inaugural event, Negrete framed this year's request as a repeat. "It's just repeating what we did last year to help offset some of those costs," she said.
Hall cast the only no vote. He praised the event but said the city's signature events policy existed "for a reason" and warned that waiving the city's share of fees creates ripple effects for other partners. Each time the [council ](https://www.smdp.com/council-to-weigh-three-paths-for-shielding-expo-bundy-area-from-state-housing-law/)waives its portion, he said, "it applies pressure to the \[Pier\] Corporation because they also are asked to waive their fees, and they can't afford to do it in the way that we can."
Hall also questioned who would benefit from the waiver. "Fightbook is ... a for-profit company," he said. "They do not have a nonprofit status with IRS, and I don't think it's appropriate for us to be waiving city fees for a for-profit company."
Despite Hall's objection, the measure passed comfortably. Voting in favor were Negrete, Councilmember Raskin, Mayor Pro Tem Zwick, Snell, Councilmember Zernitskaya and Torosis. Hall was the only member opposed.
The item was the final piece of business before the council recessed. According to the meeting record, members are not scheduled to reconvene until the second Tuesday in August.
The report supporting the request was prepared by Sergio Ramirez, chief of staff, and included an attachment tracking the council's discretionary fund spending.
Butterfly Brawl's stated mission, as described in the city report, is to combine high-level boxing, entertainment and philanthropy in support of cancer-related causes. Negrete urged residents to attend, saying the event brings a boxing ring to the pier and draws local youth, including Police Activities League children, into the day's activities.
### California needs to preserve clean air and public oversight. Why Prop. 45 must be stopped
URL: https://www.smdp.com/california-needs-to-preserve-clean-air-and-public-oversight-why-prop-45-must-be-stopped/
Last updated: 2026-08-03T19:00:44.000Z
#
By Mabel Tsang, Special for CalMatters
This commentary was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
*California voters will decide the fate of a proposal that speeds up approvals for certain projects and changes how the state's bedrock environmental law can be applied to them. Below, an environmental justice advocate says Proposition 45 empowers bad actors and shifts costs to taxpayers. The opposing view: An affordable housing advocate says* [*historic misuse of environmental laws have delayed projects California can no longer wait for*](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/07/proposition-45-housing-environmental-reform/?ref=smdp.com)*.*
No matter what we look like or where we live, Californians want our communities to be healthy and safe from the impacts of toxic industries.
If passed, Proposition 45, which appears on the state’s November ballot, would be disastrous for communities that already live near industrial pollution, where business interests continue to build new facilities and put our health and safety at risk. Prop. 45 weakens environmental reviews, reduces community input on polluting projects, and allows wealthy corporations to shift the costs onto taxpayers and families.
This fall Californians must vote ‘no’ on it.
Prop. 45 gives polluters much more power over where and how a wide range of projects are developed. Everything, from freeway expansions to mineral extraction facilities near sensitive habitats, could be easier to build. Ecosystem-destroying dams and hazardous biomass power plants could all happen with limited public oversight. Even data centers and warehouses, while not explicitly mentioned, are legally plausible, as [scholars have noted](https://legal-planet.org/2026/06/24/baca-and-data-centers-part-i/?ref=smdp.com).
Prop. 45 essentially shifts power from the public agencies charged with overseeing these projects to the industrial developers backing them.
Many Californians are familiar with the [California Environmental Quality Act](https://lci-web-prod-h2hafwdbf7dqf3ep.westus2-01.azurewebsites.net/ceqa/getting-started/?ref=smdp.com), or CEQA (pronounced see-kwah), but not everyone understands how this bedrock environmental law works. CEQA helps protect communities who live closest to polluting projects by requiring that developers take steps to reduce the harms their projects will inflict on air, water and nearby communities. CEQA is frequently the only tool available to limit the worst impacts of pollution, especially when these projects are built near hospitals, parks, schools and homes.
Projects ranging from [massive warehouse facilities in Fresno](https://fresnoland.org/2022/11/01/bonta-in-fresno/?ref=smdp.com) to [dairy biogas facilities in Tulare County](https://www.treasurer.ca.gov/sites/default/files/caeatfa/4a5.pdf?ref=smdp.com), for example, offer big profits for corporations, but the hidden costs are what happens to the air, water and health of the communities close to them.
Public review under CEQA offers balance. The CEQA process can and often has led to benefits, like shifted truck routes that reduce the proximity of emissions, or better air filtration to address landfill odors, or investments in technology to reduce polluted run-off water.
CEQA is community power in action.
If Prop. 45 passes, it’s not just housing that benefits. It’s a long list of project types that could be built, and with far fewer opportunities for communities and public officials to secure these kinds of protections. Prop. 45 even gives developers a new right to sue agencies that try to impose commonsense limitations.
Without a full environmental review, many communities will face even greater public health risks. By allowing corporations to set the terms through a ballot proposition, cities and counties could be forced to use public dollars to curb the pollution private projects create.
When it’s harder for cities and counties to deny or put conditions on hazardous projects, it’s taxpayers who are forced to live with greater pollution in their backyards.
Californians have fought long and hard for state and federal laws that keep our air breathable and our water drinkable. The Trump administration has shown [how quickly those protections can be cast aside](https://calmatters.org/environment/2025/07/california-smog-air-pollution-solutions-electric-cars-trucks-trump/?ref=smdp.com). Prop. 45 suppresses California’s strongest defense against recent federal rollbacks, leaving everyone at greater risk of polluted air, polluted water and perilous risks to our health.
Special interests like for-profit utilities, tech companies and developers of luxury homes are spending millions of dollars to pass Prop. 45\. The [nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates the measure](https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Proposition?number=45&year=2026&ref=smdp.com) may initially cost the public more than $100 million annually. The long-term impacts could reportedly be “more substantial.”
Prop. 45 benefits the state's wealthiest and most powerful interests without offering any proof — or requiring any guarantees — that Californians won’t shoulder the costs.
It’s also designed to make it almost impossible for the Legislature to fix any problems the measure causes. Under Prop. 45, legislators can only amend it by a two-thirds vote — and only if an amendment "furthers the purposes" of the measure.
More than 270 environmental justice, housing, health, labor, conservation, civil rights, climate and clean energy groups oppose Prop. 45\. To defeat it, voters must stand up to the corporations that want to dismantle California’s bedrock environmental laws and take away community voices — all so they can more easily line their own pockets.
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/07/proposition-45-environment-health-protections/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Los Angeles Tourism Generated $42.6 Billion in 2025. The Next Test Is Turning Global Attention Into Lasting Growth
URL: https://www.smdp.com/los-angeles-tourism-generated-42-6-billion-in-2025-the-next-test-is-turning-global-attention-into-lasting-growth/
Last updated: 2026-08-03T18:59:59.000Z
Los Angeles welcomed 49.5 million visitors in 2025, generating $42.6 billion in local business sales and supporting more than 530,000 jobs across Los Angeles County, according to new data from the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board and Tourism Economics.
The numbers affirm tourism’s place among the region’s most powerful economic engines. They also reveal a more complicated story: Los Angeles entered its historic run of global sporting events from a position of strength, but not uninterrupted growth.
In 2024, Los Angeles welcomed approximately 50 million visitors, supported more than 543,000 tourism-related jobs and generated more than $45 billion in business sales. Compared with those figures, visitation declined approximately 1% in 2025, while business sales decreased by at least $2.4 billion. Tourism employment also finished below the previous year’s reported level, according to [Los Angeles Tourism](https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/4244739/Los-Angeles-Tourism-Convention-Board/Vice-President-Community-Impact?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com).
International visitation provides important context. Tourism Economics reported that Los Angeles welcomed 6.6 million international visitors in 2024 and 6.4 million in 2025, a 3% year-over-year decline. Yet Los Angeles outperformed the broader United States, where inbound international visitation fell 5.5% to 68.3 million travelers in 2025, according to the [U.S. Travel Association](https://www.ustravel.org/research/travel-forecasts?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com). The comparison suggests that although Los Angeles was not immune to national travel headwinds, its global appeal helped soften their impact.
That relative resilience also underscores the importance of air connectivity and the arrival experience in maintaining Los Angeles’ competitiveness as a global destination. “This summer’s tournament brought the world to L.A., and Delta was proud to help make that journey possible for thousands of supporters traveling to experience one of the biggest sporting events on the planet,” said Scott Santoro, Vice President of Los Angeles and Sales West at Delta Air Lines. “Our Delta people worked hard to ensure customers could focus on what mattered most being part of an unforgettable moment.”
Santoro said the impact extended well beyond air travel and the matches themselves. “The tournament showcased L.A. on the world stage, driving tourism, supporting local businesses and reinforcing the city’s status as a premier global destination. It also offered a preview of what’s ahead as Los Angeles prepares to welcome the world again for the 2028 Summer Olympics.”
Even during that challenging year, visitors generated approximately $118 million in economic activity every day. Tourism contributed $305 million to the City’s General Fund and produced $3.4 billion in state and local tax revenue, helping save the average Los Angeles County household approximately $1,000 annually in taxes. The Los Angeles Convention Center also hosted 19 citywide conventions, welcoming more than 260,000 attendees and generating over 209,000 hotel room nights. More than 470 additional meetings and events produced another 254,000 room nights. “Despite a variety of headwinds impacting tourism nationally, LA’s Visitor Industry continues to be one of the largest contributors to our local economy,” LA Tourism President and CEO Adam Burke said. “Ensuring a sustainable future for this vital business sector is critical to the hundreds of thousands of Angelenos and the local businesses—including hundreds of small and diverse-owned businesses, whose livelihoods depend on the industry.”
The data arrives as Los Angeles moves from the 2026 FIFA World Cup toward Super Bowl LXI and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The opportunity is not simply to fill stadiums. It is to convert spectators into hotel guests, restaurant customers, transit riders, cultural participants and future visitors. The World Cup provided a live test. The tournament extended into beaches, parks, restaurants and neighborhood business districts through public transportation, fan zones, watch parties, cultural programming and sponsor activations stretching from Venice and Santa Monica to Inglewood and the San Fernando Valley.
Airbnb data illustrates the geographic and economic reach of that activity. In a study commissioned by Airbnb, Deloitte projected that spending by Airbnb guests in Los Angeles and nearby communities during the World Cup could generate approximately $183 million in business turnover, contribute $96 million to regional GDP, support 740 full-time-equivalent jobs and produce approximately $12 million in product-related tax revenue.
The benefits extended beyond accommodations. Deloitte projected $15 million in turnover for food and beverage businesses, $10 million for cultural activities, $9 million for transportation and $8 million for retail according to [Deloitte’s Airbnb World Cup economic-impact study](https://news.airbnb.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/06/Deloitte-Report%5FAirbnb%5FFIFAWorldCup26.pdf?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com).
As the tournament unfolded, Airbnb reported that searches for Los Angeles stays increased 63% week over week ahead of the July 10 quarterfinal. The United Kingdom, Mexico and Canada were among the leading international origins for guests, while San Diego emerged as the top destination searched after Los Angeles, evidence that major events can generate visitor movement extending beyond one host city.
Tourism Economics data shared by Santa Monica Travel & Tourism provides another measure of how World Cup activity traveled beyond the stadium. During match days across the tournament’s first five weeks, Santa Monica hotels recorded a 3.7% year-over-year increase in occupancy, while average daily rates rose 42.1%. Revenue per available room—a key measure combining room rates and occupancy increased 47.3%, and total hotel revenue climbed 49.3%. Among the Los Angeles-area submarkets analyzed, Santa Monica posted the strongest hotel revenue growth, despite being approximately 12 miles from the stadium.
The results demonstrate how destinations can capture substantial event-related value without hosting a match themselves. Santa Monica paired its hotels and recognizable coastal attractions with six weeks of community programming, sponsor activations and public events culminating in Michelob’s Santa Monica Pier activation, COAST, creating additional reasons for visitors and residents to remain in the city. “Summer in Santa Monica and the World Cup delivered a great match,” said Misti Kerns, president and CEO of Santa Monica Travel & Tourism. “The city from our residents, partners and businesses prepared, adapted and seized the moment. Our collective goal is to keep that momentum going as we prepare for major events, including the Ocean Way Festival on our beach in September, Super Bowl LXI and welcoming the world to Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics.”
That momentum will soon face another test. The inaugural [Ocean Way Festival](https://www.santamonica.com/event/ocean-way-festival/?ref=smdp.com), presented by Goldenvoice, will bring two days of music, food, wellness and beach culture to Santa Monica on September 26 and 27\. The progression from World Cup activations to a major beachfront music festival and then Super Bowl and Olympic opportunities shows how event infrastructure, public-private partnerships and destination marketing can build upon one another rather than beginning again with every event.
Santa Monica’s performance reinforces a larger economic development lesson, a mega-event’s value should not be measured only at the stadium gate, but its reach depends on how effectively the region connects visitors with accommodations, transportation, cultural experiences and neighborhood businesses.
For Stephen Cheung, president and CEO of the Los Angeles County Economic Development (LAEDC) and World Trade Center Los Angeles, the region’s diversity must be treated as an economic advantage, not simply a marketing message. “Our diversity has always been our greatest economic strength,” Cheung said. “As we prepare to welcome the world for the World Cup, Super Bowl, and Olympics/Paralympics, our region must invest in the workers, entrepreneurs, and families who built what visitors will come here to see.”
Mega-events deliver their greatest value when they become catalysts for broader economic participation rather than isolated moments of entertainment. Hotels, short-term rentals, transportation, restaurants, cultural institutions and neighborhood businesses collectively create the visitor experience. Los Angeles’ expanding destination portfolio including LACMA’s David Geffen Galleries, Destination Crenshaw, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, West Harbor, the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center and continuing modernization at LAX—strengthens that proposition.
The 2025 numbers are therefore neither an uncomplicated success story nor a prediction of decline, but a baseline. Los Angeles already knows how to capture global attention, now it's about transforming that attention into longer stays, stronger international visitation, wider regional spending and benefits that remain visible long after the final whistle.
### Getty Center's Free Garden Concerts for Kids Returns in August
URL: https://www.smdp.com/getty-centers-free-garden-concerts-for-kids-returns-in-august/
Last updated: 2026-08-03T18:38:00.000Z
Getty's free annual outdoor summer concert series "Garden Concerts for Kids" returns for weekends in August, giving children and families a chance to dance, sing and celebrate with notable children's musicians.
The series kicks off Aug. 1 and 2 with Grammy Award-winning Dan Zanes, Haitian-American jazz vocalist Claudia Zanes and gospel singer Tyree Austin, whose interactive performances blend folk, jazz, gospel and roots music. Peruvian singer-songwriter Flor Bromley, a Grammy and Latin Grammy nominee known for joyful bilingual music, performs Aug. 8 and 9\. The series closes Aug. 15 and 16 with Elizabeth Mitchell, a two-time Grammy nominee marking the 20th anniversary of her Smithsonian Folkways album "You Are My Little Bird."
Concerts begin at 4 p.m. on the grass lawn at the Getty Center's Central Garden. Free reservations are required and include general admission to the museum. Visitors are encouraged to bring a blanket and picnic and to explore the galleries and current exhibitions.
"We're delighted to welcome families to this year's Garden Concerts for Kids season and celebrate an incredible lineup of talented musicians who will fill the garden with music, fun, and memorable performances for all to enjoy," said Daniela Alvarez, public programs coordinator at the Getty Museum.
The Getty Center is open Tuesday through Friday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Parking is $25, or $15 after 3 p.m. and $10 after 6 p.m. Parking is free after 6 p.m. on Saturdays.
Getty offers free family programming year-round at the Getty Center and Getty Villa. The Getty Center will temporarily close for renovations beginning March 2027.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica delays vote on regional housing trust, seeks new terms
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-delays-vote-on-regional-housing-trust-seeks-new-terms/
Last updated: 2026-08-03T18:07:28.000Z
The Santa Monica City Council on Tuesday postponed a decision on whether to join a proposed regional affordable housing trust, sending city staff back to the negotiating table over concerns that the agreement could expose the city to future costs and let unelected board members steer financing decisions.
Staff had recommended the council approve membership last week but the council voted unanimously to continue the item to its Sept. 8 meeting, directing staff to renegotiate terms of the Joint Powers Agreement that would establish the Westside Cities Affordable Housing Trust. Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Zwick recused himself from the item.
The trust, developed over roughly three years by the Westside Cities Council of Governments, would pool resources among [Santa Monica](https://www.smdp.com/court-halts-overnight-charging-operations-at-waymo-facilities-in-santa-monica/), West Hollywood, Culver City and Beverly Hills to finance affordable housing across the Westside. It would operate as a separate public agency with authority to make grants and loans, provide technical assistance and pursue outside funding on behalf of member cities.
Councilmember Dan Hall, who represents Santa Monica on the council of governments and voted to advance the trust at that level, led the push to delay. "I generally support what the \[council of governments\] is trying to do here," Hall said, pointing to the trust's ability to access philanthropic dollars and to make loans rather than grants. "However, I would like to continue this item ... because I want staff to go back to renegotiate some points."
Hall's central objection concerned money. Under the written agreement, member cities could be assessed contributions through a formula set later by the trust's board if funding from Measure A, a half-cent countywide sales tax, runs short. "I don't want to abdicate that authority to a board that has yet to be created," Hall said, arguing the formula should be determined "now, before we agree to joining."
He also questioned how the agreement defines a quorum, warning that financing decisions could be made without a majority of elected officials at the table. "You could, in theory, have public financing decisions being made by a majority of unelected technical advisors instead of elected representatives of member cities," Hall said.
The proposed seven-member board would include one elected director from each of the four cities and three housing experts. Senate Bill 20 requires such trusts to seat at least two non-elected members with expertise in housing or homelessness policy, said Dima Galkin, a consultant with Harris & Associates who presented the plan. The technical members would have full voting rights.
Hall also faulted the compressed timeline, noting the council received the draft agreement July 22 for the July 28 meeting.
Cecilia Estolano, executive director of the [Council of Governments](https://westsidecities.org/?ref=smdp.com), sought to reassure the council that the trust intended to spend only what Measure A provides. Administrative costs would be covered for at least the first year by Measure A, she said. "We want to make sure that we only spend what is in Measure A," Estolano said. "We are very cognizant of the tight budgets that our members have."
Estolano said the trust would let the cities better leverage funds and issue loans to help assemble the financing, or "capital stack," for affordable projects. If fewer than three cities join, she said, the trust would not form; the money would still flow to the council of governments, which would have to allocate it through grant programs rather than the loan format trusts typically use.
Galkin said the trust could release about $8 million in funding later this year through a notice of funding availability, assuming all four cities join. The figure combines unspent money from the last fiscal year and the current one.
Staff emphasized that membership would not obligate Santa Monica to approve, fund or site any specific development, and would not affect the city's land-use authority. Mayor Caroline Torosis confirmed that point "on the record" before signaling her own support. "I see this as low risk and high upside," she said.
Councilmember Ellis Raskin seconded the motion to delay but praised the effort behind the proposal. "There's been a tremendous network that's gone into this, and I think we're all looking forward to seeing this happen," he said.
Staff said returning Sept. 8 would still leave time for the other three councils, which are expected to vote in August or September. Activities funded by the grant that paid for the trust's formation must be concluded by Dec. 31.
### Newsom Expands Homeless Encampment Partnerships to 13 California Cities
URL: https://www.smdp.com/newsom-expands-homeless-encampment-partnerships-to-13-california-cities/
Last updated: 2026-08-02T19:00:19.000Z
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced new agreements with Ontario, San Bernardino and San Diego to clean up homeless encampments along state highways, bringing California's total number of city partnerships to 13.
Under the agreements, called Encampment Delegated Maintenance Agreements, the state offsets the cost for local agencies that work with the California Department of Transportation to remove encampments. The three new deals build on 10 previously executed agreements across the state.
"Our partnerships must continue delivering results — helping keep roadways clean and addressing the very real issues of homelessness in our state," Newsom said. "By pairing historic state investments with local-level coordination, we are helping communities across California create safer, healthier places for everyone."
Cities may perform encampment removals on the state right-of-way as long as they follow state policies and reporting requirements. Encampments that threaten public health and safety remain the top priority. Other tasks include litter and debris collection, vegetation management and graffiti abatement.
Since July 2021, Caltrans has removed nearly 26,500 encampments along the state right-of-way and collected about 457,000 cubic yards of litter and debris. The department has signed similar agreements with several cities, including San Francisco, Claremont, Commerce, Fresno, Paramount, Riverside, Santa Ana, Santa Fe Springs, San Jose and Santa Monica.
"Keeping our freeway corridors safe and clean while helping people move off the streets and into shelter is a top priority for my administration," San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said, thanking Newsom and Caltrans for renewing the city's agreement.
San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran said the agreement strengthens the city's ability to address encampments while ensuring outreach teams continue connecting people with shelter and services. Ontario Public Works Executive Director Tito Haes said the deal will let the city's public works, police and housing services personnel address encampments and debris more quickly.
State officials said California is outpacing the rest of the country, recording its largest reduction in homelessness in more than 15 years. According to new federal data, the state reduced unsheltered homelessness by 8,391 people, or 6.8%, last year — more than any other state and more than twice the national reduction of 2.9%. Overall homelessness dropped 2.8%, the largest numerical decline since 2009.
From 2024 to 2025, California's total year-round bed inventory grew by 15,013 beds, from 208,794 to 223,807, the largest increase of any state. The state has created more than 87,000 beds since 2019\. Newsom recently announced $109.6 million in voter-approved Proposition 1 funding for 278 new permanent supportive homes in four communities.
The Newsom administration also pointed to housing gains since 2019, including a 59% increase in annual residential construction, from 70,000 homes in 2018 to about 111,000 in 2024\. Streamlining laws have cut the average time from development application to entitlement by 57%, from 160 days to 68 days in 2024.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica Launches Two-Year Vision Plan for Beach and Pier
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-launches-two-year-vision-plan-for-beach-and-pier/
Last updated: 2026-08-02T16:00:50.000Z
City planners have begun crafting a long-term blueprint for the future of Santa Monica's beach and its landmark pier, launching a roughly two-year effort that will cover nearly 250 acres of the city's most heavily used public space.
Senior Park Planner Tony Lopez introduced the Beach and Pier Vision Plan to the Planning Commission on July 15, describing the project as the first step in a lengthy process expected to reshape how residents and visitors experience the coastline.
"This is merely an introduction that we are starting the project," Lopez told commissioners, adding that no formal documentation has yet begun.
The initiative grows directly out of the city's broader Parks and Recreation Vision Plan, which the City Council adopted in January. Lopez said that plan has already produced results, including cross-department grant awards and more than $200,000 in park improvements guided by its prioritization matrices. The beach and pier effort was identified as "action number four" within that document.
The scope of the new plan dwarfs its predecessor. While the Parks and Recreation Vision Plan addressed 144 acres of park space, the beach and pier study spans about 245 acres, including parking lots. "As you can imagine, this task ahead of us is going to be a very large one," Lopez said.
Lopez said the roughly two-year timeline is intentional. It will allow the city to absorb lessons from a string of major events, including the recently concluded World Cup, the 2027 Super Bowl and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. "By the time this plan is complete, we will have been able to fold in some of those learnings," he said.
Internal staff meetings began in February. Outreach to boards, commissions and outside stakeholders is planned through the summer and fall, with targeted demographic and general population surveys, along with pop-up events on the beach, expected in late 2026 and into 2027\. The work is being coordinated with updates to the city's Local Coastal Program.
Lopez said early discussions are deliberately broad, built around three "30,000 foot level" questions about lessons learned, opportunities for improvement and "blue sky" ideas for the future. Those questions, he said, will grow more specific as community input shapes draft recommendations.
Commissioners offered a range of feedback. Commissioner Shawn Landres urged staff to make accessibility a guiding principle and to consult the city's disabilities and human services commissions. He pointed to equipment that lets wheelchairs reach the water's edge, an investment he estimated at a few tens of thousands of dollars. "The principle that I would lean on is accessibility, making sure we're building a truly accessible infrastructure," he said.
Commissioner Nina Fresco emphasized preserving the coast's character. "My first thought was to make sure that the pier and the beach remain family-friendly places," she said, contrasting that goal with the arrival of digital billboards and open-carry liquor on the promenade. She urged that any new amenities be kept minimal, saying the beach already "seems a little cluttered with signage and utilities." Fresco also praised the coastal bluff as a natural feature that is "constantly changing and is beautiful" and worth protecting.
Dining drew questions as well. Commissioner Josh Hamilton asked why the beach offers few sit-down restaurants beyond Back on the Beach. Staff pointed to Proposition S, a voter-approved measure that established a beach overlay limiting dining establishments to roughly 2,000 square feet.
Commissioner Jacob Wasserman focused on mobility, calling Pacific Coast Highway "a dangerous, terrible thing between us and our beach" and suggesting a rebuilt Pier Bridge be reserved for pedestrians. He also pressed for statistically representative surveys rather than reliance on open-house attendance.
Water quality surfaced repeatedly. Commissioner Leslie Lambert said the bay is "really not that safe to swim" and questioned who bears responsibility. Lopez said the city is arranging stakeholder meetings with the Bay Foundation and its Office of Sustainability and Environment. Commissioner Jim Ries offered a more immediate warning, urging staff to watch the pier's condition ahead of a predicted El Niño.
Planning staff also confirmed the beach is drawing interest for the 2028 Games, with the French delegation set to occupy the Annenberg Community Beach House and a "Nation's Village" planned near Crescent Bay Park.
Lopez said he would return to the commission as themes such as mobility, experience and vision come into sharper focus. "I'm looking forward to this process," he said.
### Two cities burned in LA fires settle YIMBY lawsuit
URL: https://www.smdp.com/two-cities-burned-in-la-fires-settle-yimby-lawsuit/
Last updated: 2026-08-01T19:00:23.000Z
By [Ben Christopher](https://calmatters.org/author/ben-christopher/?ref=smdp.com), CalMatters
This story was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
Homeowners in Malibu and Pasadena who saw their neighborhoods burn in the Eaton and Palisades fires last year will soon be able to build up to four units on their properties now that the two fire-scarred cities have settled a lawsuit brought by pro-development activists.
The twin settlements come almost a year to the day after Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed [executive orders](https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SB-9-EO%5FFormatted.FINAL%5FATTESTED.pdf?ref=smdp.com) letting local governments nullify a state housing law, Senate Bill 9, in areas deemed to be “very high” wildfire severity zones in the region’s burn scars.
That five-year-old housing law makes it easier for single-family home owners to divide up their parcels and build duplexes on each lot, potentially allowing as many as four small units where local rules once allowed only one.
Pro-development group YIMBY Law sued both the governor and the mayor, along with the four jurisdictions who made use of the executive orders, arguing that none had the right to override a law [passed by the state legislature](https://calmatters.org/housing/2021/08/california-housing-crisis-zoning-bill/?ref=smdp.com). The duplex law was enacted in 2022 in an effort to legalize the construction of modestly-sized multiplexes and townhouses in neighborhoods zoned exclusively for single-family homes.
In settlement agreements, both Malibu and Pasadena agreed to repeal their local anti-duplex ordinances and accept all pending and future applications filed under the law. Pasadena’s city council followed suit in a [unanimous vote on July 20](https://ww2.cityofpasadena.net/2026%20Agendas/Jul%5F20%5F26/Agendarecap.asp?ref=smdp.com). The agreement with Malibu gives that city until Sept. 29 to do so.
“For people who are living, or hoping to live, or hoping to move back to Malibu and Pasadena, SB 9 is back,” said YIMBY Law executive director Sonja Trauss.
Many fire survivors of both the Eaton and Palisades fires have railed against the prospect of building back at higher densities, raising concerns about snarled evacuations along with broader concerns about traffic and unwelcome changes in community character. One of the most vocal critics of the law was Spencer Pratt, who rode a wave of popular fury at the state and local response to the fires to a high-profile, if ultimately [unsuccessful](https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-mayor-2026-election-e0ef2b83cd8f94556d1c532227bb49dd?ref=smdp.com), run for LA mayor.
YIMBY Law and other pro-development groups have argued that the law gives fire survivors additional financial flexibility to rebuild amid escalating construction costs and insufficient or sluggish insurance payouts.
Of the more than 16,000 structures destroyed in the Eaton and Palisades fires, most were located in the City of Los Angeles and in Altadena, in unincorporated Los Angeles County. Even so, Trauss said the settlement agreements are a positive sign that the law is on their side.
“The writing is on the wall,” she said. “It’s a good signal when parties are settling because it indicates the respondents feelings about how defendable their side is.”
The legal battle continues for Los Angeles County, the City of Los Angeles and both Newsom and Bass.
Meanwhile, a parallel debate is also playing out in the state capitol. Earlier this summer, Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, a Democrat who represents Altadena, introduced a bill to [temporarily exempt](https://calmatters.org/housing/2026/07/altadena-sb9-perez-sb1090/?ref=smdp.com) the town from the duplex law along with another related housing law.
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/housing/2026/07/yimby-sb9-malibu-pasadena/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Horvath convenes entertainment union coalition on Hollywood's future
URL: https://www.smdp.com/horvath-convenes-entertainment-union-coalition-on-hollywoods-future/
Last updated: 2026-08-01T16:00:08.000Z
Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath met last week with leaders of the Entertainment Union Coalition to discuss challenges facing the region's film and television industry and strategies to keep production, jobs and investment local. She later[ ](https://us.list-manage.com/18UhFxXtyhL?e=bf83c1f9f9&c2id=3f9e0bb20c920e8ace7cc6e0451385a1&ref=smdp.com)[introduced](https://us.list-manage.com/18UhFxXtyhL?e=bf83c1f9f9&c2id=3f9e0bb20c920e8ace7cc6e0451385a1&ref=smdp.com) a[ ](https://us.list-manage.com/14E7SayXeHt?e=bf83c1f9f9&c2id=3f9e0bb20c920e8ace7cc6e0451385a1&ref=smdp.com)[motion](https://us.list-manage.com/14E7SayXeHt?e=bf83c1f9f9&c2id=3f9e0bb20c920e8ace7cc6e0451385a1&ref=smdp.com) at the Board of Supervisors meeting to support legal action against the Warner Bros.-Paramount merger.
The roundtable, led by Teamsters At-Large Vice President and Motion Picture Division Director Lindsay Dougherty, brought together representatives from unions spanning film, television, music and live production. Discussion focused on expanding production incentives, streamlining permitting, protecting workers and strengthening the county's long-term competitiveness.
"Hollywood and our entertainment industry is too important for Los Angeles County to simply hope someone else will save it," Horvath said. "Local leaders have an obligation and responsibility in ensuring that we remain the creative capital of the world. That means partnering with labor and studios, pushing for smarter incentives, modernizing how productions work with government, and fighting for the hundreds of thousands of workers and small businesses whose livelihoods depend on a thriving entertainment economy."
"She has been a staunch advocate for our industry, understanding the important jobs it creates for our members and its critical economic impact for Los Angeles County and across our state," said Rebecca Rhine, Entertainment Union Coalition president.
Horvath reaffirmed support for California's expanded Film & Television Tax Credit Program and highlighted proposals to expand credits for post-production and commercial production. She also updated the group on the county's response to industry consolidation, including advocacy regarding the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger.
The discussion also highlighted work to implement Horvath and Supervisor Barger's motion to strengthen production in the county, including exploring an evergreen production fund, streamlining permitting through the LA County Film Office, eliminating duplicative fees and developing a low-impact permitting process for unincorporated areas.
The coalition includes the California Federation of Labor Unions, LiUNA! Local 724, IBEW Local 40, the California IATSE Council, Teamsters Local 399, SAG-AFTRA, American Federation of Musicians Local 47, IATSE Local 892, Writers Guild of America West and the International Cinematographers Guild IATSE Local 600.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Four candidates rise to the top of the money race but election season is still wide open
URL: https://www.smdp.com/four-candidates-rise-to-the-top-of-the-money-race-but-election-season-is-still-wide-open/
Last updated: 2026-08-03T17:44:46.000Z
The first campaign finance disclosures of the 2026 election cycle are in, and they reveal early frontrunners across four Santa Monica races even as the field of hopefuls continues to grow well beyond those who have reported raising money.
In the City Council race, Douglas Trussler leads all candidates in total fundraising with $75,420, partly from a personal loan. Incumbent Caroline Torosis holds the strongest cash position and the deepest local donor base of any candidate in the four contests covered by this reporting period, which runs through June 30\. In the down-ballot races, Robbie Staenberg has built a commanding lead for School Board, Kera Blades-Snell is the only Santa Monica College Board candidate drawing money from outside donors and Rent Control Board hopeful Sue Himmelrich has entered the race entirely self-funded.
City Council
Nine of the 20 candidates who have pulled papers for the three open City Council seats have filed detailed financial disclosures. Trussler's $75,420 total tops the field, boosted by a $25,000 personal loan alongside $50,420 in outside donations. Torosis followed with $60,009.66 raised, Lana Negrete brought in $42,646 and Brett Morrow raised $42,198.50\. Eli Gill, Ashley Oelsen and Daniel Ivanov posted totals between roughly $20,000 and $27,000, while Angela D. Scott and Derrick Townsend rounded out the reporting candidates with under $20,000 apiece. Ericka Lesley has filed a statement of organization but has not yet reported itemized financial data.
Despite trailing Trussler in total receipts, Torosis holds the largest campaign war chest, with $53,361.72 cash on hand, followed by Negrete at $39,577.93\. Trussler's heavier spending leaves him in third among reporting candidates with $38,879.93 on hand, while Morrow retains $36,127.33\. Townsend has the thinnest reserves, with just $2,424.80 remaining.
The filings also show sharply different reliance on self-funding and local support. Scott financed most of her campaign through a $15,125 personal loan, and Townsend supplemented his donations with a $3,500 loan. By contrast, Torosis, Morrow, Gill, Ivanov, Negrete and Oelsen relied overwhelmingly on donor contributions, with smaller loans.
Donor geography also varied widely. Torosis reported the strongest local network. Trussler and Morrow, by comparison, drew heavily from outside the city. Ivanov's donor base skewed toward out-of-state support, particularly from Illinois. Negrete, Gill and Oelsen each drew a roughly even or majority-local mix, while Scott and Townsend reported smaller, largely local donor pools.
Santa Monica College Board
Among the six candidates who have pulled papers for four open College Board seats, financial activity has so far been limited. Blades-Snell is the only candidate reporting contributions from a base of outside donors, taking in $4,197.98 total, including $2,902.33 in itemized monetary contributions from 13 donors — six from Santa Monica — plus a $1,295.65 personal loan. Her committee ended the period with $2,745.95 cash on hand.
Thomas Peters reported $1,000 in contributions, all from a personal loan, with no outside donor support. Oscar de la Torre reported raising $5,000, also entirely from a personal loan, though his filing was submitted under a committee originally formed for his 2024 City Council run rather than one established for this Board of Trustees race. That committee also carries $12,813.73 in total outstanding debt, the largest of any candidate across the four races. Luis Barrera Castanon has filed only a candidate intention statement and has not yet submitted a financial disclosure. Virginia Reese and Sion Roy, who have also pulled papers for the College Board, have not reported financial filings covered in this period.
School Board
Robbie Staenberg dominates fundraising among the five candidates who have pulled papers for four open School Board seats, reporting $36,530.04 in total contributions, including $35,138.92 in monetary donations from a broad, geographically diverse donor base of about 56 contributors, roughly 33 from Santa Monica. His committee ended the period with $34,744.88 cash on hand.
Laurie Lieberman reported the second-largest total, $8,550, with about 18 of her roughly 22 donors based in Santa Monica, leaving her with the most concentrated local donor base proportionally among School Board candidates. Harry Leshner reported $3,600, relying partly on family contributions and a $1,500 personal loan, while Alicia Mignano reported the smallest total this period, $700, with no itemized Santa Monica donors, though her committee still carries $2,000 in debt from personal loans made in prior election cycles. Stacy J. Rouse, who has also pulled papers for the School Board, has not yet reported financial data.
Rent Control Board
Of the five candidates who have pulled papers for three open Rent Control Board seats, only Sue Himmelrich has filed a financial disclosure so far. Her campaign reported $10,000 in total contributions this period, but the entire sum came from a personal loan rather than outside donations, with no monetary contributions reported. Himmelrich's committee reported $750 in expenditures and ended the period with $9,250 cash on hand. Candidates Kurt Gonska, Soledad Marcial, Zoë Muntaner and Heather Thomason have also pulled papers for the Rent Control Board but have not reported financial filings.
Qualified candidates
While fundraising activity is underway across all four races, no individual is a formal candidate for Santa Monica office until they complete the city's signature-gathering process and officially qualify for the ballot. Dozens of prospective candidates have pulled nomination papers since the filing period opened — 20 for City Council, six for the College Board, five for the School Board and five for the Rent Control Board — but as of July 29, only one has qualified. A small number of candidates, including Torosis, Barrera Castanon and Mignano, have returned their paperwork to the City Clerk's Office. As of Saturday, Caroline Torosis was the first and only individual to qualify. Completed nomination forms are due by 5 p.m. Aug. 7, a deadline that extends to 5:30 p.m. Aug. 12 in any race where no incumbent files papers.
### Everything’s coming up Tournament of Roses
URL: https://www.smdp.com/everythings-coming-up-tournament-of-roses/
Last updated: 2026-07-31T19:00:00.000Z
Santa Monica threw itself a party last week. For the second year in a row, the State of the City speech was delivered outdoors as part of a festive celebration. Last year, it was in Reed Park. This year, it took over part of Main Street. And while it might not have been an epic rager, there was music and face painting and lots of California sunshine.
Mayor Caroline Torosis delivered a vigorous pep talk, checking off the recent accomplishments on the city’s road to recovery, while also acknowledging the work to still be done. She was focused on the future and the big events coming in the next 24 months: the Ocean Way Festival in September (produced by the creators of the Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals), the Superbowl in 2027, and the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics.
But she was emphatic that the city will come away with far more than bragging rights and a cleanup bill. “The events that we are leading up to are not the prize,” she said. “The city that we create because of these events, that is the prize.”
She spoke with sincere enthusiasm, and she choked up more than once. Perhaps it was nerves, but it would be wrong to underestimate her personal investment in the city or the effort expended trying to overcome our current challenges. The steep hurdles the city faces would have likely been inconceivable only a decade ago.
“We face the ultimate question at the Council,” the Mayor said. “Are we going to manage decline or create a path forward?”
Although some recent actions by the Council give ample reason for questioning motives and methods, that’s a topic for another day. The state of the city today is indeed better than it was a year ago, and that’s partially because the Councilmembers and the City Manager made the bold choice to spend our way toward prosperity, rather than just mitigate our deterioration.
It could totally backfire, and it’s legitimate for residents to point that out. But if John Maynard Keynes has anything useful to offer the 21st century, it could also save us.
Torosis ended her speech with a semi-dramatic unveiling of the float design for the Rose Parade, which included several Santa Monica icons, including the PCH; the Pier’s Pacific Wheel, coaster, and carousel; and a rainbow-colored surfboard for good measure. The theme of the parade this year is “Welcome,” and the float design is one big welcome sign to Santa Monica.
There’s been a great deal of criticism of the city’s decision to participate in the parade. Mostly over the price tag. Over half a million dollars has been allocated, and critics can’t be blamed for their skepticism about a city claiming a fiscal crisis while spending such a large amount on a parade float.
But that’s the Keynesian bargain. You spend money to make money, and there’s a multiplier effect as the government invests money to generate economic growth. Is a parade float the same as putting cash directly in people’s pockets to pay for food? No. But it’s a clever public relations move.
To put it in perspective, a 30-second commercial on the Rose Parade broadcast could cost even more, and the float will additionally be seen by the nearly million attendees of the parade and Floatfest, a three-day post-parade exhibition. Like any form of advertising, for all the data about eyeballs and ROI, it’s hard to be entirely sure of what you’re getting for your money.
However, we’re not just getting an advertisement. We’re getting an opportunity to reintroduce ourselves to a nation of tourists that have been choosing other destinations as of late, and we’re getting a community-building activity. Torosis solicited members of the public to help affix the thousands of roses, seeds, bark and leaves that will cover the entirety of the float, and she also shared her personal history with the parade.
“Growing up in Montreal, in the dead of a Canadian winter, \[my mother\] would turn on the television and see roses and sunshine in January,” said Torosis, who is the child of immigrants to this country. She described her mother sitting in the cold and imagining a life in California. “She saw a place that looked like it would welcome her.”
The Mayor got more than 30 seconds to sell her version and vision of the city, and like many good ads, it was heartwarming and optimistic. She didn’t promise us a rose garden, but we’re counting on her and all the councilmembers to help this city bloom again.
Devan Sipher can be reached at [Devan@smdp.com](mailto:Devan@smdp.com).
### Jazz Festival to Reclaim LA Coastline With 17 Days of Free and Ticketed Shows
URL: https://www.smdp.com/jazz-festival-to-reclaim-la-coastline-with-17-days-of-free-and-ticketed-shows/
Last updated: 2026-07-31T18:59:59.000Z
The LA Jazz Festival will spread across the city for 17 days in August, mixing dozens of free neighborhood concerts with a two-night beachfront finale that organizers hope will establish the event as one of the largest jazz gatherings in the world.
The festival, which runs from Aug. 7 through Aug. 23, announced an expanded lineup spanning free "Jazz in the Park" concerts, restaurant pop-ups called "Jazz After Dark," a Caribbean Street Carnival in Venice and a closing "Jazz on the Beach" weekend headlined by John Legend, Janelle Monáe, Parliament Funkadelic featuring George Clinton and Raphael Saadiq. Terrace Martin was among the newest additions to the beach lineup.
Founder and CEO Martin Ludlow said the festival was designed to fill a gap he first noticed decades ago after moving to [Los Angeles](https://www.smdp.com/cooley-llp-named-official-legal-services-provider-for-la28-games/) from Ohio. While impressed by the music at the city's existing jazz events, he was struck by how little of the art form's history was reflected in the world's biggest media market.
"Jazz really is the sound of freedom, and was created in a very painful moment in the life and time of the African American journey," Ludlow said. He traced the music's roots from Congo Square and pre-colonial Africa through the slave trade to the Caribbean and finally to New Orleans, "that melting pot," where the genre came together as "a true American made genre."
Ludlow said his research into international festivals revealed three common traits: they ran for multiple weekends, drew hundreds of thousands of people — more than a million in Montreal — and were often staged near major waterways. By comparison, he said, LA's existing offering drew about 18,000 people a day.
That led him to the coast, a decision he framed as both cultural and political. Ludlow described a long history of "coastal racial pushout," citing Bruce's Beach, where a Black family was driven from a resort to make way for the city of Manhattan Beach, and the former Ebony Beach Club in Santa Monica, which he said was seized through misused eminent domain.
"We were always denied access to those shores," Ludlow said, adding that more than 150 significant properties owned by people of color around the country were taken through similar tactics. Putting the festival on the sand, he said, was a way "to reclaim the coastline as the people's coastline."
The free Caribbean Street Carnival will transform Venice's historic Windward Circle into a four-stage celebration on Aug. 21, spotlighting African, Latin, Cuban and New Orleans traditions. Performers include Adekunle Gold, Tito Puente Jr., Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble, Delfeayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra and the Dafnis Prieto Sí o Sí Quartet.
Ludlow said Venice was chosen for its international character and its historical ties to New Orleans, noting that the neighborhood's original design team hired a Black New Orleans man to help plan the community modeled on the canals of Venice, Italy.
"All you have to do is walk through the streets of Venice on any given day, and you're going to meet people from Holland, Amsterdam, Belgium, Tokyo, Beijing, Cape Town," he said. "So what better place to harness that night."
The festival opens Aug. 7 in Leimert Park with Lalah Hathaway, Pete Escovedo and Chief Adjuah, among others. Fifteen free "Jazz in the Park" concerts on Aug. 8-9 and Aug. 15-16 will feature artists including Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles, Billy Childs and Mumu Fresh, while 20 free "Jazz After Dark" pop-ups will bring performers such as MonoNeon, Keyon Harrold and Gretchen Parlato into locally owned venues.
Ludlow said the beach setting is central to the experience, pointing to the coastline's status as one of the city's most iconic images and to the calming effect of the water. He described the opportunity for festivalgoers "to walk, take their shoes off, feel the sand under their feet, put on those summer outfits," and likened the event's potential to the acclaimed Montreal festival.
"It is the land of the Oscars. It is the land of the Grammys, and soon it'll be the land of the LA Jazz Festival as well," he said.
Airbnb is the festival's title sponsor, with Hennessy and Transitions Lenses signed as official marketing partners. StubHub is the official ticket marketplace. Tickets for the Aug. 22-23 Jazz on the Beach shows are on sale, and free reservations for other events are available at [LAJazzFestival.com](https://www.lajazzfestival.com/?ref=smdp.com).
The festival will also host a Jazz Youth Camp expected to bring more than 2,000 students from across LA County into workshops and masterclasses.
### From the Roaring Twenties to the Olympic era, Casa del Mar celebrates 100 years on Santa Monica’s global stage
URL: https://www.smdp.com/from-the-roaring-twenties-to-the-olympic-era-casa-del-mar-celebrates-100-years-on-santa-monicas-global-stage/
Last updated: 2026-07-31T10:00:00.000Z
Some buildings provide a backdrop to a city, others become part of its identity. For 100 years, Casa del Mar has stood at the edge of Santa Monica, its red-tiled roof, Renaissance Revival façade and sweeping arched windows facing a Pacific Ocean that has remained constant even as nearly everything surrounding it has changed.
Opened May 1, 1926, as the exclusive Club Casa del Mar, the building arrived as Santa Monica was establishing itself as one of Southern California’s most fashionable seaside destinations. A century later, its centennial coincides with another transformative moment as the region moves from the FIFA World Cup toward Super Bowl LXI in 2027 and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028.
For Casa del Mar, the anniversary is more than a look back at its Jazz Age beginnings. It is an opportunity to position one of Santa Monica’s most historic buildings at the center of the city’s next chapter—using hospitality, dining, music and cultural programming to welcome global visitors while giving residents new reasons to walk through its doors.
Designed by Los Angeles architect Charles F. Plummer in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, Club Casa del Mar reportedly cost $2 million to build, an extraordinary investment at the time. The property quickly became one of the West Coast’s most glamorous private beach clubs, attracting Hollywood stars and Southern California’s social elite.
Its grand lobby, coffered ceilings, Mediterranean tilework and oversized windows overlooking the Pacific created the feeling of an Italian palazzo transported to the California coast. Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo and Marion Davies were among the prominent figures associated with its early years, but Casa del Mar’s history is not a straight line from private club to luxury hotel. The building has repeatedly reinvented itself.
In 1941, the U.S. Navy took control of the property during World War II and used it for military personnel. By 1960, the original club had closed. In 1967, the building became the headquarters of Synanon, an organization founded as a drug rehabilitation program that later became controversial for its authoritarian practices.
Another transformation followed in 1978, when nutritionist Nathan Pritikin turned the property into the Pritikin Longevity Center. Spaces that once hosted Jazz Age parties became part of a program centered on nutrition, exercise and heart health, anticipating the wellness movement that would become closely associated with Southern California.
The Edward Thomas Hospitality Corporation, owner of neighboring Shutters on the Beach, acquired the building in 1997 and undertook a restoration valued at more than $50 million. Casa del Mar reopened as a luxury hotel in 1999 with 129 guest rooms, including 17 suites, and was later listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Its centennial programming is now bringing those different chapters to life. Centennial Memory Walls display archival photographs from the original beach club, while Prohibition-inspired cocktails, live music and anniversary dining experiences evoke the atmosphere of the 1920s. A seasonal prix-fixe menu priced at $192.60 offers a playful reference to the year the property first opened.
“What truly sets Casa del Mar apart is the people who bring it to life every day,” Charlie Lopez-Quintana, vice president and managing director of ETC Hotels, said in announcing the centennial. “Our team greets, serves and cares for guests with warmth and consistency that never goes out of style. Their dedication is the heartbeat of the hotel. And of course, having the Pacific Ocean as our backyard doesn’t hurt either.”
That emphasis on experience and human connection will become increasingly important as Santa Monica competes for attention during Southern California’s coming cycle of global sporting events.
Santa Monica welcomed approximately 3.9 million visitors in 2025, according to Santa Monica Travel & Tourism. Those visitors contributed an estimated $996.6 million to the local economy, while international visitation increased 4.1%. Tourism supported 6,444 local jobs, and Santa Monica hotels generated $60.2 million for the city’s General Fund, helping pay for essential services.
Hotel revenue is projected to surpass $400 million in 2026, an increase of 9.8% from the previous year. Occupancy is expected to rise from 72.9% to 76.3%, with hotel demand growing 4.6%, driven partly by the global events arriving across the region.
Following the World Cup, Super Bowl LXI will bring another surge of national and international attention when it is played at SoFi Stadium on Feb. 14, 2027\. One year later, Los Angeles will welcome athletes and spectators for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Although competitions will take place across the region, the economic opportunity will stretch far beyond stadium walls. Visitors will need places to stay, dine, gather, entertain clients and experience Southern California between events. Santa Monica has an opportunity to become the beachfront home base through which many of those travelers encounter Los Angeles.
Casa del Mar’s yearlong centennial provides a model for how historic hotels can respond. Its dining, music and cultural experiences turn the property into more than a collection of guest rooms. They create a connection to place.
The next opportunity is to expand that spirit as the world arrives: opening gathering spaces to residents and visitors, presenting cultural conversations, hosting athlete and community programming, and creating experiences that encourage guests to explore surrounding restaurants, retailers and neighborhoods.
At 100, Casa del Mar possesses something that cannot be newly constructed: a century of stories with a future that will depend on making that history feel accessible and alive.
### Author to share publicity tips at Santa Monica book talk
URL: https://www.smdp.com/author-to-share-publicity-tips-at-santa-monica-book-talk/
Last updated: 2026-07-30T19:00:00.000Z
Bestselling author and Goody PR founder Liz H. Kelly will discuss her new book, "Award-Winning Publicity: 8 Media Boosters to Magnify Your Story," at Barnes & Noble Santa Monica on Wednesday, Aug. 5, from 5 to 7 p.m.
The free event at 1318 Third Street Promenade will feature a discussion from 5 to 6 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session and a meet-and-greet book signing until 7 p.m.
Kelly, who is based in Santa Monica, started her public relations agency after being laid off by Myspace in 2008 during the Great Recession. Rather than look for another corporate job, she launched Goody PR, which helps small business owners, thought leaders and brands earn media coverage on television, in print, and on radio and podcasts.
Kelly said the career change grew out of a light-hearted dating book she wrote 20 years ago. For that project, she hired two publicists, three media trainers and a website designer and attended book marketing seminars, eventually landing a literary agent, a New York City publisher and 500 interviews across three versions over five years.
To learn how to build a company, Kelly said she attended a Rich Dad conference for entrepreneurs in Arizona hosted by "Rich Dad Poor Dad" author Robert Kiyosaki, where she met mentors and future clients.
The book draws on national coverage Kelly has secured, including on the TODAY Show, CNN, BBC World News, NewsNation, NPR and Bloomberg Radio, and in People, Forbes, Fast Company and Psychology Today.
One example is an award-winning campaign for eclipse glasses maker American Paper Optics tied to the 2024 total solar eclipse. Kelly said the program produced 54 television interviews in 8.5 months, won six PR industry awards and contributed to the sale of 75 million eclipse glasses.
"Earned media coverage means that you earned the respect of the reporter to tell your story," Kelly said, adding that such coverage is more valuable than paid advertising and often appears in both AI and organic search results.
Kelly defines award-winning publicity as positive press tied to measurable business goals, earned media that builds positive sentiment through storytelling, and a creative campaign that breaks through with social impact and third-party validation.
"PR is a marathon, not a sprint," Kelly said.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Around Town: National Night Out, Steak Series & Beachside Beats
URL: https://www.smdp.com/around-town-national-night-out-steak-series-beachside-beats/
Last updated: 2026-07-30T19:00:00.000Z
SMDP's Weekly Guide to Food & Entertainment Goings-On In & Around Town includes National Night Out, award-winning pancakes, beach concerts, and much more!
**Annenberg Beach House Community Picnic:** Enjoy games, crafts, a “pie” walk, and epic tug-of-war for “some good old-fashioned summertime fun.” All are invited to pack a dinner and grab some pals or join a solo-friendly communal table to enjoy this free event, with s’mores. **Thursday, July 30, 5 - 8 p.m., 415 PCH** [eventbrite.com/e/community-picnic-tickets-1989055370156](http://eventbrite.com/e/community-picnic-tickets-1989055370156?ref=smdp.com)
**Last Thursday Venice Summer Concert Series:** Grab your friends, family, dogs, blankets, chairs and whatever else you like, and pull up to the boardwalk and Dudley for an evening of live music and friends outside on the beach. **Music starts at 4:45 p.m. and ends at sunset. Thursday, July 30\.** [instagram.com/lastthursdayvenice](http://instagram.com/lastthursdayvenice?ref=smdp.com)
**A Cinderella Summer at Santa Monica Playhouse:** The classic Rudie-DeCarlo musical returns with a high-energy multimedia twist, comedic silent movie sequences, and interactive magic for kids and families. Kicks off weekends this **Saturday, Aug. 1, 2:00 p.m., 1211 4th St.** [santamonicaplayhouse.com/cinderella.html](http://santamonicaplayhouse.com/cinderella.html?ref=smdp.com)
**Country Night at Perry's Beach:** Perry’s Beach on PCH turns into an open-air venue, hosting a live afternoon Country Night set right on the sand. Grab a spot on the deck or patio starting at 3p.m. this **Saturday, Aug. 1, @ 930 Pacific Coast Hwy.** [https://posh.vip/e/country-nights-perrys-beach-sun-july-26th](https://posh.vip/e/country-nights-perrys-beach-sun-july-26th?ref=smdp.com)
**50th Annual The Festival of Chariots Celebrates Ancient Indian Tradition:** Dancers in colorful clothing, music, a multicourse feast, 40-foot tall hand-drawn floats — The Festival of Chariots will be an explosion of culture and celebration. **Sunday, Aug. 2, 10 a.m.** Parade begins at 1855 Main St. and the festival takes place at 1530 Ocean Front Walk. [https://www.larathayatra.com/parade](https://www.larathayatra.com/parade?ref=smdp.com)
**National Night Out:** The annual community-building event promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. This year's event has a “Lights. Camera. Community.” theme. Expect FREE music, food, and activities for all ages**.** SMPD will showcase their various police vehicles and equipment and invite the community to meet police personnel (human and 4-legged alike).The parking structure at Olympic & 4th St. is free that night and Big Blue Bus will be providing free bus rides all night when you mention National Night Out. **Tuesday, August 4, 5 - 8 p.m. @ City Hall, 1685 Main St.**[](https://www.facebook.com/100064765113624/posts/pfbid0gNYeHNSzhNHa43cemwadZY6ema3hUK9HdKjLPX5GJwYPuPmT6EzFKrMmVTAbpd6Vl/?mibextid=5eVWNK)[https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2026/06/30/santa-monica-police-department-invites-community-to-national-night-out-2026](https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2026/06/30/santa-monica-police-department-invites-community-to-national-night-out-2026?ref=smdp.com)
**Comedy camp? Why this unique Santa Monica program is about so much more than laughs:** NBC4 visits The Crow, where kids are learning stand-up, improv, sketch, and storytelling while discovering their voices. Founder Nicole Blaine shares how comedy can foster confidence, creativity, communication skills, and self-expression, both on and off the stage. [https://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/california-live/comedy-camp-why-this-unique-l-a-program-is-about-so-much-more-than-laughs/3919575/](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/california-live/comedy-camp-why-this-unique-l-a-program-is-about-so-much-more-than-laughs/3919575/?ref=smdp.com)
**ONGOING:** [Museum of Illusions](https://moisantamonica.com/?ref=smdp.com); [The CUBE VR](https://www.thecubeevents.com/santamonicaexperiences?ref=smdp.com); [Splatter Studio](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/california-live/paint-sip-and-create-in-santa-monica/3834517/?ref=smdp.com);
**What to Eat & Drink?**
**Florentine Steak Dinner Series at All'Antico Vinaio:** The popular Italian sandwich spot has teamed up with Florence Underground for a dinner series at their Santa Monica location centered around bistecca alla Fiorentina. For $130 per pair, the meal opens with cured meats, cheeses, and house-made schiacciata bread before the main event: a thick T-bone seasoned only with salt and olive oil, served slightly before medium-rare with classic family-style sides. Olive oil cake and crema close it out. I went last month and it felt like a deal at that price. They have a variety of very reasonably priced wines available as well. **Available just two more dates: July 31 and Aug. 28\. 316 Santa Monica Blvd.** [tables.toasttab.com/all-antico-vinaio-santa-monica-blvd/experience/fiorentina-night](http://tables.toasttab.com/all-antico-vinaio-santa-monica-blvd/experience/fiorentina-night?ref=smdp.com)
**Le Dîner en Blanc Returns to LA:** The iconic, secret all-white pop-up picnic returns with thousands of guests dressed in head-to-toe white gathering at a secret location—revealed only moments before the event begins—bringing their own tables, white linens, and gourmet spreads for an evening under the stars. **Saturday Aug. 1** [losangeles.dinerenblanc.com/city](http://losangeles.dinerenblanc.com/city?ref=smdp.com)
**Ina Bakes August Pop‑Up:** Summer’s in full swing, and so are the pastries. Join their monthly pop-up for fresh, seasonal bakes. **Sunday, Aug. 2, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., 535 Rose Ave, Venice** [Inabakes.com/popup](http://inabakes.com/popup?ref=smdp.com)
**Xuntos’ An Evening with Winemaker Rajat Parr:** Meet Raj and taste his singular San Luis Obispo coastal wines. Come any time and taste any of 6 special wines by the glass, flight and bottle à la carte pintxos and tapas menus. Raj's wines are bright and quick, humble and surprising. Wines open will include two unreleased vintages of Phelan Farm Mencía (grafted from vine cuttings from Envínate's Camiño Novo vineyard in Ribeira Sacra, Galicia); a Phelan Farm Chardonnay aged in a 100yo Manzanilla Sherry cask; a Phelan Farm Pinot Noir; a Brij Garnacha, named for Raj's father; and a Printemps Rosé**. Wednesday, Aug. 5, 5 - 9 p.m., 516 Santa Monica Blvd.** [barxuntos.com](http://barxuntos.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**Hot Dog on a Stick Comeback Roadmap - New owner, rapid expansion — and lobster on a stick:** The fast food joint — with roots in Santa Monica’s Muscle Beach and known for its corn dogs and hand-stomped lemonade — has plummeted from its glory days as a staple food at food courts across the state. The rise of competition and decline of malls has slashed its presence, but its new owner has big plans for a comeback. [latimes.com/business/story/2026-07-22/hot-dog-on-sticks-comeback-plan-aggressive-expansion-with-new-menu-that-includes-lobster-on-stick](https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2026-07-22/hot-dog-on-sticks-comeback-plan-aggressive-expansion-with-new-menu-that-includes-lobster-on-stick?ref=smdp.com)
**Breakfast By Salt's Cure Listed on The Infatuation's "The Best Pancakes In LA" List:** Their “oatmeal griddle pancakes are famous on both coasts, and for good reason. This Santa Monica café makes its griddle cakes thin, lacy at the edges, and so moist in the center that it feels like you’re cutting through a warm lava cake at Chili’s. Don’t ask for syrup, because they don’t need any.” I wholeheartedly agree and have long said they are my favorite, most crave-worthy pancakes in LA. **714 Montana Ave.** [theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/best-pancakes-la](http://theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/best-pancakes-la?ref=smdp.com)
**Trying all the Best SaMo Bakeries:** Instagrammer audris\_lim posts about what she tried at Bread & Butter, Petitgrain, and others: [instagram.com/reels/DbENBIlPHKW](http://instagram.com/reels/DbENBIlPHKW?ref=smdp.com)
**Further Afield: LA Brewsology Festival "Night at the Museum":** The after-hours event at the California Science Center features more than 50 breweries pouring over 150 different beers, giving attendees the unique opportunity to sample local crafts while exploring the museum's exhibits. **Saturday, Aug. 1, 8 - 11 p.m., 700 Exposition Park Dr.** [brewsology.com/los-angeles](http://brewsology.com/los-angeles?ref=smdp.com)
**Looking Ahead:** [SaMo Oceanfront Arts Festival](http://eventbrite.com/e/art-on-ocean-palisades-park-arts-festival-tickets-1991599772532?ref=smdp.com) (8/8); [Dine LA Restaurant Week](https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/dinela?ref=smdp.com) (8/14-28); Main St. Farmers Market in the Street Event (8/23); [Thai Fest by the Beach](https://www.thaifestbythebeach.com/?ref=smdp.com) (9/19-20); [A Pierfect Benefit](http://santamonicapier.org/apierfectbenefit?ref=smdp.com) (9/19); [Ocean Way Festival](https://www.oceanwayfestival.com/?ref=smdp.com) (9/26-27); [Main St. Day of the Dog Festival](https://www.petapaloozawest.com/santa-monica?ref=smdp.com) (10/18)
If there’s something you think is worth highlighting, you can reach out directly at[ ](https://www.instagram.com/seanbesser/?ref=smdp.com)[instagram.com/seanbesser](https://www.instagram.com/seanbesser/?ref=smdp.com) or email me at [sean@smdp.com](mailto:sean@smdp.com). [Here](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com) are my past columns and let me know if you have any feedback on **Around Town: National Night Out, Steak Series & Beachside Beats**
### City pursues homeless services at Palm Motel while voting to delay closure of downtown shelter
URL: https://www.smdp.com/city-pursues-homeless-services-at-palm-motel-while-voting-to-delay-closure-of-downtown-shelter/
Last updated: 2026-07-30T21:00:25.000Z
The Santa Monica City Council voted late Tuesday to bring the Palm Motel under city control as part of a new local homeless services system, while adding a directive that the city not shut down its longtime SaMoShel shelter until officials identify replacement housing and present a more concrete transition plan.
The council approved all seven staff-recommended actions tied to the proposed Housing Focused System of Care, including authorizing the city manager to negotiate agreements with the Palm Motel’s owner and with The People Concern to run services there, and with The Salvation Army to fund shelter bed activation at its Bell Shelter in the city of Bell. Councilmember Dan Hall recused himself from the item, saying his rented residence sits between 500 and 1,000 feet of SaMoShel and could be affected by any relocation of shelter capacity away from the downtown site.
After passing the broader package, the council took up a separate motion, brought by Councilmember Ellis Raskin, directing staff not to demobilize SaMoShel until the results of a forthcoming request for expressions of interest, or RFEI, are known and a “robust plan” for what comes next is presented to the council. That motion passed on a split vote, with Councilmember Lana Negrete and Mayor Caroline Torosis opposed. Negrete said the direction was unnecessary because staff had already made clear “they’re not in the business of closing shelters and sending people elsewhere.”
Torosis said the final motion didn’t capture her original intent when she asked for a discussion of keeping the shelter open.
City Manager Oliver Chi said the council’s direction would push back the timeline for winding down the 60-bed congregate shelter, which had been initially targeted for the end of this calendar year, but that the city remains committed to ensuring no one is displaced onto the street. Aileen Reynolds, director of the city’s Housing and Human Services Department, told the council she could commit to updating them on the RFEI process within 30 to 90 days.
The vote caps months of city work aimed at overhauling how Santa Monica delivers homeless services, as the regional system undergoes what Reynolds’ presentation described as its most significant restructuring in a generation. Over the past year, Los Angeles County withdrew hundreds of millions of dollars in funding from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and created a new county Department of Homeless Services and Housing, then approved nearly $200 million in cuts to homeless services amid a budget shortfall. In June, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development suspended federal funding to LAHSA and the Los Angeles Continuum of Care, adding further strain.
Locally, the city has been building toward this moment since a 2022 assessment from Moss Adams and a subsequent Homelessness Strategic Plan developed with consultant BerryDunn and published in March 2025\. The October 2025 Realignment Plan called for moving away from SaMoShel’s congregate shelter model toward a “healing center” approach pairing shelter with treatment and a direct pipeline into permanent housing. In March, the council directed staff to conduct community engagement before finalizing any changes; staff held 14 meetings between April and July before returning with Tuesday’s recommendations.
Under the plan, the Palm Motel — which has operated for two years as county-funded interim housing under the Pathway Home program — would come under city control once county funding for that program lapses this summer. The city would limit placements to people who meet the Santa Monica Program Participant, or SMPP, definition, referred exclusively through the city’s own outreach and first-responder teams. The 34-room motel can accommodate up to 48 occupants. Separately, the city would fund the activation of 35 currently unfunded beds at the Salvation Army’s Bell Shelter, which would be available to any Los Angeles County jurisdiction partnering with the organization, giving Santa Monica outreach teams a referral option for unhoused people who don’t meet the SMPP definition. A third action directs staff to issue the RFEI seeking non-congregate housing sites in and around Santa Monica to eventually replace SaMoShel’s capacity.
Reynolds told the council that the county’s 2026 point-in-time count, released last week, found 718 people experiencing homelessness in Santa Monica in January, an 11.6% decrease from 2025, with unsheltered homelessness falling 18.7%. She said roughly 10% of SaMoShel’s 60 beds are typically occupied by people who meet the SMPP definition, with the rest serving people referred from elsewhere in the region.
Several council members voiced support for taking direct control of the Palm Motel while raising concerns about the broader plan. Raskin argued that closing SaMoShel without a firm replacement in place would effectively strip the city of 60 shelter beds, leaving people to end up “living in cars, living on maps” without anywhere else to go. Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Zwick, who made the motion to approve the seven staff actions, said he wanted assurance that any future non-congregate sites be sought “both in and outside the city” rather than concentrated in any one neighborhood, and added language directing staff to prioritize locations outside the areas that have historically hosted such facilities. Councilmember Barry Snell said he supported keeping SaMoShel open until the city has identified where displaced residents could go.
Negrete, who said she lives and walks her children to school within blocks of the Palm Motel, described years of frustration that the county converted the site to interim housing without notifying neighbors, but said crime and disorder near the property had improved markedly under the current on-site security and no-visitor policies compared with when it operated as a motel. She said she wanted to see the city diversify its roster of service providers beyond The People Concern going forward and reiterated her support for closing SaMoShel without further delay. Torosis asked staff to publicize crime data from before and after the Palm Motel’s conversion to interim housing and confirmed that on-site security would continue under city management.
For residents, city officials said day-to-day conditions are not expected to change significantly, since the site would continue operating with the same on-site provider, security staffing and a similar population as it has under the county’s program. For people experiencing homelessness, the changes mean SaMoShel will remain open for now, while the city works to stand up a locally controlled continuum intended to move people from street outreach through stabilization, interim housing and ultimately permanent housing, rather than relying on the fragmented, county-run system currently in place.
The council also authorized a budget amendment shifting $3,458,150 from the Providence Saint John’s Development Agreement fund to help cover the roughly $9.5 million in combined costs for the three agreements.
editor@smdp.com
### Ocean Avenue goes car-free for free Art on Ocean festival Aug. 8
URL: https://www.smdp.com/ocean-avenue-goes-car-free-for-free-art-on-ocean-festival-aug-8/
Last updated: 2026-07-29T18:59:59.000Z
A scenic stretch of Ocean Avenue will trade vehicle traffic for art, music, food and community during Art on Ocean — Palisades Park Arts Festival on Saturday, Aug. 8.
The free, all-ages event will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. along Ocean Avenue between California Avenue and Montana Avenue. Organizers will close the festival area to cars, transforming the roadway beside Palisades Park into a walkable outdoor arts destination overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
More than 100 visual artists from across California will present original paintings, photography, ceramics, sculpture, jewelry and mixed-media and handcrafted work. Attendees can meet the artists and buy work directly from them.
Live music will play throughout the day, with performances by Nick Kennerly, Mudslide Mojo, La Compania and Country House Party spanning classical violin, Americana, Latin jazz and dance favorites.
The Wine Garden will feature wines by Divine Vintage, a full bar by Thirst Trap, food from Blue Plate Taco, DJ sets and a Paint & Sip experience. It is limited to guests 21 and older with valid ID; those under 21 must be accompanied by an adult.
Several local organizations will offer free creative activities for children and families. Paint Lab will bring a pop-up version of its Santa Monica studio to Ocean Avenue with free workshops, and the Kids' Area will feature art projects, sensory play, face painting and bracelet making.
Food and beverages will be available for purchase from local vendors including Blue Plate Taco, Triple Beam Pizza and Ubatuba Açaí.
"Santa Monica deserves a free art show that stands alongside the best in Southern California," said Jenny Rice, event organizer with Beach Native Marketing & Events. "It's more than an art show. It's a community celebration centered around art."
The festival is presented in partnership with the City of Santa Monica Office of Sustainability & the Environment, with support from the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, the Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition and Paint Lab.
After the festival, the Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition, known as Wilmont, will host its first free outdoor movie of the summer in Palisades Park. Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket and stay for a film under the stars.
Admission is free. RSVP is encouraged at[ ](http://art-on-ocean.com/santamonica?ref=smdp.com)[art-on-ocean.com/santamonica](http://art-on-ocean.com/santamonica?ref=smdp.com). Art on Ocean is produced by Beach Native Marketing, LLC.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Applications Now Open for Santa Monica Renter Aid Program
URL: https://www.smdp.com/applications-now-open-for-santa-monica-renter-aid-program/
Last updated: 2026-07-29T18:59:59.000Z
The city of Santa Monica has launched Santa Monica Renter Aid, a program offering one-time or short-term financial assistance and housing stabilization services to eligible renter households facing a temporary housing crisis.
Funded through Measure GS and administered by The People Concern in partnership with the city's Homelessness Prevention & Intervention Division, the program is designed to help renters remain safely and stably housed. Applications are due Aug. 20 and can be submitted at[ ](https://www.santamonica.gov/programs/santa-monica-renter-aid?ref=smdp.com)[Santa Monica Renter Aid](https://www.santamonica.gov/programs/santa-monica-renter-aid?ref=smdp.com).
"Nobody should lose their home over one bad month," Mayor Caroline Torosis said. The program puts roughly $6 million directly into the hands of renters who hit a rough patch, she said, adding that keeping people housed is "more cost effective and more humane than helping them after they've already lost everything."
To qualify, households must be Santa Monica residents, be experiencing or at risk of a housing crisis, and meet income requirements at or below 120% of Area Median Income. Priority goes to low-income households, older adults, people with disabilities and families with minor children at greatest risk of homelessness.
Applicants must provide documentation verifying eligibility. Assistance is not guaranteed and depends on eligibility, priority criteria and funding availability.
Residents who need help applying may attend free in-person support hours through Aug. 20: Tuesdays from 3 to 7 p.m. at Virginia Avenue Park's Park Center Building, 2200 Virginia Ave., and Thursdays from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd. Paper applications, multilingual assistance and accessibility accommodations are available during those hours.
Representatives from The People Concern will also answer questions at the[ ](https://www.santamonica.gov/events/state-of-the-city-2026?ref=smdp.com)[State of the City event](https://www.santamonica.gov/events/state-of-the-city-2026?ref=smdp.com) on Thursday, July 23, from 4 to 7 p.m. The free, all-ages community event takes place on Main Street between Hollister Avenue and Ocean Park Boulevard and highlights community achievements in 2026 and plans for 2027.
For more information, contact santamonicarenteraid@thepeopleconcern.org or visit[ ](https://www.santamonica.gov/programs/santa-monica-renter-aid?ref=smdp.com)[santamonica.gov](https://www.santamonica.gov/programs/santa-monica-renter-aid?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Court halts overnight charging operations at Waymo facilities in Santa Monica
URL: https://www.smdp.com/court-halts-overnight-charging-operations-at-waymo-facilities-in-santa-monica/
Last updated: 2026-07-29T22:18:33.000Z
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge on Monday granted the City of Santa Monica's request for a preliminary injunction barring Waymo from running its Broadway autonomous vehicle charging facilities overnight, delivering a legal win to residents who have complained for more than a year about noise, light and traffic from the sites.
The order, issued July 27, prohibits Waymo from operating its charging lots at 1222 and 1310 Broadway between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. while the underlying public nuisance case proceeds toward trial.
In granting the injunction, the court found the city had established a reasonable probability of prevailing on its public nuisance claim, determining that the ongoing noise, lights and traffic generated by overnight operations at the two sites interfere with nearby residents' ability to comfortably enjoy their homes. The court also found that the harm to residents outweighs any harm to Waymo from the restriction, noting the company can continue offering overnight ride service in Santa Monica using vehicles charged and serviced during daytime hours.
The dispute dates to November 2024, when Waymo began using the two lots — operated by charging company Voltera Power on property owned by SMF Property Holdings LLC — to charge autonomous vehicles serving greater Los Angeles. Residents soon began reporting reverse-beeping, humming, workers talking at night, flashing lights and traffic congestion in a nearby alley.
The Santa Monica City Council voted 6-0 in November 2025 to order overnight operations shut down between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., declaring the facilities a public nuisance. Waymo did not comply, arguing the city had misunderstood its permitted use, and sued the city Dec. 17, 2025, seeking a ruling that its operations were lawful and could not be shut down. The city countersued a week later, asking the court to declare the lots a nuisance and to enjoin overnight operations — the claim on which Monday's injunction was based. The city has maintained that overnight operations substantially interfere with residents' sleep and quality of life in violation of municipal and state nuisance law, and that it repeatedly proposed operational changes short of a full shutdown that Waymo declined to adopt.
Mayor Caroline Torosis said the ruling validates concerns residents have raised for more than a year.
"Our residents' ability to sleep peacefully in their own homes is not negotiable," Torosis said. "This ruling affirms what our neighbors have been telling us for more than a year, and it delivers relief while the case moves forward. I'm grateful to the residents who came forward, and to our City Attorney's Office for its steadfast work on behalf of the community."
A Waymo spokesperson said the company was disappointed by the ruling.
"We are disappointed in the judge's order, which may restrict our ability to provide visitors and residents with a safer, more accessible transportation option during some of the most dangerous hours of the day for road users," the spokesperson said. "We will explore all available options to ensure we can serve the tens of thousands of Angelenos who depend on our service."
The company said it remains in full compliance with local requirements and will comply with the new order while continuing to operate out of the Broadway sites. Waymo has pointed to its own research indicating that the most dangerous hours on the road fall between midnight and 4 a.m., a finding the company says is supported by local data. Los Angeles Department of Transportation data shows roughly 22% of serious injury or fatal crashes involving pedestrians occur between 9 p.m. and midnight, and Santa Monica's own analysis has found that nighttime pedestrian-involved injury crashes along Santa Monica Boulevard account for about 22% of all pedestrian-related injury crashes in the city.
Waymo has said it has worked to be a good neighbor, including reducing vehicle noise in consultation with federal regulators and turning off most vehicle lights while cars charge overnight. The company has also noted that Voltera is seeking a city permit for additional curb cuts that would allow vehicles to enter and exit the sites without traveling the length of the neighboring alley; part of that project has already been approved, and the court's Oct. 23 status conference is expected to include an update on it. Waymo has said that even after mitigation measures were put in place, certain individuals continued to create disruptive conditions at the sites, including honking horns late at night, using smoke detectors to simulate vehicle noise, and blocking the public roadway in ways that interfered with vehicles' sensors. The company has said it has invested millions of dollars in the Santa Monica community, where it serves tens of thousands of riders each week.
In its statement following the ruling, the city emphasized that the case was never about whether autonomous vehicles belong in Santa Monica.
"Santa Monica welcomes the future of transportation, and autonomous vehicles and the infrastructure that supports them have an important place here," Torosis said. "This outcome reflects what we've said from the beginning: new technologies thrive in Santa Monica when they're designed to operate compatibly with the neighborhoods around them. We remain ready to work with Waymo on solutions that let their operations and our residents' quality of life coexist."
The court has scheduled a status conference for Oct. 23 to review potential remediation measures at the Broadway sites. The preliminary injunction will remain in effect pending trial, at which the city's public nuisance claims will be fully adjudicated.
### Possibly illegal tenancy rules force council to rewrite ballot measure for November election
URL: https://www.smdp.com/possibly-illegal-rent-control-rules-force-council-to-rewrite-ballot-measure-for-november-election/
Last updated: 2026-07-29T16:11:31.000Z
The City Council and the Rent Control Board voted this week to pull back the most contested piece of a ballot measure headed for the November election, after city attorneys warned the proposal was untested in court and would likely invite a lawsuit.
Meeting jointly in a special session, the two bodies voted to strip out language that would have let additional household members remain in a unit after the original tenant moved out for any reason, and would have expanded who qualifies to stay behind. In its place, council members directed staff to draft a narrower measure that would extend just-cause eviction protections to single-family homes and condominiums and bring owner move-in rules for those units in line with existing rent-control law — provisions city officials said carry far less legal risk.
The reversal is a significant retreat from what the City Council had approved just weeks earlier. The council voted July 14 to place three rent-control charter amendments on the November ballot, including the disputed occupant measure, which passed 4-2 with Council Members Lana Negrete and Barry Snell opposed and Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Zwick recused. The original proposal grew out of a January council directive aimed partly at protecting family members left behind when a primary tenant was detained by federal immigration enforcement, and would impose eviction restrictions when tenants added a spouse, parent, sibling or other qualifying relative, or a "household" member, to a unit.
As drafted, the measure eliminated a longstanding requirement that a tenant's death or incapacity trigger the eviction protection for those left behind, instead applying it whenever a unit was vacated for any reason, and broadened the class of people eligible to remain from spouses and children to any lawfully residing occupant.
City officials told the two boards this week that the changes had drawn concern from outside parties, including arguments that the measure would circumvent the state's Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act and could leave landlords unable to recover their units at all. City Attorney Heidi von Tongeln said staff could not find any jurisdiction that had eliminated the death-or-incapacity trigger entirely or extended protections to as broad a class of occupants as Santa Monica's measure proposed. She said the change was "a case of first impression" that had never been tested in court, and that passing it as written would likely draw a lawsuit.
Von Tongeln and outside counsel walked the boards through a scenario critics have raised: if an original tenant moved out voluntarily, a second occupant could remain, effectively forming a new landlord-tenant relationship, then bring in additional occupants of their own who could remain again once that second tenant left — creating what several officials called a "perpetual tenancy" problem. Von Tongeln also noted that because the change would be made through a charter amendment rather than a routine ordinance, any successful legal challenge would be far harder to fix, since correcting it would require going back to voters at the next general election.
City Manager Oliver Chi told the boards the city faces an Aug. 7 deadline set by Los Angeles County to finalize ballot language, leaving little time to explore alternatives.
Rent Control Vice Chair Kay Ambriz initially favored keeping the ballot measure intact but restoring the death-or-incapacity requirement, a position seconded by Commissioner Ericka Lesley. Commissioner Kurt Gonska argued for scaling back the proposal, saying the city had "proactively invited a legal challenge" that could jeopardize rent-control protections more broadly, while Phillis Dudick said the board needed more time and more public input before proceeding.
On the council side, Negrete said she opposed the entire measure, arguing it could create loopholes for subletting and would hit small landlords who were unaware of the changes. Councilmember Dan Hall said he was reluctant to rewrite charter language "from the dais" without a formal staff report, and proposed advancing only the single-family-home and owner-move-in provisions while sending the occupant-protection concepts back for further study ahead of the next election cycle, in 2028\. Natalya Zernitskaya agreed, saying she shared the intent behind the measure but wanted more time to "protect the city and protect tenants." Ellis Raskin was the lone dissenting voice, calling the pullback "unprecedented" and noting the proposal had been developed over months of public hearings by the Rent Control Board.
After hearing that discussion, the Rent Control Board voted 5-0 to recommend removing the household-occupant and new-occupant eviction protections from the ballot measure, while taking no position on the single-family-home and owner-move-in provisions, which fall under the city's housing policy law rather than the rent-control charter.
The City Council then voted to rescind the existing resolution and direct staff to return with a new measure limited to the single-family-home and owner-move-in provisions, with Raskin casting the only "no" vote. Zwick was absent for the vote.
### SMPD identify suspect in weekend murder
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smpd-identify-suspect-in-weekend-murder/
Last updated: 2026-07-28T20:33:52.000Z
Santa Monica police have identified the suspect arrested in connection with a July 25 homicide in the 1900 block of Pico Boulevard as Taylor Roger Free, 35, of San Luis Obispo.
Los Angeles police officers arrested Free on July 25 near Crenshaw Boulevard and Exposition Boulevard in Los Angeles, according to the Santa Monica Police Department.
SMPD received a call about 5:21 p.m. that day reporting a woman in need of medical assistance inside an apartment in the 1900 block of Pico Boulevard. Officers arrived and found an adult woman with significant injuries. Santa Monica firefighters attempted life-saving measures, but the woman was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
SMPD detectives and forensic personnel began investigating the death as a homicide. As the investigation progressed, detectives shared information about a possible suspect — based on witness statements — with regional law enforcement agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
About 8 p.m. that evening, LAPD officers located Free in Los Angeles after receiving an alert from SMPD, police said.
Free was booked into the Santa Monica Police Department Jail on suspicion of murder, in violation of California Penal Code 187(a). Bail was set at $2 million.
SMPD thanked the LAPD and other regional law enforcement partners for their help locating and arresting the suspect.
The investigation remains active. Anyone with information is asked to call the Santa Monica Police Department at 310-458-8491.
### Cooley LLP named official legal services provider for LA28 Games
URL: https://www.smdp.com/cooley-llp-named-official-legal-services-provider-for-la28-games/
Last updated: 2026-07-28T18:59:59.000Z
Cooley LLP has been selected as an official legal services provider of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Team USA, the firm announced July 15.
Under the three-year partnership, Cooley will provide a full suite of legal services to LA28, supporting corporate and litigation matters as the organization prepares to host the Games in Los Angeles in 2028\. The firm's work will span LA28's legal needs, helping navigate the commercial, operational and regulatory complexities of delivering a global event. The partnership will also create opportunities for Cooley to provide pro bono legal support.
"We are honored to partner with LA28 in bringing the Olympic and Paralympic Games to Los Angeles," said Rachel Proffitt, CEO of Cooley. "There is an extraordinary energy and purpose behind building an event of this scale — one that unites athletes, fans and communities around the world. At Cooley, we are proud to contribute to that effort, drawing on our experience supporting some of the most dynamic companies, leagues and emerging platforms in sports."
Cooley has advised teams, leagues, investors and media platforms across the sports landscape. Through its Sports+ offering, the firm handles matters from transactions and financings to intellectual property, regulatory compliance and dispute resolution.
"The LA28 Games will set a new standard for what a home Games can be — and having the right partners in place is how we get there," said Elisabeth Frienberg, chief legal officer of LA28\. "We're excited to work with Cooley as an Official Legal Services Provider, leveraging their experience and strategic insight to help deliver a Games that reflects the spirit, creativity and innovation of Los Angeles."
LA28 will bring the Games to Los Angeles in 2028, uniting more than 15,000 athletes. Los Angeles will become the third city to host three Olympic Games, following 1932 and 1984, and will host its first Paralympic Games. The independently funded nonprofit has said the Games will be the first since 1948 to build no new permanent infrastructure.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### SMMUSD alumnus Wassim Issa returns as special education coordinator
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smmusd-alumnus-wassim-issa-returns-as-special-education-coordinator/
Last updated: 2026-07-28T18:59:59.000Z
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education has approved the appointment of Wassim Issa as a new special education coordinator. The board acted at its July 16 regular meeting, and Issa will begin the role this summer.
Issa brings several years of experience in special education and instructional leadership, with expertise in program coordination, Individualized Education Program development, Multi-Tiered System of Supports and collaborative student support.
A SMMUSD alumnus, Issa attended Will Rogers Learning Community, John Adams Middle School and Santa Monica High School before pursuing a career in education. He now returns committed to supporting students, families and staff while advancing inclusive educational opportunities.
"I am honored and excited to return to the District that helped shape who I am as both a student and an educator," Issa said. "I look forward to supporting and serving students, families and staff while fostering an inclusive and equitable environment where every student is empowered to reach their full potential."
Most recently, Issa served as bridge coordinator, problem-solving data coordinator, teacher leader and GATE coordinator at University High School Charter. In that role, he facilitated about 300 IEP meetings annually, coordinated special education operations, collaborated with families and service providers, planned professional development aligned with MTSS and implemented evidence-based interventions to support students with disabilities.
Before his leadership role, Issa was an education specialist at Santa Paula High School and University High School Charter, where he taught English language arts, English language development and world history while serving as a case manager for students with disabilities. He worked closely with students, families and educators to ensure individualized supports and accommodations were implemented.
Issa holds a Master of Arts in educational leadership and an administrative credential, as well as a Master of Arts in education with a mild/moderate education specialist credential from Alliant International University. He earned bachelor's degrees in history and global studies from California State University Channel Islands.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### We Deserve a City We Can Call Home
URL: https://www.smdp.com/we-deserve-a-city-we-can-call-home/
Last updated: 2026-07-28T15:14:39.000Z
We’ve spent too much time arguing about what to call the problem instead of how to solve it. That’s one of the reasons people have lost trust in government. We debate terms like “continuum of care,” “housing-focused systems,” and “permanent supportive housing,” while residents are asking much simpler questions: Why do our streets feel less safe? Why are businesses struggling? Why are people still living and dying on our sidewalks? After spending millions of dollars, what are we actually accomplishing?
We don’t rebuild trust by choosing better words. We rebuild trust by speaking plainly.
Let’s be honest: not everyone living on our streets is in the same situation, so why do we keep talking as if they are?
Some people have fallen on hard times and need temporary housing, employment support, and a bridge back to stability. Some need structured support and intensive case management because life has become overwhelming, but they can still engage with services. Others are living with severe addiction, untreated mental illness, traumatic brain injuries, PTSD, or chronic medical conditions. Many are self-medicating on our streets. They need treatment, medical care, recovery services, and sometimes legal intervention before housing alone can make a lasting difference.
Different problems require different solutions. If we keep treating every situation the same, we shouldn’t be surprised when the results stay the same.
We also need to have an honest conversation about housing. Santa Monica is just 8.4 square miles. We are a fully built-out city, so every decision about housing, services, and public space matters.
We should continue building housing responsibly for the people who live and work here. But we need to stop acting as though every discussion about homelessness begins and ends with building more housing.
When residents talk about the people they see living on our streets every day, they’re usually not talking about someone who lost an apartment a month ago. They’re talking about people who appear to be struggling with severe addiction, untreated mental illness, or both. Those challenges require more than housing alone.
That doesn’t mean housing isn’t part of the solution. It is. It means we have to match the right solution to the right person.
Santa Monica also cannot solve a regional crisis by itself. During ride-alongs with our Police Department and conversations with outreach workers, firefighters, paramedics, and service providers, I’ve met people from throughout California and other parts of the country. Addiction, mental illness, and gaps in treatment don’t stop at city boundaries, and neither should the solutions.
Where treatment, detox, psychiatric care, recovery programs, or supportive housing already exist elsewhere in Los Angeles County, we should use those resources. Every community should do its part so no single city carries a disproportionate share of the burden.
At the same time, when services are going to exist in Santa Monica regardless, we should seriously consider local control if it gives us greater accountability. If we’re responsible for the outcomes, then the buck should stop with us.
That brings me to the Palm Motel. I live just down the street. When I first learned what was happening, I had many of the same concerns my neighbors had. I was disappointed that the community wasn’t brought into the conversation sooner. Over the last two years, I’ve also learned something important. Not every issue people associate with the Palm Motel actually starts there. The surrounding businesses, gas station, liquor market, and air pump naturally attract people throughout the day. Sitting on a sidewalk isn’t illegal. Putting air in your tires isn’t illegal. Using drugs in public, trespassing, stealing, vandalizing property, threatening others, or creating unsafe conditions is illegal. That’s where our focus should be.
I’ve supported our Police Department becoming more proactive not because people should be arrested simply for being homeless, but because public spaces belong to everyone. We should continue connecting people with services while also enforcing the laws that protect residents, visitors, businesses, and the people trying to recover. Residents also deserve to understand the choice before us.
If the City does not take over funding the Palm Motel program, we don’t get to decide what happens there next. The owners have the legal right to continue operating it, sell it, or redevelop it within the law. Doing nothing is still a decision, and it comes with consequences. Before we choose a path, we should be honest about all of the realistic alternatives, not just the one currently in front of us.
Finally, let’s start measuring results instead of intentions. Residents deserve to know where the money comes from, who controls each program, what those programs cost, and whether they’re actually working. We should publish that information in a simple public dashboard that shows funding sources, responsibilities, outcomes, and performance. If something isn’t working, we should have the courage to change it.
I know this balanced approach frustrates people on both sides.
Some believe acknowledging neighborhood impacts means you don’t care about people who are homeless. Others believe supporting treatment and services means you’ve accepted the status quo. I reject both extremes. My job isn’t to defend an ideology. My job is to solve problems.
Government doesn’t have to be this confusing: explain the problem, explain the options, show people where the money goes, measure the results. If something isn’t working, change it. That’s not a partisan approach. It’s common sense.
Our residents deserve clean streets, safe neighborhoods, thriving businesses, and a city they can proudly call home. People who are homeless deserve a system that actually helps them recover, stabilize, and rebuild their lives. We can do both. But first, we have to stop arguing about the words and start focusing on the results.
Lana Negrete
### City to restart "overhead watering" for dying trees on San Vicente
URL: https://www.smdp.com/city-to-restart-overhead-watering-for-dying-trees-on-san-vicente/
Last updated: 2026-07-28T15:13:30.000Z
The deaths of dozens of coral trees along San Vicente Boulevard's median over the past four years have prompted the city to reevaluate its irrigation policies, as a new risk assessment finds most of the corridor's remaining trees are in poor health and at risk of failing within two years.
A risk assessment by arborist Jonathan Flournoy, dated July 1, evaluated 13 South African coral trees between the 100 and 1900 blocks of San Vicente Boulevard. Nine were rated "high" risk, three "moderate" and one "low." All 13 showed poor foliage, trunk decay and significant root damage, according to the report.
The assessment continues a troubling trend for the corridor, which has lost roughly 32 coral trees over the past four years.
Flournoy identified banana moth infestation, likely following drought stress, as a key factor in the trees' decline, noting that coral trees compartmentalize decay poorly, allowing rot to spread quickly once it takes hold.
Some individual cases documented in the report were severe. One tree in the 400 block had 23% dead trunk circumference and a root plate that has been uplifting for at least seven years. A tree in the 700 block had 55% dead trunk circumference. A third tree in the 1700 block showed signs of past structural failure, including a large basal cavity.
Flournoy said removal, rather than pruning, is the only viable option for trees rated high risk, though the city will determine the timing of any removals.
The findings reflect broader strain on Santa Monica's urban forest, which includes about 35,000 public trees. Roughly 42% of those trees are now mature and nearing the end of their expected lifespan, according to the city.
The tree deaths have drawn scrutiny to how the median has been irrigated over the past decade.
Around 2016, the city retrofitted the median's overhead irrigation system, replacing it with bubblers that watered only the trees rather than the surrounding turf. The change came in response to drought regulations at the time that prohibited watering turf in medians. Depending on their size, the mature coral trees were each fitted with six to eight bubblers, and that system has remained in place since.
For the past 10 years, the bubblers have run for 30 minutes twice a week.
City officials said the tree watering system has functioned well over that period, with one recent exception: a section of the median between 7th and 11th streets has gone without power needed to run the irrigation system. The city has ordered a solar-powered controller for that section and plans to install it upon arrival. In the meantime, the city's landscape contractor has been hand-watering the affected trees weekly.
The city is now working to reinstate the median's overhead irrigation system, officials said. In addition to providing supplemental water to the trees, the restored system is intended to help revive the turf in the median.
### Soho House to open Venice Beach location in summer 2027
URL: https://www.smdp.com/soho-house-to-open-venice-beach-location-in-summer-2027/
Last updated: 2026-07-28T15:12:43.000Z
Soho House will open a new location in Venice Beach in summer 2027, marking the private members' club's fifth outpost in the Los Angeles area, the company announced.
The new House will sit steps from Abbot Kinney Boulevard, the Venice thoroughfare known for its independent boutiques, galleries and restaurants from artisans and retailers around the world. Company officials said the location is designed to give Los Angeles members a new gathering place centered on food, drinks and wellness experiences.
Soho House Venice Beach will span two floors of club space, including an outdoor terrace on the top floor for drinks and dining. The House will feature communal spaces, health-focused menus and a year-round lineup of programming, according to the company.
Wellness will be a central part of the member experience "morning, noon and night," the company said. Planned amenities include a movement studio and both guided and unguided contrast therapy offerings. Those will include a large communal contrast suite with a hammam, sauna and cold plunge, as well as a private contrast suite, cryotherapy and multiple ice baths.
Members will have access to a calendar of events ranging from creative workshops and talks to recovery-focused programming, including private and social contrast sessions, breathwork, sound baths and expert residencies, the company said.
The Venice Beach location will also debut House Goods, a new concept the company describes as a "purpose-driven" food and drink offering built around workouts, recovery and daily routines. Developed with local wellness experts, the program is organized around morning, noon and night segments and will feature nutrient-dense foods and functional drinks intended to support members throughout the day, according to Soho House.
Membership applications can be submitted at www.sohohouse.com/membership. More information on the Venice Beach House is available at www.sohohouse.com/houses/soho-house-venice-beach.
Soho House is an international private members' club catering to people working in the creative industries, including film, media, fashion, art and music. Restaurateur Nick Jones founded the company in 1995, opening the first Soho House above his Cafe Boheme restaurant at 40 Greek Street in London's Soho district. The club took its name, and its three-house logo, from that original Georgian building. Jones built the club around rejecting the formality of traditional gentlemen's clubs, favoring creative professionals over corporate members, an ethos reflected in the club's informal "no suits" culture and selective membership committee.
The company expanded gradually from its single London townhouse. Babington House, its first location with bedrooms, opened in Somerset, England, in 1998, the same year the company launched its first Cowshed spa. Soho House New York opened in 2003, and the Berlin House, which opened in 2010, became the company's first location on the European mainland.
By 2025, its 30th anniversary, Soho House operated 46 locations worldwide and served 269,606 members as of Sept. 28, 2025, according to the company. Jones stepped down as chief executive in 2022, moving into a founder role, and was succeeded by Andrew Carnie. The company was taken private in a deal led by MCR Hotels that was announced in August 2025.
Soho House describes its mission as creating a "home from home" where members can gather and belong wherever they travel. Each House is individually designed with spaces for dining, drinking, relaxing, working and exercising, along with screening rooms, rooftops and pools. The company also maintains a curated art collection of more than 11,000 works.
Beyond its clubs, membership includes access to Soho House hotel rooms, Cowshed spas, Soho Health Clubs, Cecconi's and other in-house restaurants, Soho Works co-working spaces, the Soho Home interiors line, and a regular calendar of members' events.
### Council to weigh three paths for shielding Expo/Bundy area from state housing law
URL: https://www.smdp.com/council-to-weigh-three-paths-for-shielding-expo-bundy-area-from-state-housing-law/
Last updated: 2026-07-28T15:11:59.000Z
The Santa Monica City Council on Tuesday will consider three options for increasing development standards near the Expo/Bundy Metro station, the final piece needed to temporarily exempt the area from a new state law requiring greater density near transit stops.
The options, laid out in a staff report for the July 28 meeting, range from upzoning 89 single-family parcels north of the I-10 Freeway, to upzoning all 212 single-family parcels in the zone, to reverting to a Planning Commission recommendation that would instead raise standards on 66 parcels zoned for duplexes and apartments. Each option would allow the city to delay implementation of Senate Bill 79 in the Expo/Bundy area until a year after adoption of its next state-mandated Housing Element, expected around 2030.
The report comes two weeks after the council voted 5-1 to pursue rezoning single-family parcels rather than the multifamily parcels planning staff had originally recommended, directing staff to return with options for how many of those parcels should be included.
Need for the rezoning
SB 79, known as the Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act, took effect statewide July 1 and sets minimum density, floor-area ratio and height standards for qualifying housing projects within a half-mile of designated transit stops. Cities can temporarily exclude a transit zone from those standards if at least a third of its parcels already permit at least half of SB 79's density and floor-area standards, and if the zone's overall permitted density reaches at least 75% of what SB 79 would require.
Five of Santa Monica's six transit-oriented development zones already meet that threshold, according to the staff report, and the council introduced an ordinance July 14 to exclude those zones, along with downtown bus stops, from SB 79's requirements. The Expo/Bundy zone, however, falls short. Of its 381 parcels, only 74 — about 19.4% — currently meet the density and floor-area threshold, well below the 126 parcels, or 33%, needed to qualify for exclusion. That means at least 52 additional parcels need increased development standards.
Of the zone's 381 parcels, the report states 90 are already ineligible for SB 79 protections, 54 are commercially zoned parcels that already meet or exceed SB 79 standards, and 237 are residentially zoned. Of those residential parcels, 232 carry what the report calls unlikely displacement risk — including 212 single-family, owner-occupied lots — while five carry potential involuntary displacement risk.
The three options
Option 1 would raise development standards on 89 single-family parcels located north of the I-10 Freeway, bounded by Dorchester Avenue, Exposition Boulevard and Centinela Avenue. The report says this area sits closest to the Expo/Bundy station and to higher-intensity commercial parcels in the Bergamot area. It would bring 42.7% of the zone's parcels up to the required threshold. Five of the 89 parcels have rent-controlled units, but all five are single-unit dwellings and therefore not protected under SB 79's displacement provisions, according to the report.
Option 2 would apply increased standards to all 212 single-family parcels located exclusively within the Expo/Bundy zone, raising 75.5% of parcels to the threshold — far more than the minimum needed. The report describes it as the simplest and most uniform approach, since it follows SB 79's own half-mile boundary rather than drawing a new line. Twenty of the 212 parcels have rent-controlled units, five of which have three or more units and are protected under SB 79's displacement rules.
Option 3 would return to the Planning Commission's June 17 recommendation to instead raise standards on 66 multifamily parcels — 60 zoned R2 and six zoned R3 — bringing 36.7% of the zone's parcels to the threshold while affecting the fewest total parcels. Of those 66 parcels, 44 have rent-controlled units and four have deed-restricted affordable units, with three parcels containing both. Forty of the 44 rent-controlled parcels have three or more units and would be protected under SB 79's displacement provisions; four would not.
Under all three options, a typical affected parcel's maximum density would rise to a 1.25 floor-area ratio, 30-foot height limit and 40 dwelling units per acre — below SB 79's guaranteed standards of a 2.5 floor-area ratio, 55-foot height and 80 dwelling units per acre, but above what current R1 zoning otherwise allows.
Staff also outlined four alternatives it considered and rejected, including upzoning parcels within a quarter-mile of the station, using a one-third-mile radius, targeting only parcels south of the I-10, or taking no action at all — each rejected either for falling short of the 33% threshold or for conflicting with the city's stated goal of directing development toward commercial corridors.
Background on the debate
The council's July 14 vote to pursue single-family rezoning over the Planning Commission's multifamily recommendation passed 5-1, with Councilmembers Natalia Zernitskaya, Caroline Snell, Ellis Raskin and Dan Hall and Mayor Caroline Torosis in favor and Councilmember Lana Negrete opposed. Councilmember Jesse Zwick abstained due to a conflict with his employer.
Raskin, who pushed for the single-family approach, argued it carried less displacement risk because most R1 parcels are owner-occupied, calling the change "really just paper upzoning" given that state laws such as SB 9 and SB 684 already allow comparable density on single-family lots. Negrete cast the lone dissenting vote, warning the approach could invite speculative buying by investors and asking staff to research the rent-control history of affected R1 parcels.
Planning Director Jing Yeo told the council at the July 14 meeting that any upzoning of single-family parcels would likely need to apply uniformly to avoid legal challenges resembling spot zoning, though city staff has since returned with the narrower Option 1 boundary for council's consideration.
No environmental review is required for Tuesday's discussion, staff said, because the item involves policy direction rather than a specific development project. Staff said any ordinance ultimately affecting the Expo/Bundy zone would need to return to the council for further action before taking effect.
### The Surfrider Malibu launches 'Sunday Sessions' summer concert series with Aviator Nation Dreamland, Malibu Pier
URL: https://www.smdp.com/the-surfrider-malibu-launches-sunday-sessions-summer-concert-series-with-aviator-nation-dreamland-malibu-pier/
Last updated: 2026-07-27T19:00:12.000Z
The Surfrider Malibu, a Casetta Hotel, has partnered with Aviator Nation Dreamland and Malibu Pier for Sunday Sessions, a two-part live music and lifestyle series that brings performances, vinyl sets, food and drink to four beachside stages.
The series returns Sunday, Aug. 9, with music and performances spanning Aviator Nation Dreamland, Malibu Pier and The Surfrider Roof Deck. Programming runs throughout the day, with the roof deck open from about 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The event is presented with support from Lola Blankets, SipMARGS, Red Bull, Los Sundays Tequila and others. The first session, held July 12, featured performances and sets from Zoe Smith, Ellie Blackburn, Rachell Rivas, Taylor John Williams and Saige Davis, along with activations from local Malibu partners. VIP guests had access to the roof deck for acoustic performances and a summer menu overlooking the Pacific.
General admission is free and open to all ages, with access to the Malibu Pier Stage, Dreamland Stage and Dreamland Patio. Guests 21 and older can buy VIP passes for exclusive access to The Surfrider Roof Deck and the Lola Blankets Lounge on Malibu Pier. VIP passes release the week before the event, along with lineup details. August artists will be announced the week prior.
Guests staying at The Surfrider automatically receive access to all ticketed VIP experiences. Travelers and locals can book a special room rate using code SSS26\. Friends of The Surfrider and Casetta receive 10% off their stay and two complimentary VIP tickets, subject to availability.
Highlights include acoustic performances and full bar and food service on The Surfrider Roof Deck; afternoon-through-sunset performances on the Malibu Pier Stage; a day-to-night lineup on the Dreamland Stage; DJ vinyl sets on the Dreamland Patio; and the Lola Blankets Lounge, a VIP space with side-stage Pier views, a private bar and oceanfront seating.
The venues line Pacific Coast Highway: The Surfrider Malibu at 23033, Malibu Pier at 23000 and Aviator Nation Dreamland at 22969\. Parking is limited and first-come, first-served; rideshare is encouraged.
For tickets and lineup information, visit the Sunday Sessions site:[ ](https://www.tixr.com/groups/dreamland/events/sunday-sessions-aug-9-196029?ref=smdp.com)[https://www.tixr.com/groups/dreamland/events/sunday-sessions-aug-9-196029](https://www.tixr.com/groups/dreamland/events/sunday-sessions-aug-9-196029?ref=smdp.com)
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Council members mount effort to preserve homeless shelter capacity
URL: https://www.smdp.com/council-members-mount-effort-to-preserve-homeless-shelter-capacity/
Last updated: 2026-07-27T10:00:21.000Z
Santa Monica City Council members Mayor Torosis, Mayor Pro Tem Zwick and Councilmember Raskin are asking their colleagues to guarantee that SaMoShel, the city's 60-bed congregate shelter, will not close until a replacement plan for its capacity is fully developed, according to a council request set for Tuesday night's meeting.
The three council members' item states support for preserving services at The Palm Motel and for replacing SaMoShel's congregate housing model with other forms of emergency shelter and interim housing "better suited for the needs of our city and those exiting homelessness." But the request stops short of endorsing SaMoShel's closure without more detail on what would replace its bed capacity.
"We do not support closing Samoshel without a further developed plan to replace its capacity," the request states.
The item also calls for any future site-selection process to exclude the Pico Neighborhood, citing the council's commitment to equity and to affirmatively furthering fair housing. The three council members are asking fellow members to direct staff to take the steps necessary to carry out that direction.
The request comes as the council considers a broader restructuring of the city's homeless services system, called the Housing Focused System of Care, also on Tuesday's agenda. That plan, outlined in a staff report from Housing and Human Services Director Aileen Reynolds, would shift control of homeless services from Los Angeles County to the city amid what staff describe as a significant regional retrenchment: the county Board of Supervisors' decision to pull Measure A funding from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, the creation of a new county homeless services department, roughly $200 million in county budget cuts to homeless services, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's June suspension of federal funding to LAHSA and the Los Angeles Continuum of Care.
Under the plan, the city would move to preserve The Palm Motel as stabilization housing after county funding for its current program ends, direct money to The Salvation Army's Bell Shelter in Bell to fund currently inactive beds, and launch a Request for Expression of Interest seeking motels, hotels and other non-congregate sites to eventually replace SaMoShel.
Staff have proposed a combined $9,535,809 across the three agreements, including $4,264,673 in fiscal year 2026-27, with a budget amendment shifting $3,458,150 from the Providence Saint John's Development Agreement fund balance to help cover costs. The city has also applied for more than $5 million in state Encampment Resolution Program grant funding.
The plan follows years of city study, including a 2022 assessment from Moss Adams, a strategic plan developed with BerryDunn and published in March 2025, and an October 2025 Realignment Plan directing staff toward a "healing center" sheltering model. Fourteen community meetings held between April and July surfaced general support for new approaches alongside concerns about site security and geographic concentration, staff said.
The item requires five votes to pass because it includes a budget amendment.
### Main Street hosts a hopeful State of the City
URL: https://www.smdp.com/main-street-hosts-a-hopeful-state-of-the-city/
Last updated: 2026-07-27T10:00:00.000Z
Mayor Caroline Torosis delivered a hopeful State of the City address last week during a community focused event that brought city services straight to residents as part of a street festival on Main Street.
"This is more than the setting for tonight's speech," Torosis told the crowd. "It is a glimpse of what is possible when we bring people together and make government feel closer to the community."
The mayor opened by thanking her City Council colleagues — Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Zwick and Councilmembers Dan Hall, Ellis Raskin, Barry Snell, Lana Negrete and Natalya Zernitskaya — along with City Manager Oliver Chi. She singled out several city employees for recognition, including a traffic services officer and a police officer credited with saving a choking child, a code enforcement supervisor, park staff who help families find food and housing, and a downtown maintenance manager with more than three decades of service.
Rather than reciting a full list of city accomplishments — she pointed residents to the city's new "Santa Monica Scorecard" for that — Torosis framed her address around a single question: What kind of city is Santa Monica becoming?
She cited the reopening of the Ocean Park Branch Library, which returned to full staffing this month after five years of reduced service, as emblematic of the city's broader turnaround. "We are turning the lights back on," she said.
Torosis detailed a string of gains under the city's Realignment Plan, adopted unanimously by the council last October following the COVID-19 pandemic and the region's wildfires. She said more than nine in 10 first-round building plan checks are now completed on time, up 40 percentage points in four months. City crews have hauled away 502 tons of debris in six months, a 97% increase over the prior year. The police department has reached full sworn staffing for the first time in more than two decades, serious crime is down 12.5%, and the Big Blue Bus carried 10 million riders for a second consecutive year. The city's general fund is structurally balanced ahead of schedule, she said, enabling nearly $110 million in investments in parks, streets, libraries, public safety and transportation.
On housing, Torosis said the city approved nearly 1,800 new homes this year, including more than 450 permanently affordable units. She highlighted the new Santa Monica Renter Aid program, a $6 million effort she described as the first of its kind in the county, along with the existing Right to Counsel program for tenants facing eviction. She also pointed to SaMo Bridge, which she said has connected more than 460 people to services, treatment and housing as an alternative to the criminal legal system, with more than 80% accepting help. The city has also created a Restorative Justice Commission and committed $3.5 million to address harms tied to the historic displacement of families from the Belmont Triangle and Pico neighborhood.
Torosis acknowledged ongoing challenges, including unsheltered homelessness, elevated property crime and struggling small businesses, saying the city is "no longer looking away" from those problems.
Looking ahead, the mayor cited a lineup of major upcoming events — including the Ocean Way Music Festival on the beach this September, ESPN's Super Bowl week broadcasts, and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games — and said each must deliver a "resident dividend" of jobs, free public experiences and lasting improvements. She also discussed the pending 2028 closure of Santa Monica Airport, saying the 192 acres will be transformed with community input into new public parkland.
The address closed with the unveiling of Santa Monica's Tournament of Roses Parade float design and a plan to bus local residents from Santa Monica to Pasadena to help build it. Torosis said the float's theme, "Welcome," reflects her governing philosophy for the city, tying it to a personal story about her mother, who immigrated from Montreal and watched the parade as a symbol of the welcome California seemed to offer.
### Suspect arrested in Saturday night murder on Pico
URL: https://www.smdp.com/suspect-arrested-in-saturday-night-murder-on-pico/
Last updated: 2026-07-27T18:45:08.000Z
Santa Monica police have arrested a male suspect in connection with the killing of a woman found beaten to death in an apartment in the 1900 block of Pico Boulevard, department officials said over the weekend.
Police received a call at approximately 5:21 p.m. Saturday regarding a woman in need of medical assistance inside the apartment. Responding officers found an adult woman with significant injuries. Santa Monica Fire Department personnel attempted life-saving measures, but the woman was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
SMPD detectives and forensic personnel are investigating the death as a homicide. The victim's identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. Police said no additional suspects are being sought and the investigation remains active and ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Santa Monica Police Department at 310-458-8491.
Witnesses reported seeing the investigation inside The Manor, at 1905 Pico. The state-licensed Adult Residential Facility, across the street from Santa Monica College, has long drawn criticism as a blight on the Pico and Sunset Park neighborhoods and is a frequent source of calls to police.
Licensed under the California Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing, The Manor has provided room, board and supervision for adults with mental illness and developmental disabilities since 1965\. It is not a conventional apartment building, market-rate housing or Section 8 housing, despite being mislabeled by some online listing aggregators.
The facility has figured into the city's homelessness-sheltering plans. The city previously explored partnering with The Manor as part of an effort to replace shelter capacity at SaMoShel, the city's 60-bed congregate shelter at 505 Olympic Blvd, but halted those talks in favor of a competitive Request for Expression of Interest process. The Manor is not among the agreements currently before the City Council, and no Manor-specific zoning dispute or organized opposition has surfaced in coverage of the broader plan.
The city is now moving to end SaMoShel operations entirely and replace them with a "Housing Focused System of Care," a three-tier model of stabilization, interim and permanent housing under direct city control. City Manager Oliver Chi has described the current shelter system as "challenging" and "disjointed." The plan, prepared by Housing and Human Services Director Aileen Reynolds, cites Los Angeles County's restructuring of its regional homeless response, including a $843 million county spending plan approved in July 2025 that cut nearly $200 million amid a shortfall of more than $270 million, and a June 11, 2026, decision by HUD to suspend the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority from federal grant activity pending a mismanagement investigation.
The city's plan includes preserving the Palm Motel at 2020 14th St. as city-controlled "stabilization housing," directing funding to activate unfunded beds at The Salvation Army's Bell Shelter in the city of Bell, and issuing a new Request for Expression of Interest to identify motels, hotels and residential facilities to replace SaMoShel's capacity. The combined budget request across the three agreements totals $9,535,809.
The council is scheduled to consider the plan at its July 28 meeting. Because the item includes a budget amendment, it requires five votes to pass. Opposition has centered in the Pico and Sunset Park neighborhoods, where residents have raised questions about admissions criteria, sobriety requirements, security and harm-reduction supplies at a recent town hall organized by the Pico Neighborhood Association and Friends of Sunset Park.
Some councilmembers have said they oppose closing the downtown shelter until the city releases a plan to replace all the potentially lost shelter beds.
Santa Monica's 2026 Point-in-Time count found 718 people experiencing homelessness in the city, down from 812 in 2025 — an 11.6% decline, with unsheltered homelessness down 18.7%, according to the city.
### Santa Monica moves to shutter SaMoShel, build City-controlled housing system
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-moves-to-shutter-samoshel-build-city-controlled-housing-system/
Last updated: 2026-07-25T09:59:59.000Z
Santa Monica is preparing to decommission SaMoShel, the 60-bed congregate shelter that has served as the city's only dedicated sheltering resource for more than three decades, as part of a broader overhaul of how the city addresses homelessness.
The City Council will consider the plan, called the Housing Focused System of Care, at its July 28 meeting. The proposal would replace SaMoShel's dormitory-style setup — in which residents sleep in an assigned area of a large room alongside many others — with a network of non-congregate housing that the city, rather than Los Angeles County, would control from intake through permanent placement.
According to a staff report prepared by Aileen Reynolds, director of the city's Housing and Human Services Department, the shift comes as Los Angeles County dramatically restructures its regional homeless response system. Over the past 15 months, the county Board of Supervisors voted to pull Measure A funding from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, created a new County Department of Homeless Services and Housing, and then cut nearly $200 million from homeless services amid a budget shortfall. In June, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development suspended federal funding to LAHSA and the Los Angeles Continuum of Care, adding further strain.
"If we simply maintain the status quo while the regional system is reordered and defunded, our local outcomes will suffer, both in how we support the unhoused population in our community, and in our efforts to reduce disorder in our neighborhoods and commercial districts," the report states.
New housing options across the city
The plan calls for three linked types of housing — stabilization housing, interim housing and permanent housing — each paired with support services, with the city deciding who is placed at each site and directing security and "good neighbor" policies at every location.
The first step involves preserving The Palm Motel as stabilization housing. The 34-room, 48-occupant motel has operated as county-funded interim housing under The People Concern for the past two years, but that program is ending as the county redirects resources. Rather than lose the resource, the city would negotiate agreements with the property owner and with The People Concern to bring the site under city control, limiting placements to people who meet the Santa Monica Program Participant, or SMPP, definition — someone who became homeless in the city, has been homeless in the city for three or more years, or is a frequent user of city services as verified by staff.
The second step directs city funding to The Salvation Army to activate currently unfunded shelter beds at its Bell Shelter in the city of Bell. Because those beds would be available to any Los Angeles County jurisdiction working with The Salvation Army, staff describe the investment as support for the broader regional system, while also giving the city's outreach and first-responder teams a funded referral option for people who don't meet the SMPP definition.
The third step is a Request for Expression of Interest, or RFEI, seeking motels, hotels, residential facilities and other non-congregate sites in and around Santa Monica. Those facilities, once identified, would replace SaMoShel's capacity and complete the local continuum. The city had previously explored partnering with The Manor, an adult residential facility on Pico Boulevard, but halted those talks in favor of the competitive RFEI process. Staff say the transition away from SaMoShel would be sequenced so shelter capacity is maintained throughout, and a subsequent Request for Qualifications would build a bench of service providers for the new sites.
Staff are also asking the council to approve exceptions to competitive bidding for agreements with The Palm Motel, The People Concern and The Salvation Army, and to adopt a finding that the agreements are statutorily exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act because they constitute contracts for services to people experiencing homelessness.
The budget request tied to the plan totals $4,264,673 in fiscal year 2026-27 and $5,271,136 in future-year requests, for a combined $9,535,809 across the three agreements. Staff are proposing a budget amendment shifting $3,458,150 from the Providence Saint John's Development Agreement fund balance to cover part of the cost. Officials note that funding beyond year two will need new sources once those development agreement funds run out, and that the city has applied for more than $5 million from a state Encampment Resolution Program grant, with Measure GS and Measure GSH cited as other potential funding streams.
Closure, not relocation
The proposal has met with concern and confusion in the community. Santa Monica is not proposing a relocation of Samoshell, either its people or services. Rather it’s proposing an end to all Samoshell operations. Current residents would be transferred to as yet undermined facilities. Santa Monica would then populate any new facilities in city limits with individuals drawn from its priority population. Those new beds would be filtered for individuals who are able to utilize the interim housing and would be specifically for people transitioning out of homelessness.
The city's homelessness strategy
The proposal builds on several years of city analysis. In 2022, Santa Monica commissioned a homelessness assessment from Moss Adams, which led the council in 2023 to authorize development of a citywide homelessness strategic plan. The city worked with BerryDunn on that plan, which was published in March 2025.
In October 2025, the council adopted a Realignment Plan that called for reimagining the city's sheltering model, replacing SaMoShel with a "healing center" approach pairing shelter with addiction treatment and mental health services and creating a direct pipeline into transitional and permanent housing.
In late March 2026, staff returned with a Realignment Plan update recommending the Housing Focused System of Care and asking for direction to pursue community engagement before finalizing any agreements. That outreach included 14 community meetings between April and July, where staff said they heard general support for new solutions, alongside concerns about site safety and security, how success would be measured, and whether facilities would be concentrated in one part of the city. Staff say those concerns shaped the final proposal, including the security and good-neighbor provisions built into each contract and an equity review planned for the RFEI process.
The 2025 Point-in-Time count identified 812 people experiencing homelessness in Santa Monica. Staff also noted that of SaMoShel's 60 beds, only about 10% are currently occupied by people who meet the SMPP definition, a gap the report cites in proposing a two-part strategy: building a local system for SMPP residents while continuing to invest in the regional response for others experiencing homelessness in the city.
The item is scheduled for the council's July 28 meeting and would require five votes to pass because it includes a budget amendment.
### Santa Monica reports double digit decline in homelessness
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-reports-double-digit-decline-in-homelessness/
Last updated: 2026-07-25T01:26:27.000Z
Unsheltered homelessness in Santa Monica dropped 18.1% in 2026, even as homelessness increased across most of the Los Angeles region, according to Point-in-Time Count data released Friday by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.
Santa Monica's count found 718 people experiencing homelessness this year, down 94 people, or 11.6%, from 812 in 2025\. It was the lowest total recorded since LAHSA began administering the city's count in 2024.
The decline was driven almost entirely by fewer people living outdoors. The count found 389 unsheltered individuals, down 86 from 475 last year. Sheltered residents rose slightly, from 202 to 222, an increase of 9.9%.
Vehicle dwelling, the main driver of Santa Monica's increase in last year's count, reversed sharply. Occupied vehicles — cars, vans and RVs — fell from 84 to 59, a drop of 29.8%. Vans alone fell from 52 to 34\. Tents and makeshift shelters combined dropped from 51 to 48.
"Behind every one of these numbers is a person, and behind this progress is a community that refuses to treat homelessness as inevitable," Mayor Caroline Torosis said. "This is what happens when a city stays committed to keeping people housed. We're proud of this milestone, and we are not slowing down."
Aileen Reynolds, director of the city's Housing and Human Services Department, said the numbers reflect the work of the city's coordinated response system but cautioned against declaring victory.
"This decline reflects what a dedicated system of care can achieve when we meet people where they are and connect them to services right away," Reynolds said. "At the same time, we know our work is not done."
City officials and LAHSA caution that the figures are raw, unadjusted totals reflecting people and dwellings actually observed by volunteers and outreach teams the night of the count in January. They have not been adjusted with a multiplier to estimate additional people who may have been living inside a counted vehicle or structure, and the sheltered totals exclude people housed through vouchers, Inside Safe, Pathway Home or other programs with confidential addresses — meaning the true number of unhoused residents connected to city and county services is likely higher than the raw count shows.
The result marks a reversal from a year ago, when Santa Monica's 2025 count showed local homelessness rising 5%, from 774 people in 2024 to 812, driven largely by car campers and a rise in shelter residents, even as Los Angeles County and the city of Los Angeles both posted declines. This year, the pattern flipped: Santa Monica improved while the regional picture worsened. Santa Monica's broader service planning area, which includes Malibu, Culver City, Beverly Hills, Venice and several other Westside communities, saw an increase of 147 individuals.
**Regional homelessness rises after two years of declines**
LAHSA's 2026 Greater Los Angeles count found homelessness across the county's Continuum of Care rose 1.2% to an estimated 73,040 people, and rose 3.4% to about 45,194 people within the city of Los Angeles — reversing two consecutive years of declines. Unsheltered homelessness in the city of Los Angeles jumped 7.9%, to an estimated 29,115 people.
LAHSA said the increase was not driven by any single program's failure but by a funding-driven pause in enrollments and permanent housing placements through Time Limited Subsidies, a flexible rental assistance program. The number of people newly housed through the subsidies dropped from 10,308 in 2024 to 6,590 in 2025, contributing to a roughly 5,100-person decline in total permanent placements regionwide, to 23,532.
Without access to the subsidies, movement through the rehousing system slowed at every stage: transitions from interim to permanent housing fell 36%, movement from the street into interim housing fell 8%, and the number of people falling back onto the street from interim housing rose 24%. LAHSA said that bottleneck left fewer beds available for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness to fill.
"This year's count confirms a fundamental truth: access to permanent housing ends homelessness," said Gita O'Neill, LAHSA's interim chief executive officer. "When our unhoused neighbors lost access to rental subsidies, the system slowed, there was less upward movement in interim housing, and progress stalled."
LAHSA also pointed to broader economic pressure, noting a Los Angeles County household must earn $110,000 annually to afford average rent of $2,745 a month, and that the region lacks more than 473,000 affordable homes it needs. Of newly unhoused residents surveyed this year, 59% cited economic hardship as the primary cause.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass offered a different emphasis, attributing the reversal to federal policy under the Trump administration and to what she described as a 50% cut in state Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention funding, from $1 billion to $500 million, which she said cost the city of Los Angeles $70 million.
LAHSA said it is pursuing litigation, alongside lawsuits brought by the state of California and others, against the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development over the funding framework adopted for its 2026 Continuum of Care Notice of Funding Availability, arguing the framework threatens to strip subsidies from thousands of households already in permanent housing.
**Count methodology faces continued scrutiny**
Both the regional and Santa Monica figures come with reliability caveats. A RAND Corporation study published in 2025 found LAHSA's volunteer-led count has significantly undercounted the region's unsheltered population in recent years, diverging sharply from RAND's more rigorous survey method starting in 2024\. Last year's official count fell 32% short of RAND's tally, with the 2025 count capturing just 61% of Skid Row's unsheltered population, compared with 76% in Venice and 81% in Hollywood.
Because the count determines how federal homelessness funding and Los Angeles County's Measure A sales tax revenue are distributed, undercounts in high-need areas risk diverting resources from where they're needed most, RAND found. A subsequent HUD-mandated review of LAHSA's 2025 count found duplication and utilization errors, prompting revisions including an upward correction to the unsheltered estimate after reviewers discovered an outdated file had omitted data from the Winnetka area.
RAND's most recent report, covering data collected from January 2025 through this January in Hollywood, Skid Row and Venice, found the combined unsheltered population in those neighborhoods held roughly steady, but unsheltered rough sleeping without any tent, vehicle or makeshift structure reached its highest share in the study's four-year history — 44% of the unsheltered population in those areas, up from 30% in 2021\. Researchers linked the shift, away from tents and toward vehicles and open-air sleeping, to encampment clearings that leave people without alternative housing.
LAHSA has faced broader scrutiny over its methodology and finances over the past year, including a 2025 forensic audit, the loss of roughly $350 million in annual funding from Los Angeles County, and the resignation of former CEO Va Lecia Adams Kellum.
Beginning later this summer, Santa Monica will partner with RAND to conduct independent, bi-monthly counts of unsheltered homelessness in the city, paired with in-person surveys of unsheltered residents — an effort city officials said is meant to supplement the annual snapshot with more frequent, granular data.
**City programs cited in decline**
City officials credited several initiatives launched over the past year, anchored by the Homelessness Strategic Plan the City Council adopted in March 2025, which aligned city departments around four pillars: prevention, intervention, coordination and communication. The plan ties into the city's broader Realignment Plan objectives of achieving safe neighborhoods and clean streets and developing affordable housing.
Among the programs cited was SaMo Bridge, a 24/7 respite hub at Main Street and Pico Boulevard that opened in April 2025\. Accessible only through Santa Monica Police Department referral, the hub is operated by longtime city partner Exodus Recovery in coordination with the City Attorney's Office, the Police Department and Housing and Human Services. Rather than arresting someone for a minor offense, officers can bring them to SaMo Bridge, where a resource navigator begins a 90-day care coordination plan.
In its first year, the program received 462 police referrals — exceeding its original design capacity of 260 annual referrals — and started 363 people on 90-day plans. Of 233 participants directly connected to services, 81% were immediately placed into housing or treatment programs, and 54 people graduated and became eligible for citation dismissal.
The city also pointed to expanded street outreach hours in partnership with the Salvation Army and The People Concern, growth of the Police Department's Homeless Liaison Program, continued Right to Counsel legal representation for tenants facing eviction, and the Project Homecoming initiative, which has reunited more than 3,200 people with family or support networks since 2006.
The Point-in-Time Count is a federally required, one-night snapshot conducted each January and administered regionwide by LAHSA using a consistent methodology. Officials describe it as a directional indicator rather than a census, and say year-over-year changes should be read alongside other local data.
### Weekly Lane Closures Set for PCH and Topanga Canyon Boulevard in Palisades Fire Work Zones
URL: https://www.smdp.com/weekly-lane-closures-set-for-pch-and-topanga-canyon-boulevard-in-palisades-fire-work-zones/
Last updated: 2026-07-24T21:30:58.000Z
Crews will continue Palisades Fire recovery work along Pacific Coast Highway and Topanga Canyon Boulevard from July 27 through Aug. 2, with single-lane closures possible on PCH anytime between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays.
The closures listed are planned, but others may occur. Motorists can check live conditions on the Caltrans[ ](https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/?view=34.0377%2C-118.6344%2C18&layers=chp%5Fincidents%2Ccms%2Cfull%5Fclosures%2Clane%5Fclosures%2Cspeed&ref=smdp.com)[Quickmap](https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/?view=34.0377%2C-118.6344%2C18&layers=chp%5Fincidents%2Ccms%2Cfull%5Fclosures%2Clane%5Fclosures%2Cspeed&ref=smdp.com).
Along PCH from Temescal Canyon Road in Pacific Palisades to Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu, the stretch from Temescal Canyon Road to Sunset Boulevard has a reduced speed limit of 35 mph with cones and signage. From Sunset Boulevard to Carbon Beach Terrace, the road remains an active work zone subject to single-lane closures and a 25 mph limit.
Several potential closures are planned in active work zones. From just north of Las Flores Canyon Road to Sunset Boulevard, crews will handle Las Flores Creek cleanup along with roadway, drainage and slope repairs. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays, the right-turn lane from PCH onto Rambla Pacifico Street will be closed, though motorists can still turn onto Rambla Pacifico using the PCH thru-lane. Additional lane closures will occur only as needed.
From Pena Road to Tuna Canyon Road, crews reconstructing a retaining wall may reduce southbound traffic to one lane from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. as needed. At the PCH and SR-27 intersection, Verizon trenching work may reduce PCH to one lane in both directions where crews are working from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.
On Topanga Canyon Boulevard (SR-27) from Pacific Coast Highway to Grand View Drive, motorists are advised to stay alert and take extra caution around blind curves in case of slowed traffic. A Caltrans work zone of less than a half mile, between postmiles 2.5 and 2.8, carries a 15 mph speed limit.
For SR-27[ ](https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-7/district-7-news/sr-27-pavement-rehabilitation-topanga-canyon-restarts-june-15-2026?ref=smdp.com)[pavement rehabilitation](https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-7/district-7-news/sr-27-pavement-rehabilitation-topanga-canyon-restarts-june-15-2026?ref=smdp.com), one-lane traffic control is in place from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily, Monday night through Saturday morning, between just north of Happy Trail and PCH.
Closures are weather-permitting and subject to change. Motorists should expect delays, use alternate routes during construction hours and note that fines can be doubled in a work zone.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Former Santa Monica High Homecoming Queen Monet Bagneris Brings Comeback Concert Home
URL: https://www.smdp.com/former-santa-monica-high-homecoming-queen-monet-bagneris-brings-comeback-concert-home/
Last updated: 2026-07-24T19:18:49.000Z
Singer and songwriter Monet Bagneris returns to Santa Monica for "From Silence to Song: The Comeback Concert," a personal live performance at The Recording Club on Saturday, July 25.
Doors open at 4 p.m. and the concert begins at 4:30 p.m. There are no ticket sales at the door. The venue, The Recording Club by Tiny Room Studios, is at 1660 Ninth St. Tickets are available through Eventbrite, with limited seating.
For Bagneris, a Santa Monica High School alum and former homecoming queen, the date is a homecoming to the city where she spent her formative years.
The concert follows a difficult chapter in which exposure to toxic wildfire ash from the January 2025 fires temporarily silenced her voice. Unable to speak for nearly two months, she communicated with a dry-erase board while recovering. "I'm so grateful to God that I have my voice again," Bagneris said.
Blending soul, pop and contemporary R&B with candid storytelling, the show invites audiences into a journey through healing, joy and triumph. Roc Nation artist Josh Moreland will be a special guest performer. Fewer than 60 seats are available, making the performance an up-close experience.
Bagneris is a singer, songwriter, actress and motivational speaker whose training began in classical piano and jazz and pop vocals, alongside acting studies. Her musical foundation began with the gospel music of her grandmother, Annie Bell Bagneris, and continued at the University of Southern California, where she sang with a gospel choir and won Trojan Idol.
Her credits include background vocals on Charlie Wilson's "All of My Love," featuring Smokey Robinson, as well as her own releases "Talkin' Bout Love" and "Can't Wait for Santa."
More information is available at MonetBagneris.com.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Singer was stabbed 68 times in brutal 2025 murder
URL: https://www.smdp.com/singer-was-stabbed-68-times-in-brutal-2025-murder/
Last updated: 2026-07-24T18:59:59.000Z
Gospel singer Jubilant Sykes suffered 68 stab wounds and multiple broken bones before he died, according to a Los Angeles County medical examiner's autopsy report detailing the Grammy-nominated performer's killing inside his Santa Monica home in December.
The autopsy report shows Sykes, 71, was stabbed in his heart, liver and lungs and was also struck with a 10-pound dumbbell during the attack, which took place at his home in the 1700 block of Delaware Avenue on Dec. 8\. His son, Micah Sykes, 31, allegedly used garden shears in the assault, according to his criminal complaint.
Sykes' wife, Cecelia, reported the incident as an assault after finding her son attacking his father, police said. Officers responded to the home at approximately 9:20 p.m. after a 911 caller reported an assault in progress. Sykes was pronounced dead at the scene by Santa Monica Fire Department personnel shortly after officers arrived.
Micah Sykes was found inside the residence and taken into custody without incident. He has been in custody without bail since his arrest and is charged with murder as well as infliction of injury on a vulnerable victim. His arraignment has been delayed repeatedly, and his next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 6, according to court records. A request for comment from the public defender's office was not immediately returned.
Detectives from the Santa Monica Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division secured the scene and obtained a search warrant. Forensic specialists processed physical evidence, including a weapon recovered at the scene. Police have said the incident appears to be isolated and occurred within a private residence, with no ongoing threat to the community.
Sykes grew up in Los Angeles, where he sang soprano as a child. His resume included performances at the Metropolitan Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, London's Barbican Centre, the Apollo Theater, the Hollywood Bowl and the New Orleans Jazz Festival. In 2010, he earned a Grammy nomination for his recording of Leonard Bernstein's "Mass."
Micah has remained in custody since the murder.
### Six artists selected for Santa Monica residencies at Bergamot Station
URL: https://www.smdp.com/six-artists-selected-for-santa-monica-residencies-at-bergamot-station/
Last updated: 2026-07-24T19:00:00.000Z
Six Los Angeles County-based artists have been chosen as the 2026-2027 cohort for the city of Santa Monica Artist Residency Program, formerly the Camera Obscura Artist in Residency Program.
They are Sasha Mazhara, Chinaedu Nwadibia, Bella Ortiz, Seda Saar, Avila Santo and Nicolette Spear, selected by a panel of arts professionals.
The artists will develop their work during 14-week residencies in a studio at the City Gallery in the Bergamot Station Arts Center. As part of the program, they will lead free public workshops. Each receives a $2,500 honorarium and a $500 materials budget for the workshops.
The 2026-2027 cycle marks the program's official move to Bergamot Station. In previous years, it was held at the Camera Obscura Art Lab in Palisades Park.
Avila Santo will lead an embodied rhythm workshop during COAST 2026, an open streets festival celebrating the World Cup final, on Sunday, July 19, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. His workshop runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Camera Obscura Art Lab in Palisades Park. Previous resident Anahid Boghosian, of the 2025-2026 program, will also take part in COAST with a live painting demonstration and new work from her residency.
Bella Ortiz will lead a blind contour drawing workshop during the annual State of the City event on Thursday, July 23, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Main Street.
Seda Saar is part of the "Water is a Currency" exhibition at the Annenberg Community Beach House gallery, featuring seven artists exploring cultural, spiritual and historical relationships between water, movement and collective memory. It is on view through Sept. 27.
Mazhara is a documentary photographer originally from Ukraine whose work centers on displacement and reconnection. Nwadibia is a multidisciplinary artist drawing on her Nigerian and African American heritage. Ortiz, known as EDTHEGOATKILLER, is a self-taught Chilean American artist working across canvas, apparel and murals. Saar is an interdisciplinary artist exploring light, color and space. Santo is a drummer and Capoeira professor whose work centers on rhythm. Spear is a painter whose large-scale oils examine technology's power to connect and isolate.
Future workshops will be posted at santamonica.gov/events.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Free training plans available for McCourt Foundation's Santa Monica Classic
URL: https://www.smdp.com/free-training-plans-available-for-mccourt-foundations-santa-monica-classic/
Last updated: 2026-07-24T18:59:59.000Z
Free training plans for the 2026[ ](https://tracking.us.nylas.com/l/f7cf29f74b194e84a52ac90241ebffca/2/e0ddf2a0f4557032f5c81dcb4903717601a81569f9558dbcb6f4d9c5c84da398?cache%5Fbuster=1784145805&ref=smdp.com)[Santa Monica Classic](https://tracking.us.nylas.com/l/f7cf29f74b194e84a52ac90241ebffca/2/e0ddf2a0f4557032f5c81dcb4903717601a81569f9558dbcb6f4d9c5c84da398?cache%5Fbuster=1784145805&ref=smdp.com) are now available from the LA Road Runners, the event's training program. The race, produced by[ ](https://tracking.us.nylas.com/l/f7cf29f74b194e84a52ac90241ebffca/3/6e70f68bb2ae4c85d671a2cb61e166c3e080fd5d992d74fc789c66b4e5ea3a9b?cache%5Fbuster=1784145805&ref=smdp.com)[The McCourt Foundation](https://tracking.us.nylas.com/l/f7cf29f74b194e84a52ac90241ebffca/3/6e70f68bb2ae4c85d671a2cb61e166c3e080fd5d992d74fc789c66b4e5ea3a9b?cache%5Fbuster=1784145805&ref=smdp.com), takes place Sept. 13.
The LA Road Runners trains and supports participants for the Santa Monica Classic, the[ ](https://tracking.us.nylas.com/l/f7cf29f74b194e84a52ac90241ebffca/4/cea0012ed7ab4fc92763cef81c960de5cc4db13ae82e754755a29d923a8f7b99?cache%5Fbuster=1784145805&ref=smdp.com)[Rose Bowl Half Marathon & 5K](https://tracking.us.nylas.com/l/f7cf29f74b194e84a52ac90241ebffca/4/cea0012ed7ab4fc92763cef81c960de5cc4db13ae82e754755a29d923a8f7b99?cache%5Fbuster=1784145805&ref=smdp.com) and the[ ](https://tracking.us.nylas.com/l/f7cf29f74b194e84a52ac90241ebffca/5/8c535a9bcc9bd1d19976b6a9ac69bc0d81fe6c0f712483e19edcc2c3e55f0040?cache%5Fbuster=1784145805&ref=smdp.com)[ASICS Los Angeles Marathon](https://tracking.us.nylas.com/l/f7cf29f74b194e84a52ac90241ebffca/5/8c535a9bcc9bd1d19976b6a9ac69bc0d81fe6c0f712483e19edcc2c3e55f0040?cache%5Fbuster=1784145805&ref=smdp.com). The program's[ ](https://tracking.us.nylas.com/l/f7cf29f74b194e84a52ac90241ebffca/6/dc8c44580058717db677740d5c88e997d0419ec8ae410ac658a55a75af09d1b4?cache%5Fbuster=1784145805&ref=smdp.com)[downloadable, eight-week training plans](https://tracking.us.nylas.com/l/f7cf29f74b194e84a52ac90241ebffca/6/dc8c44580058717db677740d5c88e997d0419ec8ae410ac658a55a75af09d1b4?cache%5Fbuster=1784145805&ref=smdp.com) for the Classic are now available online, with five levels based on experience and goals.
To mark the start of training, the foundation and LA Road Runners hosted a free Summer Meet Up run on July 11 at the Third Street Promenade. Nearly 100 local runners came together for a 3- or 5-mile group workout previewing the Santa Monica Classic courses.
"For over 30 years, the LA Road Runners program has been helping athletes of all levels train for iconic local races like the Santa Monica Classic," said Lucie Murray, senior manager of community and youth programs for the foundation. "33% of Santa Monica Classic participants also take part in the ASICS Los Angeles Marathon, with many also running in the Rose Bowl Half Marathon. It's a perfect stepping stone for those who set goals for longer distances."
[Registration for the Santa Monica Classic is open](https://tracking.us.nylas.com/l/f7cf29f74b194e84a52ac90241ebffca/7/117ede485c25c364e279f5872ac9b2d642569ff4f9cae8b2e3460da3ecf93b2c?cache%5Fbuster=1784145805&ref=smdp.com) and is expected to sell out weeks ahead of race day. The event features a 10K and 5K, with partners including ASICS, Michelob Ultra, UCLA Health, KIA and Optimum Nutrition. It is one of four annual running events produced by The McCourt Foundation, a Los Angeles- and Boston-based nonprofit focused on funding neurological research and community wellness. Since its inception, the foundation has donated more than $7.2 million to neurology research and generated more than $81 million for charity partners.
The event also features a Kids Run for ages 3 to 8 on a half-kilometer route, part of the Kids Run LA Challenge.
For more information, visit[ ](http://mccourtfoundation.org/?ref=smdp.com)[mccourtfoundation.org](http://mccourtfoundation.org/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### SMPD says it did not assist in Federal immigration arrest outside Public Safety Facility
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smpd-says-it-id-not-assist-in-federal-immigration-arrest-outside-public-safety-facility/
Last updated: 2026-07-23T23:25:49.000Z
The Santa Monica Police Department said Thursday it did not participate in or coordinate a federal immigration arrest that took place outside the Santa Monica Public Safety Facility earlier in the day, following community concerns about the incident.
According to SMPD, officers arrested an adult male earlier that morning on suspicion of vehicle burglary and possession of burglary tools. The man was processed, cited on those charges and released from SMPD custody. After his release was complete, federal authorities took him into custody independently, the department said.
SMPD said its officers did not participate in or assist with the federal arrest and that there was no coordinated handoff between local police and federal authorities.
The department reiterated that it does not participate in civil immigration enforcement operations or arrest people based solely on their immigration status, but said it also does not obstruct lawful actions carried out independently by federal authorities.
Officials said the position is consistent with longstanding department policy and remains unchanged, pointing to previous remarks by Police Chief Darrick Jacob on immigration enforcement.
"Our responsibility is to protect public safety and enforce criminal laws within the City of Santa Monica," Jacob has said. "Immigration enforcement is the responsibility of designated federal agencies and is not a function of this department."
Jacob has said the department's approach is consistent with long-standing Santa Monica policy and California law, including Senate Bill 54, also known as the California Values Act, and Title 8 of the U.S. Code. He has said SMPD does not conduct immigration sweeps, raids or detentions based solely on immigration status, and does not independently enforce federal immigration law.
"Public safety depends on trust between the community and law enforcement," Jacob has said. "Fear of immigration consequences should never prevent someone from calling for help or cooperating with the Santa Monica Police Department."
Jacob has also said that while the department does not enforce federal immigration laws, it does enforce criminal laws fairly and consistently regardless of immigration status. "Accountability for criminal behavior is essential to public safety, and no one should interpret our policies as tolerance for crime," he has said.
In its statement Thursday, SMPD said immigration status does not affect a person's ability to report a crime, request assistance, or cooperate with the department as a victim or witness. The department said its officers remain focused on local public safety and the protection of everyone who lives, works and visits Santa Monica.
"Community trust is essential to effective policing," the department said. "SMPD remains committed to serving every person with professionalism, fairness, dignity and respect."
### Murder suspect is 16-year-old Las Vegas resident
URL: https://www.smdp.com/murder-suspect-is-16-year-old-las-vegas-re/
Last updated: 2026-07-23T22:39:30.000Z
A 16-year-old boy from Las Vegas has been taken into custody in connection with the fatal shooting of a man in a parking lot near the Santa Monica Pier over the weekend, police said.
The juvenile surrendered to Santa Monica Police Department detectives on the evening of July 21, two days after officers responded to a report of a possible shooting in Parking Lot 1 North, at 1550 Pacific Coast Highway, according to police.
Officers arriving at the lot at about 12:32 a.m. July 20 found an adult man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite life-saving efforts, the man, later identified by the Los Angeles County medical examiner's office as Edgar Buitimea, 24, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A preliminary investigation found that a physical altercation broke out between two groups shortly before the shooting, police said. During the course of the investigation, detectives identified the 16-year-old as the suspect. Because of his age, police said no additional identifying information would be released.
"Violence of any kind has no place in our community," Santa Monica Police Chief Darrick Jacob said in a statement. "While nothing can replace the life that was lost, the swift and focused work of our detectives resulted in the suspect being safely taken into custody. This is an important step, but our work is not finished. Our beachfront is one of Santa Monica's most heavily visited public spaces, and we remain committed to keeping it safe for residents, visitors, businesses, and everyone who comes to enjoy our community."
The shooting capped one of Santa Monica's busiest weekends in recent memory. The city hosted an open streets festival downtown alongside large public watch parties for the World Cup final. Thousands of visitors flooded the downtown area ahead of the match's noon kickoff, and while many crammed roadways trying to leave after the game, large crowds persisted through the rest of the day.
### Dangerous Heat Wave Grips Southern California Through Monday, With Inland Areas Facing Triple-Digit Highs
URL: https://www.smdp.com/dangerous-heat-wave-grips-southern-california-through-monday-with-inland-areas-facing-triple-digit-highs/
Last updated: 2026-07-23T18:59:59.000Z
A prolonged and dangerous heat wave settled over Southern California on Wednesday, prompting the National Weather Service to issue an Extreme Heat Warning for the Antelope Valley and a Heat Advisory for much of Los Angeles County, including the mountains, valleys and beaches, through Monday evening.
The National Weather Service's Los Angeles/Oxnard office said the heat will build through the week, with Thursday through Sunday expected to bring the hottest conditions. Forecasters said "hotter than normal conditions will continue through at least early next week," warning of elevated risks for heat-related illness as both daytime highs and overnight lows run well above seasonal norms.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health urged residents to take precautions to avoid heat exhaustion, heat stroke, heat cramps and heat-related death, and encouraged residents to check conditions in their specific neighborhoods using the NWS HeatRisk map.
Temperatures and Forecast
The Antelope Valley was placed under an Extreme Heat Warning — the more severe of the two alert levels — effective 10 a.m. Thursday through 8 p.m. Monday, with highs forecast between 100 and 108 degrees. The National Weather Service said the warmest valley locations could see readings as high as 107 degrees.
A Heat Advisory covers a broader swath of the region from 10 a.m. Thursday through Monday evening, including the Santa Clarita Valley, San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley, Santa Susana Mountains, the Interstate 5 corridor and both the western and eastern San Gabriel Mountains, with highs of 97 to 107 degrees.
Downtown Los Angeles and the inland coast are expected to see highs of 88 to 96 degrees. The Los Angeles County beaches, Malibu Coast and Palos Verdes Hills — including Santa Monica — are under a separate coastal Heat Advisory in effect from 10 a.m. Thursday to 8 p.m. Monday, with highs generally between 80 and 86 degrees. Forecasters said warm overnight conditions would bring less relief than usual, even along the coast.
Inland desert areas will see the most extreme readings, with Palm Springs forecast to reach about 111 degrees. Thursday is expected to be the hottest day across the region, with only limited, possibly minimal cooling by Friday.
The National Weather Service attributed the heat to a strong ridge of high pressure — a heat dome — combined with weakening onshore, or marine, flow. Moisture from monsoonal weather patterns and distant tropical systems in the eastern Pacific was expected to raise humidity levels and keep overnight temperatures elevated, limiting the body's ability to cool through sweating.
Forecasters also warned of an increased wildfire risk, particularly along the Interstate 5 corridor and Grapevine, along with dangerous surf and rip currents driven by swells from distant tropical storms. A Beach Hazards Statement is in effect for Ventura County, Malibu Coast and Los Angeles County beaches through Sunday evening, with breaking waves of 3 to 6 feet and an increased risk of ocean drowning.
Safety Precautions
Public health officials urged residents to stay hydrated throughout the day, even when not feeling thirsty, and to avoid outdoor activity during the hottest hours. Those who must go outside should wear lightweight, light-colored clothing, a hat and sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher.
Officials also warned residents never to leave children or pets in a vehicle, even briefly, noting that cars can heat up quickly even with windows partly open, and urged anyone who sees a child or pet alone in a vehicle to call 911.
Residents were asked to check on those most vulnerable to heat, including people who are sick or have chronic conditions, older adults, pregnant women, children, people who live alone, pets, and outdoor workers and athletes.
"Heat causes more deaths in the U.S. annually than floods, storms, and lightning combined. Those most likely to get ill during the heat include older adults, young children, outdoor workers, athletes, and individuals with chronic medical conditions," said Dr. Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County health officer. "If you or someone around you experiences symptoms of heat stroke or heat exhaustion, such as dizziness, nausea, rapid heartbeat, confusion, or passing out, seek medical help immediately."
Officials said residents should call 911 immediately if they or someone else shows signs of confusion, fainting, hot or red skin, a body temperature of 103 degrees or higher, a fast or strong pulse, headache, dizziness or nausea.
Those without air conditioning were encouraged to take cool showers, limit stove and oven use, and visit a library, cooling center or shopping mall. County and city officials have opened cooling centers, splash pads and community pools for residents without access to air conditioning; locations can be found at ready.lacounty.gov/heat or by calling 211, which operates 24 hours a day.
How This Heat Wave Compares
While dangerous, particularly inland, the current event is not unprecedented for the region. The National Weather Service said forecast highs are running roughly 4 to 8 degrees above seasonal averages. The 1991-2020 climate normal high for downtown Los Angeles in late July is about 82 degrees. In a typical July, downtown Los Angeles reaches 90 degrees on only about three days and hits 100 degrees roughly once every five years, meaning a stretch of low-to-mid-90s highs downtown is notable but not extraordinary. Downtown Los Angeles' all-time record high is 113 degrees, set Sept. 27, 2010, while the July monthly record stands at 107 degrees.
Inland valleys and deserts routinely see triple-digit heat in late July, making the 100- to 108-degree range forecast for the Antelope Valley characteristic of the season, even as it poses serious health risks. Along the coast, the marine layer is expected to keep Santa Monica and other beach communities in the upper 70s to mid-80s, well below inland highs.
This heat wave arrives amid a record-warm year globally. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that the January-through-June global surface temperature departure was the third-highest in the 177-year record, behind only the same periods in 2024 and 2025, and has said it is "virtually certain" 2026 will rank among the 10 warmest years on record.
Southern California's event is milder than several other major heat waves that have struck the globe this year. Western Europe recorded its hottest June on record, with Germany setting a new national high of 41.5 degrees Celsius, or 106.7 degrees Fahrenheit, on June 27, surpassing a record set just a day earlier. Deadly wildfires followed across Spain, Portugal, France, Greece, Italy and Turkey, killing at least 15 people by mid-July.
South Asia endured a severe heat wave in April and May, with temperatures in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh approaching or exceeding 45 to 50 degrees Celsius, or 113 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. A rapid study by World Weather Attribution linked the event to at least 37 heat-related deaths in India and 10 in Karachi, Pakistan.
In the United States, a heat dome over the eastern part of the country around the Fourth of July set at least 148 daily high-temperature records and was linked to at least 44 deaths, including 29 in New Jersey. A second heat dome later moved west, pushing Phoenix to 113 degrees and setting an all-time record of 109 degrees in Salt Lake City on July 12.
### Dangerous Heat Wave Grips Southern California Through Monday, With Inland Areas Facing Triple-Digit Highs
URL: https://www.smdp.com/dangerous-heat-wave-grips-southern-california-through-monday-with-inland-areas-facing-triple-digit-highs-2/
Last updated: 2026-07-23T15:56:36.000Z
A prolonged and dangerous heat wave settled over Southern California on Wednesday, prompting the National Weather Service to issue an Extreme Heat Warning for the Antelope Valley and a Heat Advisory for much of Los Angeles County, including the mountains, valleys and beaches, through Monday evening.
The National Weather Service's Los Angeles/Oxnard office said the heat will build through the week, with Thursday through Sunday expected to bring the hottest conditions. Forecasters said "hotter than normal conditions will continue through at least early next week," warning of elevated risks for heat-related illness as both daytime highs and overnight lows run well above seasonal norms.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health urged residents to take precautions to avoid heat exhaustion, heat stroke, heat cramps and heat-related death, and encouraged residents to check conditions in their specific neighborhoods using the NWS HeatRisk map.
Temperatures and Forecast
The Antelope Valley was placed under an Extreme Heat Warning — the more severe of the two alert levels — effective 10 a.m. Thursday through 8 p.m. Monday, with highs forecast between 100 and 108 degrees. The National Weather Service said the warmest valley locations could see readings as high as 107 degrees.
A Heat Advisory covers a broader swath of the region from 10 a.m. Thursday through Monday evening, including the Santa Clarita Valley, San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley, Santa Susana Mountains, the Interstate 5 corridor and both the western and eastern San Gabriel Mountains, with highs of 97 to 107 degrees.
Downtown Los Angeles and the inland coast are expected to see highs of 88 to 96 degrees. The Los Angeles County beaches, Malibu Coast and Palos Verdes Hills — including Santa Monica — are under a separate coastal Heat Advisory in effect from 10 a.m. Thursday to 8 p.m. Monday, with highs generally between 80 and 86 degrees. Forecasters said warm overnight conditions would bring less relief than usual, even along the coast.
Inland desert areas will see the most extreme readings, with Palm Springs forecast to reach about 111 degrees. Thursday is expected to be the hottest day across the region, with only limited, possibly minimal cooling by Friday.
The National Weather Service attributed the heat to a strong ridge of high pressure — a heat dome — combined with weakening onshore, or marine, flow. Moisture from monsoonal weather patterns and distant tropical systems in the eastern Pacific was expected to raise humidity levels and keep overnight temperatures elevated, limiting the body's ability to cool through sweating.
Forecasters also warned of an increased wildfire risk, particularly along the Interstate 5 corridor and Grapevine, along with dangerous surf and rip currents driven by swells from distant tropical storms. A Beach Hazards Statement is in effect for Ventura County, Malibu Coast and Los Angeles County beaches through Sunday evening, with breaking waves of 3 to 6 feet and an increased risk of ocean drowning.
Safety Precautions
Public health officials urged residents to stay hydrated throughout the day, even when not feeling thirsty, and to avoid outdoor activity during the hottest hours. Those who must go outside should wear lightweight, light-colored clothing, a hat and sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher.
Officials also warned residents never to leave children or pets in a vehicle, even briefly, noting that cars can heat up quickly even with windows partly open, and urged anyone who sees a child or pet alone in a vehicle to call 911.
Residents were asked to check on those most vulnerable to heat, including people who are sick or have chronic conditions, older adults, pregnant women, children, people who live alone, pets, and outdoor workers and athletes.
"Heat causes more deaths in the U.S. annually than floods, storms, and lightning combined. Those most likely to get ill during the heat include older adults, young children, outdoor workers, athletes, and individuals with chronic medical conditions," said Dr. Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County health officer. "If you or someone around you experiences symptoms of heat stroke or heat exhaustion, such as dizziness, nausea, rapid heartbeat, confusion, or passing out, seek medical help immediately."
Officials said residents should call 911 immediately if they or someone else shows signs of confusion, fainting, hot or red skin, a body temperature of 103 degrees or higher, a fast or strong pulse, headache, dizziness or nausea.
Those without air conditioning were encouraged to take cool showers, limit stove and oven use, and visit a library, cooling center or shopping mall. County and city officials have opened cooling centers, splash pads and community pools for residents without access to air conditioning; locations can be found at ready.lacounty.gov/heat or by calling 211, which operates 24 hours a day.
How This Heat Wave Compares
While dangerous, particularly inland, the current event is not unprecedented for the region. The National Weather Service said forecast highs are running roughly 4 to 8 degrees above seasonal averages. The 1991-2020 climate normal high for downtown Los Angeles in late July is about 82 degrees. In a typical July, downtown Los Angeles reaches 90 degrees on only about three days and hits 100 degrees roughly once every five years, meaning a stretch of low-to-mid-90s highs downtown is notable but not extraordinary. Downtown Los Angeles' all-time record high is 113 degrees, set Sept. 27, 2010, while the July monthly record stands at 107 degrees.
Inland valleys and deserts routinely see triple-digit heat in late July, making the 100- to 108-degree range forecast for the Antelope Valley characteristic of the season, even as it poses serious health risks. Along the coast, the marine layer is expected to keep Santa Monica and other beach communities in the upper 70s to mid-80s, well below inland highs.
This heat wave arrives amid a record-warm year globally. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that the January-through-June global surface temperature departure was the third-highest in the 177-year record, behind only the same periods in 2024 and 2025, and has said it is "virtually certain" 2026 will rank among the 10 warmest years on record.
Southern California's event is milder than several other major heat waves that have struck the globe this year. Western Europe recorded its hottest June on record, with Germany setting a new national high of 41.5 degrees Celsius, or 106.7 degrees Fahrenheit, on June 27, surpassing a record set just a day earlier. Deadly wildfires followed across Spain, Portugal, France, Greece, Italy and Turkey, killing at least 15 people by mid-July.
South Asia endured a severe heat wave in April and May, with temperatures in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh approaching or exceeding 45 to 50 degrees Celsius, or 113 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. A rapid study by World Weather Attribution linked the event to at least 37 heat-related deaths in India and 10 in Karachi, Pakistan.
In the United States, a heat dome over the eastern part of the country around the Fourth of July set at least 148 daily high-temperature records and was linked to at least 44 deaths, including 29 in New Jersey. A second heat dome later moved west, pushing Phoenix to 113 degrees and setting an all-time record of 109 degrees in Salt Lake City on July 12.
### Around Town: From Main Street Block Parties to Michelin-Starred Flavors
URL: https://www.smdp.com/around-town-from-main-street-block-parties-to-michelin-starred-flavors/
Last updated: 2026-07-23T18:31:40.000Z
SMDP's Weekly Guide to Food & Entertainment Goings-On In & Around Town includes the State of the City event, live band karaoke, multiple restaurant openings, and much more!
**State of the City** **Event:** This is expected to be a fun celebration of community, with live entertainment, kids’ activities, food, drinks and more, this year at Ocean Park Branch Library and Main Street. The Info Booth (Main St. & Norman Pl.) and Economic Development Booth (Main St. & Hollister) are handing out $10 Main Street Vouchers to use at participating local businesses during the event. **Thursday, July 23, 4 – 7 p.m., 2601 Main St.** [santamonica.gov/events/4kt3ycyd022dxr8xah6fsy4fcr/202607231600](https://www.santamonica.gov/events/4kt3ycyd022dxr8xah6fsy4fcr/202607231600?ref=smdp.com)
**Sake Dance Party:** Enjoy live DJ sets and Sake High! specials all night. **Thursday, Jul 23 8:00pm – 11:00pm, Ōwa 1635 Abbot Kinney Blvd.** [https://partiful.com/e/PAvGaBE86SuJRFi2nnLI](https://partiful.com/e/PAvGaBE86SuJRFi2nnLI?ref=smdp.com)
**Malibu Beach Inn x Faherty Summer Pop-Up:** The two coastal brands will come together for a summer pop-up at Faherty Malibu, inviting guests to enjoy complimentary styling sessions, personalized “What to Wear in Malibu” recommendations, and a taste of Carbon Beach Club’s new signature “Malibu Fizz” cocktail–a refreshing blend of bourbon (or Seedlip for a non-alcoholic option), citrus, ginger beer, and sparkling water. **Friday, July 24, 3-5 p.m., 3835 Cross Creek Road, Malibu** [instagram.com/malibubeachinn](http://instagram.com/malibubeachinn?ref=smdp.com)
**Sunset Swim at the Annenberg Beach House:** Spend your evening poolside at the historic Annenberg Community Beach House, home to the iconic 1920s Marion Davies estate built by media mogul William Randolph Hearst. Sunset Swim invites adults to enjoy an evening of swimming, relaxing, and connecting by the sea at our historic and heated pool. Float under the evening sky, unwind with friends old and new, and enjoy complimentary s’mores and pool floaties while taking in the ocean air and sunset views. **Friday, July 24, 415 PCH** (also Aug. 7 and 21) [santamonica.gov/events/49c3xhnjw5g4v5918cz3g4735y/202607101800](http://santamonica.gov/events/49c3xhnjw5g4v5918cz3g4735y/202607101800?ref=smdp.com)
**Euro Disco Party:** Gnarwhal Coffee Co. is bringing late night euro summer vibes to Main St. ! Pro tip: if you check in at the party on the Court app, you get a free bevvy. **Friday, July 24, 9p.m. - Midnight, 3101 Main St.** [instagram.com/p/Da3PFFSiV8d](http://instagram.com/p/Da3PFFSiV8d?ref=smdp.com)
**Family Movie Nights at Cayton Children’s Museum:** This summer, the Museum is staying open late for a new after-hours series that combines play, movies and family time in a space designed just for kids. Each movie ticket includes evening access to the Museum, themed activities inspired by the featured film and tasty snacks for the whole family. **Upcoming showings include Honey, I Shrunk the Kids on Friday, July 24 and Happy Feet on July 31\. 6p.m., 395 Santa Monica Place** [caytonmuseum.org/familymovienight](http://caytonmuseum.org/familymovienight?ref=smdp.com)
**The Dog Days of Summer: Malibu's Biggest Dog-Friendly Yappy Hour Comes to Gladstones:** As more Americans treat their pets like family, Gladstones wants to bring the community together for Malibu’s biggest beachside celebration where dogs and their owners can eat, play and give back. There will be Tito’s Vodka for Dog People ‘dog themed’ cocktails for humans, a special canine menu, treats and swag for pups, and live music - all benefiting The Labelle Foundation, a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) animal rescue. **Saturday, July 25, 4p.m., 17300 PCH** [https://www.instagram.com/p/Da8JCH8lMcl](https://www.instagram.com/p/Da8JCH8lMcl?ref=smdp.com)
**Live Band Karaoke:** 🎸 Live your rockstar dream by performing karaoke with a live band on stage! **Saturday, July 25, Starting at 7p.m., Alana's Coffee Roasters, 12511 Venice Blvd.** [instagram.com/p/Daqb3LnvClq](http://instagram.com/p/Daqb3LnvClq?ref=smdp.com)
**Folk Legend Tom Rush Playing @ McCabe's:** Known for his distinctive guitar style, wry humor and warm voice, Rush built a following with shows that mix storytelling, ballads and gritty blues. He helped shape the folk revival in the 1960s and its renaissance in the 1980s and '90s, leaving a mark on generations of artists. James Taylor told Rolling Stone that Rush was "not only one of my early heroes, but also one of my main influences," and country star Garth Brooks has named him among his top five influences. **Saturday, July 25, 8p.m., 3101 Pico Blvd.** [mccabes.com/product/tom-rush](http://mccabes.com/product/tom-rush?ref=smdp.com)
**Regent Santa Monica Beach’s Cinema by the Sea Series:** Saturday evenings feature beloved road-trip and travel movies paired with Route 66–inspired cocktails and elevated bites. July 25 features Cars, with others such as Eat Pray Love and Grease. **Saturday, July 25 through August 29, 8p.m.** [santamonica.regenthotels.com/experience/bookable-experiences/#!/e/cinema-by-the-sea-5ab5d71c](http://santamonica.regenthotels.com/experience/bookable-experiences/?ref=smdp.com#!/e/cinema-by-the-sea-5ab5d71c)
**Santa Monica Dune Walk:** Join Ashley Oelsen (former Chair, Clean Beaches & Ocean Parcel Tax Citizens Oversight Committee) for a guided tour through the Santa Monica dunes. Learn why they matter and how you can help protect them. **Sunday, July 26, 9 - 11a.m.** [eventbrite.com/e/dune-walk-in-santa-monica-tickets-1992892998606](http://eventbrite.com/e/dune-walk-in-santa-monica-tickets-1992892998606?ref=smdp.com)
**Queer Surf’s Art Splash: An Evening of Art + Water:** Spend the evening exploring a queer surf-inspired visual art exhibition overlooking the Pacific, creating art alongside Lavender Art Club, enjoying live performances, and taking a sunset swim with poolside music by DJ Nomad. Whether you float, swim laps, dance, make art, or simply take in the ocean views, ART SPLASH invites you to celebrate queer creativity, joy, and self-expression in a welcoming beachfront setting. **Sunday,July 26, 5:30 - 10p.m., Annenberg Community Beach House, 415 PCH** [https://www.santamonica.gov/events/4kb0sajzs03ffzr2ttvsxvry5n/202607261800](https://www.santamonica.gov/events/4kb0sajzs03ffzr2ttvsxvry5n/202607261800?ref=smdp.com)
**Annenberg Beach House Community Picnic:** Enjoy games, crafts, a “pie” walk, and epic tug-of-war for “some good old-fashioned summertime fun.” All are invited to pack a dinner and grab some pals or join a solo-friendly communal table to enjoy this free event, with s’mores. **Thursday, July 30, 5 - 8 p.m., 415 PCH** [eventbrite.com/e/community-picnic-tickets-1989055370156](http://eventbrite.com/e/community-picnic-tickets-1989055370156?ref=smdp.com)
**ONGOING:** [Museum of Illusions](https://moisantamonica.com/?ref=smdp.com); [The CUBE VR](https://www.thecubeevents.com/santamonicaexperiences?ref=smdp.com); [Splatter Studio](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/california-live/paint-sip-and-create-in-santa-monica/3834517/?ref=smdp.com);
**What to Eat & Drink?**
**Florentine Steak Dinner Series at All'Antico Vinaio:** The popular Italian sandwich spot has teamed up with Florence Underground for a dinner series centered around bistecca alla Fiorentina. For $65 per person, the meal opens with cured meats, cheeses, and house-made schiacciata bread before the main event: a thick T-bone seasoned only with salt and olive oil, served slightly before medium-rare with classic sides family-style. Olive oil cake and crema close it out. I went last month and it felt like a deal at that price. They have a variety of very reasonably priced wines available as well. **Available just two more dates: July 31 and Aug. 28\. 316 Santa Monica Blvd.** [tables.toasttab.com/all-antico-vinaio-santa-monica-blvd/experience/fiorentina-night](http://tables.toasttab.com/all-antico-vinaio-santa-monica-blvd/experience/fiorentina-night?ref=smdp.com)
**Ben & Jerry’s “Hunt for the Golden Stick-et” Events:** The company is popping up on Venice Beach and the Santa Monica pier to give away thousands of its new ice cream bars – and more. Five lucky fans will win a year’s worth of ice cream bars. **Friday & Saturday, July 24 & 25, 12 - 6p.m., Venice Beach Boardwalk · Address: Windward Ave., & Sunday, July 26, 12 - 6p.m., Santa Monica Pier.** [instagram.com/p/DbGk7YIE6Vz](https://www.instagram.com/p/DbGk7YIE6Vz?ref=smdp.com)
**Wally's Sarti + Aperol Cocktail Class:** Learn to craft signature Italian aperitivo cocktails while enjoying a hands-on tasting experience. Each guest will receive a swag bag including one bottle of Sarti and a branded cocktail kit to recreate the cocktails at home. **Saturday, July 25, 1p.m., 214 Wilshire Blvd.** [opentable.com/r/wallys-santa-monica](http://opentable.com/r/wallys-santa-monica?ref=smdp.com)
**Ready, Set, Dough! FIG’s Hands-On Kids’ Pizza-Making Classes:** Designed for little foodies with big imaginations, budding chefs can stretch fresh dough, spread San Marzano tomato sauce or Nutella, and customize their own sweet or savory pizza from scratch with a variety of toppings from mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, bell peppers, olives, and wild mushrooms to strawberries, bananas, crushed Oreos, mini marshmallows, gummy bears, coconut flakes, and more before enjoying their delicious masterpiece alongside a classic root beer float. **Saturdays through Labor Day, 3:30 – 4:30p.m., 101 Wilshire Blvd.** [opentable.com/r/fig-santa-monica](http://opentable.com/r/fig-santa-monica?ref=smdp.com)
**OPENING: Khan Saab Desi Craft Kitchen:** The Michelin Bib Gourmand-recognized restaurant is coming to Santa Monica. Created by Chef Imran Ali Mookhi, the restaurant showcases elevated Pakistani and Indian cuisine, handcrafted mocktails, and bold South Asian flavors made with exceptional attention to detail. I went to the grand opening last week and LOVED it. I am planning to go back this week to try more of the menu. **115 Santa Monica Blvd.** [khansaaboc.com](http://khansaaboc.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**OPENING: The Tasting Kitchen:** The iconic Abbot Kinney tentpole made its highly anticipated return last week under the direction of original chef and owner Casey Lane. The reimagined Venice space preserves its luxe, bohemian soul—including its salvaged signature dining room olive tree—paired with Lane’s market-driven, live-fire culinary approach and a seasonal cocktail program. **1633 Abbot Kinney Blvd.**
**Divine Vintage Adds a Food Menu to its Wine Bar:** The Montana Avenue wine bar and boutique known for its globally sourced wines and intimate neighborhood atmosphere, has launched an expanded food program built around shareable small plates, artisanal cheeses and meats and a new lineup of signature flatbread pizzas. **1025 Montana Ave.** [divinevintage.com](http://divinevintage.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**Further Afield: Pizzeria Sei Opens in Palms:** Ranked the #2 pizzeria in the U.S. by 50 Top Pizza, the acclaimed Tokyo-style Neapolitan pie shop has officially opened its new flagship location in Palms. The upgraded space features a full sit-down dining room, expanded wine program, and inventive menu additions like their mala lamb sausage pie. I went there this week and LOVED the apps (Suppli (Roman-style fried rice balls) & Corn Croquettes), the pizza of course (REALLY impressed by the Margherita), and the desserts (including a housemade tiramisu and a yuzu gelato). **Reservation Tip:** They open up daily at noon and keep a few table open for walk-ins daily. **10700 Tabor St.** [pizzeriasei.com](https://pizzeriasei.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**Looking Ahead:** [National Night Out](https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2026/06/30/santa-monica-police-department-invites-community-to-national-night-out-2026?ref=smdp.com) (8/4); [SaMo Oceanfront Arts Festival](http://eventbrite.com/e/art-on-ocean-palisades-park-arts-festival-tickets-1991599772532?ref=smdp.com) (8/8); Main St. Farmers Market in the Street Event (8/23); [A Pierfect Benefit](http://santamonicapier.org/apierfectbenefit?ref=smdp.com) (9/19); [Ocean Way Festival](https://www.oceanwayfestival.com/?ref=smdp.com) (9/26-27); [Main St. Day of the Dog Festival](https://www.petapaloozawest.com/santa-monica?ref=smdp.com) (10/18)
If there’s something you think is worth highlighting, you can reach out directly to me at [sean@smdp.com](mailto:sean@smdp.com).[ ](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com)[Here](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com) are my past columns and let me know if you have any feedback on **Around Town: From Main Street Block Parties to Michelin-Starred Flavors**
### Drought kills dozen of trees on San Vicente
URL: https://www.smdp.com/drought-kills-dozen-of-trees-on-san-vicente/
Last updated: 2026-07-23T15:54:38.000Z
A newly completed risk assessment has found that more than two-thirds of a sample of coral trees in the San Vicente Boulevard median are in poor health and pose a "high" risk of failure within the next two years, adding to a wave of tree losses that has already claimed roughly 32 coral trees along the corridor over the past four years.
The assessment, conducted for the city by arborist Jonathan Flournoy of Jonathan Flournoy Consulting LLC, evaluated 13 South African coral trees (Erythrina caffra) growing in the median between the 100 and 1900 blocks of San Vicente. Nine of the 13 trees were rated "high" risk, three were rated "moderate," and one was rated "low," according to the report, dated July 1 and addressed to Madeleine Rauhe, the city's urban forester.
"All 13 coral trees that I evaluated were in poor condition, with very little or no green foliage on the trees," Flournoy wrote in the report. Most of the trees also had large areas of dead or rotting bark on their lower trunks, and all 13 showed significant root damage or decay, some more advanced than others.
Flournoy, an International Society of Arboriculture board-certified master arborist and a registered consulting arborist, inspected the trees on June 23 and June 30\. His report notes that the city had already marked multiple coral trees in the median for removal because of wood decay and poor health before commissioning the broader assessment.
The likely culprit behind the bark damage, Flournoy wrote, is banana moth, an insect that attacks coral trees already under stress. The pest can follow damage from the invasive shot hole borer, though it also attacks stressed coral trees independently. Flournoy said he suspects drought stress is the primary factor weakening the trees but noted that identifying the root cause of the decline was outside the scope of his assignment.
Compounding the problem, Flournoy wrote, is that coral trees are poor at compartmentalizing decay — meaning they struggle to wall off rot once it takes hold — and decay tends to spread rapidly even in otherwise healthy specimens. Healthy coral trees can typically grow new wood fast enough to offset the loss of structural stability, he wrote, but the trees he examined showed little evidence of that kind of recovery.
Given the trees' condition, Flournoy said he does not see viable options short of removal. Reducing a tree's height to ease the load on a decayed trunk and root system, he wrote, would require cuts large enough to constitute topping — a practice that creates its own decay-prone wounds — and would further stress trees already in poor health.
Several individual trees illustrated the severity of the damage. One tree in the 400 block had 23% of its trunk circumference dead on the side that bears the most structural load, along with a root plate that Flournoy said has been slowly uplifting for at least seven years, based on a comparison with 2019 street-level imagery; he also found fruiting bodies from Ganoderma fungus at its base. A tree in the 700 block had roughly 55% of its trunk circumference dead at the base, with most of its anchor roots also dead on the upper surface. A tree in the 1700 block showed evidence of a past trunk failure, with 60% of its trunk circumference dead and a large cavity at the base.
Risk ratings combine the likelihood a tree or tree part will fail, the likelihood it would strike something if it did, and the severity of the consequences. For most of the high-risk trees, Flournoy rated the likelihood of failure as "probable" within two years and found a "high" likelihood that a falling tree or limb would strike a vehicle, given the steady traffic on San Vicente. He rated the combined likelihood of failure and impact as "likely," with "severe" potential consequences — a combination that produced the "high" overall risk rating.
Flournoy said trees near the western end of San Vicente, closer to Ocean Avenue, generally posed less risk to vehicles because of lighter traffic in that stretch. The lowest-rated tree in the assessment, near the 100 block, was found to have significant root damage but retained many intact anchor roots close to the trunk.
The report recommends monitoring the moderate- and low-risk trees at least every six months, warning that their risk ratings could climb to "high" if their condition continues to deteriorate. Flournoy's report does not set a timeline for removal of the high-risk trees; that decision rests with the city as the trees' owner. "The tree owner ultimately decides whether to keep the trees based on their risk tolerance and other factors," Flournoy wrote. "If the tree owner does not accept the risk posed by the trees, then the trees should be removed."
The San Vicente findings arrive against the backdrop of a citywide urban forest that is itself showing signs of strain. Santa Monica's Public Landscape Division, part of the Public Works Department, oversees more than 35,000 public trees across more than 250 species, guided by a 50-year Urban Forest Master Plan adopted in 2011 and updated in 2017\. The city has held Tree City USA status for more than 40 years and estimates its street trees provide about $5.1 million a year in ecosystem benefits.
But roughly 42% of the city's public trees are mature and nearing the end of their useful life, according to the city, and the broader region has seen disease and pest pressures similar to what Flournoy documented on San Vicente. The invasive shot hole borer and associated Fusarium dieback complex, first identified in Los Angeles County in 2012, now affects more than 50 hardwood species across seven Southern California counties. City crews have also flagged other trees for removal in recent years due to ganoderma fungal infections and irreversible decline.
Questions about how the city irrigates its street trees and medians remain only partly answered. Back in 2015 officials said Santa Monica had begun hand-watering trees and using slow-release watering bags, while halting irrigation of grassy street medians altogether to conserve water. No information was available at press time as to the current status of watering for the San Vicente trees in specific or the overall city policy on watering trees in the public right of way.
### 10 Santa Monica PAL students awarded more than $31,000 in scholarships
URL: https://www.smdp.com/10-santa-monica-pal-students-awarded-more-than-31-000-in-scholarships/
Last updated: 2026-07-22T18:59:59.000Z
The Santa Monica Police Activities League awarded more than $31,000 in scholarships to 10 local students during its annual Chris Carrey PAL Education Fund Recognition Dinner on Thursday, July 9, at St. Monica's Grand Pavilion.
The scholarships went to high school juniors and graduating seniors who demonstrated financial need, academic commitment and a dedication to pursuing higher education. Individual awards ranged from $1,500 to $6,000\. During the evening, six graduating seniors shared their stories and discussed their plans after high school.
This year's recipients are Hawene Alemayehu, Hiroshy Aguilar Aquino, Adrian Barajas, Branden Banks, Julian Gonzalez-Alfaro, Jasmin Morales, Gabriela Paniagua, Jose Perez, Kaleb Seyum and Ricardo Torres. They will continue their education at institutions including California State University, Fullerton; California State University, Long Beach; Santa Monica College; and other colleges and trade schools.
Eighty percent of this year's recipients live in Santa Monica's Pico Neighborhood, which PAL described as one of the city's most historically underserved communities. Since the program began in 2002, PAL has awarded more than $475,000 in scholarships. Many recipients are the first in their families to attend college.
"The Chris Carrey PAL Education Fund continues to change lives by giving our young people the opportunity to pursue their educational dreams," said Eula Fritz, director of the Santa Monica Police Activities League. "These scholarships represent far more than financial assistance—they reflect the belief our community has in these students, their potential, and the bright futures that lie ahead."
The fund was established through a gift from Ed Simmons and Standard Parking, together with Neil and Karen Carrey, in memory of Chris Carrey. It provides scholarships for post-secondary education to PAL members selected through a competitive application process.
The awards honor Chris Carrey, who lived in Santa Monica for all 16½ years of his life. A student in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, he was active in youth sports, excelled in tennis, played bass guitar and dreamed of becoming a chef. He completed his community service with PAL.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Public Financing Authority advances Palisades Fire recovery in inaugural meeting
URL: https://www.smdp.com/public-financing-authority-advances-palisades-fire-recovery-in-inaugural-meeting/
Last updated: 2026-07-22T18:59:59.000Z
The newly established Public Financing Authority for the Unincorporated Santa Monica Mountains Disaster Recovery Financing District held its first meeting, selecting Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath as chair and approving a plan to guide long-term recovery from the January 2025 Palisades Fire.
At the meeting, the authority adopted its bylaws, held a public hearing and approved the Infrastructure Financing Plan, which will direct future investment in rebuilding and wildfire resilience.
The plan establishes a framework for reinvesting future property tax growth generated within the district back into the community without raising taxes. The district is projected to generate about $245 million over the next 50 years to support infrastructure improvements, wildfire resilience, community restoration and rebuilding throughout the unincorporated Santa Monica Mountains.
"Today's meeting marks an important milestone in our recovery. In the absence of federal recovery funding, Los Angeles County is creatively reinvesting local resources to rebuild the roads, infrastructure, and public facilities our communities need," Horvath said. "This Disaster Recovery Financing District lays an important foundation for the long-term recovery from the Palisades Fire. We won't stop until every family has the chance to come home, critical infrastructure investments are made, and our communities are stronger and more resilient than before."
The plan identifies five priority investment areas: county facility restoration, infrastructure improvements, rebuilding assistance, community restoration, and fire safety and resilience. The authority will prioritize projects based on community needs, public input and project readiness as recovery progresses.
The Public Financing Authority includes Horvath, Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Board Chair Hilda L. Solis, Jonathan Markiles, president of the Sunset Mesa Property Owners Association, and Ronald Romalont, president of the Topanga Chamber of Commerce.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### SMC Planetarium's August shows explore Mars, telescopes and eclipses
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-planetariums-august-shows-explore-mars-telescopes-and-eclipses/
Last updated: 2026-07-22T18:59:59.000Z
The Santa Monica College Planetarium will present live-hosted shows on Friday evenings in August, along with a Sunday Family Matinée on Aug. 16, featuring programs on the Mars rover Curiosity, the Great Observatories, eclipses and moon phases, and the sun.
Each show runs about 40 minutes and is followed by a short audience Q&A with Planetarium Lecturer Sarah Vincent. Friday shows begin at 6 p.m. with "The Night Sky Show," which covers the latest news in astronomy and space exploration, followed at 7 p.m. by the feature program. No children under age 3 are permitted at Friday shows. The Sunday matinée starts at 1 p.m. with "The Night Sky Show," followed by a feature program at 2 p.m.
"The Night Sky Show" plays Aug. 7, 14, 21 and 28 at 6 p.m., and at the Aug. 16 matinée at 1 p.m. Feature programs include "Mission Close-up: Curiosity" on Aug. 7 at 7 p.m., examining the rover's decade-plus exploration of Mars; "The Great Observatories" on Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. and Aug. 16 at 2 p.m., about the four space-based telescopes including Hubble; "Physics of Eclipses and Moon Phases" on Aug. 21 at 7 p.m., ahead of the Aug. 27 partial lunar eclipse; and "Solar System Survey: Sun" on Aug. 28 at 7 p.m., the first in a new series.
All shows take place in the SMC Planetarium, room MSB 126 of the Mathematics + Science Building on the SMC Main Campus at 1900 Pico Blvd. Free parking is available on campus.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for children ages 3-12 for either "The Night Sky Show" or a feature program. A combo ticket is $16 for adults and $10 for children. Tickets may be purchased at smc.edu/tickets, with a $1 per ticket service fee.
All shows are subject to change or cancellation without notice. More information is available at smc.edu/planetarium or by calling 310-434-4163.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### The fireworks arrived late in Santa Monica
URL: https://www.smdp.com/the-fireworks-arrived-late-in-santa-monica/
Last updated: 2026-07-22T16:36:02.000Z
Last Wednesday should have been a fairly routine meeting for the Santa Monica Democratic Club. Members were meeting on Zoom to vote on endorsements in the November local elections, and since political clubs tend to be, well, political, the preferred slate would typically be a pretty safe bet.
But not this time.
Only one person running for Rent Control Board earned an endorsement on the first ballot, and it wasn’t any of the three recommended by the club’s board. It was Heather Thomason, a newcomer to city politics, who seemed to win over disparate cohorts with her intelligence and empathy.
But the shocker of the evening was that none of the ten City Council candidates won an endorsement. Not even Mayor Caroline Torosis.
This was a coup of sorts from the growing number of Democrats disaffected with party orthodoxy. Up until now they’ve been largely dismissed as NIMBY or MAGA-lite barbarians at the gate, regardless of their liberal bona fides.
Councilmember Lana Negrete, a proud Latina, has repeatedly been “schooled” about racial discrimination by white male counterparts on the Council. (It takes a whole lot of progressive piety to do that with a straight face.) So she likely took satisfaction receiving the highest number of votes on the first ballot. The Mayor came in first on the second ballot.
But neither received the necessary 55% required for an endorsement, making what took place somewhere between a revolution and a circular firing squad.
It’s an embarrassment for the board of the club and for the Mayor, so, ideally, it will motivate them to embrace a broader vision of the Democratic party. But the vote wasn’t about unity. It was a stalemate with both sides seeming as committed to blocking the other’s success as bolstering their own.
That’s a zero-sum approach, which seems counter-productive to democratic goals, yet it was also present the following evening during a fiery Town Hall at Santa Monica College. The meeting was organized by Friends of Sunset Park (FOSP) and the Pico Neighborhood Association (PNA), and the heat-generating topic was the relocation of the city’s homeless shelter system.
City manager Oliver Chi bravely chose to show up in person and engage with angry residents, but the collision was coming from the day he announced the city’s intention to relocate the downtown shelter. There was never going to be a positive response from the selected neighborhood, given the drugs, violence and antisocial behavior that are too often associated with the homeless in Santa Monica.
Chi pointed out that the 30-year old tent-like SAMOSHEL was built as a temporary solution, but he wasn’t getting objections to closing it down. The objections were to the city’s plan to operate a shelter out of the Palm Motel on 14th Street.
Zina Josephs, the secretary of FOSP, offered fair-minded suggestions, including a “good neighbor agreement,” which she said had previously worked with an HIV-treatment center. Maria Loya, the treasurer of PNA, seemed more interested in rabble-rousing, which wasn’t really necessary, since the rabble were already roused.
What followed was less a Q&A with the city staff than a volatile venting session. However, sometimes venting can be therapeutic, and some useful information was communicated in the process.
Loya raised a community concern that the proposed facility will permit drug use, but Chi and his staff claimed otherwise, repeatedly insisting that only people receiving treatment and support services would be eligible for placement, and, unlike at SAMOSHEL, unhoused individuals would not be allowed to check themselves in.
Local residents have reason to be skeptical about the project, but as much as they don’t want a shelter in their neighborhood, it was clear they also don’t want the homeless on their streets. There was an unwillingness to acknowledge the discrepancy, and while the problems identified were real, the solutions often relied on magical thinking—though some might say the same of the city plan.
Councilmember Negrete attempted to bridge the gap between the two sides, empathizing with her neighbors while clarifying the city’s challenges. She reminded the attendees that there are laws providing everyone, including the unhoused, with civil liberties. Loya responded, “There shouldn’t be.”
Those words would be unsettling coming from any American, but they're particularly disheartening coming from a supposed civil rights activist.
Two weeks ago, we celebrated the semiquincentennial of our country, which seemed more inevitable than remarkable. Perhaps that’s because the focus (especially by our President) was more on where we are today than where we came from. However, 250 years ago there was nothing inevitable about this country’s history. Fifty-six people signed a declaration that was far more likely to guarantee a death sentence than to immortalize them. They risked everything, which is easy to forget, and it makes me wonder, what are we risking today?
What do we risk when we complain about municipal inadequacies or when we demand litmus tests of political virtue? It’s not only the President who wants glory on the cheap. We want our dream of democracy to be manifested without a price tag. We assume that we are owed a functional and fair society, but the truth is that we have to labor—and compromise—to attain it.
Fireworks are great on the fourth of July, because they remind us how spectacular and combustible our country remains.
Devan Sipher can be reached at [Devan@smdp.com](mailto:Devan@smdp.com).
### Main Street to close for State of the City celebration
URL: https://www.smdp.com/main-street-to-close-for-state-of-the-city-celebration/
Last updated: 2026-07-22T16:35:24.000Z
Main Street will close to traffic from Ocean Park Boulevard to Hollister Avenue from noon to 10 p.m. Thursday as the city hosts this year's State of the City celebration, "From Realignment to Renaissance," from 4 to 7 p.m.
The free, family-friendly event will take place along Main Street and at the Ocean Park Branch Library, giving residents a chance to explore the corridor, patronize local businesses and take part in activities celebrating the city's progress.
Mayor Caroline Torosis is scheduled to deliver the State of the City address during the event. In a statement, Torosis said the choice of location was deliberate.
"Santa Monica is on stronger footing than we've been in years, and this year's State of the City is about what we do with that," Torosis said. "We're holding it on Main Street, outside the newly reopened Ocean Park Branch Library, because the future of this city gets built in neighborhoods like this one. I'll be sharing where we're headed on housing, public safety and a local economy that works for the people who live and work here."
Santa Monica Poet Laureate Jay Baldwin will also give a reading. The event will feature activations from community partners ESPN, Fever and Goldenvoice.
ESPN, which will launch its ESPN Beach hub at the Santa Monica Pier and Beach next year for Super Bowl coverage, will host a meet-and-greet with NFL Network reporter Taylor Bisciotti, a live broadcast of "The D'Marco and Travis Afternoon Show" on ESPN LA 710AM, and giveaways.
Goldenvoice, a division of AEG Presents, will offer attendees a preview of its inaugural Ocean Way Festival, which will headline The Killers and Olivia Dean alongside Jack White, Khruangbin, Sublime and other acts. Tickets go on sale to Santa Monica residents Wednesday at 11 a.m. and to the public Thursday at 11 a.m.
Fever will give attendees a sneak preview of its upcoming European-style holiday market, planned to open in late November on the Santa Monica Pier parking deck and run through January 2027.
The city will also distribute a limited number of vouchers, redeemable for one eligible purchase per person, excluding alcohol, at participating Main Street businesses while supplies last. Participating businesses include Augie's on Main, CoTo Imports, Dolcenero Gelato, Edgemar, Heartbreak Hill Running Company, Manchego, Rabano, Santa Monica Travel & Tourism, Sushi Vegan, Thai Vegan and Zona Little Italy.
A Main Street Entertainment Zone will allow adults 21 and older to purchase alcoholic beverages from participating businesses and consume them on sidewalks between Strand Avenue and Pier Avenue and in the closed section of Main Street, with wristbands required and outside alcohol prohibited.
"This event is a great opportunity to showcase everything Main Street has to offer while welcoming residents and visitors to support our local businesses," said Hunter Hall, executive director of the Main Street Business Improvement Association Board.
State of the City originated 15 years ago as the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce's Economic Sustainability Summit, remaining a paid Chamber event until the city took over as primary host. The event went virtual during the pandemic and returned in 2025 as a community celebration at Miles Memorial Playhouse and Reed Park, drawing more than 700 residents. This year's iteration ties into the city's promotion of the FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl LXI and the 2028 Olympics.
### Appian Way to close for bridge demolition
URL: https://www.smdp.com/appian-way-to-close-for-bridge-demolition/
Last updated: 2026-07-22T16:03:48.000Z
Appian Way, which provides vehicle access to the south side of the Santa Monica Pier parking lot, will close from Monday, July 27, through Monday, Aug. 3, the city announced.
The closure is part of the Santa Monica Pier Bridge Replacement Project and will allow crews to safely demolish a portion of the existing Pier Bridge over the roadway. It will be limited to the area beneath the bridge, north of Seaside Terrace.
The Pier will remain open throughout the closure, including all restaurants, shops, attractions and other businesses.
Vehicle access to Parking Lot 1 North will remain available from Pacific Coast Highway during the closure. The city is also directing visitors to nearby public parking options, including Beach Lot 4 South, Beach Lot 3 North and Parking Structure 8.
Marked parking, pedestrian routes and wayfinding signage will guide visitors to the Pier, and pedestrian access to the Pier and Ocean Front Walk will remain open throughout construction.
Public transit and rideshare services will also remain available. Several Big Blue Bus routes and the Metro E Line serve downtown Santa Monica, a short walk from the Pier, and designated rideshare pickup and drop-off locations near the Pier will stay accessible.
City officials are urging visitors to plan ahead, allow extra travel time and follow posted detour, parking and pedestrian signage while traveling to and from the Pier during the closure.
The bridge replacement project will replace the nearly 90-year-old structure that serves as the Pier's primary vehicle access point. Officials say the project is intended to improve safety, accessibility and long-term reliability of the connection while maintaining Pier access throughout construction whenever possible.
### Santa Monica ranks in top 3 highest value cities in the county
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-ranks-in-top-3-highest-value-cities-in-the-county/
Last updated: 2026-07-21T18:59:59.000Z
Santa Monica's assessed property value climbed to nearly $55 billion this year, making it the third-highest valued city in Los Angeles County behind only Los Angeles and Long Beach, according to the 2026 Assessment Roll released by the Los Angeles County Assessor's Office.
The city's total assessed valuation reached $54.96 billion in 2026, up from $52.93 billion the previous year — a 3.8% increase, or about $2.03 billion, according to figures released by Assessor Jeff Prang's office. Santa Monica trailed only Los Angeles, which posted $926.1 billion in assessed value, and Long Beach, at $84.5 billion.
Santa Monica's growth came in below the countywide average, as the 2026 Assessment Roll for all of Los Angeles County reached a record $2.272 trillion in total net taxable value, a 4.42% increase, or $96 billion, over the prior year. The increase marks the 16th consecutive year of growth for the county's property tax base.
By comparison, Malibu — another Westside coastal city grappling with recovery from the January 2025 wildfires that devastated the Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas — saw its assessed value grow 3.5% to $25.63 billion, an increase of about $871 million over 2025.
"Despite one of the most challenging years in recent memory, marked by the ongoing response to the devastating wildfires that swept through the Pacific Palisades and Altadena communities and a cooling real estate market," the Assessor's office said, the countywide roll still posted its 16th straight year of expansion.
"When I presented the forecast to the Board of Supervisors in May, I emphasized 2025-2026 was a challenging year, and the impact of January's devastating wildfires will be felt for years to come," Prang said in a statement. "Even so, Los Angeles County's economy continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience. Not only did we maintain value growth, we exceeded our May forecast of 3.9%, finishing the year at 4.42%."
The countywide increase is projected to generate more than $27 billion in property tax revenue to fund public education, public safety, healthcare, libraries, parks and other local government services across the county, according to the Assessor's office.
Property transfers — meaning sales and other changes in ownership — were the single largest driver of growth, adding $49.1 billion to the roll, or 2.17 percentage points of the overall increase, according to figures included with the release. The median home sales price countywide climbed to $982,000, a modest increase from the prior year, even as the broader real estate market cooled and single-family sales volume remained flat compared with 2024.
The annual inflation adjustment mandated under Proposition 13 also played a major role. Because the California Consumer Price Index exceeded the constitutional limit this year, the Assessor's office applied the maximum allowable 2% inflation factor, adding roughly $42.7 billion in assessed value countywide.
New construction added another $12.1 billion to the roll, while personal property and fixtures — bolstered in part by new software the Assessor's office acquired to identify previously unassessed taxable aircraft — contributed $11.6 billion. Officials said the software helped uncover more than 1,000 aircraft that had escaped assessment in past years. Special property use types, including oil refineries, mining and water rights, and mobile homes, added just over $1.2 billion.
Those gains were partially offset by significant declines in the downtown Los Angeles office market, where officials said many properties lost more than half their value upon sale, and by continued relief granted to victims of the 2025 wildfires. Combined, declines in value and other adjustments removed nearly $9.8 billion from the roll.
After exemptions, the assessment roll's net local increase totaled $96.175 billion, or 4.42%, according to a breakdown provided by the Assessor's office.
Countywide, the roll includes nearly $95 billion in total property tax exemptions, translating to more than $948 million in tax savings for property owners. Those exemptions include roughly 891,000 homeowners' exemptions totaling more than $6.3 billion, more than 9,100 disabled veterans' exemptions totaling $1.6 billion, and about 15,000 institutional exemptions — covering religious institutions and nonprofits — totaling $87 billion.
Despite the countywide growth, officials emphasized that most property owners will not see a corresponding jump in their tax bills. Under Proposition 13, most assessed values are limited to a maximum annual inflation adjustment of 2%, meaning the majority of the roughly 2.25 million parcels in the county will see only that modest increase.
The fastest-growing cities in the county by percentage were Irwindale, up 15%; Vernon, up 13.3%; and Hidden Hills, up 11.7%.
The 2026 Assessment Roll reflects the value of all taxable property in the county as of Jan. 1, 2026, as required under the California Constitution, and includes 2,399,978 taxable real property parcels, 157,195 business property assessments, 31,938 boats and 3,566 aircraft. To compile the roll, the Assessor's office said staff processed 220,000 deeds, assessed 105,000 property transfers, enrolled more than 32,000 new construction events, reviewed about 9,000 decline-in-value parcels and prepared more than 15,000 Assessment Appeals Board cases.
Property owners who disagree with their new assessed value may file an appeal before the Nov. 30, 2026, deadline. Applications can be filed online at lacaab.lacounty.gov.
The full 2026 Assessment Roll is available at assessor.lacounty.gov.
### Malibu Receives Regional Award for Sensory Swim Program
URL: https://www.smdp.com/malibu-receives-regional-award-for-sensory-swim-program/
Last updated: 2026-07-21T18:59:59.000Z
The City of Malibu Community Services Department has won the 2026 Southern California Public Pool Operators Association Innovative Program Award for its Sensory Swim program, which expands access to aquatic recreation for people with sensory sensitivities and diverse needs.
"This award recognizes Malibu's commitment to making recreation welcoming and accessible for everyone," Mayor Bruce Silverstein said. "The Sensory Swim program reflects our belief that every member of our community deserves the opportunity to enjoy the many benefits of swimming in an environment where they feel safe, supported, and included."
Silverstein said the city was proud of its Community Services staff for bringing the program to Malibu.
The program is offered through a partnership with the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District and the Malibu Esperance Center, helping expand inclusive recreational opportunities and strengthen community connections for participants and their families.
Designed for participants of all ability levels, Sensory Swim provides a supportive aquatic environment where individuals can enjoy the physical, mental and social benefits of swimming. Through accommodations and trained staff support, the program aims to create a safe, welcoming space where everyone can participate regardless of ability.
City officials said Malibu is committed to providing innovative recreation programs that promote health, wellness and inclusion for residents of all ages and abilities.
Sensory Swim hours for summer 2026 are 10 a.m. to noon every Wednesday through Aug. 5\. To learn more about Sensory Swim and other aquatics programs at the Malibu Community Pool, visit MalibuCity.org/Aquatics.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### SMMUSD adopts 2026-27 budget, braces for deficit spending
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smmusd-adopts-2026-27-budget-braces-for-deficit-spending/
Last updated: 2026-07-21T18:59:59.000Z
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education has adopted a 2026-2027 budget in which spending is projected to outpace revenue, approving a [plan district](https://www.smdp.com/in-a-policy-paradox-council-pushes-density-into-single-family-neighborhood-to-delay-statewide-housing-law/) leaders say protects classroom programs while preserving long-term financial stability.
The board approved the budget on a 6-0 vote, with one member absent, during its June 23 regular meeting. The spending plan calls for about $226.2 million in total revenues and $237.9 million in total expenditures across the district's unrestricted and restricted funds.
Officials said the budget was developed over months of planning and analysis and aligns the district's resources with its priorities, including academic achievement, special education, maintenance of facilities and operational excellence. They said the gap between revenues and expenditures was anticipated and accounted for in a multiyear financial strategy.
"The adoption of this budget reflects months of careful planning, analysis and collaboration," said Gerardo Cruz, the district's assistant superintendent of business services and chief financial officer. "Our focus remains on maintaining fiscal solvency while continuing to support high-quality educational programs and services for students. While expenditures are projected to exceed revenues during the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the District has planned for this through its multiyear financial strategy and will continue monitoring expenditures, reviewing revenue projections and identifying efficiencies to maintain long-term fiscal sustainability and reduce deficit spending."
The budget includes about $142.4 million in Local Control Funding Formula revenue. The district's finances are also supported by local property taxes, Measure R parcel tax revenue, joint use agreements, community partnerships and other local funding sources that officials said continue to strengthen educational opportunities for students throughout Santa Monica and Malibu.
Total instructional spending is projected at about $169.7 million, covering classroom instruction, educational services, special education, school site operations and student support programs.
The district projects enrollment of about 8,548 students in 2026-2027\. The budget was built using state and local funding assumptions, including a 4.31% cost-of-living adjustment and continued support through local revenue sources and community partnerships.
As part of its long-term planning, the adopted budget maintains the state-required reserve for economic uncertainties and sets aside additional board-designated reserves intended to support future financial obligations and preserve stability during changing economic conditions.
District staff noted that schools across California, including Santa Monica-Malibu, continue to face financial pressure from rising operational costs, growing employee health and welfare expenses and the expiration of pandemic-era funding sources.
Despite the projected deficit spending, the district said the adopted budget demonstrates it is on track to meet its financial obligations for the current fiscal year and the following two fiscal years. District leaders characterized the plan as evidence of a continued commitment to fiscal responsibility, transparency and strategic financial planning.
The adopted budget will be submitted to the [Los Angeles County Office of Education](https://www.lacoe.edu/?ref=smdp.com) in accordance with California law.
### Road rage incident sparks 100 mph police chase
URL: https://www.smdp.com/road-rage-incident-sparks-100-mph-police-chase/
Last updated: 2026-07-21T17:15:52.000Z
A Santa Monica road rage investigation erupted into a 45-minute, multi-jurisdiction police pursuit Tuesday morning, as a suspect fled officers and led law enforcement across Los Angeles-area freeways and city streets at speeds exceeding 100 mph before being taken into custody.
Santa Monica Police Department investigators attempted to arrest the suspect around 7 a.m. Tuesday in connection with a road rage incident that had occurred a couple of weeks earlier, but the driver fled the scene in a black Range Rover, police said.
The California Highway Patrol was called in to assist at approximately 7:17 a.m. and picked up pursuit of the SUV on the southbound 405 Freeway just south of the 118 Freeway near Pacoima.
The chase continued through central Los Angeles and onto the 101 Freeway before moving onto surface streets. The driver then traveled down Vermont Avenue and merged onto the eastbound 10 Freeway.
Aerial news footage showed the SUV crossing into oncoming lanes at several points during the pursuit and narrowly avoiding collisions as it reached speeds topping 100 mph.
The pursuit ended around 7:55 a.m. near San Gabriel Boulevard and Hill Drive in South San Gabriel, when an officer used a patrol vehicle to push the SUV to a stop. The driver surrendered and was taken into custody without further incident.
The underlying investigation stems from a road rage incident reported on July 3 at approximately 8:25 p.m. near 18th Street and Broadway in Santa Monica. According to police, the driver of a black sedan fired a single round at another driver during the confrontation, striking the victim's vehicle. The victim was not struck or injured.
The suspect fled before officers arrived at the scene that night, and SMPD investigators worked in the weeks since to identify and locate the driver, leading to Tuesday's attempted arrest and pursuit.
The suspect's identity and potential charges had not been released as of Tuesday.
The Westside Current contributed to this report.
### Santa Monica's Big Match Day Ends in a Draw
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monicas-big-match-day-ends-in-a-draw/
Last updated: 2026-07-21T15:44:59.000Z
Santa Monica hosted its COAST open streets event last weekend alongside World Cup watch parties on the Third Street Promenade, and while the day produced some roaring goals, it also revealed the city has forgotten some basic lessons on how to run a match-day operation.
Goal!
The Promenade was the star of the match. The watch party wasn't for everyone — it was packed under the midday sun — but for those who wanted the communal atmosphere of a supporters' section, it delivered. There were post-game activities for adults and kids alike, restaurants were full, and for the first time since the pandemic, the Promenade played like it's back to its pre-2020 form. The north end remains the weak link on the roster, still hobbled by its string of vacant storefronts, but overall it was a great day to be on Third Street.
Red Card: Traffic Management
The city's traffic plan was sent off in the first half. Thousands of fans tried to exit the city after the final whistle, and the city failed to account for the vehicle flow that gridlocked streets from Pico Boulevard to Wilshire Boulevard. It plays like there's no institutional memory of how to manage a match-day crowd. Major events that used to call the city home, like the Los Angeles Marathon and the old Thursday concert series, had this figured out.
Since no one at City Hall appears to have given the problem so much as a moment's thought, here's a set piece for next time: Close 2nd Street at Colorado Avenue and make traffic one-way heading north. Cars exiting the parking structure would turn right, then right again on Wilshire Boulevard, then right again onto Lincoln or 14th to those freeway on-ramps. Fourth Street should also be right-turn-only out of the parking structures, sending that traffic to the Fourth Street freeway on-ramp. Splitting the pitch that way would keep an overwhelming number of vehicles from flooding the poorly designed intersection at Fourth Street and Olympic Boulevard.
Yellow Card: COAST
COAST earned a caution, not a red card. It played well for the drinking crowd and poorly for families with kids. Closing Ocean Avenue and giving the Promenade crowd overflow space was a smart tactical substitution, and the portions of COAST tied to the World Cup were genuinely fun.
The east side of Ocean Avenue had the better squad on the field, with a couple of music stages, large screens showing the match and the Michelob Ultra tent. Grab an Entertainment Zone beer — maybe one from the Stella Artois engraved-chalice booth outside Barneys — then head to the salsa stage, and you'd have had a great time.
But the park side of the street was benched. It offered a disappointing lineup of booths selling items that belong in a 2 a.m. infomercial on an off-brand cable channel. There was no community feel to it, and no strategic reason for it to look the way it did. That's the most frustrating part, because it would have been an easy pass into an open net to make it a celebration of sport following the World Cup: batting cages, penalty-kick shootouts, a putting green, an ultimate Frisbee course and, given the heat, a Santa Monica Fire Department misting station or splash pad.
Coming after the lackluster performance at the Tongva Park event following the Fourth of July, the city needs to take a hard look at how it's drawing up these game plans. If Santa Monica wants a reputation for something more than an outdoor home shopping channel, it needs to substantially raise its level of play.
### World Cup ends with a celebration in Downtown Santa Monica
URL: https://www.smdp.com/world-cup-ends-with-a/
Last updated: 2026-07-21T15:44:31.000Z
Santa Monica hosted watch parties and the COAST open streets event on Sunday. Fans of the game were able to partake in several outdoor screenings that included street food enjoy several blocks of Ocean that had been closed to traffic.
### Soundwaves series presents two emerging composer-performers
URL: https://www.smdp.com/soundwaves-series-presents-two-emerging-composer-performers/
Last updated: 2026-07-20T20:15:26.000Z
The Soundwaves new music series will present groups led by two composer-improviser-performers on Tuesday, July 21, at 7:30 p.m. at the Westside Music Conservatory.
Local Occurrence is led by tuba player Henryk "Harry" Golden, with Corey Fogel on percussion, Myra Hinrichs on violin, Michael Matsuno on flute and Tomoko Ozawa on piano. Born in Warsaw, Golden has studied, performed and had his compositions played across Europe and the United States, most recently spending two years at USC. The group emphasizes repeat performances of pieces so players and composers can develop the music in depth.
Violinist Lisa Yoshida recently completed her doctorate in integrated improvisation, composition and technology at UC Irvine, where she won the concerto competition with her interpretation of Alban Berg's violin concerto. She has participated in the Banff, Nief-Norf and Darmstadt institutes. For Soundwaves, she will present an autobiographical work incorporating voice and electronics, joined by an ensemble of saxophone, keyboard, bass and drums.
A $20 donation is suggested. The Westside Music Conservatory is at 12424 Wilshire Blvd., at the southeast corner of the intersection with Centinela.
Soundwaves concerts take place on the third Tuesday of each month, bringing Los Angeles' experimental music communities to the Westside.
For more information, visit[ ](http://soundwavesnewmusic.com/?ref=smdp.com)[soundwavesnewmusic.com](http://soundwavesnewmusic.com/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### LA County Updates Collection Costs for Delinquent Property Taxes
URL: https://www.smdp.com/la-county-updates-collection-costs-for-delinquent-property-taxes/
Last updated: 2026-07-20T18:59:59.000Z
Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector Elizabeth Buenrostro Ginsberg has updated the collection costs for recovering delinquent unsecured property taxes to reflect actual costs, the department announced.
The changes take effect Sept. 1, 2026, starting with unsecured property tax bills due in fiscal year 2026-27\. Delinquent unsecured property taxes will incur a 10% penalty and a $12 Notice of Enforcement collection cost — down from $20 — if not paid by the delinquency date.
After 90 days from the delinquency date, outstanding taxes will incur an additional $93 Notice of Lien collection cost, up from $29, plus penalties at a rate of 1.5% per month until paid in full. The department will also institute enforcement proceedings, which include recording a tax lien against the assessee of record if payment is not received on time.
Property owners who pay on time will not be affected.
Unsecured property tax bills can be viewed at ttc.lacounty.gov/request-unsecured-bill, and mail and in-person payment instructions are available at ttc.lacounty.gov/pay-your-property-taxes-unsecured. Delinquent unsecured property taxes cannot be paid online.
Property owners can find answers to most questions or submit inquiries at ttc.lacounty.gov/unsecured-public-inquiries, call the Unsecured Property Tax Section at 1-213-893-7935, or visit 225 N. Hill St., First Floor Lobby, Los Angeles, CA 90012, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Pacific time, Monday through Friday, excluding county holidays.
Spanish-language assistance is available by calling 1-213-974-2111 during the same hours.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Celebratory weekend ends with murder by the Pier
URL: https://www.smdp.com/celebratory-weekend-ends-with-murder-by-the-pier/
Last updated: 2026-07-20T17:03:35.000Z
A man was shot and killed early Monday in a parking lot near the Santa Monica Pier, police said, capping a weekend that drew the city's largest crowds in recent memory.
Santa Monica police officers responded at about 12:32 a.m. Monday to a report of a possible shooting in Parking Lot 1 North, located at 1550 Pacific Coast Highway. Officers arriving at the scene found an adult with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite life-saving efforts, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
A preliminary investigation indicates a physical altercation broke out between two groups shortly before the shooting, police said. The circumstances leading up to the incident remain under investigation.
The victim's identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. No suspect information was available Monday, and the suspect or suspects remain outstanding. Santa Monica police detectives are actively investigating.
Video from ABC7 showed officers investigating the scene in the early morning hours following the killing.
No further details about the incident had been released as of Monday morning.
The shooting came at the close of one of Santa Monica's busiest weekends in recent memory. The city hosted an open streets festival in downtown alongside large public watch parties for the World Cup final. Thousands of visitors flooded the downtown area ahead of the match's noon kickoff, and while many crammed roadways trying to leave after the game, large crowds persisted through the rest of the day.
This remains an active and ongoing investigation. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is asked to contact the Santa Monica Police Department at 310-458-8491\. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.
### Santa Monica teen cellist earns Carnegie Hall spot
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-teen-cellist-earns-carnegie-hall-spot/
Last updated: 2026-07-20T10:00:18.000Z
Maxwell Prado, a 14-year-old cellist and incoming [Santa Monica High School](https://samohi.smmusd.org/?ref=smdp.com) freshman, has been selected to perform at Carnegie Hall this summer through the Honors Performance Series and chosen for featured solo passages — a distinction drawn from nearly 10,000 nominations submitted from around the world.
Prado will perform with the Honors Orchestra, an ensemble of top-rated young musicians chosen through a competitive audition and review process, on July 23\. He was also tapped to play featured cello solos during the performance, including passages in "Elegy" and a work by Vivaldi.
He learned of the opportunity in stages. His middle school orchestra teacher at New West Charter School, Sally O'Neill, quietly nominated him in October 2025\. On Dec. 10, 2025, an email confirmed his acceptance as a finalist for the 2026 Middle School Honors Performance orchestra.
"It felt like everything stopped for one moment," Prado said.
The news carried extra weight for him. "I remember when I was younger and I started playing piano," he said. "My parents would ... tell that corny joke, 'How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice.' And now I am actually having the opportunity to play this renowned stage." He added that it "feels absolutely surreal being able to play on such a stage as a 14-year-old ... given such a great opportunity where many amazing musicians have played before me."
Prado began on piano before discovering the cello in fourth grade, just as pandemic lockdowns were easing at Edison Elementary School in [Santa Monica](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-artist-turns-mermaids-and-octopuses-into-ocean-advocacy/). During a music class showcasing different instruments, he was captivated by a video of Jacqueline du Pré performing Elgar's Cello Concerto.
"I knew at that moment that I wanted to play the cello," he said. When he finally held one the following week, "it felt so natural, like I had always been playing the cello. ... This instrument was the instrument I was born to play."
He has focused on the cello for five years, training under sought-after instructor Betsy Rettig, and has been part of Santa Monica-based Elemental Music since he began the instrument in fourth grade. He has performed with the Elemental Academy Philharmonic for three years, serving as first-chair cellist for the last two, and has spent three years in the organization's Chamber Music Institute.
Prado also studies with The Colburn School's youth orchestra and chamber programs, and this year he performed in LA Opera's production of "Noah's Flood" at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
Beyond the concert hall, he volunteers his time playing for others, including residents in the memory care unit at Ivy Park assisted living community in Santa Monica.
"Music transcends ages," Prado said. "It doesn't matter if you're young or you're old. Music just makes people feel." He recalled that at Ivy Park, "some of them clapped, some of them sang along, and ultimately, they all seem to smile." Music, he said, "is really the most amazing language."
O'Neill said she has enjoyed watching him mature during his middle school years. "It has been wonderful watching Maxwell develop not only as a musician, but also as a leader and a well-rounded cellist," she said. "His dedication, humility, and love for music truly stand out."
As he heads to high school, Prado said he expects the same balancing act as his classmates. He will have daily orchestra rehearsals at Santa Monica High while continuing his work with Colburn, Elemental Music and Rettig.
"Like every incoming freshman, I know there will be an adjustment period," he said. "We all have to learn how to balance school, music, friends, family and time to recharge." He added: "Where there's a will, there's a way, and for me, that way is through music."
Finalists will travel to New York City to rehearse under internationally recognized conductor Kurt Mosier before the performance.
"Being selected to the Honors Performance Series is something each finalist should be extremely proud of accomplishing," said Marion Gomez, music director for the series. "We processed nearly 10,000 nominations this year and selected some of the most talented student performers from around the world. Working with these conductors and performing at these renowned venues is a once-in-a-lifetime experience these musicians will never forget."
The Honors Performance Series, presented by the educational travel organization WorldStrides, was created to showcase accomplished student performers in world-renowned venues under master conductors. The July 23 concert is open to the public, with tickets available through the Carnegie Hall box office.
### Santa Monica council sends rent-control eviction protections to November ballot; new-occupant measure splits vote
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-sends-rent-control-eviction-protections-to-november-ballot-new-occupant-measure-splits-vote/
Last updated: 2026-07-20T10:00:19.000Z
The City Council voted Tuesday to place three proposed rent-control charter amendments on the November ballot, advancing a package of expanded eviction protections that drew a wave of impassioned opposition from small landlords even as council members split over how far the changes should go.
Three of the proposals — a state-required environmental finding, a set of administrative updates to the Rent Control Board paired with a reaffirmation of the city's just-cause eviction laws, and a prohibition on evictions over relatively small rental debts — were adopted together, 6-0\. A separate measure, which would bar evictions when tenants add new occupants to a household, passed 4-2, with Council Members Lana Negrete and Barry Snell opposed. Council Member Jesse Zwick recused himself because of his employment as Southern California director of the Housing Action Coalition.
The proposals grew out of a January directive that council members said was prompted by federal immigration enforcement in the region. Council Member Dan Hall urged colleagues to recall that context, noting that [Immigration](https://www.smdp.com/la-county-delivers-5-4-million-to-small-businesses-hit-by-immigration-enforcement/) and Customs Enforcement raids had left some households scrambling. "Primary tenants were taken into custody by federal immigration enforcement, leaving family members ... in pretty rough straits," Hall said, describing the eviction protections as working "hand in hand as both a financial protection and a household protection."
Chief Deputy City Attorney Romy Ganschow, who presented the measures, said the amendments followed a survey of tenant protections in comparable California cities and multiple public hearings before the Rent Control Board, which recommended them.
The nonpayment measure would prohibit evictions when a tenant owes less than a threshold tied to federal fair-market rent estimates for local ZIP codes. According to the staff report, roughly 75% of eviction lawsuits reported to the city attorney's office since 2024 were for nonpayment, with a median amount of about $6,000 in cases that were filed.
The most contested measure would prevent landlords from evicting tenants who move additional family members or non-family "household" members into a unit, and would let certain occupants remain after the original tenant leaves. Negrete pressed Ganschow repeatedly on whether that could create what critics call "perpetual tenancy," asking whether a series of occupants could each pass the unit along. "That could happen under this regulation," Ganschow acknowledged. "It wouldn't preclude that."
Negrete, who said she lives in a rent-controlled building, described fielding calls from small landlords who felt blindsided. "I don't think ... they don't not want to be involved. They're just not getting these notifications," she said, asking whether the vote could be delayed. She also worried about effects on "small mom and pop good landlords" who might conclude, "God, I can't handle this anymore. I'm going to put it up for sale."
Mayor Caroline Torosis defended the measure by pointing to situations she said she had seen on the Rent Control Board. "You have ... an elderly parent passes away, child is not on the lease, lives with the parent as a caretaker," she said. "We're talking about someone's pocketbook versus ... a roof over someone's head and an exacerbating homeless crisis."
Snell, who said he is a renter and a business owner but not a landlord, supported the other measures but balked at the occupancy provision, citing concern for landlords unable "to dictate who's in the place on a serial basis." He successfully moved to split that resolution off for a separate vote, a procedural motion that carried 5-1.
Council Member Ellis Raskin, who carried the main motion, invoked the Rent Control Board's independent authority. "There's been a lot of hard work that's gone to this," he said. "Our elected experts to the rent control board have been hard at work at this over the last six months." He added that the council was "not making law tonight," because "it's the electorate that decides."
Written comments submitted before the meeting ran heavily against the package, particularly from landlords and the [Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles](https://aagla.org/?ref=smdp.com), which warned the occupancy language was vague and "ripe for abuse" and could invite litigation. Supporters, including a resident who works a tenant hotline, said the nonpayment protection could buy the city time to connect struggling renters with relief funds before eviction proceedings begin.
The council then voted 6-0 to authorize members to draft ballot arguments in favor of the measures — Hall for the administrative updates, Torosis for the nonpayment protection and Raskin for the occupancy measure. No member filed arguments against any measure. Ballot arguments are due within 14 days.
### Malibu Council Unanimously Curbs New Cell Sites Near Homes
URL: https://www.smdp.com/malibu-council-unanimously-curbs-new-cell-sites-near-homes/
Last updated: 2026-07-20T10:00:00.000Z
The City Council voted unanimously Monday to bar most new wireless facilities in Malibu's residential neighborhoods, approving a pair of resolutions that supporters hailed as a long-sought first step toward keeping cell equipment away from homes.
The vote enacts what officials have called Phase 1 of a "residential fix," prohibiting new wireless installations in residential areas except where federal law requires the city to allow them. Because the changes were adopted as resolutions rather than ordinances, they took effect immediately and apply to any application submitted after the vote.
"It's a marked departure from the way things used to be," Mayor Bruce Silverstein said before the vote. "The residents have been clamoring for this for many years now, and every time it's been raised, it's been deferred."
Under the new standards, the siting restriction applies on private property in residential zoning districts and, in the public right-of-way, to any location within 300 feet of a residential parcel fronting the roadway. The required spacing between wireless facilities in the right-of-way near homes increases from 600 feet to 1,000 feet. The rules steer carriers toward Pacific Coast Highway and arterial roads, which remain the preferred locations.
The restrictions apply only to brand-new facilities and to modifications that fall outside federal limits. Senior Planner Patrick Achis told the council the city must still approve qualifying "eligible facility requests" — changes to existing sites that meet [Federal Communications Commission](https://www.fcc.gov/?ref=smdp.com) criteria. Achis said Malibu has approved 39 wireless applications in the past 12 months, all of them eligible facility requests, and that the last brand-new facility was approved about three and a half years ago.
Staff also pushed back on a comparison, raised repeatedly in public comment, to the city of Calabasas, which some residents believe regulates wireless equipment more strictly. Achis said Malibu's rules are the tougher of the two. Calabasas permits new facilities in residential and open-space zones if they are screened, and approves them administratively without a public hearing, he said. Malibu, by contrast, requires discretionary review, a public hearing and, where applicable, a coastal development permit.
Assistant Community Development Director Tyler Eaton said Malibu's process has at times proved so demanding that applicants abandoned their projects. "We've had a few of those that have not made it through the process," he said.
Much of the council's discussion turned on the tension between limiting equipment and maintaining reliable service in a fire-prone community with frequent power shutoffs. Councilmember Marianne Riggins said she shared residents' [health concerns](https://www.smdp.com/los-angeles-to-bake-under-mid-week-heat-wave/) about 5G technology but stressed that Malibu cannot afford coverage gaps during emergencies.
"We have gone through two major fires on each end of town and not had proper coverage so that people can get accurate information for evacuations," Riggins said. She recounted a recent outage at her own home: "The power was out for 10 days, and I didn't have service in my house. I happen to live on Cliffside on Point Dume."
Councilmember Steve Uhring urged staff to monitor how carriers respond to the new rules and report back quickly. "Telecom companies — they've demonstrated they're very powerful," he said. "They got great lobbyists. If it isn't working, we've got to tweak it. Let's tweak it earlier versus later."
Several members said the more consequential work lies ahead. "The real meat on the bones is going to come in Phase 2," Councilmember Doug Stewart said, pointing to installation and maintenance standards. "The engineers can do a great job to put it together, but if it isn't installed properly, it's a mess."
Phase 2, targeted for August or September, is expected to focus on fire safety, equipment upkeep and enforcement. Silverstein floated requiring periodic inspections of wireless sites every few years — paid for by the carriers — to check for degradation and fire hazards. Interim City Attorney Trevor Rusin said the city could likely justify such a rule if it established a clear rationale and kept the requirements proportional, and agreed to research the question for the next round of amendments.
Riggins said she would support mandatory checks tied to maintenance and power shutoffs, noting that backup batteries at some sites fail to work after prolonged outages. "Is there something that we can add in for periodic maintenance and/or checks after a PSPS season?" she asked. "I would absolutely support having that."
### Ottobock Named Official Paralympic Repair Provider for LA28
URL: https://www.smdp.com/ottobock-named-official-paralympic-repair-provider-for-la28/
Last updated: 2026-07-18T18:59:59.000Z
Ottobock, a global MedTech company specializing in prosthetics, neuro-orthotics and exoskeletons, has been named an Official Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Wheelchair Repair Service Provider and Official Supporter of the LA28 Paralympic Games.
The designation formalizes a role Ottobock has filled at the Paralympic Games for nearly four decades. Its technicians operate free repair and maintenance workshops on-site, servicing prostheses, orthoses, wheelchairs and other assistive devices when athletes need urgent attention.
"We are proud and excited to continue our Paralympic journey in Los Angeles. For us, this partnership is about much more than technical service — it is about trust, reliability and helping athletes perform at their very best on the world's biggest stage," said Peter Franzel, head of global events, exhibitions and sports at Ottobock.
Ileana Rodriguez, a Paralympian and LA28 vice president of Paralympic strategy and relations, said the company's four-decade commitment to the Paralympic Movement makes it a natural partner. "This partnership goes beyond technical service; it is about a mutual mission to expand access to movement for all," she said.
The announcement came during Ottobock's Full Circle Movement event at the Angel City Games, a series of free, inclusive community experiences for people of all ages and mobility levels living with limb loss or limb difference. Participants can try prosthetic technology, train with adaptive sports coaches and connect with others.
"The U.S. is one of the most dynamic markets for innovation in mobility and adaptive sport, but what truly drives our engagement here is the community," said Jan-Philip Rahmann, executive director of marketing and digital sales at Ottobock North America. He called such events "an essential bridge on the road to the LA28 Paralympic Games."
Paralympic champion Ezra Frech, an Ottobock ambassador and co-founder of Angel City Sports, linked the company's grassroots work to the Games.
"Los Angeles has an incredible opportunity to show the world what inclusive sport can look like from grassroots participation all the way to the Paralympic stage," Frech said. "Partnerships like this create visibility, opportunity and belief, helping the next generation see what they can achieve through sport."
Ottobock said the expanded partnership reflects a shared belief that sport can change perceptions and strengthen inclusion for people with disabilities at every level.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Community Collective Inaugural Builders Breakfast coalition to help turn the World Cup, Olympics and global events into economic opportunity
URL: https://www.smdp.com/community-collective-inaugural-builders-breakfast-coalition-to-help-turn-the-world-cup-olympics-and-global-events-into-economic-opportunity/
Last updated: 2026-07-18T09:59:59.000Z
More than 50 civic, business and community leaders gathered for the inaugural Community Collective Builders Breakfast at 1212 Santa Monica on the Third Street Promenade, focusing on partnerships, downtown revitalization and Santa Monica's global future.
The monthly breakfast series aims to position Santa Monica to capitalize on upcoming global sporting events, bringing together leaders from government, business, design, development, tourism, construction, culture and community organizations to strengthen the local economy and activate public spaces beyond the Games.
Santa Monica City Councilmember Dan Hall opened the program and joined a panel with city Economic Development Manager Jennifer Taylor, Santa Monica Block Fest producer Peter Trinh and Ryan Bowling, CEO of Local Action Marketing.
The discussion tied momentum from recent World Cup activations to downtown revitalization, economic development, international partnerships, mobility infrastructure and the continuing recovery from the Palisades and Eaton fires.
A central theme emerged: Santa Monica is shifting from "managing decline" to "betting on itself." "We have two years of opportunity where the eyes of the world are on us," said Hall, a West Point graduate and Army veteran elected in 2024\. "This is an opportunity that we can leverage to show the world that Santa Monica is not doing business like it used to."
Hall said city leadership is working to replace a historically restrictive culture at City Hall with one centered on collaboration and transparency. "How do we get to yes?" he asked. "How do we activate and use the amazing potential that this community has?"
He acknowledged ongoing challenges — retail vacancies, public perception issues, declining domestic overnight tourism and lingering effects of the pandemic and wildfires — but pointed to targeted investment and data-driven governance as evidence of progress. He cited city data showing Part One crime down 12.5%, while prosecution conviction rates have risen from about 65% to more than 80%.
That transformation has become visible downtown, where World Cup viewing parties, cultural programming, wellness events and Block Fest have drawn thousands of residents and visitors back to the Promenade.
Taylor said the World Cup tested how well city departments, event producers and businesses can collaborate on large-scale events. "It's really helped us test what we can do and continue to move the boundaries around really big events," she said.
She said the city's economic development team is working with representatives from about 17 countries exploring hospitality houses, cultural programming and brand activations tied to the 2028 Olympics. Because Santa Monica is not an official Olympic venue, she said, the city has more flexibility to serve as a hospitality and cultural destination. Potential activations include a French hospitality house at the Annenberg Community Beach House and a House of Switzerland at the Camera Obscura building in Palisades Park. "We want countries investing here and our businesses and residents benefiting long after the Games," Taylor said.
Bowling said the opportunity extends beyond sports. "This is more than a business moment — it's a pop-culture moment and an opportunity to amplify a message across Southern California, the United States and globally," he said. His firm connects international governments, sporting organizations and global brands with local communities across Southern California. With more than 200 countries expected to engage in the region ahead of the 2028 Games, he said opportunities exist in tourism, trade, diplomacy, investment and cultural exchange. "Don't be late to the Games — start building those relationships now," he said, adding that hundreds of Olympic and Paralympic athletes will be seeking community partnerships before 2028.
Trinh said long-term success depends on creating memorable experiences rather than marketing campaigns. "Cities don't build brands through slogans — they build them through experiences, through safety, through hospitality, through great programming and vibrant public spaces," he said. He described Santa Monica as a city rediscovering its identity through food, culture, entertainment and outdoor experiences. "The city is cool. We just need to remind everyone that the city is cool," he said, adding that the city's future depends on consistent year-round programming, not just marquee events.
That strategy is being supported through the city's newly established Major Events Team, which Taylor said is coordinating programming across city departments, Downtown Santa Monica Inc., the Pier, event producers and community partners. The city also plans to expand wellness programming, farmers market partnerships and smaller "surprise-and-delight" experiences downtown, at the beach and in public parks.
Hall also pointed to the newly announced Ocean Way Festival, produced by Goldenvoice, as another chance to boost hotel stays, support restaurants and retailers, and strengthen Santa Monica's reputation as a cultural destination.
Audience discussion touched on housing, bicycle infrastructure, school safety, downtown revitalization and plans to transform the 192-acre Santa Monica Airport property into a regional arts, culture and recreation destination.
Attendees included Downtown Santa Monica Inc. CEO Debbie Lee, Gensler Managing Director Kelly Farrell, PacQuest CEO and founder Fred Cordova, Every Fire Survivors Network founder Joy Chen, Santa Monica Arts Commission Chair Susan Jain, James Cummings of London & Partners and Shawmut Design and Construction Executive Vice President Greg Skalaski.
The optimism was tempered by reminders that rebuilding neighboring communities remains urgent. Chen said her network now represents more than 10,000 fire survivors and continues pushing for insurance accountability. "Our purpose is not anti-industry. It is pro-market integrity," she said, inviting attendees to an Aug. 22 survivor and ally pickleball festival. "This recovery will take all of us."
The next Community Collective Builders Breakfast is set for Sept. 14 at 1212 Santa Monica, where organizers plan to introduce sector-focused working sessions on development, design, government, tourism, mobility, culture, business and community impact.
### COAST 2026 caps Santa Monica’s World Cup celebration with a look toward LA28
URL: https://www.smdp.com/coast-2026-caps-santa-monicas-world-cup-celebration-with-a-look-toward-la28/
Last updated: 2026-07-17T18:59:59.000Z
After more than a month of welcoming the world, Santa Monica is preparing for one final celebration that reflects how global sporting events can transform a city.
On Sunday, the city will close out its six-week World Cup programming with COAST 2026, a free open streets festival that will transform more than a mile of downtown into a pedestrian-first celebration of soccer, music, culture, wellness and community.
Stretching across Ocean, Arizona and Colorado avenues, Third Street Promenade and the Santa Monica Pier, COAST invites residents and visitors to walk, bike and explore downtown through live entertainment, interactive art, wellness programming, family activities and public watch parties for the FIFA World Cup Final.
More than simply celebrating the tournament’s championship match, COAST reflects a broader vision for Santa Monica’s future—one where public spaces become gathering places, local businesses thrive and major global events leave a lasting civic legacy as Los Angeles prepares for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The festival revives Santa Monica’s beloved COAST open streets event, which had been paused since the pandemic, and returns this year thanks to funding from Metro’s Open Streets Program. Produced by Revel Republic in partnership with the City of Santa Monica, COAST brings together public agencies, local businesses, artists, performers and community organizations for the city’s largest World Cup celebration.
Throughout the past six weeks, Santa Monica has embraced the World Cup through activations that transformed Third Street Promenade and the surrounding downtown into one of Southern California’s premier fan destinations.
Helping bring that vision to life has been Revel Republic, the experiential production company behind COAST 2026 and much of Santa Monica’s World Cup programming. For Sunday’s finale, Revel Republic is coordinating more than 80 vendors and activations across downtown, including partnerships with Red Bull, Therabody, Verizon and AI Wellness, creating an immersive celebration that blends sports, culture, music, wellness and local business.
The scale of participation reflects more than just a festival. It demonstrates how major sporting events can create meaningful economic opportunities for local businesses while transforming public spaces into vibrant places where residents and visitors gather together. “One of the best things about the World Cup is the way it brings people together,” said Debbie Lee, CEO of Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. “Throughout the tournament, Downtown Santa Monica has become a place where residents, visitors and soccer fans from around the world can gather, celebrate and create lasting memories.”
Lee said COAST builds on that momentum by transforming downtown into an all-day celebration. “COAST 2026 builds on that energy by filling our streets with music, entertainment and experiences that invite people to spend the day exploring Downtown Santa Monica,” Lee said. “When people come together like this, our local businesses benefit, our community comes alive, and our downtown continues to grow as one of Southern California’s most vibrant destinations.”
Mayor Caroline Torosis said the festival represents more than the conclusion of the World Cup, it signals Santa Monica’s continued resurgence as an international destination. “Hosting the world this summer has been a preview of what’s ahead for Santa Monica,” Torosis said. “The World Cup brought thousands of visitors to our businesses and our beach, and the grand finale caps a month that showed our comeback in full swing. When the world comes to Los Angeles, Santa Monica is where they come to celebrate.”
Throughout the Promenade, each block offers a distinct World Cup experience. The 1400 block, dubbed “The Warm Up,” features community yoga, youth soccer activities, outdoor games and the FIFA Pop-Up Store. The 1300 block, “The Tailgate,” gets fans match-ready with World Cup face painting, photo opportunities and interactive activations. Arizona Avenue’s “Grandstand” serves as the festival’s primary outdoor watch party with a large viewing screen, fan seating, food vendors and interactive experiences, while the 1200 block’s “Huddle” pairs live music from Jam in the Van with outdoor match viewing and dining from local favorites including 1212 Santa Monica, Cabo Cantina, Casa Martin and Ugo.
Thousands of fans are expected to gather around multiple LED screens throughout downtown to watch the FIFA World Cup Final together, with viewing available at the Grandstand, the Santa Monica Stage near Ocean and Arizona avenues and participating businesses throughout downtown.
One of this year’s featured partners is Red Bull, whose North American headquarters is based in Santa Monica. The company will debut an interactive Energy Zone where fans can enjoy live DJ sets from the Red Bull Event Vehicle, test their soccer skills and grab an ice-cold Red Bull before joining festivities across downtown. “With Red Bull North America’s headquarters based in Santa Monica, supporting COAST 2026 is an opportunity to show up for the community we call home and help create an unforgettable experience for fans visiting and from the city,” the company said.
Therabody will also bring recovery and wellness experiences to COAST, complementing programming that includes guided breathwork, movement classes and meditation in Palisades Park’s Superbloom Garden and reinforcing wellness as a central part of the festival experience.
Music and performance will unfold across four stages throughout the day. The Main Stage at Ocean Avenue and Broadway will feature Bomba Borikén, Masanga Marimba, Sangre Nueva and Esther Anaya before transitioning into a community salsa celebration curated by Salsa Way’s Cesar Romero following the World Cup Final.
The Indie Stage will spotlight emerging musicians and DJs, while the Santa Monica Stage will serve as both a primary viewing location for the championship match and home to afternoon performances from Funky House Collective.
Families will have their own dedicated destination at the Kids Stage, where programming curated in part by Nicole Blaine and The Crow will feature comedy, live music, youth performances, the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, Jason Mesches, Rangeela Dance Company and The Crow’s Kid Rock Band.
Visitors can also experience “Memory World” at the Camera Obscura Art Lab, participate in community art projects, enjoy family activities and explore dozens of local businesses participating throughout the festival footprint.
COAST also reflects Santa Monica’s commitment to creating people-first streets and encouraging alternative transportation. Visitors are encouraged to arrive by Metro’s E Line, Big Blue Bus, bicycle or on foot, while free bike valet stations and temporary street closures allow thousands to experience downtown without cars.
When the final whistle blows Sunday afternoon, COAST will mark more than the end of the FIFA World Cup. It will celebrate six weeks in which Santa Monica welcomed the world, demonstrated the power of community partnerships and reimagined its streets as places of connection.
If the World Cup showcased what Southern California can accomplish on the global stage, COAST offers a hopeful reminder that some of the tournament’s most meaningful victories happened not inside the stadiums, but in the communities that came together around them.
### A Detailed Walkthrough: How to Serve via Publication Summons
URL: https://www.smdp.com/how-to-serve-by-publication-summons-step-guide/
Last updated: 2026-08-03T17:29:02.000Z
You’ve done everything you can to track down the defendant, but now it feels like they’ve disappeared into thin air.
It’s tough to be in this situation. You’re eager to keep things moving, but if you can’t serve the other party, the Court won’t act. It’s like you hit a wall.
This is exactly why **serving by publication summons** exists. It’s a court-approved method where you can move your case forward, even if the other party is nowhere to be found. This isn’t a loophole or trick. This is your right, and you can exercise it to keep your case on track.
## 1\. An Introduction to Service by Publication Summons
If you can’t locate a defendant through the usual methods like personal delivery, mail, or handing them the papers in person, the Court might allow you to notify them through a published notice in a newspaper.
This process is called **service by publication**. You publish the summons in a newspaper that covers the area where the defendant last lived or did business. Even if the defendant never actually sees it, the law treats that as official notice.
According to [Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute](https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/service%5Fby%5Fpublication?ref=smdp.com), service by publication is a backup plan for delivering legal documents. It’s what’s known as constructive notice, which means the law acts as if the defendant has been informed, even if you couldn’t hand them anything directly.
People use this method in cases such as divorce, property disputes, debt collection, or situations involving missing heirs or parties who cannot be found.
## 2\. Service by Publication Summons: Key Requirements
Getting approved for service by publication isn’t as simple as the process itself. To get permission for this, you need to show that you genuinely tried every other option first.
Here’s what’s typically required:
- **Proof of due diligence:** You must prove that you put in effort to locate the defendant. You can do that by checking their last known address, contacting their relatives, and searching public records. Document every attempt you make to find them.
- **A court order**: In case you can’t find the defendant, you can’t directly publish on your own. A judge must first authorize service by publication before you move forward.
- **An affidavit**: Your attorney (or you) must file a sworn statement explaining why normal service failed and why publication is necessary.
- **A qualifying newspaper**: The notice must appear in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the defendant’s last known address is, or where the action is filed. Santa Monica Daily Press serves as a qualifying publication for cases right here in Santa Monica.
Under California Code of Civil Procedure [§ 415.50](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes%5FdisplaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=415.50.&lawCode=CCP&ref=smdp.com), the Court must be satisfied that the defendant cannot be served in another manner before granting the order.
## 3\. How to Get a Court Order for Service by Publication?
This is the part that overwhelms most people, but the process is straightforward once you know the steps.
**Step 1: File a Motion**
Start by submitting a motion to the Court. In this document, you’ll need to explain your case and describe why you haven’t been able to locate the defendant despite your efforts.
**Step 2: Attach Your Affidavit**
Your affidavit should include details of every attempt you made to find and serve the defendant. Include the specific dates and ways you tried to reach them.
**Step 3: Await the Court Order**
A judge will review your motion and either approve or deny it. If approved, the order will specify the newspaper in which you must publish the notice and the required number of times.
**Step 4: Publish the Summons**
Once you have the court order, you contact a legally adjudicated newspaper to run the notice. Under the [Government Code § 6064](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes%5FdisplaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=6064.&lawCode=GOV&ref=smdp.com), the summons must be published once a week for four consecutive weeks.
**Step 5: File the Affidavit of Publication**
After the final publication, the newspaper will give you an affidavit of publication. You file this with the Court as proof that service was completed.
## 4\. Why is This Process Designed So Carefully?
Courts don’t take service by publication lightly, and there’s a good reason for that.
[***Mullane v. Central Hanover Bank & Trust Co.***](https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/339/306?ref=smdp.com)remains the legal standard for service by publication in the United States. The Court ruled that notice must be “reasonably calculated, under all the circumstances, to apprise interested parties of the pendency of the action.”
You can only use a newspaper when you’ve done everything you can to find the person and failed. If you know their address, publishing isn’t enough. That’s why courts ask for a detailed affidavit before letting you publish.
This process protects everyone involved.
## 5\. How to Publish a Summons in a Newspaper Legal Notice
Once you have your court order, the actual publication process is simpler than most people expect.
Here’s what you need to do:
- **Contact a legally adjudicated newspaper** in the county specified by the Court. Not every newspaper qualifies. Make sure the newspaper meets the specific legal criteria under the California Government Code.
- **Submit the summons language** exactly as the Court approves it. Don’t change the wording.
- **Confirm the publication schedule.** The notice should be published in California for four consecutive weeks, once per week.
- **Receive your affidavit of publication** after the final run. This is your proof that the notice ran the required number of times.
- **File the affidavit of publication with the Court** promptly. Until it’s filed, your service is not legally complete.
[The Santa Monica Daily Press](https://www.smdp.com/) is a legally adjudicated newspaper serving Santa Monica. It meets all California requirements for publishing legal notices, including service by publication summons. Just send us your legal notice, and let us handle the rest.
## 6\. What Happens After Service Is Complete?
After we provide your affidavit of publication and you file it with the Court, your service is officially considered complete. In California, that happens on the 28th day after your notice first appears, according to Government Code section 6064.
From there, the defendant gets 30 days to file a response. If no response is filed by the deadline, you have the option to ask the Court for a default judgment. That means the judge can decide your case in your favor, even without the defendant present.
Your case can keep moving forward with service by publication.
## Overcoming Delays Caused by Absent Defendants
Service by publication was made for situations like this. You’ve followed every step, but the defendant can’t be found, and that’s keeping your case stuck.
The process does require patience, but it works.
If your case is in the Santa Monica area and you’re ready to file a legal notice, our team at the Santa Monica Daily Press is here to help.
[Send us your legal notice](https://www.smdp.com/legal-notices/), and we’ll handle it from start to finish.
Your case deserves to move forward. This is how you make that happen.
## Your Publication Summons FAQ
**What does it mean to serve by publication summons?**
Serving by publication means you publish a legal notice in a newspaper that the Court approves. This is how you let a defendant know about a lawsuit when you can’t find them any other way. The law counts this publication as official notice, so your case can move forward even if you never hand anything to the defendant directly.
**When can I use the service by publication?**
You can only use this method after you’ve convinced a judge that you tried everything else. First, you need to show the Court that you did your best to find and personally serve the defendant. If those efforts don’t work, then and only then, the judge may let you serve by publication.
**What are the service by publication summons requirements in California?**
You need to file a motion with the Court, include an affidavit showing your due diligence, and wait for a judge to sign off. Then, publish the summons in a court-approved newspaper once a week for four weeks in a row. When that’s done, file the newspaper’s affidavit of publication with the Court.
**How long does service by publication take?**
In California, the minimum publication period is 28 days (four weekly publications). After that, the defendant has 30 more days to respond. The full process typically takes 60 to 90 days from the court order.
**What is an affidavit of publication for a summons?**
That’s a sworn statement from the newspaper confirming all the details of your published notice, including the dates it ran. You’ll file this affidavit with the Court to prove you completed service by publication.
**Does service by publication satisfy due process?**
Yes, but only when you’ve followed every step and honestly can’t find the defendant’s address.
**Which newspaper can I use to publish a summons?**
It has to be a legally adjudicated newspaper of general circulation in the county where your case is filed or where the defendant last lived. The Santa Monica Daily Press is fully adjudicated and qualified to publish legal notices here in Santa Monica.
### Democratic Club fails to endorse City Council candidates
URL: https://www.smdp.com/democratic-club-fails-to-endorse-city-council-candidates/
Last updated: 2026-07-17T15:37:51.000Z
The Santa Monica Democratic Club declined to endorse any candidate in the City Council race after two rounds of voting, with the top vote-getter falling short of the required 55% threshold and club rules barring further balloting.
In the final round of voting, 324 individuals cast ballots for Council endorsements and no candidate received the 179 votes necessary to secure a nomination. Under club rules, when no candidate qualifies during any given round, candidates who receive less than 20% of the vote are eliminated and a new round of voting is held. However, when all candidates fall below 55% but above 20%, the vote process is considered a stalemate and ends with no endorsement.
"There are no endorsements in the city council race because nobody can drop off from this list," said Club President John Katz.
While the number of votes changed across two rounds of voting, the top three candidates remained Lana Negrete, Caroline Torosis and Doug Trussler. Ashley Oelsen was consistently fourth. Negrete and Torosis are the only two incumbents running but the full field has yet to be set as candidates have until mid August to fill out their official nomination paperwork.
The outcome prompted criticism from some club members who based their argument on “bullet votes” or ballots that only voted for one candidate. As voters could vote for up to three candidates club vice president Sean Kolodji argued that voters who only backed one of three possible candidates may have been confused about the impact of their vote. He also implied single-candidate voting undermined the Club’s impact in the election and that some additional voting should occur.
“I do think that because of this electoral defect we should take another bite at the apple and try to figure out how to have, come to, some resolution where our club can have its voice heard in this council election vote,” he said.
Other members weighed in on both sides. Some suggested bullet voters likely acted intentionally. Others urged the board to prioritize the integrity of the process and consider another vote with proper notice. One member raised a separate question, asking whether the board might consider a fresh vote on the City Council race later, once the candidate filing deadline had passed and the full field was se
Katz said he had explained the voting mechanics to candidates beforehand and that the process was clear to everyone involved. After the meeting, he reiterated the integrity of the process and said there will be no further rounds of voting nor will the Clubs board make its own endorsements.
“More broadly, I think the outcome reflects what the Santa Monica Democratic Club has become. This was the largest endorsement vote we've held in at least the past 16 years that I've been involved, with a much larger and more diverse membership than we've had historically. Members brought a wide range of perspectives and were deeply engaged in evaluating an exceptionally strong field of candidates. While no City Council candidate reached our 55% threshold for endorsement, I view that as a reflection of the breadth of viewpoints within our Club and the seriousness with which our members approached the responsibility of making an endorsement,” he said.
While the council race produced no endorsement, the club backed candidates in several other local races. Heather Thomasson won a Rent Control Board endorsement as did Sue Himmelrich and Kurt Ganska.
For the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education, Alicia Mignano, Stacy Rouse and Robbie Stainberg were endorsed.
In the Santa Monica College Board of Trustees race, Luis Barrera Castanon, Kira Blade Snell, Tom Peters and Sion Roy all won endorsements.
The club also voted to support Better Neighbors LA's push to enforce Santa Monica's short-term rental ordinance in the coastal zone, and endorsed Assembly Bill 2465, which would cut off tax breaks for companies that contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
### Puppy Yoga Studio to Reopen in Santa Monica, with Ticket Proceeds Aiding Rescues
URL: https://www.smdp.com/puppy-yoga-studio-to-reopen-in-santa-monica-with-ticket-proceeds-aiding-rescues/
Last updated: 2026-07-17T15:29:35.000Z
Puppy Sphere, a wellness events company that pairs yoga with puppy playtime, will open a new studio in Santa Monica this month, returning to a [Los Angeles](https://www.smdp.com/los-angeles-to-bake-under-mid-week-heat-wave/) market its founders say holds a special place in the company's story.
The studio opens July 18 at 2400 Main St., steps from the beach. To mark the return, the company said it will donate $1 from every ticket sold during the studio's first month to local animal rescues.
"Los Angeles holds a special place in our story, and Santa Monica is the perfect home for what we do: wellness, play, and connection, all in one," co-founders Francesca Albo and Lea Burbidge Izquierdo said in a statement. "We cannot wait to welcome the city back into the Puppy Sphere."
The studio's signature offering is a 75-minute session called Wellness Puppy Yoga, which combines a 45-minute yoga flow with 30 minutes of what the company calls puppy chill time. Each guest receives a yoga mat, and a cart of sparkling drinks is available during the session. The company said themed and seasonal events will roll out over the course of the year.
Albo, the company's chief executive, said the format was the product of extensive testing.
"We were convinced movement and puppy time each had their own kind of power for mental well-being, so we wanted guests to get the full dose of both, no shortcuts," she said. "After a ton of trial and error, 45 minutes of yoga into 30 minutes of puppy time turned out to be the magic ratio."
The company traces its origins to the founders' own experiences with stress and burnout in demanding corporate jobs. Burbidge Izquierdo, the chief operating officer, said their dogs, Nala and Hershey, helped them through difficult periods.
"Not everyone can have a dog, but everyone deserves to feel that," she said, describing the daily comfort the animals provided. "So we built Puppy Sphere to bottle that magic ... without the commitment of owning one."
The company frames the experience as more than a novelty. It describes its aim as nervous system regulation and meaningful connection, positioning time with puppies as a gentler approach to mental wellness for people who are unable to own a dog. Albo said the yoga-and-puppy format remains the core of the business even as it has expanded into offerings such as Simply Puppy Yoga and Puppy Pilates.
"That format is the heartbeat of everything we've built," she said. "But the mission hasn't budged an inch: help people reconnect, recharge, and smile a little more."
The founders said the animals' welfare is central to the experience, not an afterthought. Each class is staffed by two to three dedicated puppy care workers in addition to the instructor, with a pet first aid-certified supervisor on-site at all times, according to the company. The puppies receive at least 45 minutes of rest between sessions, water on demand and regular wellness checks.
"Puppy well-being isn't a checkbox for us, it's the whole point," the founders said. The company said the socialization also helps the puppies grow into more confident animals as they await adoption.
Founded in 2021, [Puppy Sphere](https://thepuppysphere.com/?ref=smdp.com) describes itself as a global wellness events company operating across corporate wellness, mental health and experiential events. It says it has hosted more than 500 private events and raised $16,000 for animal rescues. The company has partnered with Google, TikTok and The New York Times, and has counted Sabrina Carpenter, Simu Liu, Alessia Cara, Mr. Beast and Travis Scott among its guests.
Albo was named an EY Entrepreneur of the Year in 2025, and both founders were named to Inc.'s Female Founders 500 in 2026, recognition the company attributed to its growing brand and celebrity partnerships and its fundraising for rescues.
Burbidge Izquierdo said Santa Monica was a natural fit and signaled more expansion to come.
"The whole city breathes wellness, community, pets, good living, basically everything Puppy Sphere is about," she said. "But this is just chapter one, more studios are coming!"
More information is available at thepuppysphere.com.
### Traffic Stop Leads to Loaded Firearm Arrest
URL: https://www.smdp.com/traffic-stop-leads-to-loaded-firearm-arrest/
Last updated: 2026-07-17T01:18:12.000Z
A routine traffic stop near the 300 block of Pico Boulevard led to the recovery of a loaded firearm and the arrest of a passenger, according to the Santa Monica Police Department.
Officers stopped a vehicle at about 11:25 p.m. on July 7 after observing traffic violations, police said. During the investigation, they found a loaded Glock 22 concealed in the front passenger's waistband. The firearm had a round chambered and was equipped with an extended magazine loaded with 21 additional rounds.
Officers also recovered marijuana and a ski mask from the passenger, according to police.
The passenger was arrested on weapons-related charges. The driver was cited for the traffic violations and released.
Police said traffic enforcement continues to play a role in identifying illegal firearms in the community.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### 13 Independent Bookstores to Launch First Los Angeles Indie Book Crawl
URL: https://www.smdp.com/13-independent-bookstores-to-launch-first-los-angeles-indie-book-crawl/
Last updated: 2026-07-17T01:20:34.000Z
Thirteen independent bookstores across greater Los Angeles will join forces July 24-26 for the inaugural Los Angeles Indie Book Crawl, a free weekend event inviting readers to explore the region's literary scene.
The crawl, held during regular store hours, stretches from Manhattan Beach to Montrose and from West Hollywood to Pasadena, with stops in Studio City, Santa Monica, Culver City and beyond. Organizers modeled the event on popular book crawls in San Diego and Seattle.
To participate, readers visit any of the stores between July 24 and 26 and make a first purchase of at least $10\. That earns a Book Crawl Passport and a first stamp. Visitors then travel to the remaining stores, in any order, making a purchase of $10 or more at each stop. Prizes and exclusive merchandise are available at every location.
The more stores participants visit, the more prizes they collect. People who get their passports stamped at all 13 stores will receive a goodie bag full of fun bookish treats, and be entered into a drawing for the grand prize - $25 gift cards at each store - totaling $325 in value.
Each store has listed nearby Los Angeles landmarks and neighborhood gems that visitors can add to their itineraries.
"Independent bookstores are having a resurgence," said Jennifer Caspar, founder and owner of Village Well Books & Coffee, a bookstore and cafe in downtown Culver City that opened in 2020\. "They are the third places people need more than ever in this era of digital optimization which can be very alienating and lead to loneliness."
Organizers said supporting independent bookstores keeps money in the local economy and sustains vital community spaces that offer human-curated recommendations and serve as hubs for local authors, book clubs and civic engagement.
Participating stores are Annabelle's Book Club LA, The Book Jewel, Book Soup, Chevalier's Books, Children's Book World & CBW Teens & Adults, diesel, A Book Store, Malik Books, Once Upon A Time, pages: a bookstore, The Ripped Bodice, Skylight Books, Village Well Books & Coffee and Vroman's Bookstore.
Participants are encouraged to use public transit. Store hours, descriptions and weekend schedules are at[ ](https://www.laindiebookcrawl.com/about-5?ref=smdp.com)[https://www.laindiebookcrawl.com/about-5](https://www.laindiebookcrawl.com/about-5?ref=smdp.com). More information is at[ ](https://www.laindiebookcrawl.com/?ref=smdp.com)[https://www.laindiebookcrawl.com/](https://www.laindiebookcrawl.com/?ref=smdp.com) and on Instagram @laindiebookcrawl.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Around Town: Massive COAST World Cup Event, National Ice Cream Day, & More!
URL: https://www.smdp.com/around-town-massive-coast-world-cup-event-national-ice-cream-day-more/
Last updated: 2026-07-16T20:48:41.000Z
SMDP's Weekly Guide to Food & Entertainment Goings-On In & Around Town includes the massive COAST 2026 World Cup finale, expanded downtown entertainment zones, fresh culinary debuts, and hot summer concert series, and much more!
**Annenberg Beach House Sunset Picnic - Route 66 Edition:** Bring your own picnic and enjoy a relaxed night by the ocean. Come with friends, family, or on your own and join a communal table. There's live music, ocean views, complimentary s’mores (while supplies last) & board games. **Thursday, July 16, 5-8p.m., 415 PCH** [eventbrite.com/e/sunset-picnic-route-66-edition-tickets-1987961278699](http://eventbrite.com/e/sunset-picnic-route-66-edition-tickets-1987961278699?ref=smdp.com)
**Fun Guy Summer Series:** Have fun with your health at this wellness party at Likeminded Studios, where you can detox with communal sauna, cold plunge, local DJs, and free doses of Fun Guy Flow or Chill. **Thursday, July 16, 8-10p.m., 116 Washington Blvd., Venice** [instagram.com/p/DZay6gGyVXx](http://instagram.com/p/DZay6gGyVXx?ref=smdp.com)
**Fridays at Calamigos Ranch’s Gentry Market:** A new Jazz Night is coming to Malibu for the summer. 🎶 🎺Every Friday evening you can expect wood-fired pizza, drinks from the bar, and live music under the Malibu sky. **Fridays, 6 - 9p.m., 327 S Latigo Canyon Road, Malibu** [instagram.com/p/DamD-TdJeVV](http://instagram.com/p/DamD-TdJeVV?ref=smdp.com)
**Luft x Forta - 5k, Matcha, & Make-Up:** Join a 5k run/walk followed by pastries, matcha, and charms. **Sunday, July 19, 9a.m., 1930 Lincoln Blvd., Venice** [luftlosangeles.com/products/luft-x-forta-5k-matcha-make-up](http://luftlosangeles.com/products/luft-x-forta-5k-matcha-make-up?ref=smdp.com)
**COAST 2026:** The revival of the COAST Open Streets festival will serve as the grand finale for Santa Monica’s soccer celebrations. Spanning from the Promenade and Metro E Line station across to Ocean Park, Colorado, Arizona and the iconic Santa Monica Pier, the city will come together for an unforgettable day of music, food and culture. **Sunday, July 19** [santamonicacup.com/events/coast-2026-0zc31](http://santamonicacup.com/events/coast-2026-0zc31?ref=smdp.com)
**State of the City** **Event:** The City is breaking tradition by turning this into a free, open-street celebration directly on Main Street. This is expected to be a fun celebration of community, with live entertainment, kids’ activities, food, drinks and more, this year at Ocean Park Branch Library and Main Street. **Thursday, July 23, 4 – 7 p.m., 2601 Main St.** [https://www.santamonica.gov/events/4kt3ycyd022dxr8xah6fsy4fcr/202607231600](https://www.santamonica.gov/events/4kt3ycyd022dxr8xah6fsy4fcr/202607231600?ref=smdp.com)
**ONGOING:** [Museum of Illusions](https://moisantamonica.com/?ref=smdp.com); [The CUBE VR](https://www.thecubeevents.com/santamonicaexperiences?ref=smdp.com); [Splatter Studio](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/california-live/paint-sip-and-create-in-santa-monica/3834517/?ref=smdp.com); [Wellness & Waves @ the Pier](http://wellnessandwaves.eventbrite.com/?ref=smdp.com) (Saturdays through 10/17)
**What to Eat & Drink?**
**Khan Saab Desi Craft Kitchen Grand Opening:** The Michelin Bib Gourmand-recognized restaurant is coming to Santa Monica. Created by Chef Imran Ali Mookhi, the restaurant showcases elevated Pakistani and Indian cuisine, handcrafted mocktails, and bold South Asian flavors made with exceptional attention to detail. **Thursday, July 16, 7p.m.,** **115 Santa Monica Blvd.** [khansaaboc.com](http://khansaaboc.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**The Lobster Celebrates 27th Anniversary:** Enjoy freshly-made pizzas by Chef Govind Armstrong, a live DJ, drink specials, and happy hour pricing all night as the iconic oceanfront restaurant toasts 27 years in Santa Monica. **Thursday, July 16, 6 - 9p.m., 1602 Ocean Ave.** [thelobster.com/events](http://thelobster.com/events?ref=smdp.com)
**The Infatuation's "The Best Ice Cream In LA" includes multiple SaMo Spots:** It says many of the scoops at Rori's Artisanal Creamery (910 Montana Ave.) "are so crammed with chunky mix-ins that they’re almost miniature sundaes." Also included are Bacio Di Latte (331 Santa Monica Blvd.) and McConnell's (1456 3rd St. Promenade) along with multiple Venice spots (Jeni’s, Wanderlust, Salt & Straw). [https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/best-ice-cream-los-angeles](https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/best-ice-cream-los-angeles?ref=smdp.com)
**Sunday, July 19 is National Ice Cream Day:** Yes, this is a thing! And it’s just the escapist thing we may need right now!
**\--> Rori's Artisanal Creamery:** Buy any single scoop and get it upgraded to a double scoop for FREE. **910 Montana Ave.** [instagram.com/roriscreamery](http://instagram.com/roriscreamery?ref=smdp.com)
**\--> McConnell’s:** Get a free extra scoop when you buy a single cone or cup. **1456 3rd Street Promenade** [mcconnells.com](https://mcconnells.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**\--> Salt & Straw:** “Serving Scoops for Local Charities”: A portion of the day’s proceeds will go to the organization that receives the most mentions. **1357 Abbot Kinney Blvd.** [saltandstraw.com/blogs/news/national-ice-cream-day-serving-scoops-for-local-charities](http://saltandstraw.com/blogs/news/national-ice-cream-day-serving-scoops-for-local-charities?ref=smdp.com)
**Origins Culinary Series: Shake, Sip & Savor with Ghost Tequila:** Discover the story behind Ghost Tequila while learning the inspiration, techniques, and flavors that make each cocktail unique. Throughout a hands-on mixology class, you'll shake, sip, and craft multiple signature cocktails while enjoying thoughtfully paired bites created by Chef Gemma. **Wednesday, July 22, 6 - 9p.m., 13534 Bali Way Marina del Rey** [More details here](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/origins-culinary-series-shake-sip-savor-with-ghost-tequila-tickets-1992866811279?ref=smdp.com).
**LA Mag Profiles New West Side Oyster Club:** "A new addition to Santa Monica’s dining scene is putting a fresh spin on coastal seafood. Expect an approachable menu centered around oysters, shellfish, caviar, and seasonal cocktails, all served in a space inspired by classic beach-town charm. 🦪🌊" **1355 Ocean Ave.** [instagram.com/p/DaLaDi-E9gH](http://instagram.com/p/DaLaDi-E9gH?ref=smdp.com)
**Further Afield:** **The Great Ice Cream Fair at Smorgasburg:** In celebration of National Ice Cream Day, the weekly Sunday food-fest is hosting The Great Ice Cream Fair as part of their ongoing Ice Cream Alley celebration. The event will feature sweet treats from specialty vendors including SadGirl Creamery, Bernie’s, Moom Maam, Churros El Bochito, Boutcha Gelato, Sweet Lady Jane, Swrlies, and Innamorata Gelato. **Sunday, July 19, 10a.m. - 4p.m., 777 Alameda St., LA** [instagram.com/smorgasburgla](http://instagram.com/smorgasburgla?ref=smdp.com)
**Looking Ahead:** [National Night Out](https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2026/06/30/santa-monica-police-department-invites-community-to-national-night-out-2026?ref=smdp.com) (8/4); [SaMo Oceanfront Arts Festival](http://eventbrite.com/e/art-on-ocean-palisades-park-arts-festival-tickets-1991599772532?ref=smdp.com) (8/8); [A Pierfect Benefit](http://santamonicapier.org/apierfectbenefit?ref=smdp.com) (9/19)
If there’s something you think is worth highlighting, you can reach out directly to me at [sean@smdp.com](mailto:sean@smdp.com).[ ](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com)[Here](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com) are my past columns and let me know if you have any feedback on **Around Town: Around Town: Massive COAST World Cup Event, National Ice Cream Day, & More!**
### The Killers, Olivia Dean to Headline First-Ever Santa Monica Beach Music Festival
URL: https://www.smdp.com/the-killers-olivia-dean-to-headline-first-ever-santa-monica-beach-music-festival/
Last updated: 2026-07-16T18:05:59.000Z
Goldenvoice announced Thursday that The Killers and Olivia Dean will headline the inaugural Ocean Way Festival, the first major music festival to be held on the city's shoreline on Sept. 26-27.
The complete lineup is 54 Ultra, Alvvays, Austin Millz, BLOND:ISH, Carlita, Coco & Breezy, DJ Harvey, Durand Jones & The Indications, EREZ, Good Neighbours, Heidi Lawden, Hiatus Kaiyote, Hot Chip DJ set, Jack White, Khruangbin, Nala, Olivia Dean, Poolside DJ set, SG Lewis, Sublime, The Killers and Vandelux DJ set.
The festival will feature a main stage hosting five acts per day, a second stage designed for a more intimate setting, and a mix of standing-room and open blanket areas intended to reflect how people typically spend a day at the beach, organizers said.
Tickets go on sale to the general public Thursday, July 23, at 11 a.m. Pacific time at oceanwayfestival.com. A presale for Santa Monica residents begins Wednesday, July 22, at 11 a.m. Hotel packages and access to the festival's Proper Beach Club went on sale Thursday, July 16.
Two-day general admission passes start at $399 and include access to all general admission areas, both stages, shaded seating areas and food and beverage vendors. Two-day Premium Pit passes start at $749 and add access to a dedicated bar, flushable restrooms and an elevated viewing deck near the main stage. Payment plan options are available, and hotel packages bundling tickets with lodging and transportation are also being offered.
The Proper Beach Club, a beachfront hospitality area developed with Proper Hotels, will include a private lounge designed by Kelly Wearstler Studio.
The festival is designed as a transit-first event with no on-site parking. Metro's E Line stops near the festival entrance, and Big Blue Bus and shuttle service will also be available, along with bike valet and other micro-mobility options.
Goldenvoice, a subsidiary of AEG Presents, was selected by the City of Santa Monica through a competitive process to develop the festival as part of the city's Realignment Plan, a civic investment effort focused on public safety, business growth and cultural programming valued at more than $60 million. City officials said the festival will serve as the cultural anchor of "The Sandbox on the Beach," a newly designated beachfront district for major civic events that will also host activations tied to the FIFA World Cup 2026, Super Bowl LXI and the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
"Santa Monica is in the middle of a renaissance. The city is welcoming the world to its shores, and Ocean Way Festival is how we're making sure our own community is at the center of it," Mayor Caroline Torosis said in a statement.
Nic Adler, Goldenvoice's vice president of regional festivals, said the company's history in Santa Monica — including early shows the company produced at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium — shaped the decision to bring a new festival to the city.
"Santa Monica has an incredible music history, and Goldenvoice has been fortunate to be part of that story," Adler said. "From legendary shows at the Civic Auditorium to the origins of Ocean Way Recording just steps from the beach, there's a creative legacy here that's unlike anywhere else. Ocean Way Festival is our opportunity to celebrate that history while building something that feels authentically Santa Monica for years to come."
The festival takes its name from Ocean Way, a street near the Santa Monica Pier where Ocean Way Recording got its start in a three-car garage before relocating to Hollywood, where it went on to host numerous recording artists over four decades.
Brad Korzen, CEO of Proper Hospitality, said the beach club concept was meant to complement the festival experience rather than compete with it.
“Music and design have always been at the core of what we do at Proper. Proper Presents has been a big part of that journey, and the Proper Beach Club at Ocean Way Festival feels like a natural next step. To bring our approach to hospitality to an event of this scale, right here in Santa Monica, takes everything we've built to a whole new level,” said Korzen.
The Santa Monica City Council approved preliminary agreements last year to partner with Goldenvoice on the festival.
The festival footprint includes the beach, the Pier parking deck and portions of adjacent beach parking lots, with the main stage positioned at the base of the Pier facing south. The event will be held entirely on the sand and is separate from the city's Twilight Concert Series, which is based on the Pier.
Planned elements include a food lineup featuring Westside restaurants, a "beach club" area in place of a traditional VIP section, a farmers market-style vendor strip, a high school day and college day connecting students with industry professionals, free concerts at Reed Park and Tongva Park, and beach cleanups conducted with Heal the Bay. Organizers said the festival's sustainability measures exceed city requirements, pointing to partnerships with waste-reduction company Three Squares and battery company Overdrive for solar-charged stage power.
In the weeks leading up to the festival, organizers said they will hold free events throughout Santa Monica, including concerts, beach cleanups, leadership programs for local high school and college students, and youth surf and water safety programming, along with partnerships with local businesses.
Ocean Way Festival is produced by Goldenvoice, which also produces the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach: California's Country Music Festival, and operates venues including the Fonda Theatre, The Roxy Theatre, El Rey Theatre, The Novo, Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall, The Regency Ballroom and The Warfield. The company promotes more than 2,000 concerts annually across California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, Alaska and Canada.
Additional information on tickets and the festival lineup is available at oceanwayfestival.com.
### In a policy paradox, council pushes density into single family neighborhood to delay statewide housing law
URL: https://www.smdp.com/in-a-policy-paradox-council-pushes-density-into-single-family-neighborhood-to-delay-statewide-housing-law/
Last updated: 2026-07-16T09:59:59.000Z
The Santa Monica City Council voted 5-1 early Wednesday to pursue upzoning of single-family neighborhoods near the Metro E Line's Expo/Bundy station rather than adopt a planning staff recommendation that would have increased density on multifamily parcels, reversing course on how the city plans to temporarily shield the area from a new state housing law.
The council's decision, reached after nearly an hour of technical debate over acreage, density formulas and displacement risk, directs city planners to return with options for upzoning some or all of the roughly 212 R1-zoned parcels near the Expo/Bundy station — property records show many are around 5,500 to 6,500 square feet — rather than the 65 parcels zoned R2 and R3 that planning staff and the Planning Commission had recommended for increased development standards.
R1 designates single-family residential zoning, permitting one detached dwelling unit per lot. It typically sets standards for lot size, setbacks, height limits, and density, prohibiting multi-family or commercial use. Beyond R1, common designations include R2 (duplex/two-family residential), R3 (multi-family, low-density apartments or condos), R4 (high-density multi-family), and RMH (mobile/manufactured home parks), with each successive category generally permitting greater density and building intensity than the last.
Councilmember Ellis Raskin said he settled on the single-family approach because it carries little practical effect on how much housing could ultimately be built while avoiding what he called the greater displacement risk of upzoning apartment-zoned parcels.
"In those R1 parcels you don't have the displacement risk because it's the owners of those buildings — for the most part those are owner-occupied," Raskin said, adding that the change amounts to "really just paper upzoning anyway," since state laws already in effect, including SB 684 and SB 9, allow similar density on single-family lots.
Planning Director Jing Yeo confirmed under questioning from Raskin and Councilmember Natalia Zernitskaya that R1 upzoning would need to apply to all 212 qualifying parcels, rather than a smaller subset, because singling out individual lots could not be legally justified. City Attorney's office staff said zoning law generally requires that similarly situated parcels be treated alike, calling it a bar to what would otherwise resemble spot zoning.
Councilmember Lana Negrete cast the lone dissenting vote, saying she preferred the Planning Commission's original recommendation to upzone the multifamily parcels instead. She argued the single-family approach could invite speculative buying.
"My concern is that it actually creates a more speculatory process, and properties become more vulnerable to be sold by corporate predators that come in," Negrete said, adding she wants staff to research which R1 parcels have ever been subject to rent control before a final decision.
SB 79 and the exclusion option
The debate stemmed from Senate Bill 79, the Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act, which took effect statewide July 1 and requires cities to allow greater height, density and floor-area ratio for qualifying housing developments within a half-mile of designated transit stops. In Santa Monica, the law applies near six qualifying "Tier 2" stops: three Metro E Line stations, three downtown bus stops, and, partially, the Expo/Bundy station in Los Angeles whose transit-oriented development zone extends into the city.
Under SB 79, cities may temporarily exclude sites from the law's requirements until one year after adoption of their 7th Cycle Housing Element, expected in Santa Monica around 2029 — meaning eligible sites could be shielded from SB 79 standards until roughly 2030\. To qualify for that exclusion, a TOD zone must have at least a third of its parcels already permitting at least half of SB 79's density and floor-area standards, among other criteria.
City planners told the council that five of the city's six TOD zones already meet that threshold and can be excluded outright. The Expo/Bundy zone falls short: only about 19% of its 381 parcels currently meet the capacity test, largely because a majority of the zone lies in Los Angeles and because commercially zoned parcels on the Santa Monica side are unusually large, leaving fewer individual sites to count toward the 33% requirement.
The debate over how to close the gap
Planning staff had recommended increasing density standards on 59 R2-zoned and six R3-zoned parcels — 65 total — raising them to roughly 1.25 floor-area ratio and 40 dwelling units per acre, a level staff compared to the city's existing R3 and R4 standards. Staff said an analysis found low or no displacement risk for most of those parcels, citing existing rent-controlled and affordable units, ownership housing, and vacant lots.
Council members pressed staff on alternatives. Yeo said planners had also studied whether upzoning could be limited to parcels within a quarter-mile of the station, which would offer a "rational basis" tied to geography, but that option fell well short of the 33% threshold. Staff said including nearby Los Angeles parcels in the calculation would not close the gap either, since the city's Technical Assistance request to the state housing department found Los Angeles parcels sat just over 34% on their own — not enough combined benefit to help Santa Monica.
Zernitskaya noted that on a typical 5,500-square-foot R1 lot, SB 79 could allow about five new units, only marginally more than what state laws such as SB 9 or AB 1123 already permit, while carrying far less displacement risk given that most R1 properties are owner-occupied.
Mayor Caroline Torosis and Councilmember Dan Hall raised the possibility of narrowing which R1 parcels would be upzoned by distance to the station entrance or by using streets as boundaries, though staff and the city attorney's office cautioned any such approach would need further legal review to avoid arbitrary distinctions between neighbors.
Raskin also linked the debate to longstanding concerns about the Ellis Act that governs evictions from rent controlled units, saying the city has seen properties removed from the rental market and left vacant for years, and argued that delaying SB 79 implementation on multifamily parcels reduces the incentive for property owners to begin that process early in anticipation of future upzoning.
The vote
The motion directed staff to introduce for first reading an ordinance excluding the five qualifying TOD zones plus the downtown bus stops from SB 79 requirements, while withholding action on the Expo/Bundy zone. Staff was instructed to return with options for upzoning R1 parcels — potentially fewer than all 212, if a legally defensible geographic boundary can be identified — sufficient to meet the 52-parcel threshold needed to qualify the Expo/Bundy zone for exclusion. Zernitskaya asked that staff retain the option of upzoning all 212 R1 parcels as a fallback in case a narrower boundary cannot be justified.
The roll call passed 5-1, with council members Zernitskaya, Snell, Raskin, Hall and Torosis voting yes and Negrete voting no. Councilman Jesse Zwick abstained from the discussion due to a conflict with his employer.
Staff said any resulting ordinance affecting the Expo/Bundy zone would need to return to council for further action before it could take effect.
### Palisades Village to Celebrate Grand Reopening Aug. 15
URL: https://www.smdp.com/palisades-village-to-celebrate-grand-reopening-aug-15/
Last updated: 2026-07-15T18:59:59.000Z
Palisades Village, Caruso's coastal mixed-use destination in Pacific Palisades, will celebrate its grand reopening Saturday, Aug. 15, marking an emotional return for one of the area's most distinctive shopping and dining hubs.
Set in a walkable, open-air environment moments from the Pacific Ocean, the center will reopen with an elevated mix of retail and dining featuring globally recognized brands and celebrated restaurateurs. The reopening follows the 2025 fires that devastated the Palisades community.
"Following the heartbreaking fires of 2025, the Palisades community has worked tirelessly toward this moment of renewal," said Rick Caruso, founder and executive chairman of Caruso. "We promised to come back better than before the fires, and we did. This is a moment to turn the page together ... It's a comeback story for the history books and a love letter to L.A."
Reopening day will feature a full slate of events and immersive experiences, with more details to be announced in coming weeks.
The property will welcome neighborhood favorites such as Loomey's Toys and K Bakery, along with returning names including elysewalker, A.L.C., Erewhon and Zimmermann. Other returning brands include Brunello Cucinelli, Veronica Beard and Blue Ribbon Sushi.
New tenants and first-to-market concepts include Nancy Silverton's Italian steakhouse, Spacca Tutto; the first West Coast location of LESET; and Los Angeles-based brands such as Violet Grey and Xirena.
"Palisades Village is 99% leased, with the majority of tenants returning alongside an exciting mix of new retail and dining concepts, nearly one-third of which are new to the property," said Jackie Levy, chief financial and revenue officer at Caruso.
Corinne Verdery, chief executive officer of Caruso, said the village has always been defined by a curated mix of best-in-class businesses. "We're proud to bring this experience back for the community and to once again set the standard for what a neighborhood village can be," she said.
Beyond retail and dining, the property will host seasonal events, community gatherings and family-friendly programming year-round.
Originally opened in 2018, Palisades Village is home to more than 40 boutiques, dining venues, the historic Bay Theater, a specialty grocer and landscaped green space. It was the first business district in California to be certified LEED Gold by the U.S. Green Building Council.
A complete list of retailers and restaurants is at PalisadesVillageCA.com. More information is on Instagram @PalisadesVillage.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### LA28 Opens Applications for Up to 60,000 Games Volunteers
URL: https://www.smdp.com/la28-opens-applications-for-up-to-60-000-games-volunteers/
Last updated: 2026-07-15T18:59:59.000Z
LA28 began accepting volunteer applications for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, opening the search for up to 60,000 people to join the Volunteer Crew as the two-year countdown to the Games begins.
Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis, who won at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, has been named an official ambassador of the LA28 Volunteer Program, presented by Delta Air Lines.
"I know what it means to compete on the world's biggest stage, and I know firsthand that the magic of the Olympic Games is not just made by the athletes — it is made by the people who show up to support them," Lewis said. "If you want to be part of something historic, apply today. The role of a lifetime is waiting."
Reynold Hoover, LA28 chief executive officer, said the crew working behind the scenes helps make the Games' signature moments possible. "Behind every event, every venue and every moment will be the LA28 Volunteer Crew," he said.
While most volunteer opportunities will be in Los Angeles, the crew's reach will be nationwide, with volunteers supporting Olympic events in Oklahoma City and Olympic soccer matches in New York, Columbus, Ohio; Nashville, Tennessee; St. Louis; San José; and San Diego.
Roles will be available in eight categories: communications, driving, experience, medical, ceremonies, operations, sport and technology. Some positions require specialized skills, such as medical expertise or language translation, which applicants can indicate in their applications.
To mark the milestone, LA28 planned community volunteer events, including a beautification project at Griffith Park with Friends of Griffith Park, a project in Canoga Park with TreePeople, and a cleanup at Zach D. Taylor Park in Oklahoma City with OKC Beautiful. The Griffith Park Zone will host Olympic and Paralympic cycling road events in 2028.
The volunteer program launched in 2025 with more than 25 community events across the Los Angeles region. Delta became the inaugural Founding Partner of the Games in 2020.
Officials said early applicants receive no priority, and an announcement will be made at least seven days before applications close. Prospective volunteers can apply at the LA28 volunteer page, and fans can register for the LA28 Ticket Draw at Tickets.LA28.org.
The Olympic Games run July 14-30, 2028, followed by the Paralympic Games Aug. 15-27.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Gibson Dunn Announces Partnership With LA28 and Team USA
URL: https://www.smdp.com/gibson-dunn-announces-partnership-with-la28-and-team-usa/
Last updated: 2026-07-15T19:00:00.000Z
Gibson Dunn announced Thursday that it has partnered with LA28 and Team USA in connection with the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
The firm will provide legal services to support LA28 as it prepares to host the Games, which will mark the return of the summer Olympics to the United States for the first time in more than three decades.
Founded in Los Angeles more than 135 years ago, Gibson Dunn has long played a role in the city's civic, business and cultural life. The firm said the partnership reflects its commitment to Los Angeles and to initiatives that strengthen the region.
"We are proud to partner with LA28 and Team USA in support of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games," said Barbara Becker, chair and managing partner of Gibson Dunn. "Serving Los Angeles and its communities has been part of Gibson Dunn since our founding here, and this is a special moment to see that commitment extend to a Games that will welcome the world — and benefit the city and the people who call it home."
The partnership builds on the firm's experience advising clients across the sports industry. Its Sports Industry Group represents teams, venues, athletic associations, sponsors, broadcasters, financial institutions, municipalities and other stakeholders on transactional, regulatory, governance, litigation, intellectual property, labor and employment, and commercial matters.
"Preparing for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games requires sophisticated advice across a wide range of legal disciplines, and Gibson Dunn is uniquely positioned to bring together lawyers from across the firm to help LA28 meet that challenge," said Candice Choh and Kahn Scolnick, co-partners in charge of the firm's Los Angeles and Century City offices.
Elisabeth Frienberg, chief legal officer of LA28, said the firm's local roots, industry reach and multidisciplinary capabilities make it well qualified to support the complex legal needs of an event of the Games' scale.
The firm said the partnership also reflects its broader commitment to public service. Through its pro bono practice and support for civic initiatives, Gibson Dunn has helped advance causes across Southern California and is proud to support a Games expected to deliver a lasting economic and civic legacy for the region.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Divine Vintage adds a food menu to its Santa Monica wine bar
URL: https://www.smdp.com/divine-vintage-adds-a-food-menu-to-its-santa-monica-wine-bar/
Last updated: 2026-07-15T19:00:00.000Z
Divine Vintage, the Montana Avenue wine bar and boutique known for its globally sourced wines and intimate neighborhood atmosphere, has launched an expanded food program built around shareable small plates, artisanal cheeses and meats and a new lineup of signature flatbread pizzas.
The move marks a deliberate step for a business long identified primarily as a wine destination. Founder Jennifer Rush said the decision grew out of what she was seeing at the door.
"We noticed so many people were coming in before or after dinner, and asking for food with our fantastic wines, so we decided to launch a menu that totally complements, is delicious and light," Rush said. Drawing on her background with the Blue Plate restaurants, she added that she was "so excited to create a new menu based on food we love."
At the center of the [menu](https://www.divinevintage.com/?ref=smdp.com) is a collection of flaky flatbread pizzas that have quickly become guest favorites. Standouts include the Funghi & Kale, layered with wild mushrooms, truffle and parmesan, and the Spicy Salami, which pairs tomato sauce, fior di latte and salami with honey for a balance of heat and sweetness. Margherita and Prosciutto & Burrata flatbreads round out the flatbread selection, alongside small plates such as burrata with garden tomatoes, house greens with oregano vinaigrette, Spanish white anchovies, and Italian nachos topped with prosciutto and parmesan.
The food was introduced to complement the wine, but Rush said it has taken on a life of its own.
"We launched it to complement, but we are finding it is a draw on its own," she said. She recalled a family with small children who returned repeatedly for the thin-crust pizzas and tapas — and, for the adults, a glass of wine. "We were excited that they liked the food so much, they came for that specifically," Rush said.
The expanded menu also introduces a rotating specialty cheese program featuring three curated cheeses sourced from around the world each month. Chosen to complement the wines in Divine Vintage's monthly wine club, the cheeses are served with accompaniments such as quince paste, strawberry lemongrass jam and honeycomb, creating a tasting experience that shifts alongside the wine list. A recent addition was a truffle brie the founders discovered in France that Rush said is hard to find in the United States.
The culinary additions build on Divine Vintage's wine club, which has become a cornerstone of the business. For $75 a month, members receive two premium bottles curated by wine expert Nick Dumergue, who selects unusual wines from lesser-known regions and producers. Membership also includes monthly pickup parties, discounts at Divine Vintage and Blue Plate Taco, and access to exclusive wines and educational [tastings](https://www.smdp.com/lula-cocina-mexicana-marks-35-years-on-santa-monicas-main-street/). Dumergue, a Decanter World Wine Awards judge, curates the program with an emphasis on accessibility and exploration.
Rush described the atmosphere she wants guests to feel as something increasingly rare in a fast-moving city.
"Our goal has always been to create a space where people feel encouraged to slow down, discover new wines, and connect over food and conversation," she said. "The new food program brings another layer to that experience. Whether you're stopping in for a glass and a flatbread or spending the evening exploring wines with friends, we want Divine to feel warm, exciting, and endlessly discoverable."
Asked how she creates that feeling, Rush pointed to "good old-fashioned hospitality," noting that the business is regarded by many as a "wine community center" with loyal regulars who have become friends. The back patio, she said, has "a feeling of being on vacation." She has also noticed guests working on laptops during the day over food and wine, prompting an idea for a daytime concept she calls "Wine Works."
Divine Vintage has continued to experiment with events, including pop-ups such as an oyster night that Rush called an homage to the Blue Plate Oysterette, and a monthly sushi and sake class, the next of which is scheduled for Wednesday.
Located in a cottage-style space on Montana Avenue, Divine Vintage pairs its wine program with vintage fashion, jewelry and an eclectic design aesthetic that has made it one of Santa Monica's more distinctive gathering places. The new food menu is available Wednesday through Sunday beginning at 4 p.m.
For more information, visit www.divinevintage.com or follow @divinevintagesm on Instagram.
### Place your bets for the November election
URL: https://www.smdp.com/place-your-bets-for-the-november-election/
Last updated: 2026-07-15T02:09:21.000Z
There’s good news for those who like both horse races and democracy. The first candidate debates for the local fall election took place at the Santa Monica Democratic Club, and no animal cruelty was involved, unless you include the risk to fragile egos. There’s even better news, which is that the debates were surprisingly substantive (and available [online](https://santamonicademocrats.com/?ref=smdp.com)).
The Democratic Club is a private political organization, with a history of some unsavory tactics, so I admit I went in expecting more ingratiation than illumination. But to the credit of Jon Katz, the president of the club and moderator of the events, the questions he posed were meticulous, expansive and mostly even-handed, obligating the candidates to do more than show an aptitude for public speaking (which not all of them possess).
The ten candidates for City Council vying for the club’s endorsement were asked to demonstrate their knowledge of the city’s challenges and the potency of their solutions. This gave the two incumbents, Mayor Caroline Torosis and former Mayor Lana Negrete, a clear advantage.
Torosis exuded confidence as she defended the Council’s achievements and described the work still to be done with equal gusto. “We are working towards a city that is clean, safe, affordable, and fun,” she said, before adding a self-deprecating caveat, “I’m not always the most fun.” She rattled off a list of wins, including decreased crime, streamlined permitting, and new revenue sources. “Are we “mission accomplished”? Absolutely not. But let's stay the course.”
Negrete displayed a winning combination of brio and backbone, reminding people of her steady leadership during turbulent times, while also pushing back on party dogma. “We talk about affordable housing, but we haven't really defined it,” she said. “What is affordable housing? Affordable for who?” Summing up her political philosophy, she said, “We can celebrate our successes while being honest about our challenges because that's how we build trust in government.”
But given the extent of those challenges, there would seem to be a lane available for candidates criticizing the status quo. Doug Trussler, a highly successful private equity investor and much-anticipated entrant to the Council race, expressed alarm about the city’s deficit. He said he had a plan to fix it; however, he didn’t say what his plan was. His business acumen would be a welcome asset on the Council, but it remains to be seen if he has an equal understanding of other topics.
Wade Kelley is primarily a one-note candidate, but it’s a potent note. “I am homeless, I am not certifiable, and I don't have any terrible drug abuse problems,” Kelley said, before quoting Democratic icon Franklin Delano Roosevelt: “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.”
It would have been unsurprising if Ashley Oelsen, a passionate environmentalist, had an equally narrow focus. But she didn’t. When asked her number one funding priority, she said the police force, and she conveyed an admirable grasp of the city’s complexity. As did Ericka Lesley, who included code enforcement as an income generator in her answer to the same funding question, reinforcing her willingness to think outside the box.
Brett Morrow showed familiarity with a broad range of subjects, but his comments often sounded like what an AI chatbot would say if programmed to parrot progressive talking points.
Eli Gill offered more personality and eloquence. “I want Santa Monica to be the kind of city that holds on to the people who love it, not one that prices out the next generation before they even get started,” he said.
But he got into verbal fisticuffs with Negrete about development. She questioned using supply and demand theories in a coastal city. (Miami Beach comes to mind.) Gill responded bluntly “we need to get out of developers’ way,” which sounded more like a pitch to deep-pocketed campaign donors than a calibrated response to the city’s competing concerns.
There’s no question that the two incumbents are currently the strongest candidates. So now it’s up to the Democratic Club to show with its endorsements at its July 15 meeting whether its vision for the city is one of unity or pseudo-partisan rancor. I say “pseudo,” because for all the talk about polarization in the city, I don’t come across a lot of Republicans here.
At a time when there has been some discontent and pushback from club members, this is an opportunity for the club to decide if it’s a big tent embracing multiple viewpoints or a narrow bastion of machine politics and cognitive fealty. I’m not holding my breath, but I’m a little hopeful.
There were also debates for Rent Control Board, SMMUSD Board of Education, and the Santa Monica College (SMC) Board of Trustees. The latter was the most cringeworthy. The financial crisis at SMC has resulted in sweeping layoffs and cutbacks, yet the incumbents took no responsibility. Blame was placed on everyone from the governor to the President, but none was apportioned to the people who were actually in charge of the college.
Contrast that behavior with the incumbent at the Rent Control Board debate, Kurt Gonska, who conveyed deep moral commitment to his role. Sue Himmelrich is also an incumbent of sorts, since she brings her depth of experience as a former mayor. Unfortunately, that includes responsibility for the builder’s remedy assaults on our city’s skyline. So the question is whether she’s been forgiven.
The school board debate included two vibrant challengers. One of whom, Robbie Staenberg, is the youngest person running for office. Although that could be a disadvantage, he emphasized that he’s the only candidate who is both a graduate of the SMMUSD schools and an experienced classroom teacher. A compelling argument and a well-crafted political brand.
And they’re off.
Devan Sipher can be reached at [Devan@smdp.com](mailto:Devan@smdp.com).
### Lobster poachers arrested on the Pier
URL: https://www.smdp.com/lobster-poachers-arrested-on-the-pier/
Last updated: 2026-07-14T21:10:42.000Z
Wildlife officers from across Southern California teamed up to catch lobster poachers at the Santa Monica Pier, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Tuesday.
Spiny lobster season closed March 18, but that hasn't stopped some people from breaking the law, according to the department.
During the enforcement operation, wildlife officers and their trained canines found lobsters hidden in duffel bags, backpacks, vehicles and a baby stroller. Officers seized 34 lobsters, including several egg-bearing females, and returned them to the ocean alive.
Each female lobster produces one brood of 50,000 to 800,000 eggs a year and carries them for about 10 weeks. Losing an egg-bearing female can significantly harm the lobster fishery and affects anglers who follow the law, the department said.
Six suspects were arrested on charges that included taking lobster out of season, exceeding daily bag limits, taking undersized lobster, taking lobster by hook and line, and possessing more than triple the daily bag limit. Violations carry penalties of up to $1,000 each and up to a year in jail.
California Statewide Law Enforcement Association President Alan Barcelona praised the officers and their K-9 partners for "protecting a valuable marine resource, safeguarding future generations of California spiny lobster, and ensuring those who chose to violate our conservation laws are held accountable."
### Semifinal 2: England vs. Argentina
URL: https://www.smdp.com/semifinal-2-england-vs-argentina/
Last updated: 2026-07-15T14:52:20.000Z
It's hard to oversell today's matchup. Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" in 1986, four years after the Falklands War. David Beckham's red card in 1998\. England and Argentina haven't met at a World Cup in more than 20 years, but the rivalry has never really faded.
England desperately seeks its first World Cup since 1966, still the nation's only title. It hasn't finished higher than fourth since. For the football-mad country that took part in the first international football match in 1872, it has been an excruciatingly long wait. The team wants this. The nation wants it even more.
Argentina won the 2022 World Cup and is trying to become the first since Brazil in 1962 to win consecutive World Cups. Lionel Messi turned 39 last month and already has eight goals in this tournament. Perhaps the greatest player the game has ever seen is making a powerful closing argument (though many expect to see him again in 2030).
The Golden Boot, which goes to the top goalscorer, is still in play. Kylian Mbappé is tied for the lead with eight goals, but leads Messi thanks to two extra assists. The only players left who can catch Mbappé and Messi are England's Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, with six apiece. Expect a lot of offense today.
This could be an instant classic. Sixty years of frustration versus the team that has won all five of their previous World Cup semifinals. The winner meets Spain in Sunday's final.
### What's in a name? For the Ocean Way festival its celebration of Santa Monica
URL: https://www.smdp.com/whats-in-a-name-for-the-ocean-way-festival-its-celebration-of-santa-monica/
Last updated: 2026-07-15T22:21:04.000Z
Nic Adler was standing on a corner of Ocean Way contemplating the new music festival he’s bringing to Santa Monica recently and while the small intersection is easy to miss on day to day activity, it would soon be mere steps from hundreds of thousands of music lovers.
"I was looking for a sign, for a name, or something to come to us as we were kind of going through this process, and looked up and saw Ocean Way, and it felt right," said Adler, senior vice president of regional festivals for Goldenvoice. Adler is also producing the Santa Monica show that will now be known as the Ocean Way Festival.
The name carries more than geographic convenience. Oceanway Recording Studio, founded by audio engineer Allen Sides, got its start in a three-car garage studio on that same small street before eventually relocating to Hollywood, where it hosted a long roster of recording artists over the years.
"It's a great name in general, but then it has this kind of tie back to something that's very Santa Monica and the history of Santa Monica music," Adler said.
**The logistics**
The Santa Monica City Council approved preliminary agreements to partner with Goldenvoice on a new annual beachfront music festival last year. Melissa Ormond, Goldenvoice's chief operating officer and COO of Festivals for AEG Presents, said at the time that partnering with the city to bring a festival to the Pier was "a true honor," and that the company could not wait to bring "world class music and artists" to the location.
The original concept called for an event drawing 30,000 to 35,000 attendees with 12 to 15 artists, returning annually in fall 2027 and fall 2028.
The exact dates have not been revealed nor has the lineup but a social media teaser for the show features the song People Everywhere (Still Alive) by Khruangbin.
[Ocean Way Festival on Instagram: “Goldenvoice Presents Ocean Way Festival at The Beach in Santa Monica, CA. Sign up to receive lineup, ticket details, and hotel package info soon.”1,938 likes, 136 comments - oceanwayfestival on July 13, 2026: “Goldenvoice Presents Ocean Way Festival at The Beach in Santa Monica, CA. Sign up to receive lineup, ticket details, and hotel package info soon.”.Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/reels/DavhvtIxlTu/?ref=smdp.com)
City staff have set a land-use license fee of approximately $1.34 million plus per-ticket revenue shares to the city. The footprint will use the beach, the Santa Monica Pier parking deck and portions of adjacent beach parking lots.
Adler characterized the festival as multi-genre and multi-generational. The main stage will sit at the base of the Pier facing south, a layout Adler said was chosen deliberately.
"What is that famous picture? What is the thing you envision when someone says Santa Monica Beach? And for me, it was the silhouette of the Pier with the sun behind it," Adler said. He said the show will take place entirely on the sand, distinct from the Pier-based Twilight Concert Series, though some logistics will involve the Pier.
Plans include a food component featuring Westside restaurants, a "beach club" area designed with input from Santa Monica-based designers or hospitality partners in place of a traditional VIP section and a farmers market-style vendor strip. Community programming will include a high school day and college day pairing students with industry professionals, free concerts at Reed Park and Tongva Park around the festival dates and beach cleanups with Heal the Bay. Adler said the festival's sustainability baseline exceeds the city's requirements for events, citing partnerships with waste-reduction company Three Squares and battery company Overdrive, which allows stages to run on solar-charged power.
**A festival grown out of the city itself**
What Adler describes, though, isn't simply a stage on a beach. It's an attempt to build a festival out of the raw material of Santa Monica as a place — its neighborhoods, its food culture, its design scene — rather than dropping a standard touring festival onto a scenic backdrop.
Adler said he and his team spent six months studying the city before settling on a creative direction, a process complicated by how fractured Santa Monica's identity can feel from block to block.
"It's so interesting how there's many different areas that are so defined that they almost feel like their own city within a city," Adler said. "It was — what parts of these do you take?"
He pointed to the Santa Monica farmers market as an example of something the festival is trying to capture rather than replicate with the sense of familiarity that exists between farmers and residents who often know each other on a first name basis. Adler said his team has been in talks with the farmers market about incorporating a vendor strip into the festival grounds designed to evoke that same feeling.
"I think that's something that is quintessential Santa Monica," Adler said.
That same instinct extends to food more broadly. Adler said the festival will lean into Westside restaurants and the current restaurant and bar scene, particularly along Montana Avenue, framing food as another form of the "discovery" people already expect from a music festival lineup where people come to the show expecting to experience different acts.
"Why is that just music?" Adler said. "I think there's this idea of discovery in music festivals... so what are these different pieces of Santa Monica that we can bring in where people are open to that discovery?"
Design will factor in as well. Rather than a traditional VIP section, the festival will include a "beach club" area that Adler said may be designed by local designers or in partnership with a Santa Monica hotel or restaurant, rather than built to a generic festival template.
Underlying all of it is a broader civic narrative Adler returned to repeatedly: the idea that Santa Monica, despite having had plenty of cultural moments historically, hasn't had one recently in the way neighborhoods like West Hollywood, Highland Park or Silver Lake have.
"It seems like there's some new folks at the city that have a vision," Adler said. He framed the festival as a response to a city navigating financial and reputational strain, arguing that the festival can offer something concrete during a difficult stretch. "I think the city is turning to music to turn a corner."
**Partnering with the community**
Adler said the festival's relationship with Santa Monica is meant to extend well beyond the event weekend itself, describing plans for a high school day and a college day that would pair students with festival managers, marketing staff, musicians and sustainability experts, alongside internship opportunities. The festival will also fund free concerts at Reed Park and Tongva Park around the festival dates, and beach cleanups conducted with Heal the Bay.
On sustainability, Adler said the festival's baseline already exceeds what the city requires of events, pointing to partnerships with waste-reduction company Three Squares and battery company Overdrive, which allows festival stages to run on solar-charged power.
Adler said Goldenvoice also intends to prioritize local vendors and contractors where possible — a Santa Monica-based printing company over one in Los Angeles, a Westside public relations firm over one in New York — as a matter of principle rather than obligation.
"By making those types of decisions, we're guided by the right principles, and it's going to help us long term with staying connected to Santa Monica in the right way," Adler said.
He pointed to Goldenvoice's existing festivals near the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, held within a residential neighborhood, as a template for the kind of ongoing relationship the company hopes to build with residents here — one built on listening and adjusting rather than a single successful launch.
"I would say Goldenvoice is pretty good at listening and making the right changes in real time, and understanding that this is where someone lives," Adler said. "The more that we can always remember where this festival started, I think, will help guide us with a lot of the things that we do at the show."
### Los Angeles to bake under mid-week heat wave
URL: https://www.smdp.com/los-angeles-to-bake-under-mid-week-heat-wave/
Last updated: 2026-07-14T09:59:59.000Z
Dangerous heat is expected to build across the region this week, with the National Weather Service issuing a Heat Advisory for coastal and beach areas, including Santa Monica, from 10 a.m. Tuesday to 8 p.m. Thursday.
While Santa Monica will stay cooler than most places, temperatures are forecast to reach 85 to 105 degrees across the advisory area, with the hottest conditions expected Wednesday, particularly over interior locations. The National Weather Service office in Los Angeles/Oxnard said humid conditions will compound the heat, and warm overnight lows will offer little relief.
"There is a high risk for dangerous heat illness for anyone, especially for the very young, the very old, those without air conditioning, and those active outdoors," the agency said in its advisory.
Inland areas, including sections of Los Angeles County away from the coast, are under a more serious Extreme Heat Warning for the same period, reflecting the greater danger posed by higher temperatures away from the moderating effect of the ocean.
Forecasters are urging residents to drink plenty of fluids, stay in air-conditioned spaces, avoid direct sun and check on relatives and neighbors during the advisory period. People who must be outside are advised to wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing and limit strenuous activity to early morning or evening hours. The National Weather Service noted that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas for anyone working outdoors, and stressed that heat stroke is a medical emergency requiring an immediate call to 911.
The heat is being driven by an amplifying upper-level ridge building over the region through midweek, according to the agency's area forecast discussion. A weather system will keep skies mostly cloudy Monday, holding temperatures close to Sunday's levels, but forecasters said a significant warm-up will begin Tuesday, with valley temperatures climbing to 100-110 degrees and interior coastal plain areas reaching the mid-90s by Wednesday. Widespread "Major HeatRisk" conditions are expected Wednesday as monsoonal moisture pushes humidity higher.
Before the heat takes hold, there is a chance for scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms Monday and Tuesday afternoons, mainly over interior mountain areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Forecasters said any storms could produce gusty and erratic winds of 45 to 60 mph, along with brief heavy rain, and warned that lightning could spark new fires while outflow winds could fan existing ones.
Gusty northwest to north winds are also expected to develop from southern Santa Barbara County to the Interstate 5 corridor Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday night, with forecasters citing a 30% to 50% chance that wind advisories will be needed as a "Sundowner" wind event develops. A Fire Weather Watch has been issued for Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning for interior sections of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
Along the coast, a Beach Hazards Statement remains in effect through Wednesday evening for Los Angeles County beaches and the Malibu Coast, with dangerous rip currents and elevated surf expected from an enhanced southerly swell. Combined with abnormally high tides of 7.0 to 7.6 feet, forecasters said minor coastal flooding is possible in low-lying areas during evening hours. Offshore, small craft advisories are in effect through early Friday as northwest winds strengthen and seas build to more than 10 feet, with a 20% chance of gale-force conditions Wednesday into Thursday.
Hot conditions are expected to persist into Thursday before gradually easing over the weekend, as onshore flow returns and brings a chance of night and morning clouds and fog back to coastal areas by early next week.
### Semifinal 1: France vs. Spain
URL: https://www.smdp.com/semifinal-1-france-vs-spain/
Last updated: 2026-07-15T14:34:54.000Z
For the first time since rankings were introduced in 1992, the World Cup semifinals will feature the top 4 teams: **Argentina, Spain, France** and **England**.
Today's semifinal features Spain and France and though the former is ranked a notch above Les Bleus, odds are heavily in France's favor as Spain's offense has stumbled through the tournament so far.
Both teams are stacked and feature two of the world's best in France's Kylian Mbappé, who already has 8 tournament goals, and Spain's Lamine Yamal, who turned 19 only yesterday.
Their styles could not be less alike. France attacks in waves with Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise, who leads the tournament in assists. Spain squeezes. Before Belgium scored on them last Friday in LA, Spain had gone six straight matches without giving up a goal, the longest run in World Cup history, and goalkeeper Unai Simón's 649 scoreless minutes also set a record. Spain doesn't blow teams out. It beat Portugal 1-0 in stoppage time — ending Cristiano Ronaldo's international career in the process — and needed a late winner against Belgium.
Spain has recent history on its side, having beaten France in the Euro 2024 semis (with a 16-year-old Yamal), and again last year in a 5-4 Nations League win (Yamal scored twice in that one).
### Pacific Park and '47 Brand Launch Exclusive Dodgers Hats for All-Star Week
URL: https://www.smdp.com/pacific-park-and-47-brand-launch-exclusive-dodgers-hats-for-all-star-week/
Last updated: 2026-07-13T22:54:06.000Z
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier will launch an exclusive Los Angeles Dodgers hat collection in collaboration with '47 Brand on July 14, timed to the MLB All-Star Game.
The collection features two styles: a classic Dodgers blue cap and a limited-edition white cap. Both feature the Dodgers logo paired with custom embroidery, including a Ferris wheel icon and "Pacific Park" on the side and "Santa Monica Pier" on the back. The hats are available only at Pacific Park and online at pacpark.com, priced at $34.99 each.
The blue hat will be available in person beginning July 14 at Pier Gear at Pacific Park, while supplies last. The white hat will be sold exclusively online from July 14 to 21, while supplies last.
To mark the launch, Pacific Park will illuminate its Ferris wheel in Dodgers blue and white the night of July 14, featuring the "LA" insignia and a scrolling "Go Dodgers!" message visible across the Southern California coastline.
"This is where baseball, Los Angeles culture, and one of the most iconic destinations in the world come together," said Steve Garcia, director of sales and marketing at Pacific Park. "Launching during All-Star Week gives us the perfect moment to introduce a signature piece that celebrates both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Santa Monica Pier experience."
The hats are part of the broader Pacific Park x '47 Brand collection, a line of licensed headwear celebrating Los Angeles sports culture.
The Pacific Wheel is the world's only solar-powered Ferris wheel, featuring 174,000 LED lights mounted on its 40 spokes and two hubs. The lighting system offers 16.7 million color combinations and displays custom, computer-generated imaging at up to 24 frames per second. The LED system provides 81% greater energy savings than most Ferris wheels' traditional incandescent bulbs.
The wheel soars nine stories high and lifts riders more than 130 feet above the Pacific Ocean, offering views of the coastline from the Santa Monica Pier.
Pacific Park, LA's only admission-free amusement park, offers 12 rides, 14 midway games, five food offerings at Snackville and seaside retail shopping. Prices and hours are subject to change. For more information and operating hours, call 310-260-8744 or visit pacpark.com. Follow on Facebook, Instagram and X @pacpark.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Cruisin' Route 66
URL: https://www.smdp.com/cruisin-route-66/
Last updated: 2026-07-13T22:05:20.000Z
The [Petersen Auto Museum](https://petersen.org/?ref=smdp.com) celebrated 100 years of Route 66 Sunday morning with an auto parade from the museum to the Santa Monica, followed by a car show at the pier. An eclectic range of vehicles representing different eras of the auto industry were on display.
[  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3263%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3269%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3277%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3292%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3302%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3316%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3331%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3338%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3339%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3347%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3350%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3353%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3365%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3370%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3375%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3378%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3380%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3391%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3393%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3400%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3402%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3404%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3407%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3416%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3426%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3429%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3432%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3433%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3437%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3443%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3444%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com) [  ](https://smdp-photo-archive.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/petersen-auto-parade-07122026/dscf3454%5Ffull.webp?ref=smdp.com)
### Zimmer, tech executives back Santa Monica piano school eyeing L.A. growth
URL: https://www.smdp.com/zimmer-tech-executives-back-santa-monica-piano-school-eyeing-l-a-growth/
Last updated: 2026-07-13T19:00:00.000Z
Payam Music, whose Santa Monica school teaches beginners to play piano through a proprietary alphanumeric notation rather than traditional sheet music, said it has partnered with composer Hans Zimmer and raised funding from a group of technology and media executives to expand across Southern California and the country.
The company said its [Santa Monica](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-adopts-2025-water-plan-says-supplies-secure-through-droughts/) location has become a springboard for that growth, drawing families from across Los Angeles and prompting plans for new schools in Encino and the Pasadena area.
"Once we opened in Santa Monica, we started meeting families from all over Los Angeles, and the two places that kept being requested were the Valley and Pasadena," founder Payam Khastkhodaei said. He said the Encino school is set to open this summer and that the company is searching for a site in or near Pasadena. "We go where families tell us they need us."
Payam Music also named Hadi Partovi, founder of Code.org, as chief executive. Investors in the round include entrepreneur Mark Cuban, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, Cloudflare co-founder and President Michelle Zatlyn, and Dropbox CEO Drew Houston, the company said.
Khastkhodaei, a former pharmaceutical bioengineering graduate student who developed the method after rediscovering piano, said the approach is meant to make learning feel effortless. "We're building a movement that challenges the traditional model of music education," he said. "Our methodology creates an environment where learning feels like play, and success is a natural result of students falling in love with piano."
Featured recently on "60 Minutes," [Payam Music](https://www.payammusic.com/get-started/santa-monica?ref=smdp.com) says its method draws on the psychology of language acquisition. Instead of beginning with sheet music, students first read an alphanumeric notation the company says lets them play familiar songs from the first day. Payam Music reports that 96% of its students reach a diploma level within four years, compared with a national rate it puts at 2% over 12 years.
Under the partnership, leading students will be mentored by Zimmer and other composers through Bleeding Fingers Music, the Emmy-winning, BAFTA-nominated collective he co-founded with Russell Emanuel and Steve Kofsky.
"Music education has long been stuck in the past, with methods that often fail to capture the imagination of young learners," Zimmer, who is also an investor, said in a statement. "Payam Music is rewriting the playbook for how music is taught." He added that he was "thrilled" his production studio would mentor the school's strongest students to develop the next generation of composers.
Partovi, who scaled computer-science programs to 100 million students globally at Code.org, has a personal connection to the school: his son has studied there since 2020 and placed third nationally in the PTA Reflections competition for piano composition. "Everybody loves music, but most people never learn to play an instrument," Partovi said. "Payam Music enables any student to learn to play the music they love."
Partovi and the company cast the investment partly as a response to screen time and artificial intelligence, positioning music as a creative counterweight. "Building creativity, confidence, and grit are the critical skills that every parent and future employer wants to see," he said.
Cuban said the school had solved a persistent problem in music instruction. "Too many kids give up on music because traditional methods don't work for them," he said. "Payam Music has cracked the code with a teaching approach that keeps kids engaged and actually learning."
Beyond Santa Monica and Irvine, its current Southern California schools, Payam Music operates in Washington, New York and Maryland and says it aims to become the first national piano school. It also plans to broaden access through live, one-on-one online lessons. Online instruction costs $75 for 50 minutes and begins at age 7, compared with age 4 for in-person lessons, which start at $100, Khastkhodaei said. The curriculum and the teachers are the same in both formats, he said.
New students can enroll or request locations at payammusic.com.
### New movie shoot marks largest production in Santa Monica history
URL: https://www.smdp.com/new-movie-shoot-marks-largest-production-in-santa-monica-history/
Last updated: 2026-07-13T21:07:33.000Z
A large-scale studio production currently filming on Ocean Avenue has become the largest production Film Santa Monica has coordinated since taking over the city's permitting duties — and the largest in Santa Monica's history, according to Evan Edwards, chief operating officer of Film Santa Monica.
"Not only the largest production Film Santa Monica has coordinated since becoming the city's official film office, but also the largest productions in the city's history," Edwards said. "The scope of this project demonstrates the confidence major studios have in Santa Monica as a premier filming destination. It also reflects the strength of the collaborative relationships we've built with City departments, public safety partners, residents, and the production community."
"Paris Paramount" is filming at the Fairmont Miramar and is closing a section of Ocean Ave for several days during the shoot. It follows a young filmmaker who falls for a producer, according to a plot description. After the pair make several hit films together, they break up — only to be forced back into each other's orbit to complete a high-profile project featuring volatile movie stars.
The film's cast includes Penélope Cruz, Owen Wilson, Jude Law, Tony Hale, Kieran Culkin, Beverly D'Angelo, Erin Doherty and Apple Martin. Meyers, whose credits include "Private Benjamin," "Baby Boom," "Father of the Bride," "The Parent Trap," "Something's Gotta Give," "The Holiday," "It's Complicated" and "The Intern," is directing.
Edwards called the shoot "an exciting moment for Santa Monica," noting the city's coastline and neighborhoods have long featured in Hollywood productions. She said Film Santa Monica is working with the City of Santa Monica, residents, businesses and the production team to keep the project "thoughtfully coordinated, responsibly managed, and ultimately a success for everyone involved."
The production arrives as Santa Monica settles into a new system for handling film permits. Film Santa Monica, a division of Santa Monica Travel and Tourism, took over permitting duties after the City Council awarded it a three-year contract last year, ending the city's longstanding arrangement with FilmLA, the nonprofit that has coordinated permitting across much of Los Angeles County since 1995\. The city had outsourced the function to FilmLA since 2013 because of the volume and complexity of requests.
Film Santa Monica charges processing fees to applicants for permit coordination, marketing, notification, monitoring and complaint-referral services tied to filming on public property and in city facilities.
Edwards said folding permitting into Film Santa Monica, rather than keeping it separate, has been key to landing productions of this size. "By integrating permitting with destination marketing through Santa Monica Travel & Tourism, we're able to actively promote Santa Monica to studios, production companies, and location managers while simultaneously providing the operational expertise needed to execute complex productions," she said. She described the Film Santa Monica team as offering "white-glove concierge-style service" focused solely on filming in the city, adding that close coordination with city departments "ensures productions receive responsive support while minimizing impacts to residents and businesses." The result, she said, is "a more efficient permitting process, stronger partnerships, increased production activity and greater economic impact for the Santa Monica community."
Asked whether other major productions are lined up, Edwards was circumspect but optimistic. "While we're not able to discuss productions before they're publicly announced, we're encouraged by the continued demand and expect to welcome additional high-profile projects in the months ahead," she said, adding that Film Santa Monica was created to make the city "one of California's most film-friendly destinations, and we're already seeing the results."
Edwards said the shift is also changing how the industry views Santa Monica. "In the past, the city was often viewed as a destination with significant permitting challenges and red tape," she said. "Today, we're consistently hearing from studios and location managers that Santa Monica is one of the most responsive, collaborative, and film-friendly jurisdictions in Southern California." She credited the turnaround to the partnerships Film Santa Monica has built and what he called its "service-first approach." Marketing, she said, is central to that effort: "We aren't simply processing permits we're telling Santa Monica's story to the entertainment industry."
The Ocean Avenue shoot lands amid a broader struggle for Los Angeles-area production. FilmLA reported 5,121 shoot days countywide in the first quarter of 2026, up 10.7% from the previous quarter but down 3.3% from a year earlier and nearly 30% below the five-year average. Feature film shooting rebounded sharply, rising 52.3% year-over-year, while reality TV production fell 52.2% year-over-year, its steepest decline of any category. Full-year 2025 shoot days totaled 19,694, down 16.1% from 2024 and the lowest total outside of pandemic-affected 2020.
The region continues losing ground to competitors. Per FilmLA's 2024 Scripted Content Study, Los Angeles hosted just 18.3% of the 857 U.S. scripted releases filmed that year, down from 21.9% in 2022, with Georgia and the United Kingdom close behind. Los Angeles County motion-picture employment fell from about 142,000 jobs at the end of 2022 to roughly 100,000 at the end of 2024, a loss of about 42,000 jobs.
State lawmakers have responded. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation in mid-2025 more than doubling California's Film & TV Tax Credit cap from $330 million to $750 million and expanding eligibility to animation, sitcoms and large-scale competition shows. FilmLA's Q1 2026 report found 147 projects had been awarded credits under the expanded program, accounting for nearly 7% of shoot days.
Still, economists have cautioned the credit expansion won't fully restore prior production volumes, and stage occupancy across the Los Angeles area has continued to decline from its pre-2023 highs. Some production activity appears to be shifting within the region rather than returning to it, with shoots increasingly relocating to areas outside the city of Los Angeles.
### Folk Legend Tom Rush to Play McCabe's on July 25
URL: https://www.smdp.com/folk-legend-tom-rush-to-play-mccabes-on-july-25/
Last updated: 2026-07-12T18:59:59.000Z
Tom Rush, the singer-songwriter credited with helping shape the folk revival, will perform at McCabe's in Santa Monica on July 25.
The show comes as Rush promotes "Gardens Old, Flowers New," his first album of new music since 2018's "Voices." Released March 1, 2024, on Appleseed Records, the album has drawn strong reviews and radio chart action. Rush calls it his best album yet — a notable claim from an artist whose career spans more than 60 years.
Known for his distinctive guitar style, wry humor and warm voice, Rush built a following with shows that mix storytelling, ballads and gritty blues. He helped shape the folk revival in the 1960s and its renaissance in the 1980s and '90s, leaving a mark on generations of artists. James Taylor told Rolling Stone that Rush was "not only one of my early heroes, but also one of my main influences," and country star Garth Brooks has named him among his top five influences.
Rush has long championed emerging talent. His early recordings introduced the work of Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and James Taylor, and his Club 47 concerts later brought artists such as Nanci Griffith and Shawn Colvin to wider audiences. His 1968 composition "No Regrets" became a standard, with cover versions by The Walker Brothers and Midge Ure both reaching the U.K. Top Ten and Emmylou Harris recording it on her 1988 album "Bluebird."
The venue holds personal history for Rush. "McCabe's itself (a GREAT room, where, in 1977 I bought my favorite guitar, made by then-newcomer Don Musser," he said. "It's pretty beat-up now, but I'll be playing it." He added that the Santa Monica stop may bring a chance to see old friends, including Mitchell, Browne and his former lead guitarist Trevor Veitch.
Rush said his accompanist of about 10 years, Matt Nakoa, "nagged me into" returning to the studio and proved to be a gifted producer. For the McCabe's show, Rush will be joined by a new collaborator, Brendan Cleary, whom he called "another monster talent."
Asked how Santa Monica shapes his sets, Rush pointed to the crowd rather than the city. "Connecting with them is Job One, so they really shape the show," he said.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### SMC Emeritus Acting Troupe to present free virtual showcase July 18
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-emeritus-acting-troupe-to-present-free-virtual-showcase-july-18/
Last updated: 2026-07-12T18:59:59.000Z
Santa Monica College's Emeritus Acting Troupe will present its showcase, "Conversations: Scenes from Film and Theater," as a free, live virtual event at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 18.
The performance will be presented online via Zoom. A link at the[ ](https://www.smc.edu/calendar/?ref=smdp.com#event-details/f6231fd8-8b22-466e-9600-ad10fe61de20)[July 18 event listing](https://www.smc.edu/calendar/?ref=smdp.com#event-details/f6231fd8-8b22-466e-9600-ad10fe61de20) at[ ](http://smc.edu/calendar?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/calendar](http://smc.edu/calendar?ref=smdp.com) takes guests directly to the online event.
The showcase features students in SMC's Emeritus acting classes and will present silly, serious and quirky scenes meant to inspire, entertain and offer something to think about.
Director Barbara Gannen, a longtime SMC Emeritus instructor, framed the program around questions about how people find, keep and lose love, how they transcend loss, and why they stay or go — before joking about whom to sue. She invited audiences to attend because, she said, the troupe asks good questions.
SMC's Emeritus program, founded in 1975 to serve the lifelong learning interests of older adults, offers more than 120 noncredit adult education classes and special programs serving more than 3,000 students each year.
More information is available at[ ](http://smc.edu/emeritus?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/emeritus](http://smc.edu/emeritus?ref=smdp.com) or by calling 310-434-4306\. Performances are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica Sets July 23 State of the City on Main Street
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-sets-july-23-state-of-the-city-on-main-street/
Last updated: 2026-07-12T18:59:59.000Z
The city of Santa Monica will hold its State of the City 2026 on Thursday, July 23, from 4 to 7 p.m. as a free, open-street celebration on Main Street between Hollister Avenue and Ocean Park Boulevard.
The event will highlight 2026 achievements, including expanded full-service hours at the Santa Monica Public Library, and look ahead to 2027 with Mayor Caroline Torosis. This year's theme, "Realignment to Renaissance," celebrates the city's Realignment Plan and efforts to activate public spaces, support local commerce and leverage major events such as the FIFA World Cup 2026, Super Bowl LXI and the coming Olympic and Paralympic Games.
"Building on last year's reimagined event, this year's State of the City is designed to showcase the very best of Santa Monica," Torosis said.
From 4 to 7 p.m., city and partner booths will offer community resources, giveaways and family activities, with guided tours of the historic Shotgun House and music by DJ Bukue One. Santa Monica Poet Laureate Jay Baldwin will give a reading, and Torosis will deliver the State of the City address from 4:45 to 5:30 p.m. Live performances from 5:30 to 7 p.m. will feature the Santa Monica High School Orchestra Ensemble and the Spirit Fingers Trio.
Main Street will be closed from Ocean Park Boulevard to Hollister Avenue from noon to 10 p.m. Limited metered parking is available, and paid public parking is offered at Main Street lots 9, 10, 11 and 26\. Organizers encouraged carpooling, biking and transit.
Big Blue Bus rides to and from the event will be free from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m. for riders who mention "State of the City." Routes 1, 3, 8 and 18 stop within a 10-minute walk of Main Street; plan trips at[ ](https://www.bigbluebus.com/?ref=smdp.com)[bigbluebus.com](https://www.bigbluebus.com/?ref=smdp.com). A free Santa Monica Spoke bike valet will be available off Main Street on Norman Place.
Admission is free and the event is open to all ages. For details and to RSVP, visit[ ](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/state-of-the-city-2026-tickets-1991414932671?ref=smdp.com)[https://www.eventbrite.com/e/state-of-the-city-2026-tickets-1991414932671](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/state-of-the-city-2026-tickets-1991414932671?ref=smdp.com)
Edited by SMDP Staff
### LA uses World Cup to show off upgraded public transit and test plans to hold car-free Olympics
URL: https://www.smdp.com/la-uses-world-cup-to-show-off-upgraded-public-transit-and-test-plans-to-hold-car-free-olympics/
Last updated: 2026-07-13T22:22:07.000Z
When Matthew Smith took his five-year-old son to a World Cup game in the Los Angeles area earlier this month, they opted to take public transit instead of driving from their nearby coastal city.
It was Smith's first time on the LA Metro in a decade, and the experience exceeded his expectations.
"Seems like a very functioning transit system, which is somewhat surprising given its reputation," he said.
That is the reaction Metro officials were hoping for as they used the 2026 FIFA World Cup's eight LA games to introduce — or reintroduce — people to the region's public transit system, often an afterthought in car-centric Los Angeles. It is an early test run of sorts for the 2028 Olympics, which organizers have billed as a "no car" Games where there will be no parking for attendees at any of the venues. Spectators will have to rely on transit and shuttles to get to events.
Nearly 50,000 rides were taken on rail lines for the July 2 Spain-Austria game that Smith and his son attended. There is no train that runs directly to SoFi Stadium in the LA suburb of Inglewood, but Metro has added 15 shuttle lines to transport people there from major rail stations and transit centers — the farthest route taking one hour and 15 minutes. More than 30,000 rides were taken on those shuttles for that game alone, the agency said.
The Metro will take a similar approach for the Olympics because many venues don't connect directly to the system. For the World Cup, the agency borrowed about 200 buses to meet the increased demand. Officials have said they will need to borrow 3,000 buses for the Olympics.
Officials work to overcome safety fears
For many residents, public transit isn't baked into everyday life in Los Angeles, the nation's second most-populous city, quite the same way it is in other major urban centers like New York and Chicago. LA Metro estimates the system provides about 1 million rides each day — roughly the same as Chicago, a smaller city. In New York, meanwhile, it is well over 3 million on the average weekday.
Many view LA's rail and bus system as unreliable at best and unsafe at worse. Certain high-profile violent incidents, such as a 67-year-old woman who died from being stabbed on a Metro train in 2024, have driven those perceptions. Some riders are also concerned about drug use, cleanliness and the presence of homeless people.
In June, Metro opened applications for its police force, which it hopes to have fully deployed by 2029 to replace the LAPD. The agency hopes having its own sworn officers working along with homeless outreach and crisis response teams will help riders feel safer on its trains and buses.
Metro has also touted data that showed a decline in violent crime over the past two years, with a 13.6% decrease in overall crime in March 2026 compared to a year before.
Martha Banuelos used the transit system sporadically before but generally preferred to "avoid it like the plague." She started riding the trains again recently to get into the city from North Hollywood for World Cup watch parties.
"It's a lot cleaner and smells way better," she said.
Officials see World Cup as an opportunity
Metro has partnered with FIFA to host fan zones and watch parties at key transit hubs — where thousands of fans from around the region gathered to drink, dance to DJ sets, and cheer for their favorite teams. Metro has advertised limited edition tap cards for different countries and leaned into social media to promote public transit during the games.
The system also upgraded its payment options before the World Cup to allow riders to pay directly with a credit card like other cities that have done away with tap cards.
Those efforts worked to draw in new riders like Yasmin Cortez, a 32-year-old who took the train for the first time ever to attend the official FIFA Fan Festival at the LA Memorial Coliseum to watch matches, volunteer for FIFA, and soak in the World Cup spirit. A week later, she took the rail again to root for Uruguay at the Union Station Fan Zone, from Cerritos about 16 miles (26 kilometers) southwest of LA.
"Especially with gas prices now, yeah I should be taking the Metro," she said. "There's a lot to explore, and I bought some new walking shoes."
Looking ahead to 2028 Olympics
During the last Summer Games, Paris was lauded for how accessible the Games were, with nearly every venue reachable by Metro, commuter train, tram or bus.
LA, long known for congested roadways, is hard at work to expand its own transit options as the Games quickly approach.
Transit enthusiasts rejoiced at the long-awaited extension of the D line in May, which runs east-west connecting downtown LA to Koreatown, and now further west, where popular tourist attractions like the Grove shopping mall, Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the La Brea Tar Pits are.
It marked the first opening of a heavy rail expansion project in the U.S. since 2020\. Four more stations are under construction to extend the line to the University of California, Los Angeles campus, which will serve as the official Athlete Village for the 2028 games.
"LA is a transit city," said Jennifer Vides, Metro's chief customer experience officer. "People want to try to say that it's not. Obviously we have a lot more expansion to do and we're working on it. But people really want transit."
By JAIMIE DING Associated Press
### Santa Monica City Council to weigh dueling ballot measures, downtown development rules and Civic Auditorium deal Tuesday
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-city-council-to-weigh-dueling-ballot-measures-downtown-development-rules-and-civic-auditorium-deal-tuesday/
Last updated: 2026-07-11T09:59:59.000Z
The Santa Monica City Council will consider placing two significant measures before voters this November when it meets Tuesday, July 14, at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers, alongside a slate of development-related zoning changes and a possible deal over the future of the Civic Auditorium.
Item 11A asks the council to formally receive and file certification that a citizen initiative establishing a new parcel tax for the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District has qualified for the ballot. The measure would create a $495 annual parcel tax on taxable real property within city limits to fund the school district, under a new chapter of the municipal code. Council members are being asked to adopt a resolution placing the measure on the Nov. 3 general municipal ballot.
Item 11B, added to the agenda Thursday, would send voters as many as three separate measures amending the city charter's rent control and housing policy articles. Acting on recommendations from the Rent Control Board, the council could place a measure reaffirming local just-cause eviction protections, updating term limits for rent board commissioners and revising procedures for rental unit registration fees and rent adjustment petition deadlines. A second proposed measure would bar landlords from evicting tenants over unpaid rent below a yet-to-be-set threshold amount. A third would revise rules around evicting tenants for adding unauthorized occupants, extend eviction protections to people remaining in a unit after the original tenant leaves, add just-cause protections to single-unit homes and condominiums, and change requirements for owner move-in evictions from units not subject to rent control. The council would also authorize individual members to file ballot arguments and direct the city attorney to prepare an impartial analysis of each measure.
Later in the meeting, the council will take up two development-focused items tied to the city's broader growth strategy. Item 12A asks the council to adopt a resolution amending the Downtown Community Plan and introduce, on first reading, an ordinance amending the zoning code to carry out the city's Realignment Plan by increasing allowable development on city-owned sites downtown and within the Gateway Master Plan area. Staff have concluded the environmental effects were already studied under the certified Downtown Community Plan and Housing Element environmental reports.
Item 12B would introduce, for first reading, an ordinance temporarily excluding certain parcels from the state's SB 79 transit-oriented development law until a year after the city adopts its 7th Cycle Housing Element, covering 2029 through 2037\. The same ordinance would raise development standards for multi-unit residential parcels within a half-mile of the Metro E Line's Expo/Bundy station. Both items reflect the city's ongoing effort to balance state housing mandates with local control over where and how new development is concentrated.
Before the public session, the council will meet in closed session on Item 5E to discuss real estate negotiations over 1855 Main St., the Civic Auditorium property. City Manager Oliver Chi is listed as the city's negotiator, with talks involving Goldenvoice Chief Operating Officer Melissa Ormand and AEG Presents Executive Vice President and General Counsel Shawn Trell over the price and payment terms for the city-owned venue. The item was added to the agenda this week.
Finally, under Item 12C, the council will consider introducing and adopting an emergency interim zoning ordinance establishing standards and procedures for permitting light fleet-based autonomous vehicle services, along with a new use classification for such operations. Staff say the action qualifies for a common-sense exemption from further environmental review. Attached correspondence shows the state's Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, GO-Biz, raised concerns about the emergency ordinance ahead of the meeting.
The meeting also includes a lengthy consent calendar covering items such as a design services agreement for the Camera Obscura renovation, fire training contract modifications, the Tourism Marketing District's annual budget, and Downtown Santa Monica Inc.'s budget and a new events license for Lot 27, along with several board and commission appointments and closed-session litigation matters not detailed publicly in advance.
### Hotel guests, not day trippers, drive Santa Monica's tourism economy
URL: https://www.smdp.com/hotel-guests-not-day-trippers-drive-santa-monicas-tourism-economy/
Last updated: 2026-07-10T18:59:59.000Z
Editor’s Note: As the city touts the success of World Cup tourism, the Daily Press is taking a look at the city’s overall tourism industry. Yesterday we covered the city’s ongoing failure to rebound from a Covid-induced decline in tourism and the reasons why officials say Santa Monica remains at 50% of historic highs. Today we cover the economic value of tourism.
Fewer visitors means lower hotel tax revenues
Santa Monica's recovery strategy rests heavily on Transient Occupancy Tax revenue, the 15% levy on overnight hotel stays that flows directly into the city's General Fund and represents one of its single largest revenue sources. In 2025, the City of Santa Monica generated $54.4 million in Transient Occupancy Tax, a 13.2% decrease from the $62.7 million generated in 2024.
The decline in revenue comes as there are actually more hotel rooms available. All hotels and rooms that had been under renovation over the previous three years fully reopened by 2025, bringing the city's annual room supply up 4% compared to 2024.
Santa Monica now has 4,189 total rooms and units available daily, including 3,936 hotel and motel rooms across 36 properties and 253 beds at the International Hostel. Over the course of the year, that translates to a total annual supply of 1,608,329 available rooms.
Despite the increased supply, the citywide occupancy rate dipped to 72.3% in 2025, down from 75% in 2024, leaving a vacancy rate of 27.7%.
International Visitors Carry the Load
The principal driver of 2025's spending gains was the continued growth of international visitation. International travelers now account for 50% of all Santa Monica visitors, up from 44% in 2024 and just 24% in 2023 — a dramatic compositional shift in who is actually coming to the city.
Those visitors are also significantly more lucrative. International visitors spent an average of $212 per person per day in 2025, compared to $158 for domestic U.S. visitors. Their combined total spending reached $601.9 million — 60% of all visitor spending — up 28% from $470.9 million in 2024.
The flip side of that equation played out in the domestic numbers. U.S. visitor volume fell 17% from 2024, to 1.95 million from 2.36 million, and their total spending dropped 11% to $394.8 million despite a modest per-capita increase. The study attributed the domestic decline partly to high U.S. travel costs motivating American travelers to go abroad rather than stay home.
The Day-Tripper Dilemma
One of the more persistent structural features of Santa Monica's tourism economy is its overwhelming preponderance of day visitors — people who arrive, spend part of the day, and leave without staying overnight. In 2025, 88% of all visitors were day visitors, up from 84% in 2024 and 77% in 2023\. The trend line is moving in a direction that creates challenges for the city's hotel-heavy tax base.
The contrast in economic contribution between the two groups is stark. Day visitors accounted for 88% of total visitor volume but generated only 27% of total visitor spending. Hotel guests, averaging $445 per person per day compared to $78 for day visitors, are far and away more economically valuable per person to the city.
Hotel guest numbers fell sharply, dropping 21% to 422,800 from 534,800 in 2024\. The decline had a pronounced effect on tax revenue to the city. Visitor-generated lodging and retail sales taxes fell 10% to $60.2 million, with transient occupancy tax — the city's primary tourism-related revenue stream — declining 13% to $54.4 million. The tax equivalent contributed by visitors amounted to $1,267 per Santa Monica household, down from $1,441 in 2024.
Inflation drives spending
Against that backdrop of stubborn volume decline, the spending picture offers mixed results. Total direct visitor spending reached $996.6 million in 2025, a 9% increase over the $916.6 million recorded in 2024, driven by a 19% spike in overall per-capita daily spending to $187 from $156.
However, that spending is driven largely by inflation driving increases in prices. Adjusted for inflation, real visitor spending in 2025 totaled $290.8 million — compared to a real-dollar peak of $766.6 million in 2017\. In practical terms, the city is collecting more nominal dollars from far fewer visitors spending far less in inflation-adjusted terms than it once did.
When combined with indirect and induced spending, the total economic impact of Santa Monica tourism reached approximately $1.3 billion in 2025, up from $1.19 billion in 2024.
Repeat Visitation Declining
Another dimension of the industry's long-term challenges is the declining share of visitors who have been to Santa Monica before. In 2025, 70% of visitors were in the city for the first time — up from 65% in 2024 and 51% in 2023\. The report tied the rise in first-timers directly to the increase in long-haul international arrivals, who are less likely to have visited previously.
Among the diminishing pool of repeat visitors, those who had been to Santa Monica before averaged 3.2 prior trips in the past three years, up from 2.6 in 2024\. But the overall visitor base is becoming increasingly composed of people experiencing the destination for the first time, a mix that carries implications for spending patterns, brand loyalty, and long-term visitation stability.
The report noted that satisfaction ratings, while generally high, declined across most measured categories from 2024 to 2025, including overall destination satisfaction, value for money, and authentic shopping experiences. Among past visitors rating their impression of Santa Monica compared to prior visits, 19% said the city had gotten worse — the third consecutive year that figure has risen.
Among past visitors to Santa Monica, 19.2% said their impression of the city had worsened since their last visit. Of those, 60.8% cited an increase in homelessness, while 43.7% pointed to worsening traffic and congestion and 43.3% said the city feels less safe. Cost was a factor for 41.7%, who said Santa Monica has become too expensive, and 32% said the area was dirtier than they remembered. Smaller shares flagged parking availability (18%), a less vibrant atmosphere (17.7%), fewer new things to see and do (13.3%), an unwelcoming feel (9.6%), overcrowding (7.1%) and a lack of new restaurants (6.9%).
### Free Fiber Arts Gathering to Take Over Will Rogers Beach This Weekend
URL: https://www.smdp.com/free-fiber-arts-gathering-to-take-over-will-rogers-beach-this-weekend/
Last updated: 2026-07-10T18:59:59.000Z
Fiber artists, their friends and their families are invited to the sand this weekend, as Los Angeles fiber artist Alexis Kavros hosts the first LA Fiber Clubs Beach Takeover, a free community gathering at Will Rogers State Beach.
The event begins at 11 a.m. Sunday, July 12, near Lifeguard Tower No. 7, just north of the snack bar at 15800 Pacific Coast Highway, and will continue into the afternoon. Admission is free, and organizers say all fiber clubs, fiber artists and their friends and family are welcome. Attendees are encouraged to bring a project, a snack to share and the usual beach gear, such as sunscreen, chairs and umbrellas. Games, prizes and snacks will be provided.
Parking on Temescal Canyon is free, and a paid beach lot that accepts credit cards is also available. There are several beach restrooms nearby, along with a hot-food stand called Beach Side Cafe, Kavros said.
The gathering grew out of a private tradition. Kavros founded a low-key Los Angeles crochet club a few years ago and has thrown a party with games and prizes twice a year ever since. This year, when she asked members where to hold their midyear celebration, the group voted for the beach over a Mid-City park.
"Since I won't have to borrow chairs from my neighbors and figure out how to fill over a dozen people into one room in my apartment, I decided to open the invitation to all fiber clubs and artists," she said.
Kavros is the founder of Remy A Crafty Hedgehog, a small, woman-owned business focused on fiber craft and whimsy. A Santa Monica native, she competes in crochet competitions, sells her pieces and patterns, and teaches the craft to others. She has taught with the Santa Monica Library, demonstrated at the Los Angeles County Fair and is a member of the Greater Los Angeles Spinning Guild, where she is learning to spin yarn. With her husband, Andrew, she also produces stop-motion videos featuring her crochet.
Her path into organizing began with a feeling she has been chasing ever since. After attending her first LA Yarn Crawl, she said, she was left in tears at the end of the weekend, having spent three days among people who shared her craft.
"I felt like I finally found my people. I felt so seen. And I wasn't ready for that feeling to end," she said.
That desire to recreate the experience led her to start her club, which she launched by reaching out to strangers on Reddit. She found that while Los Angeles has many knitting groups, crochet clubs were scarce, and the idea drew an enthusiastic response. Since the first meeting, the club has gathered across the city, taking field trips to museum fiber exhibits and carpooling to yarn crawls. It charges no fees and requires no attendance.
Kavros hopes the beach event helps counter what she describes as a lonely side of a popular hobby. Fiber arts, she said, can be isolating because the work is fundamentally solitary, even in a group.
"Even when we are all sitting together we are each making something alone and simply sitting beside someone doing the same," she said, adding that many makers stay tethered to their couches simply because packing up supplies feels daunting.
She sees gatherings like this one as a chance to build a "third place" where adults can form friendships that are otherwise hard to make, especially among those who work remotely. She said she hopes a first-time attendee who arrives alone leaves feeling understood, and perhaps with the phone number of a nearby crafter and plans to meet for coffee.
Prizes for the event are sponsored in part by Yarn Over Hook, a free social platform for crocheters that Kavros works with as a co-host of the weekly YouTube show "Stitches!" The two are also leading Summer Stash Bash, a drive to crochet 1,000 soap sacks, fill each with a bar of soap and donate them to local charities. Kavros said the effort blew past its goal at the halfway point.
"We are so excited to sponsor prizes for LA Fiber Clubs Beach Takeover, crochet community is what we are all about at Yarn Over Hook," said Sammi, head of video production and lead instructor with Yarn Over Hook. "We strive to offer digital connection to crochet artists around the world, and anytime that can happen in the real world we are all for it!"
Kavros said she hopes the takeover becomes an annual tradition. Additional details are posted on Instagram at @remyacraftyhedgehog.
### Man dies in freeway fall
URL: https://www.smdp.com/man-dies-in-freeway-fall/
Last updated: 2026-07-10T18:17:24.000Z
A person died Thursday night after falling from the an overpass onto Interstate 10, according to the Santa Monica Police Department.
Officers responded to the overpass at about 9:41 p.m. Thursday after receiving a report of a person who had fallen onto the freeway, police said. The person was struck by a passing vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said the preliminary investigation indicates the death was a suicide.
The California Highway Patrol is investigating the traffic collision, while SMPD is handling the death investigation. The identity of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
The investigation remains active, and no further information was available Friday.
Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis or thoughts of suicide can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which offers free, confidential support around the clock. Los Angeles County residents can also reach the county Department of Mental Health's help line at 1-800-854-7771 for referrals to local services, and Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, a Los Angeles-based crisis center, operates a 24/7 line at 1-877-727-4747.
Additional resources, including support specifically for veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, young people and those who have lost someone to suicide, are available through the state's Suicide Prevention program at 988california.org.
### Santa Monica Police Locate Felony Vehicle Tied to Whittier Robbery
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-police-locate-felony-vehicle-tied-to-whittier-robbery/
Last updated: 2026-07-10T16:25:15.000Z
Santa Monica police located a felony vehicle wanted in connection with an armed robbery in Whittier and arrested its driver the evening of June 22, the department said.
Officers used resources from the department's Santa Monica Analytical Real-Time Center, or SMART Center, to locate the vehicle. Within minutes, K9 Norton and his handler found it near Pico Boulevard and Main Street and followed it safely as additional officers responded.
The vehicle stopped in the area of Ocean Park Boulevard and Main Street, where officers conducted a high-risk stop based on information that the suspects may have been armed.
The driver, identified by police as George Jeremiah Romero, was taken into custody without incident. Officers also observed what appeared to be a firearm magazine inside the vehicle, the department said.
The Whittier Police Department responded to the scene and took custody of Romero and the vehicle as part of its ongoing investigation.
The department credited the coordination between agencies and the officers and K9 Norton who worked to resolve the incident safely.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica Block Fest Returns to Energize Downtown with Music, Food, Local Businesses and World Cup Spirit
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-block-fest-returns-to-energize-downtown-with-music-food-local-businesses-and-world-cup-spirit/
Last updated: 2026-07-10T16:10:38.000Z
What began as a series of creative pop-up events has quickly evolved into one of Downtown Santa Monica's signature community gatherings. This Saturday, July 11, Santa Monica Block Fest Vol. V, "SMBF," will transform three blocks of the Third Street Promenade into an open-air celebration of music, food, local businesses and FIFA World Cup excitement. Building on the momentum of more than 20,000 attendees at June's festival, organizers anticipate an even larger turnout as residents and visitors gather for an evening of live electronic music, a night market, food vendors and screenings of the FIFA World Cup quarterfinal matches.
Produced by YAPPY STUDIOS, QuickServe and Beat Repeat in partnership with the City of Santa Monica and Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM), the free festival has become much more than a music event. Organizers say its mission has always been to create an accessible community experience while helping revitalize Downtown Santa Monica and drive business to local merchants. "We wanted to recreate that feeling of going to a music festival with your friends, but on a smaller, more accessible scale," said Nina Vukcevic, co-founder of YAPPY STUDIOS. Before launching Block Fest, she and her team organized a series of pop-up experiences throughout West Los Angeles, transforming unexpected venues from Mel's Diner to the Heal the Bay Aquarium and even pickleball courts - into community gathering spaces. "The fact that it's free means anyone can come, regardless of age or background. That's incredibly important to us."
That vision found a partner in Santa Monica Block Fest founder Peter Trinh, who recognized the opportunity to bring new energy to one of the city's most iconic public spaces. "Block Fest was essentially created to bring people together to celebrate the community, spotlight everything that makes Santa Monica special, and support our local businesses while creating a really welcoming experience for everyone."
Since launching in October 2025, Block Fest has continued to grow with each edition, drawing thousands of attendees back to the Promenade while creating new opportunities for restaurants, retailers, artists and entrepreneurs. For organizers, however, attendance numbers only tell part of the story.
Some of the most meaningful feedback has come from longtime residents who tell organizers the Promenade once again feels alive. "People come up to us and say, 'This reminds me of what the Promenade felt like when I was growing up in the '90s,'" Vukcevic said. "People flood our messages asking how they can volunteer or become involved because they see what we're building for the community."
Supporting local businesses remains at the heart of the festival's mission. More than 20 food vendors and local makers will line Arizona Avenue as part of the expanding night market, complementing the surrounding restaurants and retailers while encouraging attendees to explore the entire downtown district. Fan-favorite Villa's Tacos, recently featured during the Super Bowl halftime show, returns alongside a rotating lineup of local culinary vendors and merchants. "We're seeing increased sales and increased activity," Trinh said. "It allows us to showcase artists, small businesses and entrepreneurs in a way that really hasn't existed before."
DTSM's CEO Debbie Lee said the festival continues to demonstrate the importance of community programming in supporting the city's economic vitality. "Santa Monica Block Fest continues to showcase the best of Downtown Santa Monica, bringing together residents and visitors for unforgettable nights of music, dining, and community. Building on the success of our June event, Vol. V is another opportunity to support our local businesses while showcasing the vibrant, welcoming atmosphere that makes Downtown Santa Monica unique," Lee said.
Organizers say Block Fest is also designed to evolve with every edition. In addition to multiple stages featuring house, bass house and tech house DJs, this month's event expands with new experiences, including live band karaoke at Barney's Beanery, additional late-night programming and enhanced entertainment throughout the district. Their long-term vision is to continue growing the event as a recurring monthly tradition, held on the second Saturday of each month, giving residents and visitors another reason to return to downtown year-round.
Accessibility remains another defining principle. While many large-scale music festivals continue to see ticket prices climb into the hundreds of dollars, Block Fest remains free, creating an inclusive experience where families, young adults and first-time concertgoers can all participate.
This year's festival also continues its partnership with Waymo as the event's official ride-hail partner. Organizers say the collaboration reflects their commitment to making transportation easier while encouraging responsible travel to and from the event. Festivalgoers can receive 30% off their first three Waymo rides using promo code SMBF26, helping reduce congestion and making it easier for attendees to enjoy Santa Monica's Entertainment Zone and downtown businesses safely.
As Santa Monica continues welcoming visitors through a summer filled with World Cup programming and community events, SMBF has become more than a one-night celebration. It has emerged as a reflection of the city's evolving identity, one where music, food, culture and local businesses come together to create memorable public experiences while reinforcing Downtown Santa Monica as one of Southern California's premier gathering places.
### Fairmont-Miramar Returns to the Big Screen — Under an Assumed Name
URL: https://www.smdp.com/fairmont-miramar-returns-to-the-big-screen-under-an-assumed-name/
Last updated: 2026-07-10T15:21:15.000Z
The Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows, a fixture of Santa Monica's skyline for more than a century, is heading back to Hollywood — though moviegoers won't see it billed under its own name but instead will see “L’AZURINE” on the screen.
The oceanfront hotel is serving as a filming location for "Paris Paramount," a romantic comedy from writer-director Nancy Meyers, according to IMDB. Like many of the hotel's past screen appearances, the property will stand in for a fictional setting rather than play itself, continuing a long Hollywood tradition of using the Miramar as backdrop while masking its real identity.
"Paris Paramount" follows a young filmmaker who falls for a producer, according to a plot description. After the pair make several hit films together, they break up — only to be forced back into each other's orbit to complete a high-profile project featuring volatile movie stars.
The film's cast includes Penélope Cruz, Owen Wilson, Jude Law, Tony Hale, Kieran Culkin, Beverly D'Angelo, Erin Doherty and Apple Martin. Meyers, whose credits include "Private Benjamin," "Baby Boom," "Father of the Bride," "The Parent Trap," "Something's Gotta Give," "The Holiday," "It's Complicated" and "The Intern," is directing.
A History Before the Cameras
The Miramar's relationship with Hollywood dates back nearly 80 years. The hotel appeared in the 1946 film noir "The Blue Dahlia," and went on to serve as a location for "Let's Make It Legal" (1951), "That Touch of Mink" (1962), "Hold On!" (1966) and the 2007 legal thriller "Fracture."
Its small-screen resume is even longer. The hotel has appeared in episodes of "Columbo," "Starsky and Hutch," "Simon & Simon," "Knots Landing," "Entourage" and "Denise Richards: It's Complicated," along with "Dallas," "Dynasty," "Hart to Hart," "Remington Steele," "Moonlighting," "Parenthood," "90210," "Modern Family," "Giuliana & Bill," "Numb3rs" and "Project Runway."
A New Permitting System Behind the Scenes
The production arrives as Santa Monica settles into a new system for handling film permits. Film Santa Monica, a division of Santa Monica Travel and Tourism, took over permitting duties after the City Council awarded it a three-year contract last year, ending the city's longstanding arrangement with FilmLA, the nonprofit that has coordinated permitting across much of Los Angeles County since 1995\. The city had outsourced the function to FilmLA since 2013 due to the volume and complexity of requests.
Santa Monica Travel and Tourism is a private nonprofit established in 1982 to promote the city as a destination; it is funded through the city's general fund and a Tourism Marketing District assessment. Film Santa Monica operates as a standalone entity, though the tourism group's board also serves as Film Santa Monica's legally required board through a subcommittee.
The arrangement costs the city nothing. Film Santa Monica instead charges processing fees to applicants for permit coordination, marketing, notification, monitoring and complaint-referral services tied to filming on public property and in city facilities. The contract includes an option for a two-year renewal at the city's discretion.
The shift comes as Los Angeles-area production continues a steep, prolonged decline. On-location filming across greater Los Angeles fell more than 30% between 2018 and 2023, and last year's total of 23,480 shoot days ranked among the lowest in decades. Only about 20% of North American television series are now filmed in California, as productions increasingly move to states with more generous tax incentives. In response, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an expansion of California's Film and Television Tax Credit Program, boosting annual funding from $330 million to $750 million and raising the base credit rate to 35%.
Santa Monica Mayor Caroline Torosis said the city's new in-house permitting system is designed to keep productions like "Paris Paramount" coming.
"Film production has always been part of Santa Monica's identity, and we're making sure it's part of our future," Torosis said. "Bringing film permitting in-house means productions have one responsive team that can move quickly and solve problems, making it easier and more cost effective to choose Santa Monica. Every production supports local jobs, fills our restaurants and hotels, and generates revenue that helps pay for the city services our community depends on. It's another example of the Realignment Plan in action, removing unnecessary barriers, supporting our local economy, and making Santa Monica a place where business can thrive."
"Paris Paramount" is scheduled for a Dec. 2027 release.
### Around Town: Block Parties and Beach Bashes
URL: https://www.smdp.com/around-town-block-parties-and-beach-bashes/
Last updated: 2026-07-09T20:52:31.000Z
SMDP's Weekly Guide to Food & Entertainment Goings-On In & Around Town includes the massive Santa Monica Block Fest, World Cup beach fan zones, Michelin-grade grand openings, and much more!
**Golden Hour at Third Street Promenade:** Designed to complement the Pier fan experience with free pre- and post-match activities, Golden Hour features exhibitors, fan experiences, local vendors and more. July 10 [santamonicacup.com/events/golden-hour](http://santamonicacup.com/events/golden-hour?ref=smdp.com)
**World Cup 26 Fan Zone at Venice Beach:** Enjoy two days of quarter-finals on the beach with Live match viewing, food, music, and Venice Beach summer. There are both free and premium options. **Friday & Saturday, July 10 to 11, Windward Plaza** [eventbrite.com/e/los-angeles-world-cup-26-fan-zone-at-venice-beach-tickets-1988769851161](http://eventbrite.com/e/los-angeles-world-cup-26-fan-zone-at-venice-beach-tickets-1988769851161?ref=smdp.com)
**Sunset Swim at the Annenberg Beach House:** Spend your evening poolside at the historic Annenberg Community Beach House, home to the iconic 1920s Marion Davies estate built by media mogul William Randolph Hearst. Sunset Swim invites adults to enjoy an evening of swimming, relaxing, and connecting by the sea at our historic and heated pool. Float under the evening sky, unwind with friends old and new, and enjoy complimentary s’mores and pool floaties while taking in the ocean air and sunset views. **Friday, July 10, 415 PCH** (also July 24 and Aug. 7 and 21) [santamonica.gov/events/49c3xhnjw5g4v5918cz3g4735y/202607101800](http://santamonica.gov/events/49c3xhnjw5g4v5918cz3g4735y/202607101800?ref=smdp.com)
**The Crow's Comedy Confessional:** A monthly stand-up comedy show where we collect anonymous confessions from the audience, and the comedians work them into their act. **Friday, July 10, 9p.m., 2525 Michigan Ave.** [crowcomedy.com](http://crowcomedy.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**Open Air House Music Fest at Tongva Park:** Enjoy specialty coffee, multiple bars, local vendors, and a lineup of house music led by internationally acclaimed German DJ Cinthie. **Saturday, July 11, Tongva Park, 1-9p.m.** [https://posh.vip/e/caf-grooves-product-pluto-present](https://posh.vip/e/caf-grooves-product-pluto-present?ref=smdp.com)
**Venice Book Club’s Summer Book Exchange:** 📚 Clear some space for new reads on your bookshelf thanks to this book swap in a coffee shop. Plus, the event is raising money for Reading For Kids and donating any leftover books to the library. **Saturday, July 11, SABA Coffee, 12912 Venice Blvd.** [instagram.com/p/DaMKOMWmaj9](http://instagram.com/p/DaMKOMWmaj9?ref=smdp.com)
**Santa Monica Block Fest:** What started as a single-block community event is now a city co-produced, multi-stage, full scale production in the Entertainment Zone with pop-up bars, local vendors, VIP gardens all across three iconic blocks of Third Street Promenade, and a night market, bringing more than 20 top-tier food and merch vendors into the movement. **Saturday, July 11, 5 p.m. - Midnight, all 3 blocks of the 3rd Street Promenade (Broadway to Wilshire)** [santamonica.gov/events/santa-monica-block-fest](https://www.santamonica.gov/events/santa-monica-block-fest?ref=smdp.com)
**Pitch A Friend:** 💘 Help your bestie find their person through this singles event at **Bodega Wine Bar, 814 Broadway Ave. Monday, July 13, 7p.m.** [instagram.com/p/DZ-YdfrFLpE](http://instagram.com/p/DZ-YdfrFLpE?ref=smdp.com)
**Annenberg Beach House Sunset Picnic - Route 66 Edition:** Bring your own picnic and enjoy a relaxed night by the ocean. Come with friends, family, or on your own and join a communal table. There's live music, ocean views, complimentary s’mores (while supplies last) & board games. **Thursday, July 16, 5-8p.m., 415 PCH** [eventbrite.com/e/sunset-picnic-route-66-edition-tickets-1987961278699](http://eventbrite.com/e/sunset-picnic-route-66-edition-tickets-1987961278699?ref=smdp.com)
**ONGOING:** [Museum of Illusions](https://moisantamonica.com/?ref=smdp.com); [The CUBE VR](https://www.thecubeevents.com/santamonicaexperiences?ref=smdp.com); [Splatter Studio](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/california-live/paint-sip-and-create-in-santa-monica/3834517/?ref=smdp.com); [Wellness & Waves @ the Pier](http://wellnessandwaves.eventbrite.com/?ref=smdp.com) (Saturdays through 10/17)
**What to Eat & Drink?**
**Tipsy Scholar A Cabaret of Cabernet:** Join our sommelier and winemaker Amanda Rubin for a fun and interactive evening as she guides you through a flight of our Cabernet Sauvignon. Learn all about this grape, identify aromas and flavors while gaining insider tips straight from the experts. $30 per person. **Wednesday, July 15,** **AJA Vineyards, 1417 2nd St.** [eventbrite.com/e/tipsy-scholar-a-cabaret-of-cabernet-tickets-1992527417142](http://eventbrite.com/e/tipsy-scholar-a-cabaret-of-cabernet-tickets-1992527417142?ref=smdp.com)
**Khan Saab Desi Craft Kitchen Grand Opening:** The Michelin Bib Gourmand-recognized restaurant is coming to Santa Monica. Created by Chef Imran Ali Mookhi, the restaurant showcases elevated Pakistani and Indian cuisine, handcrafted mocktails, and bold South Asian flavors made with exceptional attention to detail. **Thursday, July 16, 7p.m.,** **115 Santa Monica Blvd.** [khansaaboc.com](http://khansaaboc.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**The Lobster Celebrates 27th Anniversary:** Enjoy freshly-made pizzas by Chef Govind Armstrong, a live DJ, drink specials, and happy hour pricing all night as the iconic oceanfront restaurant toasts 27 years in Santa Monica. **Thursday, July 16, 6 - 9p.m., 1602 Ocean Ave.** [thelobster.com/events](http://thelobster.com/events?ref=smdp.com)
**Multiple SaMo Spots on The Infatuation’s “The Best Pizza In LA” List:** Not No Bar (2424 Main St) is walk-in only and lines form fast, but the reward is a bubbly-crusted, Neapolitan-ish pie. If you spot "La Blanca" (a ricotta white pie squiggled with pesto and mustard greens), order it immediately. Milo & Olive (2723 Wilshire Blvd) secured its regular slot for its crisp, wood-fired crusts. The play here remains the mixed mushroom pie loaded with fungi.
[theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/the-best-pizza-in-los-angeles](https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/the-best-pizza-in-los-angeles?ref=smdp.com)
**Pasjoli on Eater's "38 Best Restaurants in LA" List:** Years out from opening in 2019 as a French fine dining restaurant, chef Dave Beran’s Pasjoli has settled into a new rhythm as a neighborhood bistro — and it may be the best iteration of the restaurant yet. Warm light from pendants overhead bounces off the brick walls, casting a soft glow onto diners below. A semi-open kitchen offers a glimpse of the chefs at work, plating crudo in a shallow puddle of olive oil and near-perfect circles of beef tartare. The upscale French roots are still there, in dishes like a rich French onion souplette that may be more cheese than soup, and delicate crepes caviar in beurre blanc. But Beran’s also brought a casual playfulness to the menu that makes Pasjoli feel more confidently itself than ever. [la.eater.com/maps/best-los-angeles-restaurants-eater-38-essential](http://la.eater.com/maps/best-los-angeles-restaurants-eater-38-essential?ref=smdp.com)
**Cobi’s Featured on Celeb Podcast “Dinner on Me”:** Modern Family’s Jesse Ferguson sat down with Celeb Chef Curtis Stone at the Michelin-recognized Main St. Indonesian restaurant. **2104 Main St.** [instagram.com/p/DaN5LL3jfkK](http://instagram.com/p/DaN5LL3jfkK?ref=smdp.com)
**Further Afield:** **Festival Beverly Hills:** Join a day of music, dance, interactive workshops, and culinary delights that showcase the rich tapestry of many cultures from around the world. **Sunday, July 12, 11a.m. - 6p.m., Beverly Gardens Park, 9439 Santa Monica Blvd.** [beverlyhills.org/1335/Festival-Beverly-Hills---July-12](http://beverlyhills.org/1335/Festival-Beverly-Hills---July-12?ref=smdp.com)
**Looking Ahead:** [COAST Open Streets Festival](https://www.santamonicaworldcup.com/events/coast-2026-0zc31?ref=smdp.com) (7/19); [State of the City Event](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/state-of-the-city-2026-tickets-1991414932671?ref=smdp.com) (7/23); [National Night Out](https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2026/06/30/santa-monica-police-department-invites-community-to-national-night-out-2026?ref=smdp.com) (8/4); [A Pierfect Benefit](http://santamonicapier.org/apierfectbenefit?ref=smdp.com) (9/19)
If there’s something you think is worth highlighting, you can reach out directly to me at [sean@smdp.com](mailto:sean@smdp.com).[ ](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com)[Here](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com) are my past columns and let me know if you have any feedback on **Around Town: Block Parties and Beach Bashes**
### LA County Transitions to Behavioral Health Services Act
URL: https://www.smdp.com/la-county-transitions-to-behavioral-health-services-act/
Last updated: 2026-07-09T18:59:59.000Z
Los Angeles County's departments of Mental Health and Public Health have joined counties statewide in transitioning from the Mental Health Services Act to the voter-approved Behavioral Health Services Act, part of a broader state effort known as the Behavioral Health Transformation.
The change stems from Proposition 1, which California voters passed in March 2024, amending the 2004 Mental Health Services Act. The measure adds no new taxes but reconfigures how existing mental health tax funding is used, allowing money to go toward substance use disorder services. Its passage also approved $6.3 billion in bonds to support treatment and housing beds.
The act maintains most of the funding allocated under the prior law but changes how those funds are used and expands planning to include the Public Health Department's Substance Abuse Prevention and Control Bureau in all behavioral health programming.
"Many of BHSA's changes are administrative, which means consumers will experience a seamless transition to this new age of mental health care in Los Angeles County," said Department of Mental Health Director Lisa H. Wong. "Through BHSA, the State's new funding mechanisms allow us to expand specialized services, invest in innovative programs and broaden our reach."
Barbara Ferrer, director of the county Department of Public Health, called the change "a great opportunity for us to reimagine mental health and substance use services to ensure that we focus on client-level needs with an eye toward enhancing care and outcomes."
The act restructures five existing funding categories into three. Housing and operating subsidies, at 30% of funding, help people experiencing chronic homelessness through resources such as security deposits, interim housing, rental subsidies and licensed residential care. Full-Service Partnerships, at 35%, provide the department's most intensive level of care for those who need services most. Behavioral Health Services and Supports, also 35%, covers early intervention efforts to prevent homelessness, overdose and suicide, as well as flexible funding for outpatient and crisis care and workforce support.
County officials led implementation planning with community stakeholders through 30 in-person and virtual sessions reaching 224 organizations across eight service areas. Officials said continuity of care anchors the phased transition and that no client will lose services.
Prevention programs previously overseen by the county Department of Mental Health will now be administered by the California Department of Public Health.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### State budget secures $5 million for UCLA reproductive health center
URL: https://www.smdp.com/state-budget-secures-5-million-for-ucla-reproductive-health-center/
Last updated: 2026-07-09T18:59:59.000Z
California's 2026-27 state budget includes $5 million in one-time funding for the UCLA Center for Reproductive Health, Law and Policy, Assembly Democratic Caucus Chair Rick Chavez Zbur, D-Hollywood, announced.
Zbur said he championed the investment throughout this year's budget hearings. The money will let the center continue providing legal expertise, policy analysis, research and strategic support as other states restrict access to reproductive health care.
"California has a responsibility not only to protect reproductive freedom within our own borders, but to lead the nation in developing the legal strategies, research, and policy solutions that will safeguard those rights for generations to come," Zbur said. He said the funding ensures the center can remain "a national hub for innovation, legal scholarship, and reproductive justice" at a time when providers, patients and advocates face "unprecedented attacks."
Founded in 2022 with seed funding from the state, the center brings together lawyers, policy experts, scholars and researchers. It provides free legal help to patients and providers, supports government attorneys and policymakers, convenes experts to develop legal frameworks, and trains reproductive justice advocates. Its work extends beyond abortion access to contraception, maternal health equity, family-building policy, racial and economic disparities, and issues such as menopause.
Melissa Goodman, executive director of the center, said the funding "fuels our work to develop new legal frameworks and data that move from academia into courtrooms and legislatures." She said the center is "leading the way towards legal innovation" on abortion, maternal health, pregnancy criminalization, infertility and menopause while providing urgent legal services.
Angela Pontes, senior vice president of government affairs for Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, called the center "a critical partner in the fight to protect reproductive freedom" as the Trump administration and congressional Republicans move to strip health care access, including efforts to "defund" Planned Parenthood. She thanked Zbur and the Legislature for the investment.
The funding was included in the final 2026-27 state budget approved by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### ABC awards nearly $3 million in grants to fight alcohol-related crime
URL: https://www.smdp.com/abc-awards-nearly-3-million-in-grants-to-fight-alcohol-related-crime/
Last updated: 2026-07-09T18:59:59.000Z
The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control will award nearly $3 million in the 2026-27 fiscal year to 43 local law enforcement agencies to combat alcohol-related crime, the agency announced.
The grants go to police and sheriff's departments through ABC's Alcohol Policing Partnership Program, created in 1995 to strengthen partnerships between the agency and local law enforcement. The program targets problem businesses, works to keep alcohol away from minors and pursues penalties — including fines, suspensions or revocations — against businesses that break the law.
ABC said the funds will help reduce alcohol sales to minors and to obviously intoxicated patrons, along with other alcohol-related crime.
"Too many young people are killed in alcohol-related incidents every year," ABC Director Paul Tupy said. "If we can limit youth access to alcohol, and prevent service to obviously intoxicated patrons, then we can save lives and strengthen communities."
The program has distributed more than $75 million to local law enforcement over the past 30 years.
The 43 selected agencies include the Santa Monica Police Department, along with the Inglewood, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Downey, South Gate and San Fernando police departments and the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. Others range from Berkeley and Chula Vista to Redding, Eureka and Watsonville.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica welcomes World Cup tourism boost amid longterm decline in visitors
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-welcomes-world-cup-tourism-boost-amid-longterm-decline-in-visitors/
Last updated: 2026-07-09T15:50:03.000Z
Editor’s Note: With the World Cup driving a surge in local tourism, SMDP will publish several stories this week about the city’s relationship with visitors. The first looks at the city’s current boom and precipitous fall from pre-pandemic peaks.
While Santa Monica is known for its great weather, the city has endured several years of stormy economic seas and while officials are quick to tout the recent success of World Cup tourism, the city’s long-term visitor numbers remain bleak.
Santa Monica has seen an undeniable surge in tourists for games, watch parties and activations tied to the international tournament.
According to City Manager Oliver Chi, Since the tournament began June 11, the city has welcomed hundreds of thousands of fans to various watch parties and activations. He said early economic indicators were also positive. Foot traffic on the Promenade has run approximately 40% above year-ago levels. The Big Blue Bus provided more than 5,000 rides to and from matches at SoFi Stadium through special direct service coordinated with Metro.
Parking revenue has reflected the increase in visitors. Beach parking generated more than $969,000 over the tournament's first 13 days, up 44% over the same period last year and above both 2023 and 2024 levels. Downtown parking brought in more than $624,000 over the same stretch, a 40% increase over the prior year, as peak occupancy reached 4,111 vehicles, up nearly 28%.
The crowds that recently filled the Pier and local sports bars have left the city with a largely positive economic impression. According to Santa Monica Travel and Tourism, 93% of social posts mentioning the City and World Cup are “positive” and the boost comes as a wave of restaurant news, including the opening of the TMNT pizzeria, Raising Cane’s and the proposed Taco Bell Cantina has pushed the city back into the limelight.
Positive press comes as a welcome change for a city that had lost its economic footing in recent years due to the Covid pandemic, Federal policies, wildfires and local impacts of crime, homelessness and traffic.
City attracts half as many visitors
Santa Monica's tourism industry generated nearly $1 billion in visitor spending last year, driven largely by a surge in high-spending international travelers but the city remains in a prolonged period of visitor volume far below its pre-COVID peak.
According to Santa Monica Travel & Tourism’s annual report, the city attracted 3.89 million visitors — an 8% decline from the 4.22 million recorded in 2024\. More significantly, that figure represents less than half of the 8.71 million visitors Santa Monica drew at its peak in 2017, a benchmark the city has not approached in the eight years since.
The city last crossed the 8 million visitor threshold in 2019, recording 8.41 million arrivals. The pandemic year of 2020 collapsed total visitation to 2.03 million. While the recovery years of 2021 and 2022 brought meaningful rebounds, the trajectory has pointed steadily downward since a post-pandemic high of 5.32 million in 2022, with each subsequent year recording fewer visitors than the last.
Total visitor days — a metric calculated by multiplying visitor volume by average length of stay — fell to 5.34 million in 2025, down 9% from 5.87 million in 2024 and far below the 11.85 million recorded at the city's 2017 peak.
Regional Comparisons
Santa Monica's struggles to bring back visitors stand in stark contrast to other Southern California destinations. San Diego saw roughly 32 million visitors in fiscal 2024 — about 90% of its pre-pandemic peak. Santa Barbara hosted 6.5 million visitors in 2023 who spent $2.24 billion, matching or exceeding pre-COVID spending levels.
Even neighboring West Hollywood reported 4.9 million unique visitors in 2023 — 4% higher than 2019 levels — while Santa Monica remained stuck at roughly 50% of its pre-pandemic visitor volume.
Local officials said Santa Monica’s relative success wasn’t a fair way to measure the city’s recovery as it faced unique challenges.
Santa Monica Travel and Tourism said Los Angeles County faced some of the state's most prolonged COVID-19 restrictions and reopened later than markets such as San Diego and Santa Barbara — a delay that pushed meetings, events and leisure travelers to competing venues that have since retained that business.
The city has also contended with broader perceptions of Los Angeles County as a whole. International visitors frequently do not distinguish between Santa Monica and the greater Los Angeles region, meaning wildfires, crime headlines, political unrest and immigration enforcement activity have dampened travel demand even when those events occurred elsewhere in the county.
International travel faces additional obstacles outside the destination's control. Geopolitical uncertainty, shifting federal policy, visa or other related costs, and reduced international air arrivals at LAX compared with other Southern California airports have all weighed on recovery across California's international markets.
Up next: A look at the economic value of tourism and which visitors drive the local economy
### Morgan-Wixson Theatre Stages 'Shrek The Musical' This Summer
URL: https://www.smdp.com/morgan-wixson-theatre-stages-shrek-the-musical-this-summer/
Last updated: 2026-07-09T15:49:04.000Z
The Morgan-Wixson Theatre will present "Shrek: The Musical" in Santa Monica this summer as part of its 80th anniversary season, opening June 27 and running through July 26.
The production arrives 25 years after the original "Shrek" movie premiered at the Mann Theatre in Westwood. The musical, with a book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire and music by Jeanine Tesori, follows the grumpy ogre Shrek, who sets out to confront Lord Farquaad and reclaim his swamp after banished fairy-tale creatures appear there. To do so, he agrees to rescue Princess Fiona, locked in a tower guarded by a dragon, and is joined on the journey by the talkative Donkey.
Director and scenic designer Michael Heimos said the show carries a message that "everyone deserves love and acceptance exactly as they are," pointing to the anthem "Freak Flag," which celebrates individuality. He said the production reminds audiences that "our differences are not flaws to overcome — they are often the very things that make us unique, worthy of connection, and deserving of love."
Spencer Johnson, who plays Shrek, said he related to the character on a visceral level. "He is stuck in the mud because both his parents and the world around him have convinced him that is where he belongs," Johnson said. He added that the real love story is "Shrek learning that being self-sufficient isn't the same thing as being happy."
Co-producer Ann Villella, whose daughter is in the cast, said the show teaches "what's inside matters far more than the exterior — and that we're all working through many layers, just like an onion."
The production features Roni Dvir as Princess Fiona, Tyler Marshall as Lord Farquaad and Daniel X Scipio as Donkey, among a large ensemble. Lori Merkle is music director, Lauren Blair is choreographer, and Ann Villella and Cori Goldberg are co-producers.
In recent years the Morgan-Wixson has staged "Sister Act" and "Footloose," both summer hits at the theater.
Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the Morgan-Wixson Theatre, 2627 Pico Blvd. Tickets are $39 for adults and $29 for seniors and students, plus fees. Group rates are available. Reserved seats are available at[ ](http://www.morgan-wixson.org/?ref=smdp.com)[morgan-wixson.org](http://www.morgan-wixson.org/?ref=smdp.com), by phone at 310-828-7519 or by email at boxoffice@morgan-wixson.org. Free parking is available a block west of the theater.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Malibu opens candidate nomination period July 13 for November City Council election
URL: https://www.smdp.com/malibu-opens-candidate-nomination-period-july-13-for-november-city-council-election/
Last updated: 2026-07-09T15:48:58.000Z
The city of Malibu will open its candidate nomination period July 13 for the 2026 General Municipal Election, when voters will fill two City Council seats.
The election is set for Tuesday, Nov. 3\. The nominating period opens Monday, July 13, and closes Aug. 7\. If one or more incumbents does not file, the period will be extended through Aug. 12.
Mayor Bruce Silverstein encouraged residents to run, calling the council the voice of residents in the city's governance. He said he hoped everyone who cares about the city, its residents and its fragile rural environment would consider running. He noted the opportunity arises only once every other year and that, unlike partisan state and national contests, the council election is nonpartisan and focused on local issues.
Nomination packets may be picked up in person at the City Clerk's Office at Malibu City Hall, 23825 Stuart Ranch Road, throughout the nomination period during the office's posted hours. Hours are listed at[ ](https://www.malibucity.org/Elections?ref=smdp.com)[www.MalibuCity.org/Elections](https://www.malibucity.org/Elections?ref=smdp.com) under "notices."
Before raising or spending any campaign money, candidates must complete and sign the Declaration of Intent to Solicit and Receive Contributions Form and Fair Political Practices Commission Form 501 and file them with the city clerk. Both forms are available on the elections webpage at[ ](https://www.malibucity.org/Elections?ref=smdp.com)[www.MalibuCity.org/Elections](https://www.malibucity.org/Elections?ref=smdp.com), along with information on key dates, voter registration, vote-by-mail ballots and candidates. The page will be updated regularly.
To schedule an appointment to pull nomination paperwork, candidates may email City Clerk Kelsey Pettijohn at KPettijohn@MalibuCity.org or call 310-456-2489, ext. 228.
The city's general municipal elections are consolidated with Los Angeles County elections. In 2015, the council voted to consolidate city elections with the statewide general election in November of even years in an effort to increase voter participation.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Southbound I-405 reduced to two lanes through Sepulveda Pass July 17-20
URL: https://www.smdp.com/southbound-i-405-reduced-to-two-lanes-through-sepulveda-pass-july-17-20/
Last updated: 2026-07-08T18:59:59.000Z
Caltrans will reduce southbound Interstate 405 to two lanes through the Sepulveda Pass during an extended weekend of work, from[ ](https://h9yru9hbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001xsecq1T0mQIvCsjLkqXR9Nr5hp2c6ZAbjZopyWfBaIEh%5F-HhwDqDguWmeBodFEnmdJbxgZbL1%5FuFvy7IE35jCWiV%5FxVFHZ-VQPSh2pM9TXBUG09j9ghr6uRQWPvAHX26vXMVL50Xs1Z%5F0k4%5F5L34E5T2UhS8fByowq4L5zCQ0waAbwlAQ%5FpatXy39bepaHGPcN0QsH6F4vbkkdijtLLnwrBfCbMN1fqLTNPSaLyCvhXA-xarJWWYHdRibmpXbjf7ikDSOkb%5FHZ6-LhxOpIakrA==&c=iHkt0hhO0ahrGirEbeItAILXwAlUYbA92MylUucZLonzYiGkctq6Lg==&ch=IMFzTzkhCsm1NpyJG8XkkCr7zUyL0%5F3G1OEo1Hgr5nqoDC0w9jUSFA==&ref=smdp.com)[10 p.m. Friday, July 17, to 5 a.m. Monday, July 20](https://h9yru9hbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001xsecq1T0mQIvCsjLkqXR9Nr5hp2c6ZAbjZopyWfBaIEh%5F-HhwDqDguWmeBodFEnmdJbxgZbL1%5FuFvy7IE35jCWiV%5FxVFHZ-VQPSh2pM9TXBUG09j9ghr6uRQWPvAHX26vXMVL50Xs1Z%5F0k4%5F5L34E5T2UhS8fByowq4L5zCQ0waAbwlAQ%5FpatXy39bepaHGPcN0QsH6F4vbkkdijtLLnwrBfCbMN1fqLTNPSaLyCvhXA-xarJWWYHdRibmpXbjf7ikDSOkb%5FHZ6-LhxOpIakrA==&c=iHkt0hhO0ahrGirEbeItAILXwAlUYbA92MylUucZLonzYiGkctq6Lg==&ch=IMFzTzkhCsm1NpyJG8XkkCr7zUyL0%5F3G1OEo1Hgr5nqoDC0w9jUSFA==&ref=smdp.com). Northbound I-405 will not be affected.
Motorists are strongly urged to seek alternate routes and consider public transportation. Extended weekend work is also posted online under[ ](https://h9yru9hbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001xsecq1T0mQIvCsjLkqXR9Nr5hp2c6ZAbjZopyWfBaIEh%5F-HhwDqDgnMKFV2x8ullYfXvxqHpZsnjTBG1Hkk6J505Mu-c1DEI4qwAiKmgxrFfcbA2qN%5FiceSD9TzIty%5Fk2gMoE3CEnsIkV8EaDpu528kBUO1TPLrwH%5FU-M0F7rrXRjO4SwoCBvaT4EZ8BDc81UZ0j2H6mWNGL9W1GX7idBA==&c=iHkt0hhO0ahrGirEbeItAILXwAlUYbA92MylUucZLonzYiGkctq6Lg==&ch=IMFzTzkhCsm1NpyJG8XkkCr7zUyL0%5F3G1OEo1Hgr5nqoDC0w9jUSFA==&ref=smdp.com)[Caltrans D7 News](https://h9yru9hbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001xsecq1T0mQIvCsjLkqXR9Nr5hp2c6ZAbjZopyWfBaIEh%5F-HhwDqDgnMKFV2x8ullYfXvxqHpZsnjTBG1Hkk6J505Mu-c1DEI4qwAiKmgxrFfcbA2qN%5FiceSD9TzIty%5Fk2gMoE3CEnsIkV8EaDpu528kBUO1TPLrwH%5FU-M0F7rrXRjO4SwoCBvaT4EZ8BDc81UZ0j2H6mWNGL9W1GX7idBA==&c=iHkt0hhO0ahrGirEbeItAILXwAlUYbA92MylUucZLonzYiGkctq6Lg==&ch=IMFzTzkhCsm1NpyJG8XkkCr7zUyL0%5F3G1OEo1Hgr5nqoDC0w9jUSFA==&ref=smdp.com).
The reductions include southbound I-405 narrowed to two lanes between the southbound I-405 connector to U.S. 101 and the southbound U.S. 101 connector to southbound I-405\. The Burbank Boulevard on-ramp to southbound I-405, the northbound I-405 off-ramp to Getty Center Drive and the northbound U.S. 101 connector to southbound I-405 will be closed. The southbound U.S. 101 connector to southbound I-405 will be reduced to one lane.
For a detour, northbound U.S. 101 traffic bound for southbound I-405 will exit at the Sepulveda Boulevard off-ramp, head south on Sepulveda Boulevard and use the Sepulveda Boulevard on-ramp to southbound I-405.
The schedule may change because of weather or operational reasons, including the times and dates of closures and the number of lanes affected. Residents and businesses near the work may experience noise, vibration and dust. Current road conditions are available on the[ ](https://h9yru9hbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001xsecq1T0mQIvCsjLkqXR9Nr5hp2c6ZAbjZopyWfBaIEh%5F-HhwDqDgttjIfY7nx5q24pR8tPIuOSourArrcqFQp4rh08a%5FEhOnAmbAJoi4EcBPa8MFhuPTJcsqrYAYkdGaSnXG4-rcjm3aXtMZlDKBnV3KS1Hy2%5FC&c=iHkt0hhO0ahrGirEbeItAILXwAlUYbA92MylUucZLonzYiGkctq6Lg==&ch=IMFzTzkhCsm1NpyJG8XkkCr7zUyL0%5F3G1OEo1Hgr5nqoDC0w9jUSFA==&ref=smdp.com)[Caltrans Quickmap](https://h9yru9hbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001xsecq1T0mQIvCsjLkqXR9Nr5hp2c6ZAbjZopyWfBaIEh%5F-HhwDqDgttjIfY7nx5q24pR8tPIuOSourArrcqFQp4rh08a%5FEhOnAmbAJoi4EcBPa8MFhuPTJcsqrYAYkdGaSnXG4-rcjm3aXtMZlDKBnV3KS1Hy2%5FC&c=iHkt0hhO0ahrGirEbeItAILXwAlUYbA92MylUucZLonzYiGkctq6Lg==&ch=IMFzTzkhCsm1NpyJG8XkkCr7zUyL0%5F3G1OEo1Hgr5nqoDC0w9jUSFA==&ref=smdp.com).
The work is part of the I-405 Pavement Rehabilitation Project between the Los Angeles communities of Van Nuys and Westwood along the Sepulveda Pass. The roughly $143.7 million project aims to improve safety and mobility along the corridor and to extend the pavement's life.
Caltrans reminded drivers to "Be Work Zone Alert" and "Slow for the Cone Zone."
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Venice Family Clinic dermatologist shares summer skincare tips, warns against online fads
URL: https://www.smdp.com/venice-family-clinic-dermatologist-shares-summer-skincare-tips-warns-against-online-fads/
Last updated: 2026-07-08T18:59:59.000Z
As summer brings stronger sun and more time outdoors, Venice Family Clinic skin specialist Dr. Zaira Ortega is urging Los Angeles residents to protect their skin now — and year-round.
"Summer is an especially important time for skincare, but this guidance applies year-round," Ortega said. She said she often treats patients in their 40s with changing moles or accumulated sun damage, and tells them the best day to start healthy habits is today.
The guidance comes as Venice Family Clinic, a nonprofit community health center serving 45,000 people across the Westside, Inglewood and the South Bay, opened an in-house dermatology practice at its Torrance SkyPark location. For many patients — 87% of whom live below the federal poverty line — dermatology has been limited by cost, wait times and referral hurdles. Ortega also sees patients at the Chuck Lorre Rose Avenue Health and Wellness Center in Venice, where biopsies and other procedures are available.
Her top recommendation is daily sunscreen. "Sunscreen is the single most important preventative care tool for healthy skin," she said, noting UV exposure adds up through car windows and errands. She advises broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher every morning, favoring lotions or creams over sprays, and reapplying roughly every 80 minutes when the UV index is above 2, especially when sweating or swimming. UPF clothing, wide-brim hats and sun-protective gloves add protection.
Ortega urges simple routines: a gentle cleanser, unscented moisturizer and sunscreen are enough for most people. She recommends introducing one new product at a time, showering after exercise and limiting processed foods, which can worsen acne.
She also cautioned against unproven trends. "Natural isn't always better," she said, warning that "base tans" signal sun damage, DIY sunscreens lack standardized SPF, and fads like beef tallow and juice cleanses show no proven benefit. Supplements help only those with a specific deficiency and can otherwise worsen acne, she said.
Ortega recommends yearly skin checks and at-home monitoring using the "ABCDEs" — asymmetry, irregular borders, multiple colors, changing diameter and evolution over time. Those with a family history of melanoma should schedule a full-body check.
For more information, visit[ ](https://venicefamilyclinic.org/care/specialty/?ref=smdp.com)[https://venicefamilyclinic.org/care/specialty/](https://venicefamilyclinic.org/care/specialty/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Zbur welcomes state budget investments in community colleges, including SMC and LACCD
URL: https://www.smdp.com/zbur-welcomes-state-budget-investments-in-community-colleges-including-smc-and-laccd/
Last updated: 2026-07-08T18:59:59.000Z
Assemblymember and Democratic Caucus Chair Rick Chavez Zbur, D-Hollywood, welcomed new community college investments in California's 2026-27 state budget, including enhanced Proposition 98 Block Grant funding expected to benefit Santa Monica College and the Los Angeles Community College District.
Zbur said he advocated for the funding during budget negotiations, citing the role colleges like SMC play in preparing students for transfer, workforce training and lifelong learning. The block grant is a flexible source colleges can use for academic programs, student services, technology and campus operations.
"Santa Monica College is one of the premier community colleges in California and serves thousands of students every year who are working toward a degree, transferring to a four-year university, or preparing for high-demand careers," Zbur said. "I was proud to advocate for these investments because they open doors for millions of students, and investing in their success is an investment in the future of our workforce and our economy."
The final budget provides new Proposition 98 investments statewide, including $120.7 million for deferred maintenance; increased flexible block grant funding; $213.7 million ongoing for enrollment growth; $438.3 million ongoing for a 4.31% cost-of-living adjustment through the Student Centered Funding Formula; and $408.3 million one-time to fully repay prior funding deferrals. Additional money supports dual enrollment, apprenticeships, Dreamer Resource Centers, LGBTQ Resource Centers, workforce development and student success programs.
The agreement provides roughly $2.7 billion more in Proposition 98 funding for schools and community colleges over the next two fiscal years than the governor's May Revision proposed, while committing to repay $3.9 billion in deferred obligations.
SMC Superintendent/President Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery commended the investment and thanked Zbur for his advocacy. "These funds will help our students to fulfill their aspirations and will help SMC put our life-changing mission into action," she said.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### SMC to Stage 'The SpongeBob Musical' for Young Audiences July 17-26
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-to-stage-the-spongebob-musical-for-young-audiences-july-17-26/
Last updated: 2026-07-08T19:00:00.000Z
The Santa Monica College Theatre Arts Department will perform "The SpongeBob Musical: Theatre for Young Audiences Edition" July 17-26 on the Theatre Arts Main Stage at the[ ](https://www.smc.edu/about/campuses/documents/smc-main-campus.pdf?ref=smdp.com)[SMC Main Campus](https://www.smc.edu/about/campuses/documents/smc-main-campus.pdf?ref=smdp.com), 1900 Pico Blvd.
Show times are 7 p.m. on Friday, July 17 and July 24, and Saturday, July 18 and July 25, with 1 p.m. matinees on Sunday, July 19 and July 26.
In the story, a crisis hits Bikini Bottom and SpongeBob and his friends set out on an unexpected adventure that proves even the smallest sponge can make a big difference. The show features songs by artists including David Bowie, Sara Bareilles and Cyndi Lauper, and celebrates friendship, optimism and community. With a book by Kyle Jarrow and based on the series by Stephen Hillenburg, the SMC production is directed by Perviz Sawoski, with music direction by John Sawoski.
Advance tickets range from $25 to $28, or $18 for SMC students and staff, plus a modest service charge. They can be purchased online at[ ](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/tickets](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com) or by calling 310-434-4165 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets purchased on performance weekends at the Events Box Office at the Theatre Arts building are $3 higher.
Parking is free; information on parking, transportation and directions is available at[ ](http://smc.edu/transportation?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/transportation](http://smc.edu/transportation?ref=smdp.com). All performances are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Hatchet wielding man subdued by officers on Ocean
URL: https://www.smdp.com/hatchet-wielding-man-subdued-by-officers-on-ocean/
Last updated: 2026-07-08T16:10:02.000Z
Santa Monica police used a less-lethal launcher to detain a man armed with a hatchet Monday morning after he ignored orders to drop the weapon, according to the department.
Officers responded to the area of Ocean Way and Bay Street around 6:58 a.m. Monday after a report of a man with blood on his face carrying a hatchet and waving it while walking through the area, police said.
Officers found the man a short time later near Barnard Way and Fraser Street. He was armed with the hatchet and did not comply with repeated commands to stop and drop the weapon, police said. As he continued moving through a public area with pedestrians nearby, officers deployed a 40mm less-lethal launcher to gain compliance and reduce the risk of a deadly force encounter, according to police.
The man was detained without further incident. Santa Monica Fire Department personnel evaluated him at the scene before he was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation, police said.
No firearm was discharged by officers. The incident remains under review consistent with department policy.
Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to call the Santa Monica Police Department at 310-458-8491.
### Two former councilmembers run for new offices
URL: https://www.smdp.com/two-former-councilmembers-run-for-new-offices/
Last updated: 2026-07-08T18:32:41.000Z
Santa Monica politicians are hoping to play a game of musical chairs this year with two former members of the City Council filing paperwork to run for other local offices.
As of this week, Former mayor Sue Himmelrich has filed paperwork to run for Rent Control Board and former Councilmember Oscar de la Torre opened a campaign committee to run for the Santa Monica College Board of directors.
As of Tuesday, Himmelrich is the only individual to file election paperwork establishing a campaign finance infrastructure for the RCB election and De la Torre is one of four individuals hoping to join the SMC board as it faces sustained criticism over its leadership and financial decisions.
Himmelrich, a Harvard- and Columbia-educated attorney, is Special Counsel at the Western Center on Law & Poverty. She served on the Santa Monica City Council from 2014 to 2022, including as mayor from 2020 to 2022\. A resident since 1992, she won office with backing from Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights (SMRR), Santa Monica Democratic Club (SMDC), and affordable housing allies, championing affordable housing, tenant protections, fiscal transparency, term limits and a code of ethics. She sponsored the 2018 "term limits" Measure TL and the 2022 Measure GS "wealth tax" funding schools, homelessness prevention and affordable housing, later defending it in court. Himmelrich, whose husband, Michael Soloff, co-chairs SMRR, declined re-election in 2022.
As mayor during the COVID pandemic she dealt with anti-mask / anti-vaxx protests at her home during remote council meetings and was part of the council that failed to submit a valid housing element causing a temporary removal of local control over new construction.
The Rent Control Board is rarely a hotly contested election in Santa Monica and has been canceled in years past when too few candidates have filed to contest the election.
De la Torre, a native Santa Monican and founder of the Pico Youth & Family Center, served 18 years on the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board (2002–2020), advancing restorative justice, ethnic studies and racial equity in student discipline. In 2020 he won a City Council seat on the insurgent "Change Slate" with Phil Brock and Christine Parra, breaking SMRR's four-decade dominance. He immediately created controversy by challenging the process for appointing his replacement to the School Board and eventually lost his council seat after being accused of anti-semitism by fellow board members.
He is a longtime Pico Neighborhood Association leader whose wife, Maria Loya, is a named plaintiff in the ongoing voting-rights suit against the city.
SMC is currently under heavy fiscal pressure and the board has faced significant criticism over its ability to meet the current needs of the school.
The board voted recently to approve roughly 70 layoffs after a projected $16.7 million deficit threatened to empty reserves by next year, with fund balance dropping from $43.9 million in 2021-22 to a projected $13.1 million. Critics have blasted the board for years of mismanagement, citing a 2023 7% management salary raise—worth about $27,000 annually to the superintendent president and $21,000 to vice presidents—approved even as structural deficits mounted, while classified staff earning $50,000-55,000 saw comparable increases worth only $290-320 monthly.
While individuals with serious campaigns have filed financial paperwork to prepare for the election, no one is actually a candidate for any office until they qualify via the official nomination process.
The nomination period for three seats on the Santa Monica City Council, three seats on the Rent Control Board, four seats on the Santa Monica-Malibu School District Board and four seats on the Santa Monica College District Board officially opens on Monday, July 13.
Interested candidates are encouraged to attend the Candidate Workshop on July 13 at 10 a.m. in City Hall Council Chambers to learn about the nomination process and pick up forms. Candidates unable to attend the workshop must make appointments to pick up nomination packets after the workshop. For available appointment dates/times, visit the [city’s election webpage.](https://www.santamonica.gov/elections/2026-11-03?ref=smdp.com)
Completed forms must be filed by Friday, Aug. 7 at 5 p.m. The filing period will be extended to Wednesday, Aug. 12 at 5:30 p.m. if no incumbent files nomination papers.
So far 10 individuals have filed campaign finance paperwork for City Council including Eli Gill, Daniel Ivanov, Ericka Lesley, Brett Morrow, Lana Negrete, Ashley Oelsen, Angela Scott, Caroline Torosis, Derrick Townsend and Doug Trussler.
Luis Barrera Castanon, Kera Blades-Snell, Oscar de la Torre and Thomas Peters have opened committees to run for SMC Board.
So far, four individuals have filed financial statements for School Board including Harry Leshner, Laurie Lieberman, Alicia Mignano and Robbie Staenberg
Visit [santamonica.gov/elections/2026-11-03](https://www.santamonica.gov/elections/2026-11-03?ref=smdp.com) for appointment times, general resources on how to run for office and other election information.
### Kitty Szeto Nominated as Best Lawyer in 2026: A Quiet Storm in the Loud World of Law
URL: https://www.smdp.com/kitty-szeto-nominated-best-lawyer-in-2026/
Last updated: 2026-07-24T22:58:38.000Z
In the bustling world of law, where voices often clash like cymbals, one name rises above the noise: [Kitty Szeto](https://www.blairramirezlaw.com/kitty-szeto?ref=smdp.com). Nominated for **Best Lawyer in 2026**, her name lingers on the tip of many tongues. Why her? What makes this lawyer stand out in a sea of legal eagles?
Let’s consider how Kitty made her way into the legal realm. You might think she followed a tidy path, but real life is far messier.
Starting in Hong Kong, Kitty spoke Cantonese and lived in a world where everything felt familiar. Then, she moved to the United States, where everything turned upside down. Can you picture it? New language, new customs: the ultimate “Welcome to the Jungle” experience.
At the University of Southern California, she studied Business Administration with a sprinkle of Political Science. Sounds fancy, right? But Kitty didn’t stop there. She tackled the complexities of law at Loyola Law School. Stepping into law is like choosing a rollercoaster ride. Who would dare to brave the ups and downs of courtrooms filled with tension? Kitty did, and she keeps on thriving.
Today, she serves as Senior Counsel at [Blair & Ramirez LLP](https://www.blairramirezlaw.com/?ref=smdp.com) in Los Angeles. Think of this firm as a squad for workers facing tricky issues. Kitty has worn many capes before this one, including as a partner at a plaintiffs’ firm, tackling wage disputes and the occasional consumer case. What’s at stake here? Workers battling against the big, scary machinery of corporate systems. With paychecks at stake and voices fighting to be heard, that’s a story worth telling.
One of her most jaw-dropping triumphs happened back in 2014\. Think about a trial so intense it earned the title of California’s second-largest fraud verdict that year. That 2014 victory didn’t just end with cheers in the courtroom. It paved the way for recognition as the Trial Lawyer of the Year from the Antelope Valley Bar Association, not once, but twice. Why is that a big deal? Because when peers applaud you, it shouts trust like a house party invitation. Who doesn’t want to be the life of the party?
**But can a couple of shining moments define a full-blown career? What do you think? Not really. In the years following her big wins, Kitty kept popping up on recognition lists that lawyers know carry real weight. She earned recognition as a Southern California Rising Star before later being named a Southern California Super Lawyer. She also landed among Super Lawyers’ Top Women Attorneys and the Daily Journal’s Top 100 Women Lawyers.**
**Her growing list of honors includes:**
- **Trial Lawyer of the Year – Antelope Valley Bar Association**
- **Top 100 Women Lawyers – Daily Journal**
- **Southern California Super Lawyer (2023, 2024)**
- **Top Women Attorneys – Super Lawyers**
- **Southern California Rising Star**
**That’s a pretty impressive collection of recognition. While awards don’t win cases on their own, they do tell an interesting story. When respected organizations keep calling your name, it’s usually because you’ve earned a reputation for showing up, doing the work, and delivering results. So, what’s the special ingredient in Kitty’s law career recipe?**
Each list whispers the same message: Kitty keeps delivering solid work. Her skills haven’t slipped into the shadows; they shine bright like a lighthouse guiding lost ships. But let’s flip the coin. What happens when a jury faces Kitty Szeto in a courtroom?
When the jury members look at her, they see more than just a lawyer. Did you know that Kitty blends law with the art of understanding people? She’s been invited to speak at places like the Trial Lawyers University and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. Sounds prestigious, doesn’t it? Topics she tackles range from behavioral economics to cognitive science in courtroom persuasion. Yes, these words may sound complicated, but boil it down, and it’s simple: How do people decide what feels true?
Why does one story stick while another fades away? Is it the tone of the speaker, or the facts being shared? Kitty asks these questions constantly, shaping her strategy and sharpening her courtroom skills. She even dives into important issues like gender bias in the legal world. What do you think? Can spotlighting bias change the game, or is it just a name on a checklist?
There are no simple answers, yet Kitty’s passion for equity shines through. Law isn’t just about rules for her. It’s a living, breathing structure built by people’s lives, not cold mechanisms. But that’s not all. Kitty also stepped into public service as the first Deputy Mayor for the City of Lancaster. A trial lawyer in city governance? That twists our briefcases, doesn’t it? What links courtroom battles to city leadership? Negotiation skills? Pressure handling? Or is it a deeper sense of duty?
In 2023, Kitty sharpened her skills further at the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College in Wyoming. That place is known for turning good lawyers into courtroom warriors. It shows that even someone recognized at high levels isn’t afraid to keep learning. What does that say about restlessness in the best way? It tells you there’s always room for improvement.
Then the [2026 Super Lawyers](https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/healthcare/articles/kitty-szeto-selected-2026-southern-140000973.html?ref=smdp.com) news hit. It highlighted her impressive work in employment and labor law. From workplace tiffs to championing employee rights, Kitty remains a protector in a world where many feel at odds. But reading press releases is like peering through a foggy window. They don’t reveal the real story. What do her clients feel when they sit across from her? Do they feel secure? Do they feel their voices are amplified? Or do they just see a lawyer navigating a colossal maze?
The truth can be elusive. What’s visible is a repeated pattern. Kitty’s name pops up in various formats: [nominations](https://www.smdp.com/kitty-szeto-best-lawyer-in-2025/), accolades, mentions…You get it. None of these tells the entire story. So, why does her name keep echoing through the hallways of legal recognition?
Is it the big wins? Those million-dollar settlements that spark admiration? Maybe, but there’s more. Visibility (not just results) also paints the picture. Speaking engagements that light up stages and leadership roles that carry weight all matter. But while many lawyers achieve victories and take center stage, few maintain that golden touch over years and years.
Let’s not forget the human element often overshadowed in law profiles. Kitty’s journey includes immigration, mastering a new language, and navigating cultural shifts. Born in Hong Kong, she boldly stepped into unfamiliar shoes within the American legal system. Think about that. What a transition. Does that experience give her sharper instincts, or does it build a resilience that becomes a subtle yet powerful asset?
In 2026, with awards, lists, and nominations buzzing, one might wonder what true excellence looks like beneath the long list of glittering titles. Is it just about the verdicts? The laundry list of speeches? The respect from other attorneys? Or is it the steady rhythm of performance under pressure over many seasons?
The legal world loves its tidy categories. It clings to lists like they’re treasures. But careers like Kitty’s? They refuse to squeeze into neat boxes. So, what does the 2026 nomination mean? Simply put, it serves as a checkpoint, a chance to pause and reflect.
Kitty Szeto’s profile dances between courtroom victories, public applause, and meaningful relationships. Recognition, awards, and her speaking history all weave a rich tapestry. Yet, alone, none of these elements fully captures the complex story. And maybe that’s the key point.
A lawyer’s journey isn’t written in just one shining year, even when the headlines scream success. It’s built through the fabric of repetitive efforts, navigating pressure, and making those tough choices while under the spotlight. So, when Kitty Szeto’s name bubbles up in 2026, the real question is not whether she deserves the accolades. No. It’s what the legal world is truly measuring when they keep landing on her name.
Is it sheer skill? Unwavering consistency? Ever-expanding influence? Or perhaps something even harder to pin down? The answer stays open. And in law, open questions often matter more than closed ones.
### LA28 Day of Sport Goes National, Draws Record 13,000 Young Athletes
URL: https://www.smdp.com/la28-day-of-sport-goes-national-draws-record-13-000-young-athletes/
Last updated: 2026-07-07T19:00:00.000Z
More than 13,000 young athletes took part in LA28's Day of Sport on June 23, the highest participation since the event began in 2023 and the first time it expanded beyond California.
Held in recognition of National Olympic and Paralympic Day, the celebration reached 180 sites, including 120 PlayLA locations in Los Angeles and venue cities such as Carson, Inglewood, Long Beach, Pasadena, Pomona, Arcadia and Anaheim. For the first time, activities also took place in Oklahoma City and in cities hosting LA28 Olympic soccer matches, including Nashville, Tennessee; Columbus, Ohio; and San Jose.
"LA28's Day of Sport going national reflects the growing excitement across the country as we prepare for the Olympic and Paralympic Games to return to the U.S. in just two years," said Janet Evans, LA28 chief athlete officer.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said expanding access to sports is a priority as the city prepares to host the 2028 Games. "LA28's Day of Sport and programs like PlayLA have played an important role in empowering the next generation of athletes," she said.
LA28 worked with more than 30 community organizations on the activities. At the Salvation Army's LA Red Shield Community Center in Pico-Union, Evans joined more than 200 young athletes alongside Olympians Nadia Comaneci, Bart Conner, Reginald Jagers, Nick Itkin and Mariah Bell and Paralympians Jamal Hill and Ileana Rodriguez.
The day began with a Parade of Nations and opening ceremony before participants rotated through basketball, flag football, soccer, track and field, para swimming and water polo. A closing ceremony awarded select athletes commemorative medals, and each participant received gifts including a ball, an LA28-branded Nike T-shirt and a swim cap from DICK'S Sporting Goods.
The initiative supports LA28's pledge to expand youth sports access, anchored by PlayLA, a city program backed by a $160 million investment from LA28 and the International Olympic Committee and delivered through the Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department.
June 23 also marks International Olympic Day. This year the IOC is running its Let's Move campaign under the theme "You Can Do This," encouraging young people worldwide to try sport.
Day of Sport celebrations continue through the week.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica artist turns mermaids and octopuses into ocean advocacy
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-artist-turns-mermaids-and-octopuses-into-ocean-advocacy/
Last updated: 2026-07-07T19:00:00.000Z
A hometown artist is enlisting a dancing octopus and a sunlit mermaid in the fight to save the oceans.
Andie Dinkin, who grew up walking distance from the beach here, has teamed with the nonprofit Artists Support to release a collection of limited-edition prints and apparel benefiting Oceana, the largest international organization devoted solely to ocean conservation. The collection, called "Friends of the Ocean," launched June 8 on World Oceans Day and will be available through Sept. 7, Labor Day, at [oceana.org/friendsoftheocean](https://gift.oceana.org/collections/friends-of-the-ocean?ref=smdp.com).
The campaign, timed to Ocean Action Month, arrives as marine ecosystems face mounting pressure from climate change, overfishing, pollution and coastal destruction. Each year, fishing gear kills or injures millions of marine animals as bycatch, while plastic pollution, ocean acidification and rising sea temperatures threaten entire ecosystems.
For Dinkin, the cause is personal. The artist, who was born in Los Angeles in 1991 and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2014, said her bond with the water took root in childhood.
"I grew up in Santa Monica, walking distance from the ocean. From a young age, I developed a love affair with the water and the species that inhabit and surround it," Dinkin said. "The ocean's ecosystems and species are so resilient. We just have to give them a sliver of a chance, we have to fight for the ocean."
That connection has been tested. Dinkin said she avoided the coastline after the January 2025 wildfires, unsure of what she would find, and grew concerned about persistently poor air quality. A recent visit changed her outlook.
"We saw dolphins, which reminded me that I need to stop avoiding the beach and start doing what I can to protect it," she said.
For the collection, Dinkin created three limited-edition prints and designed two silkscreen T-shirts and a large canvas beach bag. The imagery is mythical and whimsical — one print shows an octopus dancing in high-heeled boots, another a mermaid enjoying a drink in the sun. Each print is signed, numbered and produced in an edition of 100, priced at $350 and printed by Press Friends of Los Angeles.
The apparel, made by Grand Palace in Nashville, Tennessee, is more affordable. A short-sleeve T-shirt depicting a mermaid on the shore under moonlight sells for $60, and a long-sleeve shirt with a black-and-white underwater scene sells for $80\. Both are 100% cotton in editions of 150\. A $100 canvas tote, an edition of 100, features a masked mermaid reading a book inside a shell.
Proceeds will support Oceana's advocacy work, including protecting whales and turtles threatened as bycatch in the Pacific Ocean and defending California's coastline from oil and plastic pollution.
Ashley Blacow-Draeger, a field campaign manager for Oceana, said Southern California waters hold extraordinary biodiversity but face serious risks.
"Ocean animals are vulnerable to many threats including getting inadvertently captured in fishing gear, ingestion of single-use plastic, and increased oil spill risk from the threat of a federal proposal to expand offshore drilling," she said. "While we've made great progress, there remains so much to do to turn the tide."
The collaboration is the second between Dinkin and Artists Support to benefit Oceana. Last year's campaign, "Untangled," offered nine paintings and a limited-edition print. The pair first joined forces in 2024, raising more than $65,000 for emergency services responding to the California wildfires.
Jon Frank, Oceana's director for corporate and [celebrity partnerships](https://www.smdp.com/local-martial-arts-studio-grounds-dragons-and-sorcery-tv-show-producer/), tied the effort to the group's broader mission.
"This collection launches during Ocean Action Month, our rallying cry for communities everywhere to come together and protect and restore healthy, abundant oceans," Frank said. "For 25 years, Oceana and our allies have championed impact through action, and Friends of the Ocean shows how each of us can help safeguard the seas."
Clara Zevi, founder and director of Artists Support, said the goal is both financial and cultural. Since 2020, her organization has worked with more than 70 artists to raise over $1 million for causes ranging from emergency care in conflict zones to global nonprofits.
"We're trying to raise as much as possible to directly benefit Oceana's campaigns, but we're also trying to get the message out that if we want to live in a world with whales, turtles, seals, corals, and generally healthy oceans, we need to advocate," Zevi said. "Wearing a mermaid T-shirt, or gifting someone an octopus print is a fun, authentic way to show that you care about ocean and marine wildlife conservation."
Dinkin said the work has reshaped how she sees her art. "The more work I do for the environment, the more inclined I feel to do more," she said.
### Santa Monica 4th of July parade 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-4th-of-july-parade-2026/
Last updated: 2026-07-07T16:56:01.000Z
Santa Monica came out to celebrate the annual 4th of July Parade this weekend. The route was reversed but the enthusiasm and crowds were just as strong. If you were in the parade, then SMDP probably has your photo so check out our gallery below to see if we caught your entry.
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### City terminates negotiations with California Roadhouse for new Pier restaurant
URL: https://www.smdp.com/city-terminates-negotiations-with-california-roadhouse-for-new-pier-restaurant/
Last updated: 2026-07-07T18:13:20.000Z
The city of Santa Monica has called off lease negotiations with California Roadhouse, Inc. for the vacant restaurant space at 256 Santa Monica Pier, City Manager Oliver Chi said, citing the company’s attempts to negotiate over worker-protection terms approved by the City Council.
In a letter to Roadhouse ownership laying out the city’s position, Chi said California Roadhouse “rejected the Lease on the terms authorized by the City Council” and instead sought material changes, leaving the city “no option but to move forward with canceling the current procurement process.” The city plans to begin a new process to select a tenant for the 4,100-square-foot space, formerly home to Rusty’s Surf Ranch.
Sean Ahaus, California Roadhouse’s owner and CEO, disputed that characterization and said he believes a deal can still be reached. “We have not rejected the lease,” Ahaus wrote in response to Chi. “We just requested the city negotiate and communicate in good faith, an addendum that, among other things, confirms the city will honor our federally protected employer rights in our lease.” He said that if the city agrees to the company’s proposed clarifications, “I believe we have likely already agreed on all terms.”
The breakdown centers on two provisions in the city’s proposed lease: a Labor Peace provision and an Employee Retention provision. Chi said both are required under the city’s Pier Leasing Guidelines and were part of the terms the City Council authorized in April. According to Chi, Ahaus stated at that meeting that he was willing to accept worker protections previously negotiated with city staff.
Ahaus, in his response, said his agreement extended only to providing “a fair opportunity for all eligible former Rusty’s Workers to join our team,” which he called “the only or primary worker protection that we negotiated together and definitively agreed to.” He said his concerns about the other sections have been “well documented since 2025.”
According to Chi’s account, the city sent California Roadhouse a final version of the lease on June 1\. After Ahaus asked the city on June 11 to confirm Chi’s authority to sign it, Chi responded on June 12 that he was prepared to execute the lease in its June 1 form but was not authorized to sign any version that materially deviated from it. Rather than accept those terms, Chi said, Ahaus sought the deletion of the Labor Peace provision and changes to the Employee Retention provision that would have reduced the protections directed by the council, while also raising the prospect of litigation against the city.
Ahaus said that on June 12, California Roadhouse submitted a proposed addendum titled “California Roadhouse Lease Clarifications and Definitions,” seeking clarity on lease definitions and on employer rights the company believed it might be forfeiting by signing the lease as presented.
Chi said he spoke with Ahaus by phone on June 15 to ask directly whether he would accept the June 1 lease terms. According to Chi, Ahaus said his position had already been laid out in prior email correspondence and that he was not prepared to sign without changes to the worker-protection language. Ahaus offered a different account of the call, saying he told Chi he was waiting for a written, detailed response to the proposed addendum so the company could understand “exactly what employer rights we might be jeopardizing” before signing.
Chi said he subsequently sought direction from the City Council, based on his understanding that Ahaus no longer accepted the lease terms approved on April 28, and that the council reaffirmed its position, declining to alter the worker-protection provisions. Ahaus called that characterization “a falsity,” saying he never agreed to terms. He said the company has “every intention of moving forward with leasing 256 Santa Monica Pier, under lawful terms” and noted California Roadhouse has already invested money and resources into improving the space.
Chi said he called Ahaus again on June 24 to relay the council’s reaffirmed position and ask once more whether he would accept the lease as transmitted June 1\. Ahaus declined to say yes or no, according to Chi, saying he first needed written answers to the questions the company had been raising for weeks. Ahaus reiterated he neither agreed to nor rejected the lease during that call and was still waiting for an official response to the company’s addendum. He said Chi told him the request for clarifications “was just a bunch of noise,” a characterization Ahaus called shocking coming from a city official. Ahaus said some former Rusty’s workers have been unemployed for more than a year and a half, and he asked why the city would not spend “a few hours clarifying terms, definitions, and which employer rights we will be able to retain” rather than continue the impasse.
The dispute caps a lease process that has stretched more than a year. Ahaus submitted a winning proposal in 2025 through a competitive process, and the Santa Monica Pier Corporation Board approved it twice, once in an initial vote that was later challenged and again in December following a re-notice. City staff had recommended a five-year lease with a five-year extension option, monthly rent of $26,728 based on $6.25 per square foot, and incentives of approximately $725,000 in tenant improvements, building repairs, and waived rent.
The item was pulled from a scheduled March council vote without public explanation after labor union UNITE HERE Local 11 secured an emergency meeting with senior city staff to oppose the lease. City Council members later pushed for a labor peace agreement and right-to-recall provisions after their attempts to force the ideas upon the Roadhouse via a city ordinance failed.
Ahaus has said the prolonged process has drained his financing, cost him staff and business opportunities, and left roughly 150 potential jobs unfilled. He has also sent the city a formal legal notice, dated June 14, accusing officials of labor collusion, coercion, violations of federal labor preemption doctrine and potential civil rights violations under color of state law, and demanding the city preserve related records and communications. The notice stems from a Dec. 19, 2025, meeting at California Roadhouse’s offices where a UNITE HERE Local 11 organizer allegedly said, in front of a city Economic Development Department staffer, that the city had agreed with the union to withhold a lease unless California Roadhouse hired the entire former Rusty’s workforce.
Ahaus has said the evidence of collusion with the union has increased in recent weeks. According to Ahaus, Pier Corporation boardmembers informed him that the Santa Monica City Council had advised the board that the next restaurant tenant on the Santa Monica Pier “will have to be represented by the union.” According to Ahaus, the statement was not surprising because it corroborates representations previously made by UNITE HERE Local 11 and further corroborates his accusation that the city has been working with the union to thwart his application.
Ahaus said that in his opinion the entire negotiation process was an attempt to appease the union rather than protect workers.
“These jobs are being held hostage by the city while pretending they are trying to protect these jobs,” he said. “All these people could go back to work tomorrow if the city would just agree to everyone’s federally protected rights.”
He said his last communication with Oliver went unanswered and if the city believes it can abridge his legally protected rights, they should be specific about that at the negotiation table.
“It’s not about jobs, if it was about jobs we could rehire everyone immediately,” he said. “This is about union infiltration of private business.”
In a separate email, Ahaus raised the possibility that if the city cancels what he described as the company’s “vested rights” in the property and reassigns them to a tenant benefiting UNITE HERE Local 11, the council could be in violation of additional laws. He said he believes the parties “can still come to terms” and suggested mediation if an agreement cannot be reached directly.
The City reiterated the process is closed from their perspective.
“In light of these circumstances, the City has concluded that the parties will be unable to reach agreement, and accordingly, the City will pursue a new use for the space,” said City Hall in a statement. “The City values the time the California Roadhouse operator invested in this process, and we wish the operator well in his future endeavors. This location drew more than a hundred inquiries and nine competing proposals, and the City is confident it will attract an excellent operator.”
editor@smdp.com
### FEMA Extends Housing Aid for LA Fire Survivors Into 2027
URL: https://www.smdp.com/fema-extends-housing-aid-for-la-fire-survivors-into-2027/
Last updated: 2026-07-06T18:59:59.000Z
State Sen. Ben Allen, D-Pacific Palisades, praised FEMA's decision to extend housing assistance for survivors of last year's Los Angeles fires through July 2027.
Under the extension, eligible homeowners may receive additional financial housing assistance through July 9, 2027, and renters may receive extended assistance through Oct. 9, 2026\. FEMA[ ](https://us.list-manage.com/xTmqKxeed2L?e=f2be4dab04&c2id=f2925aed7d8f96d795ed1a4f9be653c7&ref=smdp.com)[approved](https://us.list-manage.com/xTmqKxeed2L?e=f2be4dab04&c2id=f2925aed7d8f96d795ed1a4f9be653c7&ref=smdp.com) California's request after citing continuing challenges including insurance issues, housing constraints and labor shortages.
"This is a critical lifeline for the thousands of families across Los Angeles who are still recovering from the devastating fires last year," Allen said. "Rebuilding from a disaster of this magnitude takes time and resources, and survivors continue to need housing and financial assistance for their effort to return home."
Allen thanked FEMA and Gov. Newsom and urged the federal government to release a requested $15.5 billion in long-term recovery funding, which he said has historically been provided to states in the immediate aftermath of disasters of comparable scale.
Since the 2025 Los Angeles fires displaced tens of thousands of families, more than $177 million has been provided to 35,000 households through FEMA's[ ](https://www.fema.gov/assistance/individual/program?ref=smdp.com)[Individuals and Households Program](https://www.fema.gov/assistance/individual/program?ref=smdp.com).
"We're continuing to work hand-in-hand across all levels of government to ensure the community has the resources needed for a full recovery," Allen said. "This issue is not going away."
Allen represents the 24th state Senate District, covering the Westside, Hollywood, the coastal South Bay and the Santa Monica Mountains communities of Los Angeles County.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Former Rival Ellen Evans Endorses Goldsmith in State Senate District 24 Race
URL: https://www.smdp.com/former-rival-ellen-evans-endorses-goldsmith-in-state-senate-district-24-race/
Last updated: 2026-07-06T18:59:59.000Z
Brian Goldsmith has won the endorsement of Ellen Evans, a civil rights advocate and neighborhood leader who ran against him in the primary for California's 24th State Senate District. She is the first primary challenger to weigh in on the general election.
"California is facing extraordinary challenges, yet too often our government falls short not because we lack good intentions, but because we fail to execute," Evans said in a statement. She said she was backing Goldsmith because of his integrity and respect for constituents. "We won't agree on every issue, but that's not the point. I believe Brian will approach this job with humility, seriousness, and a determination to make government work better for the people of California."
Goldsmith called Evans "an exemplary community leader, a candidate of substance and integrity, and a trailblazer for LGBTQ rights," adding that he looked forward to working with her through the general election and as a collaborator afterward.
Evans has spent decades in the district as an activist, beginning during the AIDS crisis with protests for LGBTQ+ equality and women's rights. In 2008, she and her wife, Laura Brill, were among the couples who married in California shortly before the passage of Proposition 8, prompting her to join the board of the Equality California Institute. She co-founded the Doheny Sunset Plaza Neighborhood Association in 2017 and serves as vice president of her local Neighborhood Council.
Running for office for the first time, Goldsmith has drawn endorsements from a range of officials including Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, retired Sen. Barbara Boxer and Secretary Pete Buttigieg, along with local mayors, council members and law enforcement, gun-safety and labor organizations. His campaign says it has support from more than 150 leaders and organizations in the open race to succeed Sen. Ben Allen in 2026.
Goldsmith is a small-business owner, award-winning journalist and Democratic consultant who shared in an Alfred I. duPont Award for political reporting during his time at CBS News. A Los Angeles native and graduate of Harvard College and Stanford Law School, he lives in the district with his wife, Claire, and their two children.
More information is available at[ ](http://www.briangoldsmith.com/?ref=smdp.com)[BrianGoldsmith.com](http://www.briangoldsmith.com/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### LA County Moves to Ease Permitting for Restaurants
URL: https://www.smdp.com/la-county-moves-to-ease-permitting-for-restaurants/
Last updated: 2026-07-06T18:59:59.000Z
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion by Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath aimed at helping restaurants navigate the county's permitting and plan check processes and making it easier to open new food establishments across the region.
"Every restaurant starts with someone sharing a piece of themselves — a family recipe, a cultural tradition, or a dream they've carried for years," Horvath said. "The people opening and operating restaurants are taking a chance on our communities, and we should meet that courage with clear guidance, meaningful support, and a path that makes it easier to bring those ideas to life."
The action directs the Department of Public Health and the Department of Public Works to develop plans for implementing new state laws meant to streamline restaurant permitting and renovation, including measures that set expedited review timelines and provide greater flexibility for restaurant operations.
The board also directed the Department of Public Health, in consultation with the Department of Economic Opportunity and other partners, to update restaurant permitting websites, checklists and toolkits to make them more user-friendly; conduct outreach so operators understand available resources and new state policies; and explore expanding technical assistance and concierge-style services that offer one-on-one guidance before plans are submitted.
The departments were also directed to evaluate ways to improve language accessibility and tailored support for applicants throughout the process, and to identify further recommendations to help restaurants open more efficiently.
Restaurants support thousands of jobs and are a key driver of tourism and local economic activity throughout Los Angeles County. By improving access to information and strengthening technical assistance, the county aims to create a more predictable and supportive experience for owners seeking to open or expand their businesses.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### From high school dropout to 4.0 and commencement speaker: an SMC student's turnaround
URL: https://www.smdp.com/from-high-school-dropout-to-4-0-and-commencement-speaker-an-smc-students-turnaround/
Last updated: 2026-07-06T18:59:59.000Z
Madeline Davis spent years convinced she was not smart enough for school. She dropped out at 16, certain that trying and failing would only confirm it. She earned a 4.0 grade point average at Santa Monica College and was chosen as student speaker for the school's 96th commencement.
"It's been a long journey," Davis said, "as well as a fresh start."
In her first English class back at SMC, Davis studied the difference between a "growth mindset," the idea that ability can be developed, and a "fixed mindset." She had long placed herself in the second category — until the professor described his own struggles in school and being told he was not smart. Now he was teaching college.
"I thought, if he can do it, so can I," Davis said. "I've been able to maintain a 4.0 my whole time here at SMC," she said.
Davis lost her mother to cancer at 14, just before her middle school [graduation](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-college-celebrates-96th-commencement-second-largest-class-in-its-history/), a loss that pulled her into drugs, grief and depression. She dropped out two years later. Newly sober, she entered the workforce and found strengths school never revealed. She worked at Zara, Lush and Bloomingdale's and was promoted to manager at 18.
"I never knew how capable I was until I was put in leadership roles," Davis said. "I always hated school because I was told I was bad at it, but I was also told that I am a great people person, which is what brought me to retail. Working in retail gave me the experience and confidence to thrive in every aspect of my life."
Those years made her want to return on her own terms. "Leaving school at 16 to work retail gave me the life experiences I needed to truly want to go to college," she said. "Not just go through the motions because I feel like college is what I have to do. But genuinely want to expand my knowledge and become the best version of myself."
A first attempt at an SMC course ended after one week when a close friend died of an overdose. During the pandemic she earned her high school equivalency, went to therapy and trained as a hairstylist, but chronic health problems, including scoliosis and a pinched nerve, made standing all day unsustainable.
"Although I am only 25, I feel like I have lived many lives already," Davis said. "That shaped me into the woman I am today. The importance of having a healthy social life and work life at a young age helped me grow much faster."
At SMC, communication courses gave Davis her direction. A communications studies professor, Julie Chekroun, ran class as a conversation. "I used to be told it doesn't matter what I think," Davis said. "To then have an authority figure care what I have to say ... made me excited."
Chekroun made her want to teach. "If I were a professor, I would want to be just like her," Davis said. "She inspired me to want to be a teacher; she planted the seed that my ASL class watered."
An American Sign Language course confirmed it. "The ASL course did not change my confidence; it pushed me towards a decision I had unconsciously formed," Davis said. Going in with some knowledge, she found classmates leaning on her. "My classmates were asking me for help, and it felt so empowering," she said. "After helping my classmates, it just clicked that this is what I am supposed to do."
Now eight years sober, Davis credits Alcoholics Anonymous, family, friends and her professors. "I wouldn't be so good at public speaking if it wasn't for AA," she said. She recently won the persuasive portion of an SMC intramural speaking competition with a speech on the stigma surrounding addiction, arguing the best way to fight it is education and firsthand experience with sober people.
"My story is not special; a lot of students there are just like me," Davis said. "That is why I try to be extremely open and vulnerable with my story, to pave the way for others like me."
This fall, Davis will begin studies at [Emerson College](https://emerson.edu/emerson-los-angeles?ref=smdp.com). "As soon as I got to that campus, it felt like home," she said.
Her longer goal points back to SMC. "My goal is to eventually teach at SMC. I believe I can do the most good in my life if I were a professor at SMC," she said. "Whether I end up teaching, being a counselor, a mentor, or something else, I just hope I end up giving back what I got from SMC. SMC and the amazing professors there gave me hope, confidence, courage, and a career. I hope to inspire other students to believe in themselves and reach their full potential."
### Publishing a Newspaper Notice: California DBA Requirements
URL: https://www.smdp.com/how-to-publish-dba-newspaper-notice-california/
Last updated: 2026-07-28T22:38:51.000Z
**If you skip this step, your DBA may not be legally complete.** You might have already picked a name, filled out forms, and told people about your business. But if you don’t publish a DBA newspaper notice in the right newspaper, the right county, and for the right amount of time, your DBA isn’t finished. That means you can’t open a business bank account in some banks, sign contracts, or show that your business name was properly registered. Time is running as soon as you file.
Many people don’t know about this rule until they have a problem. The bank might say no to your business account. The county clerk might return your affidavit. Or you might lose a contract because you can’t show you’re using your business name legally.
But you can avoid these problems. Learning how to [publish a DBA newspaper notice](https://www.smdp.com/where-to-publish-dba-in-los-angeles/) the right way makes your business legal from the start.
## The Costly Oversight That Can Void Your DBA Filing
Starting a business means handling lots of paperwork. With all the forms, licenses, and steps, it’s easy to forget about the rule to publish a DBA newspaper notice.
Right now, more people than ever are starting businesses in California. According to the U.S. Census Bureau business formation data reported by the [**U.S. Small Business Administration**](https://www.sba.gov/article/2024/01/11/new-business-applications-reach-record-16-million-under-biden-harris-administration??ref=smdp.com), nearly **5.5 million new business applications were filed in the U.S. in 2023**, a record high. Many of them are doing it for the first time and don’t have a lawyer or accountant to help. This makes it easy to miss the DBA newspaper notice step.
Because of this, many businesses are open but not fully legal. They either skipped, waited too long, or made mistakes with the DBA newspaper notice.
The good news: this is easy to fix. But only if you know what the requirement actually involves.
## Understanding California’s Mandatory DBA Notice Rules
In California, most businesses that file a DBA must also publish a legal notice. After you file your fictitious business name with the county, you have to:
- Publish your fictitious business name in a special local newspaper within 30 days.
- The notice must run **once a week for four consecutive weeks**.
- Within **30 days** of the final publication date, you must file an **affidavit of publication** with the county clerk.
If you skip any part, your DBA registration may not be fully complete, even if your business is well-known.
A few things are worth knowing upfront. Not every newspaper qualifies. You must use one that the court has approved for legal notices in your county. You can’t use a newspaper from a different county.
The DBA registration itself is valid for five years. After that, you need to renew it, which includes going through the publication process again.
## A Stress-Free Way to Handle Your DBA Newspaper Notice
Here is exactly how the process works, from start to finish.
**Step 1: File your Fictitious Business Name Statement**
Before you can publish anything, you need to go to the county clerk’s office in your business’s county and file your [Fictitious Business Name](https://www.smdp.com/how-to-publish-fbn-in-los-angeles/) Statement. There is a fee, usually less than $100.
**Step 2: Get a copy of your filing**
After your statement is filed and approved, you’ll receive a stamped copy. Most newspapers will ask to see this before they can run your legal notice DBA filing.
**Step 3: Contact a legally adjudicated newspaper in your county**
Pick a newspaper that is legally allowed (adjudicated) to run legal notices in your county. Ask if they are approved for this.
**Step 4: Provide the required information**
Give them your filed Fictitious Business Name Statement and your contact details. The newspaper will write the notice for you.
**Step 5: Confirm the four-week publication run**
Your notice must be published once a week for four weeks in a row. Keep track of the first and last publication dates, as you’ll need them for the affidavit.
**Step 6: Obtain and file your affidavit of publication DBA notice**
After the four weeks, the newspaper will give you an affidavit (proof) saying your notice ran. File this affidavit of publication DBA notice with the county clerk within 30 days. This finishes your DBA registration.
## Why Missing a DBA Newspaper Notice Can Hurt Your Business
If you use a fictitious business name in California but don’t finish the [DBA publication requirements](https://www.smdp.com/dba-fictitious-business-name-filing/), it’s more than just missing paperwork.
It’s actually against the law. Ignoring DBA rules can create legal problems for your business.
**What else can happen right away:**
- You **can’t enforce contracts** in court until you finish all DBA publication requirements.
- **Banks will turn you away.** Some banks may ask for proof of publication before opening your account.
- **Your DBA may not be fully protected under California law.** Without full publication and affidavit filing, you may run into problems using your business name officially.
These problems are common if you miss this step, but you can avoid them by following the rules.
## The Legal Logic Behind the Publication Requirement
Some business owners think newspaper publication is old-fashioned, but it’s not.
Publishing a legal notice for your DBA lets everyone know who owns the business name. This helps protect customers, lenders, and other businesses, since they can see who is really behind the name.
Research from the [Public Policy Institute of California](https://www.ppic.org/publication/californias-businesses/?ref=smdp.com) found that over 90% of California’s private business establishments employ fewer than 20 people. With so many small businesses operating across the state, the public needs to know who is behind a business name. If someone does business with a company using a name like “Pacific Coast Interiors” or “West Side Roofing,” public records should clearly show who owns and operates that business.
The [affidavit of publication](https://www.smdp.com/affidavit-of-publication-los-angeles-county/) DBA notice is the proof that you made this public notice. It is a legal record you can use in court.
## Choosing the Right Newspaper: What to Look For
Not every newspaper can publish your legal notice for DBA filings. The newspaper must:
- Be officially **approved (adjudicated)** in your county.
- Have an **established publication history.**
- **Clearly explain their affidavit process**, so you know when and how you’ll get your affidavit.
- Have **experience with legal notices** and **DBA filings** to avoid mistakes.
For example, in Santa Monica and nearby areas, the [Santa Monica Daily Press (SMDP)](https://www.smdp.com/) is a legally adjudicated publication with more than two decades of community journalism behind it. Founded in 2001, SMDP covers the Westside extensively and serves a readership of 12,500 print readers per issue and over 600,000 monthly page views online. For businesses operating in this part of Los Angeles County, SMDP offers a [straightforward legal notice filing process](https://www.smdp.com/legal-notices/) that meets California’s publication requirements.
## Errors to Avoid When Publishing Your DBA Notice
Even when business owners know the publication is required, mistakes with the legal notice or affidavit can cause problems later. Be careful to [avoid these common errors:](https://www.smdp.com/california-legal-notice-publication/)
- **Publishing in the wrong county.** Your DBA must be published in the county where your business is located, not where you live or a nearby county.
- **Missing the 30-day filing window.** You must start publishing your legal notice within 30 days after filing with the county.
- **Losing track of the affidavit deadline.** You must file your affidavit within 30 days after the last publication.
- **Using a non-adjudicated paper.** Ask the newspaper to confirm its adjudication status before you commit. A qualified paper will have no problem providing this information.
- **Not keeping copies.** Keep copies of every published legal notice and your affidavit. You might need them for banks, partners, or courts.
## Your DBA Is Only Valid When Every Step Is Done
If you don’t finish the publication step, your DBA may not fully meet California requirements, and you’re just using a name without legal rights.
The process is simple but must be done exactly right:
- After filing your DBA, you must start the newspaper publication within 30 days.
- Publish your legal notice once a week for four weeks in an approved newspaper in your county.
- File the affidavit of publication within 30 days after the last notice runs.
If your business is in Santa Monica, Venice, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, or Marina del Rey, the Santa Monica Daily Press can publish your legal notice. You can file online and know your DBA requirements are met.
## DBA Newspaper Notice: Frequently Asked Questions
**1\. What are the DBA publication requirements in California?**
The DBA publication requirements in California are: file your fictitious business name, publish a DBA newspaper notice in an approved local newspaper for four weeks, and then file an affidavit of publication DBA notice with the county clerk.
**How do I find out if a newspaper is adjudicated in my county?**
Ask the newspaper if they are adjudicated for legal notices in your county. If they say yes, you can use them to publish your DBA in the newspaper.
**What is an affidavit of publication for a DBA?**
An affidavit of publication DBA notice is a paper from the newspaper that proves your legal notice for DBA filing was published as required. You file this with the county clerk.
**What happens if I don’t publish my fictitious business name?**
If you don’t publish a DBA newspaper notice, your DBA is not complete. You can’t enforce contracts, open a business bank account, or have legal rights to your business name. In California, operating under an unregistered fictitious business name could also be a misdemeanor.
**How long does the DBA publication process take?**
The process to publish a DBA newspaper notice usually takes six to ten weeks, including filing, four weeks of publication, and affidavit filing.
**Can I publish my DBA notice in any newspaper?**
No, you must publish your DBA in a newspaper that is approved (adjudicated) in your county. You can’t use just any paper, and you cannot publish in a newspaper from a different county.
**Do I need to publish my DBA notice again when I renew?**
Yes, every five years when you renew your DBA, you must publish a DBA newspaper notice again and file a new affidavit of publication DBA notice.
**What information is included in a DBA newspaper notice?**
A DBA newspaper notice includes your fictitious business name, owner’s name and address, business address, county, and the filing date. The newspaper prepares this from your paperwork.
**Where can Westside Los Angeles businesses publish their DBA notice?**
Businesses in Santa Monica, Venice, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and Marina del Rey can publish their DBA notice in the Santa Monica Daily Press, which has an easy legal notice filing process online or by phone.
### First factory-built home installed in Pacific Palisades offers new path for families rebuilding after wildfire
URL: https://www.smdp.com/first-factory-built-home-installed-in-pacific-palisades-offers-new-path-for-families-rebuilding-after-wildfire/
Last updated: 2026-07-06T16:48:53.000Z
The first factory-built home since January's devastating wildfires was installed recently in Pacific Palisades, marking a milestone in the community's recovery and offering a faster path home for families navigating the long rebuilding process.
Built by California-based The Home Gallery, the custom residence is expected to be completed in approximately three months, a timeline company leaders say could help accelerate recovery for homeowners facing lengthy construction schedules, rising costs and insurance challenges. The company produces the homes in their Riverside and Perris manufacturing locations.
For one Palisades family, that means receiving the keys to a fully customized 1,700-square- foot main residence and 600-square-foot accessory dwelling unit (ADU) just months after installation. "This moment in time, we're very excited that we're in a position to get people back into their homes so fast," said Joseph Michaelo, Founder and CEO of The Home Gallery. "Look what happened in four hours. In three months, this whole family will be back—running to school, living their lives again. That's the game. As soon as possible, people want to get back."
The project arrives as thousands of homeowners across Pacific Palisades continue navigating insurance claims, permitting delays, labor shortages and escalating construction costs following one of Southern California's most destructive wildfires.
Unlike traditional construction, The Home Gallery builds homes inside a controlled factory environment before transporting them to the property for final assembly.
"We build these homes in about 15 days inside the factory," said Trace McGuire, Vice President of Sales for The Home Gallery. "Once they arrive onsite, we have about three months of work before homeowners receive their keys."
The Main Residence arrived in three separate sections before being joined onsite, while the ADU was delivered as a single completed unit. "It gets stitched together and you'd never even know it came in multiple pieces," McGuire said. "Everything is fully customizable. You design your floorplan, exterior style, bedrooms, bathrooms, skylights, kitchens and finishes. It's your home."
The Home Gallery offers homes ranging from 450 square feet to more than 4,500 square feet, allowing homeowners to build everything from compact ADUs to expansive custom residences and family compounds.
According to McGuire, complete homes including foundations average approximately $500 per square foot, compared with many traditionally built custom homes currently being rebuilt in Pacific Palisades that range between $800 and $1,200 per square foot.
The featured 1,700-square-foot residence carries a construction cost of approximately $850,000, while the accompanying 600-square-foot ADU creates a shared courtyard designed as an outdoor gathering space for the family. "The biggest thing is people just want to go home," McGuire said. "Everyone I talk to is underinsured. We use all of the same materials as a traditional site-built home—we simply build indoors, where we can do it more efficiently."
That efficiency comes through scale. The Home Gallery manufactures homes at factories in Riverside County capable of producing approximately 20 homes per week. Founded 10 years ago, the company currently has approximately 60 active projects underway and expects several additional homes to be installed in Pacific Palisades in the coming weeks. "This is the first one," McGuire said. "Next month we'll have three or four more coming in. The reason is permitting has finally started moving."
Michaelo said the company had already expanded its manufacturing capabilities before the fires and has since partnered with an additional factory, giving it the capacity to produce hundreds of homes annually. "We now have the capability to really build cities," he said. "This is an opportunity to prove you can build beautiful, high-end homes for much less money and much faster than people expect."
For Michaelo, however, success won't ultimately be measured by production numbers. "I just want to see as many people back in their homes as possible," he said. "As many housewarming parties as we can attend that will be success."
As Pacific Palisades continues its long road to recovery, Thursday's installation represented more than another construction milestone. It marked one family's first visible step toward returning home while demonstrating how innovative building methods could help accelerate the rebuilding of an entire community.
### Gas prices are high for July 4. California’s price-gouging fixes are still on the shelf
URL: https://www.smdp.com/gas-prices-are-high-for-july-4-californias-price-gouging-fixes-are-still-on-the-shelf/
Last updated: 2026-07-05T15:35:31.000Z
By [Alejandro Lazo](https://calmatters.org/author/alejandro-lazo/?ref=smdp.com), CalMatters
This story was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
Drivers are heading into the Fourth of July weekend with [national gas prices at their highest level](http://axios.com/2026/07/02/july-4-gas-prices-highest-since-2022?ref=smdp.com) for the holiday in four years. In California, where prices remain well above the national average, the state’s petroleum watchdog has flagged a separate problem — one that goes beyond the state’s shrinking refinery capacity and isolated fuel market.
The last week of May was the Memorial Day holiday, when the Iran-war price spike was near its peak. Chevron stations in California charged an average of $6.34 a gallon that week — the highest of any brand tracked in the state, and 44 cents above the average unbranded station, those that sell gas without a major oil-company logo.
The finding came from California's gasoline watchdog, a unit inside the state Energy Commission called the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight, which delivered a presentation to a state Senate committee on June 3\.
The [presentation showed](https://seuc.senate.ca.gov/system/files/2026-06/06-03-26-dpmo-presentation.pdf?ref=smdp.com) branded stations charged more than unbranded ones in California – a bigger gap than in the rest of the country – and identified major brands' grip on the retail market as a driver.
California can now see into its gasoline market as never before. But its laws may be fighting the wrong problem.
The state’s existing gas-price oversight laws, pushed by Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier in his term, centered on emergency price hikes, refinery outages and California-specific supply disruptions. Newsom [backed away](https://calmatters.org/environment/2026/03/california-iran-oil-profit-spike/?ref=smdp.com) from some of the most aggressive measures last year after two California refineries announced closures. Economists say the harder target is a retail market where prices can be shaped by algorithms, supplier contracts and the buying power of the biggest brands.
As another holiday weekend approaches, and the worst of the Iran-war price spike appears to be subsiding, the debate has moved into court and the Legislature.
A federal class-action lawsuit [filed last week](https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/kalibrate-class-action-california.pdf?ref=smdp.com) in Sacramento accuses Kalibrate, a fuel-pricing software company, and several major gasoline retailers of using algorithms and competitor data to keep California pump prices artificially high, citing a state law that took effect this year barring algorithmic price coordination. Kalibrate [has denied](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-07-01/lawsuit-over-gas-prices-tests-clarification-to-states-antitrust-law?ref=smdp.com) the allegations.
The lawsuit names several major retailers, including Marathon, which operates ARCO stations; 7-Eleven; WalMart, including Sam’s Club; Circle K and Albertson’s.
The complaint alleges that even small increases in California’s gas market can make huge differences, with every one cent increase costing drivers $134 million a year. It also cites research that using the software can increase prices by 6 cents per gallon, and up to 30 cents per gallon when many stations in an area are using the software.
The suit taps into a longstanding theory: Severin Borenstein, an energy economist at UC Berkeley, has pointed to what he calls a "[mystery gasoline surcharge](https://energyathaas.wordpress.com/2018/10/15/trying-to-unpack-californias-mystery-gasoline-surcharge/?ref=smdp.com)" — the part of California's high prices left unexplained after taxes, environmental programs and production costs are accounted for — that shows up after gas leaves the refinery.
"The real question is, do they have evidence that the company or the gas stations are using the company to coordinate their activities?" Borenstein said of the suit. "That would be a major antitrust problem."
On Monday, two Democratic state senators [promoted new legislation](https://www.youtube.com/live/xoSL9gyhlOU?ref=smdp.com) that would let California’s attorney general investigate gas price gouging during wartime.
“This is not natural market forces at play,” said Senator [Ben Allen](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/benjamin-allen-70?ref=smdp.com), of El Segundo, a co-author of the bill. “That's what we're here to correct.”
## **New evidence points to the retail market**
Even if the Iran war explains much of the statewide spike, it doesn’t explain why some California stations charge far more than nearby competitors. At a June 3 hearing, Tai Milder, head of the state’s petroleum watchdog, told senators the spike had exposed a separate problem.
“This is a global supply shock, and so it’s affecting the whole country,” [Milder told senators](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279657?ref=smdp.com#t=1054&f=651ca8a9f27708cfca7b3c3b3648e256). “As prices go up, it’s revealing what we already know, which is we have a branded gasoline pricing problem.”
His division’s data showed that the highest-price stations it examined were all major brands, not unbranded or hypermart stations, even though all gasoline sold in California meets the same fuel standards.
Chevron also charged the highest premium over nearby competitors, the watchdog showed. Milder’s division [has traced that gap](https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2025-10/CEC-900-2025-001.pdf?ref=smdp.com#page=24) to how the fuel is bought and sold.
California has an unusually high share of sales through contracts in which a refiner sells fuel directly to a branded retailer at a price the refiner sets, the division’s analysis found. Those contracts can lock branded operators into paying more than unbranded operators for the same fuel.
Jeremy Martin, director of fuels policy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, put it more simply: branded stations don't get to shop around for the best price; they're locked into buying from whichever refiner supplies their brand.
Chevron spokesperson Ross Allen said the company’s branded stations “compete in a highly competitive marketplace where consumers have many choices” and that most are independently owned, setting their own prices based on local competition and costs. He blamed California’s energy policies, not Chevron’s pricing, for the state’s high gasoline prices.
The Western States Petroleum Association, the state's industry lobby, said California has fewer gas stations per capita than the rest of the country and fewer unbranded stations.
“Can you name any consumer good where the branded version does not sell at a premium to a generic alternative?” WSPA spokesman Jim Stanley said. “That's true whether you're talking about cereal, snack foods, jeans, you name it.”
The governor has made the wartime framing personal. Newsom singled out Chevron by name, accusing the company on social media of using its brand name to overcharge drivers amid wartime oil profits.
## **The tools California did not use**
While California’s gasoline watchdog is finding weak points in the fuel market, the rest of the state’s price tools remain largely unfinished or unused.
After price spikes, Newsom called two special legislative sessions in 2022 and 2024 and pushed through new powers meant to prevent future shocks. The laws created the state’s petroleum watchdog, which has [since found](https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2025-10/CEC-900-2025-001.pdf?ref=smdp.com) an unexplained gasoline premium of about 41 cents per gallon between 2015 and 2024, costing California drivers an estimated $59 billion.
But the laws also authorized more aggressive steps that have not taken effect: a possible penalty on excessive refinery margins, a requirement that refiners keep more gasoline in storage, and a rule requiring them to line up replacement fuel before shutting down for maintenance.
A key reason: two refineries have shut down over the past year. This spring, average gas prices climbed above $6 a gallon as the Iran-Israel war roiled oil markets, and the administration has been working closely with refineries to ensure supply.
The oil and gas sector, always a major lobbyist in California, [spent $10.3 million](https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Lobbying/Employers/list.aspx?view=category&ref=smdp.com) lobbying Sacramento in the first three months of the year, according to California Secretary of State filings. The Western States Petroleum Association and Chevron made up the most of that spending total, respectively spending [$4.3 million](https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Lobbying/Employers/Detail.aspx?id=1147195&session=2025&view=activity&ref=smdp.com) and [$3.7 million](https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Lobbying/Employers/Detail.aspx?id=1146815&session=2025&view=activity&ref=smdp.com).
The most aggressive of the special session tools — the penalty — would have capped the gap between what refineries paid for crude oil and what they charged wholesalers for gasoline. In August 2025, a majority of Energy Commission members voted to shelve the idea for five years, saying they could not conclude that the benefits to consumers clearly outweighed the costs.
That decision has drawn new criticism as refinery margins climb — from 49 cents per gallon in January to $1.24 per gallon in April, [according to Energy Commission data](https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/californias-petroleum-market/california-oil-refinery-cost-disclosure?ref=smdp.com) cited by Consumer Watchdog. “The problem is we've sat on our hands and didn't develop the tools — so they weren't there when we needed them,” Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court said. “That was a big mistake, and it cost consumers a lot of money.”
The Newsom administration argues the unfinished tools wouldn’t have shielded consumers from this year’s spike. In written responses to CalMatters, Energy Commission spokesperson Niki Woodard said no state-level policy could protect against a global oil shock the size of the Iran war, and that California’s price increases this year have tracked national trends.
The Energy Commission said it is actively advancing the resupply rule, but has not moved forward with the reserve requirement. Last year, Newsom pushed a major priority of the oil industry through the state Legislature: a measure aimed at boosting [domestic oil production in Kern County](https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/08/oil-compromise-california-legislature/?ref=smdp.com).
## **California mulls different gasoline strategies**
The spring spike has revived a more basic question: if California will still need gasoline for years, how does it keep a shrinking fuel system stable, competitive and affordable?
One answer is more supply. The Newsom administration is tracking import infrastructure proposals for signs they could boost supply, including a proposed Phillips 66-Kinder Morgan project called the [Western Gateway](https://www.kindermorgan.com/Operations/Projects/Western-Gateway-Pipeline-ce9c9ce67ec33ffbfbcab9b6bda44917?ref=smdp.com) pipeline, which would move refined gasoline from central U.S. refineries into California and Arizona.
Anthony Martinez, a spokesman for Newsom, called Western Gateway “a promising opportunity to bring additional gasoline supply into the state and bolster resilience.”
Other proposals look at the structure of the retail market. A bill by Sen. Henry Stern, [SB 1245](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca%5F202520260sb1245?ref=smdp.com), could give California more authority to change its unique gasoline blend, a cleaner-burning formula that is difficult to produce out of state, to make it easier to bring in fuel from elsewhere.
Martin, of the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the blend made sense at its creation. He said its benefits are smaller now because federal fuel standards and cleaner cars have caught up, and its costs are higher because California has less refining capacity and depends more on imports.
The Western States Petroleum Association opposes the idea, saying refiners already spent heavily to produce the cleaner fuel California required, and should not now be punished for making those investments.
The bill, SB 493, authored by Allen and Senator [Josh Becker](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/josh-becker-165449?ref=smdp.com) of Menlo Park, would expand California’s price-gouging law by adding war to the list of emergencies that can trigger the state’s 10% cap on raising prices for gasoline and other essential goods, unless the increase is justified by higher costs.
Becker and Stern have not taken any contributions from WSPA or Chevron, according to campaign filings compiled by CalMatters’ Digital Democracy [database](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/?ref=smdp.com). Allen received a donation from Chevron in 2015, and none from WSPA, the database shows.
The oil industry sees that as a return to an old fight. Zach Leary, a lobbyist with the Western States Petroleum Association, said California already debated price-gouging penalties during the 2023 special session, and that the Energy Commission [decided](https://www.energy.ca.gov/filebrowser/download/7958?fid=7958&ref=smdp.com) the refinery-margin penalty could hurt supply, maintenance and consumers.
Becker rejected that comparison, saying SB 493 targets a wartime emergency, not the regulation of refinery margins.
But even Becker, who is proposing a new way to crack down on the industry, stopped short of calling for California to revisit the most powerful tool it has already set aside. Asked whether the Energy Commission should revisit its decision to delay the refinery-margin penalty, Becker called that “a separate process,” and “a separate decision,” one that is in the hands of the Newsom Administration.
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/environment/2026/07/california-gas-prices-july-fourth/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Happy 4th of July
URL: https://www.smdp.com/happy-4th-of-july/
Last updated: 2026-07-05T15:32:39.000Z
Santa Monica kicked off it's holiday celebration this year with the annual parade on Main Street. The event is part of a busy holiday weekend that includes a new festval in Tongva Park and World Cup watch parties throughout the city.
### Fireworks, heat, hot dogs and politics: America celebrates its 250th birthday
URL: https://www.smdp.com/fireworks-heat-hot-dogs-and-politics-america-celebrates-its-250th-birthday/
Last updated: 2026-07-04T18:11:31.000Z
The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with a country gripped by political polarization and a heat wave bearing down on millions of people across multiple states as celebrations got underway Saturday throughout the United States.
The signing of the Declaration of Independence, one of history's most celebrated articulations of democratic ambitions, is being marked in myriad ways.
President Donald Trump plans to speak on the National Mall before what is being billed as a historically enormous fireworks show that will rain down over the nation's capital. He was in South Dakota at Mount Rushmore on Friday, where he delivered a dark speech about the threat of communism in the U.S. as the chiseled images of four of his most prominent predecessors loomed behind him.
Fireworks are scheduled to be set off over Navy Pier in Chicago and against the skyline of New York City. New York hosted a ball drop at midnight to usher in the holiday with the same fanfare as New Year's Eve and saw tall ships parade pass the Statue of Liberty, recalling the fanfare around America's 200th anniversary in 1976.
Anticipation for the milestone holiday has been building for much of the year, serving as an opportunity for Americans to reflect on their complicated history as onetime colonists of an empire who became a superpower of their own. Celebrations months in the making had to adjust or cancel activities entirely as much of the East Coast sweltered under heat that approached and in many cases surpassed triple digits.
Heat is defining the big weekend in many places
In Washington, the city's main Independence Day parade scheduled for Saturday was canceled, but a smaller one rolled along in the Capitol Hill neighborhood in the morning as onlookers sought shade under trees along the route. Also in the area, dozens of members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front wearing face masks and carrying Confederate battle flags held a march. No arrests were reported, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.
An extreme heat warning was issued for the District of Columbia, where heat index values could approach 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 C). Triple-degree heat was forecast in the east from the South to New England, though the heat could ease somewhat with strong thunderstorms later.
About 45 minutes before the World Cup match in Houston, a message from astronauts aboard the International Space Station noting the holiday was beamed into the stadium.
On New York's Coney Island, competitors chowed down on hot dogs at the annual Nathan's Famous Fourth of July contest.
Joey "Jaws" Chestnut won for the 18th time in 21 appearances, eating 66 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. On the women's side, defending champion Miki Sudo of Tampa, Florida, held the title by downing 38.75 dogs. Both champions said the heat wave made the competition more difficult.
An uneasy nation gets ready to celebrate
The celebrations are unfolding against the backdrop of a deep divide this election year that has been expanding for years, visible in everything from political expression to cultural norms to age-old questions over race, class and immigration.
At Mount Rushmore on Friday, Trump spoke of communism as a "mortal threat to American liberty" with the Republican president saying it was more dangerous than either World War or 9/11.
Without naming Trump, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat who is also a democratic socialist and recently backed several successful congressional candidates in their primaries, appeared to reference Trump during a speech Friday.
"Those ideals upon which our nation was built — they are strong enough to endure any authoritarian regime, but only if we reach for them," he said.
To former Democratic President Bill Clinton, this anniversary milestone comes at a time of "renewed questions about America's future and role in the world, and serious threats to our own institutions and to our democracy itself." While critical of "the people in charge," he said in a statement that "there is still nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what's right with America."
Vice President JD Vance said small but loud voices would speak on America's birthday about its imperfections instead of its greatness.
"They will tell you that America is just another country, where the weak struggle against the strong," Vance said speaking aboard the USS Kearsarge in New York Harbor.
By STEVEN SLOAN Associated Press. Associated Press writers Kristie Rieken in Houston, Sarah Rankin in Richmond, Va., Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, S.C., Safiyah Riddle in Los Angeles and Will Weissert and Michael Kunzelman contributed to this report.
### Santa Monica adopts 2025 water plan, says supplies secure through droughts
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-adopts-2025-water-plan-says-supplies-secure-through-droughts/
Last updated: 2026-07-04T10:00:52.000Z
The City Council on Tuesday adopted a long-term water blueprint that officials say ensures the city will have enough water to meet demand through 2045, even under sustained drought, while assuring residents the plan carries no immediate cost or rate increase.
The 2025 [Urban Water](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-adopts-water-outlook-projecting-a-surplus-through-2027/) Management Plan and an accompanying Water Shortage Contingency Plan won unanimous approval at the council's June 23 meeting. California requires every urban supplier that provides more than 3,000 acre-feet of water a year, or serves at least 3,000 connections, to update the plan every five years. The city must submit both documents to the state Department of Water Resources by July 1.
Mayor Caroline Torosis paused the proceedings to underscore what the vote did — and did not — do.
"I just want to be clear that this, what we're adopting today, is a planning document, and that it doesn't have any immediate financial impact, nor is it any sort of rate adjustment," Torosis said.
The plan, presented by Civil Engineering Associate Dinaz Kureishy of the Water Resources Division, projects water use in five-year increments through 2045, building in a 5% allowance for distribution losses. Drawing on data from 2015 through 2025, Kureishy said the city's conservation efforts had driven down overall water use even as the population, which dipped slightly between 2021 and 2022, has begun trending upward again.
"The overall trend in our water usage is decreasing, which is showing that our conservation programs have been very successful," she told the council.
Much of the discussion centered on a notable shift in where Santa Monica's water came from over the past five years. The city draws on two main sources: local groundwater from its Charnock, Arcadia and Olympic well fields, and imported water from the Metropolitan Water District, which originates from the Colorado River or the State Water Project.
Council member Natalya Zernitskaya noted that from 2015 to 2020, local groundwater supplied about 65% of the city's water and the Metropolitan Water District about 35%, with recycled water making up roughly 1%. From 2021 to 2025, those proportions flipped, with imported water climbing to 67% and local groundwater falling to 33%.
Kureishy attributed the change to a major construction project at the Arcadia Water Treatment Plant, which she described as "the heart of the drinking water for the city." During the work, the city could not produce local groundwater and leaned more heavily on imported supplies. Because of the disruption, the plan's reliability analysis used an assessment period of 2010 through 2020 rather than more recent years.
With the Arcadia plant now back online, officials expect the balance to tip back toward local groundwater, though Kureishy said the change would not appear in this format until the next plan, five years from now.
The plan tests the city's supplies against three conditions: a normal year, a single dry year and a span of multiple dry years. For imported water, the city used a conservative figure of 7,406 acre-feet a year, its Tier 1 allocation from the Metropolitan Water District, without counting additional tiers. Even when supplies fall short of average, Kureishy said, the modeling shows the city can still meet projected demand in every scenario.
The contingency plan, which lays out a six-stage framework for responding to shortages, saw no major changes from the version adopted in 2020\. The city remains in a stage-two posture that Kureishy described as "business as usual," meaning customers are not being asked to cut back.
Responding to a question from council member Lana Negrete about aging local infrastructure, Kureishy said all of the city's reservoirs are undergoing a rehabilitation project, with design and construction wrapping up and work set to begin next year. The effort will eventually cover every reservoir, starting with the Mount Olivet and San Vicente sites before moving to Riviera and others.
The council adopted a finding that the plan is statutorily exempt from the [California Environmental Quality Act](https://oag.ca.gov/environment/ceqa?ref=smdp.com) under state Water Code provisions, which exempt the preparation and adoption of such plans. Council member Ellis Raskin moved to approve the item and Negrete seconded; it passed on a unanimous roll-call vote.
The plan was prepared under Christopher Dishlip, director of public works. Staff presented findings to the Commission on Sustainability, Environmental Justice and the Environment on May 18, and notified neighboring agencies, including the Metropolitan Water District, Culver City, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Beverly Hills and Los Angeles County, of the plan's preparation in April.
Staff said they would return to the council if any specific budget actions become necessary in the future.
### Care Predictor Nominated for Best Healthcare SaaS (Software as a Service)
URL: https://www.smdp.com/care-predictor-nominated-for-best-healthcare-saas/
Last updated: 2026-07-21T18:51:41.000Z
[Care Predictor](https://carepredictor.com/?ref=smdp.com) just got nominated for Best Healthcare SAAS (Software as a Service), and it feels a bit like that quiet kid in class suddenly aceing a big test—surprising, but also well-deserved. It doesn’t make noise for attention; it simply delivers results where it matters.
Now, let’s keep this simple: behavioral healthcare is like a super-tricky video game. You have to deal with real people who need care, patience, and a whole lot of emotional skills. The individuals providing care are just as important as the systems that help them. Can you imagine if someone on a sports team were tired or confused? They’d definitely mess up, right? Care Predictor steps into this wild field and says, “Let’s fix the people part first.”
That’s a bold idea. Most healthcare software focuses on the “back office” stuff—paperwork, schedules, and bills. But Care Predictor takes a different route. It asks, “Who’s the right person to hire? How can we help them grow? And how do we keep our best staff from leaving?” So, it’s not just about fixing what’s broken; it’s about building a winning team.
Think of a hospital like a soccer team. You can have a fancy stadium and new uniforms, but if your players aren’t happy or ready, you’re not winning any games. Care Predictor helps pick the right players and keeps training them to be awesome.
At its core, Care Predictor helps behavioral health organizations hire better, develop staff, and keep them longer. It uses cool tools like assessments, feedback systems, and micro lessons that make life simpler. Better staff means better care, which means happier patients. It’s a big win all around.
Let’s walk through a story. Think of a rehab center that’s searching high and low for a new counselor. Here’s how it used to go down: they’d look at resumes, do interviews, and then hope for the best. Sometimes it worked. Other times? It didn’t. The counselor might leave in a flash or really struggle with patients.
Now, let’s add Care Predictor into the mix. Before hiring, it uses [pre-hire assessments](https://carepredictor.com/pre-hire-assessments?ref=smdp.com) that don’t just ask, “Can you do the job?” Instead, they ask, “Will you actually thrive in this super emotional and high-pressure environment?” Organizations get a clearer picture of the candidate’s strengths.
This gives organizations a clearer, more structured understanding of candidate strengths. For instance, one person might be super organized but struggle to connect when things get tough. Another might be awesome at chatting, but forgets to stay focused. Both are great in their own ways, but they need different roles. Both can succeed—but in the right roles, with the right support.
So, let’s say they hire someone. Guess what? Care Predictor is just getting started. It uses [employee assessment](https://carepredictor.com/employee-assessments?ref=smdp.com) tools that act like mirrors, showing staff what they do well and where they can improve. And it does this in a friendly way, like, “Hey, here’s how you work, and here are some ideas to get even better.”
Take a therapist who loves listening but hates writing notes. Care Predictor gently points this out and says, “Why don’t you try keeping a quick note by your desk?” Little tips like that can make a giant difference.
Now, let’s talk about learning. Most training programs feel like you’re stuck in a boring classroom—you know, long videos and heavy manuals. Who wants that? Care Predictor flips the script. It turns learning into [bite-sized pieces](https://carepredictor.com/micro-learning?ref=smdp.com) that fit nicely into a busy workday. Imagine learning like having snacks instead of a huge dinner.
Instead of saying, “Do this long training on patient care,” it might suggest, “Here’s one simple thing to try with your next client.” That sounds small, right? But little things, practiced daily, build great habits. For example, think of a person who sometimes cuts off patients while they’re talking. Traditional training might say, “Work on your listening skills.” That’s super vague. Care Predictor would say, “Before you respond, count to three.” That tiny shift makes patients feel so much more understood.
Now think about how many counselors there are in one organization. That’s where Care Predictor becomes super powerful.
But Care Predictor doesn’t just work with individuals. It focuses on [feedback loops](https://carepredictor.com/employee-feedback?ref=smdp.com), too. Think about driving a car. You wouldn’t wait until the end of the year to see how fast you’re going, would you? No. You keep an eye on that speedometer all the time. That’s how feedback should work in the workplace, especially in something as serious as behavioral healthcare.
Instead of surprise annual reviews, staff get ongoing feedback. Managers can spot problems before they blow up, which makes everything easier.
**Here’s a critical idea:** Care Predictor believes that the best care starts with the best caregivers. It’s not just about having more tools or more hospitals; it’s about building strong human connections between staff and patients.
And Care Predictor doesn’t think technology should replace humans in healthcare. That’s super important. A lot of tech tries to take over everything, but Care Predictor is all about supporting human connections, not replacing them.
The team behind Care Predictor is a mix of experts in behavioral healthcare, tech, business, and data science. It matters because this isn’t just a software fix. It’s about solving a human puzzle wrapped in loads of data. They even have advisory board members with years of experience in real treatment centers. These are the people who know what actually happens, not just what looks good on a computer screen.
Now, let’s talk about why this nomination makes total sense. The healthcare SaaS world is jam-packed with tools, but many focus on boring things—scheduling, record-keeping, you name it. Important, yes, but not revolutionary for care quality.
Care Predictor dives into the trickiest area: human behavior. It’s messy and sometimes unpredictable, but that’s where it’s at. Care Predictor isn’t afraid to tackle soft skills like empathy and communication, and then use that info to make smarter hiring choices.
If you strip everything down, it’s really simple: Better hiring + better development + better feedback = better care.
That’s what makes this whole thing exciting. It’s not just about fancy tech; it’s about helping real people who need care during tough times.
Of course, nothing’s perfect. You might wonder, can software really measure human behavior accurately? That’s a super valid question. Any system has to be careful. If assessments get too rigid, they might oversimplify people. But Care Predictor stays flexible by blending assessments with ongoing support and learning, making it more about growth and less about labels.
At the end of the day, Care Predictor’s nomination for Best Healthcare SAAS isn’t just hype. It’s about a big change: shifting the focus from managing healthcare systems to improving the humans inside them.
So, if behavioral healthcare is going to grow while keeping its warm touch, tools like this could play a big role. Not by pushing people away, but by helping the right folks get in, grow their skills, and stick around.
That’s the real story behind Care Predictor: a simple idea shaking things up in a tricky industry. And sometimes, that’s exactly what deserves a shout-out.
### Renew DBA Filing Now or Risk Losing Your Business Name Forever
URL: https://www.smdp.com/renew-dba-filing/
Last updated: 2026-07-21T06:30:52.000Z
Your business name isn’t just branding. It’s a legal identity. It sits on your storefront, your invoices, your bank account, and your online presence. Lose it, and you don’t just lose recognition. You lose continuity.
Now, what happens if you wake up and find that name legally belongs to someone else?
In California, a DBA (Doing Business As) registration expires every five years. Hard stop. No automatic extension. No guaranteed reminder. And no protection if someone else files before you do.
That’s where most people underestimate the risk. It doesn’t feel urgent until it’s gone. Across Los Angeles County, small businesses lose their registered names every year for exactly this reason.
So the question isn’t whether the system is strict. It is. The question is simpler, and more dangerous: are you managing your business like something that can be taken from you or like something that can’t?
## **1\. What Is a DBA Filing, and Does It Expire?**
A DBA is California’s way of allowing businesses to operate under a name different from their legal name. The state refers to it as a Fictitious Business Name (FBN), governed by California Business and Professions [Code Section 17900](https://law.justia.com/codes/california/2007/bpc/17900-17930.html?ref=smdp.com). If you are a sole proprietor named Maria Gonzalez operating as “Coastal Bloom Florist,” you need a DBA. If your LLC is “Westside Holdings LLC” but you do business as “Bright Day Laundry,” you need one as well. Any difference between your legal name and your business name generally requires a DBA filing.
What many business owners do not realize is that a DBA registration does not last forever. Under California Business and Professions [Code Section 17920](https://law.justia.com/codes/california/code-bpc/division-7/part-3/chapter-5/section-17920/?ref=smdp.com), a DBA expires five years after the filing date. There is no automatic renewal. The county clerk will not call you, and the state will not send a certified letter. The five-year clock simply runs out.
There is another requirement to keep in mind. After filing a DBA, you must [publish a notice](https://www.smdp.com/legal-notices/) in an approved newspaper of general circulation once a week for four consecutive weeks within the required publication period. If your DBA expires and remains lapsed for more than 40 days, you cannot simply renew it. You must file a new registration, pay new fees, and complete the publication process again.
So, when does your DBA expire? If you are not sure, now is the time to find out.
## **2\. Why Is Renewing Your DBA Filing Important?**
Think about everything tied to your business name: your bank account, your lease, your vendor contracts, your business license, and your Google presence. When your DBA expires, that foundation becomes vulnerable.
Under California Business and Professions [Code Section 17918](https://law.justia.com/codes/california/code-bpc/division-7/part-3/chapter-5/section-17918/?ref=smdp.com), a business operating under an unregistered fictitious name may be unable to bring a lawsuit or enforce a contract in California courts. If a customer refuses to pay and your DBA has lapsed, collecting what you are owed can become far more difficult.
It matters because most California businesses are small businesses. In a 2024 [Public Policy Institute of California report](https://www.ppic.org/publication/californias-businesses/?ref=smdp.com), more than 3 million businesses in the state were sole proprietorships in 2023\. These business owners often handle compliance themselves, making them especially vulnerable to missed filing deadlines.
For them, a lapsed DBA is more than a paperwork issue. It can put contracts, legal rights, and even a hard-earned business name at risk. [Renewing your DBA](https://www.smdp.com/dba-filing-santa-monica/) is a simple step that helps protect everything you have built.
## **3\. How Do You Know When to Renew DBA Filing?**
Most business owners do not know when their DBA expires. They file it, put the paperwork away, and focus on running their business. That is understandable, but overlooking the expiration date can be costly.
The easiest way to check is to look at your original [Fictitious Business Name Statement](https://www.smdp.com/publish-fictitious-business-name/). Your DBA expires five years after the filing date listed on the document. For example, if you filed on June 3, 2021, your registration expires on June 3, 2026\.
If you cannot find your paperwork, search your county clerk’s online database. Most California counties, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, and San Francisco, provide public records that allow you to look up a DBA by name or registration number.
Keeping track of your renewal date matters. California is home to [more than 4.1 million small businesses](https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/05/01/governor-newsom-proclaims-small-business-month-2024/?ref=smdp.com), according to Governor Newsom’s 2024 Small Business Month Proclamation. Once a DBA expires, the name may become available for someone else to register.
To avoid last-minute problems, set a reminder at least 90 days before your expiration date. That gives you enough time to complete the filing process, pay any required fees, and handle publication requirements if necessary.
## **4\. How to Renew a Fictitious Business Name Step by Step?**
Renewing a fictitious business name in California is not complicated, but each step matters.
**Step 1: Confirm your expiration date.** Check your original Fictitious Business Name Statement or search your county clerk’s online database to find your filing date and renewal deadline.
**Step 2: Get the right form.** Download or request a Fictitious Business Name Statement from the county clerk in the county where your principal place of business is located.
**Step 3: Fill it out and get it notarized.** Provide your business name, business mailing address (required under [AB 878](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260AB878&ref=smdp.com)), and owner information. The statement must be signed before a notary public.
**Step 4: File and pay the fee.** Submit the notarized statement to the county clerk and pay the applicable filing fee.
**Step 5: Meet any publication requirements.** If your DBA has expired for more than 40 days or key business information has changed, you must publish a notice in [an approved newspaper](https://www.smdp.com/publish-legal-notice-santa-monica/) once a week for four consecutive weeks. The first publication must appear within the required filing window.
**Step 6: Submit proof of publication.** After publication is complete, file the Affidavit of Publication with the county clerk. Some newspapers do this for you, but always verify.
Once completed, your DBA is protected for another five years.
## **5\. What Are DBA Renewal Requirements in California?**
California does not have a single statewide DBA system. Each county manages its own filings, but several [requirements](https://www.smdp.com/dba-fictitious-business-name-filing/) apply across the state.
- **Business mailing address required:** Under AB 878, residential addresses are no longer included on FBN filings.
- **Notarization required:** The statement must be signed before a notary by the owner, officer, partner, or authorized member.
- **Publication requirements:** When required, the notice must be published in an approved newspaper once a week for four consecutive weeks within the statutory deadline.
- **Proof of publication:** An Affidavit of Publication must be filed with the county clerk within 45 days of the final publication date.
- **File in the correct county:** Submit your filing in the county where your principal place of business is located. Businesses operating in multiple counties may need additional filings.
- **Who must file:** Sole proprietors, partnerships, LLCs, and corporations using a fictitious business name must comply.
Missing any of these requirements can leave your filing incomplete, even if you have already paid the filing fee.
## **6\. How Much Does the DBA Renewal Process Cost?**
Renewing a DBA in California is usually one of the least expensive business compliance requirements. Filing fees vary by county but generally range from $23 to $67 for the first business name, with additional charges for extra names:
| County | First Name Fee | Each Additional Name |
| ------------- | -------------- | -------------------- |
| Los Angeles | $26 | $5 |
| San Diego | $54 | $5 |
| Orange | $23 | $7 |
| San Francisco | $67 | $17 |
| Alameda | $40 | $7 |
If publication is required, expect to pay an additional $50 to $200 for newspaper notices. Notarization typically costs another $15 to $25.
For most businesses, [renewing on time](https://www.smdp.com/fbn-statement-filing/) costs less than $200\. Letting a DBA expire can be far more expensive. You may have to file a new registration, pay new fees, repeat the publication process, and potentially rebrand if someone else claims your business name.
Because filing fees and requirements are set locally, always confirm current costs with your county clerk’s office. Even so, the financial case is simple: renewing on time is almost always the least expensive option.
## **Frequently Asked Questions**
**Q: What happens if I do not renew my DBA before it expires?**
Your registration lapses, which can create legal and operational problems. You may lose the ability to enforce contracts under your business name, and another business could potentially register the name after it becomes available.
**Q: Does renewing a DBA always require newspaper publication in California?**
Not necessarily. If you renew on time and no business information has changed, publication may not be required. If the registration has lapsed or key details have changed, publication requirements generally apply.
**Q: Can I renew my California DBA online?**
It depends on the county. Some counties offer online filing, while others require applications by mail or in person. Check with your local county clerk for current options.
**Q: How long does a DBA renewal last?**
A DBA registration remains valid for five years from the filing date. Each renewal starts a new five-year term.
**Q: My DBA has already expired. Can I still renew it?**
Possibly. If the lapse is recent, you may be able to refile without completing the full process again. Longer lapses often require a new filing and publication. Check with your county clerk for specific requirements.
**Q: Does California send renewal reminders?**
Generally, no. Most counties do not provide reminder notices, so business owners are responsible for tracking renewal deadlines.
**Q: What is the difference between a DBA renewal and a new DBA filing?**
A renewal extends an existing registration before it expires. A new filing is required when a registration has lapsed, when you adopt a new business name, or when significant business information changes.
## **Your Name Is on the Line. Protect It Today.**
A California DBA registration expires every five years. If you miss the deadline, you may face additional filing requirements, publication costs, and the risk of losing rights associated with your business name. Renewing on time helps you avoid unnecessary expense and keeps your registration in good standing.
The Santa Monica Daily Press has served the Westside business community since 2001 and is an approved newspaper of general circulation for legal notice publication in Los Angeles County. If your filing requires publication, our team can help ensure your notice is published accurately and in compliance with California requirements.
Do not wait until your registration expires. If your DBA renewal requires legal notice publication, [contact SMDP](https://www.smdp.com/legal-notices/) to get started today.
### Should coastal commission get more power over rebuilding after wildfire? Some lawmakers say yes
URL: https://www.smdp.com/should-coastal-commission-get-more-power-over-rebuilding-after-wildfire-some-lawmakers-say-yes/
Last updated: 2026-07-03T19:00:01.000Z
By [Nadia Lathan](https://calmatters.org/author/nadia-lathan/?ref=smdp.com), CalMatters
This story was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
$3.3 million.
That’s how much May Sung estimates it’ll cost to rebuild her Pacific Palisades home.
With her two-bedroom house atop a hillside abutting the Pacific Ocean, she had what she considered a quaint dwelling since 2005\.
She doesn’t know if she’ll rebuild it on the empty lot there now.
“Because of all the expenses with building on the hillsides, on the coast, I don’t know if I’m going to rebuild or not,” she said. “I may have to sell.”
More than a year after wildfires tore through Los Angeles, state lawmakers are weighing a new proposal that would give the powerful California Coastal Commission more oversight over homes destroyed by future natural disasters. New buyers would need approval from the commission to rebuild, a reversal from current state law that allows homes ruined by fires or other catastrophes to sidestep the controlling state agency.
Buyers today can rebuild homes without commission review as long as they are largely the same as before the disaster and are no more than 10% larger than the original home.
Gov. Gavin Newsom last year broadened these exemptions to include rebuilds that aren’t similar to their original design when he suspended the commission’s authority over rebuilding efforts in L.A. to speed up what so far has been a grueling slog for the city.
In Malibu and the Pacific Palisades, where many homes hug the Pacific Coast, dozens of parcels of land have been purchased by developers from owners who can’t afford to pay what could be millions of dollars to remake their houses from scratch.
More than 40% of homes sold in the Palisades last summer were bought by investors, according to [real estate company Redfin](https://www.redfin.com/news/los-angeles-wildfires-anniversary/?ref=smdp.com), which defined investors as buyers with “LLC,” “Inc,” “Corp” or “Homes” in their names.
Some residents have questioned what expanses of investor-owned lots could mean for the character of fire-torn communities, said [Sen. Ben Allen](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/benjamin-allen-70?ref=smdp.com), who authored [Senate Bill 1229](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca%5F202520260sb1229?ref=smdp.com) and represents the Palisades area.
The legislation is one of few bills this session that would broaden the authority of the commission rather than weaken it, bucking a trend of longstanding disdain among top state and federal leaders about how the agency has controlled development along California’s invaluable coastline.
The potential law would not apply to homes destroyed by last year’s fires.
Senate Democrats overwhelmingly supported the bill when it passed the chamber last month. San Francisco Sen. [Scott Wiener](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/scott-wiener-100936?ref=smdp.com) was the sole Democrat to join Republicans in voting against it in a 29-9 vote.
“It could set a troubling precedent that we’re more focused on only empowering the original owner to build,” Wiener said. “I thought it was a very, very dangerous precedent and that’s why I felt the need to vote ‘no.’”
At a Wednesday committee hearing, a lawmaker presenting the bill reiterated that it is intended to target developers.
The new measure “keeps the door open for disaster victims to rebuild their homes without delay, but closes it to speculative developers seeking a profit,” said Sacramento Sen. [Maggy Krell](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/maggy-krell-14941?ref=smdp.com), a Democrat.
Democrats advanced the bill Wednesday with Republicans opposed. It awaits a floor vote in the Assembly.
## **A long road ahead**
Rebuilding after disaster has never been easy in California.
Fewer than 40% of homes destroyed in the state’s most destructive fires from 2017 to 2020 have been rebuilt, according to a [2025 Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/homeless-housing/story/2025-09-30/rebuilding-california-after-major-wildfires?ref=smdp.com) investigation. Low insurance payouts, rising construction costs and permitting requirements are some of the reasons.
For many in L.A., the decision not to rebuild comes down to affordability and practicality, between skyrocketing mortgage rates and a lack of stamina to endure what could be a monthslong, byzantine permitting process.
Before the fire, Sung’s property was valued at $2.5 million. She said she received $700,000 in Mercury insurance payments after the home was destroyed on Jan. 7, 2025\. Although her land isn’t up for sale, nearby lots go for around $1 million. She’s considering selling it to a developer.
“There’s already so much burden for these properties,” Sung said of rebuilds. “People can’t afford to build because of all these requirements,” such as the higher fire safety and fire codes common in wildfire-prone areas, she said.
## **A muddy reputation on housing**
Critics, including Newsom, accuse the commission of not permitting enough affordable housing or doing so too slowly for years, as lawmakers have [gutted numerous housing laws](https://calmatters.org/housing/2025/09/neighborhood-transit-upzoning/?ref=smdp.com) to make it easier to build more apartments quickly.
In the Palisades, where affordable housing was already scant, affordability critiques carried a sharper edge. Just a few hundred units in a town of roughly 28,000 were deemed affordable and local mandates post-fire to build more have become their own flashpoint, separate from the coastal commission.
The 12 voting-member commission is governed by the [California Coastal Act](https://www.coastal.ca.gov/ccatc.html?ref=smdp.com), a 50-year-old statute created in the wake of the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill to protect the coast and its natural habitats.
It is one of California’s most scrutinized state agencies, as federal and local officials have questioned how it has used its authority over nearly 900 miles of coastline to block certain projects, such as rejecting billionaire [Elon Musk’s request](https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2026-04-21/spacex-settles-lawsuit-with-state-coastal-commission-over-flights?ref=smdp.com) to increase the number of Space X rocket launches off the Santa Barbara coast.
Newsom and other top Democrats [appointed three pro-development officials](https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/11/coastal-commission-housing/?ref=smdp.com) to the commission last year to help get more housing approved along the coast.
Wealthy Los Angeles real estate developer Jaime Lee was appointed by Newsom last October to replace Effie Turnbull Sanders, an attorney lauded by environmentalists for championing [environmental justice issues](https://documents.coastal.ca.gov/assets/env-justice/CCC%5FEJ%5FPolicy%5FFINAL.pdf?ref=smdp.com) at the agency.
Last May, Democratic Assembly Speaker [Robert Rivas](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/robert-rivas-165041?ref=smdp.com) selected Chris Lopez, a Monterey County supervisor, and Chula Vista Councilmember Jose Preciado to the commission, both of whom are seen as pro-development.
Newsom and President Donald Trump have found common cause in attacking the commission. The governor has publicly chided the agency and issued a sharply worded mandate when suspending its authority over rebuilding efforts in the Palisades.
“The scope of destruction of these fires has created a need for immediate shelter and temporary housing that will require unlocking every available strategy to house displaced individuals,” he wrote.
Both Democrats and Republicans in the state Legislature have pushed to curb the commission’s authority, including an attempt to exempt the entire city of Santa Monica from the commission’s purview.
Last week, Newsom’s office briefly considered a proposal that would have exempted mixed-use and multi-family housing projects along Santa Monica’s coast from the Coastal Act.
The proposal would have assumed all those projects complied with the act unless the commission could prove otherwise within just 30 days, according to a copy of the plan obtained by CalMatters.
Trump has also repeatedly scolded the commission for blocking projects it views as environmentally dangerous. Longstanding tensions between the president and the commission have accelerated in the president’s pursuit to extract more oil from the coast. Those tensions accelerated last week when the [federal government announced](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/26/2026-12907/evaluation-of-the-california-coastal-management-program-notice-of-public-meetings-request-for?ref=smdp.com) it was investigating the agency.
## **‘People are already stuck’**
Allen, the bill’s author, said the governor’s orders created an opening that investors can misuse to circumvent coastal rules and build projects harmful to the environment.
“We just want to make sure that we’re not rolling back these important protections too far,” Allen, who is running for insurance commissioner, said about his legislation, and that it would not apply to homes destroyed by last year’s fires, but to future natural disasters.
The bill aims to filter out investors by only allowing the owner of a property before disaster struck to skirt the coastal commission approval.
Environmentalists who support the bill have said the governor’s actions put key issues the commission works to protect — natural habitats and public access to the beach — in jeopardy by allowing developers to take advantage of fewer rules.
> 'An outside developer who buys, say, a burned lot for the low market value, they get the same fast-tracking as a displaced family.' Jennifer Savage of the Surfrider Foundation
“An outside developer who buys, say, a burned lot for the low market value, they get the same fast-tracking as a displaced family," said Jennifer Savage, associate policy director at Surfrider Foundation. “And that’s not what the law was designed for.”
The commission, which had briefly contested Newsom’s orders, supports the bill for similar reasons.
“It closes a loophole that could be misconstrued as allowing larger replacement structures to be located in hazardous or environmentally sensitive areas when rebuilding after disaster,” spokesperson Joshua Smith said in an emailed statement.
Neither the coastal commission nor Allen could provide examples of investor-owned projects that have misused the law.
“We don’t have any record or knowledge of this having happened, although since most disaster rebuilds are handled by local governments, we don’t know for certain the extent to which this has been going on,” Smith said.
California YIMBY, a pro-housing group, said legislation focused on rebuilding should address why so many fire survivors are opting to sell their land in the first place.
“I’m not sure the emphasis on the Coastal Act makes a ton of sense,” spokesperson Matthew Lewis said, saying the problem lies with insurance, construction and permitting costs that make it too expensive for most people to rebuild.
The group, which has endorsed Allen for commissioner, doesn’t have an official stance on the bill. Lewis said he doesn’t know enough about the issues Allen is trying to address to say if the legislation could make it harder for owners to rebuild.
Sung worries such changes would intimidate developers worried about falling under the commission’s authority, making it harder for her and her neighbors to sell.
“If anything, it just makes the landowner stuck. Because you can’t afford to sell, and you can’t afford to build. And so you’re stuck with this property that has absolutely no use to anybody.”
*CalMatters reporter Yue Stella Yu contributed reporting.*
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/07/coastal-commission-rebuilding-wildfire-exemptions/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Pacific Wheel to Launch America 250 Tribute With July Fourth Light Show
URL: https://www.smdp.com/pacific-wheel-to-launch-america-250-tribute-with-july-fourth-light-show/
Last updated: 2026-07-03T18:59:59.000Z
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier will mark Independence Day and the start of the nation's 250th birthday commemoration with a patriotic lighting program on its Pacific Wheel Ferris wheel from July 2 through July 5.
The nine-story wheel will display a 90-foot-tall animated American flag, red, white and blue light shows and custom America 250-inspired animations honoring the semiquincentennial. The lighting runs nightly from sunset, about 8:09 p.m., to midnight. Pacific Park is at 380 Santa Monica Pier.
The displays will join landmarks across Southern California in celebrating the Fourth of July while helping launch the countdown to the nation's 250th anniversary.
Independence Day is celebrated annually on July 4 and commemorates the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence, when the Continental Congress declared the 13 American colonies free and independent of British rule. The holiday is commonly marked with fireworks, parades, barbecues and beach picnics.
The Pacific Wheel is billed as the world's only solar-powered Ferris wheel, with 174,000 LED lights mounted on its 40 spokes and two hubs. The lighting system can produce 16.7 million color combinations for computer-generated displays, and the LED system provides 81% greater energy savings than traditional incandescent bulbs, according to the park.
The wheel rises nine stories and lifts riders more than 130 feet above the Pacific Ocean, offering views of the Southern California coastline.
Pacific Park, billed as Los Angeles' only admission-free amusement park, offers 12 rides, 14 midway games, five food outlets and seaside retail shopping. Prices and operating hours are subject to change.
For more information and operating hours, call 310-260-8744 or visit[ ](http://pacpark.com/?ref=smdp.com)[pacpark.com](http://pacpark.com/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Melanie Lang Nominated for Best Female Executive of the Year. The Engineer Rewriting Manufacturing.
URL: https://www.smdp.com/lang-nominated-best-female-executive-of-the-year/
Last updated: 2026-07-21T19:48:32.000Z
Some leaders chase titles, while others hunt for problems. [Melanie Lang](https://formalloy.com/about-us/?ref=smdp.com) belongs to the second group.
As the Co-Founder and CEO of [FormAlloy](https://formalloy.com/?ref=smdp.com), she’s racked up a nomination for **Best Female Executive of the Year**. This award shines a spotlight on her journey, sparked by one question: What if we could whip up stronger metal parts, faster, cheaper, and with way less waste?
It sounds simple, but it packs a punch. This question has powered Lang through her exciting career in aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and the adventurous world of metal 3D printing.
Melanie Lang, Best Female Executive of the Year nominee.
Her nomination celebrates more than just a good businesswoman. It honors a problem-solver who has tackled challenges, shaking up industries worldwide. Think about an airplane or a rocket zooming through space. What happens when a critical metal part breaks? Months of waiting? Crazy replacement costs? For too long, manufacturers faced these headaches. Then, *leads* like Lang came along to ask if there was a smarter way.
She built her career on chasing answers. Before launching FormAlloy, she was knee-deep in projects at Boeing and spent an impressive 14 years at Lockheed Martin, a heavyweight in aerospace. Those experiences thrust her into the thick of engineering challenges where even small mistakes can snowball into major disasters.
In the aerospace world, precision rules. A tiny crack can trigger huge problems. A late part? It can derail an entire mission. A failed piece can drain money like a leaky faucet. Engineers know: every decision counts. This high-stakes environment helped Lang form a key mindset: spot the issue, dive deep, and whip up solutions that deliver real value.
People often look at successful companies and see only the shiny awards and headlines. They miss the whole slew of questions that led there. How can we make manufacturing speedier? How do we cut waste? Why throw away costly parts when we could fix them? How can we create parts that traditional methods struggle with? These questions sparked the creation of FormAlloy.
Since 2016, FormAlloy has [stormed](https://www.smdp.com/form-alloy-technologies-nominated-for-best-3d-printing-company-2025/) the manufacturing scene with bold ambitions. It zeroes in on advanced metal additive manufacturing, also known as industrial 3D printing. Think of it as crafting a tower one metal layer at a time until the final masterpiece materializes. This method opens up a treasure trove of possibilities.
Manufacturers can create shapes that old-school methods can’t touch. If a part breaks, they can often repair it instead of tossing it aside. This cuts waste, boosts efficiency, and gives more flexibility. In fast-paced industries, where every ounce, dollar, and minute counts, these wins are pure gold.
Think of an airline waiting for a replacement part. That’s nerve-wracking. Each day of delay can send schedules spinning. Now, consider a quick repair, cutting down downtime and extending the part’s life. That's an undeniable value.
That’s why industries like aerospace, energy, and defense pay close attention to Lang’s innovations. But it’s not all about technology; leadership is key, too. A great executive doesn’t just steer operations. They drive the industry forward. Lang does just that.
Besides her role at FormAlloy, she serves on the board of the Association of Manufacturing Technology and acts as an Advanced Manufacturing Advisor for the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. She’s also a board member of California MEP, keeping her at the heart of important discussions about the manufacturing future. Where’s the industry heading? What skills do workers need? How can companies stay ahead? The answers to these questions will shape businesses and communities for years.
Lang is passionate about helping others break into and thrive in the industry. She kicked off the [San Diego chapter](https://womenin3dprinting.org/events/san-diego-chapter/?ref=smdp.com) of Women in 3D Printing. Why? Because innovation thrives when fresh voices join in. In a classroom where everyone gets to participate, the best ideas often emerge.
By championing greater diversity in advanced manufacturing, Lang has opened doors for future engineers and entrepreneurs. Her impact doesn’t go unnoticed. In 2023, the Society of Women Engineers crowned her Entrepreneur of the Year, recognizing her knack for merging technical skill with business savvy.
But it also highlighted an important truth about modern innovation: It’s not just about machines. It’s about people. Every breakthrough has a trailblazer behind it, someone willing to ask tough questions and dig for answers. That grit shines through in Lang’s journey.
Introducing new manufacturing tech is a challenge. Convincing a company stuck in its ways to embrace change? Tough stuff. Some leaders shy away. Others, like Lang, dive in headfirst and show the new approach’s worth. This path takes patience, confidence, and vision. These traits set exceptional leaders apart.
Her nomination for Best Female Executive of the Year reflects this difference. It spotlights a leader who has built an innovative company while steering the future of an entire sector. As manufacturing evolves, companies worldwide are searching for smarter ways to produce goods. Supply chains shift, competition heats up, and new technologies pop up daily.
Manufacturers face pressure to move faster while keeping quality high. In this ever-changing landscape, leaders who grasp both the technical and business sides become invaluable. Lang rocks both. She’s spent years solving engineering puzzles and has played a crucial role in growing a company in a cutthroat environment. This unique mix helps her spot opportunities others might miss.
The nomination isn’t just about where she stands now. It’s a testament to her incredible journey. A young engineer dives into her career, tackles complex projects, amasses experience, spots chances for improvement, helps launch a manufacturing revolution, supports industry organizations, and mentors future stars—all while earning accolades from peers. Now, she’s in the running for **Best Female Executive of the Year**.
What can future innovators learn from her path? Perhaps big achievements start small. What if we could improve this? What if we could reduce waste? What if we could create something groundbreaking? These questions might sound simple, but they often lead to stunning innovations. Every great invention began with curiosity, and every breakthrough came from challenging the status quo.
Melanie Lang’s story taps into that blueprint. Her career illustrates what happens when skill meets determination, vision, and a refusal to bow to challenges. As manufacturing marches forward, leaders like Lang are pivotal in shaping what’s next. Will advanced manufacturing speed up? Will it turn greener? Will new technologies unlock possibilities that seem far-fetched today?
No one has a crystal ball to figure out the future. But one thing is certain: Lang’s nomination for **Best Female Executive of the Year** highlights a leader who has driven manufacturing forward while continuing to ask the daring questions that spark progress. Sometimes the biggest changes come from those quietly dedicated to finding better answers. Melanie Lang’s career reveals she’s undoubtedly one of those change-makers.
### Residents urged to celebrate safely this Fourth of July
URL: https://www.smdp.com/residents-urged-to-celebrate-safely-this-fourth-of-july/
Last updated: 2026-07-03T19:57:34.000Z
As Independence Day festivities get underway, Santa Monica and Los Angeles County officials are urging residents to leave fireworks to the professionals — warning that illegal use carries stiff fines, potential jail time and the risk of catastrophic injury or death.
All fireworks are illegal in Santa Monica, including those marketed as "safe and sane." Violators face fines of up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both. Residents who witness illegal fireworks use are asked to call the city's non-emergency line at 310-458-8849\. For emergencies, dial 911.
"Your firefighters and police officers are here to ensure your safety," city officials said in a statement. "Together, let's keep our community safe this Fourth of July."
The warnings extend beyond legal consequences. Nationally, fireworks start more than 30,000 fires each year and cause thousands of injuries annually. Even sparklers — often considered harmless — account for roughly a quarter of all fireworks-related emergency room visits. Officials also note that fireworks can negatively affect veterans, older adults and children.
Keep Pets Indoors
With the holiday approaching, animal welfare advocates are raising alarms about the toll fireworks take on pets.
SPCA LA is urging pet owners to take precautions before Saturday, warning that fear and anxiety caused by fireworks frequently cause dogs and cats to bolt from home — driving a surge in animals ending up in shelters every year following the Fourth of July.
The organization recommends ensuring pets have current ID tags and are microchipped, with up-to-date contact information on file. During fireworks, animals should be kept indoors with windows and curtains closed to reduce noise and flashing lights. Owners are encouraged to create a calm, comfortable space with familiar toys, treats, bedding and soft background music.
SPCA LA also cautions against tying up dogs as a way to prevent them from running away, and urges parents to remind children not to tease or frighten pets with sparklers or firecrackers.
"It is ideal if at least one family member can stay home with the pet, and especially so if you know they will be in distress," the organization said.
Santa Monica echoed those recommendations, advising residents who have pets to keep them indoors and to confirm that microchip ID information is current. Residents whose pets go missing should contact their local animal care services department.
County Cracks Down on Illegal Operations
At the county level, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman is vowing aggressive prosecution of those who manufacture, transport, store or sell illegal fireworks ahead of the holiday.
His office has filed charges in several recent cases involving staggering quantities of illegal explosives. In late June, four individuals were charged after approximately 8,500 pounds of illegal commercial fireworks — along with improvised explosive devices — were seized from a storage facility in East Los Angeles. Each faces up to 17 years and four months in county jail if convicted.
In a separate South Los Angeles case, four family members face felony charges after authorities discovered more than 37,000 pounds of commercially manufactured fireworks throughout their residence, including two accessory dwelling units and two storage sheds. A child also lived in the home. Two of the defendants face additional child abuse charges.
Among the largest seizures cited by the DA's office: an anonymous tip in 2024 led investigators to a Gardena storage unit containing 75 tons — 150,000 pounds — of illegal mortar-style fireworks.
The consequences have proven fatal in other cases. On May 9, a garage fire in the Jefferson Park neighborhood of Los Angeles killed a 26-year-old man after explosions and fireworks ignited the structure. In January, two brothers were killed in a massive explosion at a Bell Gardens apartment. And on July 3, 2025, a commercial-grade fireworks blast in the Pacoima neighborhood killed one man, gravely injured a woman, injured four others and destroyed multiple homes.
"Celebrations with illegal fireworks and explosives are not harmless entertainment," Hochman said. "These devices can kill people, causing devastating injuries and destroying entire neighborhoods."
All fireworks, including so-called safe and sane varieties, are also illegal for personal use or possession in the City of Los Angeles and throughout unincorporated Los Angeles County.
Legal Shows Available Nearby
Pacific Palisades. Kids under 6 enter the fireworks show for free. Gates open at 8 pm for the fireworks show; the sky lights up at 9 pm. Bring camping chairs and blankets. VIP parking is available; locals are encouraged to walk due to limited parking. Strollers welcome.
Marina Del Rey. Find a spot around Marina Del Rey to watch the fireworks over the water. Public lots open for paid parking. Sound systems for corresponding music set up at Burton Chace Park and around Marina Village.
### City Hall hopes to shield residents from mask wearing lunatic with parking tickets
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-approves-overnight-permit-parking-on-larkin-place/
Last updated: 2026-07-03T19:56:43.000Z
The City Council has unanimously approved a new overnight permit parking zone on a residential cul-de-sac in response to a man the city manager said had been repeatedly driving onto the street at night to intimidate residents.
The council voted June 23 to establish Preferential Parking Zone AAA on Larkin Place, prohibiting parking from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily except for vehicles displaying a valid resident permit. Larkin Place is a short cul-de-sac north of San Vicente Boulevard, roughly between 9th and 11th streets.
City Manager Oliver Chi told the council that staff had spent the previous two months working with residents to address what he described as a recurring harassment situation. An individual had been driving onto the street a couple of nights a week, putting on a mask and attempting to intimidate the people who live there, Chi said.
"As we've assessed all the different options, it does appear the issues are being concentrated in the evening hours," Chi said, noting there was "no technical law enforcement violation for law enforcement to engage."
Chi said the man did not appear to be homeless and was driving a [Toyota Prius](https://www.toyotasantamonica.com/new-toyota/prius.htm?ref=smdp.com). The situation, he said, appeared to be connected to mental health issues. Of the options staff reviewed, an overnight permit zone "seemed like the best and most sort of practical response to the circumstance," he said.
The measure carried unanimous neighborhood support. According to Chi, every resident on Larkin Place signed a petition asking the city to convert the street to overnight permit parking. Under the city's preferential parking ordinance, residents may petition for a zone once signatures represent two-thirds of the dwelling units on a block, after which staff evaluates conditions and the council exercises its discretion to approve or deny.
Residents had cited overnight parking of vehicles for extended periods, late-night noise, nuisance activity, conflicts with vehicle occupants, a reduced sense of safety and sanitation concerns. Staff concluded that relying on existing parking and municipal code enforcement would have a limited practical effect absent clearly observable and independently enforceable violations.
Council Member Lana Negrete, who seconded the motion, said, "I hope the residents of Larkin feel that we're responsive". She noted that the cul-de-sac is unusual, a small street where "you're only parking there if you live there."
Several council members urged the city to address the man's apparent mental health needs and to watch for the problem migrating elsewhere.
"What happens if he goes to next street?" asked Council Member Barry Snell, who said he supported the measure but wanted law enforcement to keep watch. He added that there "might be some issues from a mental health standpoint" that the city could examine.
Council Member Natalya Zernitskaya said the issue came to the council's attention through residents who reached out during office hours, and she encouraged others to do the same. "If we don't know there's an issue going on, we can't address it," she said, asking residents to be patient while the city meets legal requirements.
The approval also reopened a broader debate over preferential parking. Council Member Ellis Raskin, who made the motion, said he is generally not in favor of such zones, citing a warning from a former mayor. "Once you grant one, you can't really stop granting them," Raskin said.
Jesse Zwick, who presided over the discussion, said he agreed there are fundamental problems with many of the city's permit zones but disagreed that nothing could be done. He pointed to residential streets near Ocean Park Boulevard businesses that sit "effectively empty from nine to five" while employees and customers cannot park nearby.
Chi said a suite of mobility and Vision Zero proposals will return to the council in late summer or early fall, including options to build more flexibility into existing permit zones as the city installs bike lanes and other roadway improvements.
The new restrictions are exempt from environmental review under state guidelines, the staff report said. Implementation — including signage, resident notification and a grace period before enforcement — is expected within roughly eight to 10 weeks. Costs for signage, permit administration and enforcement are expected to be absorbed within existing department budgets.
### MRCA Deploys 80-Plus Personnel to Patrol Parklands on Fourth of July
URL: https://www.smdp.com/mrca-deploys-80-plus-personnel-to-patrol-parklands-on-fourth-of-july/
Last updated: 2026-07-02T18:59:59.000Z
The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority will deploy more than 80 wildland fire-trained personnel to patrol its parklands on the night of the Fourth of July, part of an annual effort to protect visitors and natural resources during the holiday.
The deployment focuses on public safety, fire prevention, law enforcement and public awareness across the urban-wildland interface. More than 50 MRCA fire protection personnel — full-time, seasonal, paid call-out and volunteer staff, all wildland firefighters — will patrol from the Pacific Coast to Santa Clarita aboard Type 3 and Type 6 fire engines. Eleven pieces of firefighting equipment, including Type 3 engines and tactical water tenders, will be positioned throughout the jurisdiction.
"The MRCA will be out in full force on the Fourth of July to patrol its parklands and curb illegal activity," said Chief Fire Management Officer Ken Nelson. "Our crews are well-trained and ready to respond to the threat posed by dry brush, fireworks, and warm weather."
An additional 30 rangers, operations staff and public officers, most also certified wildland firefighters, will patrol high-traffic areas including Mulholland Drive, Topanga Canyon, the 118 Corridor and Malibu.
"We are very prepared and ready to respond," said Chief Ranger Fernando Gomez, who has patrolled Mulholland on the Fourth of July for more than 25 years. "We want the public to understand that some areas may be closed. Be vigilant, read signs, and pay attention to your surroundings."
In Malibu, equipment will be pre-positioned and patrols deployed at coastal locations including Winding Way and Lechuza Beach. On Mulholland Drive, the Jerome C. Daniel Overlook above the Hollywood Bowl and the Universal Overlook will close by 6 p.m., and all other overlooks will close to vehicles at 5 p.m. The city of Los Angeles has committed LAPD, LADOT and Recreation and Parks ranger staff to the Mulholland operation.
In Topanga Canyon, security guards will join MRCA staff at the Top of Topanga Overlook from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Friday through Monday, coordinating with Topanga Arson Watch volunteers and the Lost Hills Sheriff's Station.
The MRCA, a local government public entity, manages more than 80,000 acres of parkland and maintains a workforce trained in wildland fire suppression and fuel management. Its rangers are California peace officers as well as trained wildland firefighters.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Around Town: 4th of July Weekend Happenings!
URL: https://www.smdp.com/around-town-4th-of-july-weekend-happenings/
Last updated: 2026-07-02T18:59:59.000Z
SMDP's Weekly Guide to Food & Entertainment Goings-On In & Around Town celebrates the historic 100th anniversary of the Mother Road with a packed holiday schedule of parades, park festivals, and coastal celebrations.
**Point Break Night Market:** This night market is part block party, part food fest, and part group crafting session. **Thursday, July 2, 6 - 9:30p.m., Venice** [https://partiful.com/e/ctKjbUCVESmEcrsXzPW3](https://partiful.com/e/ctKjbUCVESmEcrsXzPW3?ref=smdp.com)
**Penmar Sunset Sessions Independence Day Weekend:** They are getting patriotic for Independence Day by having the Red Bull Air Force drop parachutes over this Friday’s Sunset Session. **Friday, July 3, 4 - 9p.m.,** [https://www.instagram.com/p/DaJyCK1shwC/](https://www.instagram.com/p/DaJyCK1shwC/?ref=smdp.com)
**Annual Main St. 4th of July Parade: The parade kicks off at 9:30a.m. at Marine St. and Main St., traveling North toward City Hall & Tongva Park.** You can watch the parade anywhere along the Main St. route that includes classic cars, community organizations, city leaders, and more. The official parade grandstand will be located in front of the Ocean Park Library at the corner of Ocean Park and Main St. **Multiple Main St. shops will be open in support of the community, including Rabano, Edgemar, Papille Gustative, Dolcenero Gelato, and Junior Cookies…please show them your support in return that day!** [https://www.santamonicaparade.com/](https://www.santamonicaparade.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**Pulse in the Park:** Enjoy a high-energy, World Cup themed festival in Tongva Park, following the annual community Santa Monica 4th of July Parade on Main Street. The event features food from Level Up Burgers and Ubatuba, a beer garden, face painting, a photo booth, family-friendly activities in partnership with Santa Monica Family YMCA, live DJ sets, dance performances, and live music from The Jane Fondas. **Saturday, July 4, 11:30a.m. - 3:00p.m.** [santamonicacup.com/events/sunset-sessions](http://santamonicacup.com/events/sunset-sessions?ref=smdp.com)
**Venice 4th of July:** The city of Venice’s official celebration will have fireworks, a duck race, local eats, and a DIY regatta! 🎆 [instagram.com/p/DZbJTaKG37s](http://instagram.com/p/DZbJTaKG37s?ref=smdp.com)
**Marina del Rey 4th of July Fireworks:** Prime viewing spots are at Burton Chace Park and Fisherman’s Village, both of which offer synchronized music during the fireworks show. The fireworks will be shot from a barge off the Marina’s south jetty. **Saturday, July 4, 9:00 - 9:20p.m.** [More details here](https://www.smdp.com/big-blue-bus-to-run-weekend-schedule-on-july-4-holiday/).
**Pacific Palisades 4th of July Concert & Drone Show:** The evening kicks off with a massive live music concert featuring local rock mainstays, followed by a state-of-the-art, synchronized aerial drone light show illuminating the night sky over the Palisades. Advanced tickets are mandatory via [palisades4th.org](http://palisades4th.org/?ref=smdp.com). Gates open at 6:00 p.m., Palisades Charter High School Stadium, 15777 Bowdoin St.
**Fourth of July Poolside Party at Viceroy Santa Monica:** [The Dream](https://dice.fm/event/l8x9lr-shades-la-the-dream-4th-jul-viceroy-santa-monica-santa-monica-tickets?lng=en-US&ref=smdp.com) is an Independence Day pool party inspired by summer nostalgia and carefree beachside afternoons, bringing a lively holiday energy to the hotel’s pool deck from 2–8 p.m. 1819 Ocean Ave. [More details here](https://dice.fm/event/l8x9lr-shades-la-the-dream-4th-jul-viceroy-santa-monica-santa-monica-tickets?ref=smdp.com).
**ONGOING:** [Museum of Illusions](https://moisantamonica.com/?ref=smdp.com); [The CUBE VR](https://www.thecubeevents.com/santamonicaexperiences?ref=smdp.com); [Splatter Studio](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/california-live/paint-sip-and-create-in-santa-monica/3834517/?ref=smdp.com);
**What to Eat & Drink?**
**Abbot Kinney First Friday Food Truck Fest:** About two dozen food trucks are expected to line the street for the monthly event. **Friday, July 3, starting at 5p.m.**[ ](https://www.abbotkinneyblvd.com/?ref=smdp.com)[https://www.abbotkinneyblvd.com/](https://www.abbotkinneyblvd.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**Ina Bakes Independence Day Pop‑Up:** Kick off the holiday weekend with something sweet. We’re baking up seasonal favorites and festive, patriotic pastries — perfect for barbecues, beach days, and backyard celebrations. Menu/pre‑order available. **Saturday, July 4, 9a.m. – 2p.m., 535 Rose Ave, Venice** [Inabakes.com/shop](http://inabakes.com/shop?ref=smdp.com)
**Not No Bar on Main St. Listed as One of the Top Bars in LA:** [This Infatuation list](https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/most-fun-bars-la-right-now?ref=smdp.com) glows about the newish hot spot, stating, "Though everybody inside this crowded Santa Monica spot will be eating bubbly-crusted pizza, don’t be fooled. Not No is a cocktail bar first. Dates smoosh up against the bar with coupes in hand while groups of friends lounge on two-tops and booths like the Feast of Dionysus. Euro disco thumps over the hi-fi system while a couple of cooks twirl pizza dough in the open kitchen. It’s loud, a little messy, and a lot of fun. This is the kind of place you might stop into for a quick drink and end up staying for a while, sipping on tropical-leaning cocktails, like the rum-based Curry Killer laced with coconut and green curry, or the House Of Learned Doctors with aquavit, kiwi, and fennel."
**Newly Opened: West Side Oyster Club on Ocean Ave.: “**Santa Monica Gets a New Seafood Concept Just in Time for Summer” with this new restaurant taking over the former Blue Plate Oysterette space. The husband-wife entrepreneurs and Santa Monica residents are focusing on a casual-meets-luxury seafood concept that’s as serious about its caviar offerings as its restaurant’s laidback, beach city spirit. **1355 Ocean Ave.** [More details here](https://lamag.com/food/west-side-oyster-club-ocean-avenue-santa-monica-open/?ref=smdp.com).
**Jeni’s New Summer Flavors:** Flavors launching July 2 include Campfire S’mores (Marshmallow & toasted sugar ice cream with gooey chocolate and graham cracker cookies), Strawberry Pretzel Pie (Pretzel streusel and strawberry sauce in cream cheese ice cream), and Hibiscus Chilli Punch Sorbet.
**Further Afield:** If you’re hoping to enjoy fireworks on the fourth of July, here are some of the best spots in the city for displays: [The Hollywood Bowl](https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/events/performances/4249/2026-07-02/july-fourth-fireworks-spectacular-with-the-beach-boys?ref=smdp.com), [Hollywood Forever Cemetery](https://hollywoodforever.com/events-calendar/?ref=smdp.com), Dodger Stadium, and the dock at Marina Del Rey.
**Looking Ahead:** [COAST Open Streets Festival](https://www.santamonicaworldcup.com/events/coast-2026-0zc31?ref=smdp.com) (7/19); State of the City Event (7/23); National Night Out (8/4)
If there’s something you think is worth highlighting, you can reach out directly to me at [sean@smdp.com](mailto:sean@smdp.com).[ ](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com)[Here](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com) are my past columns and let me know if you have any feedback on **Around Town: 4th of July Weekend Happenings!**
### The coast is clear for COAST 2026 in downtown Santa Monica
URL: https://www.smdp.com/the-coast-is-clear-for-coast-2026-in-downtown-santa-monica/
Last updated: 2026-07-08T16:18:29.000Z
COAST 2026, Santa Monica’s grand finale for the World Cup, won't have access to an expanded zone for public drinking after a recent vote by the Downtown Santa Monica Inc. Board gave staff authority to fully activate the city’s Entertainment Zone (EZ) but staff have declined to do so.
The event encompasses a celebratory festival across much of the city, and last week the board of Downtown Santa Monica Inc. (DTSM) voted to join the party by sponsoring an expanded EZ.
For the past year, the downtown EZ has allowed patrons to carry open alcohol purchased from approved restaurants while walking on the Third Street Promenade. Per state law, drinks can only be consumed in plastic or paper containers by patrons 21 or older, wearing wristbands issued by the restaurants, and beverages cannot be taken into other businesses.
Although sales and foot traffic data was presented at the DTSM board meeting, there was no data specifically regarding the EZ. Nor was much data shared about the impact of the World Cup. Hotel occupancy rates suggest it hasn’t been the economic home run that Santa Monica (and many other cities) were hoping for, yet it’s still succeeding in bringing tourists and locals downtown for watch parties and other events. According to DTSM, almost 9,000 people showed up on the Promenade on the opening day of the FIFA pop-up store, which is less than the roughly 21,000 present for the first day of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzeria, but still a higher number than usual
The city is going all out for the final game of the quadrennial soccer tournament on July 19th, creating many pedestrian-only streets and promising art installations, live music and interactive zones, plus food trucks, beer gardens, and, of course, large viewing screens. The EZ is a natural fit with the city’s plans.
The question for the DTSM board was less about activating the zone for the event than whether or not to expand it. Expansion was a topic of significant debate at the January board meeting due to concerns about costs and liability, and some directors remained unconvinced of the retail sales benefit of flowing alcohol. A divided board requested that the City Council grant maximal parameters for the EZ, including everything from Ocean Avenue to Fourth Street and from Wilshire to Colorado. However, the request was based on the condition that the board would have final say on when to implement the EZ and on its size.
Up until now, the EZ has only been activated on the Promenade, as it was for Oktoberfest and Pride. But DTSM CEO, Debbie Lee, presented two more options for the board to consider regarding the 19th: A) adding Ocean Avenue to Third Street with $11,000 in estimated costs for signage, security and sanitation services, or B) including the entire area defined in the Council’s ordinance at more than double the cost, though she noted that the police department hadn’t yet signed off on the plan’s safety.
“I don’t have a recommendation or a thought,” said board member Gleam Davis, who has championed the EZ from its inception, “but if the right answer is the $28,000 one, I wouldn’t let it get in the way.”
The amount pales next to the hundreds of thousands the city is investing in the event, yet it would seem to be more than DTSM has available.
“My understanding is our budget is pretty tight,” said board member Richard Bloom. Lee reminded him that July starts a new fiscal year, which offers a workaround.
Bloom also asked about liability costs, since the EZ program requires participants to indemnify the city but not DTSM. Interested businesses would be required to indemnify both, and they may also be asked to pay a fee to cover the cost of the expansion.
Also under consideration is providing eligible Fourth Street businesses with pop-up locations on the Promenade, possibly also for a fee, thereby eliminating the need to extend the zone east to Fourth.
Given that this will be a first test of the organizational and promotional logistics necessary for a successfully expanded zone, including the challenge of securing parking structures in an open-carry area, it's not clear why DTSM waited so long to address the issue and get the ball rolling. The board vote on June 25 was unanimous, though five of the 12 directors were absent, including directors who had previously voted against expanding the EZ.
Editor's Note: The original version of this story reported on the authorizing vote before staff subsequently decided against the full activation.
### Big Blue Bus to Run Weekend Schedule on July 4 Holiday
URL: https://www.smdp.com/big-blue-bus-to-run-weekend-schedule-on-july-4-holiday/
Last updated: 2026-07-01T19:00:00.000Z
Big Blue Bus will operate a normal weekend schedule on Saturday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day.
Blue: The Transit Store and Customer Service will be closed Friday, July 3, and normal hours will resume Monday, July 6.
Riders should note that Routes 1, 2, 3, 8 and 18 may be on detour because of multiple Independence Day events, with some missed and alternate stops. More information is available at the Big Blue Bus[ ](https://www.bigbluebus.com/Newsroom/Content.aspx?type=Alerts&ref=smdp.com)[alerts page](https://www.bigbluebus.com/Newsroom/Content.aspx?type=Alerts&ref=smdp.com).
For UCLA riders, the Hilgard Terminal will be closed Friday, July 3\. Routes 1, 2 and 8 will serve C.E.Y./P2 instead.
Toward UCLA, those routes will end service at C.E.Y./P2 because of the terminal closure. The following stops will be missed: northbound Westwood Boulevard at Le Conte Avenue; eastbound Le Conte Avenue at Tiverton Drive; northbound Hilgard Avenue at Manning Avenue and Westholme Avenue; and the Hilgard Terminal.
Riders heading to UCLA should use these alternate stops: northbound Westwood Boulevard at Weyburn Avenue; northbound Westwood Plaza at the Jules Stein Eye Center; and C.E.Y./P2.
Toward Santa Monica, service on Routes 1, 2 and 8 will begin at C.E.Y./P2 because of the closure. Riders may also board at the alternate stop on southbound Hilgard Avenue at Westholme Avenue.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Sen. Allen Defends Plastic Waste Law After 17-State Lawsuit
URL: https://www.smdp.com/sen-allen-defends-plastic-waste-law-after-17-state-lawsuit/
Last updated: 2026-07-01T19:00:08.000Z
State Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica, defended California's plastic packaging law, SB 54, after 17 attorneys general and the National Association of Wholesale-Distributors filed a lawsuit challenging it.
"For decades, producers have been able to shift costs onto ratepayers and escape accountability for flooding our planet and waste infrastructure with unsustainable levels of plastic pollution," Allen said. "This lawsuit against our landmark bipartisan law that finally holds them accountable challenges California's right to protect residents from rising waste disposal costs and a growing public health crisis."
Allen said the state remains committed to holding producers responsible for plastic waste rather than passing cleanup costs to taxpayers and ratepayers.
"While these states may not share our commitment to reducing the millions of tons of plastic entering our waste system, polluting our waterways, and leaching into our bodies, California remains committed to holding producers accountable," he said. "Rather than forcing taxpayers and ratepayers to shoulder these costs, we are ensuring companies that profit from this mass pollution help pay for its cleanup."
Allen said the state would continue to defend its authority "to protect consumers, reduce pollution, and prioritize families over billion-dollar corporations."
He represents the 24th state Senate District, which includes the Westside, Hollywood, the coastal South Bay and the Santa Monica Mountains communities of Los Angeles County.
The bill text is available at[ ](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202120220SB54&ref=smdp.com)https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill\_id=202120220SB54
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica Leaders Rally Around Shared Vision for City’s Comeback at Chamber Gala
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-leaders-rally-around-shared-vision-for-citys-comeback-at-chamber-gala/
Last updated: 2026-07-01T19:00:00.000Z
As Santa Monica works to reshape both its reality and its reputation, city and business leaders gathered recently with a shared message: the city’s comeback will not be driven by a single project or marketing campaign, but by rebuilding confidence through collaboration, investment and a renewed focus on the fundamentals.
That message anchored the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce’s annual Toast to Santa Monica and Board Installation Gala at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows, where civic, business and nonprofit leaders came together to install the Chamber’s new Board of Directors, recognize community leaders and reaffirm a shared commitment to the city’s future.
City Manager Oliver Chi acknowledged that while Santa Monica has made meaningful progress, perception remains one of the city’s greatest challenges. “Perception is something we’re all looking to overcome,” Chi said.
Rather than searching for a single solution, Chi said Santa Monica’s recovery requires discipline and long-term commitment. “The easy answer is to find one business or launch one marketing campaign,” he said. “But I don’t think that’s the right answer. We’re not going to get Santa Monica back by chance. We’re going to get there through discipline and by getting our house back in order.”
Chi reflected on the challenges the city has faced in recent years, including financial pressures, declining reserves, storefront vacancies and the lasting impacts of the pandemic. “Without the basics, we can’t get back to being Santa Monica,” he said.
Instead of managing decline, Chi said city leaders made a conscious decision to rebuild from the ground up. “We stopped managing decline and started rebuilding the foundation.”
That foundation, he said, includes cleaner streets, increased public safety, more efficient permitting, improved city services and creating an environment where businesses can succeed. “There is still so much more work to do,” Chi said. “But I’ve never been more hopeful.”
Recent activity along the Third Street Promenade, he added, reinforces that optimism. “What we’ve seen over the last several weeks proves people still want to be here. If we all do our part collectively, we can recreate what made Santa Monica so special,” Chi said. He encouraged the business community to continue partnering with the city. “Take that step forward with us.”
Welcoming attendees, Interim Chamber President and CEO Genevieve Morrill, who recently stepped into the leadership role following a distinguished career leading the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, said the organization exists to be the voice of Santa Monica's business community during both prosperous and challenging times. "It is my distinct honor to serve as your Interim Chamber President and CEO," Morrill said. "Chambers of Commerce serve as the first responders for the business community. Our most important role is to advocate on your behalf and represent your interests at every level of government."
Reflecting on the challenges businesses have faced from the pandemic and labor disruptions to inflation, devastating fires and housing pressures - Morrill said the Chamber's mission has never been more important. "Business is not a dirty word," she said. "It is a vital cog in our economic wheel. When businesses succeed, our entire community succeeds. We all rise together."
Morrill described Santa Monica as "one community," bringing together businesses, residents and visitors alike, and expressed optimism about the city's future. "This city is on a comeback," she said. "We're incredibly excited about all the great things ahead."
Incoming Board Chair Addie Van Gessel built on that message, emphasizing the importance of strengthening the relationship between City Hall and the business community. “The partnership being built between city government and the business community means more than people know,” Van Gessel said. “When we work together, we create the kind of environment where businesses can thrive and where Santa Monica can continue moving forward.”
She later invited attendees to raise a toast to Santa Monica, reminding the audience that the city's renaissance will be built not only in City Hall, but in its restaurants, storefronts, offices and through the people continuing to invest in the community every day.
The Chamber also recognized three individuals whose leadership has helped shape Santa Monica’s business and civic community.
Longtime community volunteer and civic leader Neil Carrey received the Nat Trives Award, recognizing more than four decades of service to Santa Monica. “I truly love Santa Monica,” Carrey said while accepting the honor. “I’ve dedicated a lot of time and effort over the last 46 years, but I’ve gotten far more out of it than I’ve ever given. I feel fortunate to have been given the opportunity to help others—and more importantly, the understanding that I must.”
Kara Block received the Chair Award for her leadership of the Chamber’s Leadership Committee and her commitment to fostering collaboration between business leaders and public agencies. “The Leadership Committee creates opportunities for businesses, professionals and government to come together,” Block said. “Those conversations help us address challenges, create opportunities and build a healthy and thriving Santa Monica.”
The Business Leader Award was presented to Jeremy Rawitch, managing director of communications and external affairs at RAND and vice chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, for his leadership advancing collaboration between the research community, business leaders and policymakers. “Helping businesses thrive and helping our community thrive is ultimately what the Chamber is about,” Rawitch said. “None of this happens in a vacuum. It takes partnerships, and it takes an entire community working together.”
Closing the evening, Councilmember Dan Hall looked ahead to Santa Monica’s future, pointing to growing momentum as the city prepares to welcome global attention through major sporting events, expanded tourism and continued investment.
### Venice Beach Set to Welcome the World as Los Angeles World Cup 26 Fan Zone Comes to the Coast
URL: https://www.smdp.com/venice-beach-set-to-welcome-the-world-as-los-angeles-world-cup-26-fan-zone-comes-to-the-coast/
Last updated: 2026-07-01T10:00:00.000Z
Venice Beach will become one of Los Angeles’ biggest stages during the FIFA World Cup, welcoming thousands of fans from around the globe for the Los Angeles World Cup 26 Fan Zone at Venice Beach July 10 to 11\. The two-day celebration will bring quarterfinal match broadcasts, internationally recognized DJs, live entertainment, cultural programming and an anticipated boost for local businesses, while showcasing Venice’s unique beach culture and community spirit to an international audience ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
More than a sports viewing experience, organizers say the activation is designed to create an affordable way for fans who aren’t attending matches in person to experience the energy of the world’s largest sporting event while highlighting Venice as one of Los Angeles’ premier destinations for global events.
For local restaurants, retailers and hospitality businesses, the Fan Zone is also expected to generate thousands of additional visitors during one of the busiest weekends of the tournament, further positioning Venice Beach as one of Los Angeles’ premier destinations during the FIFA World Cup while helping build momentum toward the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
"Venice Beach is back as LA's biggest public attraction, and events like the FIFA Fan Zone don't just create excitement around the world's most watched sporting event - they deliver real benefits for our local economy by inviting thousands of visitors through the doors of our restaurants, shops, hotels and small businesses. We're proud to showcase the creativity, energy, and entrepreneurial spirit that make Venice so special while demonstrating that our beachfront community has been transformed to welcome the world," said Councilwoman Traci Park
Three months ago, the future of the Los Angeles World Cup 26 Fan Zone at Venice Beach was uncertain after the original organizers stepped away from the project and returned the activation to FIFA, then event producer Jon Besant received a phone call. “I had 48 hours to decide,” Besant said. “Twenty of those hours I was in the air flying to Dubai.”
Today, that whirlwind decision has become the Los Angeles World Cup 26 Fan Zone at Venice Beach, one of 10 official FIFA World Cup Fan Zones across the Los Angeles region, bringing the tournament experience to one of Southern California’s most iconic waterfront destinations.
The Fan Zone is being produced through a partnership between event producer Besant, John Cohn, founder of Venice Soleil, and longtime Venice resident Suzanne Rijneveld, who joined forces to bring the activation to life under an accelerated three-month timeline. Working alongside Councilwoman Traci Park’s office, Los Angeles Recreation and Parks, coastal agencies and regional partners, the team transformed what had become an uncertain project into one of Southern California’s signature World Cup experiences.
The opportunity came during a community event on the beach. Besant recalls attending the release of rescued baby seals when he was approached by Councilwoman Park, who asked whether he would consider leading the Los Angeles World Cup 26 Fan Zone at Venice Beach. “I had 48 hours to make the decision- It was one of the biggest opportunities of my career," he said.
For Besant, whose background includes producing FIFA Fan Zones, festivals and major entertainment events throughout the United Kingdom and Dubai, the Venice activation also marks the beginning of a new chapter after relocating to Los Angeles two years ago. “It’s been an incredibly mentally challenging thing to do this in three months,” he said. “But it’s the reason I moved here.”
Rather than simply creating another sports watch party, Besant said the vision was to create an event that feels authentically Venice. “I’m excited that tickets are being purchased by multicultural audiences,” he said. “I’m excited that it’s an affordable option for people who can’t go to the matches. We’re bringing together talent from across the Westside and internationally. It’s something the Venice community needs.”
The Los Angeles World Cup 26 Fan Zone at Venice Beach will feature three FIFA World Cup quarterfinal match broadcasts over two days, complemented by a lineup of internationally recognized DJs and performers.
Friday’s Official Watch Party will feature performances by Charly Jordan, Ravidrums, Tony Perry, Jon Besant and Jimmy Bell, with former MLS Cup champion, and Views FC Founder Rodney Wallace serving as host. Saturday’s lineup continues with Niko Rubio, Tony Perry, Ravidrums, Martyn Sayer and Nam Goody, along with a special guest yet to be announced. Organizers say the mix of international and Westside talent reflects the multicultural spirit of Venice Beach itself.
For Wallace, returning to the World Cup in a new role carries special meaning. "Soccer has taken me places I could only dream about - now I have the chance to experience the World Cup from a different persepctive by bringing fans together to cleebrate the sport that has given me so much."
General admission tickets begin at $25 for Friday and $55 for Saturday, while children are admitted free. Organizers say more than 10,000 tickets have already been sold.
While the July 10-11 Fan Zone anchors Venice’s official FIFA programming, organizers are also planning a complimentary community celebration on Sunday, July 19, timed to coincide with the FIFA World Cup Final. The complimentary July 19 Block Party will feature World Cup Final-themed programming during the morning before transitioning into an afternoon dance music festival celebrating the conclusion of the tournament. Additional entertainment and programming details are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Besant believes the July 19 celebration represents something much larger than the tournament itself. “I think it’s a really good platform for the Olympics to show what this community can do together,” he said. “Parks, beaches, harbors - we’ve all had to come together.”
That vision aligns closely with Los Angeles’ preparations for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, positioning Venice not only as one of the city’s most recognizable neighborhoods, but also as a future gathering place for international sporting and cultural events.
The Venice activation also builds on the neighborhood’s growing role during the World Cup. U.S. Soccer established its Soccer House, presented by Bank of America in Venice Beach, welcoming thousands of supporters through public watch parties, concerts, player appearances and community programming. "U.S. Soccer House, presented by Bank of America, gave fans a place to experience the FIFA World Cup beyond the stadium. Throughout the tournament, tens of thousands of fans came together in Venice Beach to watch matches, connect with one another, and celebrate the game. Seeing that energy firsthand reinforced what we've long believed, that soccer has a unique ability to bring people together. Experiences like U.S. Soccer House help deepen fans' connection to our teams and the sport, and that's how we'll continue growing the game and building an even stronger soccer culture in the United States,” said U.S. Soccer Federation's Chief Commerical Officer David Wright.
Organizers say these activations are helping establish Venice Beach as one of Southern California’s signature soccer destinations while introducing international visitors to one of Los Angeles’ most recognizable cultural landmarks.
Wallace believes Venice Beach is the ideal backdrop for an event celebrating the world's games. "Venice Beach represents creativity, culture, diversity, and expression. There isn't a better place to celebrate a tournament that brings the entire world together," he said.
For local businesses, the impact extends well beyond the tournament. The Fan Zone is expected to bring thousands of additional visitors to neighborhood restaurants, hotels, retailers and small businesses while demonstrating Venice’s ability to host world-class events in advance of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
For Besant, Cohn and Rijneveld, however, success isn’t measured only by attendance. It is about demonstrating what can happen when a community comes together under pressure to create something meaningful.
While this summer marks Venice Beach’s first official FIFA Fan Zone, the three partners say they hope it becomes the foundation for future international sporting and cultural events, ensuring Venice remains one of Los Angeles’ defining gathering places long after the final whistle blows. “Venice has always been a place where cultures meet,” Besant said. “The World Cup gives us the chance to show that spirit to the world.”
The Los Angeles World Cup 26 Fan Zone at Venice Beach will take place July 10-11 at Windward Plaza. Information, tickets and the latest entertainment lineup are available at [venicebeachfwc26.com](http://venicebeachfwc26.com/?ref=smdp.com).
### JSX Adds Nonstop Santa Monica-Oakland Flights in September
URL: https://www.smdp.com/jsx-adds-nonstop-santa-monica-oakland-flights-in-september/
Last updated: 2026-06-30T23:39:05.000Z
JSX will begin nonstop flights between Santa Monica Airport and Oakland on Sept. 14, the air carrier announced. Seats are now on sale.
The service will operate up to three times a day, and twice a day on Saturdays, on JSX's ATR 42-600 aircraft, which seats 30 and offers free Starlink Wi-Fi. Introductory one-way fares start at $149 and include at least two checked bags, onboard cocktails and business-class legroom, the company said.
Customers check in 20 minutes before departure at private terminals in Santa Monica and Oakland, bypassing traditional airport lines.
"Our customers tell us they want less friction and more speed when they travel within California," said JSX CEO Alex Wilcox. "This new service between Santa Monica and Oakland is truly California's high-speed plane. From door-to-door, there's no faster, more convenient way to go from the west side of Los Angeles to the North Bay than with JSX."
Port of Oakland Director of Aviation Craig Simon welcomed the route. "We're excited to welcome JSX's new nonstop service between Oakland and Santa Monica, expanding convenient and seamless travel options for our passengers," he said, noting the carrier's existing service to Burbank, Carlsbad and Las Vegas.
The Oakland route expands JSX's growing network from Santa Monica Airport. Customers can book at[ ](https://www.jsx.com/?ref=smdp.com)[www.jsx.com](https://www.jsx.com/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Big box tinderboxes: Warehouses are exposing more Californians to costly, toxic disasters
URL: https://www.smdp.com/big-box-tinderboxes-warehouses-are-exposing-more-californians-to-costly-toxic-disasters/
Last updated: 2026-06-30T19:00:00.000Z
Automation, exploitation and the sheer size of today’s warehouses are magnifying fire risk. A half-dozen recent warehouse fires demonstrate that warehouse fires can no longer be considered a bug in the system. They are a feature.
A 2025 [analysis](https://www.zurichna.com/knowledge/articles/2022/07/storage-trends-and-new-technology-ignite-fire-risks-for-commercial-warehouses?ref=smdp.com) by the insurance company Zurich describes how “too dense, too tall” storage trends have increased warehouse fire hazards. [Imagine 1 million square feet under one roof](https://www.socalearth.org/megavt/?ref=smdp.com), piled high with TVs, kayaks, electronics, batteries, hand sanitizer, vapes, toys, clothing, suitcases, all nested together, wrapped in plastic, and stored on pallets floor to ceiling.
When a mega-warehouse burns, it’s like a whole neighborhood going up in flames.
Mega-warehouses larger than 1 million square feet are popular in part because they make the transition to automation more cost-effective. Automation facilitates top-to-bottom stacking in addition to minimizing the need for human workers. Increased fuel density, larger areas to cover, more complex electrical systems and fewer eyes on the floor have made warehouses a recipe for incendiary disaster.
Big box conflagrations require multi-agency collaboration, hundreds of firefighters and days or weeks before containment. Just look at the cold-storage warehouse fire in Boyle Heights this past week, which [choked the air across Los Angeles](https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/what-we-do-and-dont-know-about-smoke-from-boyle-heights-fire?ref=smdp.com). Fires can cause supply chain issues, financial losses in the millions, plumes of acrid smoke, soil and water contamination, and massive piles of toxic debris.
A 2020 [fire in Redlands](https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/5k-reward-information-massive-fire-destroyed-amazon-distributor-warehouse-redlands/?ref=smdp.com) leveled a concrete tilt-up the size of a city block and took a week to extinguish. That fire blanketed nearby neighborhoods with smoke, ash and noxious fumes, creating the equivalent of two football fields of debris.
Post-fire clean up resulted in a backroom deal to dump thousands of [truckloads of rubble](https://www.sbsun.com/2021/02/01/san-bernardino-revokes-oxbow-permit-orders-concrete-pile-cleared/?ref=smdp.com) next to the San Bernardino neighborhood of Verdemont, where high winds dispersed concrete dust and dislodged pebbles that pelted windows, people, cars and pets.
This lasted for years until the rubble was removed using thousands of truck trips.
In December 2021, a [three-alarm fire](https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/massive-warehouse-fire-likely-caused-foul-odor-in-carson/?ref=smdp.com) at the Carson Industrial Center was fueled by pallets of beauty products. Toxins entering the Dominguez Channel created a malodorous, organic die-off that cause headaches, sore throats, burning eyes and nausea for months.
After logging over 4,700 odor complaints, the region’s air quality regulator issued five citations to the warehouse’s complex chain of actors, including cosmetics brands, wholesalers and Prologis, one of the largest warehouse companies in the world.
At the Kimberly-Clark warehouse in Ontario in April, a [viral video](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/ontario-warehouse-fire-video/3873376/?ref=smdp.com) showed an employee allegedly igniting some of the warehouse’s 1 billion rolls of toilet paper, saying, “All you had to do was pay us enough to live.” Warehouse fires include higher rates of arson on the part of exploited employees, who may set blazes, tamper with electrical systems and disable mandatory sprinkler systems.
As an industry, warehouse work is dependent on [temp labor models with low wages](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2023/06/inland-empire-warehouse-boom-jobs/?ref=smdp.com), hostility toward collective bargaining, rapid employee turnover and high rates of worker disability.
In recent days, the Lineage cold-storage warehouse in Boyle Heights [burned for more than a week](https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/boyle-heights-warehouse-fire-officially-knocked-down?ref=smdp.com) as the [associated parties](https://www.baincapital.com/news/bain-capital-and-barber-partners-announce-500-million-partnership-build-chill-storage-next?ref=smdp.com) shifted responsibility. Global cold storage food distributor Lineage Logistics leases the building from Chill Build, LLC, which is a joint venture of Barber Partners and Bain Capital. Lineage in turn leases the roof to Los Palos Street Operating, LLC, which is a division of Altus Power, whose solar equipment may have malfunctioned during maintenance.
Community members and residents city-wide impacted by toxic air from layers of insulated foam and plastics — and millions of pounds of burning or rotting frozen food — [deserve to know who is responsible](https://www.golden-state.org/californias-megawarehouses-are-burning-and-the-public-deserves-answers/?ref=smdp.com). It’s also important to understand how global capital underwrites local harm.
Monumental buildings have [monumental consequences](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2024/03/warehouse-inland-empire-bloomington-future/?ref=smdp.com). Frontline community members [have known that for years](https://calmatters.org/california-divide/2021/02/when-a-package-at-the-front-door-means-a-warehouse-next-door/?ref=smdp.com). Now we are all getting a taste of it.
Susan A. Phillips is a professor of environmental analysis and director of the Robert Redford Conservancy at Pitzer College.
### Santa Monica 4th of July Parade reverses course for 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-4th-of-july-parade-reverses-course-for-2026/
Last updated: 2026-07-02T18:55:31.000Z
The Annual Santa Monica 4th of July Parade will take a new path this year, reversing its traditional route as organizers tie the celebration to a new post-parade festival and a pair of milestone anniversaries.
The 2026 parade will begin at Marine Street and travel north on Main Street, concluding at Pico Boulevard — the opposite of the classic southbound route that has defined the event since its founding. Participants will stage and check in at Santa Monica Beach Parking Lot 5 South, where vehicle inspections will also take place before the parade steps off at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, July 4.
The route change was developed in coordination with the City of Santa Monica to funnel participants and spectators toward Pulse in the Park, a free World Cup-themed festival running from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Tongva Park. The event will feature live music, food vendors, pop-up shops, family activities and an enclosed beer garden. Organizers are billing it as the city's first official post-parade celebration.
This year's parade carries a dual theme: the 100th anniversary of Route 66 and America's 250th birthday. Santa Monica serves as the western terminus of Route 66, and the semiquincentennial of American independence gives organizers two major milestones to mark simultaneously.
The 2026 grand marshal is Dr. Walid "Wally" Ghurabi, medical director of the Nethercutt Emergency Center at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center for more than 40 years. His selection is tied to a third centennial in the mix — UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center's 100th anniversary — with the parade billed as one of the culminating events of that celebration. UCLA Health is among the parade's sponsors.
The reversal is not entirely unprecedented. In 2022, when Civic Center construction blocked the traditional staging area, organizers ran the parade in the same northbound direction — staging at the South Beach Lots and traveling up Marine Street before heading north on Main to Pico. That year marked the parade's return after a two-year COVID-19 hiatus and drew an outpouring of community support.
This year's route change is more deliberate, designed to end closer to Tongva Park and the new post-parade festival rather than at the southernmost beach lots. Updated route maps and participant information are available at SantaMonicaParade.com.
The parade is presented by the Ocean Park Association, a resident-advocacy neighborhood group covering Santa Monica's southwest beach community. It was founded in 2007 by Jeff Jarow and a group of neighbors from the Ocean Park area including Lori Nafshun, Joel Brand, Jan Ludwinski, Mary Hubbel, Bob Taylor, Susan Lewis and Ted Winterer. As Jarow recalls it, a few patriotic neighbors simply decided they wanted to celebrate the nation's founding — and a parade was born.
What started as a small neighborhood procession has grown into one of the city's signature civic events. More than 10,000 people are involved as participants, volunteers and spectators.
The event is free to spectators and run entirely by volunteers, funded through sponsorships and donations.
Perennial crowd favorites include the Santa Monica High School Viking Marching Band, the Dogtown Car Club's classic and vintage cars, fire trucks and police vehicles, a double-decker bus, and Pacific Park's pink octopus mascot "Inkie." Participants are encouraged to dress in red, white and blue; children, leashed pets and wagons are welcome.
The parade was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Jarow citing public health orders prohibiting large gatherings and the City's suspension of funding for special events amid budget cuts exceeding $80 million. It returned in 2022 and has grown steadily since. The parade begins at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Marine Street and Main Street.
The parade isn’t the only patriotic activity in Santa Monica this year.
A Fourth of July road race that relocated to Venice Beach last year following the Palisades Fire is returning to its original Pacific Palisades home for its 49th annual running Friday.
The Palisades Will Rogers Fourth of July 5K/10K Run, presented by Providence Saint John's Health Center, will return to its traditional course through Will Rogers State Historic Park after moving to the Venice Beach boardwalk in 2025 as fire recovery efforts continued across the neighborhood.
"We're proud to be returning our historic race to its home in the Pacific Palisades this Fourth of July," said Thomas Hathaway, chief financial officer and lead organizer of the Will Rogers-Pacific Palisades Foundation.
The race offers four distances: a 10K run, a 5K run/walk, the Dick Lemon Run — a high school competition 5K — and a half-mile Kids Fun Run. The 10K course features ocean views and switchbacks through Will Rogers State Park before finishing at a course that has seen elite runners and Olympic athletes cross the line.
The event's organizing foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is donating a portion of race proceeds to local charities. To date, the race has raised more than $200,000 toward rebuilding the Palisades Recreation Park, with reconstruction expected to begin this summer, Hathaway said.
Donations to organizations supporting Palisades recovery can be made through the event's RunSignup page. Registration for Friday's race is open at the same site 9https://runsignup.com/Race/CA/PacificPalisades/PalisadesWillRogers5K10KRun)
The race is managed by Spectrum Sports Management and owned by the Palisades-Will Rogers 5&10K Run Foundation, which is dedicated to honoring the legacy of humorist and entertainer Will Rogers through fundraising and preservation efforts at his namesake state historic park.
### Musco Lighting Named Official Lighting Provider of LA28 Games and Team USA
URL: https://www.smdp.com/musco-lighting-named-official-lighting-provider-of-la28-games-and-team-usa/
Last updated: 2026-06-29T18:59:59.000Z
Musco Lighting has been named the official sport presentation and broadcast lighting provider of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Team USA, the company announced June 16\. Musco will provide field-of-play lighting as well as sports presentation entertainment lighting for the Games.
"Musco's first involvement with lighting Olympic venues was the 1984 Games in Los Angeles," said Jeff Rogers, CEO of Musco Lighting. "Forty-four years later, our team is enthused about the opportunity to partner with LA28 and Team USA."
The LA28 Games will be the largest Olympic and Paralympic Games in history, featuring new sports, expanded events and greater parity for women athletes. With more than 50 years of expertise in broadcast lighting, Musco provides sports presentation and entertainment lighting for athletes and fans.
"Musco Lighting has a storied history of bringing presentation excellence to fields of play in our city, dating back to the last time the Games came to town," said Reynold Hoover, CEO of LA28\. "We are excited to partner with Musco to ensure our venues shine brilliantly and deliver an unparalleled viewing experience."
For more than 50 years, Musco has specialized in sports lighting and technology, with innovations in glare reduction and light control. The company's TLC for LED system, Show-Light special effects technology and Mini-Pitch System modular sports solution are found at neighborhood ballfields, NFL and MLB stadiums, NBA and NHL arenas, major collegiate facilities and previous Olympic Games. Every Musco system is backed by a long-term parts and labor warranty.
More information is available at[ ](https://www.musco.com/?ref=smdp.com)[www.musco.com](https://www.musco.com/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Oscar Ramirez Nominated Again For Best Lawyer in California 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/oscar-ramirez-nominated-california-best-lawyer-2026/
Last updated: 2026-07-14T16:08:15.000Z
What does it take to snag the same big-time legal honor two years in a row? Hard work, skill, a sprinkle of trust, or maybe all three working in harmony?
[Oscar Ramirez](https://www.oscarramirezlaw.com/?ref=smdp.com) is back at it, earning another nod for Best Lawyer in California 2026\. And let’s face it: That’s no small win.
Think about all the lawyers hustling daily. They’re in court, arguing, writing legal stuff, negotiating deals, and tackling problems that can feel like mountains to their clients. Yet, only a handful ever get to wear the crown of “best.” And even fewer manage to shine brightly year after year. That’s what makes Oscar’s nomination so exciting. It shows not just a single win, but a fantastic trend of success.
Last year, the Santa Monica Daily Press nominated Oscar “[Best Lawyer in 2025](https://www.smdp.com/oscar-ramirez-best-lawyer-2025/).” That nomination turned heads all around the legal world. Clients noticed. Friends cheered. Rivals, well, they definitely took some notes. Now, here he is again, right on cue. And that leads us to a question: how does someone stay on top when the competition never takes a break?
Oscar Ramirez nominated again for California's Best Lawyer award 2026
The secret lies in how Oscar [built his career](https://www.oscarramirezlaw.com/about?ref=smdp.com) brick by brick. He didn’t strike gold overnight, nor did he rely on flashy ads or lucky breaks. He crafted his reputation one case at a time, one client at a time. Sure, that path takes a bit longer, but it sticks longer too, because it’s built on solid groundwork instead of just hype. Think about it like this: would you trust someone who disappears when the going gets tough, or someone who stands by you through thick and thin?
Oscar began his legal adventure at UC Berkeley, where he sharpened his analytical skills and learned the meaning of hard work, something super important when life throws curveballs. Then, he leveled up at Loyola Law School, diving into competitions and real-world training that pushed him beyond the books. That early training is key because law isn’t just about knowing rules; it’s about knowing how to use them when the heat is on.
Now, Oscar tackles cases that really matter to people’s lives. [Wrongful termination](https://www.oscarramirezlaw.com/employment-law?ref=smdp.com#:~:text=Wrongful%20Termination), workplace harassment, wage theft, and personal injury disputes aren’t just fancy legal terms; they’re situations that can upend stability, income, and fairness. Imagine losing a job unfairly or working hard but not getting paid—those experiences drive people through a lawyer’s door.
And let’s not forget Oscar’s impressive track record. He scored a whopping $6.25 million in a class action win, grabbed a $2.5 million verdict for personal injury, and snagged $840,000 for a sexual harassment case. Those figures shine bright, but here’s the real question: Do numbers alone make a great lawyer? Not quite. Sure, results count, but how those victories come about and how clients feel throughout the ride matter just as much. People don’t just recall the final score; they remember how they were treated when the going got tough.
Think of yourself in the middle of a legal battle. Would you rather have a lawyer who talks in confusing legalese, leaving you scratching your head, or one who breaks things down, answers your questions, and makes you feel supported? Most of us crave clarity, honesty, and a steady hand, and that’s where trust becomes as vital as legal know-how. Oscar’s reputation shines not only from his wins but also from how he cares for clients during chaotic times.
His style mixes prep with good communication and strategy with a dash of empathy. This combo isn’t as common as you’d think. Some lawyers are all about winning arguments; others remain focused on being buddy-buddy without enough strategy. Balancing both takes skill, and that balance is what keeps clients coming back for more.
Beyond the courtroom, Oscar is also a certified mediator thanks to training at Pepperdine’s Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution. Not every issue needs to turn into a courtroom showdown, and not all disputes boil down to a fight. Sometimes, people just need a friendly space to settle things without escalating tensions. And that raises an important thought: what if resolving a problem peacefully saves everyone time, money, and stress? That’s where Oscar’s mediation skills really come into play, adding a whole new layer to his legal toolkit.
His role in the Los Angeles Superior Court’s Alternative Dispute Resolution program highlights his practical approach, aiming to help families and individuals move forward instead of getting stuck in the same old drama. This kind of work might not grab headlines, but it often makes the biggest waves in the real world, where people crave closure and stability.
Oscar has racked up accolades throughout his career,and the list keeps growing. He’s been recognized as a Super Lawyer and was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star every year from 2014 through 2020\. He also holds a perfect 10 out of 10 rating on Avvo, where clients review lawyers, along with Avvo’s Clients’ Choice Award. If that wasn’t enough, Oscar has earned recognition from some of the legal profession’s most respected organizations, including:
- **Nominated to ABOTA (American Board of Trial Attorneys)**
- **Super Lawyers**
- **Super Lawyers Rising Star (2014–2020)**
- **Perfect 10/10 Avvo Rating**
- **Avvo Clients’ Choice Award**
- **Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent® Rating**
- **Lead Counsel Rated**
- **The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40**
- **Top 50 Settlements – Motor Vehicle Accidents Award**
- **Top 100 Settlements – Personal Injury Award**
That’s quite a collection of honors. While awards alone don’t define a great lawyer, seeing them appear year after year paints a picture of someone who has earned the respect of clients, colleagues, and the legal community alike.
Think about it: A single award might be a lucky break, but repeated shoutouts signal a reputation that stands tall even when under the microscope.
But Oscar isn’t just about courtrooms and accolades. He’s deeply involved in community and professional organizations like the Mexican American Bar Association, where he mentors the next generation of lawyers. It raises an interesting point: what does success truly mean if it doesn’t open doors for others? Oscar clearly believes that his achievements gain even more weight when they assist others on their journey to greatness.
He also connects with the public through media appearances on platforms like CNN Latino and Telemundo, where he breaks down complicated legal cases into digestible nuggets. This skill is more important than it seems at first glance because let’s be real—law can feel like a foreign language to most of us. When someone can take that complexity and turn it into plain talk, it builds trust not just with clients, but with the entire community.
As 2026 unfolds, Oscar finds himself once again in the running for Best Lawyer, sparking a buzz around the question: Is he the best this year? That depends on how we weigh skill, impact, and consistency. But let’s dig deeper into the real question: how many lawyers can juggle stellar courtroom results, mediation prowess, community spirit, and rock-solid client trust—all at once—without losing steam?
That list is not very long.
This nomination isn’t just another tick mark on a to-do list. It tells a compelling story of consistency, discipline, and performance under pressure. Some lawyers may shine bright for a moment, while others may quietly build solid reputations over time. Oscar Ramirez, meanwhile, has crafted something that not only stands out but continues to shine. His success rests on a simple yet challenging foundation: trust earned through time, bolstered by results, and nurtured by unwavering effort.
And that’s precisely why people can’t stop talking about him.
### Matthew Blair Nominated for Best Lawyer in California for 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/matthew-blair-nominated-california-best-lawyer-2026/
Last updated: 2026-07-14T16:03:11.000Z
[Matthew Blair](https://www.matthewblairesq.com/?ref=smdp.com) did not wake up one morning and become a name people recognize in California courtrooms. That reputation took years to build, one case at a time, across injury claims, workplace disputes, and legal battles that often carry more emotional weight than legal complexity.
Think about a world where people deal with stuff like car crashes, unfair job firings, and other pesky problems that can really mess up their lives. That’s where Matthew came to the rescue. Each day, he stepped into the courtroom, ready to face challenges that would make even the bravest superheroes think twice. And as the years went by, people started to notice just how awesome he was at his job.
Fast forward to today, and guess what? For the second year in a row, Matthew has been nominated for Best Lawyer in 2026\. That’s right. He’s part of a special club of attorneys who don’t just achieve amazing results—they do it consistently. In a world where some lawyers might fizzle out like an old light bulb, Matthew shines bright.
So, you might be wondering, how does someone earn such cool recognition year after year? What special magic is behind that? Well, it’s all about how he does his job. Matthew’s journey has been a fascinating mix of hard work, skill, and maybe a sprinkle of luck. It’s like a recipe with just enough of everything, and his results make it clear that he knows exactly what he’s doing.
Matthew Blair's 2026 Best Lawyer in California nomination
Matthew is not just a lawyer; he’s a “law hero.” He runs a firm called [Blair & Ramirez LLP](https://www.blairramirezlaw.com/?ref=smdp.com), with offices in Irvine, Los Angeles, and Bakersfield. So, what does he do? He helps people who’ve been hurt in accidents or who deal with unfair treatment at work. These are not just boring legal terms; they are real-life issues. Think about someone who has a car crash and can’t walk properly anymore, or someone who lost their job without a good reason—these are huge life changes.
At his firm, Matthew and his team work hard for clients all over the state of California. They handle all sorts of cases, from car wrecks to employment disputes, where people say, “Hey, that’s not fair.” Matthew has helped clients win back millions of dollars—yes, millions. One big case even got a whopping $6.25 million settlement. Can you imagine how life-changing that must be for someone?
But hold on, it’s not just about the money. It’s about what those numbers represent. Each case is like a puzzle, and Matthew carefully picks which puzzles to solve based on what he thinks he can do best. He’s not about volume; he’s about quality. Like choosing to dive into a tricky video game level instead of just zooming through the easy ones. He likes to tackle the ones that really matter—the cases that need special attention and strategies.
How does he do that, you ask? Well, it’s all about his preparation style. Matthew is like a detective in a cool mystery movie. He collects clues—like medical records, witness statements, and timelines—long before any courtroom drama unfolds. He builds stories from these pieces, making sure he’s ready when it’s time to shine in the courtroom.
But here’s the twist: sometimes, lawyers have to aim for a court battle, and other times, they just need to be charming negotiators to get a great settlement. Matthew understands the strange dance of law, sometimes spinning toward a trial and sometimes gliding smoothly into a settlement. He blends strategy and skills like a master chef mixing flavors—always creating the best outcomes.
Now, before we get carried away in the legal fun, let’s take a peek into [Matthew’s credentials](https://www.matthewblairesq.com/?ref=smdp.com#about). He graduated from UCLA and Loyola Law School, which are some of the best law schools. He passed the California Bar in 2011, like earning his cape. Before starting his firm, Matthew learned from experienced lawyers, figuring out the ropes and perfecting his craft.
He’s become quite the champion in personal injury and employment law, tackling tough cases where people really need help, especially with serious injuries and unfair workplace situations. Just like a superhero fights villains, Matthew fights for his clients’ rights, making sure they get the justice they deserve.
But why is Matthew so special, you might still wonder? It must be that secret sauce he adds to everything. It’s not just about winning cases; it’s about how he treats people along the way. Many attorneys might get lost in the legal jargon, but Matthew makes it easy for clients to understand. He transforms complicated legal steps into something a five-year-old could grasp. When clients walk into his office, they don’t just see a lawyer; they see a friend who will guide them through the twists and turns.
Everyone knows that feeling of being confused by lengthy paperwork or legal terms. Matthew knows that too, and he takes the time to explain everything like he’s chatting with a buddy. He breaks it down simply and clearly, making sure his clients are always in the know. That kind of care goes a long way.
On top of all this, people in the legal community really admire Matthew. In fact, he was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star every single year from 2013 through 2023\. That’s eleven years in a row. Think of getting picked for your school’s all-star team every single year. That’s the kind of consistency we’re talking about.
He also has a perfect 10 out of 10 rating on [Avvo](https://www.avvo.com/attorneys/90071-ca-matthew-blair-4025589.html?ref=smdp.com#overview), a website where clients review lawyers. People don’t hand out perfect scores unless someone has really made a difference, and many of Matthew's reviews describe him as “brilliant,” “relentless,” and even “life-changing.”
But that’s not all. Over the years, Matthew has collected quite a list of honors, including:
- **Super Lawyers**
- **Super Lawyers Rising Star (2013–2023)**
- **The National Trial Lawyers Top 100**
- **The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40**
- **Perfect 10/10 Avvo Rating**
- **Avvo Clients' Choice Award**
- **Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent® Rating**
- **Lead Counsel Rated**
- **Number 1 Settlement – Personal Injury Award**
- **Top 50 Settlements – Motor Vehicle Accidents Award**
- **Top 100 Settlements – Personal Injury Award**
That's a pretty impressive collection of achievements.But let’s remember: It’s not just about awards hanging on a shiny wall. The real magic lies in what his clients think. When they hear Matthew’s name, they feel a sense of relief and often express how grateful they are to have him in their corner. It’s like having your very own legal hero ready to battle on your behalf.
Now, while Matthew is out there trying to support his clients and earn recognition, it’s important to realize that he didn’t do it alone. Teamwork plays a huge role in his success. The lawyers, paralegals, and support staff at Blair & Ramirez LLP are like a well-oiled machine, working together to ensure every detail is perfect.
With their powers combined, they tackle the challenges that come their way, pooling their strengths and knowledge. This teamwork helps them create compelling cases, making their strategy even more powerful.
As exciting as it is to win cases, attorneys like Matthew also find fulfillment in the transformations they help create in people’s lives. Clients don’t just walk away with money; they walk away with a renewed sense of hope and the ability to rebuild their lives after catastrophes. That’s a kind of magic that no trophy can truly measure.
So, there you have it, the story of Matthew Blair—a lawyer who didn’t just earn a name; he built a legacy that combines skill, heart, and a sprinkle of fun. As he continues to climb the ranks in the legal world, it’s easy to see why he’s a favorite among clients and peers alike. In a profession that often feels serious and heavy, Matthew stands out like a bright, shining star—ready to advocate for those in need and to fight the good fight wherever it leads him.
With his tools of preparation, compassion, and a wolfpack of dedicated teammates behind him, there’s no telling what heights Matthew Blair will reach next. As the sun sets over Southern California, you can bet he’ll be ready to rise and shine, making the world a little bit better.
### Blair & Ramirez LLP Nominated for Best Law Firm in California 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/blair-ramirez-nominated-california-best-law-firm-2026/
Last updated: 2026-07-15T21:45:30.000Z
Los Angeles legal circles rarely agree on anything. Law firms come and go like pop stars, changing names, merging, or just fading into the background noise of flashy ads. But one name keeps popping up: [Blair & Ramirez LLP](https://www.blairramirezlaw.com/?ref=smdp.com). This year, they earned a nomination for “Best Law Firm in California 2026,” and suddenly everyone is talking. But this time, the chatter feels a bit different—more like a curious eyebrow raise than a celebration.
Why the change? Well, nominations aren’t just shiny trophies anymore. They come with questions. Instead of just cheering, people want to know: what’s changed? What’s improved? What does this nomination really mean?
Last year, Blair & Ramirez LLP made waves in personal injury and wrongful termination employment law, showing off some big wins and expanding all over California. The buzz from 2025 stuck around, spreading like wildfire through happy client stories and glowing articles praising their fierce fight for justice. Now, with another nomination, they face a test: can they keep up the momentum?
The firm sticks to what it knows best: handling tricky personal injury cases, wrongful terminations, and class action lawsuits. They help clients with everything from car crashes to being wrongfully fired. That sounds impressive, right? But here’s the big question: can they really excel in so many different legal battles without spreading themselves too thin?
Some people see the firm’s wide reach as a clever strategy, while others wonder if it’s more about trying to sound good than being truly great. Last year’s [nomination](https://www.smdp.com/blair-ramirez-llp-nominated-best-law-firm-2025/) already put them in a tough spot, especially in California’s crowded market for helping regular individuals. That market doesn’t care for fluff. It wants solid results that stand the test of time. So, this nomination packs a hefty punch. It makes people compare Blair & Ramirez LLP to other firms, not just notice them.
Many who know the firm often brag about their [winning cases](https://www.blairramirezlaw.com/personal-injury-employment-law-case-results?ref=smdp.com) worth millions. Those results include victories in employment law and personal injury that they proudly showcase to prove their strength. But numbers can be sneaky. They don’t tell the whole story. They don’t show the tough challenges or how many big wins come from a mountain of cases.
So, here’s the burning question: Does being big really mean being the best? Or does it just mean they have lots of cases?
The leaders at Blair & Ramirez LLP like to tell the world about how they fight for their clients, ready to take on huge insurance companies. That stance hits home with clients who feel scared and alone against powerful foes. The firm wants to be seen as a shield for those in need, like a superhero fighting to protect the underdog. That story is heartwarming, but does it work every time in the courtroom?
Consider a typical personal injury scenario in California: a chaotic car accident on a jam-packed freeway. Who’s at fault? Insurance companies argue about everything, including how bad someone’s injury really is. These situations need more than just fiery passion. They require careful planning and a strategy that unfolds over time. Good firms don’t just charge in swinging. They move with purpose, making smart decisions.
Blair & Ramirez LLP’s public image shouts “fighters,” which makes clients feel reassured when they first walk in. But fighting hard doesn’t always win the day; what really wins is how well you can execute those plans.
Now, in a world where clients are savvier, they dig deep before choosing a law firm. They look online, read past case results, and question every claim. Just having a “Best Law Firm” sticker doesn’t cut it anymore. It raises eyebrows.
And those raised eyebrows bring more questions than answers. For instance, while the firm talks about its victories in employment law, the truth is that each case can be wildly different. A smashing win doesn’t mean they’re kings of the hill; it might just show they can pull off a single great feat.
To fully understand the story of Blair & Ramirez LLP, we also need to check out how they present themselves. They use words like grit, justice, and protection, building an identity that matters. Clients facing tough times need more than just fancy language; they want clarity and certainty.
But that clear image can sometimes hide the complexities behind the scenes. The firm reports victories in all sorts of accidents: truck crashes, pedestrian injuries, workplace disputes, and even wrongful deaths. Each type requires its own expertise and strategy. The best firms usually have specialized teams instead of saying, “We do it all.”
So, the 2026 nomination raises an important question: How does the firm keep its quality high across so many areas without losing focus?
In the legal world, reputations take time to build but can fall apart in a flash. A single fumble can damage years of hard work. That’s why getting nominated again is a big deal. It’s not everything, but it matters.
Yet, there’s something about Blair & Ramirez LLP’s rise we can’t ignore. Getting noticed again shows they’re out there, and that often ties to strong performance or smart marketing. Maybe both.
Clients meet the firm during their scariest moments: getting into a car accident late at night, receiving an unexpected pink slip at work, or hearing life-changing health news. In those critical moments, fancy branding doesn’t matter. It’s all about how quickly and clearly they respond.
That’s the moment where the firm can either reinforce its good name or quietly lose it.
The 2026 nomination doesn’t just celebrate what they did; it sets new expectations. It challenges the firm to prove itself further as clients and competitors pay closer attention to results and stories.
And that’s the real lesson here. It’s not about whether Blair & Ramirez LLP deserves the nomination or how far they’ve come, but whether they can maintain that reputation when the spotlight burns brighter.
So, as Blair & Ramirez LLP continues into this new nomination cycle, it’s time to ask not “Why are they up there?” but “What’s next for them?” And most importantly, can they keep climbing when everyone’s watching every single step?
### Santa Monica approves Swiss holiday market on pier, extends Pier Corporation deal
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-approves-swiss-holiday-market-on-pier-extends-pier-corporation-deal/
Last updated: 2026-06-29T18:22:49.000Z
The City Council has approved a license agreement to bring a large-scale Swiss-themed holiday market to the Santa Monica Pier this winter, part of a broader push to expand major events on the oceanfront that is also reshaping the city's longtime relationship with the corporation that runs pier programming.
At its June 23 meeting, the council authorized a license agreement with Swiss Xmas Inc. to operate the Swiss Winter Village — [Santa Monica Pier](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-piers-a-pierfect-benefit-returns-sept-19-with-casino-night-theme/) on the pier's parking deck from Nov. 2, 2026, through Jan. 15, 2027\. The market would run daily for the public from Nov. 27 through Jan. 3, with hours from noon to 11 p.m., except on New Year's Eve, when operations could extend to 1:30 a.m.
Organizers described the event as an authentic Swiss holiday market blending Swiss craftsmanship, food and design with Santa Monica's cultural character. Admission would be ticketed at roughly $15 per person, and total attendance over the multiweek run is projected at 250,000 to 400,000.
Under the agreement, the city would receive the greater of a guaranteed minimum payment of $320,200 or 8% of net ticketing revenue. Staff said the arrangement is structured for full cost recovery and is not expected to require a city subsidy.
The council also adopted a resolution waiving certain municipal code provisions on construction hours, noise and signage, drawing on the Major Special Events Ordinance adopted in April. To address noise, the licensee agreed to direct background music inward and monitor sound at the property lines of existing pier tenants.
Major Events Manager Aaron Orozco said the event's producers were "absolutely on board with being flexible" on operating hours. The point came up after Councilmember Dan Hall questioned the agreement's hard 11 p.m. closing time, noting the city has been keeping the pier open later. Hall ultimately moved to approve the staff recommendation with direction to redline the agreement to state a closing time of "11 p.m. or the pier closing time, whichever is later, at the discretion of the vendors." Mayor Caroline Torosis seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Senior Project Manager Meghan Foster outlined a range of community benefits tied to the market after Councilmember Natalya Zernitskaya, who pulled the item for discussion, asked staff to review them "for the public's benefit." They include 1,000 free tickets for nonprofit groups, with priority for under-resourced youth and foster families; a free Candlelight concert for the community; discounted or free admission windows for residents in Santa Monica ZIP codes; and a "senior golden hour" with earlier hours and local senior-center partnerships to ease holiday isolation.
Foster said the event would also prioritize local businesses through a weighted vendor process. "We're going to heavily weight local Santa Monica businesses to prioritize them in that vendor application process," she said. Organizers said they have been coordinating with the Santa Monica Pier Lessees Association and Pacific Park on priority booth access, reduced fees and cross-promotion. "At the end of the day, we want to make sure that we're cross-promoting with them, and we're good neighbors," Foster said.
The activation also includes a faux-ice skating rink, which Councilmember Barry Snell urged the city to coordinate with the Downtown Santa Monica board about the downtown rink.
In a separate action the same evening, the council approved the [Santa Monica Pier Corporation's](https://www.santamonicapier.org/?ref=smdp.com) fiscal year 2026-27 budget and work plan and authorized a one-year extension of the city's services agreement with the corporation through June 30, 2027\. The corporation presented a balanced budget of about $2.53 million, including a $150,000 annual grant from the city, with a projected surplus of roughly $5,000.
Zernitskaya, who also pulled this item, asked why the extension ran one year rather than the multiyear term used previously and what was underway to rework the city's relationship with the corporation. Deputy City Manager Peter James said the one-year extension is largely an as-is renewal but signals coming changes. With the city's new Major Events Division, he said, "the nature of activation is seemingly changing on our oceanfront." James called the coming negotiation "a fairly complex conversation" that "involves budgets and staff," and said the city and corporation are working to clarify their roles in pier deck events, including event intake, permits and revenue.
James noted the corporation once received a sizable city allocation to curate the visitor experience before the pandemic, when its city funding was cut to $150,000 and it shifted toward a revenue-generation model built on event rentals. Hall, a former corporation board member, praised the corporation's work to diversify its revenue and said he was "really excited" the city was weighing how to better partner with the corporation "to align their budget with our goals for the pier and for the broader beach community." Staff expect to return with further pier-governance recommendations early winter.
### Local martial arts studio grounds dragons and sorcery TV show producer
URL: https://www.smdp.com/local-martial-arts-studio-grounds-dragons-and-sorcery-tv-show-producer/
Last updated: 2026-06-27T19:20:45.000Z
HBO’s Game of Thrones TV show may take place in the fictional and far off realm of Westeros; but among the dragons, swords and sorcery there’s a hint of Santa Monica as one of the show’s producers has developed a deep bond with a local martial arts school.
Ryan Condal is a producer on the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon, and while his bond with local martial arts instructor Shihan Vassie Naidoo may not be quite as deep as that of a dragonrider and his steed, the connection to Goju-Ryu Sewai-Kai Karate of LA has remained an important part of his life.
Condal has said his continued training with the local school, even by Zoom when necessary, has helped him deal with the stress of the show.
Naidoo said his style of karate has stress relieving properties beyond the martial applications. His school is a direct descendant of the Goju-Ryo school, a form of karate known for its breath work and combination of so-called “hard” and “soft” attacks based on the shape of the hand.
“I focus a lot on breathing, on internal movements coming from internally, and everything we do, every movement means something. It's a defense or offense, and every movement we do involves breathing,” he said.
He said the focus on internal balance through breathwork was also valuable as a tool to cope with the Covid pandemic.
Naidoo’s journey to opening his own studio was a quest in its own right, rife with personal danger and crossing international borders.
When he began learning, Naidoo said he had to sneak to his friend’s Goju-Ryu school in a white area of South Africa, defying the law and the police during apartheid.
“When I got my black belt, I opened my own school, and I did the same; I had everybody train under my school.” he said.
Similar to his friend’s school, Naidoo put an emphasis on inclusion. In 1978, he hosted a multiracial karate tournament in a soccer stadium in South Africa.
“I took my chances,” he said of the controversy.
Naidoo’s studio offers child and adult classes. Each class begins with an extensive warm-up, as Naidoo emphasizes the importance of fitness. They will then move into basic stand-up movements, such as blocks, kicks, and punches. This is followed by moving techniques, known as kata. Kata is a cutting movement, which starts off with a block.
“The reason for that is because you don't start a fight — you finish it.” Naidoo said, noting the incorporation of the Goju-Ryu philosophy into his sessions. They will then spar, and end with a cool down.
While he now has a loyal following, the work has humble origins as weekly sessions at a dance studio. However, the dance studio was actually a step up from his first classes taught in local parks.
One of his customers at the Palisades Garden Cafe found out about his work, and asked him to teach sessions at their dance studio. Naidoo opened his first dojo on 14th St. Later, he formed Karate for Inner City Kids (K.I.C.K), a non-profit located on 22nd and Pico, where kids could train for free.
“That's where I built up from scratch to where we are today. We were part of the community there, and I tell everybody, you can't afford it, talk to me about it. No, we'd never turn anyone away,” said Naidoo.
Naidoo compares opening the non-profit to his days teaching in South Africa, where he allowed many of his students to train for free because they could not afford it. Aside from his non-profit, he has also worked in schools in Long Beach, where he would help keep kids off of the street.
While Condal may not have been one of the students that came to the school through the nonprofit, he has remained a dedicated student becoming a 4th dan black belt. Naidoo describes his celebrity client as “religious” when it comes to his training, as they continue to maintain their sessions over Zoom following Condal’s move to Europe and the UK for filming of the show.
Naidoo also describes pushing Condal to work hard during their sessions, even after Condal has long nights related to premiers and work.
“He was like, "Oh, I'm glad you didn't take it easy, because I feel good.’”
Naidoo’s current operating studio is located at 12416 Santa Monica Blvd.
### LA28 Unveils Paralympic Competition Schedule Featuring Record 560 Medal Events
URL: https://www.smdp.com/la28-unveils-paralympic-competition-schedule-featuring-record-560-medal-events-2/
Last updated: 2026-06-27T16:10:18.000Z
Los Angeles organizers have released the full competition schedule for the 2028 Paralympic Games, the first Paralympics ever to be held in the city and the largest in the event's history.
The LA28 Paralympic Games will feature 560 medal events — the most since Seoul 1988 — across a record 23 sports in nearly 20 venues spread throughout a 35-mile radius. Competition will span 14 days, with the Opening Ceremony on Aug. 15, 2028, and the Closing Ceremony on Aug. 27.
In a historic first, competition will begin before the opening ceremony, with Wheelchair Rugby starting on Day -2 and Boccia on Day -1\. No athletes will be eliminated before the ceremonies.
Para Climbing will make its Paralympic debut at LA28 after becoming the first sport ever added to the Paralympic program by an organizing committee. The sport will feature 80 athletes competing across eight medal events over four finals sessions from Aug. 24–27.
Three additional new events were added across Para Table Tennis, Para Triathlon and Para Swimming.
The Games will feature the largest and most gender-balanced athlete field in Paralympic history, with 45% of quota spots allocated to women, up from 42% at Paris 2024.
The final weekend will be among the most event-dense in Paralympic history. Super Saturday, Aug. 26, will feature 15 finals sessions and more than 50 gold medals awarded across 12 sports. The closing day, Aug. 27, will award 20 medals — the most on a final day since Atlanta 1996.
Tickets will go on sale in 2027 through AXS and EVENTIM. For updates, visit the LA28 Games Plan page.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Vice President passes through Santa Monica today
URL: https://www.smdp.com/vice-president-passes-through-santa-monica-today/
Last updated: 2026-06-27T17:08:36.000Z
Vice President JD Vance will pass through Santa Monica today as part of his Southern California tour. The VP will be in Downtown Santa Monica for a recorded interview and the area will have temporary street closures while he is in the area.
### Mistrial declared after jury deadlocks in arson trial over deadly 2025 Palisades Fire in Los Angeles
URL: https://www.smdp.com/mistrial-declared-after-jury-deadlocks-in-arson-trial-over-deadly-2025-palisades-fire-in-los-angeles/
Last updated: 2026-06-26T17:29:03.000Z
A federal judge declared a mistrial Friday in the arson case against the man accused of sparking the deadly 2025 Palisades Fire in Los Angeles after the jury said it could not agree on a verdict. Prosecutors said they will try again.
Jurors said a day prior they had come to a standstill in deliberations in the trial of 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht on three federal charges: arson, malicious destruction by means of a fire and timber set aflame.
"The court finds there is a manifest necessity to declare a mistrial because the jury is deadlocked," Judge Anne Hwang said, with 10 jurors set on a not-guilty verdict and two others determined to convict.
The jury's note Thursday said "We have people on both sides that are dead set, unwavering and unwilling to change their opinion."
The jury also said there was nothing the court could do to help and that they were split on all three charges. Prosecution had requested Hwang to tell the jury to deliberate longer, but she said there was a "risk of coercion" given how definitive the jury seemed.
Defense attorney Steve Haney said the vote count was a "pretty resounding indication" that his client is innocent.
But U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said they "fully intend to retry this case before a new jury and obtain guilty verdicts on all charged counts."
"The evidence is strong that Jonathan Rinderknecht is responsible for igniting the fire on January 1, 2025, which eventually became the Palisades fire," Essayli posted.
Rinderknecht pleaded not guilty to starting what became one of the most destructive wildfires in California history. He was charged with arson, malicious destruction by means of a fire and timber set aflame.
Prosecutors say Rinderknecht started a fire on Jan. 1, 2025, that burned undetected deep in root systems before flaring back up Jan. 7\. The Palisades Fire ultimately killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes as it incinerated hillside neighborhoods in Pacific Palisades and the city of Malibu. Rebuilding has moved slowly in the Pacific Palisades — only 17 homes have been certified for occupancy.
His trial began June 8 and featured eight days of lengthy testimony from investigators, experts and witnesses from surrounding areas. Jurors deliberated for 13 hours over the course of two days before concluding that they could not produce a unanimous verdict.
Digital records revealed Rinderknecht's state of mind
Using security camera footage, prosecutors established that the fire is believed to have started at the Hidden Buddha clearing, a spot in the mountainside that can be reached by a neighborhood trail.
Rinderknecht, who was driving for Uber that evening, dropped off his last passenger in the same neighborhood, shortly before midnight.
Rinderknecht called 911 more than a dozen times that night, and the phone's geolocation data showed he was at the clearing and walked down the trail as he reported the fire. Prosecutors said Rinderknecht admitted that he did not see or hear anyone else there.
Prosecutors introduced several witnesses to establish his motive and state of mind on New Year's Eve 2024\. They brought into evidence a multitude of digital records obtained from his phone, email, Uber, OpenAI and various social media accounts. Investigators reviewed thousands of conversations between Rinderknecht and ChatGPT, which he used multiple times a week as a personal diary.
"Why am I so angry all the time?" he said in one exchange.
He vented his anger over wealth inequality
Rinderknecht lamented wealth disparity and climate change and his inability to do anything about it.
Rinderknecht also made searches about Luigi Mangione, who is charged with the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and on Reddit searched "lets kill all the billionaires." He looked up the address of DoorDash CEO Tony Xu, including if he had children or surveillance cameras at his home.
He also shared his relationship struggles, including his rejection by a woman. He contacted that same woman earlier that night to ask if she had any New Year's Eve plans. When she turned him down, he sent her angry and vile messages from another phone.
When firefighters responded to the blaze, Rinderknecht followed them and took videos of the fire as they battled it. While at the fire, he also asked ChatGPT if someone would be responsible for a fire accidentally started by a cigarette.
Rinderknecht screen-recorded both the 911 calls and his ChatGPT prompt, which prosecutors presented as evidence that he was trying to mislead investigators.
On Jan. 6, a day before powerful Santa Ana winds rekindled smoldering roots into a conflagration, he recorded a selfie video where he stated he was having a mental breakdown.
He talked with an agent for hours — words used against him
Prosecutors also referenced a recorded interview Rinderknecht gave the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in late January, before he was a suspect. ATF agent Matthew Beals spoke with him for roughly 8 hours, at one point driving together to the site of the fire so that Rinderknecht could physically identify his movements on the hill during the window of time when the fire started.
Rinderknecht's account was in conflict with his phone's geolocation data and the timing of his 911 calls, Beals testified.
Beals also said Rinderknecht became "agitated" when he asked about the fire's details, at one point accusing him of interrogating him as a suspect, and repeatedly voiced dismay about the state of political affairs in response to the questions.
Specifically, Rinderknecht was recorded speculating that someone might hypothetically start a fire in the Palisades out of frustration about inequality, the agent said.
"If people are specifically targeting this area, I'm thinking it's probably because they're like, "Oh, do people think they can have their own little road up here in paradise and just, you know, be here with their money while we're basically being slaves for them?" Rinderknecht said.
Arson behavioral expert Kevin Kelm testified that all of Rinderknecht's behavior was consistent with that of a "revenge, or societal revenge motivated" arsonist.
His defense sought to blame fireworks
Rinderknecht's defense focused on showing jurors that fireworks could not be ruled out, and in fact were the most likely cause of the fire.
One firefighter testified they heard fireworks in the area shortly before and after midnight New Year's Eve.
Haney called to the stand two Pacific Palisades residents and a security guard for the neighborhood. All three said they either saw flashes of light or heard fireworks, and two of them saw a group of teenagers running down the trail afterward.
Two expert witnesses cast doubt on the federal investigation. Among other things, the scene of the Jan. 1 fire was unsecured for 13 days and could have been compromised in that time, the defense said. The experts also testified that fireworks were the most likely cause.
Former LA fire investigator Ed Nordskog said he responded to dozens of fires each Fourth of July and New Year's Eve, most started by fireworks. He accused government investigators of being influenced by confirmation bias as they pursued Rinderknecht.
"They're choosing to look at information in a very sinister way when they should be a little more open about it," he said.
When looking through Rinderknecht's digital footprint, investigators never found any searches about arson, the best way to start a fire, or purchases of any fire-starting materials, Haney pointed out. While they found his DNA on a barbecue lighter in his car, they couldn't prove a lighter sparked the blaze — only that it began with an "open flame," he said.
Calling 911 more than a dozen times and staying at the scene while firefighters fought the blaze also demonstrated his innocence, Haney said.
"No arsonist sets a fire and calls 911 for them to put it out ... and then waits around to be arrested," Haney said.
—
By JAIMIE DING and CHRISTOPHER WEBER. Associated Press reporter Safiyah Riddle contributed to this report.
### Santa Monica Police arrest Florida sex offender wanted on child molestation charges
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-police-arrest-florida-sex-offender-wanted-on-child-molestation-charges/
Last updated: 2026-06-27T17:08:13.000Z
Santa Monica police arrested a Florida man wanted on felony charges of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor under the age of 12 during a routine patrol stop at a city park Monday afternoon.
Officers assigned to the Downtown Services Unit were patrolling the lower portion of Crescent Bay Park at approximately 1:49 p.m. June 23 when they contacted Michael Lee Pope for a municipal code violation. A records check revealed Pope had an active felony full extradition warrant out of Marion County, Florida, related to allegations of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor.
Pope was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Santa Monica Jail, where he was booked as a fugitive from justice under California Penal Code 1551.1\. He was later transferred to the Los Angeles County Inmate Reception Center.
Pope had previously evaded Florida authorities before his arrest Monday.
In one recent case, Levy County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested him in 2025\. In that case, deputies attempted to serve the same Marion County felony warrant for the same charges.
Pope was arrested and faced additional charges for firearms possession after to prior felony drug convictions.
Following that September arrest, Pope was held at the Levy County Jail on a $25,000 bond for the firearms charges and on no-bond status for the Marion County warrant. It's not clear at this time how he left Florida or traveled to Santa Monica.
### Santa Monica Council Adopts $908.8M Budget, Sets Stage for World Cup, Olympics
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-adopts-908-8m-budget-sets-stage-for-world-cup-olympics/
Last updated: 2026-06-26T14:36:26.000Z
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 structurally balanced future while preparing for an unprecedented run of major events including the FIFA World Cup, the 2027 Super Bowl and the 2028 Olympic Games.
The budget, which covers all city funds net of reimbursements and transfers, includes 2,287.6 full-time equivalent positions and a capital improvement program (CIP) totaling $110.4 million in the coming fiscal year and $116.6 million in 2027-28.
“The CIP serves as a defining feature of this year’s budget,” Finance Director Oscar Santiago told the council.
The General Fund, which covers core city services, is budgeted at $525.2 million in operating expenditures, with $19.9 million in capital spending.
The council also separately adopted the Santa Monica Housing Authority’s operating budget for the coming fiscal year, which is approximately 0.9% greater than the prior year, with increases primarily reflecting labor agreement impacts and the addition of a housing inspector position.
**Structural Balance on the horizon...thanks to more taxes**
Officials noted that updated projections show the city on track to achieve structural budget balance — meaning ongoing revenues match ongoing expenses — for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic, potentially as early as next summer.
That projection, however, depends on voter approval of a citizens' initiative parcel tax on an upcoming ballot.
“So, you’re saying if that parcel tax does not pass, or for some reason it doesn’t qualify for the ballot, that we will face some pretty difficult decisions ahead with regards to supporting our schools and potentially continuing the level of services that we provide our community through any number of programs,” said Councilman Dan Hall.
Santiago confirmed that if the measure fails, the city would face difficult decisions.
The city also carries a $47 million obligation to repay its housing trust fund, Santiago confirmed in response to questions from Councilwoman Lana Negrete. Santiago said repayment is budgeted to occur when additional funds become available.
**Capital Program revisions**
Three targeted changes were made to the capital budget since the council’s May 26 study session. The Santa Monica Neighborhood Greenways Project was advanced from 2027-28 into the current fiscal year, supported by a grant from the Southern California Association of Governments. The 4th Street Transit Priority Improvements were accelerated to boost bus operations ahead of the LA28 Olympics. Funding for a separate affordable housing project was reduced to align with updated scheduling.
**Fee and fine increases**
The budget adoption package included updates to the city’s master fee and fine schedules, drawing some public pushback, particularly regarding aquatics fees.
Most city user fees were recalculated through a citywide fee study and adjusted for cost-of-living, with amounts rounded down to the nearest nickel. Fees not covered by the study will increase 3.3% on July 1, reflecting projected growth in total city compensation costs.
Aquatics permit fees, unchanged since 2021, are set to rise 8 to 9%, ranging from a 50-cent increase for Santa Monica-based nonprofit youth groups to up to $8 more for non-resident organizations using long-course lanes.
In response to criticism over the adult permit fees, staff said additional analysis confirmed adult aquatics groups recover 58% of costs — higher than youth groups at 44% — and that even with the increases, Santa Monica’s lane rental rates remain below those in Long Beach, Torrance and El Segundo.
Mayor Caroline Torosis pressed staff on whether 58% is an acceptable endpoint or a step toward higher recovery. Recreation and Arts Director Jenny Rogers said the department targets 80 to 90% cost recovery for most recreation activities but has deliberately kept aquatics lower, noting that maintenance and staffing costs have risen roughly 20%.
On the enforcement side, three existing code enforcement fines — for construction work without a permit, construction work with an expired permit, and non-compliance with an approved construction management plan — will each increase to $1,000\. A new $500 fine was also established for violations of tenant protection regulations during construction.
Councilmembers flagged parking fines for future review, noting that a $350 penalty for using a forged disabled parking placard may not be sufficient to deter violations.
There are no changes to transient or permit parking rates in city lots and structures. The downtown discount validation program and a bulk parking agreement with the state Judicial Council were both extended through June 30, 2027.
The budget takes effect July 1\. Negrete recused herself from a separate vote authorizing $20,000 in discretionary funds for Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District grad night, citing her ownership of the Santa Monica Music Center that has contracts with the district. The remaining council members approved that allocation unanimously.
editor@smdp.com
### Malibu council holds off on wireless moratorium, pivots to 'residential fix'
URL: https://www.smdp.com/malibu-council-holds-off-on-wireless-moratorium-pivots-to-residential-fix/
Last updated: 2026-06-26T10:00:01.000Z
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 residents, to finalize an alternative measure known as the "residential fix" for a possible vote at the council's July 13 meeting.
The reversal came after the city attorney's office warned that the proposed 45-day moratorium would likely violate federal law and could backfire by triggering automatic approvals of the very cell installations many residents are fighting.
City staff had prepared the moratorium, Urgency Ordinance No. 536U, at the council's June 8 direction. But Gail Karish of the city attorney's office told members that a 2018 Federal Communications Commission order bars state and local governments from imposing moratoria on telecommunications facilities, finding that such pauses violate Section 253 of the Communications Act by effectively prohibiting service. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the FCC order in 2020.
Karish said a local moratorium also would not stop the FCC's "shot clocks" federal deadlines of 60 to 150 days for acting on wireless applications. If the city paused applications and then missed those deadlines, she said, the applications could be "deemed granted" under federal and state law, approving the towers automatically and without city [conditions](https://www.smdp.com/clean-earth-rovers-remove-tons-of-trash-from-the-marina/).
"Although it potentially would be lawful under state law, it would conflict with the FCC moratorium order, and it would put the city at risk of potentially deemed-granted approvals," Karish said, recommending against adoption.
The debate unfolded against the backdrop of repeated wildfire disasters. The entire city lies within a very high fire hazard severity zone, and the 2025 Palisades Fire destroyed more than 700 structures and affected roughly a third of Malibu, compounding damage from the 2018 [Woolsey Fire](https://www.nps.gov/samo/learn/management/2018-woolsey-fire.htm?ref=smdp.com). Residents have raised alarms about lithium-ion backup batteries on utility poles, which Mayor Bruce Silverstein warned could spark or burn as more facilities are added, citing recent battery fires in the region.
Rather than a blanket ban, residents and their attorney have pushed the residential fix, which would designate residential zones as disallowed locations for wireless facilities. Under the proposal, a carrier would have to show through clear and convincing evidence that there is no technically feasible alternative before building in a neighborhood.
Silverstein pressed his colleagues to act immediately, arguing the city could adopt the fix as an urgency ordinance, even one labeled a moratorium, so long as it included that escape valve. "It's technically called a moratorium, but it's really not the kind of absolute moratorium that the FCC order speaks to," he said. "It's a moratorium subject to an out, and the out is exactly what the residential fix proposes."
The mayor, a lawyer, said his approach has always been to "find ways to get to yes," and he warned that delay tends to kill action. "When the council doesn't establish a specific deadline to do something, it goes into a black hole the minute they recess," he said, while acknowledging "the mayor position is nothing but ceremony."
Other members urged caution, saying a rushed, un-agendized ordinance could invite exactly the federal challenge the city was trying to avoid. Council member Steve Uhring said even the label was risky. "If you call it a moratorium, you're just sending a red flag up the post," he said. "You're waving a flag in front of the FCC." He wanted time for legal review "to make sure we know what the hell we're doing."
Council member Doug Stewart agreed, warning the measure would draw scrutiny from carriers and regulators alike. "This is going to be like a magnet by these cell companies, and if we don't have it done properly, we're going to get destroyed on this," he said, adding that the city would have "one chance to do this properly." He also questioned the fire rationale, noting no one had quantified how many cell towers cause fires nationally.
Council member Marianne Riggins sided with the cautious approach, while council member Haylynn Conrad pushed to confront carriers, saying "they can't just put up fire hazards all over our neighborhoods, we just burned down."
It emerged during the discussion that staff had vetted the residential-fix language with the residents' attorney several years earlier but shelved it over concerns it might delay a California Coastal Commission approval. Staff reported that 24 wireless applications were approved in February and March, with 12 later appealed by residents.
Reaching consensus, the council took no vote and directed staff and counsel to work with the residents' attorney on a legally sound version to return July 13.
### Around Town: Sun, Sand, and Pier 360
URL: https://www.smdp.com/around-town-sun-sand-and-pier-360/
Last updated: 2026-06-25T23:44:48.000Z
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 House, World Cup fan zones, and fresh summer pop-ups, and much more!
**Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club "Last Call":** The massive, immersive FIFA World Cup™ fan hub on the Pier deck is officially wrapping up its local run this Thursday. This Thursday is the final chance to try the "bouncer-goalkeeper" entry mechanic, test skills against the virtual Lionel Messi G.O.A.T. challenge, or check out the Solomon-designed Player of the Match Trophy. **Thursday, June 25, 6-9 p.m.** [michelobultra.com/pitchsideclub](http://michelobultra.com/pitchsideclub?ref=smdp.com)
**World Play Zone at the Metro Station:** The E Line Downtown Station Lot is transforming into a family-friendly World Cup activation featuring soccer challenges, skill stations, and interactive play. **Weekends, June 11–28** [santamonicacup.com/events/junior-junction](http://santamonicacup.com/events/junior-junction?ref=smdp.com)
**Annenberg Beach House World Cup Fun & Watch Party:** Enjoy a mix of soccer-inspired activities and World Cup-themed arts, crafts, and games for all ages, plus livestreaming of the Türkiye vs. USA and Paraguay vs. Australia matches. **Thursday, June 25, 6-9 p.m.** [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/world-cup-fun-watch-party-tickets-1988664251309](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/world-cup-fun-watch-party-tickets-1988664251309?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&ref=smdp.com)
**Danny McBride discussing collection of stories, Thrilling Tales of Modern Men: Stories:** An addictive, unpredictable, darkly hilarious collection of stories from Danny McBride—the beloved creator and star of The Righteous Gemstonesand Eastbound & Down. **Thursday, June 25, 8p.m., New Roads School, 3131 Olympic Blvd.** [https://livetalksla.org/events/danny-mcbride/](https://livetalksla.org/events/danny-mcbride/?ref=smdp.com)
**PRIDE Sunset Swim at Annenberg Community Beach House:** Enjoy a night swim in the historic and heated pool with music, pool floaties, complimentary s’mores while supplies last and hands-on crafts like zine making and bead bracelet making with Lavender Art Club. **Friday, June 26, 6-9 p.m., 415 PCH** [https://www.santamonica.gov/events/4t5bbtx51qbmc2f2t0s0csg0cb/202606261800](https://www.santamonica.gov/events/4t5bbtx51qbmc2f2t0s0csg0cb/202606261800?ref=smdp.com)
**Sunrise Hike:** GorpGirls is teaming up with FP Movement for a sunrise ascent up Sandstone Peak in the Santa Monica Mountains. 👟 **Saturday, June 27** [instagram.com/p/DZSmPdDgBVP/?img\_index=2](http://instagram.com/p/DZSmPdDgBVP/?img%5Findex=2&ref=smdp.com)
**Santa Monica Pier 360 Beach Festival:** Celebrates the ultimate SoCal beach lifestyle with a free, all-ages day of fun at the iconic pier. From ocean sports competitions and live music to food, drinks, games, and brand activations, the festival brings together thousands for nonstop beachside energy. There will be some epic competition through a variety of disciplines on sand and sea, including paddleboard races, ocean swims, beach volleyball, skateboarding, and strongman competitions. **Saturday & Sunday, June 27 & 28, 9a.m. - 5p.m., Santa Monica Pier** [santamonicapier.org/pier360](http://santamonicapier.org/pier360?ref=smdp.com)
**Golden Hour at Third Street Promenade:** Designed to complement the Pier fan experience with free pre- and post-match activities, Golden Hour features exhibitors, fan experiences, local vendors and more. **Saturday, June 27 (also July 10).** [santamonicacup.com/events/golden-hour](http://santamonicacup.com/events/golden-hour?ref=smdp.com)
**Wizard School at the Getty Scavenger Hunt:** Explore the magical side of the Getty Center on a hunt for art and artifacts that recall the fantastic beasts and enchanting adventures of the wizardly world. You will find art and artifacts that remind you of forbidden forests, Dementors, House mascots, Death Eaters, the Dark Lore, and more. **Saturday, June 27, 4 p.m.** [watsonadventures.com/hunt/the-wizard-school-los-angeles-scavenger-hunt/](http://watsonadventures.com/hunt/the-wizard-school-los-angeles-scavenger-hunt/?ref=smdp.com)
**The Abbot Kinney One (a one-miler taking over Abbot Kinney Boulevard to support the community):** This USATF-certified, one-mile running event will take place on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, California and provides runners of all levels an opportunity to race down one of the most iconic streets in LA. **Sunday, June 28** [abbotkinneyone.com](http://abbotkinneyone.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**2026 Sunday Funday Pool Parties at Marina del Rey Hotel:** Sip, savor, and soak up the SoCal sun with refreshing drink specials, sizzling BBQ bites, and nonstop DJ vibes this summer. And every week there is a different beverage partner. **Sundays, June 28 - Sept. 6, 13534 Bali Way** [eventbrite.com/e/2026-sunday-funday-pool-parties-at-marina-del-rey-hotel-tickets-1990599105510](http://eventbrite.com/e/2026-sunday-funday-pool-parties-at-marina-del-rey-hotel-tickets-1990599105510?ref=smdp.com)
**Dip at Dusk:** A dip in the ocean at dusk might be just what the doctor ordered! 🌊**Sunday, June 28, 7p.m., Lifeguard Tower 28** [instagram.com/p/DZp4nGijgIm/?img\_index=3](http://instagram.com/p/DZp4nGijgIm/?img%5Findex=3&ref=smdp.com)
**ONGOING:** [Museum of Illusions](https://moisantamonica.com/?ref=smdp.com); [The CUBE VR](https://www.thecubeevents.com/santamonicaexperiences?ref=smdp.com); [Splatter Studio](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/california-live/paint-sip-and-create-in-santa-monica/3834517/?ref=smdp.com);
**What to Eat & Drink?**
**Viceroy Monthly Mixology Class - The Modern Matcha:** You’ll learn how to craft signature drinks—from smooth matcha martinis to bright, citrusy margaritas—while exploring creative twists and techniques. Enjoy a relaxed, social atmosphere as you whisk, shake, and sip your way through a fresh, feel-good cocktail experience. 🍵 **Sunday, June 28, 4p.m., 1819 Ocean Ave.** [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/monthly-mixology-class-the-modern-matcha-tickets-1988940015126](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/monthly-mixology-class-the-modern-matcha-tickets-1988940015126?ref=smdp.com)
**Lula Cocina Mexicana Marks 35 Years on Main St:** The “Main Street fixture known for regional Mexican cooking and its margaritas, will celebrate 35 years in business with a community fiesta. The celebration, billed as a thank-you to longtime patrons, will feature mariachis, a photo booth, food and drink specials and prizes all night. **Wednesday, July 1, 2720 Main St.**[ ](https://www.smdp.com/lula-cocina-mexicana-marks-35-years-on-santa-monicas-main-street/)
**Main St.'s Chef Dave Beran Named Best Chef in California by James Beard Awards:** At Seline, Beran, who is an alumnus of Alinea in Chicago, crafts an intricate tasting menu that pulls from his L.A. surroundings, fine dining training and Midwestern roots. Pasjoli is his more casual French neighborhood bistro. He walked to the stage to thank those in his life who’ve supported and inspired him, especially through hardship. A smiling man in a white chef's jacket and black apron Seline and Pasjoli chef Dave Beran was just named the best chef in the state of California. (Allison Zaucha / For The Times) “This has probably been the most difficult year and a half of my life professionally, personally,” he said. “There were points in it where I didn’t know where I’d end up. I didn’t know if I’d wake up and we wouldn’t have restaurants the next day. I didn’t know if I’d be capable of going to the restaurants the next day. Moments like that, you look around and you look within and you dig deep, and you realize that what you need more than anything are the people in your life.” [https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2026-06-15/la-chef-is-named-best-in-california-by-james-beard-foundation](https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2026-06-15/la-chef-is-named-best-in-california-by-james-beard-foundation?ref=smdp.com)
**A totally official Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzeria is ready to cowabunga:** This NBC4 report covers the new super popular pizzaria at **1444 3rd St. Promenade**. [https://www.nbclosangeles.com/the-scene/a-totally-official-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-pizzeria-is-ready-to-cowabunga/3905457/](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/the-scene/a-totally-official-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-pizzeria-is-ready-to-cowabunga/3905457/?ref=smdp.com)
**Further Afield:** **Mish Deli:** If your idea of a Jewish deli is limited to overbearing grandmothers and towering pyramids of rye, Chef Eric Greenspan and restaurateur Bill Chait are blowing that up. This "new-school" deli drops the standard nostalgia in favor of a massive, global exploration of flavors. Yes, there is legendary hardwood-smoked pastrami, lox, and Montreal-style wood-fired bagels, and a killer pastry program helmed by MasterChef winner Dara Yu but there is soooo much more! It's absolutely worth traveling East of the 405 for! **127 S. La Brea Ave.** [theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/reviews/mish](http://theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/reviews/mish?ref=smdp.com)
Mish Deli
**Looking Ahead:** [Main St. July 4th Parade](https://www.santamonicaparade.com/?ref=smdp.com) (7/4); [COAST Open Streets Festival](https://www.santamonicaworldcup.com/events/coast-2026-0zc31?ref=smdp.com) (7/19); National Night Out (8/4)
If there’s something you think is worth highlighting, you can reach out directly to me at [sean@smdp.com](mailto:sean@smdp.com).[ ](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com)[Here](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com) are my past columns and let me know if you have any feedback on **Around Town: Sun, Sand, and Pier 360**
### Trump renews push to shift homelessness funding. What’s at stake
URL: https://www.smdp.com/trump-renews-push-to-shift-homelessness-funding-whats-at-stake/
Last updated: 2026-06-25T16:16:20.000Z
By [Marisa Kendall](https://calmatters.org/author/marisa-kendall/?ref=smdp.com), CalMatters
This story was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
The [Trump administration](https://calmatters.org/tag/donald-trump/?ref=smdp.com) is renewing its push to change the way it funds homeless shelters and housing in California and other states, and several agencies say it could disrupt their services.
It [tried](https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2025/12/homelessness-funding-lawsuits/?ref=smdp.com) last year to move federal [homelessness funds](https://calmatters.org/category/housing/homelessness/?ref=smdp.com) away from permanent housing and into temporary housing that requires sobriety. That move, which goes against the existing “housing first” policy favoring a no-strings-attached approach to housing, was [blocked](https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/04/hud-homeless-lawsuit/?ref=smdp.com) by a federal judge.
Now, the Trump administration is trying again. Once again, it’s facing pushback.
This week, a group that includes the National Alliance to End Homelessness and Santa Clara County filed a [challenge](https://endhomelessness.org/media/news-releases/coalition-challenges-latest-efforts-to-politicize-homelessness-funding-grants/?utm%5Fsource=Master+Email+List&utm%5Fcampaign=73a6604a3c-HUD%5FLAWSUIT%5FANNOUNCEMENT%5F2025%5F09%5F11%5FCOPY%5F01&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=0%5F-c64c3d31f4-669128977) in Rhode Island’s federal court to the Trump administration’s latest funding guidelines.
The Trump administration’s callous decision to take a second bite at dismantling one of our nation’s most important homelessness prevention programs after a federal court already blocked the administration’s first attempt shows a complete disregard for the people who depend on this funding to keep a roof over their heads,” Santa Clara County Counsel Tony LoPresti said in a news release.
More than $4 billion in federal funding is at stake. The National Alliance to End Homelessness estimates the proposed changes could cost California nearly $238 million for permanent housing, and threaten to put nearly 15,000 Californians back on the street.
“The ‘housing first’ experiment failed Americans by warehousing the vulnerable without results. This ideology promised to end homelessness. Instead, billions of taxpayer dollars were spent while homelessness increased to record levels,” HUD Secretary Scott Turner said in a news release earlier this month.
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/06/homeless-funding-hud-change/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Coastal advocates sound alarm over reported Newsom trailer bill that would gut Coastal Act protections in Santa Monica
URL: https://www.smdp.com/coastal-advocates-sound-alarm-over-reported-newsom-trailer-bill-that-would-gut-coastal-act-protections-in-santa-monica/
Last updated: 2026-06-25T21:15:28.000Z
Santa Monica officials and coastal advocates scrambled this week to organize opposition to what they described as an extraordinary move by Gov. Gavin Newsom to exempt all multi-unit housing development in the city's coastal zone from the California Coastal Act until the city completes a certified Local Coastal Program.
After a day of frantic meetings, the lawmaker most closely associated with coastal legislation affecting Santa Monica said he had no knowledge of any such measure before the chaos, that he opposed attempts to undermine existing rules and that it’s possible the entire idea may never see the light of day.
**The allegation**
Susan Jordan, executive director of the California Coastal Protection Network, sent an urgent appeal to colleagues Tuesday warning that the Governor had transmitted trailer bill language to the Assembly and Senate that would strip Coastal Commission review authority from multi-unit housing projects throughout Santa Monica's entire coastal zone for an indefinite period.
A budget trailer bill is used by lawmakers to enact the statutory and administrative changes necessary to implement the state's annual budget act.
"Not only is this exemption unprecedented, it will create a hole in the Coastal Act," Jordan wrote, "and could provide a template for future exemptions in coastal cities and counties statewide."
The proposed measure, which Jordan said could advance without review by any legislative policy committee and without opportunity for public comment, would require sign-off from Newsom, the Senate President Pro Tem and the Assembly Speaker.
Jordan identified at least three projects she said would benefit directly from the exemption: the Worthe Real Estate Group's Ocean Avenue project, the Seritage "Sears" project and the Athens Group's Miramar project.
"It's a very sad day when the Governor of your state wants to reward billionaire developers and harm the public's right to affordable access to the extraordinary coast that belongs to them," Jordan wrote.
She said she was preparing a sign-on letter to the Governor, the Pro Tem, the Speaker, state Sen. Ben Allen and Zbur, as well as the Senate and Assembly Budget Committees, and urged colleagues to contact their representatives directly.
A representative for State Senator Ben Allen said their office had seen the proposed language and that it has raised significant concerns.
“The Senator cannot support what is currently drafted and doesn’t understand how this came together without consultation with our office,” said Allen’s Press Secretary Ben Cheever.
**A warning about self-defeating incentives**
Jordan warned that the structure of the reported exemption would create a perverse incentive against completing the LCP process: so long as Santa Monica has no certified LCP in place, developers would continue to benefit from the coastal review exemption, potentially reducing pressure on both the city and the state to finish it.
Without specific language to analyze, officials said they couldn’t predict exactly what would happen if the trailer bill were to include the exemptions but the fear is that as City authority is lacking due to the lack of an LCP, if Coastal Commission authority were removed developers would be able to bypass affordability requirements or density restrictions in prime real estate areas along the coast.
**Shadows of 1740**
The reported trailer bill comes against the backdrop of negotiations over AB 1740\. The bill has been significantly transformed since its February introduction, when it proposed broad coastal development permit exemptions across multiple urban coastal cities. An intermediate version that limited the bill's scope to Santa Monica alone drew criticism from environmental groups as a targeted carve-out rather than systemic reform.
The current version takes a narrower approach, establishing accountability timelines rather than outright exemptions: it requires Santa Monica to submit a complete proposed LCP to the Coastal Commission by Jan. 1, 2029, with the commission required to act within six months of receipt. The Coastal Commission, which opposed earlier versions, is expected to formally recommend support for the current version when commissioners convene in July.
**Zbur’s response**
Assemblymember Rick Zbur, who authored AB 1740, the coastal accountability bill currently advancing through the Legislature, told the Daily Press he had not been contacted by anyone in the Newsom administration about trailer bill language affecting the Santa Monica coastal zone, and that while his office was able to verify the language exists, it was not under consideration by the Legislature.
"The first I heard about this was actually from the coastal advocates yesterday afternoon, and we've been trying to run this to ground," Zbur said.
He added that it would be highly unusual for the Governor to send trailer bill language affecting his district without giving his office advance notice and that in this case, the language was drafted inside the Governor’s office but never formally presented as part of a negotiation or proposal.
Zbur reiterated his office had nothing to do with any discussions of new proposals, either with Newsom or other individuals and that he was adamantly opposed to any attempt to undermine the deal crafted through the most recent version of his bill.
**Decades of delay on the LCP**
Santa Monica has pursued a certified Local Coastal Program for decades. The city received Coastal Commission approval for a Land Use Plan in 1992, but the accompanying Implementation Plan — required for full LCP certification — was never approved, leaving day-to-day coastal development permitting authority with the state Coastal Commission rather than local planners.
The city adopted a revised Land Use Plan in 2018 but withdrew it before the commission acted. It formally resumed the update process in May 2023, with a target of completing both plan components by June 2027\. A completed deal would transfer most of the authority for coastal development and permitting to the City and away from the Commission.
Zbur noted that he had spoken with Coastal Commission staff just the day before about AB 1740, and the reported trailer bill did not come up. The commission had not reached out to his office about it either, he said.
**A lack of clarity**
While the controversial language has not yet been formalized or put forward in an official capacity, it could still make its way into the bill as negotiations are ongoing. Zbur said the language was not part of any current discussions related to the budget and that he has communicated directly with the Speaker of the House regarding his opposition to the idea.
Gov. Newsom’s office referred questions to the state Department of Finance.
“As discussions are still ongoing on a final budget agreement between the Governor and the Legislature, there are no final decisions to be announced at this point,” said H.D. Palmer, Deputy Director for External Affairs, Department of Finance.
### Man shot in armed robbery at smoke shop
URL: https://www.smdp.com/man-injured-in-armed-robbery-at-smoke-shop/
Last updated: 2026-06-24T22:20:36.000Z
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 8:13 a.m. to Smoke World, 1914 Lincoln Blvd., following reports of an armed robbery involving two suspects. An employee suffered a gunshot wound to the leg during the incident and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The suspects fled the scene in a dark gray Dodge Charger traveling southbound on Lincoln Boulevard. Police said there is no indication the suspects remain in the immediate area. Anyone who spots the vehicle or other suspicious activity is asked to call 9-1-1 and not approach.
Detectives are actively working to identify those involved. Anyone with information, video footage or other evidence is asked to contact Detective Martin Jauregui at martin.jauregui@santamonica.gov or the department's watch commander at (310) 458-8427.
### Rent Control Board considers new threshold to prevent eviction for unpaid rent
URL: https://www.smdp.com/rent-control-board-considers-new-threshold-to-prevent-eviction-for-unpaid-rent/
Last updated: 2026-06-24T19:18:54.000Z
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 measure that would bar landlords from evicting tenants over unpaid rent balances.
The hearing, set for June 25, is the latest step in a months-long process that could send multiple charter amendments to voters in November 2026.
Nonpayment Threshold
The centerpiece of the nonpayment proposal would establish a minimum debt threshold before a landlord could move to terminate a rent-controlled tenancy. Under the proposed language, a landlord could not pursue eviction for nonpayment unless the amount owed exceeds 150% of the fair market rent for an equivalent-sized unit in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale metropolitan area, as set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The fair market rent is not the amount paid by the tenant and individual tenants could fail to pay rent for different amounts of time depending on the difference between their actual rent and the HUD number.
Current Santa Monica rent control rules allow landlords to terminate tenancies for any unpaid rent to which they are entitled.
The proposal would also require that eviction notices specify the number of bedrooms in the tenant's unit and the applicable 150% fair market rent figure — giving both parties a clear reference point before proceeding.
Comparable thresholds exist in other California cities, though Santa Monica's proposed standard is notably higher. Los Angeles city code sets its threshold at one month's fair market rent, while Berkeley and Oakland both use a single month's equivalent as well. Los Angeles County's threshold is two months' fair market rent.
Household Composition
The board will also consider proposed amendments that would limit a landlord's ability to evict tenants based on changes in household composition.
Under existing rules, landlords can seek eviction if tenants violate lease obligations — which can include having additional occupants. The proposed changes would add new categories of protected occupancy.
For listed family members — including spouses, domestic partners, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and dependents — landlords could not terminate a tenancy solely because those relatives moved in, even if their presence exceeds the number of occupants permitted in the lease. Tenants would not be required to seek landlord approval before adding such family members.
A separate provision would protect tenants from eviction when additional occupancy results from the birth, adoption or change of legal custody of a minor child.
For non-family occupants, the proposal would establish a request-and-approval framework. A landlord could not deny an additional occupant if the tenant remains in the unit and the landlord has unreasonably withheld approval after receiving a written request. The proposed language specifies that denying approval based on an occupant's creditworthiness or financial qualifications would be considered unreasonable if that person will not be legally obligated to pay rent. Landlords could legitimately deny requests if they share the unit with the tenant, if the proposed occupant is prohibited by law or deed restriction, or on other legitimate grounds. A landlord who fails to respond within 14 days would be deemed to have approved the request.
All three provisions would be subordinate to state and federal law and applicable affordable housing deed restrictions.
Family Members After Vacancy
The board will also consider expanding protections for family members who remain in a unit after the primary tenant leaves. Current law protects spouses, children and domestic partners who lived in the unit at least one year — but only when the tenant vacates due to death or incapacitation.
The proposed amendment would broaden that protection in two respects: expanding the list of covered relatives to include parents, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and dependents; and removing the requirement that the original tenant vacated due to death or incapacitation. Under the new language, any covered family member who has lived in the unit at least one year when the tenant vacates would be protected from eviction on the grounds of unauthorized occupancy.
Affordable Housing Units
Two additional just-cause eviction grounds are proposed for units subject to affordable housing deed restrictions. One would allow eviction where a tenant does not qualify under deed restriction terms, or is causing a violation, and the landlord is acting in good faith to comply with the restriction. A second would allow eviction where a tenant has refused to provide required proof of income or eligibility after written notice.
A fifth proposal would add a new charter finding declaring that Article XVIII provides greater tenant protections than the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019, which is codified in Civil Code section 1946.2\. The finding is intended to preserve the local just-cause framework's applicability to rent-controlled units.
The board approved three separate administrative charter amendments — covering commissioner term limits, the registration fee framework and petition timelines — at its June 11 meeting and has already forwarded those to the City Council. Staff's current target is to have any board-recommended charter amendments ready for City Council consideration at its July 14 meeting.
### A musical weekend in Santa Monica
URL: https://www.smdp.com/a-musical-week/
Last updated: 2026-06-24T19:16:31.000Z
Santa Monicans had multiple chances to partake in music last weekend with the Soulstice concerts along Main Street and Make Music Day in local parks. The events were held on what became a busy weekend in the city that also included ribbon cuttings for new stores and ongoing events tied to the World Cup.
Photos by Fran Lyness
### Santa Monica Pacific Palisades Lions Club: June Update and a Look Ahead
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-pacific-palisades-lions-club-june-update-and-a-look-ahead/
Last updated: 2026-06-24T19:00:00.000Z
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 back in 2027, tied up loose ends from the 2025–26 fiscal year, welcomed a prospective new member, John, and heard from our incoming executive committee about plans for the new Lions year beginning July 1.
This is always an exciting time for Lions around the world because the 108th annual Lions Clubs International Convention is taking place in Hong Kong. During the convention, new international leadership is installed and shares its vision for the coming year.
One of Lions International's priorities this past year has been Mission 1.5, a global membership initiative focused on growing Lions membership worldwide. Our club rose to the challenge, welcoming six new members this year.
We are always looking for individuals who are passionate about the environment, youth empowerment, humanitarian service, addressing food insecurity, or improving health in our communities. We welcome new ideas and opportunities to support these causes. While we remain committed to the traditions that have guided Lions for more than a century, we also recognize the importance of flexibility and adapting to meet today's challenges. Joining Lions is great chance to broaden your vision, while adding a human connection to your networking and social engagement, and make a positive impact in the community.
One inspiring example of passion and service was Helen Keller. In 1925, she addressed the Lions Clubs International Convention and challenged Lions to become "knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness." Lions accepted that challenge, and ever since, sight-related programs have been a cornerstone of our service efforts.
Lions have played a significant role in the fight against river blindness by supporting the distribution of hundreds of millions of treatments and helping train community volunteers in Africa and Latin America. Our commitment to vision programs also includes simple but meaningful local efforts, such as collecting, refurbishing, and distributing eyeglasses.
To find locations where you can donate gently used eyeglasses, visit the SMPP Lions website - [www.e-clubhouse.org](http://www.e-clubhouse.org/?ref=smdp.com) and click Donate Your Eyeglasses in the left column. What passion can you bring to the Santa Monica Pacific Palisades Lions Club?
Due to the international convention taking place in early July, the SMPP Lions Club will not hold its regular membership meeting on July 1\. If you are interested in attending our September 2 dinner meeting at 6:00 p.m. at our new location, the Hyatt Centric Delfina Hotel Santa Monica, please contact Kingsley Fife at 310-454-2960 or [smpplionsclub@gmail.com](mailto:smpplionsclub@gmail.com).
The hotel is located at 530 Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica and has valet parking. We would be delighted to welcome you as our guest, learn about your interests, and share more about how Lions serve our local and global communities.
### Your Business Is Real. Then Why Is It Still a Secret? How to File a Fictitious Business Statement the Right Way
URL: https://www.smdp.com/file-fictitious-business-statement-california/
Last updated: 2026-07-09T16:39:49.000Z
You picked a great name for your business. You set up your workspace. You told people. But you never made it official. That is a problem bigger than most new owners realize.
Every day you operate under a name that is not your legal name without filing, you put your business at risk. Banks can refuse to open accounts. You lose the right to sue. Your contracts may not hold up in court.
The fix starts with knowing how to **file a fictitious business statement**. This guide walks you through every step so you get it right the first time. The [Santa Monica Daily Press](https://www.smdp.com/) has handled court-approved legal notices for Westside businesses since 2001.
## **1\. What Does "File Fictitious Business Statement" Actually Mean?**
A **fictitious business name statement** is a public legal record. It tells the government, your bank, and your customers who is really behind a business name. California law under [Business and Professions Code Section 17900](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes%5FdisplaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=17900.&ref=smdp.com) requires every person or entity running a business for profit under a name other than their legal name to file with the county.
DBA stands for "Doing Business As." You may also see it called a trade name, an assumed name, or a **fictitious business name registration**. They all refer to the same legal record. Sole proprietors, partnerships, LLCs, and corporations can all need to file.
According to the [U.S. Small Business Administration](https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/launch-your-business/choose-your-business-name?ref=smdp.com), registering your DBA is often required by state and local governments. It also lets you open a business bank account and build a professional brand.
## **2\. What Are the Fictitious Business Name Filing Requirements in California?**
California has clear rules. Follow them in order, and you avoid costly mistakes.
- **File within 40 days** of starting to use the business name. You must **file a DBA with the county clerk** in the county where your principal place of business is.
- **Submit the correct form** with a valid ID and Affidavit of Identity. Los Angeles County requires this from the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Mail-in filers must submit a notarized version.
- **Pay the filing fee**. In Los Angeles County, the base fee is $26 for one business name. Each extra name costs $5 more.
- **Publish your statement**. Within 30 days of filing, publish a notice in a qualified local newspaper once a week for four consecutive weeks.
- **File your affidavit of publication**. After four publications run, the newspaper provides a signed affidavit. File it with the county clerk to complete the process.
The full LA County FBN Statement form and instructions are available directly from the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Your statement expires after five years or 40 days after any change in registered facts.
The [SMDP Legal Notices page](https://www.smdp.com/legal-notices/) explains how the Santa Monica Daily Press handles your publication requirement as a court-approved, adjudicated newspaper of general circulation.
## **3\. Why Skipping the Publication Step Costs You More Than You Think**
Many business owners file with the county and stop there. Skipping newspaper publication is a serious error.
California Business and Professions Code Section 17918 states that no person may maintain any legal action based on a **fictitious business name** until the statement has been filed and published. Skip this step, and you lose the right to take debtors to court.
Publishing in the wrong newspaper also voids your notice. California requires an adjudicated newspaper of general circulation in the county where you filed. The [SMDP Advertising page](https://www.smdp.com/advertise/) details SMDP's adjudicated status and Westside coverage.
Before filing, use the [LA County FBN Search tool](https://www.lavote.gov/home/county-clerk/fictitious-business-names/filing/fictitious-business-name-search?ref=smdp.com) to confirm your business name is not already registered in the county.
## **4\. How to File a DBA Statement Step by Step**
Here is the complete process in clear order.
- **Search existing names**. Use the LA County FBN Search tool to verify your name is available.
- **Complete the form**. Get the official form from the county clerk. Fill out every field accurately. Errors delay your filing.
- **File in person or by mail**. Bring your form, ID, and payment to the county office. LLC or corporation filers must also include a Certificate of Status from the California Secretary of State.
- **Contact a qualified newspaper**. Submit your notice via the [SMDP Legal Notices submission page](https://www.smdp.com/legal-notices/) with a secure online form.
- **Run your notice for four weeks**. The paper is published once per week for four consecutive weeks.
- **File the affidavit**. Return the signed publication affidavit to the county clerk within 30 days of the final publication.
For questions on entity types and state-level requirements, the [California Secretary of State FAQ page](https://www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/faqs?ref=smdp.com) covers what the state office handles versus what goes to the county.
## **5\. What Happens When Your Fictitious Business Name Registration Needs to Change or Renew?**
Any change in registered facts, including your address, owner, or name, requires a new amended statement within 40 days. That triggers a fresh publication cycle just like the original filing.
If you stop using the name, file a Statement of Abandonment. This also requires four weeks of publication and a final affidavit with the county clerk. If your statement only expires at the five-year mark with no other changes, a simple refile skips republication.
The [SMDP Business section](https://www.smdp.com/tag/business/) covers local policy updates and business news for Santa Monica entrepreneurs. The [SMDP Community section](https://www.smdp.com/tag/community/) tracks neighborhood developments across the Westside.
## **Make Your Business Name Official Before It Costs You**
Filing your **fictitious business name statement** is not just paperwork. It protects your right to contract, sue, and bank under your business name. It shows customers and lenders you are legitimate.
File with the county, publish in a qualified newspaper, and return the affidavit. Done right, it takes a few weeks and costs under $100\. The Santa Monica Daily Press has served Westside business owners as an adjudicated newspaper since 2001\. [Submit your legal notice today](https://www.smdp.com/legal-notices/) and get your filing done right.
## **Frequently Asked Questions**
**What is a fictitious business name statement?**
A **fictitious business name statement** is a legal filing identifying who owns a business operating under a name other than the owner's legal name. It is filed with the county clerk and published in a qualified local newspaper. It protects both the public and the business owner.
**How do I file a DBA statement in California?**
To **file a DBA statement** in California, complete the county clerk's form, submit it with a valid ID and payment, and then publish in a qualified local newspaper for four consecutive weeks. Return the affidavit of publication to the county clerk to finalize your filing.
**How long does a fictitious business name registration last?**
**Fictitious business name registration** lasts five years from the filing date. It expires sooner if the registered facts change. You must refile before expiration. A refile with no changes does not require republication and costs the same base fee as the original filing.
**Where do I file a DBA with the county clerk in Los Angeles?**
You **file a DBA with the county clerk** at the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk office in Norwalk. Mail-in filing requires a notarized Affidavit of Identity. The base fee is $26 for one business name. Each additional name on the same statement adds $5.
**Which newspaper qualifies for publishing my fictitious business name?**
You need a court-adjudicated newspaper of general circulation in the county where you filed. In the Santa Monica area, the [Santa Monica Daily Press](https://www.smdp.com/legal-notices/) meets this standard. Publishing in a non-adjudicated paper voids your notice and forces you to restart the process.
**What are the fictitious business name filing requirements in California?**
California **fictitious business name filing requirements** include: file with the county clerk within 40 days, present a valid ID and Affidavit of Identity, pay the filing fee, publish in a qualified newspaper once a week for four weeks, and file the publication affidavit within 30 days of the final publication date.
**What happens if I skip filing a fictitious business name statement?**
Without a filed and published **fictitious business name statement**, you cannot maintain a legal action in California courts under your business name. Banks can also reject your business account application. Filing false information on the statement carries a fine of up to $1,000 under state law.
**Can I file a fictitious business name statement online?**
Some California counties offer online **fictitious business name registration**. Los Angeles County currently requires in-person or mail submission to the Registrar-Recorder office. Check your specific county clerk's website for current filing options before you submit your application.
**Does a fictitious business name statement protect my business name?**
A **fictitious business name statement** does not give you exclusive rights to the name. Multiple businesses can register the same DBA in different locations. For exclusive protection, you need a trademark. The statement only creates a public record of who operates under the name.
### Police Safely Resolve Mental Health Crisis at Santa Monica Place
URL: https://www.smdp.com/police-safely-resolve-mental-health-crisis-at-santa-monica-place/
Last updated: 2026-06-23T20:58:59.000Z
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.
Specially trained Crisis Negotiation Team personnel, patrol officers and the Santa Monica Fire Department worked together to de-escalate the situation and bring it to a safe resolution. The individual will be transported to a local hospital for a mental health evaluation, police said.
While first responders managed the incident, portions of the immediate area were restricted out of an abundance of caution. Northbound 2nd Street was closed between Colorado Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard during the response. Police said there was no known threat to the broader community and asked the public to avoid the area while emergency personnel worked.
The department thanked community members, businesses and visitors affected by the temporary street closures and area restrictions for their patience and cooperation.
Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis or emotional distress can call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, to reach trained counselors 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In an emergency or when there is an immediate threat to safety, call 911.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Hope and change
URL: https://www.smdp.com/hope-and-change/
Last updated: 2026-06-23T19:00:00.000Z
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 at the last Santa Monica City Council meeting all the more remarkable.
The council was voting on new rules of order for their meetings, which may sound misleadingly mundane. But they were deciding how much time the public will be allowed to speak and who will get to choose topics for discussion, issues that go to the heart of democratic governance.
Specifically, there was a proposal to require that a minimum of two council members back any item submitted for a meeting’s agenda, which would seem implicitly punitive on a council that is largely split six to one (emphasis on the one).
It’s unsurprising that many in the public assumed the proposal was aimed at Councilmember Lana Negrete, who is often the one in opposition to the six and who solely sponsored an embarrassing item at the previous council meeting raising questions about the management of an affordable housing project in the Pico neighborhood. However, the surprising part is that Negrete wasn’t the only council member voicing objections to the new proposal. All the council members expressed their disapproval, with Mayor Caroline Torosis calling it “undemocratic.”
I had braced myself for pettiness and petulance, which is the kindest description possible for some of the commentary at the previous meeting. But instead they took the high road. There was thoughtful deliberation and collaborative effort for consensus. In short, it was effective democracy in action, and it’s noteworthy because of how rarely we see it or maybe the issue is how rarely we notice it.
You may know that last week was the star-studded grand opening of the [Obama Presidential Center](https://www.obama.org/visit/?ref=smdp.com) in Chicago. It’s odd to feel nostalgic about a period less than a decade back, but times have changed. President Barack Obama acknowledged as much when he spoke of loud, extreme voices commanding our attention and “appealing to our basest most tribal instincts.” He said “it’s tempting to give in to cynicism and even despair, to stop trying. We start thinking that appeals to democracy and civic participation are corny and old-fashioned and boring and naive.”
But he wouldn’t be “the one,” if he merely dwelled on our challenges, and he wasn’t interested in nostalgia. He could have easily used the occasion for a well-earned speech about his accomplishments, but instead he focused on our country’s accomplishments and our aspirations.
It’s reassuring to once again hear a [President speaking](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAnuAGLMJog&ref=smdp.com) about the importance of “character, honesty, integrity, kindness, compassion, a sense of duty and honor,” pointing out that “they are not Republican or Democratic values. They’re American values,” he said. He described them as “our greatest inheritance, the story of America at its best, because it reflects a basic faith in the decency of our fellow citizens and the possibility that despite all of our differences, we can see each other and understand one another and make common cause together.”
That is what our council members did at their last meeting. It doesn’t exonerate their destructive behavior regarding neighborhood groups. It doesn’t excuse the lack of transparency around the coastal development bill ([AB 1740](https://www.smdp.com/controversial-coastal-development-bill-washes-ashore-with-radically-reduced-scope-and-impact/)). And it doesn’t explain why a rule change the Mayor labeled as “undemocratic” was considered beneficial when Councilmember Dan Hall first suggested it.
But those are quibbles for another day or at least another column. (We may also question why Obama removed his center from oversight by the National Archives and Records Administration, setting a precedent that the current President is wielding for his own self-dealing purposes.)
For now, we can still savor the glow of soul-stirring inaugural performances in Chicago by [Jennifer Hudson](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKFWyJVY34w&list=RDqKFWyJVY34w&start%5Fradio=1&ref=smdp.com), [Bruce Springsteen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHST46vIGpc&list=RDXHST46vIGpc&start%5Fradio=1&ref=smdp.com), and [John Legend](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN9kPB7tZ8U&list=RDEN9kPB7tZ8U&start%5Fradio=1&ref=smdp.com) (viewable online), while closer to home, we can be grateful for one brief shining moment of competence and comity, if not Camelot. And we can hope for more.
Devan Sipher can be reached at [Devan@smdp.com](mailto:Devan@smdp.com).
### LA County Report Flags Nearly 2,500 Local Jobs at Risk in Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery Merger
URL: https://www.smdp.com/la-county-report-flags-nearly-2-500-local-jobs-at-risk-in-paramount-skydance-warner-bros-discovery-merger/
Last updated: 2026-06-23T19:00:01.000Z
Los Angeles County has released a 60-day interim report estimating that about 2,495 local positions could be exposed to workforce impacts if Paramount Skydance's proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery moves forward.
The report was produced by the county's Department of Economic Opportunity, the LA County Film Office and the Chief Executive Office, with analysis by Los Angeles-based consulting firm CVL Economics. It found the county has the largest concentration of overlapping functions between the two companies. Officials cautioned the figure is not a layoff forecast but identifies the roles most immediately exposed to consolidation.
The analysis said the combined company would carry roughly $82 billion in gross debt and pursue more than $6 billion in projected savings, increasing pressure to consolidate corporate operations, technology systems, real estate and administrative functions.
The report responds to a March 17, 2026, motion by Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath that was approved by the Board of Supervisors. A final 120-day report is expected in August 2026 with additional recommendations.
"In Los Angeles County, the entertainment industry has long been our economic and cultural engine, and we have to fight like hell to protect it," Horvath said. "Nothing is off the table when it comes to protecting our workforce, our economy, and the future of the entertainment capital of the world."
Kelly LoBianco, DEO director, said the findings reinforce what workers and small businesses have reported for years about a fragile recovery. DEO and the LA County Film Office are developing a workforce action plan drawing on the county's America's Job Centers of California, High Road Training Partnerships and Rapid Response services, coordinating with state agencies to expedite unemployment and health care access for dislocated workers.
CVL Economics Co-Founder Adam Fowler said the report is designed to size the risk, not predict layoffs, adding that Los Angeles is not well positioned today to capture any potential increase in production.
The county's creative economy supports more than 312,000 workers, including about 171,155 entertainment sector jobs. FilmLA data shows county production activity fell 16% in 2025 compared with 2024\. The county previously awarded $4 million to 363 small and micro businesses through the Entertainment Business Interruption Fund.
Download the report at: opportunity.lacounty.gov/lacountyfilmoffice/
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica-Malibu schools advance grass field pilot, eye synthetic turf moratorium
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-malibu-schools-advance-grass-field-pilot-eye-synthetic-turf-moratorium/
Last updated: 2026-06-23T18:03:34.000Z
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District is moving ahead with a natural grass field pilot at [Franklin Elementary School](https://franklin.smmusd.org/?ref=smdp.com) and signaled support for a moratorium on new synthetic turf play fields at its elementary campuses, following a school board discussion June 18.
The pilot will cost close to an additional $500,000 beyond the temporary field the district had already planned to install, Chief Operations Officer Carey Upton told the Board of Education. Most of that increase covers removing compacted soil and building a new subsurface drainage system, Upton said, with roughly $60,000 to $65,000 going to maintenance handled by the project contractor rather than the district's grounds crew. Separately, the staff report estimated ongoing annual maintenance for the grass field at $6,000 to $13,000 a year.
The temporary field will replace an existing grass field and an adjacent parking lot at Franklin, where demolition began June 12, while the district constructs a new Early Learning classroom building. Community members had recommended using the temporary field to test best practices for grass turf and gather data to guide future decisions.
No formal vote was taken. Superintendent Antonio Shelton, who opened the presentation, said the item returned to a subject the board first raised May 19, when it directed staff to pursue three matters: the Franklin pilot, coordination with the City of Santa Monica and Santa Monica College on additional field space, and a study comparing how different field surfaces perform over a year.
"No action is required tonight," Shelton said, adding that staff sought board direction to proceed.
To strengthen the [project](https://www.smdp.com/caltrans-announces-overnight-lane-reductions-along-i-405-through-the-sepulveda-pass-for-pavement-rehabilitation-project/), the district engaged James H. Baird, a professor and turfgrass specialist at the University of California, Riverside, who conducted a site visit May 26 and joined the meeting remotely.
Baird identified the rootzone mix and internal drainage as the project's most critical and most neglected elements. "Lack of proper rootzone mix is probably the number 1 reason why intended fields like this fail," he wrote in a memorandum to the district. He recommended a sand-and-peat athletic field mix at least 6 to 8 inches deep and a subsurface drainage system along the field's southeast end, noting the site's roughly 3% slope was otherwise adequate.
Baird also recommended bermudagrass overseeded with perennial ryegrass, citing the coastal climate's limited bermudagrass growing season, and advised against relying solely on organic fertilizer. In his memo, he called the prospect of sustaining the field without synthetic pesticides or fertilizer "a recipe for failure."
That guidance prompted extended discussion, as some residents have urged all-organic management. Baird told the board that organic fertilizer releases nutrients based on temperature and would do little during the cooler months when a heavily used field most needs to recover. He suggested a possible hybrid approach but stressed the field would need adequate nutrition to regenerate.
Board member Jon Kean said he would not let the search for consensus stall the project. "I can't go by fields, I need to go by data," he said, adding that the district had become the field provider for a city that "has had decades to create more fields" and had not.
Sod installation is targeted for late July, during the optimal warm-weather window, with light supervised use expected by early September and full use by mid-September. Upton emphasized there would be no automatic opening; the field manager will confirm rooting depth and turf density before play begins.
Sustaining the roughly 22,500-square-foot field will require rest, including at least one day a week, plus a one-to-two-week closure after each semiannual aeration and reseeding cycle, in November after fall after-school sports and during spring break in April. Board members questioned how the district would limit use, particularly on weekends when outside leagues use school fields. "Who's going to take responsibility for that?" asked Maria Leon-Vazquez, who urged the board to focus first on Franklin.
Several members voiced support for the proposed moratorium on new synthetic turf play fields at elementary sites. The measure would not affect existing turf fields or surfaces required for fall protection under play structures.
Staff also outlined a 2026-27 study comparing five fields — Franklin, plus existing grass fields at McKinley, Roosevelt and Grant, and the synthetic turf field at Will Rogers — tracking hours of use, maintenance costs, injuries, surface temperatures and a field condition score. The data is intended to guide policy across all 16 district sites.
Upton said staff would return July 16 to ratify the pilot's added cost.
### Malibu council presses water board to spare some homeowners from early septic upgrades
URL: https://www.smdp.com/malibu-council-presses-water-board-to-spare-some-homeowners-from-early-septic-upgrades/
Last updated: 2026-06-23T18:03:06.000Z
The Malibu City Council pushed back on a proposed agreement with state water regulators on June 8, directing staff to redraw a wastewater map so that some longtime Civic Center-area property owners are not forced into early septic upgrades unless the final phase of the city's sewer project is actually required.
The council reviewed but did not approve a revised memorandum of understanding between the city and the[ Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board](https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/losangeles/?ref=smdp.com) governing Phase 2 of the Civic Center Water Treatment Facility, a yearslong effort to move properties off septic systems and onto a centralized sewer to clean up Malibu Lagoon.
Under a 2009 regional board resolution later folded into the state Basin Plan, Malibu must transition Civic Center properties from onsite septic systems to the treatment plant. Phase 1 was completed in 2018\. Phase 2, originally due in 2024, stalled after the city discovered significant Native American cultural resources in 2022 along a planned pipeline route through the Serra Retreat neighborhood.
The discovery forced the city and the [water](https://www.smdp.com/clean-earth-rovers-remove-tons-of-trash-from-the-marina/) board to abandon that alignment, redraw project boundaries and extend the schedule. Assistant Public Works Director Tatiana Holden, who presented the update, said the revised plan pulls Serra Retreat out of the Phase 2 construction path and instead calls for a feasibility study of alternatives such as advanced onsite treatment systems or package treatment plants. Properties along Malibu Road were shifted into Phase 2, while Phase 3 was reorganized into three sections: Area I, Area II and Serra Retreat. The Franklin Fire in December 2024 and the Palisades Fire in January 2025 added further delay, the staff report said.
Much of the council's discussion centered on fairness. Members objected that bundling certain Sweetwater Mesa properties — long part of Phase 3 — into the new Serra Retreat group would require them to take interim nitrogen- and bacteria-reduction steps even if Phase 3 is never triggered.
"That seems unfair," Mayor Bruce Silverstein said, asking staff to "move the border" so the original Phase 3 parcels stay in "pure phase three." Councilmember Doug Stewart proposed splitting the zone into "area three and area four," with Area 4 covering the original Phase 3 properties and exempt from the interim requirement unless the sewer expansion is ordered.
Assistant City Manager Rob DuBoux said the properties had been grouped together "purely for efficiency," because a sewer line likely could never be built through the culturally sensitive area regardless. He and a Regional Water Board representative agreed to take the council's request back to the agency, though the representative said the change would require staff to reconvene a stakeholder group and "check the math" on the project's triggers, and might not be ready in time for the board's planned July review.
The council also moved to tighten the language that determines whether Phase 3 proceeds at all. Phase 3 connections are required only if water quality monitoring shows that Phases 1 and 2 achieved targeted bacteria and nitrogen reductions in Malibu Lagoon and at the beach. If those targets are not met, the remaining septic systems would be presumed not to be the cause. Staff said a 2025 draft had mistakenly reversed that trigger, and the 2026 revision restores the original framework.
Silverstein said the document spelled out when Phase 3 is required but not when it is not. He asked that a sentence be added: "In the absence of such determination, the city shall not be required to proceed with phase three." DuBoux called it "a very good comment" and said it would be raised with the regional board.
Council members noted the science linking septic systems to the pollution has been disputed for nearly two decades but said the city, bound by the agreement, cannot relitigate it.
The water board representative said the agency still expects Phase 3 will be needed, citing studies tying the septic systems to bacteria and nitrogen in the lagoon.
The regional board is scheduled to release the MOU for public comment in July and hold a hearing July 23\. If approved, the amendment would return to the City Council on Aug. 24\. Under the revised timeline, Phase 2 construction would run from 2029 to 2031, with Phase 3 completed by 2035 if required. Staff said additional money will be needed to redesign Phase 2 and will be requested when the amendment returns.
### California Roadhouse threatens legal action over Santa Monica Pier lease dispute
URL: https://www.smdp.com/california-roadhouse-threatens-legal-action-over-santa-monica-pier-lease-dispute/
Last updated: 2026-06-23T18:02:51.000Z
The operator of a restaurant slated to occupy the former Rusty's Surf Ranch space at Santa Monica Pier has sent the city a formal legal notice threatening litigation over what he alleges was an illegal backroom deal between city officials and a hospitality union to condition his lease on specific hiring demands.
California Roadhouse, Inc. CEO Sean Ahaus sent the notice June 14 to the City Attorney's Office, with copies to the City Manager, Economic Development Department director and all seven City Council members, warning of "reasonably foreseeable litigation" and demanding the city immediately preserve all relevant communications and records.
The letter accuses the city of illegal labor collusion, coercion, violations of federal labor preemption doctrines and potential civil rights violations under color of state law.
At the center of the dispute is a Dec. 19, 2025, meeting at California Roadhouse's corporate offices attended by company representatives, a Unite Here Local 11 organizer identified as Noel Rodriguez and Wendy Saio from the city's Economic Development Department.
According to the letter, Rodriguez explicitly stated during the meeting — in the presence of Saio — that the city had entered into an agreement with the union to block any lease with California Roadhouse unless the company agreed to hire the entire pool of former workers who had been employed at the pier location approximately one year prior, all of whom were union members. The letter states Rodriguez told Ahaus the city would "never lease to the Company" unless all specific former workers were brought on, leaving California Roadhouse with "zero hiring discretion."
Ahaus contends that Saio, as the city official present, did not dispute, deny or correct the statement.
The legal notice demands the city issue an immediate litigation hold covering all personnel in the Economic Development Department, the City Manager's office, City Council and city technology administrators. The hold would cover all records from Jan. 1, 2025, to the present, including internal emails, text messages, instant messages on platforms such as Slack, Microsoft Teams and WhatsApp — on both city-issued and personal devices used for city business — as well as meeting calendars, agendas, handwritten notes, audio and video recordings, and any logs of political campaign contributions from the union or its affiliated PACs to city officials.
Ahaus also gave the City Attorney 10 business days to provide a formal written statement confirming or denying whether the city has conditioned the lease on mandatory hiring from a specific historical workforce pool.
The legal threat is the latest escalation in a lease saga that has stretched for months over the 4,100-square-foot space at 256 Santa Monica Pier that housed Rusty's Surf Ranch for more than three decades before it closed.
The City Council voted unanimously to approve a lease framework with California Roadhouse after the company was selected from nine proposals following a competitive process that drew more than 100 initial inquiries. The concept was chosen in part for its commitment to daily live music programming.
Under the approved terms, California Roadhouse would pay roughly $26,728 per month in base rent — calculated at $6.25 per square foot — with a 3% annual escalator and Consumer Price Index adjustments, plus Common Area Maintenance charges. The city agreed to a one-time capital contribution of up to $500,000 for kitchen, HVAC, electrical, stage and bar upgrades, along with approximately $125,000 in pre-occupancy repairs and roughly $100,000 in waived rent during a 60-day stabilization period, bringing total public expenditure to approximately $725,000\. The city projects the deal will generate $325,000 annually in pier fund revenue.
The lease was twice delayed at the request of Unite Here Local 11 — first over a procedural objection and then over proposed lease terms — before the council ultimately approved it with worker retention language embedded in the agreement.
Ahaus has said he has no objection in principle to hiring back former Rusty's workers and has offered to bring on more than the union-backed mandate requires, including managers and supervisors not covered under the original ordinance. His objection is to what he characterizes as the city's lack of legal authority to impose the current terms.
The lease has been delayed most recently due to disputes over the details of the lease, with a current disagreement over hiring practices. Ahaus wants to interview former Rusty’s employees before offering employment but the terms of the lease prevent Ahaus from conducting interviews and instead only allow him to require “an employment information form identifying prior experience, certifications, skills, availability , and position preferences for purposes of job assignment, training, scheduling and compensation.”
Ahaus has previously warned he could relocate the California Roadhouse concept to Venice Beach if an acceptable lease is not reached, adding that he would offer the same former Rusty's workers jobs at the new location — without any legal mandate requiring it.
### Pitchside at the Pier welcomes the World Cup
URL: https://www.smdp.com/pitchside-at-the-pier-welcomes-the-world-cup/
Last updated: 2026-06-23T17:10:31.000Z
A free, 21-and-over soccer fan destination has taken over the Santa Monica Pier through Wednesday, offering World Cup watch parties, celebrity appearances and a unique entry mechanic that requires visitors to score a goal before they can get inside.
The Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club, located at 200 Santa Monica Pier, opened to the public June 12 and runs through June 25 as part of the brand's activation as the Official Beer Sponsor of FIFA World Cup 2026\. Admission is free but requires an advance timed-entry reservation at [michelobultra.com/pitchsideclub](http://michelobultra.com/pitchsideclub?ref=smdp.com).
The venue's signature entry mechanic — kicking a ball past a goalkeeper-bouncer — sets it apart from traditional fan festivals. Once inside, visitors can watch live FIFA World Cup matches, test their skills against a virtual Lionel Messi in a "G.O.A.T." challenge, customize jerseys at a Hypebeast-powered station and take photos with the newly designed Superior Player of the Match Trophy created by artist Victor Solomon.
Programming has included live shows by soccer podcast Men in Blazers and a Mexican National Team celebration on June 18 tied to the Mexico vs. South Korea match.
After the Santa Monica run concludes, the Pitchside Club moves to The Standard Biergarten in New York City from July 14–19 for the FIFA World Cup final.
*Register at* [*michelobultra.com/pitchsideclub*](http://michelobultra.com/pitchsideclub?ref=smdp.com)*.*
### Monday, June 22, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/saturday-june-20-2026-2/
Last updated: 2026-06-22T19:26:34.000Z
Time is running out to visit the flagship World Cup experience on the Pier. Visit [https://www.michelobultra.com/pitchsideclub/signup](https://www.michelobultra.com/pitchsideclub/signup?ref=smdp.com) for tickets.
Partly cloudy. High 69F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 68º/60º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 70º/61º
### FIRST UP
Anniversary: Lula Cocina Mexicana celebrates 35 years on Main Street with a fiesta July 1 featuring mariachis and specials.
### Lula Cocina Mexicana Marks 35 Years on Santa Monica's Main Street
Lula Cocina Mexicana, a Main Street fixture known for regional Mexican cooking and its margaritas..[READ](https://www.smdp.com/lula-cocina-mexicana-marks-35-years-on-santa-monicas-main-street/)
### MORE NEWS
[SMC Emeritus Gallery Opening Reception for John AlcantaraSanta Monica College Emeritus Gallery hosts a free exhibition of works by artist John Alcantara from July 2 to September 11, with an opening reception July 2 at 5 p.m. in downtown Santa Monica.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-emeritus-gallery-to-host-free-reception-for-john-alcantara-exhibition-july-2/)
[Santa Monica Council Accepts Annual Staffing ReportSanta Monica City Council unanimously approved its annual job vacancy report showing a 7.54% vacancy rate citywide, fulfilling state requirements before final budget adoption.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-receives-annual-vacancy-report/)
[Wildfire survivors urged to act before June 30 SBA loan deadline as recovery workshops get underwayHomeowners and businesses affected by last year’s Eaton and Palisades wildfires are running out of time to accept approved federal disaster loans, with a June 30 deadline fast approaching — even as new workshops and expanded mortgage relief aim to help survivors navigate the long road to rebuilding. The U.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/wildfire-survivors-urged-to-act-before-june-30-sba-loan-deadline-as-recovery-workshops-get-underway/)
---
[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184437/click/0?seed={{id}}%5F{{campaign%5Fid}}&ref=smdp.com)
---
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Perennial political candidate arrested on grand theft chargesSanta Monica police arrested local activist and political candidate Zoë Muntaner on June 18 on grand theft charges after recovering stolen property valued at over $5,200 from a shared residence.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/perennial-political-candidate-arrested-on-grand-theft-charges/)
[Wildfire survivors seek unprecedented role in State Farm insurance case as advocates push reforms in SacramentoEighteen months after devastating wildfires destroyed thousands of homes across Los Angeles County, many survivors say the biggest obstacle to returning home is the insurance process. Standing before dozens of displaced homeowners Thursday at Palisades Charter High School, the Every Fire Survivor’s Network (EFSN) announced what it described asSMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/wildfire-survivors-seek-unprecedented-role-in-state-farm-insurance-case-as-advocates-push-reforms-in-sacramento/)
[Autonomous Robots Clean Marina Del Rey WaterwaysClean Earth Rovers uses autonomous cleaning robots to remove debris from Southern California waterways including Marina Del Rey, Port of Los Angeles, and local harbors.SMDPContributor](https://www.smdp.com/clean-earth-rovers-remove-tons-of-trash-from-the-marina/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/062226.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### California Credit Union Foundation Awards Scholarship to Pacific Palisades Student
URL: https://www.smdp.com/california-credit-union-foundation-awards-scholarship-to-pacific-palisades-student/
Last updated: 2026-06-22T19:00:00.000Z
The California Credit Union Foundation has awarded a scholarship to Palisades Charter High School graduate Anahi Plazola through its annual College Scholarship Program, the foundation announced June 17.
Plazola plans to study physics at the University of California, Los Angeles, in the fall. The program recognizes students who demonstrate academic achievement, leadership and a strong commitment to serving their communities.
"Each year, we're inspired by the drive and purpose these students bring to their education and their communities," said California Credit Union Foundation President Marvel Ford. "They're not only pursuing their own goals, but also making a meaningful difference in the lives of others. We're proud to support their continued success and the positive impact they will have in the years ahead."
Plazola was among 20 students recognized in the 2026 scholarship class, with recipients coming from communities across Southern California including Los Angeles, Torrance, Carson, Burbank, Culver City, San Pedro, Valencia and Van Nuys.
The foundation's annual College Scholarship Program was created by the credit union in 2005 to recognize outstanding students within its local communities. Since the program began, more than $485,000 in scholarships have been awarded to students across Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Riverside and Ventura counties.
The California Credit Union Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves as the philanthropic arm of California Credit Union, a federally chartered full-service credit union founded in 1933 with assets of nearly $5.4 billion, more than 200,000 members and 25 retail branches. The credit union funds all administrative costs of the foundation, allowing it to return 100% of donations to community programs.
More information and tax-deductible donations are available at ccu.com/foundation.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica Pier's 'A PIERfect Benefit' returns Sept. 19 with casino night theme
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-piers-a-pierfect-benefit-returns-sept-19-with-casino-night-theme/
Last updated: 2026-07-13T21:59:58.000Z
The Santa Monica Pier Corporation will hold the second annual A PIERfect Benefit on Saturday, Sept. 19, on the Santa Monica Pier, with tickets now on sale for an evening inspired by the legendary SS Rex ocean liner and brought to life through a casino night theme.
Following its inaugural event, the 2026 fundraiser invites guests aboard an immersive experience blending old-world elegance with the spirit of the Pier. The historic setting will be transformed into a floating fantasy with classic casino games, curated cocktails, entertainment and storytelling moments celebrating the Pier's history.
"This year, we're taking guests on a journey," said Jim Harris, executive director and historian of the Santa Monica Pier Corporation. "The SS Rex theme allows us to tap into a sense of timeless adventure and spectacle while continuing to share the story of the Pier as a place of connection, memory, and community."
The benefit supports the Santa Monica Pier Corporation, an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to the pleasure pier experience for locals, visitors and admirers. Proceeds help sustain free, year-round programming, including Youth Day, which brings underserved children from across Los Angeles County to the Pier, and the annual Pier 360 Beach Festival.
Ticket options include General Admission ($175); the All Hands on Deck package ($250), which adds drink tickets and discounted casino gaming tickets; and the Hit the Jackpot package ($450), featuring admission for two, drink tickets and enhanced gaming. A limited number of High Rollers Club packages ($1,400) are available for groups. Tickets and donations are available at[ ](https://givebutter.com/pierfectbenefit2026?ref=smdp.com)[givebutter.com/pierfectbenefit2026](https://givebutter.com/pierfectbenefit2026?ref=smdp.com); the discount code EARLYBIRD offers 20% savings through July 1.
The evening will feature a fully themed SS Rex casino experience with gaming tables and interactive elements, signature cocktails and specialty cuisine, live entertainment, auction items, and storytelling tied to the Pier's past and future.
Guests may purchase gaming tickets in advance at a 50% discount. Winners at each gaming table will receive raffle tickets for chances to win exclusive prizes throughout the evening. Advance gaming packages are sold online, separately from admission.
Those unable to attend may make a tax-deductible donation on the event website. The Pier is at 200 Santa Monica Pier, Suite A. More information is available at[ ](https://santamonicapier.org/?ref=smdp.com)[santamonicapier.org](https://santamonicapier.org/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Lula Cocina Mexicana Marks 35 Years on Santa Monica's Main Street
URL: https://www.smdp.com/lula-cocina-mexicana-marks-35-years-on-santa-monicas-main-street/
Last updated: 2026-06-22T10:00:01.000Z
[Lula Cocina Mexicana](https://www.lulacocinamexicana.com/?ref=smdp.com), a Main Street fixture known for regional Mexican cooking and its margaritas, will celebrate 35 years in business with a community fiesta on July 1.
The anniversary caps three and a half decades for a restaurant that opened in 1991 and has remained a cornerstone of Main Street. The celebration, billed as a thank-you to longtime patrons, will feature mariachis from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., a photo booth, food and drink specials and prizes at 2720 Main St. Reservations are highly recommended.
Lula was founded by restaurateur Geraldine Gilliland and inspired by her mentor, the Mexican chef Lula Bertrán. For most of its history, the restaurant has positioned itself as a bridge between the traditions of Mexico City and the spirit of Santa Monica.
"Lula has always been about more than just food; it's about the people who walk through our doors," said Chuck Craig, the restaurant's general manager. "Reaching 35 years is a testament to the incredible community here on the Westside. This party is our way of saying thank you to the neighbors who have been with us throughout to reach this milestone."
Craig is part of that history himself. He opened Lula as general manager in 1991, later worked for other restaurants — including a stint managing Wolfgang Puck's Spago in Beverly Hills — and has since returned.
He credits the restaurant's longevity to its place in the neighborhood. "Our survival comes down to two things: consistency and community," Craig said. "We've never just been a business on Main Street; we're an extension of our guests' lives."
He said some staff members have worked at Lula since opening day, and that guests have marked milestones there for years, with rehearsal dinners giving way to baby showers and, later, graduation parties.
"When guests walk through our doors, they don't just see a restaurant; they see familiar faces who know exactly how they like their margarita," Craig said. "That sense of belonging is rare, and it's why people keep coming back."
Several dishes have remained on the menu since the restaurant opened. "Our guests love the nostalgia and comfort of the classics — our traditional poblanos, enchiladas and our slow-cooked carnitas have been staples since day one," Craig said. He said the clientele has also favored specialty plates such as the crepa de camarones and traditional tlacoyos. For the anniversary, the kitchen is reviving its original Yucatán dish, cochinita pibil.
The restaurant also played a pivotal role in the arrival of premium tequila in the United States, a history recounted in the book "The Patron Way," which chronicles the brand's early days.
Lula changed hands in 2023, when Gilliland turned the business over to Barry Kinyon, a longtime business adviser and friend. Craig said Kinyon's goal was to preserve the restaurant's character while introducing it to a new generation of diners.
"His mission from the start wasn't to reinvent the wheel, but to honor the legacy," Craig said. "It was vital to Barry to keep 'Lula, Lula,' while seamlessly introducing us to a whole new audience."
Under Kinyon, the restaurant has added dishes and reworked others. "If you haven't tried our new octopus dish or the Lula Burger yet, you're missing out," Craig said. The [kitchen](https://www.smdp.com/gourmandise-school-offers-summer-cooking-camps-for-kids-and-teens/) has also introduced a signature mole sauce and re-imagined its tacos, he said, while doubling down on consistency for its heritage dishes.
Craig described the transition between owners as smooth, citing the personal friendship and long business relationship between Gilliland and Kinyon. Gilliland has since moved to Mexico.
"Geraldine has since moved to Mexico, which is a beautiful full-circle moment given her love for the culture and cuisine that inspired Lula in the first place," Craig said. He said she remains in touch with the staff: "She is constantly texting us new culinary ideas inspired by the dishes she's discovering in Mexico."
Gilliland plans to return to Santa Monica for the July 1 celebration. "We are absolutely thrilled that she is traveling back to Santa Monica to be right here with us," Craig said.
While many businesses along Main Street have opted for renovations, Lula has kept what the restaurant describes as an "unpolished" charm intended to evoke a hidden gem in Guadalajara.
"Honestly, if 'Cheers' had been filmed on Main Street, Lula's bar would have been the set," Craig said.
Lula Cocina Mexicana is at 2720 Main St. in Santa Monica.
### SMC Emeritus Gallery to Host Free Reception for John Alcantara Exhibition July 2
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-emeritus-gallery-to-host-free-reception-for-john-alcantara-exhibition-july-2/
Last updated: 2026-06-21T19:00:53.000Z
The Santa Monica College Emeritus Art Gallery will present "Freedom of Expression," a free exhibition of works by artist and SMC Emeritus student John Alcantara, running July 2 through Sept. 11.
A free opening reception will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 2, in the gallery on the first floor of the SMC Emeritus Campus, 1227 Second St., in downtown Santa Monica. Parking is available next door in Santa Monica Public Parking Structure No. 2.
The reception will be hosted by Emeritus Gallery Curator Jesse Benson.
"Please help us kick-off the summer with a solo exhibition of endlessly fascinating painted works by artist John Alcantara, a longtime Emeritus student," Benson said. "John is a truly special artist and human being. I hope you can join us in the gallery to celebrate his unique brilliance."
SMC's Emeritus program, founded in 1975 as a noncredit program to serve the lifelong learning interests of older adults, offers more than 120 noncredit adult education classes and special programs serving more than 3,000 students each year.
More information is available at[ ](http://smc.edu/emeritusgallery?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/emeritusgallery](http://smc.edu/emeritusgallery?ref=smdp.com) or by calling 310-434-4306.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica council receives annual vacancy report
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-receives-annual-vacancy-report/
Last updated: 2026-06-21T10:00:03.000Z
The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to accept an annual report on the city's job vacancies and recruitment efforts, satisfying a state requirement that local governments publicly account for their staffing before adopting a final budget.
Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Zwick was absent from the council meeting. The council took the vote at the conclusion of the item, following Human Resources Manager Stephanie Swofford's presentation and a round of questions from council members.
The hearing fulfilled obligations under Assembly Bill 2561, the 2024 law codified as [Government Code Section 3502.3](https://law.justia.com/codes/california/code-gov/title-1/division-4/chapter-10/section-3502-3/?ref=smdp.com), which requires public agencies to report annually on vacancy levels, retention efforts and any policies that may be hampering hiring. The law took effect Jan. 1, 2025, and mandates that the presentation occur before a final budget is adopted.
Citywide, Santa Monica ended 2025 with a vacancy rate of 7.54%, or 158 openings among 2,123 budgeted full-time-equivalent positions, Swofford said. The city has "pretty low vacancy rates," she said, noting that only one employee group, the Executive Pay Plan, exceeded the 20% threshold that can trigger additional reporting. Because that group is non-represented, no enhanced reporting was required.
A total of 417 vacancies opened during the year, with about 22% tied to 92.5 newly budgeted positions added in the fall, Swofford said. The remainder stemmed from internal promotions, retirements and separations. The city filled 134 positions, 40 through open competitive recruitment and 94 through internal promotion.
Swofford highlighted two bright spots. The city hired 85 motor coach operator trainees across nine training classes, promoting 42 to full operators. The Police Department, she said, adopted new software that keeps applicants engaged through the hiring process, driving vacancies in that department to among the lowest in the city.
The most [pointed discussion](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-general-fund-reaches-structural-balance-as-city-unveils-909m-spending-plan/) centered on a department not flagged in the report's aggregate numbers. Councilmember Dan Hall noted that construction inspectors and local contractors had testified earlier in the evening and asked City Manager Oliver Chi for his reaction.
"There is absolutely a problem with the compensation structure right now in the building inspector operation," Chi said, acknowledging a "dire need" to adjust some salaries there.
Chi said any fix is complicated because three bargaining units represent workers in the building operation, requiring coordination before salaries can be adjusted. He added that the city had scheduled meetings with affected employees in the coming weeks. "We're confident we'll come up with a solution here within the next month or two," he said.
Chi pointed to a citywide classification and compensation study as the city's primary long-term tool for realigning pay. The study kicks off in June and is expected to be finalized in early 2027\. The comprehensive approach is necessary, he said, because "anytime you make an adjustment in one part of an organization, it will bump up against others. There are internal salary relationships to think through."
Hall also pressed Chi on employee engagement surveys. Chi said the Human Resources Department is assembling an organizational health survey to be deployed within the next couple of months. "It will be something we do continuously," he said, adding that the city is still determining how often to conduct comprehensive and quick-pulse versions.
Councilmember Natalya Zernitskaya asked which classifications carried the highest vacancies. Staff identified Public Works roles, including maintenance workers and bin truck drivers, along with public services officers. Officials said the December figures predate ongoing recruitment efforts and that conditions have improved since, with a new eligibility list helping fill some Public Works positions. Zernitskaya asked whether the city was pursuing apprenticeship programs; staff said such partnerships are attractive but difficult to launch while departments are short-staffed and lack capacity to train new workers.
Swofford outlined broade r recruitment challenges, including a competitive labor market, shifting perceptions of public-sector work and financial constraints on salaries. "It's pretty brutal out there right now," she said of the competition for talent. The city's strategies, she said, include refining minimum job qualifications, benefit enhancements, a winter closure program, telework for eligible positions and targeted equity increases to improve internal alignment and external competitiveness.
### Wildfire survivors urged to act before June 30 SBA loan deadline as recovery workshops get underway
URL: https://www.smdp.com/wildfire-survivors-urged-to-act-before-june-30-sba-loan-deadline-as-recovery-workshops-get-underway/
Last updated: 2026-06-20T19:00:31.000Z
Homeowners and businesses affected by last year's Eaton and Palisades wildfires are running out of time to accept approved federal disaster loans, with a June 30 deadline fast approaching — even as new workshops and expanded mortgage relief aim to help survivors navigate the long road to rebuilding.
The U.S. Small Business Administration is urging approved borrowers to complete the final steps to accept their disaster loan funds before the end of the month. The agency has approved nearly 13,000 applications for more than $3.4 billion in disaster assistance following the January 2025 wildfires, making the Los Angeles region the largest recipient of SBA disaster assistance in Fiscal Year 2025\. Despite that record level of approvals, only about $1 billion has actually been disbursed to date.
Borrowers can accept their loans through the MySBA Loan Portal at MySBA.sba.gov, by scheduling an appointment at appointment.sba.gov, or by visiting one of two local recovery centers in person. Walk-in assistance is available at the Pali Hub, 15239 La Cruz Dr. in Pacific Palisades, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and at the Eaton Fire Collaborative's Collaboratory, 540 W. Woodbury Rd. in Altadena, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. After June 30, approved but undisbursed loans will only be available on a case-by-case basis.
Separately, wildfire survivors seeking to navigate the permitting process can attend a free virtual workshop hosted by LA County Recovers. The Rebuilding Together Virtual Workshop, originally scheduled for an earlier date, will now be held Friday, July 10, from 12:30 to 2 p.m. via Zoom. The session will cover the Unified Permit Process and include a live demonstration of how to submit a County Disaster Recovery Permit application, use the applicant dashboard and manage documents. An extended question-and-answer period is also planned. Registration is open now.
For homeowners seeking mortgage relief, the California Housing Finance Agency's CalAssist Mortgage Fund has been expanded to offer up to 12 months of mortgage payments — a fourfold increase from the program's original three-month cap — with assistance up to $100,000 that does not need to be repaid. The program pays mortgage servicers directly on behalf of eligible homeowners whose primary residences were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable by a qualifying disaster. Homeowners who previously received three months of assistance are eligible for additional support to bring their total to a full year. Assistance is available to homeowners who are current on their mortgage, in forbearance or behind on payments.
A free in-person CalAssist workshop is scheduled for Saturday, June 27, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Dr. Homeowners can also apply at the CalAssist website or by calling 800-501-0019.
For more information on SBA disaster assistance, survivors can call 800-659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Those who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability may dial 7-1-1 for telecommunications relay services. ADA and Title VI accommodations for the July 10 permit workshop are available by contacting LA County Public Works at 626-940-7998.
### Santa Monica to host free citywide concerts June 21 for Make Music Day
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-to-host-free-citywide-concerts-june-21-for-make-music-day/
Last updated: 2026-06-20T19:00:01.000Z
Santa Monica will join more than 800 cities across 110 countries on Sunday, June 21, for a free, worldwide celebration of music held on the summer solstice.
Make Music Day, inspired by France's Fête de la Musique, is an annual event that invites people to make and enjoy music together. Santa Monica has participated in Make Music Los Angeles since 2012\. This year, the city becomes its own official chapter — Make Music Santa Monica — and will host five free events, with a central hub in partnership with Metro at the downtown Metro station and adjacent Kiss & Ride Parking Lot.
"Santa Monica has an incredible arts and music community, and having our own chapter of Make Music Day is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the talent, passion, and creativity that thrive here," Mayor Caroline Torosis said. She encouraged everyone, from seasoned musicians to first-timers, to take part.
City-produced events include the Music Meets the World Cup Station Activation at the Downtown Santa Monica Metro Station and Kiss & Ride Parking Lot from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Presented by the Recreation and Arts Department with Metro and Revel Republic, it will feature live performances, jam sessions and workshops, including first-ever live music on the Metro platform and inside a Big Blue Bus.
Play Day, Concert, and Frequencies in Bloom will run from 4 to 7 p.m. at Miles Memorial Playhouse and Reed Park, featuring an open-air concert centering women, trans and non-binary musicians.
Neighborhood Association events, funded in part by the city's Art of Recovery initiative, include a beachside concert by the Ocean Park Association at Beach South Lot 1 from 1 to 5 p.m.; a performance showcase by Santa Monica Mid City Neighbors at Colorado Center Park from 4 to 8 p.m.; and a family-friendly solstice and Father's Day celebration by the North of Montana Association at Palisades Park from 5 to 8 p.m.
Musicians of all ages and skill levels are invited to perform anywhere throughout the day. A full list of events, along with tools to register performances and connect musicians with venues, can be found at Make Music Santa Monica.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Turtles welcomed to the Promenade
URL: https://www.smdp.com/turtles-welcomed-to-the-promenade/
Last updated: 2026-06-20T18:41:14.000Z
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle pizzeria officially opened on Saturday with lines up and down the block and an appearance by the turtles themselves.
The Santa Monica location is one of three TMNT pizzerias announced globally by Paramount, with the others slated for Monterrey, Mexico, and São Paulo, Brazil. Paramount unveiled the pizzerias in February as part of a sweeping franchise expansion led by Josh Silverman, who was brought aboard last fall as president of global products and experiences after stints at Disney, Marvel, and Mattel. Silverman described the restaurants as part of a broader push to extend the Turtles brand across consumer products and location-based entertainment.
The store is located at 1444 Third Street Promenade
### Saturday, June 20, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/saturday-june-20-2026/
Last updated: 2026-06-20T16:49:14.000Z
Today is the **Summer Soulstice Festival** on Main Street from noon to 7 pm. No cars, great music, to-go cups, free. What's not to like?
Cloudy early, then mostly sunny. High 69F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 69º/58º | Father's Day 🌤️ 69º/59º | Monday 🌤️ 70º/60º
### FIRST UP
### Burglar Enters Occupied 19th Street Home, Steals $2,300 in Belongings
A residential burglary was reported in the 1200 block of 19th Street after a suspect entered an occupied Santa Monica home through a rear window and..[READ](https://www.smdp.com/burglar-enters-occupied-19th-street-home-steals-2-300-in-belongings/)
### MORE NEWS
[Perennial political candidate arrested on grand theft chargesSanta Monica police arrested local activist and political candidate Zoë Muntaner on June 18 on grand theft charges after recovering stolen property valued at over $5,200 from a shared residence.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/perennial-political-candidate-arrested-on-grand-theft-charges/)
[Wildfire survivors seek unprecedented role in State Farm insurance case as advocates push reforms in SacramentoEighteen months after devastating wildfires destroyed thousands of homes across Los Angeles County, many survivors say the biggest obstacle to returning home is the insurance process. Standing before dozens of displaced homeowners Thursday at Palisades Charter High School, the Every Fire Survivor’s Network (EFSN) announced what it described asSMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/wildfire-survivors-seek-unprecedented-role-in-state-farm-insurance-case-as-advocates-push-reforms-in-sacramento/)
[Autonomous Robots Clean Marina Del Rey WaterwaysClean Earth Rovers uses autonomous cleaning robots to remove debris from Southern California waterways including Marina Del Rey, Port of Los Angeles, and local harbors.SMDPContributor](https://www.smdp.com/clean-earth-rovers-remove-tons-of-trash-from-the-marina/)
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[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184437/click/0?seed={{id}}%5F{{campaign%5Fid}}&ref=smdp.com)
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### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Santa Monica Band This Whole Time Debuts Album at Summer SOULsticeSanta Monica band This Whole Time performs Saturday at Summer SOULstice on Main Street with their new debut album. The funk-soul-rock quartet formed through SMMUSD music program.SMDPGuest Author](https://www.smdp.com/local-band-this-whole-time-brings-debut-album-home-to-summer-soulstice/)
[Santa Monica’s DadTime: Free Support for Fathers Every SaturdayDadTime is a free weekly program at Virginia Avenue Park in Santa Monica where fathers gather Saturdays to support each other while their children ages birth to 3 engage in free play.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/every-saturday-santa-monica-dads-gather-to-learn-and-to-let-go/)
[Dragon Alley Coffee Debuts on Santa Monica’s Third Street PromenadeDragon Alley Coffee, a specialty café by Santa Monica accountants, opened June 17 at 312 Santa Monica Blvd. on Third Street Promenade, serving espresso, matcha, and house blends.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/dragon-alley-brings-specialty-drinks-and-a-local-dream-to-third-street-promenade/)
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[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184438/click/0?seed={{id}}%5F{{campaign%5Fid}}&ref=smdp.com)
---
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061926.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### Wildfire survivors seek unprecedented role in State Farm insurance case as advocates push reforms in Sacramento
URL: https://www.smdp.com/wildfire-survivors-seek-unprecedented-role-in-state-farm-insurance-case-as-advocates-push-reforms-in-sacramento/
Last updated: 2026-06-20T10:00:57.000Z
##
Eighteen months after devastating wildfires destroyed thousands of homes across Los Angeles County, many survivors say the biggest obstacle to returning home is the insurance process.
Standing before dozens of displaced homeowners Thursday at Palisades Charter High School, the Every Fire Survivor's Network (EFSN) announced what it described as a first in California history: a petition seeking formal legal standing in the California Department of Insurance's enforcement proceeding against State Farm.
If granted, the unprecedented request would allow the nonprofit to conduct discovery, present survivor testimony and evidence, cross-examine witnesses, participate in settlement discussions and advocate directly for remedies affecting thousands of wildfire policyholders.
For many in attendance, however, the legal filing was only part of a much larger story. "It has been death by a thousand paper cuts," said Diane Brigham, a longtime Pacific Palisades resident whose home was destroyed in the Palisades Fire, describing months of delays while attempting to document the family's personal property losses.
Brigham said her family painstakingly cataloged more than 8,100 belongings, complete with photographs and links to comparable replacement items, after seeking guidance from State Farm to ensure the inventory met the company's requirements.
Instead, the family repeatedly had to resubmit documents because State Farm claimed it could not access files or attachments it had requested. After months of additional documentation requests, Brigham said the insurer's final inventory contained numerous errors and depreciation calculations that could not be adequately explained. "We followed every direction," Brigham said. "Meanwhile, State Farm repeatedly urges us to rebuild, but it's their own convoluted processes that have slowed us down."
Survivors said the prolonged delays have left many families uncertain about whether they have enough insurance proceeds to rebuild, prolonging recovery for entire neighborhoods.
Executive Director Joy Chen said the Every Fire Survivor's Network has spent the past 18 months building a coalition of more than 10,000 wildfire survivors and allies while collecting more than 1,600 firsthand accounts from State Farm policyholders across Los Angeles. "This is about ensuring the people most affected have a seat at the table," Chen said. "Insurance companies should honor the contracts they sell, and government officials whose job it is to regulate those companies should work on behalf of the people."
Chen said survivors never expected to become advocates"We never asked for this fight," she said. "But when the company we trusted robs our families, robs our children of the future we've worked so hard to build, we have no choice but to fight back. We will not stop until State Farm, and every insurer, pays what it owes so Los Angeles fire survivors can finally get back home."
The organization also left an empty chair at Thursday's event for State Farm's newly appointed Los Angeles recovery executive, Axel Del Cid, who organizers invited to hear directly from survivors about what it means to be a "good neighbor."
Beyond the Department of Insurance proceeding, Chen said wildfire survivors are also pursuing legislative reforms in Sacramento aimed at strengthening consumer protections.
Just one day before Thursday's announcement, Chen testified in Sacramento as two insurance reform measures Senate Bills 877 and 878 advanced out of the Assembly Insurance Committee.
According to advocates, SB 877 would increase transparency by requiring insurers to disclose original loss estimates and explain significant revisions made during the claims process, while SB 878 would strengthen requirements for timely claims handling and payment of undisputed benefits following disasters.
Chen also highlighted SB 1301, expected to be heard next week, which seeks to address insurance availability and provide additional protections against unfair policy non-renewals for homeowners rebuilding after catastrophic fires. "These are legislative issues that affect every Californian," Chen said. "From the thousands of accounts we've gathered, we've identified patterns. We're working on both insurance accountability and insurance availability."
Attorneys representing the organization said the California Department of Insurance is expected to determine within approximately 15 days whether EFSN will be permitted to intervene in the State Farm enforcement proceeding.
If approved, advocates say the decision could establish an important precedent by giving wildfire survivors a formal voice in regulatory enforcement actions while shaping how catastrophe insurance claims are handled throughout California for years to come.
As the case moves forward and lawmakers consider new consumer protections, survivors say the outcome will determine far more than insurance policy. For many families, they say, it will determine whether they are ever able to rebuild their homes and return to the communities they lost.
### Caltrans Announces Overnight Lane Reductions Along I-405 Through the Sepulveda Pass for Pavement Rehabilitation Project
URL: https://www.smdp.com/caltrans-announces-overnight-lane-reductions-along-i-405-through-the-sepulveda-pass-for-pavement-rehabilitation-project/
Last updated: 2026-06-19T21:18:27.000Z
Caltrans will reduce lanes and close ramps along Interstate 405 through the Sepulveda Pass overnight the week of June 22 for K-rail installation and survey work.
Crews will work from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily Monday, June 22, through Friday, June 26\. No closures are scheduled between 5 a.m. Thursday and 5 a.m. Friday due to a World Cup construction moratorium affecting I-405 between Lakewood Boulevard and U.S. 101.
Speed limits in certain southbound I-405 sections will be reduced to 55 mph due to ongoing paving work.
The following closures are in effect nightly from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., June 22–26, except during the Thursday moratorium:
- Up to one lane closed on northbound I-405 from Wilshire Boulevard to Skirball Center Drive/Mulholland Drive
- Northbound I-405 off-ramp to Getty Center Drive closed
- Up to one lane closed on northbound I-405 between Skirball Center Drive/Mulholland Drive and Sepulveda Boulevard
- Sepulveda Boulevard on-ramp to northbound I-405 closed
- Up to one lane closed on northbound I-405 between Sepulveda Boulevard and Victory Boulevard
- Northbound I-405 off-ramp to northbound Burbank Boulevard closed
- Up to one lane closed on southbound I-405 between Skirball Center Drive/Mulholland Drive and Wilshire Boulevard
- Up to two lanes closed on southbound I-405 between Victory Boulevard and U.S. 101
- Up to four lanes closed on southbound I-405 between U.S. 101 and Skirball Center Drive/Mulholland Drive
The work is part of the $143.7 million I-405 Pavement Rehabilitation Project between Van Nuys and Westwood, which aims to improve safety, mobility and pavement longevity along the corridor.
Schedules are subject to change due to weather or operational conditions. Nearby residents and businesses may experience noise, vibrations and dust. Current road conditions are available at Caltrans' Quickmap website.
### Clean Earth Rovers Remove Tons of Trash from the Marina
URL: https://www.smdp.com/clean-earth-rovers-remove-tons-of-trash-from-the-marina/
Last updated: 2026-06-20T16:30:50.000Z
In Early March, I visited one of the [Clean Earth Rovers](https://www.cleanearthrovers.com/?ref=smdp.com) sites to see how the company uses technology as a means to prevent marine pollution. The company was founded by CEO Michael Arens, with the goal of creating technology to better our environment. Clean Earth Rovers operates out of several Southern California waterways, including San Pedro, Wilmington, Huntington Harbor, and Newport Harbor, and hopes to expand into Marina Del Rey in the near future. In January of this year, Clean Earth Rovers launched four Rover AVPro™ autonomous cleaning robots into the [Port of Los Angeles](https://portoflosangeles.org/?ref=smdp.com), reaching all 15 of its Marinas. These robots specialize as autonomous surface vessels designed to remove debris from the various bodies of water before it gets out to the ocean.
The Rover resembles a pontoon-style boat, with a collection system built into its center. During my visit, I was able to watch the team use their rovers around the Cabrillo aWay Marina. They’re controlled via remote or iPhone, allowing the operator to move the rover around the surface of the water and collect any trash. Each rover’s bag can catch up to 100 to 150 pounds of trash and can be emptied and reused in under five minutes, making this operation not only environmentally conscious but also efficient. According to CER, these rovers can clean up to 25 acres in an eight-hour shift on one battery charge.
Each day, the team begins by visiting each harbor, taking note of the conditions at each location. This allows them to determine whether or not the harbor is heavily polluted, identify and map “trash hotspots”, and log any environmental conditions such as weather and water visibility. They then get the rovers into the water. Depending on how much trash is found in the marina, the amount of time they spend at each site varies. When their clean is done, they remove the rovers, weigh the trash collected, and dispose of the waste using the marina’s facilities. They also collect photos at each site, providing a visual log of any impact. After this process has been completed, they move on to their next location. A notable aspect of this technology is its minimal impact on the surrounding environment. The Rovers are fairly small, move at a slow pace of only 5 mph, and are extremely quiet. This creates very minimal disruption for not only marine life, but also boaters. Since the rovers only collect debris at the surface of the water, it makes it easy for any marine life to avoid them. According to the company, so far, they have not yet caught a single animal.
Another piece of technology Clean Earth Rovers is working on is “smart buoys”, which are water quality testing buoys. These buoys collect water samples and test them every thirty minutes, then send the data directly to an app. This app can then track bacteria levels, algae blooms, and potential fish that are killed. For coastal communities such as Santa Monica, this technology could provide beachgoers, lifeguards, and officials with faster and more accurate safety information than ever before. [As marine pollution](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-pier-ranks-among-californias-most-polluted-beaches-for-10th-straight-year/) continues to impact Southern California, Clean Earth Rovers is expanding from a local startup to a regional operation focused on removing thousands of pounds of trash from our marinas and oceans. Their mission is to clean the Southern California waterways, one rover, one harbor, and one bag of trash at a time.
By Maya Furukawa and Ella Calabrese
### Burglar Enters Occupied 19th Street Home, Steals $2,300 in Belongings
URL: https://www.smdp.com/burglar-enters-occupied-19th-street-home-steals-2-300-in-belongings/
Last updated: 2026-06-19T21:07:53.000Z
A residential burglary was reported in the 1200 block of 19th Street after a suspect entered an occupied Santa Monica home through a rear window and stole approximately $2,300 worth of personal items, police said.
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The Santa Monica Police Department is investigating the incident, which occurred sometime between 8:30 p.m. June 11 and 4 a.m. June 12\. Officers responded to the residence the morning of June 12 after the victim discovered items missing from inside the home.
The preliminary investigation indicates the suspect entered through a rear window while occupants were asleep inside. Surveillance footage from inside the home captured the suspect entering and searching through the residence. Among the items reported stolen were a purse, wallet, car key, charging cords and mail.
The suspect is described as a male between 30 and 49 years old, approximately 5 feet 11 inches tall, with a medium build, a black goatee and tattoos on the left side of his neck. He was wearing gloves, a hat, a long-sleeve shirt or sweater, and baggy or dark-colored pants.
SMPD forensic personnel processed the scene. The investigation remains active.
Anyone who recognizes the suspect or has information related to the burglary is asked to contact the Santa Monica Police Department at 310-458-8491\. Those with surveillance video from the area during the listed time frame are also encouraged to contact investigators.
### Sierra Club joins the Santa Monica Great Park Coalition
URL: https://www.smdp.com/sierra-club-joins-the-santa-monica-great-park-coalition/
Last updated: 2026-06-19T21:04:00.000Z
The Sierra Club has joined the Santa Monica Great Park Coalition, adding the nation's largest environmental organization to a growing alliance pushing to convert Santa Monica Airport into a public park when it closes Dec. 31, 2028.
The coalition, founded two years ago, advocates for converting the 192-acre airport site into a Great Park consistent with Measure LC, a 2014 ballot measure voters approved that limits use of the land to parks, recreation and related purposes.
"The Sierra Club's decision to join the coalition is both deeply meaningful and tremendously energizing because of the environmental leadership and values the organization has represented for generations," said John Fairweather, president of the Great Park Coalition.
The coalition now includes more than 85 organizations and 1,100 individual supporters spanning environmental, arts, education, sports, recreation and neighborhood groups.
David Haake, chair of the Sierra Club's West Los Angeles Group of the Angeles Chapter, said the organization studied the Santa Monica airport situation in depth before joining, noting the club's general support for urban infill housing and affordability.
"Santa Monica has a low rate of parks per population, and only 3% of its land is dedicated to parks," Haake said. "More than 75% of its housing is multi-family, of which more than half is rent-controlled."
Haake said the club believes a Great Park would complement rather than undercut the city's housing commitments in nearby transit-accessible locations.
Santa Monica has been a leader in affordable housing construction, outpacing much of Los Angeles County, and has invested heavily in transit and bicycle infrastructure, according to the coalition.
### Cal State faculty push to prevent AI tools from replacing them as schools and staff experiment
URL: https://www.smdp.com/cal-state-faculty-push-to-prevent-ai-tools-from-replacing-them-as-schools-and-staff-experiment/
Last updated: 2026-06-19T20:58:09.000Z
By [Mikhail Zinshteyn](https://calmatters.org/author/mikhailzinshteyn/?ref=smdp.com), CalMatters
This story was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
The nation’s largest public four-year university may soon be barred from replacing faculty with generative AI as a [bill backed by a union of professors](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca%5F202520260sb928?ref=smdp.com#bill[]=ca%5F202520260sb928) comes nearer to reaching the governor’s desk.
Few examples exist of the California State University’s attempting to replace faculty labor with generative AI tools, but the faculty union wants to prevent such efforts from ever getting off the ground. The bill so far has garnered no opposition from lawmakers and may clear the Legislature as soon as Monday.
“We do have some cases of the potential replacement of faculty work by AI, and so I personally am very concerned about closing the barn door after the horse has already gotten out,” said Kevin Wehr, a professor of sociology at Sacramento State, which is part of the Cal State system. Wehr leads the bargaining team for the faculty union, the California Faculty Association.
“We're trying to keep ahead of a rapidly changing set of technologies,” he said in an interview.
Wehr and other faculty and union representatives Calmatters spoke with are especially alarmed about Cal State because of the system’s growing embrace of generative AI tools. Cal State signed a $17 million contract with ChatGPT last year to provide all students and faculty access to the company’s suite of education offerings.
A survey released by Cal State in the spring found that just over half of faculty reported AI affecting their teaching negatively. Just one-third of students indicated that their professors teach them how to use AI effectively, [CalMatters reported](https://calmatters.org/education/2026/05/california-state-university-open-ai-chatgpt-contract/?ref=smdp.com). Cal State has since renewed its contract with ChatGPT, paying the company $13 million annually for the next three years, according to [LAist](https://laist.com/news/education/csu-renews-openai-contract-chatgpt-artificial-intelligence?ref=smdp.com).
Cal State is one of several state agencies flagged in a government report that uses “high risk” AI tools, [CalMatters reported](https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/06/california-admits-government-ai-risk-after-denying/?ref=smdp.com). Those include cheating detection software for students taking exams remotely.
Already, the system’s use of AI is creating tension between faculty and administrators.
Next month, the [state labor relations board](https://www.calfac.org/cfas-perb-hearing-on-managements-ai-initiative-now-underway/?ref=smdp.com) will hold a meeting over the system’s purchasing of AI tools such as ChatGPT. The union filed an[ unfair labor practice charge last year](https://www.calfac.org/unfair-practice-charge-on-a-i-initiative-filed-against-csu-admin/?ref=smdp.com) when the system rolled out its new pivot toward AI.
In 2025 the faculty union filed a separate complaint with the labor board that Sacramento State was considering deploying AI chatbots that fed off the course material professors voluntarily submitted, a claim Cal State refuted. The union also contested an administrator’s proposed written recommendation that students seek out mental health support through AI tools in the event campus counselors weren’t available.
Cal State and the union settled the matter in March and the union withdrew its complaint. Sacramento State agreed that it wouldn’t “implement autonomous programs or bots with the primary purpose of performing bargaining unit work or evaluating faculty” without meeting and conferring with the union first.
“Many institutions of higher education are exploring options to integrate AI into their courses and curriculum,” said the bill’s author Sen. Sabrina Cervantes, a Democrat from Riverside, at a [bill hearing in June](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279612?ref=smdp.com#t=839&f=bdfa914729b05a4d69a7e884627ab7d1). “In many instances, this has been done without any boundaries or guardrails.”
California Faculty Association represents coaches and mental health counselors in addition to professors. It has donated at least $3.4 million to state legislators and other candidates for state office since 2020\. Cervantes has gotten at least $64,650 from the union since 2016, [according to Digital Democracy](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/organizations/-2360?giver[]=oid--2360&transaction%5Ftype[]=Candidate%20Donations&ref=smdp.com), a CalMatters government disclosure tool.
Cal State has no position on the bill, but the role of AI broadly is a sticking point in ongoing labor contract negotiations between the union and the university system.
## A dispute over bots at Sacramento State
The California Faculty Association filed unfair labor practice charges against Sacramento State with the California Public Employment Relations Board last winter over what it said were campus efforts to replace some of the work of faculty, which the union maintained [violated state labor law](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes%5FdisplaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=3571.&ref=smdp.com).
CalMatters obtained these records through a California Public Records Act request.
The [union alleged](https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/502%5Fv3.pdf?ref=smdp.com) that Alexander “Sasha” Sidorkin, the campus’s then chief AI officer, created a mental health chatbot for students and included a link to it in a resources webpage for students. The complaint indicates that the link was accompanied by the statement, “AI is better than nothing, when a counselor isn’t available.”
In a response, Cal State’s chancellor’s office [wrote to the labor board](https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/20250312163237SACE435HCSUsPositionStatement%5Fv3.pdf?ref=smdp.com) that the union’s claims of unfair labor practices were bogus. Sidorkin didn’t develop any such bots and “there was no implementation of any AI bots to do any counseling work.”
CalMatters spoke with Sidorkin by phone this week. Prior to the call, he had no knowledge that he was named in the complaint. Sidorkin called the union’s allegation “a misstatement of the fact.” He never created a bot, he said, but merely recommended that students use ChatGPT if they cannot find a counselor.
Sidorkin, who has a new book out on using AI to teach in universities, said Sacramento State terminated the position of chief AI officer last April during a wave of systemwide layoffs and the campus took down the website affiliated with that role.
He remains at the university as a professor of education and is a union member. Sidorkin shared a copy of the proposed syllabus language [that he archived](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mEwnx160DHWxGlvZkH3G8mf7Q7MfOuf4/view?ref=smdp.com). He still stands by his recommendation that students be informed in their course syllabus that an AI tool during a mental health episode is better than nothing.
The Hornet Commons student housing complex at California State University, Sacramento, in Sacramento on July 13, 2022\. Photo by Rahul Lal, CalMatters
Patrick Oberle, an associate professor of geography at Sacramento State and a union member, said the faculty association took up the issue because it represents counselors who the university could attempt to outsource. CalMatters spoke with him before speaking with Sidorkin.
The union filing also alleges that Sidorkin created an AI-powered tool to interpret the faculty union’s contract with the university system. The union argued this too violated state labor relations law and that the tool itself produced incorrect information. “When the union objected, the CSU ceased use of the contract interpretation bot,” the complaint read.
And Sidorkin solicited faculty for their course syllabi and materials “to receive a customized AI tutoring bot for their classes.” The complaint included an email from Sidorkin to faculty that Sac State leaders told him to retract the request, though he seemingly opposed the move.
“This technology is available on the open market through multiple platforms; however, you will not be able to build them through my office at this time,” he wrote then. He told CalMatters that some 18 professors sent their course material to him the first day he invited submissions.
A human resources director at Sacramento State wrote to a faculty member reassuring her that any bots by administrators need to be bargained over between the union and Cal State “before being used, posted, published, shared, or distributed,” [according to a copy of the email](https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/20250312163237SACE435HCSUsPositionStatement%5Fv3.pdf?ref=smdp.com#page=11).
Sidorkin told CalMatters that the union’s filing the charges was a mistake.
“It’s not a good PR move also on the union's side because they look like they're Luddites, and this is not true,” he said, adding that dozens of faculty at Sacramento State alone have developed AI chatbots in support of their courses for students after Cal State purchased ChatGPT accounts for faculty and students last year.
“I am disappointed in my union,” he added.
## Faculty fears of AI mission creep
Oberle, the professor, fears that without guardrails, a university could chip away the work of instructors in ways that hurt student learning and diminish the joy of teaching.
One concern? That a campus may encourage professors to shift more of their grading to AI to then grow the number of students per class. That hasn't happened in a formal way, yet.
That would mean less human engagement with instructors for students. And it could reduce the need to hire additional professors as others retire, which would limit the power of the faculty union.
“We're trying to accommodate the folks who are deeply opposed to AI's very existence, and also accommodate the folks that are very excited about all of its possibilities,” Oberle said.
The point of the unfair labor practice charge, he said, wasn’t to tie the hands of Cal State administrators, but to underscore that using AI to potentially replace labor requires a conversation with faculty.
## More battles over AI in the workplace
Cervantes’ bill is one of several in California aimed at curbing the role of artificial intelligence in the workplace, but others are far more divisive. [Senate Bill 947](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca%5F202520260sb947?ref=smdp.com), would prevent employers from relying solely on AI tools to discipline or dismiss employees. That legislation has the support of labor unions and some nonprofits skeptical of generative AI. Business groups oppose it, including the California Chamber of Commerce as well as ride-hail company Lyft. Gov. Gavin Newsom [vetoed a similar bill last year.](https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/SB-7-Veto.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
Another, [Senate Bill 903](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billAnalysisClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260SB903&ref=smdp.com), would ban psychotherapists from offering therapy through chatbots and place other limits on the use of AI tools in transcribing patient sessions or communicating with patients. It would also ban bots from making independent therapeutic decisions. The California Chamber of Commerce and California Medical Association oppose it.
“We know technology can augment humans, but it should never replace humans,” said Assemblymember Mike Fong, a Democrat from Alhambra and chair of the Assembly’s committee on higher education, when speaking about Cervantes’ Cal State faculty bill.
Moments later, the committee voted 10-0 to pass the measure.
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2026/06/artificial-intelligence-cal-state-disputes/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Perennial political candidate arrested on grand theft charges
URL: https://www.smdp.com/perennial-political-candidate-arrested-on-grand-theft-charges/
Last updated: 2026-06-21T20:32:56.000Z
Santa Monica police arrested a perennial political candidate this week on grand theft charges following an investigation into thefts from a shared residence, authorities said.
Detectives arrested Zoë Muntaner, a self-described communications consultant and citizen journalist, on June 18 after a grand theft investigation stemming from a victim's report filed June 1.
Investigators reviewed prior related reports and obtained a search warrant for the apartment and Muntaner's bedroom. During the search, detectives recovered stolen property belonging to the victim valued at more than $5,200.
Muntaner was booked on suspicion of grand theft under California Penal Code Section 487\. The Santa Monica Police Department said that following magistrate review under Los Angeles County's zero-bail process — which replaced cash bail with individualized risk assessments — she remained in custody pending a scheduled court date of June 22\. However she was released before the scheduled court date.
Under the county's magistrate review system, officials evaluate an arrestee's current offense, criminal history, past failures to appear in court, potential as a flight risk, and prior convictions before determining conditions of release. If a magistrate determines no safe release conditions exist, the individual is held until arraignment.
Muntaner has sought elected office multiple times since 2014, including runs for Santa Monica City Council, the Santa Monica College Board of Trustees and the California State Senate's 24th District, without success.
Public records show Muntaner has been involved in multiple civil court matters as both plaintiff and defendant, including a 2023 unlawful detainer action in which a default was entered against her.
### Santa Monica to mark Juneteenth with new additions to its annual celebration
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-to-mark-juneteenth-with-new-additions-to-its-annual-celebration/
Last updated: 2026-06-19T19:00:03.000Z
Santa Monica will honor Juneteenth this weekend with two distinct events — a new wellness-focused gathering Friday evening and the city's longstanding annual festival Saturday afternoon.
The inaugural Juneteenth Gathering will take place Friday, June 19, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Christine Emerson Reed Park and the Miles Memorial Playhouse. Led by the city's Recreation & Arts Department in collaboration with producing partners Go As If Productions and christy roberts berkowitz, the free event is designed around rest, community and the healing arts and is recommended for ages 12 and up.
Attendees can experience sound immersion with Onyi Love, card readings from Sanyu Estelle and DJ sets from Black Girls Love Vinyl, along with performances by Qur'an Shaheed, Tolliver and Linafornia. An art workshop, Casted Frequencies, led by Camera Obscura Artist in Residence London James, will invite participants to reimagine sneakers as cultural artifacts. Space for the workshop is limited.
The evening will also include a screening inside Miles Memorial Playhouse of "BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions," a 2025 feature-length cinematic art installation directed by visual artist and filmmaker Kahlil Joseph. The Sundance Institute has described the work as "a massive, hypnotic tapestry of the Black experience across the diaspora, inspired heavily by the intellectual legacy of W.E.B. Du Bois and his vision for the Africana encyclopedia."
Food and drink will be available for purchase, including Jamaican patties from The Patty Wagon, baked goods from Cakes By Chanté and wine through a 21-and-over pop-up bar garden curated by Offhand Wine Bar. Several Black-owned small businesses will also be on site.
The following day, the 34th Annual Juneteenth Celebration returns to Virginia Avenue Park on Saturday, June 20, from 1 to 7 p.m. This year's theme — "A Legacy of Liberation: Honoring Our Resistance and Resilience" — reflects what organizers describe as the past and ongoing fight for equity and justice for Black Americans.
The free, family-friendly festival will feature live performances across multiple genres. ADAAWE, presented in partnership with BroadStage, blends West African roots, gospel harmonies and American funk. The Kobie Dozier Quintet performs jazz, rap, R&B and funk with a message of self-determination and unity. Nichelle Monroe, a descendant of Santa Monica's first Black family, will perform her blend of opera, soul and jazz. The Gumbo Brothers, a Los Angeles-based ensemble founded in 2002, close out the lineup with a high-energy mix of hip-hop, New Orleans funk, soul and traditional brass jazz.
Interactive drum workshops led by Project KnuckleHead and Chazz Ross will incorporate West African and bucket drumming. The Santa Monica Area Interfaith Council will present an invocation and special honors to community members.
Food trucks including B&R Burgers, Jon Que's Smokeout, The Patty Wagon, Cakes By Chanté and JuicedUp! will be on site, alongside a marketplace of Black-owned vendors.
"By expanding our Juneteenth offerings, we hope to welcome even more people to celebrate in Santa Monica and experience the rich music, art, and cultural opportunities," Mayor Caroline Torosis said. "Whether you prefer a cozier gathering or a more robust community festival — or both — there is something for everyone as we honor this important holiday."
Santa Monica's connection to Juneteenth stretches back more than three decades. In 1992, local resident LaVerne Ross approached the City Council and successfully persuaded members to establish an official Juneteenth event — making Santa Monica one of the first cities in the country to fund such a celebration, doing so roughly 30 years before Juneteenth was recognized as a federal holiday.
Ross, who was born in Texas to parents who worked as sharecroppers and whose paternal grandfather was a formerly enslaved man, moved to Santa Monica in 1957\. She continued celebrating Juneteenth with her family before making it her mission to have the holiday recognized by the broader community. Ross remains an active member of the Juneteenth Celebration in Santa Monica Committee, which organizes the annual festival in partnership with the city.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and declared enslaved people in the state to be free — more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. President Biden signed legislation in 2021 making Juneteenth a federal holiday, and the Santa Monica City Council designated it an official city holiday in March 2022.
In observance of the holiday, which falls on Monday this year, City Hall, the Santa Monica Public Library, The Transit Store and City Yards Operation Center will be closed. Parking meter enforcement and street sweeping will be suspended for the day, with the exception of meters posted for daily enforcement.
Both weekend events are free and open to the public but tickets are requested from [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-juneteenth-gathering-tickets-1988970586566](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-juneteenth-gathering-tickets-1988970586566?ref=smdp.com) or [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-34th-annual-juneteenth-celebration-tickets-1988887577283](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-34th-annual-juneteenth-celebration-tickets-1988887577283?ref=smdp.com).
### GO Campaign Launches First 'Day of Giving,' Asking Donors for $20
URL: https://www.smdp.com/go-campaign-launches-first-day-of-giving-asking-donors-for-20/
Last updated: 2026-06-19T19:00:03.000Z
On Saturday, June 20 — the summer solstice and longest day of the year — GO Campaign will launch the largest initiative in its history: the GO Day of Giving.
In recognition of its 20th anniversary, the global nonprofit is inviting the public to donate $20 toward causes led by "Local Heroes," trusted community leaders who deliver small, high-impact projects for vulnerable children around the world. The campaign is called 20 for 20.
Organizers say $20 can provide sanitary napkins for girls in the Congo who would otherwise miss up to 20% of school, cover basic medical care that could change a child's life in Senegal, or signal to a Local Hero in Los Angeles that their work matters.
Since 2006, GO Campaign — short for Giving Opportunity — has partnered with a global network of Local Heroes who understand the challenges facing children in their communities and the solutions most likely to succeed. By supporting locally led efforts rather than one-size-fits-all approaches, the organization says it helps ensure resources reach the families who need them most. The model has helped improve the lives of more than 470,000 vulnerable children in 42 countries.
New findings from the GO Campaign Small Acts Index found that 41% of respondents said encouragement and belief from another person had the greatest lasting impact on their childhood — far exceeding financial assistance, educational opportunity or material support. A separate finding showed 77% of adults remember a small act of generosity worth $20 or less years later.
"Twenty dollars may not sound life-changing," said Scott Fifer, founder and CEO of GO Campaign. "But in the right hands, it can have an extraordinary impact. Our Local Heroes know their communities, understand the challenges children face, and know exactly where public support can do the most good. That's why this model has worked for 20 years, and why we're inviting people everywhere to be part of it."
Through GO Day of Giving, the organization hopes to show that collective action powered by thousands of $20 gifts can create meaningful impact at scale.
For more information or to donate, visit[ ](http://gocampaign.org/?ref=smdp.com)[gocampaign.org](http://gocampaign.org/?ref=smdp.com) or[ ](https://www.gocampaign.org/20-years-of-go?ref=smdp.com)[give $20](https://www.gocampaign.org/20-years-of-go?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Fitstop Santa Monica to Host Free 'Game Day' Ahead of Global Games U.S. Debut
URL: https://www.smdp.com/fitstop-santa-monica-to-host-free-game-day-ahead-of-global-games-u-s-debut/
Last updated: 2026-06-19T19:00:03.000Z
Fitstop Santa Monica will host Game Day, a free, one-hour community event, at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 20, inviting participants of all levels to test their strength, speed and skill.
The event serves as a warm-up for Fitstop's Global Games, the brand's premier functional fitness competition, which makes its U.S. debut in Los Angeles on July 25 at Campus El Segundo. Los Angeles is the first American city to host the competition, the second stop on a worldwide tour that launched in Singapore in April. Brisbane will follow.
Fitstop is a global functional fitness franchise with more than 170 locations across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the U.S. The Global Games feature HYROX-style competition, with teams of two competing across four high-intensity workout blocks spanning strength, power, endurance and conditioning. Organizers say the chief difference between Global Games and other competitions is that it is designed to be accessible to everyday athletes alongside elite competitors.
Saturday's event offers the Santa Monica community a first taste of that competitive experience.
Game Day functions as both a benchmark and a competition. For members, it marks the end of each of Fitstop's 12-week training blocks, giving participants a chance to measure progress in strength, endurance and overall fitness. For many, organizers say, the day is about testing themselves, celebrating improvement and taking on a challenge alongside their community.
For non-members and more competitive participants, Fitstop adds an in-studio competition element, recognizing winning teams across three categories: male teams, female teams and mixed/coed teams. The events are intended to prepare everyone for the Global Games.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### LA28 to open Games-time volunteer applications July 14
URL: https://www.smdp.com/la28-to-open-games-time-volunteer-applications-july-14/
Last updated: 2026-06-19T19:00:04.000Z
The LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games will open its Games-time volunteer application and portal on July 14, inviting fans worldwide to apply to join the LA28 Volunteer Crew for the 2028 Games.
The date marks exactly two years before the Opening Ceremony of the 2028 Olympic Games. The crew will be made up of about 60,000 people serving during the Olympic and Paralympic volunteer periods.
"Volunteers are the backbone of the Games," said Reynold Hoover, LA28 chief executive officer. "They are a friendly face who helps welcome the world, create memorable experiences and bring the Olympic and Paralympic spirit to life."
The Olympic volunteer period runs from March to August 2028, with the Paralympic period running from August to September 2028\. Each volunteer will commit to a minimum of 10 shifts within one period.
Roles will span a wide range of responsibilities, from welcoming and guiding spectators and athletes to specialized work such as medical or language translation assistance. Most opportunities will be in the greater Los Angeles region, but volunteers also will be needed for Olympic events in Oklahoma City; New York; Columbus, Ohio; Nashville, Tennessee; St. Louis; San José, California; and San Diego. Applicants will indicate their preferred location and any special skills.
The LA28 Volunteer Program presented by Delta Air Lines launched in 2025 and offers two ways to get involved: serving in the community now and volunteering during the Games. Since then, LA28 and Delta have hosted more than 25 community volunteer events with local nonprofit partners across the region, including beach, street and trail cleanups, habitat restoration and fresh food packing.
Interested applicants can sign up for updates and learn more on the LA28 Volunteer page. Those who already expressed interest will receive an email with next steps in the application process, which must be completed in its entirety for consideration.
Delta became the inaugural Founding Partner of the LA28 Games in 2020 and is the Presenting Partner of the volunteer program.
LA28 will bring the Games to Los Angeles in 2028, making it the third city to host three Olympic Games, following 1932 and 1984, and the first time the city hosts the Paralympic Games. For more information, visit: [la28.org/en/volunteer/games-time-volunteering.html](http://la28.org/en/volunteer/games-time-volunteering.html?ref=smdp.com)
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica College Celebrates 96th Commencement, Second-Largest Class in Its History
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-college-celebrates-96th-commencement-second-largest-class-in-its-history/
Last updated: 2026-06-19T19:00:04.000Z
World Cup fever took a back seat for one evening as about 1,100 graduates from Santa Monica College's Class of 2026 crossed the stage Tuesday, June 16, at the college's Corsair Field.
This year, the college awarded 13,264 degrees and certificates to 7,068 students, including 3,050 students who earned more than one degree or certificate. The graduating class was the second largest in the college's history.
SMC's 96th commencement was live streamed on the college's website so that families and well-wishers around the world could take part. As of last fall, the college's international student body represented 101 nations.
Among the noteworthy statistics from this year's class: 23 Bachelor of Science in Interaction Design degrees were conferred, along with 409 Noncredit Certificates of Completion and 457 Certificates of Competency. The youngest graduate, age 16, earned an Associate of Science in Computer Science, while the oldest, age 85, earned three Noncredit Certificates of Competency in English as a Second Language.
The class included 702 international students, 690 students with disabilities, 375 Scholars students, 197 EOPS students and four foster youths. It was 58.4% female, 38.6% male and 3% nonbinary or unreported.
The ceremony featured an address by student speaker Madeline Davis, who is transferring to Emerson College this fall. SMC Superintendent/President Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery delivered the "Salutation," SMC Board of Trustees Chair Dr. Sion Roy gave the "Welcome," and SMC Academic Senate President Vicenta Arrizon delivered a "Faculty Challenge."
Graduate stories, additional statistics and more information are available in the[ ](https://www.smc.edu/admission-aid/graduation/documents/2026-CommProg.pdf?ref=smdp.com)[2026 Commencement Program (PDF)](https://www.smc.edu/admission-aid/graduation/documents/2026-CommProg.pdf?ref=smdp.com) at[ ](http://www.smc.edu/commencement?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/commencement](http://www.smc.edu/commencement?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Friday, June 19, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/thursday-june-18-2026-2/
Last updated: 2026-06-19T18:42:16.000Z
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier will commemorate Juneteenth, with a special lighting program on the Pacific Wheel. The nine-story Ferris wheel will showcase vibrant red, white, and blue patterns inspired by the official Juneteenth flag, along with dynamic red, black, and green animations representing the Pan-African flag. The colorful display joins a regional tribute by landmarks across Southern California in recognition of Juneteenth National Independence Day.
Cloudy early, becoming mostly sunny this afternoon. High 67F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph.
Today 🌤️ 67º/57º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 67º/58º
### FIRST UP
DadTime brings fathers and toddlers together every Saturday at Virginia Avenue Park in Santa Monica for free peer support.
### Every Saturday, Santa Monica dads gather to learn and to let go
For three years, on every Saturday the park has been open, a group of fathers has pushed strollers into a hard-to-find fitness room at Virginia Avenue Park..[READ](https://www.smdp.com/every-saturday-santa-monica-dads-gather-to-learn-and-to-let-go/)
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### MORE NEWS
[Elderly woman missing from Downtown Santa MonicaThe Santa Monica Police Department are looking for an 83 year old woman who went missing from the Santa Monica Place Mall at about 8 p.m. on June 17\. Chung Cho is 5′1″, 120 pounds and last seen wearing a pink hooded jacket and pink pants. She isSMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/elderly-woman-missing-from-downtown-santa-monica/)
[SO MANY Santa Monica Juneteenth & Soulstice Events!Discover Santa Monica and LA’s best Juneteenth, Summer Soulstice, and Father’s Day events June 18-21, including Main Street festival, Venice Art Crawl, and dining specials.SMDPSean Besser](https://www.smdp.com/around-town-so-many-soulstice-juneteenth-fathers-day-events/)
[Santa Monica Band This Whole Time Debuts Album at Summer SOULsticeSanta Monica band This Whole Time performs Saturday at Summer SOULstice on Main Street with their new debut album. The funk-soul-rock quartet formed through SMMUSD music program.SMDPGuest Author](https://www.smdp.com/local-band-this-whole-time-brings-debut-album-home-to-summer-soulstice/)
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### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Dragon Alley Coffee Debuts on Santa Monica’s Third Street PromenadeDragon Alley Coffee, a specialty café by Santa Monica accountants, opened June 17 at 312 Santa Monica Blvd. on Third Street Promenade, serving espresso, matcha, and house blends.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/dragon-alley-brings-specialty-drinks-and-a-local-dream-to-third-street-promenade/)
[Santa Monica Approves $908.8M Budget Ahead of Major EventsSanta Monica City Council will adopt a $908.8 million operating budget on June 23, positioning the city for major events including the FIFA World Cup, 2027 Super Bowl, and LA28 Olympics.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/council-to-adopt-908-8m-budget-on-tuesday/)
[SMC Planetarium July Shows: Women in Space & ExoplanetsSanta Monica College Planetarium presents live shows July 10-24 featuring women astronauts, exoplanets, and the search for extraterrestrial life. Tickets $7-$16.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-planetarium-july-shows-spotlight-women-in-space-exoplanets-and-search-for-life/)
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Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061926.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### Every Saturday, Santa Monica dads gather to learn and to let go
URL: https://www.smdp.com/every-saturday-santa-monica-dads-gather-to-learn-and-to-let-go/
Last updated: 2026-06-19T16:42:13.000Z
For three years, on every Saturday the park has been open, a group of fathers has pushed strollers into a hard-to-find fitness room at Virginia Avenue Park, poured free coffee and sat down on the floor to watch their young children play.
The sessions, called DadTime, are run by the nonprofit [Early Engagement](https://www.earlyengagement.org/?ref=smdp.com) and cost nothing to attend. Fathers bring children from birth to age 3 for peer support and parenting guidance from Early Engagement Executive Director Ben Swett and co-facilitator Luis Salgado, the infant and toddler director at Growing Place Lab School. Small local grants, support from partners including the Santa Monica Malibu School District and the [Bahala Foundation](https://bahala.org/?ref=smdp.com), and contributions from participating dads cover the expenses, including the coffee.
What keeps the program going, organizers say, is the same thing that makes it unusual: it is free, consistent and open to any father who finds his way in.
The dads come mostly from the nearby Pico neighborhood, walking strollers over from home. Others drive in from the valley, Inglewood and as far as Boyle Heights. They are truck drivers and rocket scientists, teachers and tech workers, united by the shared challenges of raising very small children.
"We've got millionaire tech dudes and guys who depend on SNAP benefits," Swett said. "They all hang together, partly because of the values of the room, and because the challenges of dealing with a 2-year-old cut across any bounds of race, class or income."
A typical session begins before the fathers arrive. Swett and Salgado get to the park around 8 a.m. to set up a room built for a specific kind of play. They lay out a wooden climbing structure called a Pikler triangle, blocks, a few stuffed animals and an assortment of dollar-store kitchen items — pie tins, bowls and graspable "O-balls" that infants can hold and toddlers can kick.
Because the fitness room is tucked inside the park's headquarters and hard to find, the pair tape hand-painted signs reading "Dads," with arrows, around the grounds.
"Eventually, the signs make them curious," Salgado said. "We joke that dads find their way to us when they're ready, or when they really crave air conditioning."
Fathers begin arriving around 9 a.m. Old friends greet each other with hugs. Men sit on the floor to signal to their children that the space is safe. Some children nap; others stack blocks, climb or throw metal pans that clatter when they land.
What looks like chaos is the point. The facilitators call it free play, and they describe it as the foundation of early brain development.
"This is the most important learning of a child's life," Salgado said. "By experimenting with their environment, they are building lifelong mental tools — the thinking, feeling and people skills they will depend on and build on for the rest of their lives."
The harder part, organizers say, is for the adults. A large sign on the wall, "The Rules of the Room," advises that "Free Play requires Boundaries for Adults." The rules discourage interrupting, intervening or directing a child. Regulars can recite the maxims — "Information, not direction," "connect and then correct" — which are also inscribed on the Pikler triangle.
"We have a deep instinct to protect our children, to help them and to serve them, but they need to experiment on their own to learn," Swett said. "So we're trying to move the center of choice from the parent to the child."
Around 10:15 a.m., Swett gives a short talk inspired by something he has seen in one of his sessions — "a little philosophy and a few helpful tips, on a theme." By 11:30 a.m., children begin rubbing their eyes or asking for strawberries from the farmers market outside.
For some fathers, the program fills a gap in their own lives.
"DadTime has been a tremendous help in my life, the fact that it is giving me a structure and a foundation to be a parent ... without having an actual father in my own life," said Ron Dansby of Inglewood, father of Dhakari.
Others describe it as a fixed point in the week. "It's our family's Saturday morning ritual," said Nimbus Goehausen of Santa Monica, father of Pasha and Elijah. "I've made a lot of friends here, and learned a lot about being a dad."
All caregivers are welcome, including [mothers](https://www.smdp.com/air-pollution-linked-to-pregnancy-inflammation-raising-risk-of-preterm-birth-other-complications/), nannies and grandparents, as long as they follow the rules of the room.
The distance some fathers travel to attend, organizers say, reflects both demand and scarcity. Fathering expert Richard Cohen has noted that about half of all parents are men, yet almost all infant and toddler programs are aimed at mothers. There are good reasons for that, including that mothers still do most of the work — but dads need a space, too.
### Elderly woman missing from Downtown Santa Monica
URL: https://www.smdp.com/elderly-woman-missing-from-downtown-santa-monica/
Last updated: 2026-06-18T19:59:19.000Z
The Santa Monica Police Department are looking for an 83 year old woman who went missing from the Santa Monica Place Mall at about 8 p.m. on June 17\.
Chung Cho is 5'1", 120 pounds and last seen wearing a pink hooded jacket and pink pants. She is belived to be on foot and anyone with information is asked to call 9-1-1\.
### Around Town: SO MANY Soulstice, Juneteenth & Father's Day Events!
URL: https://www.smdp.com/around-town-so-many-soulstice-juneteenth-fathers-day-events/
Last updated: 2026-06-18T19:52:14.000Z
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 more!
**Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club:** The Santa Monica Pier is trading its classic boardwalk aesthetic for high-octane soccer culture with a massive 21+ fan village on the pier deck running Wednesday through Sunday (11 a.m. to 9 p.m.). Beyond giant screens broadcasting daily match action—starting with the U.S. vs. Paraguay opener on June 12—the space features a Hypebeast jersey customization station, interactive skill games, and cold pours at the custom Match Bar. Keep an eye out for celebrity guest drops and live sets from high-profile DJs. Entry is free, but timed RSVPs are mandatory via [michelobultra.com/pitchsideclub](https://www.michelobultra.com/pitchsideclub?ref=smdp.com).
**Annenberg Community Beach House Sunset Picnics:** Enjoy a Route 66 theme with trivia, crafts and music along with a new Sand & Sea Room Fun activation offering crafts and games for all ages. **Thursday, June 18, 3 to 8 p.m.** [santamonicapier.org/route-66-events/annenberg-community-beach-house-route-66-sunset-picnic](http://santamonicapier.org/route-66-events/annenberg-community-beach-house-route-66-sunset-picnic?ref=smdp.com)
**Venice Art Crawl:** Experience the eclectic soul of Venice as local galleries, studios, and pop-up spaces open their doors for this quarterly community tradition. This volunteer-run sunset tour celebrates the neighborhood’s historic status as a creative haven, offering everything from large-scale murals and fine art to experimental performance pieces and live music. **Thursday, June 18, 6p.m.** [veniceartcrawl.com](http://veniceartcrawl.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**SaMo Juneteenth Gathering:** Gather at Christine Emerson Reed Park for sound immersion, live music, an art workshop, and DJ sets by Linafornia and Black Girls Love Vinyl. **Friday, June 19, 4 - 8 p.m., 1133 7th St.** [eventbrite.com/e/a-juneteenth-gathering-tickets-1988970586566](http://eventbrite.com/e/a-juneteenth-gathering-tickets-1988970586566?ref=smdp.com)
**Main St. Summer SOULstice Festival:** Main Street shuts down to cars for one massive summer block party featuring live music, Roadhouse Beer Garden, free activations and activities for kids. Santa Monica's new Entertainment Zone allows you to grab your drinks to-go from participating bars and restaurants as you walk the festival. **Saturday, June 20, 12-7p.m.** [mainstreetsm.com/summer-soulstice](http://mainstreetsm.com/summer-soulstice?ref=smdp.com)
**34th Annual Juneteenth Celebration:** This year’s theme, “A Legacy of Liberation: Honoring our Resistance and Resilience,” represents the past and ongoing fight for equity and justice for Black Americans. **Saturday, June 20, 1 - 7p.m., Virginia Avenue Park, 2200 Virginia Ave.** [eventbrite.com/e/the-34th-annual-juneteenth-celebration-tickets-1988887577283](http://eventbrite.com/e/the-34th-annual-juneteenth-celebration-tickets-1988887577283?ref=smdp.com)
**The Venice Fest:** This annual Summer Kickoff event transforms Venice Blvd into a vibrant celebration of music, food, art & community with live performances, local vendors, immersive experiences, 21+ social gardens, and a soccer match viewing party at Fatty Mart. Pet-friendly and community-driven, the festival invites guests to explore, connect, and celebrate the start of summer in Venice. **Saturday, June 20, 12 - 8p.m., 12257 Venice Blvd.** [thevenicefest.com](http://thevenicefest.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**Goodboybob Coffee “Ollie + Bob n’ Cars: Cars, Coffee, & Dogs”:** Enjoy a golden hour evening filled with exotic cars, natural wine, coffee, music, dogs, and community. As the sun sets, stroll through a lineup of standout vehicles, grab a drink, dance with the DJ, and ease into summer. **Saturday, June 20, 6:30p.m., 2058 Broadway** [instagram.com/p/DZc3XiVKvdX/](http://instagram.com/p/DZc3XiVKvdX/?ref=smdp.com)
**Cabaret at The Crow:** Live theater with singers, magicians, drag and comics. Broadway show tunes meets stand-up comedy. Recommended for 16+. **Saturday, June 20, 8 p.m., 2525 Michigan Ave.** [eventbrite.com/e/cabaret-at-the-crow-tickets-1987872090936](http://eventbrite.com/e/cabaret-at-the-crow-tickets-1987872090936?ref=smdp.com)
**Make Music Day Santa Monica:** Join this global summer solstice celebration taking place in 800+ cities worldwide with free live music, performances, and interactive experiences across the city. **Sunday, June 21, City-Wide** [makemusicday.org/santamonica](http://makemusicday.org/santamonica?ref=smdp.com)
**\-->Music Meets the World Cup:** 11 a.m.-5 p.m. @ Downtown SaMo Metro Station and Kiss & Ride Parking Lot
**\-->Play Day, Concert, and Frequencies in Bloom:** 4-7 p.m. @ Reed Park, 1130 Lincoln Blvd.
**\-->Ocean Park Assoc:** 1-6 p.m. @ Beach South Lot 5 (the grassy area by the bike path at Ocean Park Blvd.)
**\-->Midcity Neighbors:** 4-8 pm. @ Colorado Center Park (26th/Broadway)
**\-->NOMA:** 5-8p.m. @ Palisades Park (Ocean Ave. between Georgina & San Vicente)
**\-->Pico Neighborhood:** 12 - 4p.m. @ Virginia Ave. Park
**“Venice Beach Takeover,”** is scheduled for noon on June 21 and will coincide with Go Skateboarding Day, a global celebration observed each year by the skateboarding community. Organizers say the gathering will include demonstrations, community activities and open skating.
**Golden Hour at Third Street Promenade:** Designed to complement the Pier fan experience with free pre- and post-match activities, Golden Hour features exhibitors, fan experiences, local vendors and more. June 21 (also June 27 and July 10). [santamonicacup.com/events/golden-hour](http://santamonicacup.com/events/golden-hour?ref=smdp.com)
**Annenberg Beach House World Cup Fun & Watch Party (Thursday, June 25, 6-9 p.m.):** Enjoy a mix of soccer-inspired activities and World Cup-themed arts, crafts, and games for all ages, plus livestreaming of the Türkiye vs. USA and Paraguay vs. Australia matches. [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/world-cup-fun-watch-party-tickets-1988664251309](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/world-cup-fun-watch-party-tickets-1988664251309?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&ref=smdp.com)
**Danny McBride discussing collection of stories, Thrilling Tales of Modern Men: Stories:** An addictive, unpredictable, darkly hilarious collection of stories from Danny McBride—the beloved creator and star of The Righteous Gemstonesand Eastbound & Down. **Thursday, June 25, 8pm, New Roads School, 3131 Olympic Blvd.** [https://livetalksla.org/events/danny-mcbride/](https://livetalksla.org/events/danny-mcbride/?ref=smdp.com)
**Cult-Favorite Restaurant La Copine Celebrates Debut Cookbook w/ James Beard Foundation with a Book Signing at Wednesday Farmers Market:** Claire and Nikki opened La Copine in 2015, shortly after getting married. What began as an eclectic, “IYKYK” restaurant has grown into a destination beloved by California locals, travelers, and celebrities alike (from Olivia Wilde and Kwame Onwuachi to Patti Smith and Kate Moss). More than a collection of recipes, the cookbook tells their "love-at-first-sight" story and serves as a blueprint for building a life on one’s own terms in the California desert. Wednesday June 24.
**ONGOING:** [Museum of Illusions](https://moisantamonica.com/?ref=smdp.com); [The CUBE VR](https://www.thecubeevents.com/santamonicaexperiences?ref=smdp.com); [Splatter Studio](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/california-live/paint-sip-and-create-in-santa-monica/3834517/?ref=smdp.com);
**What to Eat & Drink?**
**How to Taste Wine Like a Pro:** Join our sommelier and winemaker Amanda Rubin for a fun and interactive evening as they guide you through how to properly taste wine like the pros. Learn how to swirl, sniff, sip, and identify aromas and flavors while gaining insider tips straight from the experts. Whether you’re a longtime wine lover or just getting started, this relaxed and welcoming class is the perfect way to sip, learn, and have fun. **Thursday, June 18, 7p.m., AJA Vineyards, 1417 2nd St.** [eventbrite.com/e/how-to-taste-wine-like-a-pro-tickets-1989725530624](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-taste-wine-like-a-pro-tickets-1989725530624?ref=smdp.com)
**Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzeria Grand Opening:** Join the ribbon cutting, live DJ, and special appearances by the Turtles themselves. Cowabunga! **Saturday, June 20, 10:30a.m., 1444 Third Street Promenade**
**Father's Day HABIBI-Q at Orla:** Enjoy a family-style feast designed for sharing and built around bold Egyptian-Mediterranean flavors inspired by Chef Michael Mina's heritage. The special menu features Kataifi-wrapped Prawns, Glazed Salmon, Saffron Rice Pilaf, and the centerpiece of the experience: a 12-hour Smoked Short Rib served with HABIBI-Q sauce. **Sunday, June 21, 5 – 9:30p.m., 1700 Ocean Ave.** [sevenrooms.com/reservations/orlabymichaelmina](http://sevenrooms.com/reservations/orlabymichaelmina?ref=smdp.com)
**Father’s Day Steak & Spaghetti Sunday at The Georgian:** The menu features a 12 oz. New York Strip steak, where each guest will enjoy housemade garlic bread, Caesar salad, The Georgian’s renowned spaghetti with red sauce, and their choice of dessert. **Sunday, June 21, 5 – 9p.m., 1415 Ocean Ave.** [thegeorgian.com/events/spaghetti-sunday](http://thegeorgian.com/events/spaghetti-sunday?ref=smdp.com)
**Father’s Day at Viceroy’s Sugar Palm**: Highlights include The Burger-nator featuring three smashed patties, white American cheese, avocado, bacon, truffle aioli, and fries; a fresh Lobster Roll served on a buttered brioche bun with citrus aioli and house-made sriracha chips; and an elevated Surf & Turf with a 10 oz Wagyu Black Opal striploin, grilled harissa Chilean shrimp, truffle fries, coconut peppercorn jus, and chimichurri. **Sunday, June 21, 12 - 10p.m.** [**instagram.com/sugarpalmsantamonica**](http://instagram.com/sugarpalmsantamonica?ref=smdp.com)
**New England Meets the Beach - The Lobster BLT Hits Luke’s:** Just in time for peak beach season, Luke’s Lobster is giving their classic rolls a New England-style upgrade with the limited-time launch of the Lobster BLT. The seasonal special layers wild-caught lobster with crispy bacon, bright tomatoes, romaine lettuce, mayo, and a squeeze of lemon, served alongside a bag of chips ($24). **200 Santa Monica Blvd.** [instagram.com/lukeslobster](http://instagram.com/lukeslobster?ref=smdp.com)
**Garden of Champions: A Father’s Day Celebration:** This Father’s Day, experience the world’s biggest football matches from the edge of the Pacific at Regent Champions Garden. Live international screenings unfold throughout the day alongside elevated match day cuisine featuring award-wining Chef Michael Mina’s signature game day favorites in addition to specialty cocktails, free-flowing craft-beer, premium lounge seating, and family-friendly experiences. Sunday, June 21, 8:30 AM - 8 PM [eventbrite.com/e/garden-of-champions-a-fathers-day-celebration-tickets-1989878105981](http://eventbrite.com/e/garden-of-champions-a-fathers-day-celebration-tickets-1989878105981?ref=smdp.com)
**Stella Artois, San Marzano Tomatoes & Patio del Mar Summer Collab:** All three are celebrating 100 years this summer and in honor of 1926, for $19.26 guests can enjoy a Stella Artois and Centennial Flatbread with San Marzano Tomato Sauce, Cherry Tomatoes, Mozzarella, and Basil. [hotelcasadelmar.com/dining/patio-del-mar](http://hotelcasadelmar.com/dining/patio-del-mar?ref=smdp.com)
**Further Afield:** **LACMA Block Party:** Big things are happening at LACMA! They’re celebrating the opening of the new David Geffen Galleries with free (!!) entry to the museum and a block party including outdoor exhibits on the iconic courtyards. Festivities include 15 food vendors, live DJ sets and music all day long and an Art Parade featuring more than 1,000 artists presenting mobile sculptures, costumes, and inflatables. **Saturday, June 20** [lacma.org/event/block-party](http://lacma.org/event/block-party?ref=smdp.com)
**More Further Afield: Smorgasburg LA 10-Year Anniversary Celebration:** It has officially been a decade since Los Angeles collectively agreed that standing in a scorching parking lot on a Sunday afternoon to pay for premium street food is a top-tier lifestyle choice. To celebrate, the massive weekly food market is throwing a rager that includes a reunion lineup of legendary vendor alumni returning for one day only, hyper-limited anniversary collaboration dishes, live DJs, and a beer garden packed to the brim. **Sunday, June 21, 777 S. Alameda St.** [la.smorgasburg.com/calendar/smorg10year](http://la.smorgasburg.com/calendar/smorg10year?ref=smdp.com)
**Looking Ahead:** [Pier 360 Beach Festival](https://www.santamonicapier.org/pier360?ref=smdp.com) (6/27-28);[Main St. July 4th Parade](https://www.santamonicaparade.com/?ref=smdp.com) (7/4); [COAST Open Streets Festival](https://www.santamonicaworldcup.com/events/coast-2026-0zc31?ref=smdp.com) (7/19); National Night Out (8/4)
If there’s something you think is worth highlighting, you can reach out directly to me at [sean@smdp.com](mailto:sean@smdp.com).[ ](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com)[Here](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com) are my past columns and let me know if you have any feedback on **Around Town: SO MANY Soulstice, Juneteenth & Father's Day Events!**
### Thursday, June 18, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/thursday-june-18-2026/
Last updated: 2026-06-18T18:07:54.000Z
Bruce Lion, the heir to one of California’s largest raisin companies, has been charged with a felony hate crime for allegedly threatening to kill a rabbi at his home in Pacific Palisades as he led a Sabbath evening prayer service.
Cloudy early with peeks of sunshine expected late. High 68F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 68º/60º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 68º/58º
### FIRST UP
Members of the band from left to right: Aziz Yehia, Christian Tomita, Spencer Danielson, and Michael Finch. Photo credit: Marco Pallotti
### Local band 'This Whole Time' brings debut album home to Summer SOULstice
A Santa Monica band born out of the city's public school music program will take the Main Street stage this weekend as part of the Summer SOULstice festival..[READ](https://www.smdp.com/local-band-this-whole-time-brings-debut-album-home-to-summer-soulstice/)
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### MORE NEWS
[Dragon Alley Coffee Debuts on Santa Monica’s Third Street PromenadeDragon Alley Coffee, a specialty café by Santa Monica accountants, opened June 17 at 312 Santa Monica Blvd. on Third Street Promenade, serving espresso, matcha, and house blends.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/dragon-alley-brings-specialty-drinks-and-a-local-dream-to-third-street-promenade/)
[Santa Monica Approves $908.8M Budget Ahead of Major EventsSanta Monica City Council will adopt a $908.8 million operating budget on June 23, positioning the city for major events including the FIFA World Cup, 2027 Super Bowl, and LA28 Olympics.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/council-to-adopt-908-8m-budget-on-tuesday/)
[SMC Planetarium July Shows: Women in Space & ExoplanetsSanta Monica College Planetarium presents live shows July 10-24 featuring women astronauts, exoplanets, and the search for extraterrestrial life. Tickets $7-$16.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-planetarium-july-shows-spotlight-women-in-space-exoplanets-and-search-for-life/)
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### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Santa Monica Approves Water Assessment Projecting SurplusSanta Monica City Council unanimously approved the 2026 Water Supply Assessment, projecting a 34% water surplus through June 2027 even with conservation measures.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-adopts-water-outlook-projecting-a-surplus-through-2027/)
[We Ballet LA, Santa Monica Youth Dance Initiative, Launches Summer Program to teach Kids Dance at VAUGHN NCLCBy: Armen Kavcioglu and Arabella Joaquin We Ballet LA, a student-led organization by Santa Monica teens, is dedicated to expanding access to dance. This June, We Ballet LA will be providing a summer dance program at Vaughn Next Century Learning Center (NCLC), a school in the San Fernando Valley.SMDPGuest Author](https://www.smdp.com/we-ballet-la-santa-monica-youth-dance-initiative-launches-summer-program-to-teach-kids-dance-at-vaughn-nclc/)
[Santa Monica Police Seize 200+ Grams of Meth in Palisades ParkSanta Monica police arrested a suspect and seized over 200 grams of methamphetamine, including a 150g bag, during a narcotics investigation in Palisades Park on June 14.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-police-seize-more-than-200-grams-of-methamphetamine-in-palisades-park-arrest/)
[Hotel History Podcast Celebrates Route 66 Centennial in Santa MonicaHotel History podcast filmed an episode at Santa Monica’s Eden Hotel exploring Route 66’s 100th anniversary, featuring LA Times travel writer Christopher Reynolds’ 2,400-mile journey from Chicago to Santa Monica.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/hotel-history-podcast-visits-santa-monicas-eden-hotel-for-route-66-centennial-episode/)
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Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061826.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### Local band 'This Whole Time' brings debut album home to Summer SOULstice
URL: https://www.smdp.com/local-band-this-whole-time-brings-debut-album-home-to-summer-soulstice/
Last updated: 2026-06-18T16:21:35.000Z
A Santa Monica band born out of the city's public school music program will take the Main Street stage this weekend as part of the Summer SOULstice festival — this time with a debut album in hand.
This Whole Time, a funk-soul-rock-jazz quartet whose members met through the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District music program, will perform Saturday from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on the Strand Stage at the annual festival, which runs noon to 7 p.m. along the mile-long stretch of Main Street between Strand Street and Pier Avenue.
The festival, organized by the Main Street Business Improvement Association and free to attend, has been a community tradition for more than 25 years. This year's edition carries a Route 66 centennial theme, with a Roadhouse Beer Garden and tribute act Petty Theft headlining the Pier Stage from 5 to 7 p.m.
For This Whole Time — composed of Christian Tomita, Spencer Danielson, Michael Finch and Aziz Yehia — the performance marks a homecoming with new stakes.
"What's different this time around for us is that now we have an album," said Christian Tomita, the band's vocalist. "We can now point people to, 'Hey, you are the product of this community. Check out our album. This is for you all.'"
The band released its self-titled debut, "This Whole Time," on May 1\. The record draws on themes of love, friendship and the passage of time — a reflection, Tomita said, of friendships stretching back to elementary school.
"Now that we're in the stage of adulthood, it's really quite something to be able to say, hey, we've been bound together forever by this piece of art that we've now produced together," he said. "It's a beautiful thing."
The four members played together in orchestras and bands throughout their SMMUSD years before reuniting after college and forming the band in 2019\. The name itself is a direct reference to the group's shared history.
"The whole reason why our band is called This Whole Time is because we've been friends together the whole time," Tomita said. "We've been a part of each other's lives the entire time."
Though the album's songs contain no direct references to Santa Monica, Tomita said the city's influence is woven into everything the band has become — including the fact that it exists at all.
"I wouldn't have made these friends, I wouldn't have met my bandmates, had it not been for the SMMUSD music program," he said. "Having forged these lifelong friendships — that's priceless to me."
Tomita also connected the band's story to a broader conversation about arts funding in the district. Santa Monica-Malibu Unified has faced scrutiny over arts program funding in recent months. Tamita said he hopes This Whole Time offers one example of what sustained arts investment can produce.
"I'm not going to say that our band is going to be, 'Oh, like, this is the reason why you should keep arts alive,'" he said. "But I think this is one small example of the broader story — look what music within the schools can mean. It can mean lifelong friendships. It can mean continuing the journey of seeing art as a passion."
Sunday's performance will be far from the band's first on Main Street — Tomita estimates they have played the corridor five or six times — and the set will lean heavily on the new album, with some covers mixed in.
"It's kicking off the summer after all," he said. "We're going to be playing songs that are really going to get the people going."
The band's goal, Tomita said, extends beyond any single performance: to serve as a musical extension of the community that produced them.
"We want to be the soundtrack to the city," he said. "We are the product of this community. Let's now go and be a part of it and share the music together."
This Whole Time's music is available on Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming platforms. The band can be found on Instagram.
The 2026 Summer SOULstice runs Saturday, June 20, from noon to 7 p.m. on Main Street. The event is free and open to all ages.
### Dragon Alley brings specialty drinks and a local dream to Third Street Promenade
URL: https://www.smdp.com/dragon-alley-brings-specialty-drinks-and-a-local-dream-to-third-street-promenade/
Last updated: 2026-06-18T10:00:09.000Z
A group of accountants who moonlighted as dreamers officially opened Dragon Alley Coffee on Tuesday at 312 Santa Monica Blvd., the latest business to debut along the Third Street Promenade as the city's downtown commercial corridor continues its slow-rolling revival.
The roughly 1,000-square-foot specialty café held a public ribbon-cutting June 17, drawing city officials and neighbors to celebrate a shop founded by Santa Monica residents Richard and Sage Chand alongside partners Victor Garcia, Jostin Moller and Fernando Garcia — all of whom work together as accountants and spent six months transforming the concept from a shared ambition into an operating business.
"Six months ago we started as a small accounting team," Moller said at the ceremony. "Six months later, here we are."
The café serves espresso drinks, imported Japanese matcha and a house blend described as having a smoky finish. Dragon Alley has drawn early attention for its lidless, strawless cups and a menu that includes a banana loaf latte — a drink Debbie Lee, CEO of Downtown Santa Monica Inc., said she sampled the day before the opening.
"I have to tell you, it's one of the best coffees I've had in a very long time," Lee said.
The shop takes its name and identity from dragon symbolism, which the founders describe as representing strength, courage and perseverance. Richard Chand said the café was designed around a simple idea — giving people a place to slow down.
"We wanted to create a place where people could enjoy a great cup of coffee, have a meaningful conversation, and leave feeling better than when they walked in," Chand said. "We are all dragons. We face challenges, carry burdens, fight battles that others might never see. But our ability to rise above those challenges — that is the spirit of Dragon Alley."
Santa Monica City Councilmember Dan Hall, a downtown resident who said he walks the Promenade twice a day, attended the opening and framed the café as part of a broader commercial comeback. He said businesses like Dragon Alley are providing jobs and places for locals to gather.
Hall also cited the city's investment in the area. "We've invested over $60 million in cleaning up our downtown," he said, "and we're very grateful that y'all are part of that story."
Dragon Alley's opening is the latest in a string of new businesses to arrive in Santa Monica over the past several weeks, a stretch that has brought a mix of local independents and national chains to the Promenade and surrounding corridors.
Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers opened its first Westside location adjacent to Dragon Alley last week. A day before Raising Cane's opened, The Win\~Dow debuted at 930 Montana Ave. in the former Go Get Em Tiger space. Earlier openings include Pop's Bagels, which arrived at 912 Montana Ave., and the Circle Bar, the century-old Main Street dive that reopened after nearly three years dark.
The Promenade is also home to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzeria — billed as the first official TMNT-themed restaurant — which will hold its formal grand opening June 20 at 1444 Third Street Promenade, and a FIFA World Cup 2026 pop-up shop at 1427 Third Street Promenade that opened earlier this month.
The activity follows the City Council's unanimous approval in March of an eight-point economic development package that included a $3 million Economic Development Fund targeting restaurant-attraction incentives and tenant-improvement assistance focused on the Promenade. The council also made permanent in August 2025 the suspension of formula-retail restrictions first enacted in 2018, clearing the path for national tenants alongside the local independents — like four accountants with a dream — now filling the storefronts.
### Council to adopt $908.8M Budget on Tuesday
URL: https://www.smdp.com/council-to-adopt-908-8m-budget-on-tuesday/
Last updated: 2026-06-18T10:00:05.000Z
The Santa Monica City Council will consider adopting a nearly $909 million operating budget for fiscal year 2026-27 at its upcoming meeting, finalizing a spending plan that city officials say positions the city for a historic stretch of major international events while sustaining core service levels.
The budget, totaling $908.8 million net of reimbursements and transfers, was prepared by Finance Director Oscar Santiago and forwarded to the council by City Manager Oliver Chi. It covers all city funds and includes 2,287.6 full-time equivalent positions — 2,175.3 permanent and 112.3 temporary.
The FY 2026-27 spending plan represents the second year of the city's biennial budget cycle, updated to reflect the Realignment Plan and operational adjustments made in March 2026\. The General Fund portion of the operating budget totals $525.2 million in expenditures, supported by $509.5 million in General Fund revenues.
Council reviewed the proposed budget at a May 26 study session and directed staff to return with final adoption documents, expressing broad support for the plan as presented.
Three changes to the Capital Improvement Program have been incorporated since that session. The Santa Monica Neighborhood Greenways Project, supported by a Southern California Association of Governments Sustainable Communities Program grant, has been accelerated from FY 2027-28 into the current fiscal year. The 4th Street Transit Priority Improvements have also been moved up to enhance bus operations ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games. A third adjustment reduces funding for an Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities-supported project in FY 2027-28 to reflect updated scheduling.
Staff describe the budget as positioning the city to deliver priority capital projects and prepare for the FIFA World Cup later this year, the 2027 Super Bowl and the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Beyond the core budget, council will be asked to adopt a series of implementing resolutions, including updates to the city's Master Fee and Fine Schedules, parking rates, salary classifications and the annual Gann Appropriations Limit. The proposed Gann Limit for FY 2026-27 is set at approximately $3.56 billion — well above the city's projected $357 million in qualifying appropriations, leaving the city roughly $3.2 billion below the statutory ceiling.
On fines, staff are recommending increases to three existing Code Enforcement penalties — for construction work without a permit, work with an expired permit, and noncompliance with an approved construction management plan — each rising to $1,000\. A new $500 fine would be established for violations of tenant protection regulations during construction.
The city's aquatics fee schedule, which drew public comment at the May study session over proposed increases, was defended by staff, who said the 8-9% adjustments bring Santa Monica's lane rental rates in line with other Recreation and Arts Department fees while remaining below comparable rates in Long Beach, Torrance and El Segundo.
The budget meeting is scheduled for June 23 at City Hall, 1685 Main Street.
### Alter Behavioral Health Nominated for Best Residential Mental Health Treatment Center in California
URL: https://www.smdp.com/alter-behavioral-health-nominated-best-treatment-center-california/
Last updated: 2026-07-02T20:36:47.000Z
People flock to California for many reasons. Some chase after the sandy beaches. Others want to soak up the sun. There are a few who hope for a fresh start filled with new opportunities. But many arrive worn out. And I’m not talking about the kind of tired you feel after a long day. No, I’m talking about a heavy, life-weary tired. The kind that feels like a big rock sitting on your chest, making it tough to breathe.
Think about getting out of bed feeling like you’ve just run a marathon, only to find you’ve already accomplished nothing before breakfast. When that happens, finding help becomes more than another item on a to-do list. It becomes the thing that matters most. That is why many eyes have turned toward [Alter Behavioral Health](https://alterbehavioralhealth.com/?ref=smdp.com) this year. This Southern California treatment provider has been nominated for **Best Residential Mental Health Treatment Center in California**.
This nomination begs a big question: What makes one treatment center better than the hundreds of others swirling around like leaves in a breeze?
California boasts an army of treatment centers. Some sit right next to shiny coastlines. Others are nestled near tall mountains or vibrant cities. Their websites shine bright with promises of healing, vibrant brochures shout support, and their teams claim to deliver results that’ll knock your socks off. But what happens after all the promises?
That’s an important rabbit hole worth diving into. Alter Behavioral Health operates several residential treatment centers throughout Southern California. They focus on adults wrestling with various issues like depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and even autism spectrum disorders.
Sounds impressive, right? But do people get better? And if they do, does that positive change stick around?
These burning questions drive the heart of [Alter’s recent outcomes report](https://alterbehavioralhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Alter-Behavioral-Health-Outcomes-Report-2025-2.pdf?ref=smdp.com), showcasing a whopping 1,888 clinical assessments collected across different treatment stages. Yes, people, you read that right—*a lot of* evaluations. Why does this matter? Because talking about recovery is as popular as avocado toast in California, but measuring it? Now, that’s a whole new ball game.
Anyone can spin a good tale, but numbers? Oh, they tell an entirely different story. According to the report, clients experienced significant improvements in depression, anxiety, daily functioning, and long-term stability.
Let’s pull out an exciting fact: Clients entered treatment with an average PHQ-9 score of 12.56\. By the time they were discharged, that score had plummeted to 6.89\. Even after they left, the number stayed low at 7.86\.
**Think of it this way:** People didn’t just feel like rock stars while in a comfy treatment center. They continued rocking even after they returned to their everyday lives. That’s when recovery faces its biggest test. Life doesn’t just hit pause, does it? Bills keep piling up like laundry. Traffic still exists, and relationships still require care and attention. Stress? It always shows up uninvited, like that one friend who eats the last slice of pizza.
Can these clients keep thriving amidst all that chaos? Well, the report suggests that yes, they can. The same cheerful pattern popped up in anxiety scores. Starting at 11.22, the average GAD-7 score dropped to 6.24 by discharge, then settled at 6.89 afterward. Those may seem like small numbers, but every point represents a real human being. It’s a father who can finally sleep through the night. It’s a daughter no longer trapped in an anxiety bubble. It’s a student who can breathe during exams and a worker who can focus without spiraling into chaos. Those numbers turn into faces and stories pretty quickly.
This could be why the attention surrounding the nomination feels electric. People want proof. They look for evidence. In today’s chaotic world, trust costs more than ever. It’s easy to see the skepticism in healthcare, business, and, honestly, almost everywhere.
So, what happens when a treatment center starts sharing hard data instead of just pretty slogans? People pay attention.
Let’s talk numbers that could dazzle even the most skeptical individuals. Did you know that 93% of clients reported reduced or zero substance use after their treatment? That’s fantastic. Even more eye-opening, 97% of clients had no run-ins with law enforcement post-treatment. And to tie a bow on that, 85% benefitted from no emergency room visits during the same timeframe. The most striking stat? A solid 74% did not return to residential treatment after leaving Alter.
Why does this number feel especially powerful? Because anyone can show improvements while hunkering down in a cozy program. The real challenge hits once people step back into the “real world.”
Can they keep moving forward? Can they avoid backsliding into a crisis? Those are the questions that keep families, employers, and even treatment providers wide awake at night.
Alter’s story doesn’t just rest on numbers. It has a rhythm to it. One of the main beats? Time. Yes, time. In a world that seems addicted to moving at breakneck speed, Alter takes a different approach. Clients typically stay about 30 to 45 days. They settle in, meet with therapists, join group sessions, and work closely with case managers. They put together daily routines and learn vital skills.
Nothing about this sounds flashy or groundbreaking, does it? But perhaps that’s the whole point. Real transformation rarely bursts onto the scene like a fireworks show. It often sneaks in through the subtle moments. One chat. Then another. One healthy choice. And there it is again: another healthy choice. One tough day survived. And, believe it or not, another. All those tiny victories stack up to build something magnificent. Confidence, stability, and hope—all wrapped up in one.
Another intriguing aspect is practical support, and it may not sound like a thrill ride, but it’s crucial. Mental health challenges often create piles of problems beyond the obvious symptoms. Work life becomes tangled. Insurance skies turn murky. Paperwork? It just seems to multiply like rabbits. Stress levels spike. Thankfully, many clients get help with leave-of-absence requests, disability claims, and Family and Medical Leave Act forms. A devoted case manager steers the ship through all of it.
That may not grab headlines, but just ask someone knee-deep in a crisis if it matters. Bet you they would respond without hesitation: Absolutely.
This nomination comes at a pivotal time when mental health conversations are undergoing some serious transformation. For far too long, people swept mental health under the rug, treating it like a distraction or a secret. But today, discussions about depression, anxiety, trauma, and emotional well-being are blooming everywhere. Schools, workplaces, families, athletes, and business leaders are all having their say. Stigma is still lurking around, but the mute button has seen some serious action.
This change has ramped up the search for quality care, but finding that care remains cumbersome. Many people spend weeks hunting for help. Others hang around for months, and a few never even get started. The whole experience feels like walking through a maze with too many twists and turns. So many choices. So much uncertainty. So many questions, like which provider is right? Which program works? Who can be trusted?
Sure, awards don’t solve every riddle, but they can shine a light, serving as signals and clues worth exploring. And that’s precisely what seems to be happening with Alter Behavioral Health.
This nomination goes beyond the aesthetics of facilities or locations. It shines a spotlight on consistency. It’s about showing up every single day, assisting people during their toughest moments, measuring the outcomes, reviewing those results, making adjustments, and repeating it all again and again.
Another crucial realization from the report is that recovery is not just about reducing symptoms. Yes, living with less anxiety and depression is significant. But life has more layers than that, like can someone keep a job? Are they capable of maintaining relationships? Can they face stress head-on? Can they function day-to-day?
The report utilized well-being measurements to address those questions, delivering positive results showing improvements in daily functioning and stability during and after treatment. That distinction is key. Recovery shouldn’t just live in a chart. It should breathe and thrive in real life. Recovery should echo at dinner tables, workplaces, schools, family gatherings, and the most mundane moments.
Those small, everyday instances? Those reveal the genuine story behind the stats. While awards celebrate achievements, and nominations glitter with success, the true intrigue may lie in something deeper: the need.
Across California and beyond, countless people are crying out for support. Many feel lost, and like they’re wandering through a fog. Many are unsure of where to even start. Treatment centers can’t tackle every problem. No organization can. But some have the potential to kick-start a way forward.
That underlying potential is at the very heart of Alter Behavioral Health’s nomination. It’s not about perfection or attaining heaven on earth. Instead, it’s about possibility. The possibility that someone grappling with dark days may rise and feel stronger tomorrow. The possibility that the current chapter isn’t the final word. The chance that recovery isn’t merely a whimsical idea; it can be a tangible outcome.
As California gets ready to announce this year’s winner, one thing shines bright: the nomination has sparked interest for a reason. People aren’t just looking for promises anymore. They’re questioning the status quo and asking tougher questions. They yearn for evidence and results, and they desire hope rooted in reality.
When a treatment center effortlessly weaves together heartfelt care with cold, hard outcomes? Now that’s a recipe for making heads turn. Will Alter Behavioral Health win the title for Best Treatment Center in California? We’ll have to wait and see. But regardless of the outcome, the nomination has ignited a conversation signaling something far grander. Mental healthcare is shifting. Patients are asking smarter questions while families seek clearer answers. Providers are stepping up to tackle accountability like never before.
And in this new climate, outcomes? They matter more than ever. For Alter, this nomination isn’t mere recognition. It’s an invitation. An invitation to take a closer look, to explore better questions, and, perhaps most crucially, to consider what real recovery could look like when care, commitment, and tangible evidence mesh together in perfect harmony.
### Wednesday, June 17, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/tuesday-june-16-2026-2/
Last updated: 2026-06-17T20:29:13.000Z
Downtown Santa Monica has had several openings recently including the new Dragon Alley coffee shop at 312 Santa Monica Blvd.
Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 69F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 68º/62º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 67º/60º
### FIRST UP
Crime: Santa Monica police seize over 200 grams of meth in Palisades Park arrest. (Courtesy of SMPD)
### Santa Monica police seize more than 200 grams of methamphetamine in Palisades Park arrest
A Santa Monica police investigation led to the seizure of more than 200 grams of methamphetamine and the arrest of a suspect on drug and warrant charges..[READ](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-police-seize-more-than-200-grams-of-methamphetamine-in-palisades-park-arrest/)
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### MORE NEWS
[Santa Monica Approves Water Assessment Projecting SurplusSanta Monica City Council unanimously approved the 2026 Water Supply Assessment, projecting a 34% water surplus through June 2027 even with conservation measures.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-adopts-water-outlook-projecting-a-surplus-through-2027/)
[We Ballet LA, Santa Monica Youth Dance Initiative, Launches Summer Program to teach Kids Dance at VAUGHN NCLCBy: Armen Kavcioglu and Arabella Joaquin We Ballet LA, a student-led organization by Santa Monica teens, is dedicated to expanding access to dance. This June, We Ballet LA will be providing a summer dance program at Vaughn Next Century Learning Center (NCLC), a school in the San Fernando Valley.SMDPGuest Author](https://www.smdp.com/we-ballet-la-santa-monica-youth-dance-initiative-launches-summer-program-to-teach-kids-dance-at-vaughn-nclc/)
[Santa Monica Police Seize 200+ Grams of Meth in Palisades ParkSanta Monica police arrested a suspect and seized over 200 grams of methamphetamine, including a 150g bag, during a narcotics investigation in Palisades Park on June 14.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-police-seize-more-than-200-grams-of-methamphetamine-in-palisades-park-arrest/)
[Hotel History Podcast Celebrates Route 66 Centennial in Santa MonicaHotel History podcast filmed an episode at Santa Monica’s Eden Hotel exploring Route 66’s 100th anniversary, featuring LA Times travel writer Christopher Reynolds’ 2,400-mile journey from Chicago to Santa Monica.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/hotel-history-podcast-visits-santa-monicas-eden-hotel-for-route-66-centennial-episode/)
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[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184437/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
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### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Suspected arsonist arrested after setting multiple fires in Pacific PalisadesA suspected arsonist was taken into custody in Santa Monica on Monday after allegedly setting multiple fires in Pacific Palisades the day before, authorities said, rattling a community still rebuilding from last year’s catastrophic Palisades Fire as federal prosecutors try a man accused of starting that disaster. Los AngelesSMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/suspected-arsonist-arrested-after-setting-multiple-fires-in-pacific-palisades/)
[L.A. County Tackles Post-Fire Vegetation Crisis in Altadena, Santa Monica MountainsL.A. County supervisors approved a coordinated strategy to manage hazardous overgrown vegetation on fire-damaged properties in Altadena and the Santa Monica Mountains following the Eaton and Palisades fires.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/l-a-county-supervisors-direct-coordinated-response-to-post-fire-vegetation-hazards-in-altadena-santa-monica-mountains/)
[Air Pollution Causes Pregnancy Inflammation, UCLA Study FindsUCLA study finds air pollution exposure triggers inflammation in pregnant women, raising risks of preterm birth and low birth weight in California.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/air-pollution-linked-to-pregnancy-inflammation-raising-risk-of-preterm-birth-other-complications/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061726.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### SMC Planetarium July shows spotlight women in space, exoplanets and search for life
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-planetarium-july-shows-spotlight-women-in-space-exoplanets-and-search-for-life/
Last updated: 2026-06-17T19:00:00.000Z
The Santa Monica College Planetarium will present live-hosted shows on three Friday evenings in July, plus a Sunday Family Matinée on July 12, with feature programs on women in space, exoplanets and the search for life beyond Earth.
Each show runs about 40 minutes and is followed by a short audience Q&A with Planetarium Lecturer Sarah Vincent. Friday shows begin at 6 p.m. with "The Night Sky Show," followed at 7 p.m. by the feature program. The Sunday matinée starts at 1 p.m., with the feature at 2 p.m. No children under age 3 are permitted at Friday evening shows.
"The Night Sky Show," using SMC's 4K Digistar projection system, presents the latest astronomy and space exploration news and a virtual tour of the night sky. It plays Friday, July 10 at 6 p.m.; Sunday, July 12 at 1 p.m.; and Fridays, July 17 and 24 at 6 p.m.
The new Women in Space Series program "Space Flight" highlights Shuttle Era astronauts Sally Ride, Mae Jemison and Peggy Whitson. It shows Friday, July 10 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, July 12 at 2 p.m.
"Understanding Exoplanets," part of the Deep Sky Deep Dive series, explores planets beyond our solar system. It shows Friday, July 17 at 7 p.m.
"Search for Life Beyond Earth" examines where scientists are looking for extraterrestrial life and how it might be found. It shows Friday, July 24 at 7 p.m.
All shows are in room MSB 126 of the[ ](https://www.smc.edu/about/campuses/documents/smc-main-campus.pdf?ref=smdp.com)[Mathematics + Science Building](https://www.smc.edu/about/campuses/documents/smc-main-campus.pdf?ref=smdp.com) on the SMC Main Campus at 1900 Pico Blvd. Ample free parking is available.
Tickets are available at[ ](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/tickets](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com), with a $1 per-ticket service fee. "The Night Sky Show" and the feature program each cost $10 for adults and $7 for children ages 3-12\. A show combo is $16 for adults and $10 for children.
More information is available at[ ](http://smc.edu/planetarium?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/planetarium](http://smc.edu/planetarium?ref=smdp.com) or by calling 310-434-4163\. All shows are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Pacific Park names Steve Garcia director of sales and marketing
URL: https://www.smdp.com/pacific-park-names-steve-garcia-director-of-sales-and-marketing/
Last updated: 2026-06-17T19:00:00.000Z
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier has named Steve Garcia its director of sales and marketing, effective immediately, in a role designed to drive revenue growth, elevate brand presence and expand partnerships across local, national and global markets.
Garcia brings experience in sales leadership, marketing strategy and business development across the entertainment, tourism and live events industries. He will lead all revenue-generating initiatives for the park, including group sales, sponsorships, partnerships, events and ticketing programs, while enhancing its positioning as a destination for visitors worldwide.
"Steve's proven ability to drive revenue, build high-performing teams and create strategic partnerships makes him an exceptional addition to Pacific Park's leadership team," said Jeff Klocke, chief executive officer at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier. "As we continue to grow and evolve, his expertise will be instrumental in expanding our reach and elevating the Pacific Park brand."
Garcia will work closely with the executive team and department leaders while maintaining an active presence in the community. His focus will include developing sales strategies to meet and exceed annual revenue targets, strengthening tourism and hospitality partnerships, and leading integrated marketing efforts that drive awareness, engagement and visitation.
"I'm excited to join Pacific Park at such a dynamic time and to be part of an organization that is both an iconic destination and a key contributor to the local economy," Garcia said. "I look forward to building on the park's strong foundation, developing new partnerships, and creating experiences that resonate with both local audiences and visitors from around the world."
Most recently, Garcia served as director of sales and special events at Live Nation, where he led sales and local marketing across multiple San Diego venues. Earlier, he held leadership roles at SeaWorld San Diego and Sesame Place, served as chief operating officer and strategic advisor at TicketSearch North America, and held senior roles with Patron Technology. Earlier in his career, he worked in live theater and production management, including roles with Daryl Roth Theatres in New York.
Garcia holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theater directing from New York University. He now resides in Santa Monica.
Pacific Park, LA's only admission-free amusement park, offers 12 amusement rides, 14 midway games, Snackville with five food offerings and seaside retail shopping. For more information and operating hours, call 310-260-8744 or visit[ ](http://pacpark.com/?ref=smdp.com)[pacpark.com](http://pacpark.com/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica accepting applications for new Restorative Justice Commission
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-accepting-applications-for-new-restorative-justice-commission/
Last updated: 2026-06-17T19:00:00.000Z
Santa Monica is accepting applications for its new Restorative Justice Commission, with a deadline of July 8.
Commission members will be appointed by the City Council and must be Santa Monica residents. Each appointee should have subject matter expertise relevant to restorative justice or lived experience representing communities impacted by past and present inequities.
The City Council established the seven-member commission last month as part of the city's new Restorative Justice Program, one of the largest locally funded restorative justice initiatives of its kind. In January, the council[ ](https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2026/01/28/santa-monica-to-launch-historic-restorative-justice-program?ref=smdp.com)[approved a framework for the program](https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2026/01/28/santa-monica-to-launch-historic-restorative-justice-program?ref=smdp.com) along with a $3.5 million dedicated Restorative Justice Fund.
Once seated, the commission will be charged with developing program criteria, eligibility standards and oversight mechanisms.
Applications are available now on the[ ](https://santamonica.granicus.com/boards/forms/300/apply/5096192?code=17ed00f2-8157-47b0-9bc2-758cf68d6b9b&ref=smdp.com)[city's website](https://santamonica.granicus.com/boards/forms/300/apply/5096192?code=17ed00f2-8157-47b0-9bc2-758cf68d6b9b&ref=smdp.com). To learn more and to apply, visit[ ](https://www.smgov.net/departments/clerk/boards/?ref=smdp.com)[smgov.net/departments/clerk/boards](https://www.smgov.net/departments/clerk/boards/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica airport conversion project wins $10 million state grant
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-airport-conversion-project-wins-10-million-state-grant/
Last updated: 2026-06-17T19:00:00.000Z
The[ ](https://www.smacproject.com/?ref=smdp.com)[Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project](https://www.smacproject.com/?ref=smdp.com) is set to receive a $10 million[ ](https://bondaccountability.resources.ca.gov/Propositions/Proposition%5F4%5FClimate%5FBond?ref=smdp.com)[Proposition 4 Climate Bond](https://bondaccountability.resources.ca.gov/Propositions/Proposition%5F4%5FClimate%5FBond?ref=smdp.com) grant from California to advance state and city goals of improving access to nature, parks and the outdoors.
"I am so excited about this transformative state investment that will improve our city and region for the better," said state Sen. Ben Allen, author of Proposition 4 and former chair of the Natural Resources budget subcommittee. "It recognizes the ability nature and recreational spaces have to improve the health and wellbeing of the surrounding communities. The scale of this park would provide a generational change that our residents will benefit from long into the future, and I appreciate Santa Monica's leadership that is helping provide this opportunity for local families."
Expanding park access was among the community resilience initiatives voters approved in 2024 through Proposition 4's $10 billion investment proposal. Local governments and organizations are now being considered for grants supporting natural resource preservation, water quality, fire prevention and management, clean air and energy, and similar advancements.
The conversion project is a historic effort to transform roughly 192 acres of airport land into a metropolitan park, delivering a community-centered public space to an urban area in need of greater park access and expanding opportunities for sports, arts, culture and conservation.
"This $10 million award is a meaningful step toward realizing what Santa Monica has long envisioned for this land," Mayor Caroline Torosis said. "The airport conversion gives us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create something lasting: new open space, restored habitat, and infrastructure that will serve residents for decades to come."
The investment improves the city's position to receive further public and private financing. A portion of the funding will help the city complete feasibility and environmental review to advance the land conversion.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### LA County Board of Supervisors Approves Homelessness Prevention Plan for Wildfire Survivors and At-Risk Residents
URL: https://www.smdp.com/la-county-board-of-supervisors-approves-homelessness-prevention-plan-for-wildfire-survivors-and-at-risk-residents/
Last updated: 2026-06-17T19:00:01.000Z
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a motion directing the county to establish a coordinated homelessness prevention framework, with wildfire survivors from the January Eaton and Palisades fires among the first populations the new system is designed to serve.
The motion, authored by Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Lindsey P. Horvath, comes as new survey data underscores the urgency: two-thirds of fire-affected residents remain displaced, and nearly half have exhausted or will soon exhaust their insurance-funded temporary housing benefits, according to the nonprofit Department of Angels' latest Community Voices: LA Fire Recovery Report.
Forty percent of survivors said they could afford no more than six months of housing without assistance, while fewer than one in three believe they can sustain housing costs for more than a year on their own.
"Fire survivors are doing everything right, including paying their mortgage, finding temporary housing, and waiting for support to catch up to their needs," Barger said. "We can't let families lose their housing on top of everything else they've already lost."
Horvath said the county needs a prevention system that reflects current realities. "Recovery isn't one-size-fits-all," she said. "We have to make it easier to access support, connect people to the right resources sooner, and coordinate across agencies so temporary setbacks don't become permanent losses."
Under the motion, the county's Chief Executive Office will work with the Department of Homeless Services and Housing, the Los Angeles County Development Authority, the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs and other departments to build the new framework.
Within 45 days, the county will launch a public Homelessness Prevention Resource webpage listing available county, regional and partner services, including rental assistance, mortgage relief, legal aid and utility assistance.
The motion also calls for designating a single point of contact to coordinate prevention efforts across agencies and directs the development of an outreach plan — due to the board July 21 — to connect fire-impacted community organizations with available resources. Organizations identified for engagement include the Eaton Fire Collaborative Long-Term Recovery Group, the Altadena Town Council, the Malibu and Palisades Long-Term Recovery Groups, the Topanga Town Council and the Sunset Mesa Homeowners' Association.
County departments will also develop a Coordinated Homelessness Prevention Referral System featuring a triage tool to match residents with appropriate services and identify gaps in support for populations at heightened risk of housing instability, including fire survivors, seniors on fixed incomes, transition-age youth and justice-impacted individuals. The motion establishes a dedicated Prevention Navigator position within the Department of Homeless Services and Housing using existing resources.
### Santa Monica Council Adopts Water Outlook Projecting a Surplus Through 2027
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-adopts-water-outlook-projecting-a-surplus-through-2027/
Last updated: 2026-06-17T10:00:01.000Z
The City Council voted unanimously to adopt the city's 2026 Annual Water Supply and Demand Assessment at its last meetingt, a state-required report projecting that Santa Monica will have more than enough water to meet demand over the coming year, even under worst-case drought conditions.
The 6-0 vote came at the council's June 9 meeting. Council member Snell made the motion to adopt the assessment, and Council member Ellis Raskin seconded it. Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Zwick was absent.
The assessment, required annually under the California Water Code, analyzes whether the city can meet water demand during a projected hot, dry year. For this report, that period runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027\. The analysis is meant to identify potential shortages and, if necessary, trigger response actions to head them off.
By the city's projections, supply will comfortably outpace demand. Even without any conservation measures, staff estimated a 14 percent surplus — enough to place [Santa Monica](https://www.santamonicapier.org/?ref=smdp.com) at the state's Standard Shortage Level 0, meaning no shortage. Factoring in the city's longstanding 20 percent conservation target, that cushion grows to a 34 percent surplus.
The higher figure shows the city does "have an abundance of water," Dinaz Kureishy, a civil engineering associate in the Water Resources Division, told the council during a presentation on the item.
To reach those numbers, staff assumed a constrained set of supplies. The assessment counts on 6,755 acre-feet of local groundwater, a worst-case figure drawn from the city's 2020 Urban Water Management Plan, plus 7,406 acre-feet from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California's Tier 1 allotment. Together that totals 14,161 acre-feet of available supply for the projected year.
Against that supply, the city set demand at two levels. Unconstrained demand — water use with no conservation — was projected at 12,472 acre-feet, leaving the 14 percent surplus. Constrained demand, which reflects the city's 20 percent conservation reduction, was 9,977 acre-feet, producing the 34 percent surplus.
Despite the no-shortage finding, staff recommended that the city remain in a Stage 2 Water Shortage, which calls for a 20 percent reduction in water use compared with each customer's 2013 baseline. Santa Monica has stayed in Stage 2 since 2014 and has consistently met the 20 percent target, according to the staff report.
Staff said maintaining Stage 2 supports the city's broader [water goals](https://www.smdp.com/el-nino-is-here-and-scientists-fear-itll-be-big-bad-and-costly-with-heat-floods-droughts-fires/) and helps comply with state mandates, including the 2009 Water Conservation Act, known as Senate Bill X7-7, and Executive Order B-37-16, which focuses on permanently reducing per-capita water use. Officials also framed conservation as a way to protect ratepayers, noting that lifting Stage 2 would increase demand and push the city to buy more imported water, which could raise rates.
Two council members pressed staff on whether the favorable outlook accounts for the city's pace of development. Council member Dan Hall asked staff to revisit the supply figures, seeking to confirm that the projection reflected "the water supply we need for all of the zoning and the planned building and everything."
Council member Lana Negrete sharpened the point, saying residents watching the meeting share her concern. "All development is happening," she said. "I wonder if we have the infrastructure to support it." She asked whether the assessment's figures account for the thousands of new housing units being built. "Do these numbers reflect supporting that for this next year?" she said. Negrete also praised the presentation, telling Kureishy, "You're doing amazing in this element."
Kureishy said the report is narrower than that. "This document is only taking into account for the next year, so we're not looking at long-term growth," she said, adding that it is difficult to forecast exactly how much development will occur in a single year. The one-year assessment is a state requirement rather than a city planning tool, she said, and long-term capacity for projected growth is addressed through other documents, including the 2020 Urban Water Management Plan and the Regional Housing Needs Assessment.
Staff also recommended that the council adopt a finding that the assessment is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under the act's "common sense" exemption, on the basis that the report cannot have a significant effect on the environment.
Staff reported no immediate financial impact from the action and said they would return to the council if budget actions become necessary. The assessment was prepared by the Public Works Department's Water Resources Division and was presented to the Commission on Sustainability, Environmental Justice, and the Environment on Feb. 23.
### We Ballet LA, Santa Monica Youth Dance Initiative, Launches Summer Program to teach Kids Dance at VAUGHN NCLC
URL: https://www.smdp.com/we-ballet-la-santa-monica-youth-dance-initiative-launches-summer-program-to-teach-kids-dance-at-vaughn-nclc/
Last updated: 2026-06-16T22:34:04.000Z
**By: Armen Kavcioglu and Arabella Joaquin**
We Ballet LA, a student-led organization by Santa Monica teens, is dedicated to expanding access to dance. This June, We Ballet LA will be providing a summer dance program at Vaughn Next Century Learning Center (NCLC), a school in the San Fernando Valley. We Ballet LA will be providing elementary school students opportunities to explore ballet through movement and creativity, while also encouraging self-expression.
CEO and founder of We Ballet LA, Armen Kavcioglu, was a Youth America Grand Prix Finals soloist and Music Center Spotlight semi-finalist. He founded the student-run organization to share his passion for dance with communities throughout Los Angeles, while also creating opportunities for high schoolers to give back to the arts.
Many believe that the ballet community is “dying,” but the students who volunteer for We Ballet LA fight this notion. Young dancers from Santa Monica volunteer for We Ballet LA to share their love of the art form. These volunteers work tirelessly to provide access to dance education to children who may not have the opportunities to participate in classes or training.
We Ballet LA is providing free student-led instruction in order to introduce students to the world of dance. Classes are taught by students who have placed at competitions like the Youth America Grand Prix in order to provide youth with opportunities to learn and experience different styles of dance. The summer program at Vaughn in June will offer hands-on instruction in different dance styles including ballet and K-Pop.
“I believe all dance styles are really important because they provide an emotional outlet for anything that you are feeling. I want kids to be able to discover the physical and mental benefits of dance and really just experience the joy that dance can bring us,” said Armen Kavcioglu, founder of We Ballet LA.
Opportunities like these are becoming increasingly important in preserving and sharing art styles like ballet. We Ballet LA hopes to bridge the accessibility gap through its first summer program with Vaughn. For more information about the program and opportunities to volunteer or donate, visit We Ballet LA’s Instagram or contact the organization directly!
IG: @weballetla
Email: weballetla@gmail.com
### Santa Monica police seize more than 200 grams of methamphetamine in Palisades Park arrest
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-police-seize-more-than-200-grams-of-methamphetamine-in-palisades-park-arrest/
Last updated: 2026-06-17T17:37:39.000Z
A Santa Monica police investigation led to the seizure of more than 200 grams of methamphetamine and the arrest of a suspect on drug and warrant charges, authorities said.
Officers were patrolling the 1500 block of Palisades Park on June 14 when they observed what appeared to be a narcotics transaction, police said.
During the investigation, officers determined that one subject had provided false identifying information and had an outstanding no-bail probation violation warrant out of San Bernardino County.
A search turned up more than 200 grams of methamphetamine, including a single bag weighing more than 150 grams.
The suspect was arrested on suspicion of narcotics sales, possession of drug paraphernalia and the outstanding warrant.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Tuesday, June 16, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/tuesday-june-16-2026/
Last updated: 2026-06-16T20:11:46.000Z
The El Niño weather pattern is officially here bringing heightened risks of severe winter storms, coastal flooding, and extreme rainfall.
Plenty of sunshine. High around 70F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 70º/62º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 69º/61º
### FIRST UP
Santa Monica has long sought control of its coast
### Controversial coastal development bill washes ashore with radically reduced scope and impact
A state bill that once threatened to strip the California Coastal Commission of significant permitting authority over Santa Monica..[READ](https://www.smdp.com/controversial-coastal-development-bill-washes-ashore-with-radically-reduced-scope-and-impact/)
---
[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184436/click/0?seed={{id}}%5F{{campaign%5Fid}}&ref=smdp.com)
---
### MORE NEWS
[Suspected arsonist arrested after setting multiple fires in Pacific PalisadesA suspected arsonist was taken into custody in Santa Monica on Monday after allegedly setting multiple fires in Pacific Palisades the day before, authorities said, rattling a community still rebuilding from last year’s catastrophic Palisades Fire as federal prosecutors try a man accused of starting that disaster. Los AngelesSMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/suspected-arsonist-arrested-after-setting-multiple-fires-in-pacific-palisades/)
[L.A. County Tackles Post-Fire Vegetation Crisis in Altadena, Santa Monica MountainsL.A. County supervisors approved a coordinated strategy to manage hazardous overgrown vegetation on fire-damaged properties in Altadena and the Santa Monica Mountains following the Eaton and Palisades fires.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/l-a-county-supervisors-direct-coordinated-response-to-post-fire-vegetation-hazards-in-altadena-santa-monica-mountains/)
[Air Pollution Causes Pregnancy Inflammation, UCLA Study FindsUCLA study finds air pollution exposure triggers inflammation in pregnant women, raising risks of preterm birth and low birth weight in California.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/air-pollution-linked-to-pregnancy-inflammation-raising-risk-of-preterm-birth-other-complications/)
---
[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184437/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
---
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Santa Monica Accepts $2M Federal Grant for I-10 Capping StudySanta Monica City Council unanimously approved a $2 million federal grant to study capping the Interstate 10 freeway with parks between 11th and 20th streets in the Pico Neighborhood.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-accepts-2m-grant-to-study-capping-the-i-10/)
[LA28 Drop 2 Olympic Tickets On-Sale August 10-20LA28 announces Drop 2 Olympic ticket on-sale window runs August 10-20, 2024\. Register by July 22 at Tickets.LA28.org for chance to purchase Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games tickets.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/la28-announces-drop-2-olympic-ticket-on-sale-window-for-aug-10-20/)
[Santa Monica Floral Studio Blends Flowers and Sound HealingViola Floral in Santa Monica hosted a wellness event combining live flower arranging with crystal sound bowl healing for Mental Health Awareness Month on May 20.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-floral-studio-blends-flowers-and-sound-healing-in-mental-health-awareness-event/)
[Beach Bus Returns Summer 2026: $3 Trips to Santa MonicaBeach Bus returns summer 2026 with affordable $3 round-trip fares from Charter Oak, La Crescenta, and Altadena to Santa Monica Beach through Labor Day. Book at LAGoBus.com.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/beach-bus-service-returns-connecting-l-a-foothill-communities-to-santa-monica/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061626.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### Hotel History podcast visits Santa Monica's Eden Hotel for Route 66 centennial episode
URL: https://www.smdp.com/hotel-history-podcast-visits-santa-monicas-eden-hotel-for-route-66-centennial-episode/
Last updated: 2026-06-16T18:59:59.000Z
A podcast dedicated to the stories behind iconic hotels recently brought its cameras to Santa Monica, filming an episode at the historic Eden Hotel on Ocean Avenue that explores the centennial of Historic Route 66.
Hotel History co-hosts Yael Lilit and D'Etta Brown interviewed Los Angeles Times travel writer Christopher Reynolds about his 2,400-mile road trip from Chicago to Santa Monica, covering the roadside motels, quirky attractions and people he encountered along the way.
The podcast chose the Eden Hotel for its proximity to the unofficial western terminus of Route 66 at the Santa Monica Pier. The highway, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, has drawn a devoted following of travelers — known as "roadies" — to Santa Monica over the decades.
"Route 66 has captured the world's imagination for a century," Brown said, noting that John Steinbeck dubbed it the "Mother Road" in The Grapes of Wrath and that Nat King Cole immortalized it in his hit song "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66." Reynolds observed during the interview that European travelers now outnumber Americans on the historic highway.
The episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other streaming platforms.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### State Senate Advances Bill to Strengthen Protections Against Insurance Nonrenewals
URL: https://www.smdp.com/state-senate-advances-bill-to-strengthen-protections-against-insurance-nonrenewals/
Last updated: 2026-06-16T18:59:59.000Z
The California Senate has passed[ ](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260SB1301&ref=smdp.com)[SB 1301](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260SB1301&ref=smdp.com), authored by Sen. Ben Allen (D-Pacific Palisades), which would give property owners more time and information to maintain private insurance coverage before being dropped by their insurer.
The FAIR Plan, the state's insurer of last resort, has seen its total exposure grow 230% since 2022 as residents lose private coverage — costs ultimately borne by all California policyholders through rising premiums.
SB 1301 would require insurers to provide written notice of nonrenewal three months before dropping a policyholder. The notice must explain why coverage is being terminated and outline steps the policyholder can take — such as property repairs or remediations — to retain it.
Reports of Californians losing coverage over incorrectly identified problems, such as mold wrongly flagged by drone footage, have grown in recent years. Requiring insurers to explain their reasoning would help policyholders identify errors and work to correct them.
"Californians need to know why they're at risk of losing coverage; otherwise, we won't know what tangible steps we can take to reduce our property's risk," Allen said. "This transparent communication is long overdue."
SB 1301 will be heard in the Assembly Insurance Committee in the coming weeks.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica council approves $650,000 Rose Parade float over resident's objection
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-approves-650-000-rose-parade-float-over-residents-objection/
Last updated: 2026-06-16T18:59:59.000Z
The Santa Monica City Council voted Tuesday to enter a city-sponsored float in the 2027 Tournament of Roses Parade, authorizing up to $650,000 for the project despite a resident's warning that the city cannot afford the expense during a budget crisis.
The [council ](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-general-fund-reaches-structural-balance-as-city-unveils-909m-spending-plan/)approved the measure at its June 9 meeting on a motion by Councilmember Natalya Zernitskaya, seconded by Councilmember Barry Snell. Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Zwick was absent, and the members present voted in favor.
The decision clears the way for Santa Monica to appear in the 138th Rose Parade on Jan. 1, 2027, and to hire Artistic Entertainment Services to design, build, decorate and operate the float. The company was selected from the three firms pre-qualified by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association after staff interviewed all three, which also included Fiesta Productions Inc. and Phoenix Decorating Company.
City staff framed the float as an economic development and community engagement effort rather than simply a marketing asset. The 2027 parade theme, "Welcome," dovetails with the city's broader realignment and revitalization plans, staff said, and the parade's reach — tens of millions of television viewers and a live crowd of roughly 700,000 — would showcase Santa Monica weeks before it hosts a Super Bowl media hub in 2027 and ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
"The 2027 Tournament of Roses Parade is an incredible opportunity to showcase Santa Monica to millions of people around the world," Mayor Caroline Torosis said. "The parade's theme, 'Welcome,' reflects who we are as a community. Santa Monica has always been a place that brings people together, and today we are building on that tradition as we revitalize our city, support local businesses, and prepare to welcome visitors from around the globe."
The $650,000 authorization is a maximum, not a guaranteed cost, staff said. It includes a $350,000 base program covering float design, engineering, fabrication, floral decoration, volunteer coordination, parade-day operations and public relations and media support, plus a $300,000 contingency for enhancements such as animation, sponsorships and community programming.
Funding would initially be advanced from money previously set aside in the city's $3 million Economic Development Fund, intended as cash-flow support rather than a permanent funding source. Staff said it would pursue donations, sponsorships and corporate and regional partnerships to offset the cost "to the greatest extent feasible," with all such revenue deposited in a restricted account and tracked separately.
Staff said sponsorship packages had not yet been finalized because of Tournament of Roses rules governing what can appear on floats, but described plans to reach donors at every level — from major corporate sponsors to residents who might contribute a few dollars to place a flower on the float. Torosis suggested the city also explore selling opportunities to ride on or walk alongside the entry.
Council members described the project as a chance to rebuild civic pride. Snell said he had researched Santa Monica's history in the Rose Bowl and recalled first-place finishes in 1947 and the mid-1970s, calling the event one that "really will showcase who we are as a community." He said he hoped residents from the city's arts and gardening communities would take part.
Zernitskaya, who moved approval, acknowledged the price but said the benefits outweighed it. "I recognize it's a big commitment and a relatively high price tag, but I see this as an opportunity as part of our continued efforts to rebuild our city's image," she said, adding that friends had already asked how to volunteer.
Not everyone agreed. In a written comment submitted before the vote, Sunset Park resident Marc L. Verville, a former chair of the city's [Audit Subcommittee](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EdNw6ewt3E&ref=smdp.com), urged the council to reject the item. He argued the city is operating in a structural deficit and has turned to parcel taxes as a stopgap, and called spending the money "on, of all things, a parade float" part of a strategy to "camouflage the City's accelerating decline through aggressive public relations activities rather than actually addressing the fundamental economic issues."
City staff plans to begin concept development this month and to launch community engagement and fundraising July 23 at the State of the City event on Main Street in the Ocean Park neighborhood. Float engineering, fabrication and production would run from August through December, with a decorating week Dec. 26-31 that staff said could offer more than 1,000 volunteer spots.
The completed float will debut in the parade on Jan. 1, 2027, and remain on public display at Floatfest from Jan. 1-3.
### Fundraising Tips for University Student Groups and Iowa Youth Sports Teams
URL: https://www.smdp.com/fundraising-tips-university-student-groups-youth-sports-teams/
Last updated: 2026-07-09T17:34:18.000Z
Student organizations and youth sports teams across the Westside face a familiar challenge: raising enough money to cover events, travel, equipment, uniforms, and community programs. Whether it’s a UCLA club heading to a national competition or a local youth soccer team in Santa Monica needing new jerseys, funding is essential. Many groups struggle with limited volunteer time, donor fatigue, and low participation rates.
Successful fundraising requires thoughtful planning, strong engagement, and strategies that fit the group. Here are practical tips to help Westside student organizations and youth sports teams reach their goals more efficiently.
## **Start With a Clear Goal**
Before launching a campaign, clearly explain what the funds will cover. Instead of making a general request, state a specific need, such as $2,500 for new uniforms or $5,000 for tournament travel. Break larger goals into smaller milestones to keep momentum and show supporters your progress. Being transparent about how donations will be used builds trust and encourages repeat giving.
## **Match the Fundraiser to Your Group’s Strengths**
Not every approach works for every organization. University student groups often succeed with campus events and social activities, while youth sports teams tend to do better with family-friendly, community-based efforts. Take an honest look at your available volunteers, resources, and audience preferences before choosing a strategy. The better the fit, the higher the likelihood of success.
According to the [NFHS](https://nfhs.org/?ref=smdp.com), youth sports participation continues to grow, increasing the need for sustainable funding models that do not overburden families.
## **Product-Based Fundraisers for Reliable Results**
Product-based fundraisers remain popular because they offer supporters something tangible in return. Many programs require no upfront costs and can be run through simple catalogs or online stores, which is a major advantage for busy students and families.
Popular options include:
- **Scratch Card Fundraisers** — An interactive format in which supporters scratch off dots to reveal donation amounts. These often deliver strong returns with minimal effort and can be customized with your group’s name or logo.
- **Discount Card Fundraisers** — Supporters receive savings at local Westside businesses throughout the year. These provide ongoing value and keep your group top of mind by displaying your logo on the cards.
- **Cookie Dough Fundraisers** — A consistent performer that appeals to a wide audience. Orders can be placed through catalogs or convenient online stores with no upfront cost to the organization.
- **Popcorn Fundraisers** — Pre-packaged gourmet popcorn from well-known brands simplifies the sales process with easy storage and distribution.
## **Keep Participation Simple**
The easier it is to participate, the higher your engagement will be. Use digital tools, such as online storefronts, to streamline ordering and payments. Offer both online and in-person options so busy families and students can contribute conveniently.
## **Use Community Events to Build Support**
Community events raise funds while increasing your group’s visibility in the local area. These activities create relationship-building opportunities that often lead to ongoing support for future campaigns. Events also provide natural moments to share updates and celebrate achievements.
## **Choose Activities That Fit Your Audience**
University students often respond well to campus challenges, social gatherings, and talent showcases. Youth sports teams tend to do better with walk-a-thons, team challenges, and family participation activities. Relevant activities feel enjoyable rather than obligatory.
Research from organizations focused on youth sports development, such as the [Aspen Institute’s Project Play](https://projectplay.org/?ref=smdp.com), shows that family-inclusive fundraising models tend to generate higher participation and stronger long-term community support.
## **Create Friendly Competition**
Encourage involvement by setting team goals and recognizing top performers. Awards for top fundraisers, team challenges, and social media shout-outs can help maintain energy throughout the campaign. Friendly competition often turns fundraising into a more engaging group activity.
## **Expand Your Reach Beyond Immediate Families**
Many groups rely too heavily on parents and close relatives. Reach out to local businesses, alumni, neighbors, and community supporters for broader backing. Business partnerships can lead to donations, sponsorships, or event participation. Wider community involvement significantly increases fundraising potential.
## **Promote Consistently**
Many fundraisers underperform simply because potential supporters are not aware of them. Use social media, school newsletters, campus announcements, and community outreach to keep your campaign visible. Regular progress updates help maintain excitement and encourage additional contributions.
## **Review and Improve**
After each campaign, review what worked well and gather feedback from volunteers and supporters. Use those insights to strengthen future efforts. Continuous improvement leads to better results over time.
## **Combine Strategies for Better Results**
Many successful organizations use a mix of product-based fundraisers and community events. Different approaches reach different segments of the community. Groups looking for structured, low-effort options with strong support resources often explore programs like those offered by [ABC Fundraising](https://www.abcfundraising.com/fundraising-ideas/school-fundraisers?ref=smdp.com) when comparing choices that fit their needs.
Successful fundraising depends on planning, participation, promotion, and community involvement. Select activities that fit your group’s strengths and supporter preferences, execute campaigns consistently, and build lasting relationships through positive experiences. These approaches can help Westside student groups and youth sports teams create sustainable funding while strengthening community ties.
### Suspected arsonist arrested after setting multiple fires in Pacific Palisades
URL: https://www.smdp.com/suspected-arsonist-arrested-after-setting-multiple-fires-in-pacific-palisades/
Last updated: 2026-06-16T16:20:47.000Z
A suspected arsonist was taken into custody in Santa Monica on Monday after allegedly setting multiple fires in Pacific Palisades the day before, authorities said, rattling a community still rebuilding from last year's catastrophic Palisades Fire as federal prosecutors try a man accused of starting that disaster.
Los Angeles Police Department officers identified the suspect after alert residents in Pacific Palisades witnessed fires being set Sunday and photographed a Nissan Versa they believed was connected. Witnesses provided the vehicle's license plate number to police, who used automated license plate reader cameras to locate the car Monday morning in Santa Monica.
Officers conducted what police described not as a pursuit but as a "following" — tracking the vehicle after obtaining an identity on the suspect, positioning officers in the area with helicopter support and pulling him over without incident.
According to LAPD, the suspect allegedly set four separate fires in the Pacific Palisades area on Sunday. Most involved brush, though one may have involved an outbuilding or portable toilet. The case has been forwarded to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, and LAFD arson investigators are also working the case.
Councilwoman Traci Park, who represents the district, announced the arrest Monday and credited witnesses, construction workers, a Flock camera system, LAPD and LAFD with extinguishing the fires and identifying the suspect. Authorities have not released the suspect's name, the precise locations of the fires or potential charges.
"Eighteen months after the Palisades Fire, our community has every reason to take fire threats seriously," Park said. "Multiple intentionally set fires this weekend are infuriating."
Separately, LAFD responded Saturday morning to a grass fire near 17000 W. Sunset Blvd. that burned approximately 50 feet by 100 feet of vegetation. No structures were threatened and no injuries were reported. Authorities have not said whether that incident was among the fires connected to the arrest.
The arrests come as federal prosecutors are trying Jonathan Rinderknecht, who has pleaded not guilty to allegations that he started the New Year's Day Lachman Fire above Pacific Palisades. Court filings allege that fire reignited during a wind event and became the Palisades Fire, which killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in January 2025.
"Anyone who deliberately puts lives, homes, and a recovering community at risk will face the full consequences of their actions," Park said.
— The Westside Current contributed to this report
### Michael Castanon Nominated for Executive of the Year: A Peek into the Mindful World of Mental Health Care
URL: https://www.smdp.com/michael-castanon-nominated-executive-of-the-year/
Last updated: 2026-07-14T23:22:58.000Z
[Michael Castanon](https://michaelcastanon.com/?ref=smdp.com) is not your average executive in the mental health care field. No. He doesn’t strut into work with a suit and tie like most people in corporate America. Instead, he brings a fresh breath of thinking: change is coming, and it has a heartbeat.
That alone changes how people read his story. Castanon once worked in banking. Think long hours crunching numbers and a world where success shines neatly like a polished apple. Everything matches up on paper: efforts gleam with rewards. But mental health care does not behave that way. It bends. It slips. And it resists clean measurement.
So, why does someone leap out of the safety net of finance? What’s cooking in that curious mind of his? The answer, according to Castanon, bubbles down to personal experience, not just slick strategies. He talks about trauma and recovery, those heavy words that weigh on the heart. But he highlights the connection. It’s not just a saying; it’s a life raft for many.
This idea tickles the core of his work at [Alter Behavioral Health](https://alterbehavioralhealth.com/?ref=smdp.com), where he wears the CEO hat. And guess what? This year, he’s in the running for **Executive of the Year in California**. Awards seem shiny and simple, right? But behind the glimmer lies a mountain of labor.
So, what’s the scoop? Who gets the spotlight here? Is it a man, a system, or the belief that care can begin anew?
Let’s rewind a little. Castanon’s journey kicked off with struggles that many people know all too well. He faced emotional rollercoasters and moments of chaos where his inner peace seemed like a myth. Ever felt like coping stopped working? When survival no longer feels like progress? At some point, he [says](https://medium.com/authority-magazine/michael-castanon-of-alter-behavioral-health-five-things-i-wish-someone-told-me-when-i-was-first-84ee48100e17?ref=smdp.com), he stopped avoiding that reality and started confronting it. Therapy became part of that process. So did reflection and time. Things started to shift in a big way.
He began to see mental health as not merely a personal gig but as an issue affecting systems, communities, and lives. What works? What crashes and burns? And what gets shoved under the rug?
That idea now sits at the center of his work at Alter Behavioral Health. It offers residential programs across Southern California that welcome adults grappling with depression, anxiety, trauma, and more. It’s not simply a pit stop. Guests often stick around for thirty to forty-five days. Why the extended stay, you ask? Because real mental change doesn’t happen overnight, like cooking food in the microwave.
Inside these programs, clients live on site in a residential facility. They follow structured therapy schedules. They meet clinicians. They join group sessions. They work with case managers who track progress beyond a single hour. It sounds organized. And it is. But structure alone doesn’t explain why people get better.
So, what does?
The answer lies in [clinical data gathered](https://alterbehavioralhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Alter-Behavioral-Health-Outcomes-Report-2025-2.pdf?ref=smdp.com) with standardized tools. They whip out things like PHQ-9 to measure depression, GAD-7 for anxiety, and PWI for day-to-day functioning. On intake, the average depression scores are sky-high, sitting over 12\. But by the time people are ready to head home, those scores drop to a cozy 6.9\. That’s not just numbers; that’s real-life impact.
What does this mean in easy terms? It suggests less emotional weight. Fewer days of feeling weighed down. And more room to breathe and thrive.
But numbers can be tricky. They raise more questions than they answer: What happens after structured care wraps up? Do the improvements stick when people return to their old routines? Do they slide back to their old lives and stressors without the shiny structure?
Here’s the interesting part. Alter [reports](https://alterbehavioralhealth.com/clinical-outcomes-report/?ref=smdp.com) that a large chunk of clients, around 74%, don’t slide back into residential care after they leave. It sounds strong, but it also raises questions: Who keeps tabs on them? Who do they reach out to? Who doesn’t? Those are crucial questions whenever we dive into long-term health studies.
Castanon stays ahead of the curve and tackles these concerns head-on. He often talks about care as something delicate. Not weak. Fragile, because it needs continuity. It blooms beautifully inside structured environments. But the real test comes when the walls come down.
Alter Behavioral Health isn’t just a quick fix; it provides a stabilizing haven. But wait, there’s more. Castanon digs deeper into a second idea: connection.
He passionately believes that people don’t just change because someone hands them an instruction manual. They grow through relationships, trust, and those warm, fuzzy feelings that come from genuine human contact. That belief shines through in how they structure their staffing, care techniques, and training systems. It’s like a recipe: take a pinch of love, sprinkle in some understanding, mix well, and serve with compassion.
Beyond the inner workings of Alter, he’s also crafted [AlterCareLine](https://michaelcastanon.com/acl/?ref=smdp.com), a service providing free mental health sessions. Talk about generosity. They report delivering hundreds of thousands of sessions thanks to a mix of public and private dollars. That’s a lot of caring individuals in action.
He’s also partnered up with programs that support care access for uninsured individuals. Think treatment beds, scholarships, and crisis response support after emergencies. This brings up an important question: Where does care start, and where does it end?
For Castanon, the answer seems straightforward. Care should begin well before a crisis strikes. But in reality? Systems would rather pretend things are fine.
Enter [Mindfuli](https://michaelcastanon.com/mindfuli/?ref=smdp.com), a digital platform designed to connect individuals with care teams based on what they need, instead of just what’s available. But can software really make trust bloom? Or does it risk turning warm connections into cold data points?
Castanon insists that technology should be a helping hand, not a barrier. Yet finding the sweet spot remains a tough balancing act. Then we have [Care Predictor](https://carepredictor.com/?ref=smdp.com), which tries to assess caregiver traits like empathy before hiring. That idea feels both modern and uncomfortable.
Can we measure emotional aptitude before we actually see it in action? Or does that risk missing the heart of what matters? Castanon treats this like an ongoing riddle, not a final answer.
Uncertainty is part of the journey. Manage it rather than shove it under the rug. Outside the clinical box, Castanon shares insights in public forums, discussing the mental health landscape broadly. He addresses stigma, access gaps, and the restraints of traditional models. A familiar phrase often pops up in his talks: “People don’t care what you know until they know you care.” It sounds simple (almost too simple).
But trust takes time, and that’s where many systems falter. The awkward gap between need and delivery sits at the heart of his mission.
Supporters high-five him for scaling programs that help tons of people. There are hundreds of thousands of free sessions. Millions in funding are secured. And many initiatives are blooming across care and tech.
But critics question the quality at scale. They wonder how outcomes get independently verified. How much does long-term success rely on self-reported data? Those are standard inquiries in health care evaluation, and Castanon rolls with them.
His model embraces questions while cruising in parallel with them. So now, let’s zoom back to that **Executive of the Year** nomination, shall we? Sounds like a pat on the back for leadership, right? But it’s about more than just managing teams or growing programs. It challenges the very essence of what care means.
Is it about symptom reduction? Is it making sure everyone is stable over time? Or is it something trickier, like the trust that builds bridges between people who once felt utterly lost?
Data shows progress through clinical metrics: lower depression scores, happier anxiety scores, improved functioning, and fewer readmissions. But even with solid data, interpretation dances along with uncertainty.
Mental health moves like a wiggly jellybean. It loops, pauses, and sometimes sneaks back to the starting line. So, what does this nomination truly represent? A successful executive? A flourishing organization? Measurable improvements? Or a seismic shift in how care is envisioned?
Maybe it’s all of that. Castanon doesn’t position himself as the final answer. Instead, he steers toward connection, measurement, and systems that strive to blend human experiences with clinical structure. That balance is a wild ride, and some might say it’s impossible.
But the work keeps rolling forward. That’s likely the real reason his name pops up in interviews, reports, and nominations. It’s a journey still unfolding, a testament to progress that draws curiosity like a moth to a flame. So, let’s keep our eyes on Michael Castanon.
### Controversial coastal development bill washes ashore with radically reduced scope and impact
URL: https://www.smdp.com/controversial-coastal-development-bill-washes-ashore-with-radically-reduced-scope-and-impact/
Last updated: 2026-06-16T22:44:41.000Z
A state bill that once threatened to strip the California Coastal Commission of significant permitting authority over Santa Monica has been fundamentally rewritten into a narrower measure designed to hold the commission accountable to a defined timeline for certifying the city’s long-delayed Local Coastal Program (LCP).
Assembly Bill 1740, authored by Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-51st District), now requires Santa Monica to submit a complete proposed LCP to the commission by Jan. 1, 2029\. Under the amended version of the bill, the commission must act on that submission within six months of receipt, provide the city a written list of any identified issues within 45 days, and — if it fails to act on the complete proposal within six months — submit quarterly written updates to the Legislature explaining the delay.
The Coastal Commission, which had opposed earlier versions of the bill, is now expected to formally recommend support when commissioners convene in July.
“I’m very proud that this bill has resulted in something that I think is going to result in a very positive thing for the city of Santa Monica, which is an approved LCP,” Zbur said. “I have a high degree of confidence that this is going to lead to an LCP within a short period of time.”
**What the Current Bill Does**
The version of AB 1740 proposed this month retains two substantive components. The first applies specifically to Santa Monica. If the city submits a complete proposed LCP to the commission on or before Dec. 31, 2027 — roughly two years ahead of the statutory deadline — the city would receive priority consideration for funding made available through the state’s Active Transportation Program, which supports bike lanes, pedestrian paths, safe-routes-to-school improvements, education campaigns, and quick-build projects.
A financial accountability mechanism added in the latest amendments provides that if the commission fails to act on Santa Monica’s complete LCP submission within six months of receipt, the commission shall reimburse the city for reasonable costs associated with coordinating on any suggested modifications.
The second component applies statewide and operates independently of the Santa Monica LCP process. It amends Section 30610.91 of the Public Resources Code to create an expedited review pathway for proposals that convert existing road right-of-way into bicycle, transit, or pedestrian infrastructure. Under the revised provision, the Coastal Commission’s executive director may waive the coastal development permit requirement for such projects if the director determines that, on balance, the project provides commensurate or enhanced public access to the coast. Parking replacement is no longer an automatic requirement — a significant shift from current practice, under which the loss of parking spaces near beaches has historically complicated or blocked bike lane approvals.
That reporting requirement is set to expire Dec. 31, 2032.
**A Bill Transformed**
The current legislation is a substantially different document from the one Zbur introduced in February. The original bill created broad exemptions from coastal development permit requirements for an array of project types — including multifamily housing, building renovations, outdoor dining, temporary events, and parking changes — and applied those exemptions across more than a dozen coastal cities meeting specific urbanization criteria.
Subsequent amendments narrowed the bill’s geographic scope to Santa Monica alone, a change that drew criticism from environmental groups and some residents who argued the revision transformed a policy proposal into a targeted carve-out. Amendments stripped out the housing and commercial permit exemptions entirely, leaving behind the LCP accountability structure and the statewide bike infrastructure provision.
The amendments strike the bill’s original findings and declarations section, which had argued that the Coastal Act’s nearly 50-year-old permitting framework was poorly suited to dense, transit-rich urban communities. That framing, and the statutory architecture that accompanied it, is gone from the current version.
Zbur acknowledged the bill’s evolution was not strictly linear but that as Santa Monica was one of a handful of cities that lacked local control over its coastal development, the end result met the needs of the city.
“What we were trying to do was something that was more systemic to benefit cities that were like Santa Monica that were facing these kinds of challenges, either because they didn’t have a local coastal program, or because they did have a local coastal program and the process to get it amended is so difficult,” he said.
Santa Monica Mayor Caroline Torosis said the current bill is a huge win for the city.
“We appreciate Assembly Member Zbur for really looking out for the best interest of Santa Monica here, as well as really for the rest of the state,” she said. “But for us, having an approved LCP is really critical, and to the extent that is the outcome of this process, I am really delighted that we’re able to do something that has never been done before in our city and do something that is really unprecedented, where the Coastal Commission has actually entered into this \[Memorandum of Understanding\] with us, and had it not been for this bill, I don’t feel that we would have gotten to this point, so I think all in all, this is a good outcome for the city.”
The Coastal Commission said it is very pleased with the amendments, and excited to have a framework in place with the City to finally finish and certify their LCP.
**What the City Gets**
For Santa Monica, the practical stakes of a certified LCP go well beyond the bill itself. Torosis pointed to the LCP as essential infrastructure for the city’s broader economic recovery efforts under its Realignment Plan. A certified program would transfer day-to-day coastal development permitting authority from the state commission to the city, allowing local planners to review projects against locally adopted coastal policies without requiring applicants to obtain a separate state permit.
Torosis said the outcome exceeded what the city had anticipated when it first aligned with the bill.
“Now we’re in a really great communication with the Coastal Commission to actually get the thing that we needed all along, which was the LCP,” she said. “That continues to give local control back to Santa Monica to figure out what really makes the most sense for our city.”
**A Decades-Long Pursuit**
Santa Monica’s effort to secure a certified LCP has a history that predates most of the elected officials now working to complete it. The city received Coastal Commission approval for a Land Use Plan in 1992 — the document that still serves as the commission’s standard of review for coastal permits in the city today. The accompanying Implementation Plan, which functions as the coastal zoning ordinance and is required for full LCP certification, was never approved.
The city began a new LCP process in 2014, conducting years of community outreach. The City Council adopted a revised Land Use Plan in October 2018 and submitted it to the commission, but the submission was eventually withdrawn before the commission acted on it.
The city formally resumed the update process in May 2023\. In May 2026 following the introduction of AB1740, the City Council voted unanimously to direct staff to negotiate a memorandum of understanding with the commission establishing a defined path to certification, with a target of completing both the Land Use Plan and Implementation Plan by June 2027\.
City staff warned the council that apparent breakthroughs with the commission had not always materialized in the past, noting the gap between staff-level alignment and action by commissioners themselves at a public hearing.
Torosis said she believes this time is different.
“We have all the parties here rowing in the same direction,” she said. “Our community development director has been through this entire process, and no one has ever seen the great working relationship that we currently have before now.”
editor@smdp.com
### L.A. County supervisors direct coordinated response to post-fire vegetation hazards in Altadena, Santa Monica Mountains
URL: https://www.smdp.com/l-a-county-supervisors-direct-coordinated-response-to-post-fire-vegetation-hazards-in-altadena-santa-monica-mountains/
Last updated: 2026-06-16T10:26:42.000Z
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion directing county departments to develop a coordinated strategy addressing hazardous vegetation on fire-impacted residential properties in Altadena and the unincorporated Santa Monica Mountains.
The motion, authored by Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Lindsey P. Horvath, responds to conditions that have developed in the months since the Eaton and Palisades fires, during which thousands of properties have remained in various stages of debris removal, insurance resolution and rebuilding. On many vacant lots, vegetation has become severely overgrown, increasing wildfire risk and contributing to illegal dumping, vermin infestations and quality-of-life concerns for neighboring residents.
"I want county resources working on this problem now, before another fire season puts more lives and property at risk," Barger said.
"Los Angeles County is committed to using every tool available to reduce wildfire risk and keep neighborhoods safe," Horvath said.
The motion directs the Departments of Public Works, Agricultural Commissioner/Weights and Measures, Fire and Chief Sustainability Office — along with the Los Angeles County Disaster Recovery Rebuild Authority — to develop a comprehensive approach prioritizing voluntary compliance, community outreach and direct assistance before any punitive enforcement is considered.
The strategy will emphasize education, defensible-space assistance and non-punitive mitigation, while also examining innovative techniques such as targeted grazing and other nature-based vegetation management. Pilot programs in Altadena, the unincorporated Santa Monica Mountains and Sunset Mesa are among the options to be explored.
Departments must return to the Board within 30 days with recommendations covering immediate actions, potential funding sources, legal and operational considerations and any policy changes needed to support a long-term wildfire risk-reduction strategy.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Lily Mirhashemi Nominated for Best Female Executive of the Year
URL: https://www.smdp.com/lily-mirhashemi-nominated-best-female-executive-of-the-year/
Last updated: 2026-07-02T20:17:49.000Z
What makes a great executive? Is it a fancy office on the top floor? A calendar packed with meetings? Or maybe it’s a trophy case overflowing with shiny awards? Sure, those things look impressive. But could it be something far less visible? Something softer, yet powerful?
Those questions sit at the heart of [Lily Mirhashemi](https://cooperdouglas.com/about-us/?ref=smdp.com)’s story. Her story isn’t merely about climbing the corporate ladder; it’s about the people along the way. But what does that *really* mean?
From the start of her career in accounting, Lily faced a world of numbers. She crunched digits, filled out spreadsheets, and pored over balance sheets. Everything fits neatly into tidy boxes. But as she worked with numbers, she felt an invisible pull towards people.
She made a big decision: she jumped into recruiting. Many would cling to the safety of their desk jobs. Why risk the familiar for the unknown? But instead of sticking to the safety net, Lily dove into the deep end. And within her very first year in recruiting, she skyrocketed to the top at her firm. How often do you hear that? It’s not every day you see someone sprint to the finish line in record time, especially in a field grounded in trust.
Recruiting isn’t like selling video games. You can’t just point to a shelf and say, “Pick one.” You are helping people with their careers, dreams, and families. That’s a whole lot of responsibility. A single introduction has the power to change someone’s life. So, how do you earn that kind of trust?
Lily did just that. She created connections that stuck around long after the ink dried on the contracts. Those relationships bore fruit for years, and even today, they continue to blossom. Anyone can place a candidate quickly, but that’s only part of the job. What happens next? Do those candidates stay planted in their new roles? Does the company flourish?
Lily Mirhashemi honored with a Best Female Executive of the Year nomination.
**Think of it this way**: who enjoys a cycle of interviews that feels like running on a hamster wheel? Companies waste precious time, and hiring managers often feel exasperated. Employees can lose faith. Everyone is unhappy. Purchasing a pair of shoes that pinch your feet feels the same. You can own those shoes, but deep down, you regret the purchase.
Lily knew something was missing. Hiring often emphasized skills alone, but she saw the larger picture. Skills are undeniably important, yet they are only part of the equation. People come with unique habits, values, energy, curiosity, and sometimes, a lack of those qualities. That’s where Lily found her secret sauce. She excelled at spotting the right “fit,” not just qualifications on paper.
“Fit” may seem like a simple word, but it has the power to change everything. Think of a group of students working on a project. One loves planning, one enjoys building, and the last one shines at presenting. Together, they create *magic*. But swap one student with someone who isn’t a team player, and suddenly the fun fizzles out. The blend matters, just like hiring.
Lily understood this magic early on, and before long, she gained a big reputation. She became the go-to person for passive candidates (who were already comfortably settled in their jobs and not actively searching). Despite this, when Lily called, they stopped to listen. Why? Because genuine trust opens doors that job ads can’t.
Building that trust takes time. And Lily poured her heart into it. In a world where job postings often attract hundreds of candidates, she helped companies cut through the chaos. Instead of sending a dozen resumes, she focused on quality. That means delivering a few strong matches, not just filling spots.
Patience isn’t a trending topic, yet it pays off. Think about golf. Lily loves to golf, and guess what? The game tests her patience. Not every shot lands exactly where she wants, but improvement comes one swing at a time. Relationships and careers work similarly. Great things take time. And a steady approach often leads to lasting results.
Lily built her name through connections and by truly listening. She didn’t just hear; she understood both clients’ and candidates’ needs. Sometimes, those wants clashed. A candidate might seek higher pay, while a company needs stronger leadership. The recruiter has to steer these waters, like a part-time translator, advisor, and matchmaker.
A successful leader isn’t just someone with a title. They create moments that resonate. Lily’s experiences reshaped how she viewed recruitment. A company remembers a recruiter who solved a tough search. A candidate keeps in mind the person who believed in them. These enriching moments create loyalty. Those moments establish careers. And they lay down the bricks that build businesses.
**Here’s the twist**: Lily’s nomination isn’t just about professional success; it highlights her character. So many smart leaders exist, yet what sets the best apart? Consistency. Trustworthiness. The willingness to put relationships first. These traits define Lily’s journey. Even the name of her recruiting firm, [CooperDouglas](https://cooperdouglas.com/?ref=smdp.com), reflects those values—founded on trust and deep roots.
In a world that often clamors for quick results, Lily’s career reveals another truth: great success doesn’t grow overnight. Like the strongest oak tree, it flourishes slowly. Why rush the process in leadership? Lily’s journey illustrates that it’s not about fortune; it’s years of steady effort, trust-building, and choosing people over transactions.
This nomination isn’t just a trophy to add to her shelf. It illustrates a greater message: great leadership sometimes whispers instead of shouting. It listens, observes, asks thoughtful questions, and helps others shine. Wonder who those admired leaders might be? It’s not the office size that sticks in people’s minds; it’s the integrity, the kindness, the trust.
Trust is Lily’s hallmark, built through thousands of meaningful interactions. Each engagement adds to a strong foundation. Companies trust her insight, candidates consider her guidance, and partners believe in her vision. That trust is no small feat. It’s one of the hardest achievements to obtain. Money can attract attention, but it cannot buy genuine trust.
Lily’s nomination signifies many achievements. It celebrates a great executive and a respected entrepreneur. It recognizes a recruiter who prioritizes fit and values relationships over sheer numbers. And at its core, it pays homage to a leader who never forgot that people ultimately trump everything else.
In a fast-paced world, that refreshing belief doesn’t just stand out. It shines. So, the real question is: how will you cultivate relationships in your own career? Because in the end, those connections could change everything.
### Monday, June 15, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/saturday-june-13-2026-2/
Last updated: 2026-06-15T18:19:45.000Z
The World Cup brought out fans over the weekend to several Santa Monica activations and you can find more information about how to watch a game online at .
Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High near 70F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 70º/61º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 71º/62º
### FIRST UP
Study: UCLA study identifies how air pollution causes inflammation in pregnant women, linking it to preterm birth risks. (Photo Credit: SMDP)
### Air pollution linked to pregnancy inflammation, raising risk of preterm birth, other complications
Exposure to a common air pollutant found in vehicle exhaust and wildfire smoke triggers inflammation in pregnant women..[READ](https://www.smdp.com/air-pollution-linked-to-pregnancy-inflammation-raising-risk-of-preterm-birth-other-complications/)
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### MORE NEWS
[Santa Monica Accepts $2M Federal Grant for I-10 Capping StudySanta Monica City Council unanimously approved a $2 million federal grant to study capping the Interstate 10 freeway with parks between 11th and 20th streets in the Pico Neighborhood.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-accepts-2m-grant-to-study-capping-the-i-10/)
[LA28 Drop 2 Olympic Tickets On-Sale August 10-20LA28 announces Drop 2 Olympic ticket on-sale window runs August 10-20, 2024\. Register by July 22 at Tickets.LA28.org for chance to purchase Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games tickets.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/la28-announces-drop-2-olympic-ticket-on-sale-window-for-aug-10-20/)
[Santa Monica Floral Studio Blends Flowers and Sound HealingViola Floral in Santa Monica hosted a wellness event combining live flower arranging with crystal sound bowl healing for Mental Health Awareness Month on May 20.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-floral-studio-blends-flowers-and-sound-healing-in-mental-health-awareness-event/)
[Beach Bus Returns Summer 2026: $3 Trips to Santa MonicaBeach Bus returns summer 2026 with affordable $3 round-trip fares from Charter Oak, La Crescenta, and Altadena to Santa Monica Beach through Labor Day. Book at LAGoBus.com.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/beach-bus-service-returns-connecting-l-a-foothill-communities-to-santa-monica/)
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### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[SMPD deploying enhanced safety measures during World CupThe Santa Monica Police Department is deploying an expanded public safety operation across the city as FIFA World Cup 2026 activations bring international visitors to the beachside community beginning this week. The department announced it will increase foot, bike and vehicle patrols throughout the city’s busiest corridors, with particularSMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/smpd-deploying-enhanced-safety-measures-during-world-cup/)
[Santa Monica Library Summer Reading Program Starts June 13Santa Monica Public Library opens Summer Reading Program registration June 13\. All ages can register online or in-person. Win Nintendo Switch 2, Kobo eReader, and more through August 15.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-public-library-summer-reading-program-registration-opens-june-13/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061526.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### The Law Firm For Tenant Rights, Nominated for Best Tenant Rights Law Firm in California
URL: https://www.smdp.com/best-tenant-rights-law-firm-california/
Last updated: 2026-07-01T17:00:05.000Z
Housing drama in California sneaks in like an uninvited guest. A leak drips from the ceiling, the heater abruptly quits, or an eviction notice suddenly appears on the door. These little hiccups start as annoying annoyances, but soon they’re the talk of the kitchen table.
Most renters aren’t legal experts. They don’t spend weekends flipping through housing laws or government rules. Like most people, they think everything’s peachy—until reality hits. By the time a repair request disappears into the void, a security deposit vanishes, or an eviction notice shows up, many realize navigating California’s crazy housing laws isn’t easy. That’s where tenant advocacy steps in.
For years, [The Law Firm For Tenant Rights, Inc](https://www.lawfirmfortenantrights.com/?ref=smdp.com). has been the superhero renters didn’t know they needed. They’ve fought to help tenants understand the rules that guard their homes, security, and futures. In a state buzzing with housing hot topics, this firm is the go-to when life throws curveballs. Their dedication has landed them some serious bling, including nominations for [**Best Tenant Law Firm 2024**](https://www.smdp.com/the-law-firm-for-tenant-rights-inc-nominated-for-the-best-tenant-law-firm-2024/), [**Best Law Firm in California**](https://www.smdp.com/lftr-nominated-best-law-firm-in-california/) **(2025)**, and the cherry on top: **Best Tenant Rights Law Firm in California**.
That kind of praise doesn’t come from nowhere. It springs from years of guiding people through some of life’s most stress-filled moments.
Many housing headaches start small, like when your landlord ignores a repair. A security deposit goes missing. You see water spots on a wall. A broken window lingers in limbo. At first, these feel like minor nuisances. People hope they’ll just vanish.
But these small issues can snowball into big headaches. A tiny leak can turn into a water disaster. Mold can crash the party. A repair delay can impact a family’s well-being and safety.
For renters, the stress pile-on can feel like a mountain.
Housing isn’t just another bill. It’s where we sleep. It’s where homework gets done. It’s where families share meals. It’s the sanctuary we turn to after a long day. When housing gets rocky, life feels shaky, too.
That’s why knowing your tenant rights is a big deal. Everyone deserves a safe place to call home. Everyone deserves fair treatment and to understand the laws that protect them.
But too many renters can’t find the starting point when issues pop up. Some think they have no choice. Others believe they have to bend to every demand from landlords. Many stay quiet, fearing that speaking out could stir up trouble.
The Law Firm For Tenant Rights, Inc. aims to change that.
The firm’s founder, [Rahman “Ray” Popal](https://www.smdp.com/ray-nominated-best-tenant-rights-lawyer-in-california-2025/), has spent years helping renters find their footing. He’s seen countless worried faces walk through his door, all thinking they have no power. But often, that’s not the case.
One big misunderstanding? Leases and housing laws. Many renters think whatever’s in a lease is a hard and fast rule. But housing laws can set limits on what landlords can demand. That’s why knowing the law matters.
Knowledge empowers decisions. Knowledge shields from mistakes. The firm believes that education is key to tenant advocacy. Helping someone grasp their rights can be just as vital as resolving a legal spat.
That’s why the team invests time in educational work. They reach out to the community, host discussions, hold workshops, and provide educational resources.
The goal is simple: Equip people with information before issues escalate into crises.
This approach has boosted renters’ confidence. Instead of guessing, they can make choices based on facts. Instead of relying on social media rumors, they can learn from trustworthy legal sources.
Accurate information matters, especially when legal stuff is involved. A single mistake can lead to costly results. A missed deadline can create headaches. An assumption can shift your housing situation.
That’s why many tenant advocates emphasize the need for clear facts. Housing laws might seem tricky, but getting the basics down can make a world of difference.
Over time, The Law Firm For Tenant Rights, Inc. has tackled [all sorts of cases](https://www.lawfirmfortenantrights.com/news/?ref=smdp.com). Some highlight unsafe living conditions. Others focus on landlord bullying or eviction blues.
Each case tells a different story, because every person’s situation is unique. Behind every legal issue stands a real human being: a family anxious about their home, a senior panicking about losing a cherished place, a parent juggling housing stability for their kids, a worker balancing rent with bills.
These narratives often fly under the radar and rarely make headlines, but they matter deeply to the families involved. Many victories happen quietly, like helping someone get back lost money or resolving a dispute before it spirals.
Sometimes, success means helping a tenant keep a safe space. Every win can leave a lasting positive impact.
Housing affects way more than most realize. It shapes our routines, our mental health, and our family dynamics. It decides our kids’ school paths and influences work commutes. Housing choices can ripple into almost every part of life.
That’s why housing disputes feel so personal. People aren’t just arguing over contracts; they’re defending their homes.
In recent years, tenant rights have sparked serious conversations all over California. Renters want answers. They’re curious about their protections and landlord responsibilities. They want to know what to do when trouble brews.
People discuss housing everywhere—community meetings, online forums, family get-togethers, and around kitchen tables. These questions keep coming because housing is a major issue for countless Californians.
With costs climbing, renters feel even more pressure. Families work hard to balance rent with food, utilities, transportation, insurance, and other daily bills. Just one hiccup can turn into a huge stressor. That’s why housing stability matters now more than ever.
For many renters, knowing their rights provides peace of mind and a clearer path when challenges arise.
The Law Firm For Tenant Rights, Inc. has built its name by guiding people on that path. Its latest award showcases years of dedication to tenant advocacy—a nod to their commitment to educate, support, and stand by California renters.
Awards alone can’t fix housing messes or make broken heaters work again. They can’t erase the stress tied to disputes. But they can spotlight key issues, help more people find resources, and fuel conversations about tenant rights.
Most importantly, they remind renters that help is out there.
Trust is crucial in legal advocacy. People need a reliable ally during tough times. That trust takes time to build through consistent effort and strong communication.
The firm’s latest award shows that many recognize these qualities.
As California grapples with housing challenges, tenant rights discussions will remain pivotal. Renters will keep seeking information. Landlords will adapt to changing rules. Communities will brainstorm solutions. And new housing issues will pop up daily.
Someone will find mold in their unit. Someone will face an unexpected rent hike. Someone will receive a confusing notice. Someone will worry about what’s next.
In those tense moments, knowledge is power. Support makes a difference. Guidance can turn the tide.
That’s the essence of tenant advocacy. It’s about helping people understand their options, protecting their rights, and moving forward with confidence, not fear.
The Law Firm For Tenant Rights, Inc. stays true to that mission. They make complex legal stuff clearer. They help renters grasp their rights and navigate tricky situations.
At its core, the firm’s focus is on people, not papers or headlines. Real people—families chasing stability, workers seeking security, parents wanting safe homes, seniors needing reassurance.
These are the individuals behind every housing issue, and they benefit immensely from understanding their rights.
Sometimes, the most meaningful wins don’t grab public attention. A family stays in their home. A renter gains confidence. A dispute gets resolved fairly. Someone finally feels listened to.
Those moments may feel small to outsiders, but they’re everything to the people involved.
As California continues the housing conversation, tenant advocacy remains a vital part of the solution. People need solid information, guidance, and support when trouble arises.
The Law Firm For Tenant Rights, Inc. keeps offering all that and more. Their third straight nomination for **Best Tenant Rights Law Firm** shows years of commitment and the trust countless clients have placed in them.
Housing hurdles will keep changing. New questions and disputes will keep popping up. But one thing is clear: People have the right to know their rights. They deserve access to trustworthy information and a fair shot at safeguarding their homes.
That belief is what drives The Law Firm For Tenant Rights, Inc., as it helps renters all across California today and into the future.
### Rolla Weed Has Been Nominated for Best Female Executive of the Year
URL: https://www.smdp.com/rolla-weed-nominated-best-female-executive-of-2026/
Last updated: 2026-07-02T20:11:23.000Z
What does it take to reach a level of trust so strong that everyone simply calls you by your first name?
Think about that for a moment.
In our busy, ever-hustling world, we’re always hustling for recognition. We dish out business cards, polish our resumes, and collect fancy titles. Yet how many of us ever reach a point where just one name says it all? Not many. But [Rolla Weed](https://cooperdouglas.com/about-us/?ref=smdp.com) did.
In the bustling corners of California’s finance and accounting world, people just say, “Call Rolla.” No elaboration needed. No formalities required. Just Rolla. That’s it.
Now, her shining career has garnered another well-deserved spotlight: Rolla Weed has been nominated for **Best Female Executive of the Year**. This recognition feels less like a surprise and more like the next exciting chapter in a story that has been building for nearly two decades. Can you believe it?
But what really makes an executive great? Is it that sprawling corner office with a view? The impressive title shining on the business card? Those shiny awards hanging on the wall? Or is it something deeper, something harder to measure? Maybe it’s trust? Maybe it’s consistency? Maybe it’s simply showing up year after year, helping people craft better careers and build stronger companies?
Rolla Weed honored with Best Female Executive of the Year nomination.
If that’s the test, Rolla’s career provides an emphatic, “You bet.”
Now, let’s think about this: The business world craves speed (fast growth or deals). Everything flies by in a whirlwind, like a thumb swipe on your phone. But people don’t operate like that. Relationships don’t zoom by like a race car, and trust definitely doesn’t blossom overnight.
This core idea sits at the heart of Rolla’s success. Since the start of her vibrant career, she’s waved around a simple, powerful belief: “Relationships ARE the business.”
It sounds straightforward, right? Almost too simple, even. But how many people live by it?
Think about it like this: You’re hiring a new employee. Their resume is a neon sign of perfection. The interview? Smooth as butter on hot toast. Everyone grins, nods, and feels that warm fuzzy feeling. They get the job, and everyone rejoices. But three months later, the balloon pops. Things go awry. Maybe the fit was wrong. Maybe the culture didn’t vibe. What looked like a perfect match on paper turns into a headache.
Sound familiar? Most leaders have lived through that story time and time again. The moral is, recruiting isn’t about resumes. It’s about finding real people. People who can solve problems. People who can lead teams. People who can build trust and, you guessed it, stick around.
For over 17 years, Rolla has been a beacon for companies, guiding them to the right people. But numbers alone don’t tell the full tale; the magic lies in the relationships she’s built.
Here’s a fun fact: Many staff accountants Rolla helped place in the early years of her recruiting journey have now climbed the corporate ladder all the way to executive positions. Some have even become Chief Financial Officers.
Think about a fresh-faced accountant, just starting, who gets a nudge from Rolla. Fast forward years down the line, and the individual climbs the ranks and reaches the shiny heights of the executive world. Who do they still trust? You guessed it: Rolla. That’s not just networking; that’s building relationships that mature and flourish over years (decades, even).
It’s a lot like planting a tree. Anyone can toss a seed in the ground, right? The tricky part comes later. You water it. You protect it. You wait patiently while it grows strong. Careers follow the same blueprint. So do business partnerships.
This long-term vision is what shaped the look of [CooperDouglas](https://cooperdouglas.com/?ref=smdp.com), the executive recruiting firm Rolla co-founded with the savvy Lily Mirhashemi. These two rollercoaster-riding women took a fresh approach. Instead of focusing on volume (pumping out ten million resumes), they concentrated on finding the right fit.
Now, that may sound easy, but it’s more challenging than squeezing toothpaste back into the tube. Think about online dating: Would you prefer meeting one hundred random strangers or three wonderful people who match your vibe perfectly? Most would pick the latter, hands down. Hiring works similarly. A mountain of resumes creates noise, while a thoughtful match opens the door to new opportunities.
This approach catapulted CooperDouglas into [recognition across Southern California](https://www.smdp.com/cooperdouglas-nominated-for-best-recruiting-firm-in-southern-california/). Clients often view Rolla as a vital player, more than just a recruiter. Executives describe her as an extension of their leadership team. That’s a powerful statement, isn’t it?
Consider the level of trust packed into those words. Leadership teams make big decisions. They mold company culture. They steer growth and solve problems. Very few outsiders earn a seat at that table. Yet Rolla has consistently earned her spot. So, what’s her secret?
Trust compounds, my friends. A solid experience leads to another opportunity. That opportunity blooms into another relationship, and so on. Eventually, people stop seeing her as just a vendor. They see her as a cherished partner. And partnerships create lasting value.
Of course, Rolla’s success didn’t appear overnight. Most great careers are built brick by brick, day by day. We often cheer for success only once it sparkles in the spotlight. We see the trophies. We hear the accolades. We notice the headlines.
What we don’t see are the thousands of personal conversations behind those milestones. The early sunrises. The late nights. The candidate calls. The client meetings. The tough searches. The looming deadlines. The instances when a company desperately cries out for the right leader. The moments when a professional stands at a career crossroads. Those moments rarely steal the spotlight, yet they don’t just define careers; they create ripples throughout lives.
Think of a company on the hunt for a new Chief Financial Officer. The wrong hire? It could throw the brakes on growth, wreak havoc on morale, or even cost millions. But finding the right person? That’s a breakthrough. Suddenly, confidence soars, the company gains direction, and the future glimmers with promise.
That single decision can alter the very course of everything.
Rolla has spent years carefully navigating those pivotal moments. This could be one reason people remember her. It’s not because she’s the loudest voice in the room. Instead, it’s about how she shows up when it really matters.
Why does this nomination shine brighter than a diamond? The business world buzzes endlessly about leadership. Books discuss it. Podcasts analyze it. Conferences cheer for it. Yet real leadership often appears quieter than what the dictionary describes.
Sometimes true leadership means listening intensely. Sometimes it means asking better questions. Sometimes it means connecting two people who genuinely need one another. Sometimes it means just keeping your promises.
Rolla’s entire career embodies that quieter, yet powerful essence of leadership. The kind that grows steadily rather than bursting onto the scene overnight. The kind that cherishes relationships over transactions and long-term wins over the fleeting applause of the crowd.
In a world racing against the clock, Rolla’s refreshing approach stands out like a lighthouse in a storm. In modern business, everything’s a sprint. Who can hire quicker? Who can grow faster? Who can expand with lightning speed? But here’s the catch: speed alone doesn’t create trust. Trust requires time and care.
Let’s say you’re building a bridge. Would you prefer slapping it together in three days or ensuring it’s built correctly? Most people would choose the second option any day. Careers deserve the same meticulous care. Companies do, too. Most importantly, people do.
This belief sits at the very core of Rolla’s mission. It helps explain why her nomination strikes a chord with so many professionals. People recognize consistency. They see authenticity. They appreciate leaders who genuinely invest their time and energy into others.
And here’s the twist that adds spice to this whole story: This nomination isn’t just about one executive’s journey. It’s a nod to a larger idea. What if business triumph doesn’t have to stem from endless hustle? What if relationships still matter in this fast-paced AI world? What if trust remains a hidden gem, a competitive advantage? What if truly listening carries more weight than talking loudly?
These tantalizing questions swirl beneath the surface of Rolla’s narrative. They lead us to some profound answers, presented in the success stories of the people she has impacted—the candidates who soared upward, the executives who put their faith in her, the flourishing companies she served, and the long-lasting partnerships she forged along the way.
Those outcomes whisper their own tales.
Sure, awards matter. Recognition matters. Nominations matter. They illuminate achievements. But the strongest careers often rest on a more profound foundation. And that foundation is reputation. The kind built one conversation at a time, one successful placement at a time, one enduring relationship at a time.
For Rolla Weed, this reputation has become her signature. In many circles, it has even become her entire identity. Can you fathom that level of recognition? Few professionals ever reach such heights, and even fewer maintain it for nearly two decades.
That’s why this nomination isn’t just a blip on the radar. It recognizes not just accomplishments but also something much harder to quantify: dependability, trust, and relationships. Qualities that often lay the groundwork for success long before the awards shine.
So, what does it mean to be the Female Executive of the Year? Is it just a title? A shiny trophy? A resume bursting at the seams? Those things help, of course. But perhaps the better answer dances over simpler lines.
The *best* executive leaves people better than they found them, drives companies to thrive, earns trust or fiercely protects it, and weaves relationships that endure time.
For seventeen years, Rolla Weed has stitched a career around those very ideas. This distinguished nomination simply gives the rest of us another reason to notice. And judging by the professionals who know her best, they’ve been paying attention for a long, long time.
### Air pollution linked to pregnancy inflammation, raising risk of preterm birth, other complications
URL: https://www.smdp.com/air-pollution-linked-to-pregnancy-inflammation-raising-risk-of-preterm-birth-other-complications/
Last updated: 2026-06-15T10:00:02.000Z
Exposure to a common air pollutant found in vehicle exhaust and wildfire smoke triggers inflammation in pregnant women, potentially raising the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight and developmental problems in children, according to a new study led by UCLA researchers.
The [study](https://www.smdp.com/toxic-carcinogen-found-in-l-a-wildfire-cleanup-zones-putting-millions-at-risk/), published Monday in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Research Health, is among the first to identify a biological mechanism explaining why pregnant women exposed to higher levels of air pollution face worse outcomes — moving beyond statistical associations to examine what is actually happening inside the body.
Researchers focused on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, a class of chemicals released primarily through the burning of fuel in vehicle engines. PAHs are also produced by wildfires, cigarette smoke, industrial emissions and high-temperature cooking methods such as grilling or charring meat.
"These findings provide biological evidence that PAHs influence the immune system and inflammatory processes during pregnancy, and we know that increased inflammation can contribute to negative pregnancy outcomes," said Dr. Beate Ritz, a professor in UCLA Fielding School of Public Health's epidemiology and environmental health sciences departments and the study's lead researcher. "Given how widespread PAHs are in urban air pollution, it underscores the need for policies that reduce exposures to these pollutants for this vulnerable population."
The research team tracked 159 pregnant women, collecting urine samples at up to three points during their pregnancies — in the early, middle and later stages of gestation. Scientists measured both PAH metabolites, which indicate how much of the chemical a person has absorbed, and inflammatory markers, molecules that signal activation of the immune system.
At every stage of pregnancy, higher PAH levels corresponded with greater inflammatory activity. For every doubling of PAH exposure, inflammatory markers rose by 10 to 50 percent.
The type of inflammation, however, shifted as pregnancies progressed. Pro-inflammatory responses were strongest during the early and middle stages of gestation. Later in pregnancy, researchers observed elevated levels of interleukin-10, or IL-10, a marker that works to suppress inflammation.
Ritz said that late-pregnancy rise in IL-10 represents the body responding as it should. "IL-10 suppresses inflammation, which is important in preventing preterm birth," she said. "The higher IL-10 levels toward the end of the pregnancy meant the mother's body was doing what we would want in response to the PAHs. But we can assume that in cases where the IL-10 wasn't increased at the end of the pregnancy, that is how air pollution would contribute to an adverse outcome."
On the policy front, Ritz said current air quality standards may be less of a concern than geographic hotspots where pollution is concentrated. "General air pollution standards are less of a problem than geospatial hot spots for high exposures near sources such as closer to traffic, ports and airports," she said. She called for "reductions in combustion and traffic related pollution and public health recommendations for air filters during wildfires as interventions in vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women."
At the individual level, Ritz said pregnant women can take steps to limit their exposure by avoiding time spent near heavy traffic, staying indoors during active wildfires and using indoor air filtration when available. Diet may also offer some protection — green leafy vegetables have been shown to accelerate the body's metabolism of PAHs, helping to eliminate them more quickly.
Ritz cautioned that while the study cohort was not representative of the broader population of pregnant women, the immune responses observed are considered universal. "We have shown many times that air pollution is related to adverse birth outcomes in all of California pregnant women," she said. The study, she added, was focused specifically on the biological mechanisms at work — examining "whether PAH increase immune responses" — rather than broader demographic patterns.
The study was funded by the [National Institute of Child Health and Human Development](https://www.nichd.nih.gov/?ref=smdp.com), part of the National Institutes of Health. Additional authors came from UCLA's Fielding School of Public Health and the David Geffen School of Medicine.
Ritz said further research is needed to identify additional protective factors and to better understand how PAH-related inflammation during pregnancy translates into long-term health risks for both mothers and children.
### Santa Monica accepts $2M grant to study capping the I-10
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-accepts-2m-grant-to-study-capping-the-i-10/
Last updated: 2026-06-15T10:00:02.000Z
The City Council voted unanimously June 9 to accept a $2 million federal grant to study capping a section of the Interstate 10 freeway with parks, and directed city staff to use the same study to weigh broader options, including removing the freeway entirely.
The grant, from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program, will fund a feasibility study of potential "cap parks" along the I-10 between 11th and 20th streets in the city's Pico Neighborhood. The award requires a local match of $505,712, which the city will cover through staff time and Park and Recreation Development Impact Fee revenues.
"It's basically a park on top of a highway," Senior Park Planner Antonio Lopez told the council, explaining a term that has drawn frequent questions. The roughly 25- to 30-acre study area covers a freeway corridor that has divided the neighborhood for decades.
City officials framed the project as an effort to repair historical harm. The freeway, built as part of the interstate system authorized in 1956, displaced more than 1,500 residents in what is now the [Pico Neighborhood](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-elks-lodge-to-host-flag-day-ceremony-june-11/), severing a predominantly Black and Latino community. The Pico Neighborhood Association formed in 1979 to advocate for affected residents, and the city explored capping a portion of the freeway in 2010 before financial constraints halted the effort.
Councilmember Ellis Raskin, who made the motion to accept the grant, called the freeway the most significant environmental hazard in Santa Monica and said capping it would not be enough.
"Capping the freeway, in my opinion, would be a partial improvement, but it doesn't solve the underlying problems," Raskin said, describing it as "essentially a form of band-aid" that would leave many environmental impacts in place and reinforce a car-dependent culture. Still, he called it "a significant improvement" and said the city has "a moral imperative to repair our neighborhoods."
Raskin's motion directed staff, to the extent allowed under the grant, to examine trade-offs between capping and other alternatives — including freeway removal — and to follow the models of cities such as San Francisco and Seattle that have torn out freeways. "We need to stay focused on the long-term goal of removing the freeway and replacing it with parks, a grand boulevard, or other neighborhood-serving uses," he said.
Lopez confirmed that the federal program is aimed broadly at reconnecting communities rather than capping specifically, and said the study could assess the potential costs of capping the freeway or any portion of it.
Some council members pressed on the timeline. The study's final report is due by July 31, 2029, with the grant's budget period ending Jan. 31, 2030.
"Why does that take us four years to do that?" asked Councilmember Dan Hall, who also sought to clarify what residents could expect. Lopez said the study would not produce a final design but rather a feasibility analysis, existing-conditions research and prioritized locations for potential cap parks. He likened it to "basically a design project without ... a design," citing the complexity of a site that involves transit, structural and utility considerations.
Council members emphasized that residents most affected by the freeway should guide the process. Councilmember Caroline Torosis asked staff to ensure that the Pico Neighborhood Association, current residents and people displaced by the freeway are "engaged and centered" in community outreach. Lopez agreed, saying outreach is planned for every phase and would begin before any designs are drafted.
Councilmember Natalya Zernitskaya asked how the city would reach those most affected by what she called "the dissection of this neighborhood" by the freeway. Lopez said staff intends to consult the community on how the outreach itself should be conducted.
The council received at least one written comment in support. Planning Commissioner Jacob Wasserman, writing in a personal capacity as both a driver and a pedestrian, urged the council to study ways to reconnect communities across the 10 and expressed hope the effort could withstand federal attempts to roll back the Reconnecting Communities program.
The motion, seconded by Councilmember Barry Snell, passed with one member, Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Zwick, absent. Staff said the city is awaiting a final grant agreement from [Caltrans](https://dot.ca.gov/?ref=smdp.com) and expects to issue a request for proposals to hire a consultant, with work anticipated to begin in spring 2027.
As the item closed, Torosis pressed staff to move quickly. "If there's any way to do it quicker than 2030, we would love that," she said.
### LA28 announces Drop 2 Olympic ticket on-sale window for Aug. 10–20
URL: https://www.smdp.com/la28-announces-drop-2-olympic-ticket-on-sale-window-for-aug-10-20/
Last updated: 2026-06-14T19:00:11.000Z
LA28 announced Wednesday that Drop 2, its second public Olympic ticket on-sale period, will run Aug. 10–20, offering fans worldwide another opportunity to purchase tickets to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Fans must register for the LA28 Ticket Draw to receive a randomly assigned time slot for the Drop 2 window. Registration is open through July 22 at[ ](https://tickets.la28.org/?ref=smdp.com)[Tickets.LA28.org](https://tickets.la28.org/?ref=smdp.com). Fans already registered who have not reached their ticket maximum are automatically entered and do not need to re-register.
Drop 2 will offer tickets across all Olympic sports at a range of price points, subject to availability. Fans may purchase up to 12 total Olympic event tickets and up to 12 additional Football (Soccer) Tournament tickets, with a four-ticket limit per ceremony. Selected fans will be notified of their time slots Aug. 6–7 via the email address used to register.
LA28 also announced a Visa Presale Ticket Draw for qualified Visa cardholders, offering a chance at a time slot during a presale window July 29–31\. To be eligible, Visa cardholders must confirm their status at[ ](https://tickets.la28.org/?ref=smdp.com)[Tickets.LA28.org](https://tickets.la28.org/?ref=smdp.com) before July 22\. Fans selected for the Visa Presale will not be eligible to receive a time slot in Drop 2.
The announcement follows the first on-sale in April, which LA28 called the most successful ticket launch in Olympic history, with more than 4 million tickets claimed by fans across 85 countries and all 50 states and U.S. territories. That launch included half a million $28 tickets, with 95% of all tickets priced under $100 placed directly with Los Angeles and Oklahoma City area residents.
"The world is ready, and so are we," said LA28 Chief Executive Officer Reynold Hoover.
Drop 2 is powered by AXS and Eventim. Paralympic tickets will go on sale in 2027.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica Floral Studio Blends Flowers and Sound Healing in Mental Health Awareness Event
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-floral-studio-blends-flowers-and-sound-healing-in-mental-health-awareness-event/
Last updated: 2026-06-14T10:00:45.000Z
A Santa Monica floral studio transformed its light-filled space into a sanctuary of sound and blooms last month, hosting an intimate wellness event that drew on the healing power of flowers, music and mindfulness to mark Mental Health Awareness Month.
Viola Floral's "The Art of Slowing Down: Sound x Stem," held May 20, brought together a small group of guests for an evening pairing live floral design with crystal sound bowl healing — an unusual combination that organizers say left participants calmer, more connected and more present.
"Within minutes, the room grew quieter as guests focused on the flowers in front of them or closed their eyes and focused on the sound bowls," said Jelena Trifunovic, founder and chief executive of Viola Floral. "Participants shared that if they arrived feeling stressed or distracted, their mind began to slow down and become fully present."
The evening was co-led by Kelly Merryman Turner, founder of Sol Ascend Frequency Healing and a certified sound healer, Reiki Master Teacher, somatic yoga teacher and meditation guide, whose own path to healing grew from personal experience navigating anxiety and disconnection.
The program opened with a fireside chat between Trifunovic and Merryman Turner exploring what slowing down actually looks like — not as an item on a to-do list, but as something felt in the body. The conversation covered how flowers and sound became languages for processing emotions that words could not reach, along with practical strategies for managing everyday anxiety.
The centerpiece of the evening followed: Trifunovic led a live floral demonstration, building an arrangement in real time while Merryman Turner accompanied the process with the resonant frequencies of crystal sound bowls. The layered sensory experience — scent, color, texture and sound converging simultaneously — created what many in the room described as a collective exhale.
The impact was immediate and, for some, unexpected. One participant called Trifunovic after the event to describe the moment she opened her eyes mid-experience and noticed the founder smelling eucalyptus on her fingers. "She was so wrapped up in the sensory experience of the moment," Trifunovic recalled, "and so was I."
"After the experience, many participants shared that they felt calmer, lighter, and more connected — not only to the flowers, but to themselves and the people around them," Trifunovic said. "There was a genuine sense of joy in the room and guests wanted to stay and chat, and get to know each other. There was a beautiful sense of community."
For Trifunovic, the evening carried deeply personal significance. She turned to floral design while processing grief after losing her mother, Luby, to pancreatic cancer, and has built Viola Floral around that experience.
"Flowers don't require words," she said. "There was something profoundly comforting about working with flowers, touching them, arranging them, caring for them, and creating beauty from them during a time when life felt incredibly fragile."
She described noticing a shift while designing — her mind would quiet, her breathing would slow and the anxiety in her chest would ease. "I felt present in a way that grief often makes difficult," she said. "Over time, I realized that flowers weren't just helping me create arrangements — they were helping me heal."
That personal thread has become central to the studio's identity, though Trifunovic is careful to distinguish between floral design as a wellness practice and clinical mental health treatment. "Flowers are not a replacement for therapy, nor do I present them that way," she said, noting that the practice draws on scientific research documenting the effects of nature, creativity and sensory engagement on stress reduction and mood.
"The most compelling evidence is what I witness every day — people walking into a workshop carrying stress and leaving with a sense of peace, accomplishment, and joy," she said. "They go home with something beautiful, and the opportunity to bring it home and watch it change and evolve. This reminds us of the passing of time — and the precious journey of life."
Attendees left with eye masks from Sea to Me Blankets and high-protein beauty bites from Beatyf(x), while a raffle offered prizes including a reformer Pilates class from The Haven Pilates, a premium floral arrangement and a spot in an upcoming Viola Floral yoga and flowers workshop. The finished arrangement from the live demonstration was also given away to one lucky guest.
Viola Floral's Santa Monica studio hosts private events, corporate gatherings and wellness experiences, drawing guests from Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Brentwood and across the Westside.
### Beach Bus service returns, connecting L.A. foothill communities to Santa Monica
URL: https://www.smdp.com/beach-bus-service-returns-connecting-l-a-foothill-communities-to-santa-monica/
Last updated: 2026-06-13T19:00:34.000Z
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger has announced the return of the Beach Bus program for summer 2026, offering affordable round-trip transportation from more foothill communities in the Fifth District to Santa Monica Beach through Labor Day, Sept. 7.
Round-trip fares are $3 for adults and children. Seniors 60 and older with valid identification and persons with disabilities pay $1.50\. Exact fare is required. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made at[ ](https://www.lagobus.com/?ref=smdp.com)[www.LAGoBus.com](https://www.lagobus.com/?ref=smdp.com) up to 10 days in advance, no later than 10 a.m. the day before travel.
"With the Beach Bus, families from across Los Angeles County can affordably access cooler weather and one of our region's most precious resources," Barger said.
Three routes are available, with full schedules and route details available[ ](https://dpw.lacounty.gov/PDD/beach%5Fbus/?ref=smdp.com)[online](https://dpw.lacounty.gov/PDD/beach%5Fbus/?ref=smdp.com):
The[ ](https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fdpw.lacounty.gov%2FPDD%2FBeach%5FBus%2F2026%2FCharter-Oak.pdf%3Futm%5Fcontent=%26utm%5Fmedium=email%26utm%5Fname=%26utm%5Fsource=govdelivery%26utm%5Fterm=/1/0100019eb371c657-26f9ae4a-1861-4feb-9a1a-d60dd7d065b6-000000/YgXeWXKitToFm8ZWFHZRNYP8yrEWh%5F-71kQ5yCF9kTg=452?ref=smdp.com)[Charter Oak/Duarte Route](https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fdpw.lacounty.gov%2FPDD%2FBeach%5FBus%2F2026%2FCharter-Oak.pdf%3Futm%5Fcontent=%26utm%5Fmedium=email%26utm%5Fname=%26utm%5Fsource=govdelivery%26utm%5Fterm=/1/0100019eb371c657-26f9ae4a-1861-4feb-9a1a-d60dd7d065b6-000000/YgXeWXKitToFm8ZWFHZRNYP8yrEWh%5F-71kQ5yCF9kTg=452?ref=smdp.com) runs Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays beginning June 23, with pickups starting at 9 a.m. and a return departure from the Santa Monica Pier parking lot at 3:30 p.m.
The[ ](https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fdpw.lacounty.gov%2FPDD%2FBeach%5FBus%2F2026%2FLaCrescenta.pdf%3Futm%5Fcontent=%26utm%5Fmedium=email%26utm%5Fname=%26utm%5Fsource=govdelivery%26utm%5Fterm=/1/0100019eb371c657-26f9ae4a-1861-4feb-9a1a-d60dd7d065b6-000000/LiZm0pulm4SwvxKBAq31XDNY1b2C7%5F8lZ2MKNAlT5ak=452?ref=smdp.com)[La Crescenta/La Cañada Flintridge Route](https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fdpw.lacounty.gov%2FPDD%2FBeach%5FBus%2F2026%2FLaCrescenta.pdf%3Futm%5Fcontent=%26utm%5Fmedium=email%26utm%5Fname=%26utm%5Fsource=govdelivery%26utm%5Fterm=/1/0100019eb371c657-26f9ae4a-1861-4feb-9a1a-d60dd7d065b6-000000/LiZm0pulm4SwvxKBAq31XDNY1b2C7%5F8lZ2MKNAlT5ak=452?ref=smdp.com) operates Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays beginning June 9, with pickups starting at 9:15 a.m. and a 3:30 p.m. return.
The[ ](https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fdpw.lacounty.gov%2FPDD%2FBeach%5FBus%2F2026%2FAltadena.pdf%3Futm%5Fcontent=%26utm%5Fmedium=email%26utm%5Fname=%26utm%5Fsource=govdelivery%26utm%5Fterm=/1/0100019eb371c657-26f9ae4a-1861-4feb-9a1a-d60dd7d065b6-000000/gzd-MGCErXV4in7gBrAlV0P22Nc1-ay9Nvo%5FW-zKQ9w=452?ref=smdp.com)[Altadena Route](https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fdpw.lacounty.gov%2FPDD%2FBeach%5FBus%2F2026%2FAltadena.pdf%3Futm%5Fcontent=%26utm%5Fmedium=email%26utm%5Fname=%26utm%5Fsource=govdelivery%26utm%5Fterm=/1/0100019eb371c657-26f9ae4a-1861-4feb-9a1a-d60dd7d065b6-000000/gzd-MGCErXV4in7gBrAlV0P22Nc1-ay9Nvo%5FW-zKQ9w=452?ref=smdp.com) runs Thursdays and Saturdays beginning June 11, with pickups starting at 9:15 a.m. and a 3:30 p.m. return from Santa Monica Beach.
For questions, call (626) 458-3909 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday. For additional information, visit[ ](https://www.lagobus.com/?ref=smdp.com)[www.LAGoBus.com](https://www.lagobus.com/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Legado Latino Honors About 70 Santa Monica High Graduates in Cultural Celebration
URL: https://www.smdp.com/legado-latino-honors-about-70-santa-monica-high-graduates-in-cultural-celebration/
Last updated: 2026-06-13T18:59:59.000Z
About 70 graduating seniors at Santa Monica High School received cultural stoles May 15 during the Legado Latino graduation celebration, an evening of mariachi music, folklórico dance and student recognitions that organizers said has grown each year since its founding.
The ceremony recognized each senior individually for [academic achievement](https://www.smdp.com/smc-student-named-jack-kent-cooke-foundation-scholarship-recipient/), leadership and contributions to the school community, with an emphasis on identity and personal growth alongside scholarship. Families, educators and community members gathered for speeches, performances and reflections on the students' journeys to graduation.
"This year, approximately 70 graduating seniors received the Legado Latino stole in recognition of their accomplishments and participation in the celebration," said Tania Cortés of the subclub Orgullo Oaxaqueño. "Each year, the number of students involved continues to grow, reflecting the powerful impact and strong sense of belonging that Legado Latino has cultivated on campus."
The celebration drew on the talents of several student subclubs operating under the Legado Latino umbrella, including Ritmo Latino, Orgullo Oaxaqueño, Cajitas con Amor, MEChA and Los Angelitos. Their performances and presence shaped much of the evening's program, organizers said.
"The evening was filled with pride, culture, unity, and inspiration," said Daniel Garcia of Ritmo Latino. He described an atmosphere in which students were recognized "not only for their academic achievements but also for their identities, stories, and the communities that helped shape them."
Jonathan Alvarado of MEChA said the event reflected years of work behind each diploma. Graduation, he said, "reflects years of sacrifice, perseverance, family support, and determination."
Legado Latino was founded by Dr. Guadalupe Mireles-Toumayan, whose role in the program was repeatedly cited by students throughout the evening. Many students refer to her as "Doctora."
"Doctora reminds us that our dreams are possible," said Agustín García of Latino Unidos. "She guides us, challenges us to do our best, and never lets us give up on ourselves. Because of her, many of us believe we can achieve goals that once seemed out of reach."
Mireles-Toumayan said the program is designed to help students integrate, rather than choose between, the cultures they navigate daily.
"Through dialogue, mentorship, cultural celebrations, and shared experiences, students learn that they do not have to choose between cultures," she said. The club affirms, she added, "that bilingualism, biculturalism, and diversity are not limitations but powerful assets that enrich academic journeys and future opportunities."
The evening also marked what organizers called a "full-circle moment" with the recognition of Jasson Martinez, a former student of Mireles-Toumayan who participated in the celebration years ago and now teaches mathematics at the school. Martinez serves as an adviser to several Legado Latino subclubs.
"Legado Latino has become much more than a student organization; it is a cultural home, a source of empowerment, and a space of affirmation," said Elena Policarpo of Orgullo Oaxaqueño.
Inclusion across cultures was also a theme of the program. Student Marko Said, who is not Latino, spoke in Arabic during the ceremony to share his own heritage, describing how he was welcomed into the organization to celebrate his background alongside classmates.
Danna Garcia of Cajitas con Amor said students grow through "mentorship, leadership development, cultural celebration, academic encouragement, and community service" as "leaders grounded in cultural awareness and social responsibility."
Beyond the May 15 ceremony, Legado Latino organizes programming throughout the school year, including observances of Hispanic Heritage Month, Día de Muertos, Mother's Day, Día del Niño and Cinco de Mayo, along with leadership workshops, mentorship and community service projects.
"These events highlight the richness of heritage, promote inclusion, and create opportunities for Latino students to share their identities, traditions, and stories with pride," said Milly Garcia of Legado Latino.
Parent volunteers, including Leticia, Claudia, María Loya and Magali, helped organize the celebration, organizers said. Collaborators from [Inglewood High School](https://ihs.inglewoodusd.com/?ref=smdp.com) and the Latino Donor Collaborative also participated, with LDC President Ana Valdez among those attending. Speakers at the event included Ángel Villaseñor, Dr. Rafael Vázquez, Oscar De La Torre, Mark Marín and Onofre Santiago.
Victor Salazar of Los Angelitos said the club offers students a safe and affirming environment in which navigating multiple cultures is reframed as a strength and a source of resilience. Caroline Torres said she hopes the broader community sees the celebration "as a powerful reflection of the strength, resilience, diversity, and limitless potential of our students."
In her closing remarks, Mireles-Toumayan said:
"Our culture is not something we leave behind as we pursue success; it is the foundation that gives us strength, resilience, and purpose. Every student here carries the stories, sacrifices, and dreams of generations before them. Tonight, we celebrate not only graduates, but future leaders who will continue opening doors for others while proudly honoring who they are and where they come from."
### Saturday, June 13, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/saturday-june-13-2026/
Last updated: 2026-06-13T17:27:32.000Z
The US team stunned with their 4-1 win over Paraguay yesterday evening at Sofi. The next World Cup match at Sofi is Monday between New Zealand and Iran at 6 p.m. Plan your trip accordingly with our interactive guide:
Partly cloudy today. A bit sunnier tomorrow. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 73º/63º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 72º/63º
### FIRST UP
### SMPD logs 98 arrests, seizes weapons and forged documents in busy week
Santa Monica police responded to 2,652 calls for service and made 98 arrests during the week of..[READ](https://www.smdp.com/police-log-98-arrests-seize-weapons-and-forged-documents-in-busy-week/)
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### MORE NEWS
[SMPD deploying enhanced safety measures during World CupThe Santa Monica Police Department is deploying an expanded public safety operation across the city as FIFA World Cup 2026 activations bring international visitors to the beachside community beginning this week. The department announced it will increase foot, bike and vehicle patrols throughout the city’s busiest corridors, with particularSMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/smpd-deploying-enhanced-safety-measures-during-world-cup/)
[Santa Monica Library Summer Reading Program Starts June 13Santa Monica Public Library opens Summer Reading Program registration June 13\. All ages can register online or in-person. Win Nintendo Switch 2, Kobo eReader, and more through August 15.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-public-library-summer-reading-program-registration-opens-june-13/)
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Santa Monica celebrates the class of 2026Students from Santa Monica, Malibu and Olympic high schools marked the end of their academic journeys this month as the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District celebrated its Class of 2026 graduates in a series of ceremonies and recognition events honoring academic achievement, cultural heritage and career readiness. Superintendent Dr.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-celebrates-the-class-of-2026/)
[Fore All Unveils Barbie Collection During U.S. Women’s Open Week Expanding Its Mission to Empower Women Through GolfAs the world’s best golfers gathered at Riviera Country Club for the U.S. Women’s Open, women-led golf lifestyle brand Fore All used championship week to unveil its new Barbie™ x Fore All collaboration, launch a Los Angeles pop-up experience and celebrate a growing movement aimedSMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/fore-all-unveils-barbie-collection-during-u-s-womens-open-week-expanding-its-mission-to-empower-women-through-golf/)
[Santa Monica Events Guide: Soccer, Pride & DiningDiscover Santa Monica’s June events: World Cup activations at the Pier, Pride on the Promenade, Hollywood on the Coast Food Fest, and more entertainment.SMDPSean Besser](https://www.smdp.com/around-town-soccer-pride-and-strolling-suppers/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061226.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### Police log 98 arrests, seize weapons and forged documents in busy week
URL: https://www.smdp.com/police-log-98-arrests-seize-weapons-and-forged-documents-in-busy-week/
Last updated: 2026-06-13T16:30:44.000Z
*Officer-initiated activity climbs to 53% of responses; year-to-date arrests up 72% over 2025*
Santa Monica police responded to 2,652 calls for service and made 98 arrests during the week of May 31 through June 6, with officers initiating more than half of all activity, according to the department's weekly report to the City Council.
Officer-initiated contacts accounted for 1,394 of the week's responses — 53% of total activity and a 30.4% increase over the same period in 2025\. Year-to-date, SMPD has made 2,281 arrests, a 71.8% jump compared to 1,328 arrests at the same point last year.
Among the week's more significant enforcement actions, a traffic stop on Ocean Avenue at Broadway led to the arrest of a driver on an outstanding forgery warrant. Officers conducting an inventory search of the vehicle recovered ketamine and approximately 30 forged documents, including driver's licenses and Social Security cards, and booked the suspect on charges of forgery, identity theft and narcotics possession.
On Bay Street, a traffic stop for vehicle code violations led to a consent search in which officers found a concealed, loaded firearm inside the vehicle. The driver was arrested.
A separate investigation on Ocean Front Walk resulted in the arrest of a subject who had been threatening others and making gestures as if armed. Officers additionally determined the suspect was in violation of sex offender registration requirements.
At a parking lot in the downtown area, Downtown Services Unit officers responded to a domestic violence call and arrested a suspect accused of placing a victim in a chokehold. On the 2500 block of Main Street, officers arrested a man for arson after he allegedly set fire to a shopping cart loaded with cardboard that had been positioned near a tree outside a business.
SMPD's Homeless Liaison Program handled 231 radio calls during the week, made 20 arrests, issued 43 citations and referred four individuals to the SAMO Bridge shelter. HLP officers contacted a subject on the 1300 block of Fifth Street for trespassing and determined he was on parole for carjacking and robbery, with a no-bail parole violation warrant out of Ventura County. On the 1800 block of Lincoln Boulevard, a separate HLP contact resulted in the recovery of a BB gun and methamphetamine.
The department also reported a homelessness outreach success: a subject who had repeatedly declined services while sleeping behind a Berkeley Street property ultimately accepted housing assistance after sustained engagement by HLP officers and a Department of Mental Health clinician.
HLP supervision participated in a meeting with the City Attorney's Office, Downtown Santa Monica Inc., the Block by Block ambassador program and representatives from multiple foreign consulates to discuss services for foreign nationals experiencing homelessness in the city.
Traffic enforcement produced 316 stops, 188 citations and 123 advisals for the week. Officers arrested two drivers on separate DUI charges and contacted a parolee at the 1550 Beach Lot whose parole search yielded narcotics and cannabis packaged for sale.
Community engagement activities included youth outreach at Virginia Park, an animal welfare career presentation at Olympic High School and a Sidewalk CPR demonstration on the Santa Monica Pier conducted jointly with Santa Monica Fire Department personnel.
### Santa Monica Public Library Summer Reading Program registration opens June 13
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-public-library-summer-reading-program-registration-opens-june-13/
Last updated: 2026-06-13T16:00:00.000Z
The Santa Monica Public Library will open registration for its 2026 Summer Reading Program on June 13, kicking off a birthday-themed season of books, prizes and community events running through Aug. 15.
Patrons of all ages can register online at[ ](https://smpl.beanstack.com/?ref=smdp.com)[smpl.beanstack.com](https://smpl.beanstack.com/?ref=smdp.com) or in person at any[ ](https://www.santamonica.gov/library-locations-and-hours?ref=smdp.com)[SMPL location](https://www.santamonica.gov/library-locations-and-hours?ref=smdp.com). Registered participants will track reading progress and earn prize-drawing entries. Participants ages 4–18 can win a Nintendo Switch 2; adults 18 and older can win a Kobo eReader. Those who register in person will receive birthday-themed goody bags — marking the Main Library's 20th anniversary — while supplies last.
"This year's birthday-themed program invites the community to join the celebration with books, games, hands-on activities, and memorable events for all ages," said Library Director Erica Cuyugan.
The program officially launches Saturday, June 13, with a family party from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Main Library North Courtyard, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., featuring a magic show, balloon twisting and other activities.
Highlights of the summer schedule include a family concert with Andrew and Polly on June 20 at the Pico Branch Amphitheater; a Dino Chase Through Space Puppet Show on June 22 in the Main Library's MLK Jr. Auditorium; and a Teen Game Night on June 25 in the Youth Activity Room.
SMPL will also bring Southern California's only beachside pop-up library to the[ ](https://www.santamonica.gov/places/cultural-venue/annenberg-community-beach-house?ref=smdp.com)[Annenberg Community Beach House](https://www.santamonica.gov/places/cultural-venue/annenberg-community-beach-house?ref=smdp.com) on Friday, Aug. 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The program is supported by the Friends of the Santa Monica Public Library and the Kiwanis Club of Santa Monica. For more information, visit[ ](https://www.santamonica.gov/library?ref=smdp.com)[santamonica.gov/library](https://www.santamonica.gov/library?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Friday, June 12, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/friday-june-12-2026/
Last updated: 2026-06-12T18:50:16.000Z
Santa Monica fans will not have to go far to feel the World Cup. With eight matches scheduled at SoFi Stadium, the biggest question for many Westside residents may not be whether to watch — but how to get there. This interactive guide compares every realistic route so you can plan:
Lots of sunshine. High 73F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 73º/63º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 72º/63º
### FIRST UP
### Santa Monica celebrates the class of 2026
Students from Santa Monica, Malibu and Olympic high schools marked the end of their academic journeys this month...[READ](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-celebrates-the-class-of-2026/)
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[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184436/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
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### MORE NEWS
[SMPD deploying enhanced safety measures during World CupThe Santa Monica Police Department is deploying an expanded public safety operation across the city as FIFA World Cup 2026 activations bring international visitors to the beachside community beginning this week. The department announced it will increase foot, bike and vehicle patrols throughout the city’s busiest corridors, with particularSMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/smpd-deploying-enhanced-safety-measures-during-world-cup/)
[Fore All Unveils Barbie Collection During U.S. Women’s Open Week Expanding Its Mission to Empower Women Through GolfAs the world’s best golfers gathered at Riviera Country Club for the U.S. Women’s Open, women-led golf lifestyle brand Fore All used championship week to unveil its new Barbie™ x Fore All collaboration, launch a Los Angeles pop-up experience and celebrate a growing movement aimedSMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/fore-all-unveils-barbie-collection-during-u-s-womens-open-week-expanding-its-mission-to-empower-women-through-golf/)
[Santa Monica Events Guide: Soccer, Pride & DiningDiscover Santa Monica’s June events: World Cup activations at the Pier, Pride on the Promenade, Hollywood on the Coast Food Fest, and more entertainment.SMDPSean Besser](https://www.smdp.com/around-town-soccer-pride-and-strolling-suppers/)
[Health sleuths are watching for disease threats during the World CupWhile millions of soccer fans cheer or groan over World Cup matches spanning North America, health officials will be on high alert for germs. A heat wave may be the most obvious health threat. But infectious diseases can spread in a crowd, and experts are set to scrutinize wastewater, hospitalSMDPAssociated Press](https://www.smdp.com/health-sleuths-are-watching-for-disease-threats-during-the-world-cup/)
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### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Santa Monica Gets New Restaurants, Fresh Economic HopeRaising Cane’s and The Win\~Dow burger opened back-to-back in Santa Monica this week, creating over 100 jobs and boosting downtown’s restaurant scene.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/back-to-back-openings-bring-new-options-and-renewed-hope-for-santa-monicas-restaurant-scene/)
[Santa Monica Teen Debuts ‘I Still Love SM’ Photo ExhibitSanta Monica High School student Max Alvarez showcases photography exhibit ‘I Still Love SM’ at The Albright on the Santa Monica Pier, celebrating his hometown through images of beach life, friendships, and community.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/i-still-love-sm-a-santa-monica-teens-photographs-offer-a-love-letter-to-his-hometown/)
[Santa Monica native Randy Bresnik tapped to commande NASA’s Artemis III missionA Santa Monica native and retired Marine colonel will take the helm of one of the most ambitious American space missions since the Apollo era. NASA announced Tuesday that Randy Bresnik has been named commander of the Artemis III mission, a complex orbital test flight scheduled for 2027 that willSMDPGuest Author](https://www.smdp.com/sa/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061226.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### SMPD deploying enhanced safety measures during World Cup
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smpd-deploying-enhanced-safety-measures-during-world-cup/
Last updated: 2026-06-12T22:18:31.000Z
The Santa Monica Police Department is deploying an expanded public safety operation across the city as FIFA World Cup 2026 activations bring international visitors to the beachside community beginning this week.
The department announced it will increase foot, bike and vehicle patrols throughout the city's busiest corridors, with particular emphasis on the Santa Monica Pier, Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica Place, Downtown, beach areas and transit routes connecting visitors to match venues in the greater Los Angeles area.
"Santa Monica is proud to be part of this regional celebration," said Police Chief Darrick Jacob. "Our role is to create the conditions for people to enjoy these events safely. That means visible presence, strong coordination, clear communication, and a public safety posture that supports both celebration and accountability."
The department's Downtown Substation at Santa Monica Place, 395 Santa Monica Place, Suite 122, will serve as a command and community engagement hub throughout the tournament period. The Santa Monica Analytical Real-Time Center — known as the SMART Center — will provide real-time situational awareness and help coordinate field personnel during high-attendance events.
SMPD said it will work closely with Santa Monica Fire Department, Big Blue Bus, Downtown Santa Monica, Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica Travel & Tourism and regional law enforcement partners throughout the six-week program.
"This is an opportunity to showcase the best of Santa Monica," Jacob said. "We want people to come, enjoy the city, support local businesses, and celebrate responsibly."
The public safety mobilization comes as the city and experiential agency Revel Republic launch what officials are calling one of the greater Los Angeles area's most ambitious World Cup fan programs. Six weeks of largely free events — running June 11 through July 19 — will span the Pier, Third Street Promenade, Tongva Park, Santa Monica Place and the Annenberg Community Beach House.
Santa Monica is not hosting World Cup matches, which are being played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, nor is it an official FIFA Fan Festival site. The city's program instead centers on fan activations, watch parties and community celebrations, including one of six official FIFA merchandise pop-up stores in the Los Angeles region — the first to open regionally — at 1427 Third Street Promenade.
The flagship activation is the free Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club on the Santa Monica Pier, a 21-and-older social hub featuring daily live match viewing, DJ sets, freestyle soccer performances and interactive experiences running June 12 through 25\. The event launched with an invite-only VIP opening night Thursday hosted by comedian Kevin Hart.
On Friday, Santa Monica Place will transform its Center Court plaza into what organizers are calling the Westside's largest community watch party for the USA vs. Paraguay kickoff match. The free all-day USA Kickoff Celebration runs from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will screen matches on a 30-foot LED display, with beer gardens, DJ programming and fan activations throughout the day.
Also launching Friday is Golden Hour, a recurring free fan-village event running along the full length of Third Street Promenade between Broadway and Wilshire, featuring local vendors, interactive experiences and an all-ages watch party. Additional Golden Hour events are planned June 27 and July 10.
Families are directed to the World Play Zone, a free daily activation adjacent to the Downtown Santa Monica Metro station at 5th and Arizona running through June 27\. The hub features youth soccer clinics with the YMCA, skill challenges and a large LED viewing screen.
The program includes several additional free events through the tournament: the Santa Monica Block Fest Vol. IV music festival on Third Street Promenade on June 13; a Garden Series wellness programming at Tongva Park on June 14 and July 12; a Make Music Day celebration at the Downtown Metro station on June 21; and a watch party at the Annenberg Community Beach House on June 25.
The program culminates with COAST 2026, a revival of the city's open-streets festival on July 19 that organizers project could draw up to 100,000 attendees to a car-free corridor linking the Pier, Promenade, Ocean Avenue and Tongva Park.
Big Blue Bus will operate direct non-stop shuttle service from Downtown Santa Monica to SoFi Stadium for all eight Los Angeles-area matches beginning June 12\. Fares are $1.75 each way.
SMPD is encouraging residents and visitors to use public transportation when possible, allow extra travel time and remain aware of their surroundings. The department's non-emergency line is 310-458-8491.
### Santa Monica celebrates the class of 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-celebrates-the-class-of-2026/
Last updated: 2026-06-12T14:36:22.000Z
Students from Santa Monica, Malibu and Olympic high schools marked the end of their academic journeys this month as the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District celebrated its Class of 2026 graduates in a series of ceremonies and recognition events honoring academic achievement, cultural heritage and career readiness.
Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton congratulated graduates from all three high schools, as well as adult education completers and students advancing from elementary and middle school programs.
"Reaching this milestone represents years of hard work, growth, resilience and determination," Shelton wrote in a message to the school community. "We are incredibly proud of all you have accomplished and excited to see the many paths you will pursue in the years ahead."
**Samohi, Malibu, Olympic Mark Milestone**
At Santa Monica High School, known as Samohi, graduates celebrated alongside families, staff and community members in a ceremony honoring the Class of 2026\. The district's largest high school graduating class was recognized for perseverance and commitment as students prepared to move on to college and careers.
Malibu High School's graduates were similarly celebrated, with the district noting that their years in Malibu helped shape them as "thoughtful, capable individuals ready to take on new challenges."
Olympic High School, which serves students through an alternative pathway to graduation, also honored its Class of 2026\. The district recognized those graduates for a journey that was "uniquely your own, shaped by perseverance, growth and determination."
**Specialty Programs Recognized**
Beyond the main graduation ceremonies, SMMUSD hosted a series of stole ceremonies and special events honoring students who completed specialized academic pathways.
Santa Monica High School's Career Technical Education program held a luncheon and stole ceremony for graduating seniors enrolled in career-focused pathways, with guests touring the Exploration Building, which provides hands-on, industry-aligned learning experiences.
The school's Project-Based Learning Pathway also celebrated its Class of 2026 seniors with a separate stole ceremony attended by family members, staff and peers.
The district's Spanish Dual Immersion Program marked its 29th annual Recognition of Graduating Seniors ceremony at Edison Language Academy, where graduating seniors received stoles recognizing their achievement of bilingualism, biliteracy and cultural proficiency. The program begins at Edison Language Academy, continues through John Adams Middle School and culminates at Santa Monica High School. John Adams Middle School also separately recognized its immersion students completing eighth grade.
**Cultural Celebrations Honor Heritage**
Several ceremonies specifically highlighted cultural identity and heritage alongside academic achievement.
Santa Monica High School held its 30th Annual Rites of Passage Ceremony, honoring African American and Black graduates. The event brought together students, families, alumni, staff and community members, with graduates receiving commemorative stoles.
The Black African American Parent Advisory Committee hosted a separate Rite of Passage Ceremony for middle school students transitioning to high school, recognizing students' achievements while honoring their cultural identity.
The Puente parent group hosted a graduation celebration for Santa Monica High School seniors honoring Latino heritage and culture. Graduating seniors received custom-designed stoles recognizing their leadership and commitment to cultural pride.
**Middle School, Elementary Completions**
The celebration extended beyond the high schools, with middle school culmination ceremonies held at John Adams Middle School, Lincoln Middle School, Malibu Middle School and Santa Monica Alternative School House.
Fifth-grade promotion ceremonies were held at Edison Language Academy, Franklin, Grant, Malibu, McKinley, Roosevelt, Webster and Will Rogers Learning Community elementary schools.
Samohi seniors continued a longstanding district tradition by returning to their former elementary schools in caps and gowns for "Clap Out" visits, congratulating younger students and marking the full arc of their K-12 journeys.
**Additional Milestones**
SMMUSD's Adult Education program also held its own graduation, recognizing completers for their dedication to building new opportunities for themselves and their families.
The district celebrated 103 students who earned reclassification as English proficient, recognizing years of work toward multilingual achievement.
Twenty district employees were honored at a retirement celebration, recognized for years of service to students and school communities.
Student board members Haley Castanaza of Santa Monica High School, Ailis Kinney and Antony Wangsuo Baihu of Malibu High School and Anthony Romeall of Olympic High School were also thanked for their service during the 2025-26 school year.
The first day of the 2026-27 school year is scheduled for Aug. 20.
### Fore All Unveils Barbie Collection During U.S. Women's Open Week Expanding Its Mission to Empower Women Through Golf
URL: https://www.smdp.com/fore-all-unveils-barbie-collection-during-u-s-womens-open-week-expanding-its-mission-to-empower-women-through-golf/
Last updated: 2026-06-12T14:26:03.000Z
As the world's best golfers gathered at Riviera Country Club for the U.S. Women's Open, women-led golf lifestyle brand Fore All used championship week to unveil its new Barbie™ x Fore All collaboration, launch a Los Angeles pop-up experience and celebrate a growing movement aimed at bringing more women and girls into the game.
The four-year-old company, founded by CEO Jen Clyde and co-founder Michelle Money Weir, brought its Barbie x Fore All collection to Los Angeles with a dedicated Melrose Avenue pop-up while activating around one of women's golf's biggest stages. For Clyde, the partnership represents far more than a licensing deal. It is part of a larger mission to help women and girls build confidence through sport. "We've been about growing the game for women for so long. We brought our Barbie x Fore All collection to Los Angeles and wanted to be here supporting these players. It's not just about putting a piece of clothing on an athlete. It's about investing in them and cheering for them," said Clyde.
What makes Clyde's entrepreneurial journey particularly compelling is that she wasn't a golfer when the idea for Fore All was born. The inspiration came from a business experience many women can relate to. "I was consulting for an app, and they left me off a conversation because they went golfing," Clyde recalled. "They said, 'No offense, I just didn't think you golf.' And I thought, that's interesting. For business, we need to learn how to play golf."
Rather than accepting exclusion from the conversation, Clyde decided to learn the game herself. She called a friend who was dating a golfer, and the pair began taking lessons together. When they started documenting their experience online, something unexpected happened. "We posted a video and it went viral. Women started saying, 'I want to golf with you," said Clyde.
The duo began hosting golf events for women, and demand quickly exceeded expectations. "The events started selling out," she said. "Women wanted community. They wanted a place where they felt comfortable learning and belonging."
Recognizing an opportunity, Clyde leveraged her background in product development while her co-founder brought expertise in community building. Together, they launched Fore All, a brand designed to make golf feel more welcoming, stylish and approachable for women. Four years later, the company has grown from a grassroots community into a nationally recognized golf brand.
The Barbie partnership marks a significant milestone in that growth. Clyde said the collaboration was inspired by a simple question, "What if more girls were introduced to golf at a younger age?" "When you look at the data, if we introduced women to this game earlier, would there be a chance they'd want to play?" she said. "Maybe they'd want to hit more balls. Maybe they'd ask their dad questions. Maybe their mom would start playing too."
The idea stayed with her. Clyde even purchased a Barbie display piece for her office years ago, jokingly using it as a manifestation tool for a future collaboration. As a young company, she viewed the possibility as a long shot. "They called me and said, 'We want to do it. I was blown away and so excited," she added.
The resulting collection is designed to resonate with women and girls alike, combining golf apparel with a message of confidence, empowerment and possibility. "My dream is to have a brand that creates amazing products for women of all ages, whether it's an eight-year-old girl or a grown woman," Clyde said. "I want them to feel confident. I want them to feel like they can go do anything."
That mission is deeply personal. A single mother of four and lifelong entrepreneur, Clyde credits sports with helping shape the confidence that allowed her to take risks throughout her career. "I truly believe sports gave me a tool that helped me take more risks and feel more confident while doing so," she said. "If I can provide that along the way with a really cool brand and a good product, then I feel like we've made some sort of impact."
The launch comes at a time when women's sports are experiencing unprecedented momentum. From record attendance and sponsorship investments to expanding opportunities for female athletes and founders, the landscape continues to evolve.
Golf is part of that transformation. For Clyde, success isn't simply measured by sales or partnerships. It's measured by the next generation.
She recently met a young girl shopping at a Fore All event who told her that if she made her golf team, her father had promised to buy her a new golf bag. "I told her I was pulling for her," Clyde said. "She seemed so confident. That's what I want. I want to bring that empowerment at a younger age so it stays with them throughout their lives."
Standing alongside the world's best female golfers during one of the sport's biggest championships, Clyde sees Fore All as part of something larger than apparel. "It's about creating opportunities, building community and ensuring more women and girls see a place for themselves in the game," Clyde said.
### Around Town: Soccer, Pride, and Strolling Suppers
URL: https://www.smdp.com/around-town-soccer-pride-and-strolling-suppers/
Last updated: 2026-06-12T01:30:56.000Z
SMDP's Weekly Guide to Food & Entertainment Goings-On In & Around Town includes World Cup activations, the Hollywood on the Coast Food Fest, Pride on the Promenade, and much more!
**Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club:** The Santa Monica Pier is trading its classic boardwalk aesthetic for high-octane soccer culture with a massive 21+ fan village on the pier deck running Wednesday through Sunday (11 a.m. to 9 p.m.). Beyond giant screens broadcasting daily match action—starting with the U.S. vs. Paraguay opener on June 12—the space features a Hypebeast jersey customization station, interactive skill games, and cold pours at the custom Match Bar. Keep an eye out for celebrity guest drops and live sets from high-profile DJs. Entry is free, but timed RSVPs are mandatory via [michelobultra.com/pitchsideclub](https://www.michelobultra.com/pitchsideclub?ref=smdp.com).
**World Play Zone at the Metro Station:** The E Line Downtown Station Lot is transforming into a family-friendly World Cup activation featuring soccer challenges, skill stations, and interactive play. **Weekends, June 11–28** [santamonicacup.com/events/junior-junction](http://santamonicacup.com/events/junior-junction?ref=smdp.com)
**Santa Monica USA World Cup Kick Off Celebration:** Join the Westside's biggest Football/Soccer watch party & fan fest with large LED screens, DJ, food, drink, beer gardens, activations, contests & giveaways. **Friday, June 12, 11a.m. - 9p.m., Santa Monica Place** [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/santa-monica-usa-kick-off-celebration-tickets-1988440818014](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/santa-monica-usa-kick-off-celebration-tickets-1988440818014?ref=smdp.com)
**Golden Hour at Third Street Promenade:** Designed to complement the Pier fan experience with free pre- and post-match activities, Golden Hour features exhibitors, fan experiences, local vendors and more. **Friday June 12 (also June 21, June 27 and July 10).** [santamonicacup.com/events/golden-hour](http://santamonicacup.com/events/golden-hour?ref=smdp.com)
**Giant World Cup Themed Sand Sculptures at Mother’s Beach:** Discover custom sand sculptures (approximately 4 feet high by 18 feet wide) celebrating iconic LA and coastal themes such as sailboats, surf culture, sea lions, team countries, classic cars, film influences, and a special tribute to America’s 250th anniversary. Each match day will showcase a different sand sculpture. **4101 Admirality Way, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily** [https://visitmdr.com/annual-events/sand-sculpture-activations-at-mothers-beach](https://visitmdr.com/annual-events/sand-sculpture-activations-at-mothers-beach?ref=smdp.com)
**Laverne Cox discussing her memoir, Transcendent:** Four-time Emmy-nominated actress Laverne Cox shares her journey as a transgender woman in Hollywood, confronting childhood trauma, shame, gender identity, her transition, body image issues, her search for romantic love, deep-seated feelings of unworthiness, and ultimately, healing. **Friday, June 12, 8pm, New Roads School, 3131 Olympic Blvd.** [https://livetalksla.org/events/laverne-cox/](https://livetalksla.org/events/laverne-cox/?ref=smdp.com)
**Gay Interrupted: Comedy Show:** The Crow hosts a gay comedy show, which is interrupted by a token straight. Recommended for 18 + (material is mature and can be compared to content seen in rated R films). **Friday, June 12, 8 p.m., 2525 Michigan Ave.** [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gay-interrupted-comedy-show-tickets-1986651594398](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gay-interrupted-comedy-show-tickets-1986651594398?ref=smdp.com)
**14th Annual Cardboard Yacht Regatta:** Two-person teams make waves racing colorful themed cardboard and duct tape yachts across the historic pool. Spectators can attend for free to cheer on the participants. Regatta participants must pre-register, and the fee is $20 per team. **Saturday, June 13, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Annenberg Community Beach House, 415 PCH** [santamonica.com/event/cardboard-yacht-regatta-2](http://santamonica.com/event/cardboard-yacht-regatta-2?ref=smdp.com)
**Pride on the Promenade:** Pride takes over the Promenade with a drag brunch, community booths, games, a Santa Monica Public Library pop-up and Rainbow Storytime and much, much more. **Saturday, June 13, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.** [santamonica.gov/events/pride-on-the-promenade](https://www.santamonica.gov/events/pride-on-the-promenade?ref=smdp.com)
**Pet Adoptapalooza 2026:** Enjoy a live DJ, free food and drinks, games for the kiddos, raffle prizes, giveaways, and complimentary veterinary wellness packages for every pet adopted today. **🎁🐾Saturday, June 13, 1-3p.m. 210 Main St. Venice** [https://forms.gle/aqFANVURxW7Mayjy9](https://forms.gle/aqFANVURxW7Mayjy9?ref=smdp.com)
**Santa Monica Block Fest:** After the annual Pride on the Promenade celebration, Santa Monica Block Fest will keep the party going with a free, family-friendly Pride and World Cup-themed music festival. What started as a single-block community event is now a city co-produced, multi-stage, full scale production in the Entertainment Zone with pop-up bars, local vendors, and VIP gardens all across three iconic blocks of Third Street Promenade. This volume marks the festival’s first integration of a night market, bringing more than 20 top-tier food and merch vendors into the movement. **Saturday, June 13, 5 p.m. - Midnight** [santamonica.gov/events/santa-monica-block-fest](https://www.santamonica.gov/events/santa-monica-block-fest?ref=smdp.com)
**SaMo Public Library Summer Reading Kickoff Party:** It’s the Main Library’s 20th birthday, and you’re invited to the special summer reading party. Celebrate with cupcakes, a magic show by David Skale, balloon twisting, and other fun activities. Learn how to sign up and discover what prizes you can win just for reading! All ages. **Saturday, June 13, Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd.** [santamonica.gov/events/4fba215gen1c15t4nk4bt3y0nw/202606131030](http://santamonica.gov/events/4fba215gen1c15t4nk4bt3y0nw/202606131030?ref=smdp.com)
**My Lawyer is an Angel:** The Santa Monica Playhouse Jewish Heritage series presents the world premiere of acclaimed playwright Jerry Mayer’s newest play, My Lawyer is an Angel, a serious comedy that underscores the importance of family and how terribly things can go awry when we place the bottom line at the top of the list. **June 13 - Aug. 23, 1211 4th St.** [santamonicaplayhouse.com/my-lawyer-is-an-angel.html](http://santamonicaplayhouse.com/my-lawyer-is-an-angel.html?ref=smdp.com)
**19th St. Community Farm Opening Block Party:** Celebrate the opening of the 19th Street Community Farm and Wellness Garden with a Street Party, complete with music, garden activities, arts & crafts, food trucks and of course, getting your hands dirty and checking out the new garden space. **Sunday, June 14, 1 – 5p.m., 2018 19th St.** [santamonica.gov/events/4z5ta2m1pnt8v1026r3a2wr7c1/202606141300](http://santamonica.gov/events/4z5ta2m1pnt8v1026r3a2wr7c1/202606141300?ref=smdp.com)
**The Garden Series at Tongva Park:** A dedicated wellness sanctuary offering a restorative counterpoint to the busy summer season. This family-friendly event features mindfulness sessions, craft workshops, and signature movement classes hosted by Westside fitness favorites Drenched Pilates and Shefayoga. **Sunday, June 14 & July 12, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.** [santamonicacup.com/events/the-garden-series](http://santamonicacup.com/events/the-garden-series?ref=smdp.com)
**Venice Street Fair:** The fair will close 3rd Ave between Rose Ave and Sunset Ave for artists and small businesses. **Sunday, June 14, 9:30a.m. - 4:30p.m.** [instagram.com/theartistfair](http://instagram.com/theartistfair?ref=smdp.com)
**Annual Soundwaves Concert Series:** Enjoy Dog Star Orchestra Festival of experimental composition. **Tuesday, June 16, 7:30p.m., 12424 Wilshire Blvd.** [soundwavesnewmusic.com](http://soundwavesnewmusic.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**Annenberg Beach House Sunset Picnic - Route 66 Edition:** Kick off summer with a special Route 66 theme. Bring your own picnic and enjoy a relaxed night by the ocean and expect live music, ocean views, complimentary s’mores (while supplies last) & board games, featured Route 66–inspired activities including playful races, a community push-pin travel map, and hands-on crafts like designing your own mini car. **Thursday, June 18, 5-8p.m., 415 PCH** [eventbrite.com/e/sunset-picnic-route-66-edition-tickets-1987961278699](http://eventbrite.com/e/sunset-picnic-route-66-edition-tickets-1987961278699?ref=smdp.com)
**Venice Art Crawl:** Experience the eclectic soul of Venice as local galleries, studios, and pop-up spaces open their doors for this quarterly community tradition. This volunteer-run sunset tour celebrates the neighborhood’s historic status as a creative haven, offering everything from large-scale murals and fine art to experimental performance pieces and live music. **Thursday, June 18, 6p.m.** [veniceartcrawl.com](http://veniceartcrawl.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**ONGOING:** [Museum of Illusions](https://moisantamonica.com/?ref=smdp.com); [The CUBE VR](https://www.thecubeevents.com/santamonicaexperiences?ref=smdp.com); [Splatter Studio](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/california-live/paint-sip-and-create-in-santa-monica/3834517/?ref=smdp.com);
**What to Eat & Drink?**
**Inaugural Hollywood on the Coast Food & Wine Fest:** Conceived as a premier, one-night-only strolling culinary celebration at the intersection of entertainment, culinary artistry, and philanthropy, Hollywood on the Coast Food & Wine will host 750 distinguished guests from across the entertainment industry and Los Angeles’ thriving food and beverage community. **Saturday, June 13, 6p.m., Fairmont Miramar, 101 Wilshire Blvd.** [hollywoodonthecoast.com](http://hollywoodonthecoast.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**The Sunday Table Curry Club:** Something new is coming to Chelsea this summer. Once a month on a Sunday evening, we're pulling the long table together on our patio for a three-course shared Indian dinner under the string lights. Good food, good company — and no need to share the menu. Everything comes to the table. **Sunday, June 14, 6:30 p.m., 2460 Wilshire Blvd.** [resy.com/cities/santa-monica-ca/venues/chelsea/events/sunday-table-curry-club-2026-06-14](http://resy.com/cities/santa-monica-ca/venues/chelsea/events/sunday-table-curry-club-2026-06-14?ref=smdp.com)
**Dragon Alley Coffee Grand Opening:** Welcome the newest coffee spot to the neighborhood! Join for a ribbon cutting, live DJ, and free tacos and coffee giveaways. **Monday, June 15, 9:30a.m., 312 Santa Monica Blvd.** [instagram.com/dragonalleycoffee](http://instagram.com/dragonalleycoffee?ref=smdp.com)
**Whistle Pig - From the Farm to The Coast:** Some evenings are just dinner. This isn't one of them. The Chelsea Restaurant is teaming up with WhistlePig Whiskey for a five-course dinner led by a WhistlePig brand representative on the Chelsea patio. Five pours. Five courses. One table worth remembering. **Wednesday, June 17, 7p.m., 2460 Wilshire Blvd.** [resy.com/cities/santa-monica-ca/venues/chelsea/events/whistle-pig-from-the-farm-to-the-coast-2026-06-17](http://resy.com/cities/santa-monica-ca/venues/chelsea/events/whistle-pig-from-the-farm-to-the-coast-2026-06-17?ref=smdp.com)
**How to Taste Wine Like a Pro:** Join our sommelier and winemaker Amanda Rubin for a fun and interactive evening as they guide you through how to properly taste wine like the pros. Learn how to swirl, sniff, sip, and identify aromas and flavors while gaining insider tips straight from the experts. Whether you’re a longtime wine lover or just getting started, this relaxed and welcoming class is the perfect way to sip, learn, and have fun. **AJA Vineyards, 1417 2nd St., Thursday, Jun 18, 7p.m.** [eventbrite.com/e/how-to-taste-wine-like-a-pro-tickets-1989725530624](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-taste-wine-like-a-pro-tickets-1989725530624?ref=smdp.com)
**Further Afield:** **Harry Potter™ Drone Show at Dodger Stadium:** Celebrating the franchise’s “25 Years of Magic” anniversary and the launch of their global tour, this experience showcases the future of immersive entertainment through storytelling, music, and drone technology. **Saturday, June 13, 6p.m.** [thedroneartshow.com/los-angeles/harry-potter/](http://thedroneartshow.com/los-angeles/harry-potter/?ref=smdp.com)
**More Further Afield:** **Fútbol Free Day at the Academy of Motion Pictures Museum:** The Academy Museum opens its doors to soccer fans of all ages for a free program packed with food, family-friendly activities, and more. Not a follower of fútbol? Museum admission is also free; take a lap around all the installations. Sunday, June 14, [academymuseum.org](http://academymuseum.org/?ref=smdp.com)
**Looking Ahead:** [Juneteenth Celebrations](https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2026/05/21/celebrate-juneteenth-in-santa-monica?ref=smdp.com) (6/19-20); [Main St. Summer SOULStice Festival](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-soulstice-festival-tickets-1987951789316?ref=smdp.com) (6/20)**;** [Venice Fest](http://thevenicefest.com/?ref=smdp.com) (6/20); [Make Music Day Santa Monica](http://makemusicday.org/santamonica?ref=smdp.com) (6/21); [Pier 360 Beach Festival](https://www.santamonicapier.org/pier360?ref=smdp.com) (6/27-28);[Main St. July 4th Parade](https://www.santamonicaparade.com/?ref=smdp.com) (7/4); [COAST Open Streets Festival](https://www.santamonicaworldcup.com/events/coast-2026-0zc31?ref=smdp.com) (7/19); National Night Out (8/4)
If there’s something you think is worth highlighting, you can reach out directly to me at [sean@smdp.com](mailto:sean@smdp.com).[ ](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com)[Here](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com) are my past columns and let me know if you have any feedback on **Around Town: Soccer, Pride, and Strolling Suppers**
### Health sleuths are watching for disease threats during the World Cup
URL: https://www.smdp.com/health-sleuths-are-watching-for-disease-threats-during-the-world-cup/
Last updated: 2026-06-11T20:26:21.000Z
While millions of soccer fans cheer or groan over World Cup matches spanning North America, health officials will be on high alert for germs.
A heat wave may be the most obvious health threat. But infectious diseases can spread in a crowd, and experts are set to scrutinize wastewater, hospital visits, even social media for any signs that an outbreak might be brewing.
Measles, one of the most contagious diseases, is among the top concerns, sparking a warning this week from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO. With a nearly six-week stretch of packed stadiums, bars and tourist sites in 16 cities, officials are on the lookout for a long list of infections, from the stomach bug norovirus to mosquito-borne dengue fever.
"This is truly a marathon," said Palak Raval-Nelson, Philadelphia's health commissioner.
The mass gatherings come at a tense moment for budget-strapped health agencies in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hit hard by Trump administration staffing cuts, already was grappling with a growing Ebola outbreak in central Africa and a cruise ship hantavirus outbreak. While CDC officials have advised state and local health departments behind the scenes, its expected World Cup disease surveillance dashboard still was "in final development" days before games began, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
"Our public health professionals are pretty stretched," said global health specialist Rebecca Katz of Georgetown University, who is leading an unusual new hub to help.
At the Health Security Operations Center, a joint effort between Georgetown and MedStar Health, workers are analyzing data from around the country so they can alert health authorities, even emergency rooms, to any early signs of trouble. The center is issuing daily "situation reports" about disease trends around World Cup host cities and team base camps to several hundred local and federal public health groups, emergency management and hospital officials and others who've signed up.
"It's important that we don't become alarmist," said MedStar emergency medicine specialist Dr. Shane Kappler. "We're trying to be the insurance policy."
Measles is a top concern for potential World Cup spread
Already more than 2,000 people in the U.S. have come down with measles this year, nearly as many as during all of last year, according to the CDC. Patients can spread measles before the rash appears and they realize they're sick. Not too long ago, the U.S. seldom saw measles except from international travel by unvaccinated people.
Now with frequent U.S. outbreaks, "actually a lot of our international partners are worried about measles being exported to them after the games," said Georgetown's Katz.
Measles is spreading in Canada, too, and has exceeded 11,000 cases in Mexico, according to PAHO. It's urging soccer fans to be sure they're vaccinated, with a health campaign saying a single measles patient can spread the virus to up to 18 unprotected people.
Is Ebola a concern at the World Cup?
Brown University's Dr. Craig Spencer, who survived Ebola while working in the West Africa outbreak over a decade ago, said he's repeatedly asked about the risk of Ebola during the World Cup — but "for me, Ebola is not the No. 1 or No. 2 or even No. 3 threat."
"I am concerned about importation of measles, I am much more concerned about the importation of other infectious threats that may not seem as scary to us as Ebola," Spencer said.
Many health experts agree that the risk of Ebola spreading in the U.S. is very low. That's partly because of government travel screenings and restrictions on people recently in outbreak-affected areas. Moreover, Ebola spreads by contact with bodily fluids from someone showing symptoms, not through the air like measles or respiratory viruses.
"One fortunate thing about this virus is you're most contagious when you're really quite ill. It's not like COVID, where you could be sitting next to someone who doesn't even know they're infected and perhaps contract the virus," said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of Brown's Pandemic Center.
How to spot brewing diseases
There's precedent for germs invading major sporting events. Canadian scientists linked a community measles outbreak to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, and clusters of norovirus had to be contained during the Olympics this year in Milan and in 2018 in South Korea.
One way to detect signs of trouble: People with certain viral or bacterial infections shed genetic material that sophisticated testing of wastewater can spot. For example, measles can appear in wastewater days before an emergency room sees its first patients.
This week's surveillance reports from Katz's center note that wastewater testing recently found diarrhea-causing rotavirus, hepatitis A and norovirus in some parts of the U.S., something to watch as soccer crowds arrive.
In Dallas, officials ramped up wastewater screening including at the international airport, casting a wide net rather than looking for specific illnesses, said Dr. Phil Huang, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services.
His team also is enhancing the usual mosquito testing, checking not just for West Nile virus that regularly spreads in the U.S. but for viruses more common in other countries like dengue and chikungunya.
Public health officials have been preparing for months, said Philadelphia's Raval-Nelson, including with mock emergency drills and communications with counterparts around the country.
"I don't want to send a message that there's one key thing," she said. "We have the frameworks in place to carry out what we need to."
\_\_\_
By LAURAN NEERGAARD AP Medical Writer
### El Nino is here and scientists fear it'll be big, bad and costly with heat, floods, droughts, fires
URL: https://www.smdp.com/el-nino-is-here-and-scientists-fear-itll-be-big-bad-and-costly-with-heat-floods-droughts-fires/
Last updated: 2026-06-11T20:23:37.000Z
El Nino, Nature's chaotic climate agent, has formed in a warmed-up Pacific Ocean and is expected to grow to historic strength, meteorologists announced Thursday.
Experts said the El Nino, a natural warming cycle, should further heat a globe already warming from fossil fuel pollution and will likely turbocharge extreme weather across the planet. Meteorologists forecast it will rival — or exceed — a record El Nino that began in 1997 and helped trigger billions of dollars in damage from heat waves, floods, droughts, tornadoes and wildfires.
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officially confirmed the existence of the El Nino, which is a warming of the Pacific near the equator that affects weather patterns across the globe. NOAA's announcement said there's a 63% chance that the El Nino will get so intense this late fall and early winter that it "would rank among the largest El Nino events in the historical record going back to 1950."
The warm, deep waters of an El Nino affect weather patterns by bringing "a lot of extra heat to the surface, fueling a lot of extreme events for a lot of places around the world," said Clark University climate scientist Abby Frazier.
She said, especially in the Pacific, "it can get dire very quickly."
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres described El Nino as an "urgent climate warning."
"El Nino conditions will pour fuel on the fire of a warming world," Guterres said in a video message.
El Nino's impacts spawn winners and losers
The weather pattern's effects vary by region. El Nino often dampens — but doesn't eliminate — Atlantic hurricane season activity, but increases it in the Pacific. So while the U.S. East and Gulf coasts may get a break, Hawaii and other islands are more in danger, Frazier said.
The drought-stricken Middle East could benefit, climate scientists said. Other places are looking at more danger. Parts of western South America — where the first El Ninos were noticed decades ago — often get heavy rain and floods, along with an extra warm summer. India faces more intense heat waves, while drought, wildfires and heat threaten Australia.
Northeastern Africa is likely going to get weather whiplash from intense drought to dangerously heavy rains, said Columbia University climate scientist and El Nino expert Muhammad Azhar Ehsan.
In the U.S., El Ninos can cause more intense storms with heavier rainfall in the South, but they also tend to generally benefit the U.S. agriculture industry, said Jon Gottschalck, operational branch chief at NOAA's Climate Prediction Center.
Michael Ferrari, meteorologist and head of research at the investment research firm Moby, said conditions for grains and seed, especially soybeans, look favorable in 18 major growing states, but are more mixed when it comes to dairy and cattle.
The northern Rockies and Southwest — where there's an "off the charts" snow drought — could get some strong summer rains, Gottschalck said. The biggest effect in the U.S. is often in the winter, when the south can get wetter and the Pacific Northwest warmer and drier.
But overall, temperatures raised by the weather pattern can dampen American economic growth, said Stanford climate economist Marshall Burke. Several climate scientists forecast that 2027 will be the hottest year on record because of lagging effects of this El Nino, which is expected to peak in the fall or winter.
"We have pretty clear evidence that the U.S. economy grows more slowly when temps are above normal," Burke said.
Strong early signs
The weather extremes caused by an El Nino also depend on when it develops.
Usually El Ninos form in the summer, peak in the late fall or early winter, and peter out the next spring, scientists said.
However, Ehsan's team forecasts that this El Nino will peak a month or two earlier based on strong early signs from recent weeks. Princeton University climate scientist Gabriel Vecchi said large El Ninos like these also tend to last longer.
The early indications — including warmer water pushing toward the surface of the Pacific — have been so strong and noticeable that forecasters have all been predicting the same ultra strong El Nino, Vecchi said, adding that El Nino forecasts often are all over the place at this time of year.
Scientists predict stronger El Ninos as the world warms from the burning of coal, oil and gas, Frazier and others said. But she said it is too early to say if this El Nino is part of that.
Even before it officially formed, this El Nino has gotten nicknames ranging from "super" to "Godzilla."
"Instead of scared, we can ask people to be prepared," Columbia's Ehsan said
\_\_\_
By SETH BORENSTEIN AP Science Writer
### Prosecutors paint Palisades Fire suspect as a premeditated arsonist in opening statements
URL: https://www.smdp.com/prosecutors-paint-palisades-fire-suspect-as-a-premeditated-arsonist-in-opening-statements/
Last updated: 2026-06-11T20:21:18.000Z
Prosecutors in the federal trial of the man accused of sparking last year's deadly Palisades Fire laid out a narrative for jurors Wednesday of a premeditated arsonist who tried to cover his tracks, while his attorneys offered an alternate story of a man who tried his best to stop the blaze.
Attorneys presented opening statements in the trial of Jonathan Rinderknecht, who has pleaded not guilty to starting what became one of the most destructive wildfires in California history. Whether prosecutors can prove to jurors that Rinderknecht, 29, started a fire in Los Angeles on Jan. 1, 2025, and that it then turned into the Palisades Fire will be at the center of the trial.
Prosecutors say the Jan. 1 fire burned undetected deep in root systems before flaring back up on Jan. 7\. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt O'Brien told jurors that security camera footage shows where and when the fire ignited atop a hill, and investigators were able to place Rinderknecht nearby because he called 911 for help 16 times in quick succession on the evening of Jan. 1.
O'Brien said that Rinderknecht was the only person there that evening. He said that after firefighters arrived, Rinderknecht followed them up the hill to take videos of them putting out the blaze. Investigators later seized a barbecue lighter from his car that he admitted to having with him on the trail.
Defense attorney Steve Haney said Rinderknecht was on the hilltop near the fire's ignition that night, but only to watch the fireworks after dropping off Uber passengers nearby. Haney said multiple witnesses as well as first responders will testify that they heard fireworks in the area around the time the fire ignited.
"When all the evidence is in, there will be one thing missing: proof that Jonathan Rinderknecht started that fire on Jan. 1," Haney told jurors.
The Palisades Fire ultimately killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes as it incinerated hillside neighborhoods in Pacific Palisades and the city of Malibu. Rinderknecht faces at least five years in prison if convicted of charges that also include malicious destruction by means of a fire.
O'Brien, in his opening, painted a picture for the jury of a troubled young man who was lonely and angry at the world after a recent breakup.
"He wanted revenge — revenge against society because he blamed society for all his troubles," he said.
O'Brien also showed jurors a prompt that Rinderknecht had entered into ChatGPT six months earlier. "So on the far left, we're going to have a burning forest and then you have a bunch of people running away from that," the prompt began.
Haney reminded jurors it didn't matter if they liked his client or "approve of the way Jonathan uses his computer." He said Rinderknecht's behavior after the fire, from calling 911 to cooperating with investigators, demonstrated his innocence.
Haney played an audio recording of Rinderknecht's conversation with a 911 operator during which he reported a fire in the Pacific Palisades.
When federal investigators knocked on Rinderknecht's door, he didn't hide or refuse to answer, Haney said. Rinderknecht even agreed to drive back to the Palisades to help investigators pinpoint the start of the fire.
"It's the voice and actions of a man who was trying to stop the fire," Haney said.
Leading up to the trial, Haney has argued that Rinderknecht is being made as a scapegoat for the Los Angeles Fire Department's failure to fully extinguish the Jan. 1 blaze.
Judge Anne Hwang has ruled that the defense can't introduce evidence or arguments about alleged negligence by the Fire Department, saying it was irrelevant and could confuse the jury. Defense attorneys had planned to include testimony from a firefighter that the fire was visibly smoldering when first responders left before it reignited days later.
Prosecutors began presenting their case by calling witnesses with California State Parks and the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to establish that the fire affected areas with federal jurisdiction.
They also called Special Agent Michael Montevidoni with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, one of the lead investigators in the case.
Montevidoni spent hours on the stand explaining to jurors how investigators gathered evidence and interviewed more than 100 of Rinderknecht's friends, family and acquaintances.
Prosecutors also introduced a multitude of digital records into evidence obtained from his phone, email, Uber, OpenAI and various social media accounts.
Montevidoni said he reviewed thousands of conversations between Rinderknecht and ChatGPT, during which Rinderknecht lamented wealth disparity and climate change in the world and his inability to do anything about it.
These conversations led up to early hours of Dec. 31, 2024, during which Rinderknecht sent angry messages to a woman that he had a prior romantic relationship with. At the same time, he vented to ChatGPT, Montevidoni said.
"It was consistently showing anger and frustration," Montevidoni said.
By JAIMIE DING and CHRISTOPHER WEBER Associated Press
### If Xavier Becerra is California’s next governor, he’ll be a workhorse rather than a show horse
URL: https://www.smdp.com/if-xavier-becerra-is-californias-next-governor-hell-be-a-workhorse-rather-than-a-show-horse/
Last updated: 2026-06-11T20:18:42.000Z
By [Dan Walters](https://calmatters.org/author/dan-walters/?ref=smdp.com), CalMatters
This commentary was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
In the eight decades since the end of World War II, 11 men have [served as governor of California](https://governors.library.ca.gov/list.html?ref=smdp.com) — counting Jerry Brown twice.
Six, beginning with Earl Warren, have been Republicans and the remaining five, including current Gov. Gavin Newsom, have been Democrats.
However, there’s another way of differentiating their governorships — whether they were content to govern or yearned for higher office. That’s also a 6-5 split, the majority having national ambitions and the minority focused on governing.
Newsom’s governorship has about six months remaining, after which he will almost certainly launch his campaign for president. He is in the same ambitious category as Warren, the 1948 GOP candidate for vice president who later became chief justice of the U.S Supreme Court.
Another Republican governor, Ronald Reagan, sought and won the presidency. The four others —Goodwin Knight, George Deukmejian, Pete Wilson and Arnold Schwarzenegger — pretty much stuck to governing.
The same could be said of Democrats Pat Brown and Gray Davis, while Pat Brown’s son Jerry had [two very different stints as governor](https://www.jerrybrown.org/?ref=smdp.com), running for president twice and the U.S. Senate once during his first eight years, but sticking to the job after returning to the governor's office 28 years later.
This bit of gubernatorial history sets the stage for what is likely to be another governance-oriented regime by Democrat [Xavier Becerra](https://calmatters.org/tag/xavier-becerra/?ref=smdp.com).
Becerra will [face Republican Steve Hilton](https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/06/california-governor-primary-hilton-advances/?ref=smdp.com) in the November general election and is the overwhelming favorite. It’s been two decades since any Republican won statewide office in California (Schwarzenegger’s re-election in 2006), and Democrats have a very wide advantage over the GOP in registered voters — 45% to 25%.
Given the odds in Becerra’s favor, some speculation about his forthcoming governorship is warranted.
Personally, Becerra is a 180-degree departure from the verbose, ever-bragging Newsom. He’s soft-spoken, obviously proud of his background as the son of working-class immigrants in Sacramento, and a [dedicated ally of labor unions](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/06/becerra-hilton-california-governor-results/?ref=smdp.com). Rather than climbing the political ladder one rung at a time, as Newsom has done, Becerra advanced largely through appointments.
After stints as an attorney in the state Department of Justice and a legislative aide, Becerra served one term in the state Assembly, put in 24 years as a Southern California congressman and was appointed attorney general in 2017 by Jerry Brown, filling the vacancy caused by Kamala Harris’s election to the Senate. Four years later, newly elected President Joe Biden named him health and welfare secretary. He left the post last year and launched his campaign for governor shortly thereafter.
Becerra was seemingly stuck in the lower tier of candidates and unlikely to make the primary election cut until fortune intervened.
In April, Rep. Eric Swalwell, who was leading in the polls, [pulled out of the race](https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/04/california-governor-swalwell-out/?ref=smdp.com) and resigned from Congress amidst allegations of sexual harassment and abuse, leaving billionaire Tom Steyer as the leading candidate.
But overnight, or so it seemed, business interests, labor unions and other elements of the political establishment pumped money and other resources into Becerra’s campaign. That ultimately resulted in a top primary finish and a spot on the November ballot.
Given his background, it’s unlikely that as governor Becerra would try to make attention-getting splashes as Jerry Brown did in the 1970s and Newsom has done since 2019\. He will have a very full plate of issues that remain unresolved, including crises in homelessness and housing, poverty and California's loss of business and population to other states.
Becerra's governorship will probably resemble that of Brown’s second stint, dealing with real issues rather than grandstanding. That would be a fine model to emulate.
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/06/becerra-next-governor-workhorse-california/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Split verdict on taxes to fund health care as cost-of-living anxiety takes its toll
URL: https://www.smdp.com/split-verdict-on-taxes-to-fund-health-care-as-cost-of-living-anxiety-takes-its-toll/
Last updated: 2026-06-11T20:17:31.000Z
By [Ana B. Ibarra](https://calmatters.org/author/anaibarra/?ref=smdp.com), CalMatters
This story was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
California voters are delivering a split decision on whether they want to pay more sales tax to support healthcare services: Los Angeles County's measure is clinging to a narrow lead, while Contra Costa County's went down in defeat, a divide experts attribute to growing anxiety over the cost of living.
In Los Angeles, Measure ER, which proposes a half-cent sales tax for the next five years, led as of Tuesday evening with 50.59% of the vote. The measure requires a simple majority to pass. Supporters estimate that tax, which would not apply to groceries and medications, could generate $1 billion a year.
The county’s voters historically have been supportive of taxing themselves to fund public initiatives, said Mike Bonin, executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles. But Measure ER proved to be a hard sell.
Even among Democrats and progressives, Bonin said, there was weariness over the measure's regressive nature — meaning sales taxes tend to fall harder on lower-income residents than wealthy ones. “This is tough on people, and so there was some resistance to it, which is why I think it took until (Monday) for it to get over the hump,” Bonin said.
In Contra Costa, Measure B would have levied a five-eights-cent tax generating an estimated $150 million a year. Voters rejected the measure, with 57% of voters opposing as of the latest count.
“We're in a difficult period for middle-income people,” said Marc Joffe, president of the Contra Costa Taxpayers Association who led the campaign against Measure B. “I think the fact that gasoline went up to $6 during the course of the campaign was probably a wind (at) our back.”
The results stand in contrast to Santa Clara County, where voters last fall approved a sales tax with 57% of the vote.
## **Why counties turned to voters**
Both measures were a response to the federal spending package Congress and President Trump passed last summer. Because of changes to Medicaid, also known as [Medi-Cal](https://calmatters.org/tag/medi-cal/?ref=smdp.com) in California, counties are bracing for a spike in the number of uninsured people. And as people lose coverage but continue to seek care, safety net providers stand to lose significant revenue. In L.A., money from the sales tax would also shore up county public health, Planned Parenthood services and emergency preparedness.
Coalitions of safety net providers backed the measures, warning that without new revenue, they could be forced to reduce hours, cut staff or close facilities.
“There’s no way out of this,” Louise McCarthy, chief executive of the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County, said on election night. “This is a situation that is being forced upon us. No local decisions made this happen, and no local decisions without revenue can solve the problem we’re in now.”
[New estimates](https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/over-two-million-more-californians-projected-to-lack-health-insurance-by-2030/?ref=smdp.com) by the UC Berkeley Labor Center project that 2.2 million more Californians will go without health insurance by 2030 because of Trump’s spending law and recent state actions. That would nearly double the state’s uninsured rate to 14.7% and erase much of the state’s progress over the last decade at getting everyone insured. Counties, which operate safety net clinics and hospitals, say the federal policies and funding cuts – and not enough support from the state – are leaving them with major budget holes and in search of new ways to generate revenue.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, who introduced Measure ER, called the sales tax a “last resort,” saying the county had already enacted hiring freezes, limited overtime and tapped emergency reserves. The county estimates it will lose about $2.5 billion over the next three years because of federal cuts.
The measure was opposed by some cities, anti-tax groups and County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the region’s sprawling northern exurbs. Lancaster and Palmdale have nation-leading [sales tax](https://cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/rates.aspx?ref=smdp.com) rates of 11.25%, and in Contra Costa County, sales taxes in Pinole and El Cerrito in Contra Costa have reached 10.25%. Both counties needed [Legislative approval](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca%5F202520260ab1768?ref=smdp.com) to pursue new sales taxes because their measures exceeded state limits.
The sales tax measures came as [half of Californians](https://www.ppic.org/publication/ppic-statewide-survey-californians-and-their-government-may-2026/?ref=smdp.com) named cost of living as the top state issue.
Susan Shelley with the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which opposed both measures, argued the proposals were misleading. Because backers structured the measures as general sales taxes — meaning counties can legally use the funds at their discretion — rather than earmarked taxes for healthcare, they required only a simple majority, not the two-thirds threshold that a special tax would have demanded.
For other counties that may consider taking similar measures to voters: “I hope it sends the message that people are taxed enough,” Shelley said.
Jim Mangia, chief executive of St. John’s Community Health, said the county will use the sales tax revenue as intended: for healthcare.
“This is a temporary solution, and we will not stop fighting for the long-term federal funding Angelenos deserve,” he said.
## **Counties press state for help**
Contra Costa County runs one hospital and 11 clinics. Proponents of the measure estimated it would face at least a $1 billion deficit over five years because of funding losses, though opponents disputed those figures.
County Supervisor John Gioia said revenue from the tax would have protected critical services and helped keep people insured. Under Trump’s budget bill counties will soon have to check people’s eligibility for Medicaid every six months rather than once a year, and adults without children will face new work reporting requirements.
Gioia said the tax could have funded additional eligibility workers and bolstered the county’s program that provides basic health services to people with no insurance options.
Los Angeles and Contra Costa looked to Santa Clara County as a model. Voters there approved a similar measure last November; it took effect in April, and county officials anticipate it will make roughly $337 million a year. The [county is allocating](https://files.santaclaracounty.gov/exjcpb1271/2026-05/fy-2026-2027-recommended-budget.pdf?VersionId=2nXdaYgS8ALX77SDetvr.GW9OS%5F3fPmh&ref=smdp.com) those dollars toward emergency services, cardiac care, mental health services and maternity care, among other areas.
But even that revenue only covers a third of Santa Clara’s projected shortfall, said County Executive James R. Williams. The county is still cutting and reorganizing staff and services in order to balance its budget.
“We were very clear, right from the outset, when we put this emergency measure on the ballot, that we were staring down over a billion dollars a year in revenue losses as a direct result of” federal spending cuts, Williams said. The missing link, he said, “is that the state has to do its part.”
The California State Association of Counties estimates federal cuts [will cost the 58 counties](https://www.counties.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/HR-1-Impacts-to-Counties%5FFINAL.pdf?ref=smdp.com) up to $9.5 billion – a cost local officials say they can’t foot alone. The association has been pushing for additional state funding for months without much success. Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislators must finalize the 2026-27 budget by next week.
“For most California counties, raising local taxes to absorb the impacts of (federal cuts) is not feasible,” said Graham Knaus, chief executive of the association. “And the fact that counties are even being forced to contemplate it is unacceptable.”
*Kristen Hwang contributed to this report.*
*Supported by the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), which works to ensure that people have access to the care they need, when they need it, at a price they can afford. Visit www.chcf.org to learn more.*
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/health/2026/06/health-care-sales-tax-split/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Motorcycle rider in critical condition after collision with protected bike lane
URL: https://www.smdp.com/motorcycle-rider-in-critical-condition-after-collision-with-protected-bike-lane/
Last updated: 2026-06-11T20:01:49.000Z
A motorcyclist remained in critical condition Thursday after her motorcycle struck a raised median separating a protected bike lane from the vehicle travel lane on Broadway in downtown Santa Monica.
Santa Monica police responded to the 400 block of Broadway, near the downtown Target store, at approximately 8:55 p.m. Wednesday following a report of a traffic collision involving a motorcycle at 5th Street and Broadway.
Officers arrived within about one minute and found an adult woman pinned beneath the motorcycle. Santa Monica Fire Department personnel treated her at the scene before transporting her to a local hospital, where she remained in critical condition as of Thursday.
The collision was initially reported as a possible hit-and-run. Investigators determined, however, based on witness statements and physical evidence, that no other vehicle was involved.
According to the preliminary investigation, the motorcycle struck the raised curb dividing the vehicle lane from the protected bike lane. The bike then traveled along the raised median before the rider was ejected and the motorcycle came to rest on top of her. Investigators believe the severity of her injuries resulted from the impact with the raised curb, the ejection and the motorcycle landing on her.
The department's Major Accident Response Team is leading the investigation, reviewing physical evidence, interviewing witnesses and seeking video footage from nearby businesses.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Santa Monica Police Department at 310-458-8427.
### Summer Soulstice Festival Returns June 20, Marking Route 66 Centennial
URL: https://www.smdp.com/summer-soulstice-festival-returns-june-20-marking-route-66-centennial/
Last updated: 2026-06-11T19:00:00.000Z
Main Street's Summer Soulstice Festival returns Saturday, June 20, transforming a stretch of Santa Monica's Main Street into a car-free celebration of music, community and Southern California beach culture while marking the 100th anniversary of historic Route 66.
From noon to 7 p.m., Main Street will be closed to vehicle traffic between Strand Street and Pier Avenue. The free street festival features live music on two stages, classic Volkswagen displays, pickleball, family programming, local food and drink, and pet-friendly activities.
Presented by Gerber Kawasaki, the festival's Strand Stage lineup includes Noble Creatures (1–2 p.m.), This Whole Time (3–4:30 p.m.) and Black Sage Burn (5–6 p.m.). The Pier Stage features Brig Band (1–2:30 p.m.), Westside Crew (3–5 p.m.) and Petty Theft (5–7 p.m.).
A Route 66-inspired Roadhouse Beer Garden will feature country house music and activations from Santa Monica Brew Works, Divine Vintage Wines, JuneShine, Soké & Soula, and Tap Truck Beach Cities. Children accompanied by adults are admitted free to the beer garden area.
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier sponsors the Kids' Zone, which runs noon to 5 p.m. and includes face painting, soccer, music and storytelling activities.
Additional festival experiences include the SUPERGIRL Intergalactic Rest Stop Tour, Volo Sports pickleball programming, a VW Classic Car Show, a VCA Pet Party and the Edgemar Day Rave featuring outdoor DJ performances.
"Summer Soulstice Festival is all about bringing people together to celebrate everything that makes Main Street special," said Jenny Rice, event producer for the Main Street Business Improvement Association. "The festival captures the spirit of Main Street while creating an unforgettable day for residents and visitors alike."
For more information, visit[ ](https://www.mainstreetsm.com/?ref=smdp.com)[https://www.mainstreetsm.com/](https://www.mainstreetsm.com/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### SMC to Hold 96th Commencement Ceremony June 16
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-to-hold-96th-commencement-ceremony-june-16/
Last updated: 2026-06-11T18:59:59.000Z
Santa Monica College will hold its 96th Commencement Ceremony on Tuesday, June 16, at 4 p.m. at Corsair Field on the[ ](https://www.smc.edu/about/campuses/documents/smc-main-campus.pdf?ref=smdp.com)[SMC Main Campus](https://www.smc.edu/about/campuses/documents/smc-main-campus.pdf?ref=smdp.com), 1900 Pico Blvd. The ceremony will also be webcast live at[ ](http://smc.edu/commencement?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/commencement](http://smc.edu/commencement?ref=smdp.com).
SMC will award 13,264 degrees and certificates to 7,068 students, including 3,050 who will graduate with more than one credential. About 1,100 students are expected to participate in graduation activities. The graduating class ranges in age from 16 to 85\. The youngest graduate earns an Associate of Science in Computer Science; the oldest receives three Noncredit Certificates of Competency in English as a Second Language.
The program includes a salutation from Superintendent/President Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery, a faculty challenge from Academic Senate President Dr. Vicenta Arrizon, and a student challenge from graduating speaker Madeline Davis.
"Their accomplishments demonstrate SMC's life-changing mission in action," Jeffery said. "I am so proud of them."
Preliminary celebrations in the weeks leading up to commencement include a Lavender Graduating Students Celebration, Transfer Toast, APIDA and Latine student celebrations, a nursing pinning ceremony and other events. Details are available at[ ](http://smc.edu/commencement?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/commencement](http://smc.edu/commencement?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Thursday, June 11, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/thursday-june-11-2026/
Last updated: 2026-06-11T17:41:51.000Z
The brother of Karen Bass is [suing](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-06-11/mayor-bass-brother-joins-palisades-fire-lawsuit-against-city-of-la?ref=smdp.com) the city after losing his home in the Palisades Fire.
Partly cloudy. High 72F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Today 🌤️ 72º/63º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 73º/64º
### FIRST UP
### TMNT Pizzeria brings ninja turtle-themed dining to Third Street Promenade
The first-ever official Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzeria opened on Wednesday at 1444 Third Street Promenade...[READ](https://www.smdp.com/tmnt-pizzeria-brings-ninja-turtle-themed-dining-to-third-street-promenade/)
---
[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184436/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
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### MORE NEWS
[Santa Monica Gets New Restaurants, Fresh Economic HopeRaising Cane’s and The Win\~Dow burger opened back-to-back in Santa Monica this week, creating over 100 jobs and boosting downtown’s restaurant scene.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/back-to-back-openings-bring-new-options-and-renewed-hope-for-santa-monicas-restaurant-scene/)
[Santa Monica Teen Debuts ‘I Still Love SM’ Photo ExhibitSanta Monica High School student Max Alvarez showcases photography exhibit ‘I Still Love SM’ at The Albright on the Santa Monica Pier, celebrating his hometown through images of beach life, friendships, and community.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/i-still-love-sm-a-santa-monica-teens-photographs-offer-a-love-letter-to-his-hometown/)
[Santa Monica native Randy Bresnik tapped to commande NASA’s Artemis III missionA Santa Monica native and retired Marine colonel will take the helm of one of the most ambitious American space missions since the Apollo era. NASA announced Tuesday that Randy Bresnik has been named commander of the Artemis III mission, a complex orbital test flight scheduled for 2027 that willSMDPGuest Author](https://www.smdp.com/sa/)
---
[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184437/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
---
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Pay no attention to that totenkopf behind the curtainThere are so many fashion trends to keep track of, you may or may not have heard that the Democratic senate candidate in Maine, Graham Platner, has a tattoo of a Nazi SS totenkopf. He was young and indiscriminate when he got it almost twenty years ago, which is whySMDPDevan Sipher](https://www.smdp.com/pay-no-attention-to-that-totenkopf-behind-the-curtain/)
[4 Juveniles Arrested on Drug & Gun Charges in Santa MonicaFour people under 21 were arrested in Santa Monica after police found a loaded handgun, marijuana, alcohol, and nitrous oxide in a parked vehicle near Appian Way and Arcadia Terrace.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/4-juveniles-arrested-on-drug-gun-charges-after-traffic-stop/)
[Community Collective Launches Speaker Series Focused on LA’s Next Golden EraAs Los Angeles prepares to welcome the world for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Community Collective and California State Treasurer Fiona Ma launched a new speaker series bringing together leaders from business, government, tourism and international affairs to explore how the region can maximizeSMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/community-collective-launches-speaker-series-focused-on-las-next-golden-era/)
[Pier 360 Beach Festival Returns to Santa Monica June 27-28Free beach festival June 27-28 at Santa Monica Pier features paddleboard races, volleyball, surfing, live music and ocean sports. Open 9am-5pm daily.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-pier-360-beach-festival-returns-june-27-28/)
[SMC 47th Annual Student Photography ExhibitionSanta Monica College presents its 47th Annual Student Photography Exhibition June 13-20 at the Pete & Susan Barrett Art Gallery. Free opening reception Saturday, June 13, 6-8 p.m.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-presents-47th-annual-student-photography-exhibition-june-13-20/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061126.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### Back to back openings bring new options, and renewed hope, for Santa Monica's restaurant scene
URL: https://www.smdp.com/back-to-back-openings-bring-new-options-and-renewed-hope-for-santa-monicas-restaurant-scene/
Last updated: 2026-06-11T10:00:01.000Z
Santa Monica welcomed two new restaurant openings in as many days this week, with Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers cutting the ribbon on the Third Street Promenade and The Win\~Dow burger concept debuting at 930 Montana Ave., adding more than 100 jobs and fresh dining energy to a city actively working to revitalize its economic core.
Mayor Caroline Torosis was on hand for the Raising Cane's opening, calling the arrival of the Louisiana-based chain a milestone moment for a downtown that has been working to rebuild commercial momentum.
"We are so excited about how many folks have been apparently lined up since 8 p.m. last night to get their chicken," Torosis said. "From an economic development perspective, the city's been working really hard on returning economic activity to our downtown."
Torosis noted that the new Raising Cane's location is expected to create 100 local jobs and said the timing aligned with a broader burst of civic activity downtown, including a newly opened FIFA store, World Cup festivities and Pride on the Promenade events scheduled through the weekend.
Katie Zika, membership director for the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, which represents more than 600 member businesses, echoed the mayor's enthusiasm.
"This brings opportunities, investment and everything not just to downtown, but to all of Santa Monica," Zika said. "Congratulations, and thank you so much for choosing Santa Monica."
Restaurant leader Dustin Fossum said his team pushed hard to open the Promenade location as quickly as possible without cutting corners on quality.
"We've been so excited to be in Santa Monica for so long," Fossum said. "Once we got this location, we made it happen as fast as possible."
Fossum said the interior was deliberately designed to reflect the local community, a practice Raising Cane's follows at all of its locations. The Santa Monica outpost features disco ball surfboards on the ceiling crafted by a local artisan and murals drawing from the chain's origins.
"If you go into any Canes anywhere in the world, they're going to have various decorations that are part of the community it's within," Fossum said. He noted the mural behind the counter pays homage to the chain's very first location, where workers discovered an old bakery mural behind the walls that inspired the restaurant's signature logo styling.
A day before the Cane's ribbon cutting, The Win\~Dow drew crowds around the block when it opened its new Santa Monica location at 930 Montana Ave., taking over a space previously occupied by the Go Get Em Tiger coffee shop. The 50-seat restaurant was designed by the Klein Agency and features murals by Los Angeles artist KC Haxton.
The Win\~Dow has built a devoted following since founders Paul Hibler and Jeff Goodman launched the concept in Venice in March 2019 as a walk-up window attached to their upscale Rose Avenue steakhouse, American Beauty. The restaurant was built around a single, purposefully affordable cheeseburger — a flat-top griddled patty smashed with onions, topped with American cheese, pickles and a pink house sauce served on a soft potato bun. It launched at $3.95 and has risen incrementally to around $4.50.
The concept earned early recognition from Eater LA, which named it the No. 1 new burger in the city, and claimed the top prize at LAist's 2025 Tournament of Cheeseburgers. The chain operates under parent company American Gonzo Food Corp., which also oversees Pitfire Pizza, Superba and Pie Society.
The Santa Monica outpost expands on the original concept with a weekend breakfast menu featuring burritos and egg-topped burgers, with service beginning at 9 a.m. The full menu runs about nine items, including a vegetarian option, fried chicken sandwich, fries, shakes and soft-serve.
The back-to-back openings arrive as Santa Monica officials have been touting a broader economic realignment strategy aimed at filling vacant storefronts and attracting new commercial investment to the city's most prominent retail corridors. City leaders have pointed to new business openings as evidence that downtown Santa Monica is regaining its footing following years of post-pandemic commercial disruption.
### "I Still Love SM": A Santa Monica Teen's Photographs Offer a Love Letter to His Hometown
URL: https://www.smdp.com/i-still-love-sm-a-santa-monica-teens-photographs-offer-a-love-letter-to-his-hometown/
Last updated: 2026-06-11T10:00:02.000Z
When Santa Monica High School student Max Alvarez looked through his collection of photographs, he didn't see a city in decline. He saw beach days, friendships, sunsets and Friday night football games.
That vision became "I Still Love SM," a photography exhibit that drew [students](https://www.smdp.com/smc-emeritus-annual-student-art-exhibition-2026-online-part-2-opens-june-11/), teachers, educators, professional photographers, local business owners and longtime community members to The Albright on the Santa Monica Pier for an opening that stretched well past sunset as guests lingered, talked and reconnected.
"When I looked through my photos, I realized they told a different story," Alvarez said. "They showed friendships, community, sunsets, beach days, and all the moments that make Santa Monica feel like home. That's what inspired 'I Still Love SM.' I wanted to share the side of Santa Monica that reminds people there's still so much to love here."
The exhibit centered on Alvarez's photographs and an artist statement that several guests became emotional while reading. In it, the teenager acknowledged the difficult years his hometown has weathered — a pandemic, wildfires, crime, homelessness and the closure of businesses — before turning toward the light.
"A lot of people look at Santa Monica now and only see the negatives," he wrote. "But I see more."
Alvarez, who has been carrying a camera with him daily for about two years, said his intimate familiarity with Santa Monica has shaped the way he sees it.
"Since I grew up here, I'm photographing Santa Monica from the perspective of someone who actually lives here," he said. "Over time, I started to notice moments and details that other people might walk past, and those are the photos I end up loving the most."
Among those photos, one stands out as Alvarez's personal favorite: a rainbow arching over Tower 24, captured during an early morning surf session.
"We were unloading boards and I looked up and there it was," he said. "I sprinted back to the car to grab my camera because I knew it wouldn't last. Every time I look at it, it reminds me how lucky I am to have grown up here and have these moments."
The opening drew strong support from the local education community, with immersion teachers from Edison Language Academy and faculty from Santa Monica High School turning out to celebrate their student. For Alvarez, having three teachers in particular in the room carried special meaning — each representing a different chapter of his life.
"Mr. Morales was my fifth grade teacher at Edison and he made school so much fun and always prepared us not just for school, but for life," Alvarez said. "Ms. LeVeaux is someone I've always been able to go to when I need advice — she pushes me toward things I might not try on my own. And Ms. Valentiner is like a second mom and has been a big part of my Spanish Immersion journey for years. Seeing them all together in one room made me feel so supported."
[SAMOHI ](https://samohi.smmusd.org/?ref=smdp.com)students arrived after sports practices and after-school commitments to fill the pier-front restaurant with the kind of youthful energy the exhibit was made for. Professional photographers and creatives from across Los Angeles also attended, alongside architects, hospitality professionals and multigenerational families from across the Santa Monica community.
The Albright provided a beautiful backdrop for the evening, with golden sunset light pouring through the restaurant. Local business Kimchi Avocado donated a candy installation, adding a festive touch to what became a full evening of conversation rather than a brief opening.
Prints from the exhibit were available for purchase, with a portion of proceeds benefiting World Central Kitchen, founded by chef José Andrés — a cause that carries personal resonance for the Alvarez family, who hail from the same Asturias region of Spain as Andrés.
When asked whether Santa Monica is on its way back or simply becoming something different, Alvarez offered a measured but hopeful take.
"I think Santa Monica is changing, just like every city does," he said. "Even though it's right next to LA, it still feels like a small town. You run into people you know all the time, and there are a lot of things that make it unique. I think if people continue to stay involved and give back to the community, Santa Monica can become an even better version of itself."
His artist statement closed with words that seemed to resonate with nearly everyone in the room that evening:
"This isn't just a city. It's my town. And I still love it."
### TMNT Pizzeria brings ninja turtle-themed dining to Third Street Promenade
URL: https://www.smdp.com/tmnt-pizzeria-brings-ninja-turtle-themed-dining-to-third-street-promenade/
Last updated: 2026-06-11T16:10:07.000Z
The first-ever official Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzeria opened on Wednesday at 1444 Third Street Promenade for a limited soft opening, bringing the beloved franchise's sewer-dwelling heroes into the world of brick-and-mortar dining for the first time in the brand's history.
The restaurant, located in the former home of Johnnie's New York Pizzeria, will operate in soft-opening mode through June 14, then go dark for a few days before a formal ribbon cutting June 20.
The concept is the work of Andy Nguyen, a serial entrepreneur with a track record in fan-focused, IP-licensed themed dining. Nguyen, who developed the One Piece Cafe in Little Tokyo in collaboration with Toei Animation as well as the Sonic the Hedgehog Speed Cafe in Atlanta, has also brought concepts tied to Hello Kitty, Rick and Morty, Naruto, and other pop culture properties to life. He began publicly teasing the Santa Monica pizzeria in mid-2025, describing plans for a "classic New York-style cheesy slice straight to the West Coast — with a TMNT twist" that had been "years in the making."
The restaurant promised a casual, family-friendly environment with themed decor and exclusive on-site merchandise which it has delivered to the struggling Promenade. The menu features classic pizzas and an assortment of keychains, t-shirts, pins and other items. Staff are wearing TMNT themed clothing with pizza chefs donning turtle themed aprons and floor staff dressed as foot clan ninjas.
The interior features wall to wall TMNT decor including the classic ooze and a variety of neon lights. A bar in the back will serve alcohol on weekends.
The Santa Monica location is one of three TMNT pizzerias announced globally by Paramount, with the others slated for Monterrey, Mexico, and São Paulo, Brazil. Paramount unveiled the pizzerias in February as part of a sweeping franchise expansion led by Josh Silverman, who was brought aboard last fall as president of global products and experiences after stints at Disney, Marvel, and Mattel. Silverman described the restaurants as part of a broader push to extend the Turtles brand across consumer products and location-based entertainment.
The restaurant expansion is part of a larger franchise push that also includes a 30-episode preschool-targeted YouTube animated series, a global master toy license awarded to Mattel beginning in 2027 — ending Playmates Toys' nearly four-decade hold on the brand — and an accelerated theatrical slate that includes "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2," now scheduled for Aug. 13, 2027, and a live-action/CG hybrid film planned for 2028.
The Third Street Promenade opening marks something of a homecoming for the franchise in Santa Monica. Ahead of the release of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" in August 2023, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies staged a 10-day immersive pop-up experience on both coasts, with the Los Angeles installation drawing more than 16,900 visitors.
That experience, produced by NVE, invited guests to explore themed environments modeled on the fictional underground world of the four turtle brothers — including training zones, a recreation of the Turtles' sewer lair, and an exclusive on-site merchandise shop. Across both the Los Angeles and New York installations, the pop-up drew more than 35,000 guests total.
The TMNT Pizzeria is in soft opening mode.
### Santa Monica native Randy Bresnik tapped to command NASA's Artemis III mission
URL: https://www.smdp.com/sa/
Last updated: 2026-06-11T18:04:36.000Z
A Santa Monica native and retired Marine colonel will take the helm of one of the most ambitious American space missions since the Apollo era.
NASA announced Tuesday that Randy Bresnik has been named commander of the Artemis III mission, a complex orbital test flight scheduled for 2027 that will lay critical groundwork for the first crewed American return to the lunar surface in more than half a century.
Bresnik, who graduated from Santa Monica High School in 1985 and whose father still lives in the city, will lead a four-person crew on a roughly two-week mission to low Earth orbit — one that NASA officials describe as the most intricately choreographed multi-launch campaign in spaceflight history.
"Today we take another bold step in humanity's return to the Moon," said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. "Artemis III will demonstrate the power of American innovation and international partnership as we test complex rendezvous and docking operations and advance the technologies that will one day carry us deeper into the solar system."
**A Decorated Career in the Air and in Space**
Bresnik's path from Santa Monica to the commander's seat of a Moon-program spacecraft spans more than three decades of military service, test piloting, and human spaceflight.
After graduating from Santa Monica High School, Bresnik earned a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics from The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1989, was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps, and was designated a naval aviator in April 1992\. He later earned a Master of Science in aviation systems from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and graduated from Air War College in 2008\. The Citadel later awarded him an honorary doctorate in aeronautics.
His military aviation career took him from initial F/A-18 training on the East Coast to deployments in the Western Pacific, and eventually to the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, where he graduated at the top of his class. He attended both the Marine Corps Weapons and Tactics Instructors Course and the Naval Fighter Weapons School — better known as TOPGUN. In early 2003, he deployed to Kuwait, flying combat missions in the F/A-18 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Bresnik was selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate in May 2004 and completed his first spaceflight aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis on the STS-129 mission in November 2009, during which he performed two spacewalks totaling nearly 12 hours. He returned to the International Space Station in 2017 aboard the Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft, serving as a flight engineer during Expedition 52 and commanding the station during Expedition 53\. Over the course of that mission, the crew conducted more than 300 scientific experiments, worked with four visiting space vehicles, and Bresnik performed three additional spacewalks. In total, he has logged more than 32 hours of EVA time across five spacewalks, and over 3,600 hours in spacecraft.
He has also pushed boundaries on Earth in preparation for deep space — training as a "cave-a-naut" in the caves of Sardinia, Italy, for the European Space Agency's CAVES analog mission, and commanding NASA's NEEMO 19 underwater research mission off the coast of Key Largo, Florida.
A retired colonel with more than 7,000 hours logged in 95 types of aircraft, Bresnik is a fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. Since 2018, he has served as assistant to the chief of NASA's Astronaut Office for Exploration, overseeing the development and testing of every system slated to operate on Artemis missions — from Orion and the Space Launch System to lunar rovers and surface exploration suits.
Artemis III will be his third spaceflight.
**The Mission**
Bresnik will be joined by ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano as pilot, making Parmitano the first European Space Agency astronaut ever assigned to an Artemis mission. NASA astronauts Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio round out the crew as mission specialists, with NASA astronaut Bob Hines named as a backup crew member.
Artemis III will not land on the Moon — that milestone is reserved for Artemis IV, currently scheduled for 2028\. Instead, the 2027 mission is designed to test the full stack of hardware and systems that will make a lunar landing possible, particularly the docking interfaces between NASA's Orion spacecraft and the commercial human landing systems being developed by Blue Origin and SpaceX.
The mission profile calls for a dramatic sequence of launches. Blue Origin's lander test article — a pathfinder version of its Blue Moon spacecraft capable of remaining in orbit for multiple weeks — will launch first and await the crew in low Earth orbit. NASA will then launch the Artemis III crew aboard Orion atop the Space Launch System rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After orbital checkouts, Orion will rendezvous and dock with the Blue Origin pathfinder for approximately two days of integrated systems testing, including crew entry into the lander.
After completing docked operations with Blue Origin, Orion will undock and await the arrival of SpaceX's Starship pathfinder, which will rendezvous with the crew for an additional day of docking checkouts. The crew will then undock from Starship and return to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean for recovery by U.S. Navy and NASA teams.
The full mission is expected to last approximately two weeks, with the exact duration determined in real-time based on launch windows, rendezvous timing, and docked operations.
Engineers are already deep into hardware preparations. Orion's crew module and service module are scheduled to be connected this summer, along with integration of the spacecraft's docking system, which will fly for the first time. SLS rocket stacking is also set to begin this summer at Kennedy Space Center.
The data and operational experience gathered during Artemis III will directly inform Artemis IV — the mission that will carry American astronauts back to the lunar surface for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972.
— Edited by SMDP Staff
### Wednesday, June 10, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/tuesday-june-9-2026-2/
Last updated: 2026-06-10T19:04:31.000Z
Raising Canes and the Win-Dow both opened this week drawing crowds of eager eaters for their respective ribbon cuttings.
Mostly sunny. High 73F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Today 🌤️ 72º/63º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 72º/63º
### FIRST UP
Fathers: Santa Monica dads launch Freestyle Diapers, now at Target and Walmart, to make baby care more inclusive for fathers. (Courtesy image)
### Two Santa Monica Dads Are Rethinking Who the Diaper Aisle Is Really For
Walk down the diaper aisle of any major retailer and a pattern emerges quickly...[READ](https://www.smdp.com/two-santa-monica-dads-are-rethinking-who-the-diaper-aisle-is-really-for/)
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### MORE NEWS
[Pay no attention to that totenkopf behind the curtainThere are so many fashion trends to keep track of, you may or may not have heard that the Democratic senate candidate in Maine, Graham Platner, has a tattoo of a Nazi SS totenkopf. He was young and indiscriminate when he got it almost twenty years ago, which is whySMDPDevan Sipher](https://www.smdp.com/pay-no-attention-to-that-totenkopf-behind-the-curtain/)
[4 Juveniles Arrested on Drug & Gun Charges in Santa MonicaFour people under 21 were arrested in Santa Monica after police found a loaded handgun, marijuana, alcohol, and nitrous oxide in a parked vehicle near Appian Way and Arcadia Terrace.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/4-juveniles-arrested-on-drug-gun-charges-after-traffic-stop/)
[Community Collective Launches Speaker Series Focused on LA’s Next Golden EraAs Los Angeles prepares to welcome the world for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Community Collective and California State Treasurer Fiona Ma launched a new speaker series bringing together leaders from business, government, tourism and international affairs to explore how the region can maximizeSMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/community-collective-launches-speaker-series-focused-on-las-next-golden-era/)
[Pier 360 Beach Festival Returns to Santa Monica June 27-28Free beach festival June 27-28 at Santa Monica Pier features paddleboard races, volleyball, surfing, live music and ocean sports. Open 9am-5pm daily.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-pier-360-beach-festival-returns-june-27-28/)
[SMC 47th Annual Student Photography ExhibitionSanta Monica College presents its 47th Annual Student Photography Exhibition June 13-20 at the Pete & Susan Barrett Art Gallery. Free opening reception Saturday, June 13, 6-8 p.m.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-presents-47th-annual-student-photography-exhibition-june-13-20/)
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[LA28 2028: Record 560 Paralympic Medal Events UnveiledLos Angeles will host the 2028 Paralympic Games with a record 560 medal events across 23 sports from August 15-27\. The largest Paralympics in history features Para Climbing’s debut.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/la28-unveils-paralympic-competition-schedule-featuring-record-560-medal-events/)
[Free World Cup Watch Party at Santa Monica Place June 12Santa Monica Place hosts a free FIFA World Cup 26 watch party June 12, 11am-9pm in Center Plaza. Watch USA vs. Paraguay at 6pm with live entertainment and food.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-place-to-host-free-world-cup-watch-party-june-12/)
[Pacific Park 30th Anniversary Deals Extended to June 11Pacific Park on Santa Monica Pier extends 30th anniversary discounts through June 11\. Pacific Wheel $10, Unlimited Ride Wristbands $40\. Save up to 45% on rides.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/pacific-park-extends-30th-anniversary-deals-through-june-11/)
[Donate Blood in Malibu June 11 - Red Cross DriveMalibu City Hall hosts American Red Cross blood drive June 11, 10am-4pm at 23825 Stuart Ranch Road. Donors get $15 e-gift card and sweepstakes entry.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/malibu-city-hall-to-host-american-red-cross-blood-drive-june-11/)
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[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184438/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
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Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061026.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### Temporary Pedestrian Bridge Opens at Santa Monica Pier During Replacement Project
URL: https://www.smdp.com/temporary-pedestrian-bridge-opens-at-santa-monica-pier-during-replacement-project/
Last updated: 2026-06-10T19:00:00.000Z
A temporary pedestrian bridge has opened at the Santa Monica Pier, offering visitors a new way to access the historic landmark while a replacement of the pier's nearly 90-year-old bridge gets underway.
The temporary span is located about 30 feet south of the original pedestrian entrance and will serve as the primary access point to the Pier for the duration of the Pier Bridge Replacement Project, which is scheduled to conclude in late 2027.
Following the opening of the temporary bridge, crews will close the current entrance facing Ocean Avenue and begin preparing the existing bridge for demolition, scheduled for mid-June.
The temporary bridge features colorful artwork, wayfinding elements and spotlights on local businesses and restaurants. All Pier businesses, attractions, dining and entertainment will remain fully operational throughout construction.
Additional access points remain available via Ocean Front Walk, a protected walkway along the temporary vehicle ramp in the Pier parking lot, and stairs near Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Bikes, skateboards and other small vehicles are not permitted on the temporary bridge and should use Seaside Terrace instead. Detour and wayfinding signage has been installed throughout the construction zone.
Construction began in December 2025 and will replace the 87-year-old bridge connecting Ocean Avenue to the Pier. The new structure will be seismically sound with improved features while preserving the character and scenic views of the historic route.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### California Restaurant Foundation Opens Applications for $1.28 Million in Restaurant Grants
URL: https://www.smdp.com/california-restaurant-foundation-opens-applications-for-1-28-million-in-restaurant-grants/
Last updated: 2026-06-10T19:00:00.000Z
The California Restaurant Foundation has launched the sixth annual Restaurants Care® Resilience Fund, making $1.28 million in grants available to independent restaurants and commercial caterers across California.
Beginning June 1 through June 30, eligible operators can apply for $5,000 grants to help strengthen their businesses, support staff and navigate ongoing industry challenges. Grant recipients will be announced the week of Aug. 23.
The fund is supported by The PG&E Corporation Foundation and SoCalGas. Since its 2021 launch, the program has delivered more than $11 million to 2,087 independent restaurant operators and caterers across 50 California counties.
"The Resilience Fund has evolved into a powerful engine for growth and stability within California's restaurant community," said Alycia Harshfield, president of CRF. "As the industry continues to navigate new pressures, this fund remains a critical resource for helping independent restaurants adapt, grow and thrive."
Over five years, 31% of grants have gone toward equipment upgrades, 21% toward employee training and retention, and additional funding has addressed COVID-19 impacts (15%), natural disasters including recent Los Angeles fires (12%), technology upgrades (9%) and industry disruptions such as the Hollywood strikes (8%). Ninety percent of recipients are single-unit operators averaging 10 years in business, collectively employing more than 26,500 people statewide.
The PG&E Foundation has contributed nearly $5.6 million to date, supporting nearly 900 Northern and Central California restaurants.
"The success of our local restaurants strengthens our local economies and communities," said Carla Peterman, president of PG&E Corporation.
To qualify, applicants must be PG&E or SoCalGas customers, operate in California, have one to five locations, and report annual revenue of up to $3 million at the location seeking funding. Restaurants must currently be open and have operated for at least one full year. Previous recipients may apply for a different location or concept. Food businesses expanding into brick-and-mortar locations are also eligible.
To apply or learn more about eligibility requirements, visit[ ](https://restaurantscare.org/resilience?ref=smdp.com)[https://restaurantscare.org/resilience](https://restaurantscare.org/resilience?ref=smdp.com). For more information about the California Restaurant Foundation, visit[ ](http://www.calrestfoundation.org/?ref=smdp.com)[www.calrestfoundation.org](http://www.calrestfoundation.org/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Recovery From 2025 Wildfires Gaining Ground But Challenges Remain, New Report Finds
URL: https://www.smdp.com/recovery-from-2025-wildfires-gaining-ground-but-challenges-remain-new-report-finds/
Last updated: 2026-06-10T19:00:01.000Z
Los Angeles County has entered a new phase of wildfire recovery following the devastating 2025 Eaton and Palisades fires, according to a new economic analysis released by the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation's Institute for Applied Economics (LAEDC).
The two wildfires erupted hours apart in the Los Angeles area and killed 31 people, destroyed roughly 16,250 structures and became the costliest wildfire disaster in U.S. history despite burning a combined 37,469 acres — modest by California standards.
The Palisades Fire ignited around 10:30 a.m. and burned 23,448 acres across Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Topanga, destroying 6,837 structures. The Eaton Fire began around 6:18 p.m. and burned 14,021 acres in Altadena and foothill communities near Pasadena, destroying 9,418 structures. Both were fully contained Jan. 31.
Hurricane-force Santa Ana winds with gusts approaching 100 mph drove the fires through dense urban neighborhoods, spreading structure-to-structure rather than through wildland. Insured losses reached approximately $40 billion, with total economic losses estimated between $95 billion and $275 billion depending on methodology.
The disasters triggered an insurance market crisis, political fallout including the firing of the Los Angeles fire chief, and an ongoing threat to Altadena's historically Black community, where nearly half of Black households were destroyed or sustained major damage.
The third installment of Los Angeles Wildfires: An Economic Update finds that while rebuilding activity and business reactivation show encouraging signs, full recovery remains a long road — one measured not just by construction, but by residents returning home, schools reopening, businesses unlocking their doors, and neighborhoods reclaiming daily life.
Among the report's most striking findings: 26.7% of destroyed structures have received rebuild permits, a pace the report says is on par with the fastest-recovering wildfires in the country, including the Tubbs and Marshall fires. However, only 0.47% of structures have completed reconstruction and received occupancy approval. From permit application to issuance, the process took an average of 79 days across both fire areas.
Business reactivation rates surged in the fourth quarter of 2025, rising well above county averages, and new business entry rates also grew during that period. However, local hiring activity has not kept pace. Place-referenced job postings declined 8.2% in Altadena, 21.1% in Altadena and Eaton-related postings, and 38.4% in Palisades-related postings during 2025.
At the same time, demand grew for recovery-related occupations — including construction managers, project managers, environmental specialists, social workers and field operations personnel — signaling a labor market shaped by the ongoing recovery effort.
Mobility data underscores how much displacement persists. Metro routes most affected by the fires remained 17.7% below pre-fire ridership levels as of the first quarter of 2026\. Pasadena Transit, by contrast, exceeded its adjusted pre-fire baseline by 22.6%.
The economic toll on households is substantial. Annual localized household spending losses are estimated at $79 million in the Palisades area and $73.6 million in the Eaton Fire area — representing more than $150 million in lost local spending each year. Approximately 38% of survivors have already exhausted or will soon exhaust their displacement assistance coverage.
County officials emphasized that the data points to a critical link between residents returning and the broader revival of community services.
"Recovery isn't just rebuilding — it is a family finally coming home, a business turning its sign to 'open,' a neighborhood full of life and a sense of belonging," said Los Angeles County Third District Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath. "We're not done until our communities are fully back on their feet."
Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger noted the report offers a fuller picture of progress. "Looking at this broad range of indicators gives us a more complete understanding of where recovery is advancing and where additional support may be needed," she said.
Kelly LoBianco, director of the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity, said reoccupation is central to all other recovery indicators. "When residents return, schools, small businesses, healthcare providers, transit systems, and other neighborhood-serving institutions can begin to recover alongside them," she said.
The report drew on data from the U.S. Postal Service, California Employment Development Department, Light cast job postings, Metro and Pasadena Transit ridership figures, and information on schools, healthcare and food access.
The full report and briefing materials are available at[ ](https://laedc.org/laedc-los-angeles-wildfires-economic-update-3/?ref=smdp.com)[laedc.org/laedc-los-angeles-wildfires-economic-update-3](https://laedc.org/laedc-los-angeles-wildfires-economic-update-3/?ref=smdp.com). Fire-impacted workers and businesses can find resources at[ ](https://opportunity.lacounty.gov/how-we-help/emergency-resources/?ref=smdp.com)[opportunity.lacounty.gov/how-we-help/emergency-resources](https://opportunity.lacounty.gov/how-we-help/emergency-resources/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### 4 Juveniles Arrested on Drug, Gun Charges After Traffic Stop
URL: https://www.smdp.com/4-juveniles-arrested-on-drug-gun-charges-after-traffic-stop/
Last updated: 2026-06-10T18:01:07.000Z
Four people under the age of 21 were arrested on drug and weapons charges after Santa Monica police officers conducting a patrol discovered open containers of alcohol, marijuana and a nitrous oxide tank in plain view inside a parked vehicle.
Officers observed the vehicle parked in violation of several municipal and vehicle codes in the area of Appian Way and Arcadia Terrace. During the contact, officers observed the contraband, prompting a search of the vehicle that led to the recovery of a loaded handgun.
All four occupants were arrested on various drug and gun charges.
Anyone with information related to criminal activity in Santa Monica is encouraged to contact the Santa Monica Police Department at 310-458-8491.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Pay no attention to that totenkopf behind the curtain
URL: https://www.smdp.com/pay-no-attention-to-that-totenkopf-behind-the-curtain/
Last updated: 2026-06-10T10:00:09.000Z
There are so many fashion trends to keep track of, you may or may not have heard that the Democratic senate candidate in Maine, Graham Platner, has a tattoo of a Nazi SS [totenkopf](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd%5FSS%5FPanzer%5FDivision%5FTotenkopf?ref=smdp.com). He was young and indiscriminate when he got it almost twenty years ago, which is why he decided to cover it with another tattoo—three months after declaring his candidacy last fall.
You would think with almost 300 million adults in the U.S., and over a million of them in Maine, we could avoid politicians with Nazi affiliations. But it turns out not all Nazis are created equal, and if they support universal healthcare then the Democratic party can overlook a little fascism. I’m not saying that Platner is a Nazi. I’m just saying that for nearly twenty years he was okay with people thinking he was.
Words (and totenkopfs) seem to have lost some of their meaning in our polarized times. What matters most is what team you’re playing for, and just about everything else can be disregarded. When faced with dubious behavior, it’s hard to tell if voters are going on autopilot or summoning their inner Tammy Wynette.
The President is both the primary symptom and source of this trend, but he’s not the only one benefiting from it. There aren’t many things one can expect from a mayor, but showing up for work on the day of a disaster would seem to be one of them. Mayor Karen Bass isn’t responsible for the fires that destroyed more than 12,000 homes, but with so many residents continuing to suffer, one would think it might be an impediment to reelection.
However, until a couple days ago, Bass was anticipating a cakewalk, with only a second-rate reality show celebrity and a second-term councilmember standing in her way, and the latter only dared to throw her hat into the electoral ring at the last possible moment. Every other person with the experience and credentials to run for mayor of Los Angeles chose to show deference to Bass.
That is incomprehensible, but not as incomprehensible as the number of people who supported—and voted for—Spencer Pratt. He is the author of a recent memoir in which he brags about lying, cheating and conning his way through life. His sole motivation to be mayor seems to be his anger toward the current officeholder and a limited ability to find gainful employment. His lack of skill, experience and basic decency are his primary qualifications.
I understand the preference for a devil you know over a devil you don’t, but it seems to have mutated into a preference for any devil whatsoever. It’s as if Superman is M.I.A., so the populace has decided to experiment with putting Lex Luther in charge. We can see how well that’s worked out in our demolition zone of a White House. Trump may not be Lex Luther, but he gives Goldfinger a run for the money.
Fortunately for us, in L.A. there’s a limit to Pratt’s appeal, and we now know it’s numerically lower than the threshold necessary for the November run-off. This means that Nithya Raman, the South Asian democratic socialist who dreams of being the West Coast Mamdani, has a shot at validating her ballsy ambition, and the rest of us get ringside seats for what could be a compelling competition or entertaining foodfight.
Raman needs to convince progressives that she’s not a moderate in socialist’s clothing, while she simultaneously convinces moderates that she’s not the reverse. She also needs to make inroads with Bass’s base, persuading them to abandon the party-endorsed incumbent, who happens to be the city’s first black female mayor.
Poll after poll shows voters want change, but voters are also team players. It’s worth noting the little-watched county primary in which Robert S. Draper, an 84-year old Superior Court judge, was accused of multiple ethical violations in addition to being deemed incapable of performing his duties for the past three years. He didn’t win his primary (as of pub date), but he was the choice of more than 43% of voters.
It seems that goose-stepping isn’t only for Nazis.
Devan Sipher can be reached at [Devan@smdp.com](mailto:Devan@smdp.com).
### Two Santa Monica Dads Are Rethinking Who the Diaper Aisle Is Really For
URL: https://www.smdp.com/two-santa-monica-dads-are-rethinking-who-the-diaper-aisle-is-really-for/
Last updated: 2026-06-10T10:00:01.000Z
Walk down the diaper aisle of any major retailer and a pattern emerges quickly: soft pastels, images of mothers, and marketing language aimed squarely at one parent.
Mike Constantiner and Russ Wallace noticed that, too — and decided to do something about it.
The two Santa Monica fathers are the co-founders of [Freestyle Diapers](https://freestyle.world/?ref=smdp.com), a baby care brand built around the idea that parenting content has long left dads out of the picture. With products now on shelves nationwide at Target and Walmart — and a wider Walmart rollout underway this month — they are making a bet that the industry is ready to catch up.
"So much of what's out there leans into the chaos, the exhaustion, the 'surviving not thriving' narrative," said Constantiner. "For most of us, most of the time, parenting is genuinely one of the best things that's ever happened to us. It changes your life in ways you didn't know were possible. We wanted Freestyle to reflect that."
The brand's pitch goes beyond feel-good messaging. Freestyle's flagship diapers feature what the company calls Skin Shield™ technology, independently lab-tested at up to 14 times the absorbency of leading brands. But for Constantiner, the product and the mission are inseparable.
"We wanted to create kids products that every generation could feel great about," he said. "We reimagined diapers from the inside out, prioritizing performance, safety, and comfort — because you deserve one less thing to keep you up at night."
The partnership between Constantiner and Wallace began the way many Los Angeles business relationships do: through a mutual friend with a hunch.
"The pitch for the intro was basically, 'You're both dads, you both work in CPG, you should talk,'" Constantiner recalled. "That was it. No grand master plan. We hopped on a call, hit it off, and started riffing on what was missing in the baby and toddler space. It's kind of hilarious looking back — two dads who got set up on a founder blind date, and it actually worked out."
Both men arrived with credentials that shaped the company in distinct ways. Constantiner previously co-founded Cameo, acquired by Vimeo in 2014, and spent 15 years in consumer products before fatherhood sent him down the diaper aisle. Wallace built his career at Hello Bello, the brand that rewrote mass-market premium baby care, where he developed deep expertise in supply chain and operations.
"Russ has this really unique range," Constantiner said. "He knows how to actually get a physical product made, shipped, and into people's hands, which is no small thing. My background is in branding and content, so I'm wired to think about how things look, feel, and connect with people emotionally."
That division of labor, Constantiner said, is held together by something harder to manufacture than a product formula.
"The thing that makes our partnership work is that we genuinely trust each other," he said. "We make a lot of the big calls together, but when it comes down to it, we each own our side of the business and respect each other's judgment on it. That trust is everything."
The [founders](https://www.smdp.com/inc-plants-its-flag-in-santa-monica-a-new-home-for-founders-and-a-broader-bet-on-los-angeles/) say their hometown has been more than a backdrop — it has been a strategic asset.
"Santa Monica has been huge for us," Constantiner said. "There's an energy here that just fits the brand, that laid-back, California cool that we want Freestyle to embody."
Beyond the aesthetic, the city has offered practical advantages. The company has partnered with local businesses, engaged with community events, and cultivated relationships with families in the surrounding neighborhoods. Its proximity to the broader Los Angeles creator economy has also proved valuable.
"Being in LA means we're close to some of the best creators and influencers in the world, which has been a major advantage as we grow," Constantiner said. "It's one of those things where the city really does become part of the brand's DNA."
That brand identity — one that brings color and personality to a category that has been, by many accounts, pretty bland for a long time — has resonated with a perhaps unexpected audience: mothers.
"We hear two things over and over," Constantiner said. "First, that the product itself delivers. These are legitimately great diapers and wipes at a price point where families don't have to stress about the budget. Second, people love the energy of the brand. Parents tell us it's refreshing to see a baby brand that's actually fun."
The reactions, he said, have become a reliable measure of whether Freestyle is hitting its mark.
"When a mom DMs us to say she's excited to pull out a diaper at a playdate," Constantiner said, "you know you're doing something right."
Visit [https://freestyle.world](https://freestyle.world/?ref=smdp.com) for more info.
### Community Collective Launches Speaker Series Focused on LA's Next Golden Era
URL: https://www.smdp.com/community-collective-launches-speaker-series-focused-on-las-next-golden-era/
Last updated: 2026-06-09T23:31:00.000Z
As Los Angeles prepares to welcome the world for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Community Collective and California State Treasurer Fiona Ma launched a new speaker series bringing together leaders from business, government, tourism and international affairs to explore how the region can maximize the economic, cultural and community opportunities tied to the global events ahead.
Held at Blankspaces Venice, the inaugural event focused on how Los Angeles can leverage the next decade of global events to drive small business growth, tourism, international partnerships, workforce opportunity and economic development. The event was made possible through the support of Blankspaces, Visit Venice CA, Venice Paparazzi, Absolute Media Labs, the Venice Chamber of Commerce, Netherlands LA, Spin PR Group, Local Action Marketing, Sonrisa Rum, Malibu Sips, Levain Bakery, Pixie Photo Booth, Boomtown Brewery, Fuegos LA, and Emporium Thai.
For Community Collective founder Michelle Edgar, that spirit of collaboration is exactly why the speaker series was created. "The World Cup and Olympics are catalysts," Edgar said in closing remarks. "The real opportunity is the legacy we create together."
Community Collective Connects will continue this fall with a series of curated conversations focused on Olympic readiness, innovation, entrepreneurship, cultural diplomacy and economic development, including a planned partnership event with an on-going series around the revitalization of Downtown Los Angeles with Gensler.
Quoting Mark Twain's observation that "travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness," Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board CEO Adam Burke framed the conversation around the transformative power of global connection and cultural exchange. "Tourism is one of the most powerful economic engines we have," Burke said, noting that more than 535,000 Angelenos work in the visitor economy, visitors spend approximately $118 million daily across Los Angeles, and tourism generates roughly $3 billion annually in state and local tax revenues. According to Burke, that translates to approximately $1,000 in annual tax savings for the average Los Angeles County household.
The event brought together a diverse group of leaders, including Treasurer Fiona Ma; Australian Consul General Tanya Bennett, Los Angeles Deputy Mayor for International Affairs Dilpreet Sidhu, Adam Burke of LA Tourism; Hollywood Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ron Frierson; Bank of America Head of Sports and Entertainment Marketing Cynthia Thomas, Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci Park, and numerous representatives from chambers of commerce, innovation organizations, cultural institutions and community groups.
For Ma, the gathering represented an opportunity to ensure that California's businesses and communities are positioned to benefit from the economic activity surrounding both global events. "These events are more than sporting competitions, but catalysts for investment, tourism, entrepreneurship and international engagement."
One of the strongest themes of the evening centered on small business participation. Frierson noted that approximately 94 percent of businesses in Los Angeles County employ fewer than 20 people, underscoring the importance of ensuring entrepreneurs have pathways into procurement opportunities, hospitality activations and vendor programs tied to the World Cup and Olympics. "I want to make Hollywood the Times Square of the West Coast," Frierson said, emphasizing the role culture, entertainment and tourism will play in showcasing Los Angeles to a global audience.
Speakers encouraged local businesses to think beyond the events themselves and focus on building long-term relationships and infrastructure that can support sustained growth long after the closing ceremonies. "We're entering a golden era for Los Angeles," Burke said. "The next few years represent an extraordinary opportunity for our region."
International partnerships also emerged as a major focus. Sidhu discussed the city's growing network of global relationships and the opportunities being created through hospitality houses, cultural showcases and international activations.
Countries including Australia, France and Mexico are already exploring hospitality houses and cultural experiences throughout Los Angeles. These activations create opportunities for local event planners, caterers, production companies, security firms, artists and small businesses to participate directly in the global visitor economy.
Consul General Bennett highlighted the success of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, describing it as a transformational moment that elevated women's sports worldwide. She noted the unique opportunity for collaboration between Los Angeles and Brisbane, host city of the 2032 Olympic Games, creating a powerful Pacific partnership around innovation, sustainability, culture and sport.
Park, who chairs Los Angeles' Trade, Travel and Tourism Committee, emphasized the importance of ensuring communities throughout the region benefit from the global spotlight. "When I took office, Venice was making headlines for all the wrong reasons," Park said. "Today we're bringing major events back, investing in infrastructure and creating economic opportunities that will benefit the community for years to come."
Park outlined improvements already underway, including transportation enhancements, tourism initiatives, major cultural events and infrastructure projects that will help prepare the Westside for millions of visitors expected over the coming years.
Beyond tourism and economic development, speakers repeatedly returned to the question of legacy. Bank of America's Thomas discussed the company's efforts to expand access through youth sports initiatives and community programs, while also announcing the organization's recent $2 million commitment to provide match tickets for servicemembers, veterans, first responders and their families during the FIFA World Cup.
As Los Angeles enters what many participants described as a once-in-a-generation moment, the goal of the series is clear: ensure that every community, business and resident has an opportunity to participate in shaping the future of the region.
### Santa Monica "Pier 360" Beach Festival Returns June 27–28
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-pier-360-beach-festival-returns-june-27-28/
Last updated: 2026-06-09T18:59:59.000Z
The Santa Monica "Pier 360" Beach Festival returns June 27–28, bringing two days of ocean sports, live entertainment and beach culture to the Santa Monica shoreline and Pier. The free, all-ages festival runs daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with beach activities beginning at 8 a.m. and the Pier deck opening at 10 a.m.
Tracing its roots to the 1930s, when paddleboard racing first took hold at the Santa Monica Pier, the festival features paddleboard races, open-water swim competitions, a 4-on-4 beach volleyball tournament, the Santa Monica Strongman Classic, lifeguard competitions including historic surfboat races, skateboarding showcases and lessons, and a roller rink on the Pier deck overlooking the Pacific Ocean. A Museum of Beach Life will offer an immersive look at surf culture, Muscle Beach and Santa Monica's ocean history.
Live music will run throughout both days on the main stage. A beer and spirits garden is open to guests 21 and older. Family activities, beach games and interactive experiences round out the programming.
"Pier 360 captures everything that makes Santa Monica special — our connection to the ocean, our active beach lifestyle, and the incredible energy of the Pier," said Jim Harris, executive director and historian of the Santa Monica Pier.
General admission is free, though some competitions require advance registration and entry fees. A $25 Festival Pass upgrade includes an official T-shirt, swag bag, one Pacific Park ride ticket and one complimentary beverage ticket.
The festival is produced by Santa Monica Pier Corporation, a nonprofit not fully funded by the City of Santa Monica. For full details, athlete registration, volunteer opportunities and festival passes, visit[ ](https://www.santamonicapier.org/pier360?ref=smdp.com)[santamonicapier.org/pier360](https://www.santamonicapier.org/pier360?ref=smdp.com). The Santa Monica Pier is located at 200 Santa Monica Pier.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### SMC Presents 47th Annual Student Photography Exhibition June 13–20
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-presents-47th-annual-student-photography-exhibition-june-13-20/
Last updated: 2026-06-09T18:59:59.000Z
Santa Monica College will present its 47th Annual Student Photography Exhibit from June 13 through 20 at the Pete & Susan Barrett Art Gallery in the[ ](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com)[SMC Performing Arts Center](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com), 1310 11th St.
The show features high-caliber prints — spanning fine art, portraiture, still life and other genres — created by students in SMC's Photography Department. An opening reception will be held Saturday, June 13, from 6 to 8 p.m.
"This annual exhibition is an exciting time for us to celebrate our hard-working students and the amazing photographs they've created," said Photography and Fashion Department Chair Josh Sanseri. "Our gallery reception is always a fun event."
The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public. For information, call 310-434-4289.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Sivananda Yoga Brings 55-Year LA Legacy Back to the West Side
URL: https://www.smdp.com/sivananda-yoga-brings-55-year-la-legacy-back-to-the-west-side/
Last updated: 2026-06-09T19:00:00.000Z
A yoga organization with 55 years of history in Los Angeles and centers around the world has returned to the west side of the city, opening a new location at 1617 Broadway, Suite C, and already setting its sights on a free beach yoga event to mark International Yoga Day on Sunday, June 21.
The [International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center](https://sivanandala.org/class-schedule/?ref=smdp.com), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with 11 ashrams and roughly 30 centers worldwide, relocated from West Adams to Santa Monica last month, celebrating its grand opening May 17\. The organization is planning a yoga class on the beach and a free open house to coincide with the global observance later this month.
For its director, the return to the west side is a welcome one.
"Santa Monica felt like a natural fit — a place where wellness, mindfulness and community connection are already deeply valued," said Swami Sivasankariananda, director of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, 1617 Broadway, Suite C, Santa Monica.
The organization is no stranger to this part of the city. Over its 55 years of continuous service in Los Angeles, the Center has previously operated on Sawtelle, Abbot Kinney and in Marina del Rey — more than 30 years of its history rooted on the west side before a move east. The new location sits beside Co-opportunity market on Broadway.
"We believe that by being next to Co-opportunity, the health-conscious people of Santa Monica will benefit from this traditional teaching for self-development and inner peace," Sivasankariananda said.
Founded by Swami Vishnudevananda and rooted in the [teachings ](https://smdp.ghost.io/spiritual-events-combine-kabbalistic-teachings-with-vibrational-science-in-malibu/?ref=smdp.com)of Indian saint Swami Sivananda, who lived from 1887 to 1963, the Center distinguishes itself from the proliferation of fitness-oriented yoga studios by adhering to what it describes as a classical, integral approach.
"Yoga, according to Swami Sivananda, is a system of integral education — not only of body, mind or intellect, but also of the inner spirit," Sivasankariananda said. "It is the art of right living. It is a practical system of self-culture. It is a way of life. It is universal."
That philosophy translates into a program that extends well beyond the mat. Daily yoga classes and a 6 a.m. meditation session anchor the schedule, while free public meditation sessions are offered two evenings per week. Weekend workshops cover topics ranging from Thought Power and the Science of Hatha Yoga to Yoga for Depression and vegetarian cooking. Individual and group yoga therapy are also available.
For those who have never stepped inside a yoga studio, the Center's message is deliberately welcoming.
"You do not need to be flexible, experienced, or know anything about yoga to begin," Sivasankariananda said. "Start where you are. We welcome people of all ages, backgrounds and experience levels."
She added that first-time visitors can expect something that transcends the physical: "Even if you come for the physical practice, you will discover something deeper — a sense of calm, balance and reconnection with yourself. What's outside the door dissolves for 90 minutes."
First classes are free. The Center also offers a five-session Yoga 1 Course for beginners, introduced incrementally in small groups with personal attention from a Sivananda-trained instructor.
What makes the Center's model unusual in an industry dominated by commercial studios is that it is staffed entirely by volunteers — including its director — as an expression of Karma Yoga, the yogic principle of selfless service.
"This model creates a spiritual culture that feels less transactional and more community-oriented," Sivasankariananda said. "It also helps us keep classes and programs accessible while preserving the service-based heart of the organization. It is a joy to serve, without expectation of reward."
The International Yoga Day beach event on June 21 is free and open to the public. Details on timing and location are available through the Center at 1617 Broadway, Suite C, Santa Monica or visit sivanandala.org/programs.
### Tuesday, June 9, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/tuesday-june-9-2026/
Last updated: 2026-06-09T18:31:14.000Z
Stadium workers near Los Angeles say they have reached a tentative contract deal, averting a strike ahead of the U.S. men’s soccer team’s opening World Cup match. The union announced the deal at a news conference Tuesday and said workers will vote on whether to ratify the agreement on Wednesday
Sunny. High 71F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 71º/62º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 73º/63º
### FIRST UP
Coach: Ocean View Park tennis coach Daren Auld, 48, battles Stage 4 colon cancer as the community rallies to support him. (Courtesy image)
### Tennis Coach Battles Stage 4 Cancer as Santa Monica Community Rallies
For almost five years, Daren Auld has been a fixture at Ocean View Park, shaping players on the Santa Monica tennis courts with the same quiet dedication he brought to...[READ](https://www.smdp.com/tennis-coach-battles-stage-4-cancer-as-santa-monica-community-rallies/)
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### MORE NEWS
[LA28 2028: Record 560 Paralympic Medal Events UnveiledLos Angeles will host the 2028 Paralympic Games with a record 560 medal events across 23 sports from August 15-27\. The largest Paralympics in history features Para Climbing’s debut.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/la28-unveils-paralympic-competition-schedule-featuring-record-560-medal-events/)
[Free World Cup Watch Party at Santa Monica Place June 12Santa Monica Place hosts a free FIFA World Cup 26 watch party June 12, 11am-9pm in Center Plaza. Watch USA vs. Paraguay at 6pm with live entertainment and food.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-place-to-host-free-world-cup-watch-party-june-12/)
[Pacific Park 30th Anniversary Deals Extended to June 11Pacific Park on Santa Monica Pier extends 30th anniversary discounts through June 11\. Pacific Wheel $10, Unlimited Ride Wristbands $40\. Save up to 45% on rides.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/pacific-park-extends-30th-anniversary-deals-through-june-11/)
[Donate Blood in Malibu June 11 - Red Cross DriveMalibu City Hall hosts American Red Cross blood drive June 11, 10am-4pm at 23825 Stuart Ranch Road. Donors get $15 e-gift card and sweepstakes entry.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/malibu-city-hall-to-host-american-red-cross-blood-drive-june-11/)
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[SMC Voice Showcase June 11 in Santa MonicaSanta Monica College Music Department presents the SMC Voice Showcase on June 11 at 7:30 p.m. at The Edye. Advanced voice students perform classical, opera, jazz, and musical theater. Tickets $10.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-voice-showcase-set-for-june-11/)
[Flag Day Celebration at Santa Monica Elks LodgeSanta Monica Elks Lodge hosts Flag Day dinner and ceremony June 11 at 1040 Pico Blvd. Dinner at 6 p.m. ($15), ceremony at 7 p.m. Open to all.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-elks-lodge-to-host-flag-day-ceremony-june-11/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/060926.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### Tennis Coach Battles Stage 4 Cancer as Santa Monica Community Rallies
URL: https://www.smdp.com/tennis-coach-battles-stage-4-cancer-as-santa-monica-community-rallies/
Last updated: 2026-06-09T10:00:07.000Z
For almost five years, Daren Auld has been a fixture at Ocean View Park, shaping players on the Santa Monica tennis courts with the same quiet dedication he brought to every corner of his life. Now, the 48-year-old coach is fighting for that life after a [Stage 4 colon cancer](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/stage-4-colon-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20584697?ref=smdp.com) diagnosis has left his family facing a medical and financial crisis — and the community he spent years building is fighting alongside him.
Auld, a self-employed instructor and the sole breadwinner for his wife and two young children — including an infant son — was diagnosed after weeks of deteriorating health that he and his family initially attributed to an abdominal tear. He has no adequate health insurance. His sudden hospitalization has compounded an already devastating situation.
But those who know Auld say his legacy on the courts speaks for itself.
"What started as coaching tennis became much more than that," said his younger brother, Brenn Auld, who is helping manage the family's affairs during the crisis. "Over the years he built genuine relationships with students, parents, fellow coaches, and families throughout the Santa Monica community. Many of the people who came to him for tennis instruction ended up becoming lifelong friends."
Brenn Auld, himself a former instructor at [Ocean View Park](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-conservancy-to-celebrate-10-years-at-historic-shotgun-house/), was the one who connected his students with Daren almost five years ago before relocating out of state, confident they would be in good hands.
"That's one of the reasons the response to his diagnosis has been so overwhelming," Brenn Auld said. "The community isn't just supporting a coach. They're supporting someone who has spent years supporting them."
The extent of Daren Auld's commitment to that community became painfully clear in the weeks before his hospitalization. Despite struggling to breathe, losing what his brother estimated as nearly 30 pounds in just a few weeks, and barely able to walk from the parking lot to the courts, Auld refused to abandon his students.
"The moment I knew something was seriously wrong was when Daren called me and asked for help," Brenn Auld said. "Daren doesn't ask people for help. It's completely out of character for him."
When Brenn arrived at the courts, what he saw stopped him cold.
"I almost didn't recognize him," he said. "He had lost what looked like nearly 30 pounds in a few weeks. This was a man who stood 6'4" with a commanding presence, and now he was struggling just to walk from the parking lot to the courts. What used to take a minute or two was taking more than ten minutes. Every movement looked painful. Every breath looked labored."
For several weeks, Brenn stepped in to physically hit balls with students while his brother coached from a bench — a compromise that allowed Daren Auld to keep working for the family depending on him.
"He was focused on taking care of everyone else long before he knew how serious his own condition was," Brenn Auld said.
The full severity became clear when a text message summoned Brenn to the hospital. Daren had been admitted and needed an emergency blood transfusion.
"That's when he told me the doctors had found a mass in his colon, on his liver, and additional spots on his lungs," Brenn Auld said. "I remember feeling like the air left the room."
He drove to the hospital within the hour and spent the night. What struck him most, even then, was his brother's instinct to deflect concern onto others.
"Even in the hospital he kept asking how the students were playing and how I was doing," Brenn Auld said.
Daren Auld is currently undergoing chemotherapy and recovering from a recent liver biopsy while also managing blood clots and significant physical deterioration requiring physical therapy. The road ahead is uncertain, but his brother believes the same qualities that made him an exceptional coach will carry him through.
"He knows how to lock in," Brenn Auld said. "The same determination, discipline, and resilience that helped him compete as a high-level junior player and college athlete are the same qualities he is bringing into this battle."
For those who only knew Daren Auld as a coach at Ocean View Park, his brother wants them to understand the full measure of the man.
"He's naturally reserved and values his time alone," Brenn Auld said. "He's not someone who seeks attention or wants to be the center of the room. But if you're in trouble, he's the first person you call. He will drop everything to help you."
"This is a community trying to support someone who has spent a lifetime supporting everyone else."
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help the Auld family manage mounting expenses. Donations can be made at gofundme.com/f/support-darens-fight-against-stage-4-cancer.
### LA28 Unveils Paralympic Competition Schedule Featuring Record 560 Medal Events
URL: https://www.smdp.com/la28-unveils-paralympic-competition-schedule-featuring-record-560-medal-events/
Last updated: 2026-06-08T19:00:00.000Z
Los Angeles organizers have released the full competition schedule for the 2028 Paralympic Games, the first Paralympics ever to be held in the city and the largest in the event's history.
The LA28 Paralympic Games will feature 560 medal events — the most since Seoul 1988 — across a record 23 sports in nearly 20 venues spread throughout a 35-mile radius. Competition will span 14 days, with the Opening Ceremony on Aug. 15, 2028, and the Closing Ceremony on Aug. 27.
In a historic first, competition will begin before the opening ceremony, with Wheelchair Rugby starting on Day -2 and Boccia on Day -1\. No athletes will be eliminated before the ceremonies.
Para Climbing will make its Paralympic debut at LA28 after becoming the first sport ever added to the Paralympic program by an organizing committee. The sport will feature 80 athletes competing across eight medal events over four finals sessions from Aug. 24–27.
Three additional new events were added across Para Table Tennis, Para Triathlon and Para Swimming.
The Games will feature the largest and most gender-balanced athlete field in Paralympic history, with 45% of quota spots allocated to women, up from 42% at Paris 2024.
The final weekend will be among the most event-dense in Paralympic history. Super Saturday, Aug. 26, will feature 15 finals sessions and more than 50 gold medals awarded across 12 sports. The closing day, Aug. 27, will award 20 medals — the most on a final day since Atlanta 1996.
Tickets will go on sale in 2027 through AXS and EVENTIM. For updates, visit the LA28 Games Plan page.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica Place to Host Free World Cup Watch Party June 12
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-place-to-host-free-world-cup-watch-party-june-12/
Last updated: 2026-06-08T19:00:00.000Z
Santa Monica Place will host a free all-day FIFA World Cup watch party and fan festival Friday, June 12, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. in Center Plaza and throughout the property.
The event will feature live broadcasts of the FIFA World Cup 26 Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina match at noon and the featured USA vs. Paraguay match at 6 p.m. Programming throughout the day will include DJs, live entertainment, food and drink vendors, branded activations, interactive fan experiences, face painting and VIP lounge access.
The Center Plaza activation is restricted to guests 21 and older. The rest of Santa Monica Place remains open to all ages.
"With the global spotlight turning toward Los Angeles, this event reflects our ability to bring people together through culture, sport and shared moments," said Rachel Chang, vice president of marketing for Prism Places.
Guests are encouraged to RSVP in advance via Eventbrite to guarantee entry. The event is powered by Michelob ULTRA, Stella Artois and NÜTRL and is not affiliated with or endorsed by FIFA.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Pacific Park Extends 30th Anniversary Deals Through June 11
URL: https://www.smdp.com/pacific-park-extends-30th-anniversary-deals-through-june-11/
Last updated: 2026-06-08T19:00:00.000Z
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier is continuing its 30th Anniversary celebration with discounted ride pricing through Thursday, June 11.
Guests can ride the Pacific Wheel for $10, nearly 45% off the regular price. Unlimited Ride Wristbands are discounted to $40 for guests ages 8 and older and $20 for children 7 and under, down from $50 and $30, respectively. Additional discounts apply to the Route 66 West Coaster, Sea Dragon and other attractions. All promotional offers are available at the park's ticket windows.
Pacific Park officially marked its 30th Anniversary on May 26, commemorating three decades since amusement returned to the Santa Monica Pier in 1996 — the first amusement park on the pier since the 1930s. The milestone included a birthday-themed Pacific Wheel light show, the opening of Sweet Rose Creamery and a multi-day history series.
The park features 12 rides, 14 midway games and oceanfront dining, anchored by the Pacific Wheel — the world's only solar-powered Ferris wheel.
Pacific Park is open daily. For hours and information, visit[ ](http://pacpark.com/?ref=smdp.com)[pacpark.com](http://pacpark.com/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Malibu City Hall to Host American Red Cross Blood Drive June 11
URL: https://www.smdp.com/malibu-city-hall-to-host-american-red-cross-blood-drive-june-11/
Last updated: 2026-06-08T19:00:01.000Z
The City of Malibu and the American Red Cross will hold a community blood drive Thursday, June 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Malibu City Hall, 23825 Stuart Ranch Road.
The drive comes as the Red Cross reports a critical national blood shortage, with supplies down more than 3,300 units. Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood, and the Red Cross supplies patients nationwide through approximately 130,000 blood drives each year.
"Donating blood is one of the simplest and most meaningful ways we can help others in a time of need," said Mayor Bruce Silverstein. "I encourage our community to come together, support this important blood drive, and help ensure lifesaving blood is available for patients and families who depend on it every day."
The Red Cross is also reporting a severe shortage of blood platelets and is specifically encouraging African American donors to give. Sickle cell disease, which disproportionately affects African Americans, impacts more than 100,000 people in the U.S., many of whom depend on routine blood transfusions to prevent life-threatening complications. More information for African American donors is available at[ ](https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/blood-types/diversity/african-american-blood-donors.html?ref=smdp.com)[redcrossblood.org](https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/blood-types/diversity/african-american-blood-donors.html?ref=smdp.com).
All donors will receive a $15 e-gift card and be entered into a $7,500 sweepstakes.
To register, visit[ ](https://www.redcrossblood.org/?ref=smdp.com)[RedCrossBlood.org](https://www.redcrossblood.org/?ref=smdp.com) and enter sponsor code "90265." Donors are encouraged to bring a photo ID, stay hydrated and eat before and after donating.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Monday, June 8, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/saturday-june-6-2026-2/
Last updated: 2026-06-08T18:46:27.000Z
World Cup activations start this week with events at Santa Monica Place and the Pier.
Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 68F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 69º/59º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 72º/62º
### FIRST UP
SMDP Image
### Latest results upend Los Angles election with Pratt dropping to third place
Days after California's primary, Nithya Raman and Spencer Pratt are still waiting to see who makes the November runoff for Los Angeles mayor against incumbent Karen Bass...[READ](https://www.smdp.com/latest-results-upend-los-angles-election-with-pratt-dropping-to-third-place/)
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[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184436/click/0?seed={{id}}%5F{{campaign%5Fid}}&ref=smdp.com)
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### MORE NEWS
[SMC Voice Showcase June 11 in Santa MonicaSanta Monica College Music Department presents the SMC Voice Showcase on June 11 at 7:30 p.m. at The Edye. Advanced voice students perform classical, opera, jazz, and musical theater. Tickets $10.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-voice-showcase-set-for-june-11/)
[Flag Day Celebration at Santa Monica Elks LodgeSanta Monica Elks Lodge hosts Flag Day dinner and ceremony June 11 at 1040 Pico Blvd. Dinner at 6 p.m. ($15), ceremony at 7 p.m. Open to all.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-elks-lodge-to-host-flag-day-ceremony-june-11/)
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Fabulous Fables: Free Family Event at Santa Monica PierFabulous Fables returns June 7 to Santa Monica Pier’s Merry Go-Round Building with free drag storytelling, live performances, and interactive art for families with children ages 2-10.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/fabulous-fables-returns-to-santa-monica-pier-june-7/)
[SMC Wind Ensemble Pops Concert June 7 - Santa MonicaSanta Monica College Wind Ensemble performs ‘Pops’ concert June 7 at 4:30 p.m. at The Eli & Edythe Broad Stage. Features music from 1967, 1976 with Beach Boys and Beatles tributes. Tickets $10.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-wind-ensemble-presents-6-7-pops-concert-june-7/)
[SMC Musical Theatre Workshop Presents “Great Adventure”Santa Monica College presents “Great Adventure” musical theatre revue June 5-7 at Studio Stage. Tickets $15-$18\. Free parking at SMC Main Campus, 1900 Pico Blvd.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-musical-theatre-workshop-presents-great-adventure-june-5-7/)
[CAKE PICNIC Returns to Santa Monica’s Tongva Park June 6CAKE PICNIC returns to Tongva Park in Santa Monica on June 6 with 800 homemade cakes across two sessions (10am-12pm, 2-4pm). Bring a whole cake to attend.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/cake-picnic-returns-to-tongva-park-june-6-with-800-homemade-cakes/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/060826.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### SMC Voice Showcase Set for June 11
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-voice-showcase-set-for-june-11/
Last updated: 2026-06-08T03:09:23.000Z
The Santa Monica College Music Department will present the SMC Voice Showcase on Thursday, June 11, at 7:30 p.m. at The Edye at the[ ](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com)[SMC Performing Arts Center](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com), 1310 11th St.
Led by directors Jeremiah Selvey Convento and Janelle DeStefano, advanced voice students will perform classical, opera, jazz, musical theater and contemporary commercial songs.
Tickets are $10 general admission plus a service charge, with proceeds supporting student opportunities in the Music Department. Tickets are available at[ ](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/tickets](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com), by calling 310-434-3005, or at The Broad Stage Box Office starting 45 minutes before the performance. Parking is free. Seating is first-come, first-served.
For more information, call 310-434-4323 or visit[ ](http://smc.edu/events?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/events](http://smc.edu/events?ref=smdp.com). The concert is subject to change or cancellation.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica Elks Lodge to Host Flag Day Ceremony June 11
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-elks-lodge-to-host-flag-day-ceremony-june-11/
Last updated: 2026-06-08T03:09:07.000Z
The Santa Monica Elks Lodge will host a Flag Day celebration Thursday, June 11, at 1040 Pico Blvd. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. for $15, followed by a ceremony at 7 p.m. The event is open to all.
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks played a foundational role in establishing Flag Day, observed nationally on June 14\. The Elks were the first fraternal organization to mandate the holiday's observance, a patriotic tradition the organization continues to mark each year nationwide.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Latest results upend Los Angles election with Pratt dropping to third place
URL: https://www.smdp.com/latest-results-upend-los-angles-election-with-pratt-dropping-to-third-place/
Last updated: 2026-06-08T22:54:44.000Z
Days after California's primary, Nithya Raman and Spencer Pratt are still waiting to see who makes the November runoff for Los Angeles mayor against incumbent Karen Bass.
The race was still too early to call on Sunday as the vote tally showed Raman moving into second place behind Bass for the first time since Tuesday, when voting ended and the count began. That puts Raman, a progressive city council member, ahead of Pratt, a former reality television personality from "The Hills."
Raman had been running in third, but she has gained more votes than Pratt with every update provided by election officials in Los Angeles since Tuesday.
The changing results have also impacted the race to replace Ben Allen in the State Senate. On Election Night, Republican G. Rick Marshall was in first place followed by Democrats Brian Goldsmith and John M. Erickson. However, both Goldsmith and Erickson have steadily gained votes in the ongoing counts and now sit in the top two slots, pushing Marshall out of the race.
Vote counting in California is a notoriously slow process because state law practically mandates a drawn-out tally. Ballots are mailed to every eligible voter and they are counted if they are postmarked by Election Day and arrive at an election office within seven days.
Los Angeles, like other counties in California, processes and counts mail ballots in roughly the order they are received, so the last ones returned are the last ones counted.
On Tuesday night after polls closed, Los Angeles released results from mail ballots that had been returned early and already processed as well as votes cast that day. Since then, the county has been processing and releasing results from mail ballots that arrived later.
Election data shows that large numbers of Democrats held onto their mail ballots and returned them in the race's final days, which helps explain why Bass and Raman have been doing better than Pratt in the votes counted since primary day.
The mayor's race is nonpartisan, so none of the candidates had party identification next to their names on the ballot. Raman and Bass are both Democrats, while Pratt is a Republican.
On election night, Bass held a 4.4 percentage point lead over Pratt, who in turn had an 8.1-point lead over Raman. Since then, Bass' lead over Pratt has grown to nearly 8 points while Raman now leads Pratt by about 0.4 points, or 3,100 votes. The Associated Press estimates there are a little less than 150,000 ballots left to be counted.
The slow count has prompted claims of fraud, without providing evidence, from some Republicans, including President Donald Trump, who said his Department of Justice would investigate.
The president suggested that the state's Democrats were somehow cheating so that two candidates he favors — Pratt and Republican Steve Hilton in the governor's race — would be bumped from the top two slots and therefore be ineligible for the November general election. Democrat Xavier Becerra has advanced to the general election in the governor's race but The AP has not yet called the second slot. Hilton leads Democrat Tom Steyer by 4.3 points in the race to advance to the general election as the second-place candidate, though his lead has been nearly cut in half since election night.
The general election in Los Angeles is likely to be a referendum on Bass's leadership regardless of whether she faces Raman or Pratt. But the two would come at the campaign from very different directions.
Pratt, a conservative, would mount a more aggressive challenge to liberal governance in the city dominated by Democrats. He has made reducing homelessness a key part of his campaign, and he's sharply criticized Bass's leadership during the January 2025 wildfire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood that destroyed his home and thousands of others. His candidacy had drawn outsized attention because of his celebrity, but it's unclear if the buzz will translate into enough votes to make the runoff.
Raman, meanwhile, is taking on Bass from the left. She has promised to speed up housing construction, bring back entertainment industry jobs and improve services in a city known for dirty streets and buckled pavement. She was elected to the council with the backing of the Democratic Socialists of America, though the group did not make a formal endorsement in the mayor's race. Her last-minute candidacy was a surprise after she endorsed Bass for reelection earlier.
\_\_\_\_\_\_
Ohlemacher reported from Washington. Matthew Hall contributed to this report.
### Saturday, June 6, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/saturday-june-6-2026/
Last updated: 2026-06-06T16:15:40.000Z
The painfully slow process of counting ballots continues, and several races continue to shift. Nithya Raman continues to close in on Spencer Pratt for second place in the LA Mayor race, while Democrats Brian Goldsmith and John Erickson are gaining on Republican Rick Marshall in the race to replace Ben Allen in State Senate District 24\. Our [election results page](https://www.smdp.com/election-results-2026-primary/) is updated daily as new counts come in.
Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Today 🌤️ 68º/61º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 69º/59º
### FIRST UP
Photo: Dr. Michael Kleeman, UC Davis
### Toxic Carcinogen Released during L.A. Wildfires Putting Millions at Risk
A cancer-causing metal detected in the air around last year's Los Angeles wildfire cleanup zones may have exposed more than 3 million residents..[READ](https://www.smdp.com/toxic-carcinogen-found-in-l-a-wildfire-cleanup-zones-putting-millions-at-risk/)
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### MORE NEWS
[Fabulous Fables: Free Family Event at Santa Monica PierFabulous Fables returns June 7 to Santa Monica Pier’s Merry Go-Round Building with free drag storytelling, live performances, and interactive art for families with children ages 2-10.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/fabulous-fables-returns-to-santa-monica-pier-june-7/)
[SMC Wind Ensemble Pops Concert June 7 - Santa MonicaSanta Monica College Wind Ensemble performs ‘Pops’ concert June 7 at 4:30 p.m. at The Eli & Edythe Broad Stage. Features music from 1967, 1976 with Beach Boys and Beatles tributes. Tickets $10.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-wind-ensemble-presents-6-7-pops-concert-june-7/)
[SMC Musical Theatre Workshop Presents “Great Adventure”Santa Monica College presents “Great Adventure” musical theatre revue June 5-7 at Studio Stage. Tickets $15-$18\. Free parking at SMC Main Campus, 1900 Pico Blvd.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-musical-theatre-workshop-presents-great-adventure-june-5-7/)
[CAKE PICNIC Returns to Santa Monica’s Tongva Park June 6CAKE PICNIC returns to Tongva Park in Santa Monica on June 6 with 800 homemade cakes across two sessions (10am-12pm, 2-4pm). Bring a whole cake to attend.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/cake-picnic-returns-to-tongva-park-june-6-with-800-homemade-cakes/)
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[One dead in Ocean Park fireA man died Friday morning in an apartment fire near Ocean Park Blvd. The Santa Monica Fire Department responded to a structure fire on the 2600 block of 5th Street at around 8 a.m. Friday morning and found a single unit engulfed in flames. Firefighters were able to douseSMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/one-dead-in-ocean-park-fire/)
[Santa Monica Racist Attack Suspect Returns to TrialJob Uriah Taylor, 28, faces trial in Santa Monica for a racially motivated 2023 attack that left one victim permanently disabled. California Supreme Court refused to hear his case.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/racist-homeless-attacker-returns-to-trial-after-ca-supreme-court-ruling/)
[Two New Fried Food Spots Coming to Santa Monica Next WeekRaising Cane’s opens June 10 at Third Street Promenade, while The Win\~Dow smashburger shop debuts June 9 on Montana Ave in Santa Monica.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/fans-of-fried-food-have-two-new-options-about-to-open/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/060526.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### SMC Wind Ensemble Presents "6-7" Pops Concert June 7
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-wind-ensemble-presents-6-7-pops-concert-june-7/
Last updated: 2026-06-06T14:53:35.000Z
The Santa Monica College Wind Ensemble will perform its annual Pops concert, "6-7," Sunday, June 7, at 4:30 p.m. at The Eli & Edythe Broad Stage at the[ ](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com)[SMC Performing Arts Center](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com), 1310 11th St.
Under conductor Kevin McKeown, the program draws on music from 1967 and 1976 while also referencing the teen meme trend of 2025\. Featured selections include "76 Trombones," "Rocky" and "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," along with a tribute to The Beach Boys and The Beatles.
"This year's Pops concert is titled '6-7' as a way to celebrate music from 1967, 1976, as well as acknowledging the teen meme craze of 2025," McKeown said. "It should be a lot of fun rediscovering great music through this theme."
Tickets are $10 general admission plus a service charge; free for students with a valid ID. Tickets are available at[ ](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/tickets](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com), by calling 310-434-3005, or at The Broad Stage Box Office starting 45 minutes before the show. Parking is free. Seating is first-come, first-served. For more information, call the SMC Music Department at 310-434-4323\. All performances are subject to change or cancellation.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Fabulous Fables Returns to Santa Monica Pier June 7
URL: https://www.smdp.com/fabulous-fables-returns-to-santa-monica-pier-june-7/
Last updated: 2026-06-06T14:53:16.000Z
The Santa Monica Pier and The Crow will host the return of Fabulous Fables, a free all-ages community event Sunday, June 7, inside the historic Merry Go-Round Building at the Santa Monica Pier, 200 Santa Monica Pier.
Designed for children ages 2–10 and their families, the morning event combines drag queen storytelling, live performances and interactive art. The schedule includes face painting and Paint:LAB easel activities from 10 a.m. to noon, followed by a show featuring poetry, storytime, singing and comedy from 11 a.m. to noon. A poem reading by the Santa Monica Poet Laureate is also planned.
In recognition of Pride Month, Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier will illuminate its Ferris wheel in rainbow colors on the evening of June 7.
"The Santa Monica Pier has always been a place where families gather to create lasting memories," said Executive Director Jim Harris. "Fabulous Fables continues that tradition by bringing together storytelling, creativity, laughter and community."
Pacific Park is a sponsor of the event. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, visit[ ](http://santamonicapier.org/fabfables?ref=smdp.com)[santamonicapier.org/fabfables](http://santamonicapier.org/fabfables?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Toxic carcinogen found in L.A. wildfire cleanup zones, putting millions at risk
URL: https://www.smdp.com/toxic-carcinogen-found-in-l-a-wildfire-cleanup-zones-putting-millions-at-risk/
Last updated: 2026-06-06T15:37:50.000Z
A cancer-causing metal detected in the air around last year's Los Angeles wildfire cleanup zones may have exposed more than 3 million residents to dangerous levels of a toxic carcinogen, according to a new study by University of California researchers.
The peer-reviewed study, published in the journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment, found hexavalent chromium — commonly known as chromium-6 — in neighborhoods surrounding the Palisades and Altadena fire zones two months after the January 2025 blazes. Calculations using models for wind-carried contaminants suggest the microscopic particles traveled as far as six to nine miles from the burn areas, reaching communities including Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and parts of the southern San Fernando Valley.
Researchers estimate approximately 3.3 million people received doses of the carcinogen at levels hundreds of times higher than those normally found in Los Angeles air.
"It shows that well after the wildfires were extinguished, nanoparticles, which are so small they can enter the circulatory system very quickly, were in the air around the burn zones," said Dr. Michael Jerrett, professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and a co-author of the study. "These probably traveled far enough to give 3.3 million people doses that were hundreds of times the levels that are normally seen in the air in Los Angeles."
Chromium-6 is a toxic metal linked to asthma, bronchitis and lung cancer. The nanoparticles identified in the study measure less than one-thousandth the width of a human hair — small enough to cross cell membranes and move through the bloodstream.
Researchers measured average concentrations of 13.7 nanograms per cubic meter in the cleanup zones. While those levels fall below the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's workplace exposure limit of 200 nanograms per cubic meter, they significantly exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's screening levels for indoor air — 0.1 nanograms per cubic meter for cancer risk and 3 nanograms per cubic meter for non-cancer health effects.
Lead author Dr. Michael Kleeman, a professor at UC Davis, said the findings were released early to alert residents and other researchers, even as the study undergoes final revisions.
"Caution and health surveillance is warranted for nearby residents given that nanoparticles can easily cross cell membranes and circulate throughout the body," Kleeman said. "Discovering these airborne, chromium-bearing nanoparticles in the wildfire debris cleanup zones is a unique finding that implicates the fires as a source of toxic nanoparticle metals."
The source of the elevated chromium-6 remains unknown. Researchers point to a range of possible culprits in the burned structures, including computer screens, solar panels, electric vehicles and flame retardants — all materials common in the urban neighborhoods consumed by the fires.
The study also raises a concerning timeline question: monitoring did not begin until two months after the fires were extinguished. Jerrett said the delay was due to a lack of funding, with researchers needing time to secure internal support before fieldwork could begin.
Children, the elderly and people with pre-existing health conditions are generally more vulnerable to the effects of air pollution, Jerrett noted, though he cautioned that the novelty of this type of nanoparticle exposure means researchers do not yet know whether those groups faced disproportionately greater harm.
There is some encouraging news. Co-author Dr. Yifang Zhu, a [UCLA ](https://www.ucla.edu/?ref=smdp.com)professor of environmental health sciences, said chromium-6 concentrations declined over time and returned to background levels approximately eight months after the fire, as the carcinogenic form converted to the less toxic chromium-3.
"This highlights the importance of continued monitoring to track how environmental risks change during the recovery process," Zhu said.
Researchers are urging residents living near wildfire cleanup zones to use indoor air filters and limit outdoor exercise in affected areas until conditions return to safe levels.
The January 2025 fires killed at least 31 people and damaged or destroyed more than 18,000 structures across Los Angeles County, according to county figures. The blazes swept through the Pacific Palisades-Malibu area in western Los Angeles and the Altadena-Pasadena foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.
Scientists warn the findings carry implications far beyond Los Angeles, given the increasing number of fires that begin in open space and cross into urban areas.
"Unfortunately, given continued expansion of wildland-urban interface areas worldwide alongside increasing wildfire risk, we are likely to see more and more of these sorts of fires — and to deal with their impacts — in the future," said Dr. Christopher Cappa, a UC Davis environmental engineering professor and study co-author.
The study received partial funding from the Speigel Foundation, with additional support from UC Davis and UCLA.
### SMC Musical Theatre Workshop Presents "Great Adventure" June 5–7
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-musical-theatre-workshop-presents-great-adventure-june-5-7/
Last updated: 2026-06-05T20:49:36.000Z
Santa Monica College's Musical Theatre Workshop will stage "Great Adventure" this weekend, with performances Friday, June 5, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 6, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, June 7, at 2 p.m. at the Studio Stage in the SMC Theatre Arts Complex on the[ ](https://www.smc.edu/about/campuses/documents/smc-main-campus.pdf?ref=smdp.com)[SMC Main Campus](https://www.smc.edu/about/campuses/documents/smc-main-campus.pdf?ref=smdp.com), 1900 Pico Blvd.
Directed by Theatre Arts faculty Aric Martin with musical direction by Music faculty Megan Gillespie, the revue features SMC students performing solos, duets and group numbers spanning a range of musical theatre genres.
Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 at the door, plus a service charge. They can be purchased at[ ](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/tickets](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com) or by calling 310-434-3005\. Tickets are also available at the Theatre Arts Box Office beginning 45 minutes before curtain. Parking is free. Seating is first-come, first-served. No late seating. Performances are subject to change or cancellation.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### CAKE PICNIC Returns to Tongva Park June 6 With 800 Homemade Cakes
URL: https://www.smdp.com/cake-picnic-returns-to-tongva-park-june-6-with-800-homemade-cakes/
Last updated: 2026-06-05T20:49:26.000Z
CAKE PICNIC, a global cake-sharing event, returns to Los Angeles on Saturday, June 6, at Tongva Park in Santa Monica, with two sessions: a morning session from 10 a.m. to noon and an afternoon session from 2 to 4 p.m., each featuring 400 cakes.
Participants must bring a whole homemade cake to attend. Bakers of all levels are welcome, from home cooks to professional pastry chefs. A dedicated vegan and gluten-free section will be available. Upon arrival, cakes are placed on a shared table, and participants spend the session cutting, trading and sampling one another's creations.
Los Angeles was among the earliest stops on the CAKE PICNIC tour, and the city's entries have included cakes incorporating fig leaves, mushroom decorations and multi-foot-long constructions.
"The cakes here push boundaries in the best way — you taste something new, and you feel like you're tasting a whole idea," said founder Elisa Sunga. "It's farm-to-cake, it's art, and it's so LA."
The event is private; all guests must bring a whole cake and reserve a ticket in advance.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### InsightLA to Lead 12-Mile Walk for Peace From Hollywood to the Sea June 6
URL: https://www.smdp.com/insightla-to-lead-12-mile-walk-for-peace-from-hollywood-to-the-sea-june-6/
Last updated: 2026-06-05T20:49:15.000Z
Los Angeles meditation nonprofit InsightLA will lead a free 12-mile Walk for Peace on Saturday, June 6, from Hollywood Forever Cemetery to Tongva Park in Santa Monica, inviting Angelenos to respond to social and political division through collective, peaceful action.
The walk begins at 9 a.m. with a community gathering outside Hollywood Forever Cemetery and travels west along Santa Monica Boulevard through Hollywood, West Hollywood and Beverly Hills, concluding with a picnic at Tongva Park around 3 p.m. Participants are asked to wear a simple white top as a shared symbol of peace.
A shorter 1.5-mile option is available for those who prefer to join at 1:15 p.m. at InsightLA's Santa Monica Center, 1430 Olympic Blvd., before walking with the full group to Tongva Park.
The event is inspired by a 2,300-mile, 108-day Walk for Peace completed in February 2026 by Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara and fellow monks, who walked from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C. The monks are not involved in the Los Angeles event.
The walk is led by InsightLA teachers Lisa Kring, LCSW, and Nico Cary. Kring has said she carries with her words from Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara: "Peace does not begin somewhere far away. It begins with one breath, one step, right now."
Volunteers are needed to assist along the route. The event is free. Registration is requested. Volunteers may sign up at this link: https://airtable.com/appRxDHPwSqWB86B6/pagonXrQzj29urQhQ/form
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica and Chicago Piers Join for Route 66 Centennial Celebration June 6
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-and-chicago-piers-join-for-route-66-centennial-celebration-june-6/
Last updated: 2026-06-05T20:49:08.000Z
The Santa Monica Pier and Chicago's Navy Pier will mark the 100th anniversary of Route 66 with a coast-to-coast "Pier to Pier" event Saturday, June 6, offering free Ferris wheel rides for 66 minutes at both locations beginning at 10 a.m. local time.
Free rides on the Pacific Wheel at Pacific Park and the Navy Pier Centennial Wheel will run from 10 to 11:06 a.m. Guests must RSVP in advance; quantities are limited and available first-come, first-served. RSVP for Pacific Wheel rides at[ ](https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A%5F%5Furl.us.m.mimecastprotect.com%5Fs%5FuN2ICW6m7oF88Y3UKiYUojLr5-3Fdomain-3Durldefense.proofpoint.com&d=DwMGaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A%5FCdpgnVfiiMM&r=n8Rk-3m9m%5FkLXHe6p-mcNc0lLwgy0gpp0sspWTLnw4k&m=IAVy8WaaDjlebkld5sGiGJbL8mQ-zI3rewXLqvnIHQKRbJAQBufFTy6L9PHfHSf4&s=rpIZMf7lPn-1s6N6CmEVDkER2jNG5sNiXhlKmx6rBD0&e=&ref=smdp.com)[pacpark.com/route-66-day](https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A%5F%5Furl.us.m.mimecastprotect.com%5Fs%5FuN2ICW6m7oF88Y3UKiYUojLr5-3Fdomain-3Durldefense.proofpoint.com&d=DwMGaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A%5FCdpgnVfiiMM&r=n8Rk-3m9m%5FkLXHe6p-mcNc0lLwgy0gpp0sspWTLnw4k&m=IAVy8WaaDjlebkld5sGiGJbL8mQ-zI3rewXLqvnIHQKRbJAQBufFTy6L9PHfHSf4&s=rpIZMf7lPn-1s6N6CmEVDkER2jNG5sNiXhlKmx6rBD0&e=&ref=smdp.com) and for Centennial Wheel rides at[ ](https://navypier.org/pier-events/route-66-day/?ref=smdp.com)[navypier.org/pier-events/route-66-day](https://navypier.org/pier-events/route-66-day/?ref=smdp.com).
The event marks Route 66's connection between Chicago — recently dedicated as the highway's new symbolic eastern starting point — and Santa Monica's iconic western terminus at the pier. During the promotional window, souvenir ride photos are available for $6 at both locations.
"This celebration brings together two iconic destinations linked by history, nostalgia and the timeless excitement of reaching the end — or beginning — of America's most famous highway," said Jim Harris, executive director and historian of the Santa Monica Pier.
The Pacific Wheel is recognized as the world's only solar-powered Ferris wheel.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Friday, June 5, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/friday-june-5-2026/
Last updated: 2026-06-05T19:05:26.000Z
Prediction markets are suggesting Nithya Raman will catch Spencer Pratt for second place in the Los Angeles Mayors race but election experts say that to do so, she'd have to gain votes at a rate significantly higher than vote totals have shown so far.
Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High 68F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Today 🌤️ 68º/61º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 69º/61º
### FIRST UP
SMDP Photo
### One dead in Ocean Park fire
A man died Friday morning in an apartment fire near Ocean Park Blvd. The Santa Monica Fire Department...[READ](https://www.smdp.com/one-dead-in-ocean-park-fire/)
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### MORE NEWS
[Santa Monica Racist Attack Suspect Returns to TrialJob Uriah Taylor, 28, faces trial in Santa Monica for a racially motivated 2023 attack that left one victim permanently disabled. California Supreme Court refused to hear his case.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/racist-homeless-attacker-returns-to-trial-after-ca-supreme-court-ruling/)
[Two New Fried Food Spots Coming to Santa Monica Next WeekRaising Cane’s opens June 10 at Third Street Promenade, while The Win\~Dow smashburger shop debuts June 9 on Montana Ave in Santa Monica.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/fans-of-fried-food-have-two-new-options-about-to-open/)
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Will Rogers 4th of July 5K/10K Returns to Pacific PalisadesThe Palisades Will Rogers Fourth of July 5K/10K returns to Pacific Palisades on July 4 for its 49th year. Register now for the 10K, 5K, or Kids Fun Run.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/palisades-will-rogers-fourth-of-july-5k-10k-run-returns-home/)
[Election Results: 2026 PrimaryCalifornia Primary 2026 — Results Statewide, Westside and Los Angeles County races. ✓ advances to the November runoff · ★ wins outright. Statewide California’s top-two primary. The two highest finishers — regardless of party — advance to the November runoff (✓). Governor ✓ Steve Hilton Rep 27.6%1,417,689 ✓ Xavier Becerra Dem 25.5%1,310,SMDPEditor](https://www.smdp.com/election-results-2026-primary/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/060526.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### Santa Monica Brew Works Releases Commemorative Route 66 Centennial Ale
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-brew-works-releases-commemorative-route-66-centennial-ale/
Last updated: 2026-06-05T19:00:01.000Z
Santa Monica Brew Works is marking the 100th anniversary of Route 66 with the release of End of the Trail Pale Ale, a limited-edition beer available beginning June 5.
The 5.6% ABV pale ale was crafted by head brewer Avery Colomb and features notes of bright citrus, floral aromatics and subtle tropical fruit. The label was designed by local artist Matthew Ehrmann, a lifelong Santa Monica resident whose work draws on the spirit of the American West.
Santa Monica is widely recognized as the western terminus of Route 66, the legendary highway stretching from Chicago to the Pacific. The city is marking the centennial with a yearlong celebration.
The beer made its exclusive debut June 4 at the Santa Monica Pier during a Route 66 Centennial event. Beginning June 5, it is available on draft and in limited-release 16-ounce cans at the brewery's tasting room, where Ehrmann will also host a pop-up gallery exhibition.
"Crisp, refreshing and endlessly drinkable, End of the Trail Pale Ale is a toast to the miles traveled and the stories collected along Route 66," said Co-Founder and CEO Scott Francis.
Visitors and locals are invited to explore the citywide centennial celebration by visiting[ ](https://www.santamonica.com/?ref=smdp.com)[santamonica.com](https://www.santamonica.com/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Officials Outline Public Safety Plan for 2026 FIFA World Cup
URL: https://www.smdp.com/officials-outline-public-safety-plan-for-2026-fifa-world-cup/
Last updated: 2026-06-05T19:00:00.000Z
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman joined law enforcement leaders and FIFA officials to brief the public on safety preparations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which begins next week across 16 North American cities.
Tens of thousands of fans are expected in the Los Angeles area for the five-week tournament.
"Los Angeles is ready to shine on the world's biggest stage," Hochman said, warning those who plan to commit crimes that "bad choices could land you a red card and a one-way ticket to watch the games from the inside of a jail."
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna and LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell echoed that message, pledging a coordinated response from local, state, federal and international agencies.
Officials urged fans to check bag and prohibited-item rules at SoFi Stadium before arriving, guard against petty theft in crowds, buy tickets only through official FIFA channels, and report human trafficking, hate crimes, counterfeit merchandise or other scams to law enforcement.
To receive World Cup safety notifications, U.S. residents can text FIFALA26 to 888-777\. International travelers without a U.S. data plan can download the Everbridge Public Safety app and enter the keyword FIFALA26.
Crimes can be reported online through:[ ](https://www.lapdonline.org/file-a-police-report/?ref=smdp.com)[LAPD](https://www.lapdonline.org/file-a-police-report/?ref=smdp.com) |[ ](https://lasd.org/file-police-reports-online/?ref=smdp.com)[LASD](https://lasd.org/file-police-reports-online/?ref=smdp.com) |[ ](https://tips.fbi.gov/home?ref=smdp.com)[FBI](https://tips.fbi.gov/home?ref=smdp.com) |[ ](https://www.cityofinglewood.org/1508/File-a-Report?ref=smdp.com)[City of Inglewood](https://www.cityofinglewood.org/1508/File-a-Report?ref=smdp.com)
In an emergency, call 911.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica, Coastal Commission Sign MOU to Complete Local Coastal Program
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-coastal-commission-sign-mou-to-complete-local-coastal-program/
Last updated: 2026-06-05T19:00:00.000Z
The Santa Monica City Council voted last week to authorize the city manager to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the California Coastal Commission, setting a collaborative path toward certifying the city's first comprehensive Local Coastal Program.
The LCP consists of a Land Use Plan, containing coastal policies, and an Implementation Plan, which functions as a zoning ordinance for the coastal zone. Building on a draft Coastal Land Use Plan from 2018, the MOU establishes communication protocols and coordination frameworks between the city and the commission.
Once certified, the LCP would give Santa Monica greater local approval authority over temporary events, commercial improvements, outdoor dining, residential development and transportation projects in the coastal zone — which includes much of downtown Santa Monica, including Third Street Promenade — while maintaining protections consistent with the California Coastal Act.
"By committing to work directly with the California Coastal Commission to complete our Local Coastal Program, we are building a faster, clearer path for projects in our coastal zone," said Mayor Caroline Torosis. "That means less delay, less uncertainty, and more local decision-making power."
The city plans to begin the new process with the Coastal Commission in July 2026, with a goal of certifying the final LCP by the end of 2027.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### One dead in Ocean Park fire
URL: https://www.smdp.com/one-dead-in-ocean-park-fire/
Last updated: 2026-06-05T18:01:28.000Z
A man died Friday morning in an apartment fire near Ocean Park Blvd.
The Santa Monica Fire Department responded to a structure fire on the 2600 block of 5th Street at around 8 a.m. Friday morning and found a single unit engulfed in flames.
Firefighters were able to douse the flames and when investigating the interior of the unit they found an unresponsive elderly man. Firefighters attempted lifesaving measures but the victim was later pronounced dead.
Officials said the investigation into the cause is underway and no additional information is available.
### Racist homeless attacker returns to trial after CA Supreme Court ruling
URL: https://www.smdp.com/racist-homeless-attacker-returns-to-trial-after-ca-supreme-court-ruling/
Last updated: 2026-06-05T16:25:27.000Z
A man accused of a racially motivated rampage that ended in a downtown homeless encampment and left one victim permanently disabled will face trial after the state’s highest court refused to hear his case.
The lack of action by the California Supreme Court means a previous ruling by a state appellate court that a trial judge abused her discretion by granting the suspect entry into a mental health diversion program now stands.
As of this month, Job Uriah Taylor, 28, is charged with the willful, premeditated and deliberate attempted murder of Christian Hornburg, along with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of assault causing great bodily injury. The charges stem from a now three-year old case and carry multiple hate crime enhancements that mean if convicted as charged, Taylor faces a potential life sentence in state prison.
The California Supreme Court declined May 27 to review the Second District Court of Appeal's March 5 decision in \*People v. Superior Court (Taylor)\*, leaving in place a published ruling that directs the Los Angeles County Superior Court to vacate its diversion order and deny the motion. Because the opinion was certified for publication, it stands as binding precedent throughout California.
The Attacks
Prosecutors allege that on the morning of March 3, 2023, Taylor went on a violent, racially motivated rampage targeting multiple victims near the Downtown Santa Monica Expo Line station, attacking at least four people with a metal pipe within the span of approximately one hour.
According to the appellate opinion, Taylor attacked Hornburg, who is Black, while he slept and struck him over the head with the pipe, then stomped on his head while Hornburg lay on the ground. When Jade Carter, also Black, tried to help, Taylor attacked her with the pipe as well, hurling racial slurs throughout. Both Hornburg and Carter were transported to a hospital. Hornburg sustained life-altering injuries and was subsequently confined to a rehabilitation facility.
Police body camera footage showed Taylor continuing his racist outburst until he was taken into custody and prosecutors also allege that earlier that same morning, Taylor threatened a third victim, Michael Okyere, with the metal pipe and shouted racial slurs at him before nearby firefighters intervened and chased him away.
Following his arrest, Taylor told investigators he had been sent to Santa Monica to target Black residents.
Mental Health History
Court records detail Taylor’s extensive history of mental illness, substance abuse and repeated failures to comply with treatment.
Taylor's records show psychiatric symptoms dating to childhood, including auditory and visual hallucinations, mood instability and diagnoses that included schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder and psychotic disorders. He had previously been hospitalized after threatening his mother and destroying the family home, and after threatening bystanders with a rebar club in 2021 — an incident in which he tested positive for amphetamine, cannabis and cocaine.
Taylor's sister told investigators that she and their mother had admitted him to mental health facilities in Louisiana as an adult on multiple occasions, but that he always signed himself out within 24 hours. Medical records showed he repeatedly refused prescribed medications.
By Taylor's own account, he was discharged from a psychiatric facility shortly before the March 2023 attacks. He told a defense psychologist he had not followed through on hospital discharge instructions because he left them on a bus, and that at the time of the attacks he was using methamphetamine and PCP and had been experiencing hallucinations.
The Diversion Proceedings
Taylor’s attorneys filed a motion for mental health diversion in June 2024 under Penal Code Section 1001.36, which allows courts to postpone or permanently set aside prosecution for defendants with qualifying mental disorders who agree to treatment and do not pose an unreasonable risk of danger to public safety.
In support of the motion, defense psychologist Robin Rhodes Campbell concluded that Taylor suffered from a qualifying, treatable mental health condition that played a significant role in the offenses. However, Campbell's opinion on public safety risk was conditional — she wrote that Taylor would not pose an unreasonable risk "if his psychiatric symptoms were controlled with treatment" and "if the defendant abstains from substance use." She did not opine that such control was likely.
The trial court appointed Dr. Montgomery from the Office of Diversion and Reentry to independently evaluate Taylor. Montgomery testified that Taylor was stable while in custody and on medication and that the ODR program, which includes long-acting injectable medications, could treat his condition. She acknowledged, however, that the ODR facility was unlocked and that if Taylor chose to leave, staff could attempt to intervene but could not physically stop him. When prosecutors pressed her on whether Taylor would pose an unreasonable risk if he left the facility and stopped taking medication, Montgomery declined to offer an opinion, saying she could not make that prediction. The trial court discouraged further questioning on the point, noting that witnesses could not "predict the future."
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Lana Kim granted Taylor's diversion motion on March 12, 2025, ordering him into a residential, medically assisted treatment program and setting monthly court appearances to review his progress. The court made no express finding on whether Taylor would pose an unreasonable risk to public safety if released into the community.
The Appeal
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office appealed, arguing that no evidence supported the trial court's implicit finding that Taylor would be safe to release for community treatment given his documented history of abandoning facilities and refusing medication.
The Second District Court of Appeal agreed. In an opinion authored by Presiding Justice Rothschild and joined by Justices Bendix and M. Kim, the court held that the obligation to determine whether a defendant poses an unreasonable risk to public safety necessarily includes determining whether the defendant will follow through on a treatment agreement — and that the trial court had failed to make that determination.
"The obligation to determine whether a defendant will pose an unreasonable risk of danger to the public if granted diversion necessarily includes determining whether the defendant will abandon treatment," the court wrote.
The court noted that while the defense's expert offered only a conditional opinion and the court-appointed expert declined to assess future risk at all, the record contained substantial evidence that Taylor would abandon treatment — including his history of signing out of facilities within 24 hours and his admission that he was discharged from a psychiatric hospital and stopped taking his medication shortly before the attacks.
The court emphasized that its ruling was not based on the severity of Taylor's alleged conduct but on the absence of any evidence that he would comply with a voluntary treatment program.
The appellate court issued its initial ruling Sept. 30, 2025, then vacated it and granted a rehearing. Following additional briefing, the court reaffirmed its decision March 5\. The California Supreme Court declined review May 27, leaving the published opinion in place as statewide precedent.
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Steve Dickman of the Hate Crimes Unit and will now be heard at the Airport Courthouse.
### Fans of fried food have two new options about to open
URL: https://www.smdp.com/fans-of-fried-food-have-two-new-options-about-to-open/
Last updated: 2026-06-05T10:00:04.000Z
Residents who love food but hate their arteries will have new options for heart-stopping delights next week with the opening of both Raising Cane’s and The Win\~Dow.
Raising Cane's will open its first Westside Los Angeles location at 1401 Third Street Promenade on Wednesday, June 10, while The Win\~Dow, a Venice-born smashburger chain, is set to debut its seventh location at 930 Montana Ave. on June 9.
Raising Cane's
The Louisiana-based chicken finger chain will occupy a 1,401 Third Street Promenade address in the former Bibimbap space, marking the brand's first foothold on the Westside and a symbolic milestone for a downtown district still rebuilding its retail and dining base.
The chain, which operates more than 1,000 locations worldwide and counts California as its second-largest market with roughly 117 locations, is known for a deliberately narrow menu built around chicken fingers marinated for at least 24 hours and cooked to order with no heat lamps or warmers. Every location serves the same core lineup: chicken fingers, Cane's Sauce — which the company claims is the most craved sauce in the restaurant industry — coleslaw, toast and fresh-brewed tea and lemonade.
The Santa Monica outpost was designed with the city's surf-and-skate culture in mind, featuring a Ferris wheel mural inspired by the nearby pier, surfboard disco light installations and California-themed merchandise. The dining room also traces owner Todd Graves' origin story, from his early career as a boilermaker and sockeye salmon fisherman to opening the first Raising Cane's in 1996.
Opening day festivities begin before the 10 a.m. doors, with a drawing from 8 to 9 a.m. to award 20 customers free Cane's for a year. The first 200 combo purchasers will receive a custom Santa Monica beach towel and a free box combo card for a future visit. The restaurant will also present $1,000 checks to the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Education Foundation. Hours will run daily from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
The Win\~Dow
A day earlier, The Win\~Dow will open at 930 Montana Ave., taking over a space previously occupied by the Go Get Em Tiger coffee shop. The 50-seat location was designed by the Klein Agency and features murals by Los Angeles artist KC Haxton.
Founded in Venice in March 2019 by Paul Hibler and Jeff Goodman as a walk-up window attached to their upscale Rose Avenue steakhouse American Beauty, The Win\~Dow was built around a single, affordable cheeseburger — a flat-top griddled patty smashed with onions, topped with American cheese, pickles and a pink house sauce on a soft potato bun. It launched at $3.95 and has risen incrementally to around $4.50.
The concept earned early recognition from Eater LA, which named it the No. 1 new burger in the city, and took the top prize at LAist's 2025 Tournament of Cheeseburgers. The chain is operated under parent company American Gonzo Food Corp., which also runs Pitfire Pizza, Superba and Pie Society.
The Santa Monica location expands on the original concept with a weekend breakfast menu featuring burritos and egg-topped burgers, with weekend service beginning at 9 a.m. The menu currently runs about nine items total, including a vegetarian option, fried chicken sandwich, fries, shakes and soft-serve.
A Broader Revival
Raising Cane's will be the first major fast food chain to open on the Promenade since the ban's repeal, but it is unlikely to be the last. Taco Bell has filed permits to open a Cantina-format location at 318 Santa Monica Blvd., currently home to the Britannia Pub. The Cantina concept — which features alcohol service, shareable appetizers, communal seating and digital kiosks but no drive-thru — operates at roughly 60 locations nationally and generates four times the revenue of a traditional Taco Bell, according to the company. Plans call for converting 1,510 square feet of office space into a restaurant and bar with a mezzanine level, valued at nearly $400,000.
### Around Town: Summer Starts with Steaks, Sweets and Sports
URL: https://www.smdp.com/around-town-summer-starts-with-steaks-sweets-and-sports/
Last updated: 2026-06-05T04:11:21.000Z
SMDP's Weekly Guide to Food & Entertainment Goings-On In & Around Town includes a legendary Texas steak challenge on the Pier, a Swedish candy invasion, a popular new burger joint on Montana and Raising Cane’s on 3rd St. Promenade, a high-stakes pickleball tournament for a good cause, and much more!
**Route 66 Steak Challenge:** The famous 72-ounce steak challenge from Texas' Big Texan Steak Ranch arrives at the Santa Monica Pier as the Big Texan Steak Ranch is taking over Route 66-where brave contenders attempt to devour a massive steak dinner in under one hour on a live stage. **Thursday, June 4, 4 - 8p.m., Santa Monica Pier** [https://www.meetdaisy.co/calendars/see-santa-monica/events/route-66-steak-challenge-texas-meets-santa-monica](https://www.meetdaisy.co/calendars/see-santa-monica/events/route-66-steak-challenge-texas-meets-santa-monica?ref=smdp.com)
**Point Break Night Market:** Saba Surf is putting on a night market block party featuring local vendors, tattoos, crafts, sweet treats and burritos. **Thursday June 4, 6 - 9:30p.m., 12912 Venice Blvd.** [instagram.com/saba\_surf](http://instagram.com/saba%5Fsurf?ref=smdp.com)
**Free Yoga Every Saturday in June:** The Wilshire-Montana Neighborhood Coalition hosts FREE yoga at Reed Park **Saturdays at 8:30 a.m., 1133 7th St.** [wilmont.org](http://wilmont.org/?ref=smdp.com)
**Halfdays’ Beach Volleyball Meet-Up:** A ticket includes A ticket includes beach volleyball, post-game snacks and one of the brand's workout sets. 🏐 **Saturday, June 6, Annenberg Beach House, 415 PCH** [instagram.com/p/DYr6DtvEefE/](http://instagram.com/p/DYr6DtvEefE/?ref=smdp.com)
**Marina WELL Rey - a free Health, Wellness & Selfcare Expo:** Over 60 local businesses will be offering Free Classes, Talks, Doggy Yoga, Vendors and Entertainment. **Saturday, June 6, Coco Beach Sports Bar & Grill, 404 Washington Blvd., Venice** [eventbrite.com/e/marina-well-rey-health-wellness-self-care-expo-tickets-1985527200305](http://eventbrite.com/e/marina-well-rey-health-wellness-self-care-expo-tickets-1985527200305?ref=smdp.com)
**Unicorn Movie Club X Variety of So Cal Pickleball Tournament:** Two local nonprofits team up for a lively double-elimination pickleball tournament welcoming all skill levels. Enjoy lunch, an open bar, and a high-energy atmosphere, with all proceeds benefiting SoCal children and families. **Saturday, June 6, 3p.m., Santa Monica Pickleball Center, 1330 4th St.** [santamonicapickleballcenter.com](http://santamonicapickleballcenter.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**Penmar Wine Mixer:** Enjoy a Step Brothers-inspired afternoon featuring over 50 wines from 15+ participating wineries, live DJ sets, sunshine, and Venice vibes. **Saturday, June 6, 3p.m., 1233 Rose Ave.**[tickets.thepenmar.com/e/penmar-wine-mixer](http://tickets.thepenmar.com/e/penmar-wine-mixer?ref=smdp.com)
**Santa Monica Animal Shelter Foundation Fundraiser (Saturday June 6, 12 - 3pm):** The fundraiser is a fun afternoon to help the animals at the Santa Monica animal shelter. For a small donation you could win prizes in the raffle and bid on unique experiences in the silent auction. There will be face painting, balloon animals, burgers, the Santa Monica Police Department's Mounted Unit and more. @ **1640 9th St.** [smasf.org](http://smasf.org/?ref=smdp.com)
**Saturdays at Seven Secret House Show:** Expect a secret Venice Beach location, local musicians, complimentary drinks, and the kind of intimate concert experience that’s hard to find anywhere else in LA. **Saturday, June 6, 7p.m., Venice** [instagram.com/saturdaysatseven](http://instagram.com/saturdaysatseven?ref=smdp.com)
**Self-Guided Coastal Crossroads Tour:** Celebrate Nick Gabaldon Day and Juneteenth at the debut of the Coastal Crossroads Tour, an exploration of Santa Monica’s coastal landmarks, public art, cultural sites, and Black history. For the inaugural event, four sites related to Santa Monica’s Black experience will be docented by esteemed historian Dr. Alison Rose Jefferson and her team of storytellers. The full self-guided tour with all 20 stops will go live on **Sunday, June 7, 1p.m.** [givecloud.co/coastalcrossroads](https://smc.givecloud.co/coastalcrossroads?ref=smdp.com)
**World Play Zone at the Metro Station:** A family-friendly World Cup activation featuring soccer challenges, skill stations, and interactive play. **Weekends, June 11–28, SaMo E Line Downtown Station Lot** [santamonicacup.com/events/junior-junction](http://santamonicacup.com/events/junior-junction?ref=smdp.com)
**ONGOING:** [Museum of Illusions](https://moisantamonica.com/?ref=smdp.com); [The CUBE VR](https://www.thecubeevents.com/santamonicaexperiences?ref=smdp.com); [Splatter Studio](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/california-live/paint-sip-and-create-in-santa-monica/3834517/?ref=smdp.com);
****Raising Cane’s Grand Opening** ****on June 10**
**What to Eat & Drink?**
**Free Lobster for a Year? Luke’s Lobster Launching In-Shack Exclusive Mystery Grab Bags:** On June 4 and 5 with mystery grab bags! Diners who spend $25 or more can walk away with merch prizes including a grand prize of free lobster rolls for a year! **200 Santa Monica Blvd.** [lukeslobster.com/pages/lucky-lobster](http://lukeslobster.com/pages/lucky-lobster?ref=smdp.com)
**Tercero Winemaker dinner at Orto:** Enjoy a four course dinner featuring Tercero Wines from Los Olivos presented by the winemaker. **Thursday, June 4, 7p.m., 502 Santa Monica Blvd.** [opentable.com/r/orto-santa-monica](http://opentable.com/r/orto-santa-monica?ref=smdp.com)
**An Evening with Vega-Sicilia Winery:** Join a tasting experience featuring the legendary wines of Tempos Vega-Sicilia, including Spain’s iconic Único alongside elegant white selections from their renowned Tokaj estate, Oremus. Guests will enjoy a curated lineup accompanied by cheeses, charcuterie, and seasonal small bites. $150\. **Thursday, June 4, Wally's, 214 Wilshire Blvd.** [opentable.com/booking/experiences-availability?rid=1020850&restref=1020850&experienceId=720007](http://opentable.com/booking/experiences-availability?rid=1020850&restref=1020850&experienceId=720007&ref=smdp.com)
**Abbot Kinney First Friday Food Truck Fest:** About two dozen food trucks are expected to line the street for the monthly event. **Friday, June 5, starting at 5p.m.**[ ](https://www.abbotkinneyblvd.com/?ref=smdp.com)[abbotkinneyblvd.com](https://www.abbotkinneyblvd.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**New Dog Menu Launch Event at Fig Tree:** Celebrate the launch of a new pup menu with free house-made dog biscuits, rescue pup meet-and-greets, and the chance to meet adoptable dogs from Wags & Walks. 🐶 **Friday, June 5, 3–5p.m., 431 Ocean Front Walk, Venice** [instagram.com/figtreevenice](http://instagram.com/figtreevenice?ref=smdp.com)
**Árbowl Supper Club at Our Place - Homestyle:** Enjoy a 5-course pop-up dining experience in support of real people looking for new friends and social connections. Each course will be a re-imagination of meaningful home cooked dishes from our Arbowl team members childhoods, spanning 5 different cultures across the meal. **Saturday, Jun 6, 7:15p.m.** [https://posh.vip/e/rbowl-supper-club-at-our-place-homestyle](https://posh.vip/e/rbowl-supper-club-at-our-place-homestyle?ref=smdp.com)
**Win-Dow on Montana Grand Opening (June 9):** The wildly popular smashburger concept continues its Westside expansion with a Montana Avenue location. Launch week includes a variety of daily specials including a free burger with any purchase on opening day. **930 Montana Ave.** [instagram.com/thewindow.la](http://instagram.com/thewindow.la?ref=smdp.com)
**Jeremy Renner + Kym Renner + Junior Cookies ❤️ A Cookie With a Purpose:** The limited Renner Crunch Cookie is a buttery cookie with milk chocolate, marshmallow crunch loaded with potato chips, pretzels, and cornflakes, and topped with rainbow sprinkles. $5 from each 4-pack will be donated to support Camp RennerVation, helping provide summer camp experiences for children in foster care and at-risk youth. **2726 Main St.** [juniorcookies.com](http://juniorcookies.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**Kändi Now Open:** Swedish candy has become a social-media phenomenon in the U.S., with specialty imports drawing long lines in cities across the country. The playful candy shop bringing the sweet taste of Sweden to Santa Monica, has officially opened its doors. Kändi offers a curated selection of unique Scandinavian treats, including tangy sour candies, fluffy marshmallows, rich chocolates and other favorites you won’t typically find in the U.S. **1230 Montana Ave.** [instagram.com/swedishkandi/](http://instagram.com/swedishkandi/?ref=smdp.com)
**Raising Cane’s Grand Opening (June 10):** There’s a sign outside of the new Downtown Santa Monica branch of crazy/popular poultry purveyor Raising Cane’s announcing their June 10 opening at the corner of Third St. and Santa Monica Blvd. Expect a lot of fanfare and giveaways. [instagram.com/raisingcanes](http://instagram.com/raisingcanes?ref=smdp.com)
**Further Afield:** **U.S. Women’s Open Golf Championship: ⛳**For the first time in history, the U.S. Women’s Open is being played at Riviera Country Club on the Westside, bringing elite professional golf and international attention to the region. Expect four days of top-tier competition, celebrity sightings, and fan events tied to one of golf’s major championships. **June 4 – 7, Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, CA** [https://www.santamonica.com/global-events/](https://www.santamonica.com/global-events/?ref=smdp.com)
**More Further Afield:** **Uncorked LA @ California Science Center:** More than 100 wines, after-hours access to museum exhibits, DJs and food trucks make this one of the more unique summer tasting events in Los Angeles. 🍷 Saturday, June 6, 7 - 11p.m. [eventbrite.com/e/uncorked-la-tickets-1984498164431](http://eventbrite.com/e/uncorked-la-tickets-1984498164431?aff=oddtdtcreator&ref=smdp.com)
**Looking Ahead:** [World Cup Street Parties](https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2026/04/16/major-events-agreements-advance-world-cup-activations-kick-into-high-gear?ref=smdp.com); [Santa Monica Block Fest IV](https://www.instagram.com/p/DY0r%5FyEmlN4/?ref=smdp.com) (6/13); [Hollywood on the Coast Food & Wine Fest](https://www.hollywoodonthecoast.com/?ref=smdp.com) (6/13); [Juneteenth Celebrations](https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2026/05/21/celebrate-juneteenth-in-santa-monica?ref=smdp.com) (6/19-20); [Main St. Summer SOULStice Festival](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-soulstice-festival-tickets-1987951789316?ref=smdp.com) (6/20)**;** [Venice Fest](http://thevenicefest.com/?ref=smdp.com) (6/20); [Make Music Day Santa Monica](http://makemusicday.org/santamonica?ref=smdp.com) (6/21); [Pier 360 Beach Festival](https://www.santamonicapier.org/pier360?ref=smdp.com) (6/27-28);[Main St. July 4th Parade](https://www.santamonicaparade.com/?ref=smdp.com) (7/4); [COAST Open Streets Festival](https://www.santamonicaworldcup.com/events/coast-2026-0zc31?ref=smdp.com) (7/19)
If there’s something you think is worth highlighting, you can reach out directly to me at [sean@smdp.com](mailto:sean@smdp.com).[ ](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com)[Here](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com) are my past columns and let me know if you have any feedback on **Around Town: Summer Starts with Steaks, Sweets and Sports**
### June at the market
URL: https://www.smdp.com/june-at-the-market/
Last updated: 2026-06-04T19:00:00.000Z
**June Blog 2026**
Happy June! We are celebrating the last days of spring and looking forward to welcoming in summer with Summer Solstice just a couple of weeks away. So much going on this month with graduations, Father’s Day, summer vacation! It’s the perfect time to check out what’s new at the Farmers Markets! Whether you’re on your way to the beach or getting ready for a weekend camping trip, we’ve got the most amazing, delicious snacks to boost your energy, put a smile on your face and some pep in your step! Who needs an energy drink when farmers market fruits and vegetables are packed with nutrition! Did you say PEACHES!? Yes! Your favorite stone fruits are available at the farmers market now!
Special events happening at the Pico and Main Street Farmers Markets include the Juneteenth celebration at Virginia Park on June 20 and then, on Sunday, June 21, be sure to stop by the Main Street Farmers Market for a special Father’s Day Summer Solstice celebration. Spend the summer with us and enjoy music and activities for the kids! Always fun, always free!
**June Calendar 2026**
**Pico**
**June 6 DJ and the Greenleas**
**June 13 GM Jazz**
**June 20 East of Lincoln M Master Gardeners Juneteenth Celebration in the Park**
**June 27 Megan Ukoh**
**Main Street**
**June 7 Triple B Band 10am-1pm My Gym Soccer Stars**
**June 14 GM Jazz Quartet 10am-1pm**
**June 21 Father’s Day and Solstice Celebration**
**Cadre Scott 9-11am Megan Ukoh 11am-1pm SolLA Instrument Petting Zoo**
**June 28 DJ & the Main Street Jam 10am-1pm Westside Waldorf Natural Crafting**
### Australia Consulate celebrates World Cup Socceroos at Qantas Hanger furthering legacy across Los Angeles
URL: https://www.smdp.com/australia-consulate-celebrates-world-cup-socceroos-at-qantas-hanger-furthering-legacy-across-los-angeles/
Last updated: 2026-06-04T19:00:01.000Z
With the FIFA World Cup set to transform Los Angeles into one of the epicenters of global sport, Australian officials, civic leaders, business executives, and members of Australia’s national football team gathered Friday inside a Qantas maintenance hangar near Los Angeles International Airport to celebrate the arrival of the CommBank Socceroos and reflect on the opportunities the tournament presents for both cities and communities.
Hosted by Qantas Airways and the Australian Consulate-General in Los Angeles, the event served as both a welcome reception and a broader conversation about sport’s ability to connect nations, drive economic development, and leave lasting community impact.
For Los Angeles leaders, the World Cup represents far more than a month of matches. “This is kind of the kickoff to the arrival of the entire world in Los Angeles,” said Paul Krekorian, City of Los Angeles' Executive Director of Major Events, who oversees the city’s preparations for a historic run of major global events, including the FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl, and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Krekorian emphasized that the true measure of success will not be attendance figures or television audiences, but the long-term benefits left behind for Angelenos. Under Mayor Karen Bass’s “Games for All” vision, city leaders are focused on ensuring investments tied to the World Cup and Olympics extend beyond stadiums through workforce development, accessibility improvements, public infrastructure, youth programs, and community engagement initiatives. “I’m excited about the idea of future generations looking back at this period in time and thinking that was the moment we were able to create these benefits,” Krekorian said. “In the same way that we look back at the 1984 Olympics today and see how much we’re still benefiting from them.”
Among the initiatives he highlighted are more than 100 free public activations planned throughout Los Angeles neighborhoods, designed to bring the World Cup experience directly into communities and ensure residents can participate regardless of their ability to purchase tickets. “It was important that these events be accessible to everyone,” Krekorian said. “We’re bringing the games to the communities.”
The event’s setting reflected another theme echoed throughout the morning - the power of connection. Standing beneath a Boeing 787 Dreamliner undergoing maintenance, Qantas Executive Vice President, Americas' Ash Howell welcomed guests to what he described as “a little piece of Australia in the heart of Los Angeles.” “This isn’t a prop,” Howell joked. “This is a live working hangar.” The facility, one of the largest commercial aircraft hangars in the Northern Hemisphere, serves as a critical operational hub for Qantas’ North American network. Los Angeles remains one of the airline’s most important international gateways, supporting up to 21 flights each week and connecting nearly 800,000 passengers annually between Australia and the United States.
Yet Howell said the gathering represented something larger than aviation. “Connection is really the reason we’re all here today,” he said. “Moments like this remind us that connection is about more than distance. It’s about people, teams, and the pride that travels with them.”
That theme was echoed by Australian Counsel General Tanya Bennett, who highlighted sport’s unique ability to strengthen relationships between nations while creating opportunities for business, tourism, and cultural exchange. “Sport unites communities, creates lasting legacies, and brings people together,” Bennett said. “The FIFA World Cup is a global opportunity to showcase excellence, inspire future generations, and deepen the connections between our countries.”
That spirit of connection was echoed by Tanya Bennett, who emphasized that the World Cup represents far more than competition on the field.
“Sport really does play a unique role in showcasing Australia’s identity and culture right here in the United States,” Bennett said. “Sport unites communities, creates lasting legacies, and brings people together.”
Bennett noted that the tournament provides a rare opportunity to strengthen ties between Australia and the United States while highlighting the depth of the countries’ relationship across tourism, trade, investment, and cultural exchange. She described the World Cup as a moment when visitors, supporters, business leaders, and communities come together around a shared global experience.
Looking ahead to Australia’s matchup against the United States, Bennett called it “a special moment between our countries—a fierce competition between the closest of allies and friends,” underscoring the role sport can play in building international relationships while inspiring future generations on both sides of the Pacific.
For the athletes, the moment carried a more personal meaning. Veteran goalkeeper and captain Mathew Ryan, preparing for his fourth FIFA World Cup, reflected on the significance of representing Australia on the sport’s biggest stage. “Every chance I get to wear this badge is special,” Ryan said. “It’s an example of me living my dream.”
For younger players, the opportunity represents the realization of aspirations formed years earlier while watching previous generations of Socceroos compete. “It would mean everything,” said Alessandro Circati, who hopes to appear in his first World Cup. “It’s a dream I’ve had since I was a little boy.”
Midfielder Cameron Devlin described the tournament as “the pinnacle of sport,” while emphasizing that the opportunity to represent Australia remains the greatest honor. “We’re just normal Australian boys who are fortunate enough to be in this position,” Devlin said. “To wear the Australian badge on your chest every day is something we don’t take for granted.”
Head coach Tony Popovic connected the current squad to Australia’s football history, recalling the nation’s breakthrough qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup after a 32-year absence. “We broke the barrier - since then we’ve shown we belong on this stage,” said Popovic.
As attendees gathered over Australian coffee from Bluestone Lane and looked out across the active maintenance floor, the event served as a reminder that the World Cup’s impact extends well beyond the pitch.
For Australia, it is an opportunity to showcase national identity. For Los Angeles, it's a chance to demonstrate global leadership while creating lasting community benefits, and for the athletes preparing to compete, it is the culmination of dreams years in the making. As the countdown to kickoff continues, the message from inside the hangar was clear that the World Cup is about more than sport, but about connection, opportunity, and the legacy left behind long after the final whistle.
"I'm excited about the idea of future generations looking back at this period in time and thinking that was the moment we were able to create these benefits, in the same way that we look back at the 1984 Olympics," said Krekorian.
### SMMUSD Adopts Data-Driven Approach in Third Budget Revision
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smmusd-adopts-data-driven-approach-in-third-budget-revision/
Last updated: 2026-06-04T19:00:01.000Z
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District is refining how it forecasts its year-end finances, replacing historical approximations with a more rigorous, data-driven methodology that officials say will produce a sharper picture of where the district will close the fiscal year.
The shift was outlined in the district's 2025-2026 Third Budget Revision, which the Board of [Education](https://www.smdp.com/smc-student-named-jack-kent-cooke-foundation-scholarship-recipient/) reviewed during its regular meeting May 19\. The revision provides an overview of the district's financial position as of April 30 and is part of its routine financial review and annual budget reporting cycle.
"This year, we are taking a more rigorous, data-driven approach to our year-end projections — moving away from historical approximations and toward a more sophisticated methodology that produces a more precise picture of where we will end the financial year," said Gerardo Cruz, [SMMUSD](https://www.smmusd.org/?ref=smdp.com) assistant superintendent of business services and chief financial officer.
Cruz said the refined methodology is intended to reduce uncertainty and improve how the district allocates its resources.
"A more accurate forecast means fewer year-end surprises, reduced instances of unspent funds and greater confidence in the numbers driving our determinations," Cruz said. "When projections are grounded in this revised and sound methodology, we can make more intentional, timely resource decisions; ultimately directing dollars more efficiently on behalf of our students and staff."
The Third Budget Revision follows the second interim budget special meeting held March 11 and features a thorough breakdown on the variance between the two periods. To produce the revision, district staff reviewed revenues and expenditures against projected figures, adjusted revenue lines for any changes in funding, evaluated how much allocated budget remains unspent and balanced funds before the fiscal year concludes June 30.
For the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the district projects approximately $153.2 million in total general fund revenue, a variance of $72,151 from the second interim budget. The revenue projections stem from stable funding sources, including local property tax, parcel tax revenue and community partnerships that help sustain programs across Santa Monica and Malibu schools.
Total unrestricted general fund expenditures decreased from $163.8 million to $160.1 million, providing a cost savings of $3.7 million. The variance is the result of a decrease in employee salaries and benefits for vacancies that have not been filled, partially offset by an increase in nonpublic agency contracts, additional special education contribution and books and supplies.
Total restricted general fund expenditures increased from $78.9 million to $79.7 million, a difference of $860,729\. That change resulted from an increase in local revenue, a decrease in state revenue and an increase to the local general fund contribution to special education.
Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton emphasized that the revised figures do not signal reductions to district operations.
"It is important to note that the adjustments reflected in this report are not budget cuts — they are simply a more accurate accounting of expenses that we do not anticipate materializing before the close of the fiscal year," Shelton said. "No programs or positions are being reduced — we are simply right-sizing our projections to reflect reality. This approach strengthens our credibility with the Board and the community by demonstrating fiscal discipline and transparency."
In addition to providing an overview of the district's financial position, the revision analyzes the impact on multi-year projections of the general fund for the current fiscal year and the next two fiscal years. The district continues to maintain the state-required minimum reserve of 3% for economic uncertainties.
The district self-certified a positive certification for the revision and confirmed that it will meet its obligations during the current fiscal year and the next two fiscal years. Based on the multi-year projections, the district is expected to maintain a good financial position over the next several fiscal years, with an expectation that operational costs, including employee health and welfare benefits, will continue to increase each year.
District leaders noted that there is a reserve for future deficit spending and a reserve for up to two months of general fund expenditures. The district's fund balance includes restricted funds, such as the state-mandated reserve and the board-approved two-month reserve policy, which are not considered a surplus because they are set aside to ensure financial stability and cover unexpected emergencies.
District staff will continue to monitor expenditure trends and identify cost-saving measures as part of its strategy to maintain fiscal stability and refine the ongoing budget development process.
As part of its commitment to fiscal transparency, the Board of Education and community members will continue to receive updates from district staff. The upcoming budget reporting cycle updates include the Fourth Budget Revision and Estimated Actuals in June, followed by the Unaudited Actuals in September.
### Thursday, June 4, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/wednesday-june-3-2026-2/
Last updated: 2026-06-04T18:11:06.000Z
Election results continue to roll in but few results are changing as it looks like the LA Mayor's race will be Karen Bass vs. Spencer Pratt.
Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High 69F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Today 🌤️ 69º/60º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 69º/61º
### FIRST UP
Courtesy image
### Kevin Hart and Michelob ULTRA bring World Cup energy to Santa Monica Pier
As Los Angeles prepares to welcome the world for the FIFA World Cup, one of the tournament's most ambitious fan experiences is set to land on the Santa...[READ](https://www.smdp.com/snoop-dogg-kevin-hart-and-michelob-ultra-bring-world-cup-energy-to-santa-monica-pier/)
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### MORE NEWS
[Will Rogers 4th of July 5K/10K Returns to Pacific PalisadesThe Palisades Will Rogers Fourth of July 5K/10K returns to Pacific Palisades on July 4 for its 49th year. Register now for the 10K, 5K, or Kids Fun Run.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/palisades-will-rogers-fourth-of-july-5k-10k-run-returns-home/)
[Election Results: 2026 PrimaryCalifornia Primary 2026 — Results Statewide, Westside and Los Angeles County races. ✓ advances to the November runoff · ★ wins outright. Statewide California’s top-two primary. The two highest finishers — regardless of party — advance to the November runoff (✓). Governor ✓ Steve Hilton Rep 27.6%1,417,689 ✓ Xavier Becerra Dem 25.5%1,310,SMDPEditor](https://www.smdp.com/election-results-2026-primary/)
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[SMC Emeritus Student Art Exhibition 2026 Part 2 Opens June 11Santa Monica College’s Emeritus Annual Student Art Exhibition 2026 Part 2 opens June 11 online, featuring 50 artworks by 19 student artists. Free Zoom launch event at 5 p.m.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-emeritus-annual-student-art-exhibition-2026-online-part-2-opens-june-11/)
[Santa Monica Lions Club Celebrates Fundraising SuccessSanta Monica Pacific Palisades Lions Club celebrated Comedy Night fundraiser at Bergamot Station and announces new meeting location. Join June 3 meeting.SMDPGuest Author](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-pacific-palisades-lions-club-celebrates-fundraising-success-and-looks-ahead-to-new-chapter/)
[How Palisades Rec Center is Changing LA’s Approach to RecoveryThe $40 million Palisades Recreation Center rebuilding represents LA’s largest public-private partnership, reshaping how the city delivers civic projects after the Palisades fire.SMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/palisades-recovery-reshapes-how-los-angeles-builds-for-the-future/)
[Santa Monica Achieves Structural Balance with $909M BudgetSanta Monica’s general fund reaches structural balance for the first time in years with a $908.1 million budget proposal and $109.8 million capital improvement program.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-general-fund-reaches-structural-balance-as-city-unveils-909m-spending-plan/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/060426.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### Kevin Hart and Michelob ULTRA bring World Cup energy to Santa Monica Pier
URL: https://www.smdp.com/snoop-dogg-kevin-hart-and-michelob-ultra-bring-world-cup-energy-to-santa-monica-pier/
Last updated: 2026-06-05T20:13:59.000Z
As Los Angeles prepares to welcome the world for the FIFA World Cup, one of the tournament's most ambitious fan experiences is set to land on the Santa Monica Pier.
Featuring appearances tied to opening week celebrations from entertainment icons including Kevin Hart, DJ Pee .Wee, Disco Lines, Men in Blazers, soccer legends, live DJs, and immersive fan programming, Michelob ULTRA's Pitchside Club is transforming one of Southern California's most iconic destinations into a global gathering place for the world's biggest sporting event.
From June 12 through 25, Michelob ULTRA, the Official Beer Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup, will transform the Santa Monica Pier into the Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club, a two-week immersive fan experience designed to blend soccer, entertainment, music, culture, and community in the heart of Santa Monica.
The activation arrives at a pivotal moment for Los Angeles, which is entering an unprecedented era of global sporting events with the FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl LXI in 2027, and the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games all on the horizon.
For Michelob ULTRA, Santa Monica represented the ideal setting. "We wanted to bring the excitement and energy from the New York City location at last year's FIFA Club World Cup to the West Coast," said Ricardo Marques, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Michelob ULTRA. "As one of America's most recognizable landmarks, the Santa Monica Pier is the perfect place for fans to come together and experience the FIFA World Cup 2026\. With millions of visitors each year and a global reputation that extends far beyond Los Angeles, the Pier gives us an opportunity to welcome both local fans and international visitors in a setting that is uniquely Southern California. The vibrant, outdoor energy is exactly what Michelob ULTRA is all about, enjoying an active lifestyle while celebrating the moment with friends."
The activation reflects a growing trend among major brands to create destination experiences that extend beyond traditional sponsorships. Rather than relying solely on signage and advertising, Michelob ULTRA is investing in a fully programmed fan village featuring live entertainment, appearances by soccer legends, interactive competitions, and daily experiences designed to keep visitors returning throughout the tournament. "As the Official Beer Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026, the Pitchside Club Santa Monica is an activation that is transforming our sponsorship into an immersive, weeks long social and experiential destination," Marques said. "We are moving beyond traditional branding to deliver unparalleled experiential entertainment."
Santa Monica leaders view the activation as another milestone in the city's broader strategy to position itself as Southern California's gathering place during the World Cup and the lead up to the Olympics. "We bet big on ourselves and it's already paying off," Mayor Caroline Torosis said. "We're making history this summer with a lineup of events, activations and partnerships that this community has not seen before. It's no exaggeration to say that this summer, Santa Monica is the place to be in Southern California."
The Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club represents one of the largest private investments tied to Santa Monica's World Cup programming and serves as a centerpiece within a summer calendar expected to draw visitors from around the globe. The initiative also underscores Michelob ULTRA's expanding commitment to soccer, a sport the company increasingly views as central to its global growth strategy.
Over the past several years, the brand has invested heavily across international soccer properties, including Copa América and the FIFA World Cup. With the tournament returning to the United States for the first time since 1994, company leaders see the moment as an opportunity to create lasting connections with fans while helping shape the broader cultural experience surrounding the event. "Once the tournament wraps this summer, our attention will pivot to LA28, which unites both our soccer and Olympic Games sponsorship in what is sure to be another legendary moment for Los Angeles," Marques said.
That connection between the World Cup and the Olympics is particularly relevant for Santa Monica, which is positioning itself as one of the region's premier gathering places during both events.
"As Los Angeles steps into this global spotlight, Santa Monica is the perfect hub to seamlessly blend the excitement of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and LA28," Marques said. "Creating the Pitchside Club in one of the most fan centric destinations in the city was a big priority for us."
Throughout the activation, visitors can expect daily DJ performances, freestyle soccer exhibitions, interactive fan challenges, jersey customization stations, appearances from soccer legends, live entertainment, and hosted broadcasts from some of the sport's most recognizable personalities. Programming is anchored around major tournament moments, including the United States Men's National Team opener on June 12 and a special Mexican National Team celebration on June 18 featuring former players and team legends.
The goal, according to Michelob ULTRA executives, is to create more than a watch party. Michelob ULTRA's strategy increasingly blends sports, entertainment, music, celebrity culture, and social experiences into a single destination experience. "By seamlessly integrating live DJs, soccer legends, and immersive entertainment at the Pitchside Club Santa Monica, we purposefully designed an experience that transcends a traditional viewing experience to become a definitive cultural destination for fans," Marques said.
The company says success will ultimately be measured by the memories fans create throughout the tournament. "We are creating a destination that feels both globally significant and locally authentic," Marques said. "Whether fans are watching matches, meeting soccer legends, customizing jerseys, enjoying live entertainment or simply gathering with friends, we want the Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club to be the place where some of their favorite FIFA World Cup memories are made."
Beyond the fan experience, the activation is expected to contribute to the economic energy surrounding one of the largest sporting events in the world. By transforming the Santa Monica Pier into a global gathering place for visitors and residents alike, Michelob ULTRA hopes to drive foot traffic throughout the surrounding business district while helping showcase Santa Monica to an international audience. "Major sporting events create opportunities that extend well beyond the venue itself," Marques said. "We are excited to contribute to the energy and activity surrounding this historic moment for Los Angeles and Santa Monica."
As the countdown to kickoff continues, the Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club represents more than a brand activation. It is a statement about where Santa Monica sees itself in the years ahead, at the intersection of sport, culture, tourism, entertainment, and community. As the world arrives in Los Angeles, one of its first stops may very well be the Santa Monica Pier.
### Palisades Will Rogers Fourth of July 5K/10K Run Returns Home
URL: https://www.smdp.com/palisades-will-rogers-fourth-of-july-5k-10k-run-returns-home/
Last updated: 2026-06-03T21:29:24.000Z
The[ ](https://tracking.us.nylas.com/l/fadd17b650074d5bb67ceefced572f78/1/9372749c9e7d56170a69b4d8e688f5e4f2fb7e90583dca338e542648c9041f01?cache%5Fbuster=1780414065&ref=smdp.com)[Palisades Will Rogers Fourth of July 5K/10K Run](https://tracking.us.nylas.com/l/fadd17b650074d5bb67ceefced572f78/1/9372749c9e7d56170a69b4d8e688f5e4f2fb7e90583dca338e542648c9041f01?cache%5Fbuster=1780414065&ref=smdp.com), presented by Providence Saint John's Health Center, will return to Pacific Palisades on July 4 for its 49th annual running, following a one-year relocation to Venice Beach necessitated by the Palisades Fire.
The event offers four distances: a 10K run, a 5K run/walk, the Dick Lemon Run — a high school competition 5K — and a half-mile Kids Fun Run. The 10K route features ocean views, switchbacks through Will Rogers State Park and a finish line that has welcomed elite runners and Olympians over the race's nearly five-decade history.
Race organizers will donate a portion of proceeds to local charities, and the race's foundation has raised more than $200,000 toward rebuilding the burned Palisades Recreation Park, reconstruction of which is set to begin this summer.
"We're proud to be returning our historic race to its home in the Pacific Palisades," said Thomas Hathaway, CFO and lead organizer of the Will Rogers-Pacific Palisades Foundation.
[Registration is open.](https://tracking.us.nylas.com/l/fadd17b650074d5bb67ceefced572f78/2/ff23b985b1f846226ef8ea529c41d0334458c37765bd024b015ffa285f2aa078?cache%5Fbuster=1780414065&ref=smdp.com) Donations to support recovery efforts can be made on the event's[ ](https://tracking.us.nylas.com/l/fadd17b650074d5bb67ceefced572f78/3/7679918c8ec26d4952487a0a78fb75ce84c133ce48b22b9e76b597c7419c5857?cache%5Fbuster=1780414065&ref=smdp.com)[RunSignUp page](https://tracking.us.nylas.com/l/fadd17b650074d5bb67ceefced572f78/3/7679918c8ec26d4952487a0a78fb75ce84c133ce48b22b9e76b597c7419c5857?cache%5Fbuster=1780414065&ref=smdp.com): https://runsignup.com/Race/CA/PacificPalisades/PalisadesWillRogers5K10KRun
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Election Results: 2026 Primary
URL: https://www.smdp.com/election-results-2026-primary/
Last updated: 2026-07-01T20:27:33.000Z
Final results — certified
California Primary 2026 — Results
Statewide, Westside and Los Angeles County races.
✓ advances to the November runoff · ★ wins outright.
Statewide
California's top-two primary. The two highest finishers — regardless of party — advance to the November runoff (✓).
### Governor
✓ Xavier Becerra Dem
**28.1%**2,590,958
✓ Steve Hilton Rep
**24.7%**2,276,271
Tom Steyer Dem
**22.9%**2,109,984
Chad Bianco Rep
**10.2%**941,323
Katie Porter Dem
**4.4%**403,822
Matt Mahan Dem
**3.5%**327,477
55 other candidates
**6.3%**584,123
### Lieutenant Governor
✓ Fiona Ma Dem
**19.1%**1,631,671
✓ Gloria Romero Rep
**17.8%**1,520,778
Josh Fryday Dem
**14.7%**1,256,581
Michael Tubbs Dem
**13.3%**1,131,926
Oliver Ma Dem
**7.3%**620,952
David Collenberg Rep
**7.0%**594,226
10 other candidates
**20.8%**1,775,417
### Secretary of State
✓ Shirley N. Weber Dem Incumbent
**58.7%**5,091,492
✓ Donald P. (Don) Wagner Rep
**36.7%**3,186,506
Michael Feinstein Grn
**2.4%**207,533
Gary N. Blenner Grn
**2.2%**187,846
### Attorney General
✓ Rob Bonta Dem Incumbent
**56.6%**4,979,033
✓ Michael E. Gates Rep
**37.9%**3,336,711
Marjorie Mikels Grn
**5.4%**478,256
### Controller
✓ Malia M. Cohen Dem Incumbent
**56.8%**4,908,653
✓ Herb W Morgan Rep
**37.5%**3,243,566
Meghann Adams P&F
**5.7%**489,527
### Treasurer
✓ Eleni Kounalakis Dem
**36.7%**3,153,827
✓ Jennifer Hawks Rep
**24.0%**2,062,753
Anna M. Caballero Dem
**16.4%**1,409,620
David Serpa Rep
**12.9%**1,106,359
Tony Vazquez Dem
**7.1%**609,329
Glenn Turner Grn
**3.0%**254,011
### Insurance Commissioner
✓ Jane Kim Dem
**27.4%**2,328,335
✓ Ben Allen Dem
**19.4%**1,649,222
Stacy A. Korsgaden Rep
**15.5%**1,320,578
Robert P Howell Rep
**7.6%**648,971
Patrick Wolff Dem
**7.2%**614,958
Merritt Farren Rep
**6.7%**570,576
5 other candidates
**16.1%**1,365,311
### Superintendent of Public Instruction
✓ Sonja Shaw
**22.6%**1,737,360
✓ Richard Barrera
**20.3%**1,557,923
Nichelle M. Henderson
**9.6%**738,066
Wendy Castaneda Leal
**8.8%**675,816
Al Muratsuchi
**8.4%**646,186
Anthony Rendon
**8.1%**624,151
4 other candidates
**22.1%**1,694,389
Westside & Local
Congressional and state legislative races covering Santa Monica and the Westside. Top two advance (✓).
### U.S. House — District 36
✓ Ted W. Lieu Dem
**60.9%**142,982
✓ Houston Brignano Rep
**15.3%**35,851
Melissa Toomim Rep
**13.1%**30,653
Marianne Shamma Dem
**7.2%**17,000
Rustin Knudtson Dem
**1.3%**3,001
Frederick Reardon Dem
**1.1%**2,688
1 other candidates
**1.1%**2,470
### U.S. House — District 32
✓ Brad Sherman Dem
**36.8%**76,755
✓ Larry Thompson Rep
**32.7%**68,295
Jake Levine Dem
**15.2%**31,688
Marena Lin Dem
**6.3%**13,215
Chris Ahuja Dem
**4.2%**8,718
Anna Wilding Dem
**2.1%**4,288
3 other candidates
**2.8%**5,758
### State Senate — District 24
✓ John M. Erickson Dem
**20.5%**62,397
✓ Brian Goldsmith Dem
**18.3%**55,627
G. Rick Marshall Rep
**17.5%**53,350
Kristina Irwin Rep
**14.1%**42,939
Sion Roy Dem
**13.8%**41,956
Mike Newhouse Dem
**4.5%**13,824
4 other candidates
**11.3%**34,285
### State Assembly — District 51
✓ Rick Chavez Zbur Dem Incumbent
**54.1%**71,047
✓ Colin D. Hernandez Dem
**22.1%**29,026
Jake Head Rep
**11.7%**15,372
Michael Geraghty Rep
**9.4%**12,412
Dick Lucas No Party Pref
**2.7%**3,552
Los Angeles
City and county races also run top-two (✓), but a candidate who clears 50% wins outright (★). Measure Er is decided in the primary.
### Mayor
✓ Karen Ruth Bass
**34.3%**292,593
✓ Nithya Raman
**29.0%**247,781
Spencer Pratt
**25.5%**217,977
Adam Miller
**3.5%**30,008
Rae Chen Huang
**3.0%**25,220
Juanita Lopez
**1.5%**13,033
8 other candidates
**3.2%**27,282
### City Council — 11th District
★ Traci Irene Park
**60.2%**51,966
Faizah Malik
**39.8%**34,318
### County Measure ER
★ Yes
**50.6%**1,013,747
No
**49.4%**987,977
### Supervisor 1st District
★ Maria Elena Durazo
**60.6%**184,974
Elaine Alaniz
**13.5%**41,306
David E. Argudo
**9.5%**29,095
Noel Almario
**9.5%**29,058
Annabella Figueroa Mazariegos
**6.8%**20,887
### Supervisor 3rd District
★ Lindsey P. Horvath
**66.3%**276,973
Tonia Arey
**16.3%**67,966
Carmenlina Minasyan
**9.2%**38,482
Tomás Sidenfaden
**8.2%**34,046
### Sheriff
✓ Robert G. Luna
**44.2%**859,070
✓ Alex Villanueva
**21.7%**422,272
Eric Strong
**15.0%**291,045
Karla Carranza
**5.9%**114,615
Oscar Antonio Martinez
**4.2%**80,885
Mike Bornman
**4.0%**76,919
2 other candidates
**5.2%**100,780
### Assessor
★ Jeffrey Prang
**57.7%**1,028,580
Sandy Sun
**15.3%**272,494
Rob Newland
**12.6%**223,986
Stephen A. Adamus
**8.5%**151,715
Steven B. Palty
**5.9%**104,919
Superior Court Judges — 15 contested seats▸
### Judge Of The Superior Court Office No. 2
★ Tal K. Valbuena
**56.8%**981,043
Robert S. Draper
**43.2%**744,824
### Judge Of The Superior Court Office No. 14
★ Irene Lee
**56.9%**964,365
Angie Christides
**43.1%**730,247
### Judge Of The Superior Court Office No. 39
★ Binh Q. Dang
**100.0%**1,393,411
### Judge Of The Superior Court Office No. 60
★ Ann M. Maurer
**100.0%**1,349,858
### Judge Of The Superior Court Office No. 64
✓ Maria Ghobadi
**44.0%**750,184
✓ Rhonda A. Haymon
**42.2%**717,844
Francisco Amador
**13.8%**235,003
### Judge Of The Superior Court Office No. 65
✓ Justin Allen Clayton
**36.7%**614,230
✓ Anna Slotky Reitano
**29.9%**500,183
Samuel Wolloch Krause
**20.4%**341,861
Chellei G. Jimenez
**13.0%**217,865
### Judge Of The Superior Court Office No. 66
★ Ben Forer
**70.0%**1,161,181
Cheryl C. Turner
**30.0%**497,241
### Judge Of The Superior Court Office No. 81
★ David Walgren
**76.9%**1,267,154
Dan Kapelovitz
**23.1%**380,765
### Judge Of The Superior Court Office No. 87
✓ Anthony (A.J.) Bayne
**42.0%**694,004
✓ David Dejute
**31.3%**516,631
Sharee Sanders Gordon
**26.7%**440,136
### Judge Of The Superior Court Office No. 116
★ Pat Connolly
**50.5%**836,922
Paul A. Thompson
**49.5%**821,581
### Judge Of The Superior Court Office No. 131
✓ Donna Tryfman
**37.3%**612,858
✓ David Ross
**33.2%**546,032
Carlos Dammeier
**15.0%**245,969
Troy W. Slaten
**14.5%**237,894
### Judge Of The Superior Court Office No. 141
★ Mariela Torres
**100.0%**1,393,278
### Judge Of The Superior Court Office No. 176
★ Gloria Marin
**57.5%**947,807
Zachary Smith
**42.5%**699,461
### Judge Of The Superior Court Office No. 181
★ Ryan Dibble
**58.2%**919,050
Thanayi Lindsey
**41.8%**660,620
### Judge Of The Superior Court Office No. 196
★ Candice J. Henry
**100.0%**1,376,202
### Wednesday, June 3, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/wednesday-june-3-2026/
Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:03:27.000Z
Vote totals are fluctuating a little as more ballots are counted but it looks like Steve Hilton and Xavier Becerra will hold off Tom Steyer to advance to the general election for Governor.
Sun and clouds mixed. High 69F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 69º/60º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 70º/60º
### FIRST UP
Courtesy photo
### Ben Allen is lone Santa Monican to advance after multiple locals lose primary races
Early returns from Tuesday's California primary election showed Santa Monica-connected candidates struggling across multiple statewide and legislative contests...[READ](https://www.smdp.com/ben-allen-is-lone-santa-monican-to-advance-after-multiple-locals-lose-primary-races/)
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### MORE NEWS
[SMC Emeritus Student Art Exhibition 2026 Part 2 Opens June 11Santa Monica College’s Emeritus Annual Student Art Exhibition 2026 Part 2 opens June 11 online, featuring 50 artworks by 19 student artists. Free Zoom launch event at 5 p.m.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-emeritus-annual-student-art-exhibition-2026-online-part-2-opens-june-11/)
[Santa Monica Lions Club Celebrates Fundraising SuccessSanta Monica Pacific Palisades Lions Club celebrated Comedy Night fundraiser at Bergamot Station and announces new meeting location. Join June 3 meeting.SMDPGuest Author](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-pacific-palisades-lions-club-celebrates-fundraising-success-and-looks-ahead-to-new-chapter/)
[How Palisades Rec Center is Changing LA’s Approach to RecoveryThe $40 million Palisades Recreation Center rebuilding represents LA’s largest public-private partnership, reshaping how the city delivers civic projects after the Palisades fire.SMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/palisades-recovery-reshapes-how-los-angeles-builds-for-the-future/)
[Santa Monica Achieves Structural Balance with $909M BudgetSanta Monica’s general fund reaches structural balance for the first time in years with a $908.1 million budget proposal and $109.8 million capital improvement program.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-general-fund-reaches-structural-balance-as-city-unveils-909m-spending-plan/)
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Vision To Learn Wins 2026 Nonprofit of the Year AwardSen. Ben Allen honors Vision To Learn as 2026 Nonprofit of the Year for 15 years of providing eye care to students across California and the nation.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/vision-to-learn-celebrated-as-2026-nonprofit-of-the-year/)
[Santa Monica Juneteenth Weekend: Music, Art & Community EventsSanta Monica celebrates Juneteenth June 19-20 with music, film, and cultural events at Christine Emerson Reed Park and Virginia Avenue Park. Free community celebration.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-to-celebrate-juneteenth-with-weekend-of-events/)
[SMC Concert Chorale & Orchestra ‘Instruments of Praise’Santa Monica College presents ‘Instruments of Praise’ featuring the Concert Chorale, Chamber Choir, and Horizon Music Group June 4-5 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets $15.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-concert-chorale-chamber-orchestra-present-instruments-of-praise-june-4-5/)
[Malibu Bookstore Owner Honored for Resilience After Year of DisastersMichelle Pierce, owner of Malibu Village Books, honored for resilience after navigating wildfires, earthquake, mudslide, and road closure that devastated the coastal community.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/malibu-bookstore-owner-honored-for-resilience-after-year-of-disasters/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/060326.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### SMC Emeritus Annual Student Art Exhibition 2026 Online Part 2 Opens June 11
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-emeritus-annual-student-art-exhibition-2026-online-part-2-opens-june-11/
Last updated: 2026-06-03T19:00:01.000Z
The Santa Monica College Emeritus Art Gallery will present its SMC Emeritus Annual Student Art Exhibition 2026 Online — Part 2, starting June 11\. The second part of the popular group exhibition will feature 50 works created by 19 student artists in SMC's noncredit Emeritus program for older adults. Part 1 of the exhibition, which opened May 14, can be viewed in the gallery until June 19.
A free live Zoom Virtual Launch Event for Part 2 will be held online from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 11\. A link at[ ](http://smc.edu/emeritusgallery?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/emeritusgallery](http://smc.edu/emeritusgallery?ref=smdp.com) goes live at event time and takes guests directly to the exhibition's opening reception.
To see the artworks online at any time after 5 p.m. June 11, viewers may go to[ ](http://smc.edu/emeritusgallery?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/emeritusgallery](http://smc.edu/emeritusgallery?ref=smdp.com) and click the Emeritus Student Art Exhibition 2026 Part 2 link, available 24 hours a day. The link takes viewers directly to the exhibition album on a Facebook page that is open to public viewing, with no Facebook account necessary. The opening reception will be hosted by Emeritus Gallery Curator Jesse Benson and feature exhibiting artists speaking about their work.
"The online structure of the Part 2 exhibition allows space for participants to showcase multiple artworks, and the accompanying Zoom reception event provides the opportunity to hear directly from a handful of selected artist speakers," Benson said. "Expect an eclectic and inspirational presentation from our inventive and expressive Emeritus community."
SMC's Emeritus program, founded by Santa Monica College in 1975 as a noncredit program to serve the lifelong learning interests of older adults, offers more than 120 noncredit adult education classes and special programs serving more than 3,000 students each year.
More information is available by visiting[ ](http://smc.edu/emeritusgallery?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/emeritusgallery](http://smc.edu/emeritusgallery?ref=smdp.com) or calling 310-434-4306\. All events are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica Pacific Palisades Lions Club Celebrates Fundraising Success and Looks Ahead to New Chapter
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-pacific-palisades-lions-club-celebrates-fundraising-success-and-looks-ahead-to-new-chapter/
Last updated: 2026-06-03T19:00:01.000Z
This past month, the Santa Monica Pacific Palisades Lions Club held its first Comedy Night fundraiser at Bergamot Station Arts Center on Sunday, May 17\. Hosted at The Crow, the event was a well-attended and successful evening filled with laughter from eight comedians, each bringing their own fresh style to the stage. Thanks to the support of the community, we are excited to expand our ability to provide funding to local nonprofit organizations, many of which are facing increased demand for services.
On Memorial Day, Lions members participated in the annual remembrance ceremony at Woodlawn Cemetery hosted by Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Lions Kathy Boole, Alan Parr, and Pam Andrews presented a beautiful red, white, and blue wreath in honor of the men and women who have served our country.
The club has one more meeting on June 3 before taking a summer break during July. It will also mark our final meeting at the Santa Monica Elks Lodge before relocating to a new Santa Monica meeting location, which will be announced at the meeting.
Meanwhile, plans are underway for our annual installation dinner for the new board on August 3 at Del Rey Yacht Club. The new District Governor for District 4-L3, Frances Lee, will serve as the installing officer. We are happy to have Carol Ann Emmitt as our incoming president, providing her inspiring leadership after several times in this position.
The Santa Monica Pacific Palisades Lions Club is always interested in new ideas and opportunities to support programs and projects that strengthen the Westside community. If you see a need in the community or have a passion for a project that could make a difference, we would love to hear from you. That spirit of service is what Lions Clubs are all about.
If you are interested in meeting new friends and becoming more involved in your community, consider joining us as a guest at our Wednesday, June 3 Lions Club dinner meeting at 6:00 p.m. at the Santa Monica Elks Lodge, located at 1040 Pico Boulevard. RSVP to Kingsley Fife at 310-367-2679 or smpplionsclub@gmail.com.
### Palisades Recovery Reshapes How Los Angeles Builds for the Future
URL: https://www.smdp.com/palisades-recovery-reshapes-how-los-angeles-builds-for-the-future/
Last updated: 2026-06-03T19:00:01.000Z
As demolition equipment moved into the Palisades Recreation Center this week, city leaders and project partners were talking about something much larger than a gymnasium, but how this could become a model for how the city delivers public projects, preserves community identity and creates future gathering spaces.
While much of the focus surrounding the recreation center has centered on rebuilding after the Palisades fire, officials involved in the $40 million public private partnership say the larger impact may ultimately be changing how civic projects happen in Los Angeles. "It's an incredible moment in the history of our city," said developer Rick Caruso. "I believe this public private partnership has proven that when the public sector and the private sector work together, great things can happen."
The project, a collaboration involving the City of Los Angeles, Steadfast LA and LA Strong Sports, represents the largest public private partnership and donation in the history of the city's Recreation and Parks Department.
For Jimmy Kim, General Manager, Department of Recreation & Parks, City of Los Angeles, the most important question is not what was built, but how it was built. "We're rapidly looking at what we've done here and asking how we change policies to make sure we can continue these types of public private partnerships," Kim said.
The statement hints at a larger conversation emerging across Los Angeles in the aftermath of fires and other crises; whether traditional timelines and approval structures can meet the pace communities increasingly demand.
Projects of this scale often take years to navigate agreements, approvals and planning processes. Leaders involved in the Palisades effort noted that groundbreaking occurred at what many described as an unusually accelerated pace.
Kim admitted he initially approached the effort cautiously. "I'll be honest with you, in the very beginning I was a little reluctant," Kim said. "I grew up in the city and there are challenges, but support from city leadership and Mayor Karen Bass shifted the direction."
Mayor Bass framed the recreation center as part of a larger civic mission. "Los Angeles' recovery goes beyond rebuilding homes and businesses; it's about restoring the vital public spaces that make up the heart and soul of the community, like the Palisades Rec Center," Bass said.
For Caruso, rebuilding public spaces was always central to the effort. "The most important part of any community is community space. It's park space; for seniors, for kids and for families."
The vision also extends beyond replacing what existed before. Although the original 1950 gymnasium carried historic significance as the first post World War II civic building in Pacific Palisades, Caruso said preserving pieces of the past remains part of the design. "It's all about respecting the history of this community and what was dear to them while building something for the next hundred years," Caruso said.
Materials from the original structure are expected to be salvaged and incorporated into the redesigned park along with historic photographs and community elements.
Leaders are already thinking beyond recovery and toward the city's next chapter. As Los Angeles prepares for the Olympics, Kim said he envisions the recreation center becoming a community gathering place similar to those seen in Olympic cities around the world. "Parks are where communities gather," Kim said. "We'll make that happen."
Councilmember Traci Park perhaps summarized the larger meaning behind the project. "The Pali Rec Center is the heartbeat of town, and having it restored is a huge milestone in the recovery," said Park.
As rebuilding continues across Los Angeles, the Palisades Recreation Center may answer a larger question facing cities after crisis recovery is no longer simply about replacing what was lost, but deciding what comes next.
### Santa Monica General Fund reaches structural balance as city unveils $909M spending plan
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-general-fund-reaches-structural-balance-as-city-unveils-909m-spending-plan/
Last updated: 2026-06-03T19:00:02.000Z
Santa Monica's general fund is on track to achieve structural balance for the first time in years, city finance officials told the City Council at their last meeting, presenting a proposed $908.1 million budget for fiscal year 2026-27 that pairs a financially stable operating plan with the city's most ambitious capital investment program since the pandemic.
Finance Director Oscar Santiago told council members the current fiscal year is projected to close with an $8.95 million surplus — a dramatic turnaround from October 2025, when the city was staring down a projected $29.6 million deficit for the coming year.
"The general fund is structurally balanced," Santiago said during the May 26 study session. "We remain on track to maintain that balance into the next biannual budget."
The reversal was driven by the Realignment Plan adopted by council in October 2025, which deployed $60 million in reserves to stabilize operations while simultaneously launching new revenue streams. The ambulance operator program, fully operational since February, is processing roughly 650 transports per month and is projected to generate $5.5 million in fiscal year 2026-27, growing to $7 million annually once collections stabilize. A new digital signage program along the Third Street Promenade, originally expected to go live in early 2027, is now targeted for installation by the end of this summer and is projected to generate $4.5 million per year once stabilized. Parking rate restructuring is expected to push parking revenues from $33.3 million to $40.6 million — a 22% increase.
The city is also carrying roughly $94 million in unobligated general fund cash, providing what Santiago described as a stable operating foundation.
Of the $8.95 million surplus, $3 million will be set aside for the council-approved Economic Recovery Reserve, leaving $5.95 million to carry forward into fiscal year 2026-27.
Notably, the budget does not account for revenues from major event licensing agreements already in place, which are expected to generate approximately $6.8 million from FIFA World Cup activations, a Goldenvoice beachfront music festival, an ESPN broadcasting partnership, and a slate of Olympic hospitality agreements for 2028.
A Capital Program Reborn
The centerpiece of the presentation was the proposed fiscal year 2026-28 biennial Capital Improvement Program, totaling $109.8 million in the first year and $116.6 million in the second — a figure that Public Works Director Christopher Dishlip said represents a fundamental shift in how the city invests in itself.
"Prior to the pandemic, Santa Monica designed and delivered remarkable infrastructure projects," Dishlip said. "With the uncertainty of the last five years, the city understandably shifted into a preservation and stabilization mode. The proposed budget in front of you is the product of a shift in mindset from reactive maintenance back to strategic capital investment."
The 77-project program is organized around four priorities: preparing for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games and other major events; reinvesting in parks and open space; a citywide infrastructure recovery initiative; and modernizing transportation and mobility.
Event-readiness investments totaling approximately $14.4 million in the first year include $21.2 million across pier infrastructure projects over the biennial period, a $3 million Camera Obscura redesign, $2 million in major event electrical infrastructure and $1.8 million in Tongva Park improvements.
The return of the long-delayed Memorial Park Redevelopment and Expansion — a project Dishlip described as more than 20 years in the making — was highlighted as a major milestone. The project carries a $60 million price tag over the biennial period, drawing on funding from a Santa Monica College bond measure, a planned $7 million contribution from the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, various grants, and general fund support in the second year. Other parks investments include a $2 million synthetic turf replacement at Airport Park and a $700,000 playground replacement at Virginia Avenue Park.
Transportation and mobility investments include a $30 million annual paving program covering Santa Monica Boulevard Phase 1 and Chelsea intersection improvements, $12.5 million for 14th Street bike and pedestrian improvements, $21.8 million for citywide streetlight modernization and a $1.7 million smart curb management program.
Budget Adjustments and the School District Question
The proposed operating budget includes modest revenue adjustments, with projected general fund revenues declining by 0.4%, or $1.9 million, from earlier projections. The reduction is primarily attributed to lower-than-anticipated parking revenues stemming from the delayed rollout of downtown parking rate changes and operational challenges with the transition to text-to-pay parking meters. Those decreases are partially offset by revenues from a newly completed citywide fee study and stronger-than-expected business license tax collections.
On the expenditure side, the budget adds seven full-time equivalent positions citywide in housing and human services, communications, human resources and transportation planning, with a nominal net general fund impact of approximately $9,000 after a full departmental reassessment.
The budget also includes a one-time drawdown of $4.67 million in reserves for three deferred needs: the Camera Obscura redesign, replacement of fire department self-contained breathing apparatus, and the disposal of legacy firefighting foam from fire apparatus.
A looming fiscal variable involves the Joint Use Agreement with the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, under which the city currently pays approximately $12 million annually for community access to district facilities. The agreement is set to expire in 2027 under terms established in 2022\. That expiration is factored into the city's structural balance projections.
Council member Lana Negrete asked for clarification on the total amounts being transferred to SMMUSD by the city.
City Manager Oliver Chi said that the city approved an extension to Measure YGS earlier this year allocating about $18 million a year to the district that is independent from the $12 million under discussion.
“There's an additional $12 million a year through the joint use agreement. That agreement was modified in 2022 by both the school district and the city such that the agreement and that funding allocation expires in 2027,” he said. “So we have projected in ‘27 that expense comes off the books and that is obviously a significant financial cost to the city right now that helps us achieve our balanced budget as Oscar mentioned in his presentation.”
A separate citizens' initiative seeking to establish a parcel tax is currently being circulated. If it qualifies for the ballot and is approved by voters, Chi said staff would return to negotiate an extension of the joint use agreement under a new funding framework. Without it, extending the agreement would require identifying offsetting cuts elsewhere.
Council Voices, Next Steps
Council member Jesse Zwick pushed for faster action on neighborhood greenways and traffic calming infrastructure, displaying photographs of quick-build diverters installed on Michigan Avenue in 2014 and questioning why similar low-cost interventions couldn't be deployed immediately. Dishlip acknowledged the grant funding structure for the current greenway project limits the city's flexibility but said a diversion pilot project and neighborhood traffic calming toolkit would be presented to council in August.
Zwick also raised concerns about a smart curbside management RFP currently out to bid, pressing staff on whether the city intended merely to monitor curb usage or actually charge for it. Chi said the full package would come back to council in August.
The council voted 6-0 to direct staff to proceed with setting a budget adoption hearing for June 23.
### Ben Allen is lone Santa Monican to advance after multiple locals lose primary races
URL: https://www.smdp.com/ben-allen-is-lone-santa-monican-to-advance-after-multiple-locals-lose-primary-races/
Last updated: 2026-06-03T15:06:58.000Z
Early returns from Tuesday's California primary election showed Santa Monica-connected candidates struggling across multiple statewide and legislative contests, signaling a potentially significant diminishment of the city's political influence in Sacramento.
With early results representing an initial bulletin of vote-by-mail and vote center ballots, four candidates with deep ties to Santa Monica were each behind the frontrunners..
Former Santa Monica Mayor Tony Vasquez finished a distant fifth in the Democratic primary for State Treasurer, drawing 85,479 votes — 9.73% — in a field led by Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis with 36.12%. Only the top two vote-getters advance to the November general election; Vasquez trailed both the frontrunner and Republican Jennifer Hawks in second place.
Green Party leader and longtime Santa Monica activist Mike Feinstein fared no better in the Secretary of State race, collecting 24,586 votes — 2.79% — far behind incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, who led with 62.22%.
State Sen. Ben Allen, whose district includes Santa Monica, entered a crowded Insurance Commissioner field seeking to advance to November and was the lone bright spot as he found himself in second place in a top 2 primary. Allen trailed frontrunner Jane Kim, a Democrat, 27.22% to 23.20%, with Republicans and other Democrats splitting the remaining votes.
In the hotly contested Senate District 24 primary, Sion Roy — a Democrat aligned with Santa Monica's progressive political infrastructure — ran fifth in a 10-candidate field with 18,861 votes, or 13.08%. Republican G. Rick Marshall led with 19.86%, followed closely by Democrat Brian Goldsmith at 19.61%, Republican Kristina Irwin at 16.17%, and Democrat John M. Erickson at 16.19%. Roy's showing put him well outside the top two positions needed to advance.
The results reflected a low-turnout environment statewide: just 16.60% of Los Angeles County's 5.89 million registered voters had cast ballots as of the initial count, with 851,501 of those — 87.08% — arriving as vote-by-mail ballots. Hundreds of thousands of additional ballots remained uncounted, and officials cautioned that results would continue to update in the days ahead.
All results remain unofficial. Los Angeles County accepts vote-by-mail ballots postmarked by Election Day for up to seven days, meaning final totals could shift substantially before certification.
### Takeaways from primaries featuring Spencer Pratt, a missing congressman and a rare Trump setback
URL: https://www.smdp.com/takeaways-from-primaries-featuring-spencer-pratt-a-missing-congressman-and-a-rare-trump-setback/
Last updated: 2026-06-03T14:55:32.000Z
The contours of a premier Senate race took shape in Iowa, while President Donald Trump's endorsement streak ran into a roadblock there.
Democrats chose a nominee for a House race in New Jersey that could decide control of the chamber. But much of the focus was on California, home to Hollywood but not a governor's race packing much star power.
Here are takeaways from primary elections Tuesday in California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota.
Iowa Democrats rally behind former Paralympian in marquee Senate race
Democrats stunned by how Trump has remade American politics have spent the past decade debating which type of candidate is best positioned to energize voters and win elections, not moral victories.
Iowa marked the latest stop in this sometimes agonizing conversation.
The party's establishment supported Josh Turek, a state representative who presented a compelling personal biography that included competing for the United States in four Paralympics. State Sen. Zach Wahls offered himself as a more disruptive figure, refusing to back Chuck Schumer of New York as the Senate Democratic leader if he were elected.
Democratic voters united behind Turek, who will face Republican Ashley Hinson in November.
At this point, many of the party's most fractious races are behind them. But Turek's win could be closely watched in Michigan, where one of the last major Democratic primaries will unfold on Aug. 4\. Rep. Haley Stevens is emerging as the establishment candidate there vying against state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and progressive Abdul El-Sayed.
Both races are important for Democrats increasingly bullish about regaining the Senate majority. To get there, they must retain the open seat in Michigan while looking for pickup opportunities in places such as Iowa.
The results in the fall could have longer-term implications as Democrats look to rebuild their standing in the Midwest, which swung to the Republican president in 2024.
Trump's endorsement streak faces setback in Iowa
In just the past month, the power of Trump's endorsement helped end the political careers of two senators — John Cornyn of Texas and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana — and Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky.
But Trump was unable to lift Rep. Randy Feenstra to victory in Iowa's Republican primary for governor. Even though Trump jumped in with his backing last week, Feenstra narrowly lost to Zach Lahn.
The outcome was a rare setback for Trump, who basks in his ability to sway the vote among Republicans with his endorsement. It now sets up what Democrats see as one of their best opportunities to pick up a governorship this year.
Democrats nominated Rob Sand, who ran unopposed in the primary. He has the rural roots that have become rare among Democrats and is a proven winner in a Republican-leaning state, having been elected twice as auditor.
Lahn was not well known in Iowa politics when he launched his campaign in November, but he built support among conservatives. He championed policies including a total ban on abortion and keeping liberal ideology out of public school classrooms.
Lahn also developed a following with the "Make America Healthy Again" movement, which has clashed with the Trump administration over its embrace of pesticides.
The California drama drags on
The Los Angeles mayor's race was jolted by the candidacy of Spencer Pratt, who starred on the reality television show "The Hills." The Republican has been trying to capitalize on dissatisfaction with Democrat Karen Bass, who is seeking a second term.
Bass secured enough votes to make the November runoff, but it was unclear who her opponent will be. Also running is Nithya Raman, a progressive members of the City Council.
The race for California governor has been especially chaotic.
With Democrat Gavin Newsom barred from seeking a third term, about 60 names were on the ballot to succeed him. Some of the state's most prominent politicians, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and Sen. Alex Padilla, did not run. One who did, former Rep. Eric Swalwell, withdrew after being accused of sexual assault, which he denied.
Under the state's primary system, all candidates appear on a single ballot and the top two finishers advance to the November general election, regardless of party.
In the final days of the campaign, much of the attention focused on Democrats Xavier Becerra, a former congressman and state attorney general who was health secretary under Democratic President Joe Biden, and Tom Steyer, a billionaire known for his climate activism. Republican Steve Hilton campaigned with Trump's endorsement.
The three were leading in early returns after polls closed.
If Becerra were to advance to one of the two slots on the fall ballot, he presents a natural choice for voters more comfortable with a traditional candidate. Steyer and Hilton have both presented themselves as advocating significant changes.
California has been governed by establishment-oriented Democrats for two decades. The primary results will indicate the level of change being sought in a state confronting serious challenges ranging from affordability to crime and will signal whether the $200 million Steyer put into the race from his own money turned out to be a good investment.
Independents emerge in Senate races in Republican strongholds
If Democrats hope to compete in Senate contests in Republican strongholds this fall, they may have to abandon their party's nominees and rally around independents.
That's one of the takeaways after voters on Tuesday finalized general election matchups in Montana and South Dakota, where little-known Democrats earned their party's nominations. In both states, however, higher-profile independent candidates also qualified for the general election ballot.
It's much the same in Idaho and Nebraska, which held Senate primaries last month. Democratic leaders in Nebraska are openly endorsing independent Dan Osborne over their party's nominee, who has promised to drop out to make it easier for Osborne to win.
In Montana, independent Seth Bodnar, a former University of Montana president, looks like the strongest opponent to Republican Kurt Alme — on paper, at least. Bodnar raised more money than all of the five Democratic primary candidates combined. He has even significantly outraised Trump-backed Alme.
In South Dakota, Sen. Mike Rounds cruised to the Republican nomination on Tuesday. He will face Democrat Julian Beaudion, a former highway patrol trooper and small business owner. But it's a former Democrat now running as an independent, military veteran Brian Bengs, who some Democrats believe may be the tougher challenger.
The Democrats shift toward independents reflects the party's toxic brand in Republican strongholds.
Absent congressman gets a Democratic challenger
Democrats nominated Rebecca Bennett to take on Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, which stretches from the New York City suburbs to the Pennsylvania border.
The seat is critical for Republicans as they defend a narrow majority in Congress. The race was always going to be one of the most competitive on a map that has been increasingly gerrymandered to protect both parties. But it's under particularly close scrutiny because of Kean's extended and unexplained medical absence.
He's missed more than 100 votes since casting his last one on March 5.
Bennett, a former Navy pilot, was among the Democrats in the primary who made the absence and the lack of clarity surrounding it an issue, arguing Kean wasn't around to protect money for a new rail tunnel connecting New Jersey and New York City. That line of criticism will likely only grow heading into the general election.
Trump reiterated his endorsement of Kean on Monday. The congressman released a statement Tuesday saying he is "focused on my recovery" and would return to "in person work within a matter of weeks."
New Mexico could make history in governor's race
The stage is set for Deb Haaland to make history this fall after Biden's interior secretary secured the Democratic nomination for governor in New Mexico.
Haaland was the first Native American to serve as in the Cabinet. This fall, she could become the first Native American woman in U.S. history to be elected governor.
She defeated Albuquerque-based District Attorney Sam Bregman, the father of Chicago Cubs All-Star Alex Bregman, in a Democratic primary campaign that emphasized her ancestral roots in addition to lowering costs and her governing experience.
Haaland will face Republican Greggory Hull in the general election.
\_\_\_
By STEVEN SLOAN, STEVE PEOPLES, HUMERA LODHI and SIMRAN PARWANI Associated Press. Peoples and Lodhi reported from New York. Associated Press writer Hannah Fingerhut in Des Moines, Iowa contributed to this report.
### Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass advances to November runoff as she seeks second term
URL: https://www.smdp.com/los-angeles-mayor-karen-bass-advances-to-november-runoff-as-she-seeks-second-term/
Last updated: 2026-06-03T14:51:38.000Z
After a tough first term framed by the most destructive wildfire in city history and an ongoing struggle with widespread homelessness, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass advanced to a November runoff Tuesday as she fights to stay in City Hall against challengers from both ends of the political spectrum.
"I appreciate you for standing with me when others doubted me, because you know who I am," she told supporters. "I have devoted my entire life to serving the city that I love, where I was born, and I'm going to continue to do that all the way to victory in November."
The Associated Press has not yet called a second candidate to advance to the runoff. California has a history of substantial vote updates after Election Day that can sometimes shift the outcome as late-arriving mail and drop-off ballots are counted.
Spencer Pratt, a Republican and former star of the reality television show "The Hills," was second in early returns. Pratt accuses Bass of letting the fires get out of control and failing to make enough progress on the homeless crisis.
Speaking to reporters outside a restaurant where he gathered with supporters, Pratt signaled he would welcome a matchup with Bass, a former member of Congress and the first Black woman to serve as mayor.
"This is not a candidate that I'm too concerned about," he said.
"I got in this because as a citizen, I felt like my city failed — myself, my neighbors, my family," Pratt said. "Mayor Bass has allowed the city to be covered in potholes. We don't have sidewalks. We don't have lights."
"I'm an Angeleno who said 'Enough is enough,'" Pratt said.
Bass has acknowledged that her time in office has been bumpy but pointed to reductions in homelessness and a historically low homicide rate in the nation's second most populous city.
Running behind Bass and Pratt was Nithya Raman, a former ally of the mayor and a progressive city council member elected with support from the Democratic Socialists of America. A Democrat, Raman campaigned on promises to reduce inequality, revive the slumping entertainment industry and build more housing.
Political observers said a November runoff would be likely with 14 names on the ballot, including tech entrepreneur Adam Miller and community activist Rae Huang.
Bass defends her record
Pratt's candidacy drew national attention as a barometer for dissatisfaction with liberal urban governance and because of viral videos that supporters created with artificial intelligence.
Bass lined up most of the Democratic establishment behind her, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, Gov. Gavin Newsom and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, along with the city's powerful labor unions.
Candidates made a rush of last-minute appeals to voters, urging them to cast ballots in an election that appeared headed for a light turnout. Bass made a swing through the heavily Hispanic Boyle Heights neighborhood, where she recalled federal immigration raids in which she said Pratt and Raman were "nowhere to be found."
In online posts before polls closed, Pratt said the contest had become a two-person race between him and Bass and said a vote for either Raman or Miller would be wasted.
"At this point, it's me and Karen," Pratt said.
Voter Jose Rivera said he backed Bass because she deserves a second term to deliver on her promises: "She's done a pretty good job in my opinion overall."
Another, Leo Blain, said he was drawn to Raman's progressive agenda and believes she can be effective at building coalitions in the diverse city.
"I think she has a really good understanding about how the city of LA works and would be a really effective mayor," Blain said outside his polling place.
Los Angeles faces questions about its future
The race unfolded at an unsettled time for the city.
The mayor is still trying to overcome fallout from her absence when the most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles history ignited in a wealthy seaside neighborhood in January 2025\. Bass was on a trip to Ghana as part of a presidential delegation. Pratt lost his home in the Palisades Fire, which killed 12 people. And some say the recovery is happening too slowly.
While statistics suggest that Bass has made headway on homelessness, makeshift encampments and rows of rusting RVs remain commonplace across the city. Complaints about the rising cost of living — whether for rent, taxes or groceries — are a constant refrain. Dirty, pocked streets and sidewalks abound.
Meanwhile Hollywood jobs have been decamping for years to more affordable filming locales. Trump administration immigration raids also shook the city.
Population in the once-booming region is falling — Los Angeles County lost about 54,000 people from July 2024 to July 2025, the largest numeric population drop in the nation, according to federal figures.
Crime statistics are down, but public safety is still an issue. World Cup games begin in Southern California in June, and Los Angeles is readying to host the 2028 Olympics. The federal government spearheads security at the Olympics, but there are already concerns that the Los Angeles Police Department will not have adequate funding or personnel to hold up its end of the job.
Bass has acknowledged making missteps but argued that a drop in homelessness and a historically low homicide rate show she is making progress. "I'll keep fighting for LA," she said.
Pratt has focused his campaign on reducing homelessness and boosting police ranks, arguing that an outsider is needed to shake up city hall. Looking to tap into voter frustration, he says he is "an Angeleno who's had enough" and rails against "homeless drug zombies" on the streets.
He received a nod of approval — if not an actual endorsement — from President Donald Trump, who recently said, "I heard he's a big MAGA person."
That remark could haunt Pratt in a city where Trump is widely unpopular beyond his conservative base and Republicans account for less than 15% of registered voters.
\_\_\_
By MICHAEL R. BLOOD AP Political Writer. Associated Press writer Christopher Weber contributed.
### Zbur Bills Targeting AI, Health Care, Energy Costs Clear State Assembly
URL: https://www.smdp.com/zbur-bills-targeting-ai-health-care-energy-costs-clear-state-assembly/
Last updated: 2026-06-03T10:00:00.000Z
A package of six bills by Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur advanced out of the California State Assembly this week, addressing artificial intelligence disclosures in customer service, rare disease treatment delays, reproductive health care privacy, data center energy costs, workforce training investments, and alternatives to criminal arrest.
Zbur, a Democrat who represents the 51st Assembly District — which includes Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and portions of Hollywood and West Los Angeles — serves as the Democratic Caucus Chair. All six measures now head to the Senate.
**Right to Human Customer Service**
AB 1609, the Right to Human Customer Service Act, would require large businesses serving California consumers to provide access to a human customer service representative during normal business hours. Under the bill, businesses offering online or telephone customer service must make a good-faith effort to connect consumers with a human representative within 15 minutes of a request.
The measure also requires businesses to clearly disclose when consumers are interacting with an AI-powered customer service system and prohibits companies from representing an artificial intelligence system as a human being.
"Technology should make our lives easier — not trap consumers in endless phone trees, AI chat loops, and hours-long hold times," Zbur said. The bill is sponsored by the Communication Workers of America District Council 9.
**Rare Disease Treatment Access**
AB 1887 would reduce prior authorization delays and step therapy requirements for Californians living with rare diseases. The bill requires accelerated prior authorization for FDA-approved rare disease therapies and automatically approves requests not acted upon within 30 days. It also prohibits step therapy requirements — which force patients to try and fail on alternative treatments before accessing prescribed medications — for rare disease treatments prescribed by appropriate specialists.
Rare diseases affect an estimated 4 million Californians. According to a 2021 American Medical Association survey, 93% of physicians reported patients experienced delayed care due to prior authorization requirements and 34% reported serious adverse events, including hospitalization, permanent disability, or death. The bill passed with no opposition votes and is sponsored by the California Chronic Care Coalition.
**Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Care Protections**
AB 1930 strengthens California's shield laws protecting patients and providers of reproductive and gender-affirming health care. The bill requires California entities to notify the Attorney General within seven days before complying with out-of-state subpoenas seeking information related to legally protected health care services, and mandates a 30-day waiting period before any compliance.
Zbur cited a 2025 U.S. Department of Justice subpoena to Children's Hospital Los Angeles seeking records on more than 3,000 transgender youth, which contributed to the closure of the hospital's gender-affirming care program, as well as efforts by Louisiana officials to target a California physician who provided abortion care to an out-of-state patient. The bill is sponsored by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Equality California.
**Data Center Energy Costs**
AB 2383 would require the California Public Utilities Commission to establish a new electricity customer classification for large energy users, such as data centers, by 2028\. The goal is to ensure those facilities pay the infrastructure costs associated with their energy demand rather than shifting those costs onto residential and small business ratepayers.
The California Energy Commission projects statewide peak electricity demand could exceed 66 gigawatts by 2040, with data centers accounting for approximately 6.7 gigawatts of new demand — roughly equivalent to the electricity consumption of more than 4 million households. The bill passed with bipartisan support and is backed by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Little Hoover Commission.
**Workforce Training**
AB 2634, the High-Road Jobs and Workforce Training Act, would strengthen California's High Road Training Partnership program by directing the state to prioritize grant funding for programs rooted in labor-management collaboration. Supporters say recent investments have shifted toward business-first models with weaker ties to job quality. The bill passed with bipartisan support and is backed by SEIU California, the Building Skills Partnership, and the Hospitality Training Academy.
**Alternatives to Arrest**
AB 2217 expands California's Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program, renaming it "Alternatives to Arrest" and broadening eligibility so law enforcement officers can refer individuals experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges, or substance use disorders to case management and crisis services instead of making an arrest for certain low-level offenses. Newly added eligible offenses include petty theft, second-degree burglary, and trespassing.
A California State University, Long Beach evaluation found that individuals in Los Angeles not referred to the diversion program had felony arrest rates 537% higher than program participants 12 months after implementation. The bill is sponsored by the Drug Policy Alliance and Californians for Safety and Justice.
### Santa Monica’s World Cup Summer Is A Global Cultural Invitation
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monicas-world-cup-summer-is-a-global-cultural-invitation/
Last updated: 2026-06-02T19:00:01.000Z
This summer, Santa Monica is preparing to step onto the world stage. From June 11 through July 19, the coastal city will transform into one of the largest fan engagement destinations connected to the FIFA World Cup, anchored by six weeks of programming designed to merge sport, music, wellness, art, mobility, and community into a citywide celebration by the Pacific.
Produced by Revel Republic in partnership with the City of Santa Monica, the initiative stretches across the Third Street Promenade, Tongva Park, the Pier, Downtown Santa Monica, and surrounding public spaces, positioning the city as both a gathering place for international visitors and a cultural hub for local residents.
For Santa Monica Mayor Caroline Torosis, the six week celebration represents something much larger than a sporting event. “Santa Monica has always had a magnetic pull, but this summer we are welcoming the world to our shores in a way that feels truly historic,” Torosis said. “Six weeks of culture, music, wellness, and community celebration across our downtown and coastline isn’t just about the World Cup; it’s the opening chapter of Santa Monica’s renaissance. We are showing the world what is possible when a city activates its public spaces with creativity, purpose, and joy. And with LA28 on the horizon, this is Santa Monica’s moment to establish itself as the premier destination for global culture, international visitors, and world class events for years to come.”
Among the signature experiences is Golden Hour, taking place June 12, June 27, and July 10 along the Third Street Promenade, where live music, interactive fan experiences, outdoor dining, curated brand activations, and stages featuring musical performances and dance are expected to transform downtown into a sunset driven celebration surrounding key World Cup match days. Organizers also see the series as an important opportunity to engage local businesses and drive visitors deeper into the Promenade through immersive and uniquely Santa Monica experiences designed to create energy, discovery, and connection.
For Debbie Lee, CEO of Downtown Santa Monica, the programming represents an opportunity to showcase the district as the epicenter of the city's World Cup experience. “With so much happening across LA, Downtown Santa Monica stands out as a premier destination to celebrate the World Cup,” Lee said. “The Third Street Promenade is home to the official FIFA Pop Up Store, Culto Futbol, and JD Sports, making it the ideal place to shop, celebrate, and soak up the energy of the tournament, all just steps from the California coast. Add in the Golden Hour events and the massive open streets celebration of COAST, and Downtown Santa Monica isn’t just a place to watch the matches; it’s where the World Cup truly comes to life.”
Adding to the wellness and lifestyle programming, Tongva Park will host the Drenched “New Energy” luxury outdoor Pilates experience on June 14 as part of The Garden Series, blending fitness, recovery, hospitality, and elevated experiential design within one of Santa Monica’s most iconic public spaces. The activation reflects the broader vision behind the six week programming slate; creating immersive moments that merge wellness, culture, and community engagement in a distinctly coastal California setting.
Families and younger fans will also play a central role in the programming through the World Play Zone and Junior Junction, running June 11 through June 27 in partnership with Volo Sports, alongside youth clinics and workshops with the YMCA. The activation is designed to create an accessible entry point for children and multigenerational households to participate in the global energy of the tournament through soccer challenges, games, clinics, and hands on play.
Music and mobility will intersect on June 21 with LA Metro’s Make Music Day, a free all ages celebration at the Downtown Santa Monica Metro Station featuring live bands, rhythm workshops, and community programming tied to both the World Cup and the Route 66 Centennial.
The six-week run culminates July 19 with COAST 2026, a massive open streets festival expected to draw up to 100,000 attendees. The event will transform more than a mile of downtown Santa Monica into a pedestrian focused cultural corridor filled with art installations, live performances, global food concepts, wellness experiences, and interactive activations connecting the Pier, Tongva Park, Palisades Park, and the Metro terminus.
For Bernard Kida, founder of Revel Republic, the vision extends beyond a single tournament. “This is about creating a platform where community, culture, and global connection all meet in one place,” Kida said. “The World Cup gives Santa Monica a rare opportunity to welcome the world while also reminding residents what is possible when public space is activated with purpose, creativity, and accessibility. The short term impact is energy and economic activity, but the long term opportunity is defining Santa Monica as a global gathering place for culture, entertainment, wellness, and shared experience for years to come.”
The programming is expected to attract residents and visitors from across Southern California and around the world, while providing a preview of how Santa Monica may leverage future global events to drive economic activity, support local businesses, activate public spaces, and strengthen its identity as a cultural destination.With the FIFA World Cup serving as the catalyst and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon, city leaders see this summer not as a one time celebration, but as a defining moment in Santa Monica’s evolution. For six weeks, the city will invite the world to experience its beaches, parks, businesses, culture, and community; offering a glimpse of what the future of global destination programming can look like when sport becomes a platform for connection.
### SMC Holds Inaugural STEM Research Symposium
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-holds-inaugural-stem-research-symposium/
Last updated: 2026-06-02T19:00:02.000Z
**Symposium:** Santa Monica College (SMC) held a first-ever STEM Student Poster Research Symposium in May in the SMC Mathematics + Science Building Lobby. Thirty students and several groups presented their projects via poster presentations, highlighting a vast range of STEM research conducted both on campus and beyond. The three student winners recognized were Kevin Davidson, Leslie Huerta Sandoval, and Lexie Williamson. The event was sponsored by the SMC Foundation through its Northrop Grumman/Elkin Chair of Excellence in Physical Science & the STEM MÁS grant. The symposium was organized collaboratively by the SMC STEM academic departments, the STEM MÁS program, and the SMC Career Services Center.
### Tuesday, June 2, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/tuesday-june-2-2026/
Last updated: 2026-06-02T18:38:46.000Z
Time is running out to vote in the primary election. Today is the last day to participate and if you're not sure how to get your ballot counted, visit for voting locations. You can also check out today's edition of SMDP which includes additional voting information.
Cloudy early, becoming mostly sunny this afternoon. High 67F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 67º/58º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 70º/59º
### FIRST UP
Photo by Willa-Cutolo
### Santa Monica Chamber names former West Hollywood executive as Interim CEO
The Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce has named Genevieve Morrill as its interim chief executive officer as the organization launches...[READ](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-chamber-names-former-west-hollywood-executive-as-interim-ceo/)
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### MORE NEWS
[Vision To Learn Wins 2026 Nonprofit of the Year AwardSen. Ben Allen honors Vision To Learn as 2026 Nonprofit of the Year for 15 years of providing eye care to students across California and the nation.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/vision-to-learn-celebrated-as-2026-nonprofit-of-the-year/)
[Santa Monica Juneteenth Weekend: Music, Art & Community EventsSanta Monica celebrates Juneteenth June 19-20 with music, film, and cultural events at Christine Emerson Reed Park and Virginia Avenue Park. Free community celebration.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-to-celebrate-juneteenth-with-weekend-of-events/)
[SMC Concert Chorale & Orchestra ‘Instruments of Praise’Santa Monica College presents ‘Instruments of Praise’ featuring the Concert Chorale, Chamber Choir, and Horizon Music Group June 4-5 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets $15.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-concert-chorale-chamber-orchestra-present-instruments-of-praise-june-4-5/)
[Malibu Bookstore Owner Honored for Resilience After Year of DisastersMichelle Pierce, owner of Malibu Village Books, honored for resilience after navigating wildfires, earthquake, mudslide, and road closure that devastated the coastal community.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/malibu-bookstore-owner-honored-for-resilience-after-year-of-disasters/)
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### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Palisades Teen Builds Miniature Memorial of Lost NeighborhoodLoyola High School junior Luca Dal Bello commissioned 50+ hand-crafted scale models of Pacific Palisades landmarks lost in January 2025 wildfires. Exhibition opens May 30 at EMECO House in Venice.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/palisades-teen-turns-fire-relief-money-into-miniature-memorial-of-lost-neighborhood/)
[SMC Planetarium June Shows Offer Eye-opening Look at the UniverseSanta Monica College Planetarium presents live shows June 5-7, 2026\. See ‘The Night Sky Show’ and ‘Welcome to the Universe’ with Planetarium Lecturer Sarah Vincent. $10 adults, $7 children.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-planetarium-june-shows-offer-eye-opening-look-at-the-universe/)
[Will Californians pick candidates who are government outsiders or ones with governing experience?By Jim Newton, CalMatters This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. A few years back, in one of our many conversations for the biography I wrote of him, Gov. Jerry Brown told me that he never put much stock in political experience — until he hadSMDPCal Matters](https://www.smdp.com/will-californians-pick-candidates-who-are-government-outsiders-or-ones-with-governing-experience/)
[Key inflation gauge worsens as Americans’ income and spending power erodesA key inflation gauge accelerated in April to the highest level in three years, squeezing Americans’ finances and creating political challenges for President Trump and congressional Republicans with midterm elections just five months away. Inflation jumped to 3.8% in April compared with a year ago, the Commerce Department saidSMDPAssociated Press](https://www.smdp.com/key-inflation-gauge-worsens-as-americans-income-and-spending-power-erodes/)
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Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/060226.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### Santa Monica Chamber names former West Hollywood executive as Interim CEO
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-chamber-names-former-west-hollywood-executive-as-interim-ceo/
Last updated: 2026-06-02T17:06:33.000Z
The Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce has named Genevieve Morrill as its interim chief executive officer as the organization launches a formal search for a permanent leader following the departure of Judy Kruger.
Morrill, who most recently served as CEO of the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, brings more than 30 years of experience across economic development, destination marketing, Business Improvement Districts, advocacy and government affairs throughout the Los Angeles region. She can be reached at Genevieve@smchamber.com.
"I have known Gen for years as we both served with the Westside Chambers of Commerce," said Kruger, who is departing the role. "She has high-level experience and leadership savvy to be the right person during this time of transition."
The chamber has retained WBCP, Inc., an executive search firm, to conduct the search for a permanent CEO. Additional details on the job posting are expected from WBCP Inc.
Morrill steps into the role as the chamber works to maintain momentum built under Kruger's four-year tenure. Board Chair Paula Larmore credited Kruger with achieving "meaningful progress" during her time at the helm, citing improved financial stability, expanded grant activity and continued engagement with the local business community.
Kruger, who has led the chamber since June 1, 2022, announced she will step down by the end of June to pursue work in government affairs and advocacy. She came to the chamber from the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, where she had served as senior director of strategic initiatives, and succeeded Laurel Rosen, who held the president and CEO role for approximately 14 years.
During Kruger's tenure, the chamber grew its programming to include larger networking events, a business workshop series and new grant funding tied to economic recovery efforts. Revenue rebounded significantly under her leadership — IRS filings show total revenue reached approximately $704,000 in fiscal year 2024, up from a pandemic low of roughly $424,000 in fiscal 2021, though still below the pre-pandemic figure of approximately $888,000 in fiscal 2019.
Founded in 1925, the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit representing more than 650 member businesses across sectors including hospitality, health care, professional services, retail, technology, education and nonprofits. The chamber celebrated its centennial in 2025 and is headquartered at 2525 Main St., Suite 103.
The chamber's mission centers on membership services, economic development and advocacy. Its formal advocacy process routes issues through a Government Affairs Committee before the board takes a position. Recent positions have included endorsing the Santa Monica City Council's zoning overhaul that streamlined business permitting, support for the Providence Saint John's Phase II campus plan and California's film tax credit extension.
Among the chamber's ongoing programs is the NextGen Mentorship Program, run through its 501(c)(3) arm, the Santa Monica Chamber Foundation, in partnership with Santa Monica College. The program pairs Black and Latino students with professional mentors each semester. The chamber also co-founded the Santa Monica Alliance with the city in 2011 to support business attraction and retention.
Following the January 2025 Palisades Fire, the chamber formed a Rebuild Committee and hosted an inaugural Rebuild, Health and Wellness Expo in January 2026.
Annual membership dues are scaled by employee count, ranging from $470 for nonprofits or single-employee businesses to $3,800 for companies with more than 100 employees.
The chamber can be reached at (310) 393-9825 or smchamber.com.
### Vision To Learn Celebrated as 2026 Nonprofit of the Year
URL: https://www.smdp.com/vision-to-learn-celebrated-as-2026-nonprofit-of-the-year/
Last updated: 2026-06-01T18:59:59.000Z
Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica, celebrated[ ](https://visiontolearn.org/?ref=smdp.com)[Vision To Learn](https://visiontolearn.org/?ref=smdp.com) in Sacramento as a 2026 Nonprofit of the Year, recognizing nearly 15 years of service bringing quality eye care to students around California and the nation.
"You cannot underestimate the difference eye care makes to a student's educational experience," Allen said. "Undetected visual problems create unnecessary barriers that can leave children falling behind in the classroom, simply because they cannot clearly see and read the material being taught. Vision To Learn breaks down these barriers so that these bright young minds can thrive in school and later into their careers."
Vision To Learn started with a partnership with Los Angeles Unified School District and now works with school districts in 15 states plus Washington, D.C. The nonprofit's licensed optometrists and trained opticians bring mobile eye care services directly to students at schools, where students receive vision screenings, eye exams and select new prescription glasses from a wide selection of frames on the clinic.
A 2021[ ](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/fullarticle/2783867?ref=smdp.com)[Johns Hopkins study](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/fullarticle/2783867?ref=smdp.com) found that children who received glasses made greater learning gains than those achieved by extending the school day or other methods of intervention. Students in the bottom quarter of their class academically, and students with learning disabilities, showed gains equal to four to six months of additional lessons.
"Glasses have been shown to be the most effective tool to increase academic achievement, at far less cost than other interventions," said Joan Chu Reese, executive director of Vision To Learn. "Today, more than 278,000 California students go to school each day with the glasses they need to succeed. Vision To Learn is thrilled to work alongside Senator Allen to ensure access to basic, yet critical, eye care for kids."
Vision To Learn has provided eye care to 3.8 million children nationwide and helped 663,530 students receive glasses so they may see clearer and learn better.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica to Celebrate Juneteenth With Weekend of Events
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-to-celebrate-juneteenth-with-weekend-of-events/
Last updated: 2026-06-01T18:59:59.000Z
The city of Santa Monica will celebrate Juneteenth, America's second Independence Day, with a weekend of events honoring Black history, culture and community.
The inaugural Juneteenth Gathering will center wellness and community through music, film and the healing arts. Led by the Recreation & Arts Department in collaboration with producing partners Go As If Productions and christy roberts berkowitz, the debut event will take place at Christine Emerson Reed Park and the Miles Memorial Playhouse on Friday, June 19, from 4 to 8 p.m. The gathering will feature sound immersion, live music, an art workshop and DJ sets by Linafornia and Black Girls Love Vinyl.
A special film screening inside Miles Playhouse will showcase "BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions," a cinematic project created by visual artist and filmmaker Kahlil Joseph, which the Sundance Institute has described as a hypnotic tapestry of the Black experience across the diaspora inspired by the intellectual legacy of W.E.B. Du Bois.
The 34th Annual Juneteenth Celebration will take place the following day, June 20, at Virginia Avenue Park from 1 to 7 p.m. This year's theme, "A Legacy of Liberation: Honoring our Resistance and Resilience," represents the past and ongoing fight for equity and justice for Black Americans.
"By expanding our Juneteenth offerings, we hope to welcome even more people to celebrate in Santa Monica and experience the rich music, art, and cultural opportunities," Mayor Caroline Torosis said. "Whether you prefer a cozier gathering or a more robust community festival — or both — there is something for everyone as we honor this important holiday."
The annual celebration has a rich history at Virginia Avenue Park, founded by Santa Monica community activist LaVerne Ross and presented by RAD and Housing & Human Services with support from BroadStage. Santa Monica launched the first city-funded Juneteenth event three decades before Juneteenth was recognized as a federal holiday. Ross remains an active member of the organizing committee.
This year's celebration will showcase Black musical genres including an interactive drum workshop with Project KnuckleHead, plus soul, funk and jazz performances by ADAAWE, the Kobie Dozier Quintet, Nichelle Monroe with Butterfly and The Gumbo Brothers. The event will also feature community resource booths, food trucks, local Black-owned small businesses and all-ages art activities celebrating Santa Monica's Belmar history.
The Santa Monica Area Interfaith Council will present an invocation and special honors to community members.
For more information, visit: [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-juneteenth-gathering-tickets-1988970586566](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-juneteenth-gathering-tickets-1988970586566?ref=smdp.com) and/or [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-34th-annual-juneteenth-celebration-tickets-1988887577283](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-34th-annual-juneteenth-celebration-tickets-1988887577283?ref=smdp.com)
Edited by SMDP Staff
### SMC Concert Chorale, Chamber Orchestra Present 'Instruments of Praise' June 4-5
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-concert-chorale-chamber-orchestra-present-instruments-of-praise-june-4-5/
Last updated: 2026-06-01T19:00:00.000Z
The Santa Monica College Music Department will present "Instruments of Praise," a joint performance of the SMC Concert Chorale, SMC Chamber Choir, SMC alumni guest soloists and guest professional orchestra Horizon Music Group.
Under the baton of SMC music instructor and maestro Jeremiah Selvey Convento, the performance will be held Thursday, June 4, and Friday, June 5, at 7:30 p.m. at[ ](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com)[The Eli & Edythe Broad Stage](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com) at the SMC Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica.
The performance offers a chance to experience the combined voices of SMC's two classically based choirs joining orchestral instruments in music intended to praise life and lift spirits. The program will feature Schubert's Mass in G — with SMC alumni Jade Popper (soprano), Adam McCrory (baritone) and Ethan Eliafan (tenor) as soloists — as well as selected works by Bach, Beethoven, Gorzcycki, Mozart, Palestrina, Pärt and Tallis.
Tickets are $15 for general admission, plus a modest service charge, and $5 for students with any student ID. Advance tickets may be purchased online at[ ](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/tickets](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com) or by calling 310-434-3005 during limited weekday hours. Tickets also may be purchased at The Broad Stage Box Office starting 45 minutes before the performance.
Free parking is available on the premises, and seating is strictly on a first-arrival basis. More information is available by calling 310-434-4323\. All performances are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Malibu Bookstore Owner Honored for Resilience After Year of Disasters
URL: https://www.smdp.com/malibu-bookstore-owner-honored-for-resilience-after-year-of-disasters/
Last updated: 2026-06-01T19:00:00.000Z
The owner of Malibu's only independent bookstore has been named one of ADP's 2026 Grit & Wisdom Award winners, recognized for keeping her business open through a punishing series of disasters that battered the coastal community over the past two years.
Michelle Pierce, who owns Malibu Village Books, was selected for the national program, which spotlights small business owners who turned defining hardships into lasting wisdom. The award comes after Pierce navigated her store through two wildfires, a major earthquake, a mudslide and a six-month road closure that severed [Malibu ](https://www.smdp.com/city-of-malibu-to-host-2026-poetry-summit/)from the rest of the Los Angeles region.
Pierce credits two principles for keeping her doors open: financial resilience and creativity.
"Creativity is a survival skill — getting creative in thought, systems, and practice is the only way to push past the present and change for the future," Pierce said. "Financial resilience is not optional. You cannot complete your mission if your doors close."
[Malibu Village Books](https://www.lidovillagebooks.com/malibu-village-books?ref=smdp.com) opened officially in March 2023 after Pierce was approached by the property's previous landlords, Jamestown, who had visited her original location, Lido Village Books, and asked her to bring a bookstore to Malibu. The community had been without one for more than 15 years.
The troubles began in December 2024, when the Franklin Fire forced the store to close for a week during the holiday season. Pierce thought the business could absorb the hit. Then the Palisades Fire hit, shuttering the store for the rest of January 2025.
The deeper blow came afterward, when a six-month road closure cut off Malibu from Santa Monica and the rest of Los Angeles and Orange counties. Customers could not reach the store. Many assumed it had closed permanently.
"It was devastating and really hard — 2025 was the most hopeless time in my life," Pierce said. "When no one can get to you — when everyone thinks you are closed forever — they begin to build new habits and new routines. We stayed open so employees and community members would have a space to go to and feel a sense of community and normal routine, and yet there were days we made $0 in sales."
A bookstore operates on one of the tightest profit margins in retail, Pierce said. Her rainy-day fund dwindled. Rent came due. Employees faced their own crises. Pierce said she was denied financial assistance and told at one point that "bookstores don't matter."
She refused to close. Instead, she applied for grants, launched a GoFundMe campaign, accepted help from longtime customers and built new ways to get books out into the community. The store is still recovering a year later.
For other small business owners facing similar pressure, Pierce offered direct advice.
"Hold strong and document everything. Sometimes things get out of your control, so take a moment to see what you can control," she said. "Use this as a moment to create new opportunities that are missing within your industry and you do well."
Laci Buzzelli, senior vice president and general manager of small business services at ADP, said Pierce's approach reflects what the company has observed in the most durable small businesses.
"What Michelle did at Malibu Village Books, building a rainy-day fund and finding new ways to support and connect with customers, is the kind of proactivity we see in the most resilient small businesses," Buzzelli said. "Protect your financial reserves before you need them, and simplify your operations now so you have the room to move should the unexpected hit."
The recognition arrives as new data underscores the economic weight of businesses like Pierce's. According to ADP Chief Economist Nela Richardson's latest Main Street Macro report, businesses with fewer than 20 employees created more than 525,000 jobs in 2025, more than any other group of private-sector employers. Without them, the U.S. economy would have lost 110,000 private-sector jobs last year.
"These Main Street businesses rarely grab headlines, but maybe they should," Richardson said. "When it comes to U.S. employment, the little mom-and-pop engine of our economy is the biggest thing powering the labor market."
Pierce said she remains grateful to customers, authors and donors who helped sustain the store through its hardest stretch.
"It takes a lot to rebuild," she said, "and we are SO thankful to all those who have supported us."
### Aqua Surf School Wins “Most Loved Surf School 2026”
URL: https://www.smdp.com/most-loved-surf-school-2026/
Last updated: 2026-06-16T20:35:13.000Z
What makes people fall in love with surfing? Is it the rush of riding a wave? Is it the sunshine? Is it the simple joy of leaving your phone in a beach bag for an hour and forgetting that emails even exist? Maybe. But maybe surfing is really about something else. Maybe people love it because it asks them to do something that scares them a little.
Think about the first time you stand on a beach with a surfboard. Confidence usually isn’t the first thing you bring with you. Most beginners arrive carrying a long list of worries. What if I fall? What if I look ridiculous? What if everyone else knows exactly what they’re doing? What if the ocean has other plans for me today? Those questions show up on beaches every day, and they probably explain why [Aqua Surf School](https://aquasurf.com/?ref=smdp.com) just earned the title of “Most Loved Surf School 2026.”
Notice what the award says: “Most loved.” That’s a very different thing. People don’t hand out that kind of title because a company owns *a lot of* surfboards or teaches *a* lot of [lessons](https://aquasurf.com/surf-lessons/?ref=smdp.com). They give it because they remember how a place made them feel. And if the response from students, families, and visitors tells us anything, it’s that Aqua Surf leaves people feeling better than when they arrived.
Aqua Surf School receiving praise for creating memorable surfing experiences.
That’s not a small achievement. We live in an era where people complain about everything. The coffee is too hot. The coffee is too cold. The parking space is too small. The line is too long. The ocean is cold. Well, yes. It’s the Pacific Ocean. Yet somehow, year after year, Aqua Surf keeps sending people home with smiles that seem bigger than the waves they just rode.
Why? The answer starts with a simple truth that every surfer knows, but every beginner forgets. Surfing looks much easier than it actually is. Social media shows people gliding across perfect waves under perfect skies. Reality usually looks a little different. Reality looks like someone wrestling with a wetsuit in a parking lot. Reality looks like wobbly knees, missed waves, and the occasional mouthful of saltwater. Nobody puts those moments on postcards.
That’s exactly where Aqua Surf seems to stand out. Most beginners don’t need a coach shouting technical instructions from the shore. They need someone who understands what it feels like to be nervous. They need someone who can turn a frightening experience into a fun one. Learning to surf isn’t just about standing up on a board. It’s about getting comfortable enough to try again after falling off it.
Parents understand this better than anyone. After all, the ocean isn’t a classroom with desks and whiteboards. It’s the Pacific Ocean. Every parent asks the same questions before a lesson. Will my child be safe? Will somebody pay attention? Will they have fun? The challenge isn’t getting children excited about surfing. Most kids can barely wait to run into the water. The challenge is helping parents feel just as comfortable.
That trust keeps showing up whenever people talk about Aqua Surf. Families often mention instructors who encouraged nervous children, celebrated small victories, and paid attention when it mattered most. That’s important because confidence works a lot like surfing itself. It grows one small wave at a time. A child who starts the day afraid of the water can end it talking nonstop about their next lesson.
Then there are the adults. You know the type. They’ve talked about learning to surf for years. They’ve watched the documentaries. They’ve bought the beach towels. They’ve spent an embarrassing amount of time looking at surfboards online.
Yet somehow the actual lesson keeps getting pushed to next weekend, next month, or next summer. Fear has a funny way of turning “one day” into “maybe someday.”
But eventually, some people decide they’re tired of waiting. They show up, paddle out, fall, and try again. And somewhere between the first wipeout and the first successful ride, something changes. The lesson stops being about surfing and starts being about confidence. The wave lasts a few seconds. The feeling lasts much longer.
That’s probably why so many students return to Aqua Surf long after their first lesson. Some come back for [camps](https://aquasurf.com/surf-camps/?ref=smdp.com). Some sign up for private coaching. Others bring younger siblings, friends, and eventually their own children. At that point, you’re not looking at customer loyalty anymore. You’re looking at a community. And these days, community feels like something people value more than ever.
Many businesses focus on efficiency. Click here. Sign there. Have a nice day. Aqua Surf seems to take a different approach. Their instructors don’t simply teach surfing. They build relationships. They learn names. They celebrate milestones. They cheer when someone catches a wave for the first time. It sounds simple, but people rarely forget someone who celebrates their success with them.
Perhaps that’s why this award feels so fitting. You can’t manufacture the title of “Most Loved.” You earn it through years of positive experiences, one student at a time. It grows slowly, much like the confidence that keeps people paddling back into the water after every fall. Eventually, those moments stack up like waves rolling toward shore.
And maybe that’s what people are really searching for these days. Life feels busy. Everyone seems glued to a screen. Everyone seems distracted by something. When was the last time you spent an hour focused on one thing and one thing only? The ocean doesn’t care about your inbox. A wave won’t wait for you to answer a text message. Surfing demands your attention, and maybe that’s part of its magic.
So, what comes next for Aqua Surf? Probably the same thing they’ve been doing for years. They’ll teach nervous beginners. They’ll help kids discover new passions. They’ll give visitors a story worth telling when they get home. They’ll help people do something they weren’t sure they could do.
Awards are nice. Trophies look good on shelves. Recognition feels good. But the real measure of a surf school isn’t a plaque hanging on a wall. It’s the child who can’t stop talking about surfing at dinner. It’s the parent who finally relaxes. It’s the adult who proves something to themselves. It’s that moment at the water’s edge when someone looks at the ocean, takes a deep breath, and decides to give it a try.
If Santa Monica’s vote tells us anything, it’s that a lot of those moments begin at Aqua Surf. And for many students, that’s where a simple surf lesson turns into something much bigger.
### Brad McLaughlin Wins the Title of Most Loved Digital Marketer for 2nd Year in a Row
URL: https://www.smdp.com/brad-mclaughlin-most-loved-digital-marketer/
Last updated: 2026-06-16T19:22:48.000Z
Brad McLaughlin, CMO for [Tower 25](https://tower25.com/?ref=smdp.com) digital marketing agency, just won back-to-back awards for “Most Loved Digital Marketer.” That’s right, no more waiting for awards to catch up with the amazing things he’s doing. While many awards show up late to the party, Brad is already out there shining. He earned this title by showing off his brilliant strategies and hard work.
Last year, Brad scored “[Best Digital Marketing Executive in Southern California](https://www.smdp.com/best-digital-marketing-executive-in-southern-california-for-2025/).” The Santa Monica Daily Press celebrated him as if it were a holiday. Did Brad sit around soaking in the glory? No way. He rolled up his sleeves and jumped right back into crafting creative campaigns.
Brad McLaughlin And Mayor Caroline Torosis
Now, “Most Loved Digital Marketer” sounds all warm and fuzzy, like a cozy blanket on a cold winter’s night. But let’s be honest: Brad isn’t just about the smiles. He builds results-driven campaigns. He doesn’t care about having the right vibe; he cares about what *works*. He loves to say, “If it doesn’t move the needle, it’s just noise.” This keeps him focused on what matters.
Friction? That’s not in Brad’s game plan. He wants to speed up the process from idea to action. If a campaign isn’t performing well, it doesn’t just get a warning; it disappears quicker than you can say “data-driven.” A lousy landing page? It gets swapped out faster than checking your favorite website. To Brad, “Average is dangerous.” He keeps things moving because he refuses to settle for anything less.
Brad thinks speed is all about quick adjustments. While others debate their next steps, he’s busy measuring and improving. “You’ve got one second to get someone's attention,” he likes to remind everyone. And that second really matters: it shapes how a page looks, the placement of an offer, and how clear a message is. In the digital world, taking your time isn’t an option. Those who can act fast and smart win.
His approach builds systems that keep improving. Forget those short-lived campaigns; Brad makes tools that work hard and don’t need constant supervision. He puts it simply: “Most people try to catch the wave; I’d rather build the boat.” Why wait for a lucky break when you can create your own exciting journey?
Brad stands out because he goes after attention instead of waiting for it. He uses smart AI tools not as fads, but as ways to simplify decisions. “It’s not about stalking,” he says. “It’s about timing!” Good timing leads to sales, while guesswork just wastes money.
While others explain complex plans, Brad jumps right into action and adjusts based on what the data tells him. Creativity? Sure! But it needs to result in solid outcomes. If an idea works, it sticks around; if not, it gets cut. This attitude produces clarity, not from theories, but from hard work.
Winning the title of “Most Loved Digital Marketer” for the second year in a row isn’t just a fun moment; it shows Brad’s consistency. His success isn’t a fluke. It proves that his strategies work, even as the industry changes. Last year’s recognition was great, but this win cements his reputation.
Love in this case isn’t just a nice sentiment; it shows in client behavior. They return for more and recommend him to friends. They trust him because he gives them results they can count on. Brad doesn’t rely on fancy words; he earns that love through his performance. “I don’t care who gets the credit,” he says. “I just want to win the game.” This sums up his focus perfectly: results matter more than trophies.
Brad prefers to stay out of the limelight. He doesn’t fill social networks with his thoughts or claim to be a marketing guru. He builds, measures, and adapts. Instead of bragging about achievements, he lets his results speak for themselves. “Speed wins,” he says, but adds, “Only if you’re pointed in the right direction.” And for him, direction comes from solid data.
This new title acknowledges a powerhouse who doesn’t seek applause. It highlights the powerful work Brad continues to do, even behind the scenes. Awards might fade, but Brad’s systems keep producing results. The contrast between the two shapes his successful career.
Will he win again? Only time will tell. But the work that brought him here doesn’t depend on titles. It keeps moving forward, trying new things and finding ways to grow. This victory is a moment to celebrate, but it doesn’t mean he stops. If anything, it proves that his hustle is alive and well.
So, remember, awards might arrive late, but one thing is certain: the grind never stops.
### Monday, June 1, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/saturday-may-30-2026-2/
Last updated: 2026-06-01T18:20:37.000Z
Time is running out to vote in the primary election. Tomorrow is the last day to participate and if you're not sure how to get your ballot counted, visit for voting locations. You can also check out tomorrow's edition of SMDP which will include additional voting information.
Sunshine to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High near 70F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 69º/57º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 6º/59º
### FIRST UP
SMDP Photo
### Rough Sleeping Hits 4-Year High in L.A. Despite Flat Overall Homeless Numbers, RAND Finds
The overall number of people living on the streets in three high-profile Los Angeles neighborhoods held steady in 2025...[READ](https://www.smdp.com/rough-sleeping-hits-4-year-high-in-l-a-despite-flat-overall-homeless-numbers-rand-finds/)
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### MORE NEWS
[Palisades Teen Builds Miniature Memorial of Lost NeighborhoodLoyola High School junior Luca Dal Bello commissioned 50+ hand-crafted scale models of Pacific Palisades landmarks lost in January 2025 wildfires. Exhibition opens May 30 at EMECO House in Venice.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/palisades-teen-turns-fire-relief-money-into-miniature-memorial-of-lost-neighborhood/)
[SMC Planetarium June Shows Offer Eye-opening Look at the UniverseSanta Monica College Planetarium presents live shows June 5-7, 2026\. See ‘The Night Sky Show’ and ‘Welcome to the Universe’ with Planetarium Lecturer Sarah Vincent. $10 adults, $7 children.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-planetarium-june-shows-offer-eye-opening-look-at-the-universe/)
[Will Californians pick candidates who are government outsiders or ones with governing experience?By Jim Newton, CalMatters This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. A few years back, in one of our many conversations for the biography I wrote of him, Gov. Jerry Brown told me that he never put much stock in political experience — until he hadSMDPCal Matters](https://www.smdp.com/will-californians-pick-candidates-who-are-government-outsiders-or-ones-with-governing-experience/)
[Key inflation gauge worsens as Americans’ income and spending power erodesA key inflation gauge accelerated in April to the highest level in three years, squeezing Americans’ finances and creating political challenges for President Trump and congressional Republicans with midterm elections just five months away. Inflation jumped to 3.8% in April compared with a year ago, the Commerce Department saidSMDPAssociated Press](https://www.smdp.com/key-inflation-gauge-worsens-as-americans-income-and-spending-power-erodes/)
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Santa Monica Lands Major Olympic & Super Bowl ActivationsSanta Monica approves ESPN broadcast hub for 2027 Super Bowl at the Pier and Swiss Olympic hospitality house at Camera Obscura during 2028 Games, generating $1.3+ million in fees.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-doubles-down-on-major-events-strategy-with-additional-olympic-activations/)
[Pacific Park Continues 30th Anniversary Celebration With Special Ride Offers Through June 11Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier is extending its 30th anniversary celebration with discounted rides and special pricing through June 11\. Through the promotional period, guests can ride the Pacific Wheel for $10, nearly 45% off the regular ticket price. Unlimited ride wristbands are also discounted, dropping from $50SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/pacific-park-continues-30th-anniversary-celebration-with-special-ride-offers-through-june-11/)
[URGENT CALL: Blood and platelet donors needed nowThe American Red Cross is urgently calling for blood and platelet donors, warning that a sharp drop in scheduled donations has put the national blood supply under significant strain heading into what officials call the most dangerous stretch of the year for traumatic injuries. Scheduled donations, which account for 90%SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/urgent-call-blood-and-platelet-donors-needed-now/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/060126.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### Tower 25 Wins “Most Loved Digital Marketing Agency” for the Second Consecutive Year, Reinforcing a Year-Over-Year Track Record of Excellence
URL: https://www.smdp.com/most-loved-digital-marketing-agency-2026/
Last updated: 2026-06-16T19:17:37.000Z
Awards are a curious kind of recognition. They stand in for proof of success, polished and visible, yet behind the shine sits a murky reality. Critics brand them as mere marketing tools. Bystanders applaud them with polite interest and move on. But a quiet question remains, rarely asked out loud: does any of this mean anything?
Sometimes, the answer is a resounding “no.”
A company has a great year. A campaign catches fire. The market changes in its favor. Trophies get distributed, LinkedIn explodes with celebratory posts, and for a fleeting moment, we all agree: This organization has cracked the code.
But reality is a relentless party crasher. The next year arrives bearing an uncomfortable quiz: Was that success earned, or merely a stroke of luck?
That’s why second chances are far more interesting than first ones. And that’s what makes [Tower 25](https://tower25.com/?ref=smdp.com)’s latest crown merits our undivided attention.
Council Member Dan Hall. Spin PR owner Kim Khoury, Mayor Caroline Torosis, Council Member Natalia Zernitskaya
This Southern California agency has won “Most Loved Digital Marketing Agency” for the second year in a row. This award comes right after winning “[Best Digital Marketing Firm in Southern California 2025](https://www.smdp.com/best-digital-marketing-firm-in-southern-california-2025/).” This rare feat does something awards rarely do: it turns a moment into a pattern.
One award raises eyebrows; two years of recognition bring out questions. And questions are often more revealing than the award itself. What keeps an agency popular once the applause dies down?
Why do some firms have an amazing year only to disappear?
Why do certain agencies keep earning trust while others scramble to recreate past success?
The easy answer? Talent.
But talent is everywhere. You can find skilled marketers, strategists, and designers in every major city in America. If talent alone counted, awards would just go around in circles between many deserving firms.
Yet, that’s not how it plays out.
Perhaps we should ask a different question: What do clients really value?
The marketing world loves to boast about innovation. Agencies promise big changes. Every few months, a new method pops up claiming to be the next big thing. The language sounds exciting, but the reality is often less thrilling.
But often, the underlying reality falls flat. Most clients aren’t clamoring for a revolution. They want reliability.
That may not sound very glamorous, but it’s much harder to deliver. Clients want to know that a campaign won’t just shine today but will still work well months later. They want clear communication when problems arise. They want to repeat success, not just celebrate it once.
In short, clients want consistency. And therein lies the rub.
Digital marketing is anything but stable. Algorithms change without a warning. Platforms update overnight. Consumer attention shifts like a summer storm. Ideas that spark in January can feel old by September.
In this wild world, maintaining high standards is a challenge. But keeping them year after year? Now that’s a competitive advantage worth gold.
That is where the term “[Most Loved](https://www.smdp.com/ml2025/)” becomes interesting. At first glance, it sounds softer compared to usual business awards. Most awards focus on growth, performance, or revenue. “Love” feels unusual in that crowd.
But maybe it’s the most telling category of all.
You can buy visibility. Create attention. Stir up buzz like a kid in a candy store. But trust? That’s the rare currency that earns a lasting relationship.
Trust builds slowly. It grows through deadlines met, promises kept, and phone calls returned. It develops through many small moments that rarely make it onto slides or presentations.
Clients don’t fall for fancy slogans. They fall for predictability. They stay loyal to businesses that keep uncertainty at bay.
And that’s the cornerstone of value in today’s unpredictable landscape.
It explains why consecutive awards carry a different weight than just a single win. Last year’s award could be seen as a lucky break. This year’s win complicates that idea.
A breakthrough is just a special moment; a pattern shows a working system. And systems? They’re much harder to fake.
This difference matters because growth often brings challenges that can hurt reputations. What happens when more clients show up? What if demands increase?
History brims with sagas of ambition overpowering careful balance. The more clients you gain, the more chaotic it can become, as communications stall, processes fray, and original standards slip. The experience that attracted clients in the first place can suffer.
Many businesses learn that growth is often easier than being consistent. Growth runs on ambition; consistency relies on discipline. One builds energy; the other keeps it going.
Looking at Tower 25’s back-to-back wins, it raises an important question: Is that discipline the real story here?
Because awards rarely show what happens behind the scenes. They don’t reveal the systems, decisions, or standards that shape the client experience. They only show the outcome. And outcomes tell a story.
A second consecutive win suggests that growth hasn’t watered down the qualities that earned the first win. If anything, those qualities seem to have grown stronger.
That should matter to clients, competitors, and anyone interested in the foundations of lasting businesses.
In today’s market, many firms can draw attention. But the true challenge is staying worthy of that attention after the initial spark.
Can a company keep its standards high after success? Can it resist mistaking visibility for real value? Can it continue delivering when the excitement wears off?
These questions help determine if recognition becomes a solid reputation. And unlike awards, reputation isn’t a yearly gift; it requires ongoing effort.
Perhaps this is the heart of Tower 25’s latest win. The first award showed excellence. The second proved its staying power.
Last year’s title, “Best Digital Marketing Firm in Southern California 2025,” announced their arrival. This year’s “Most Loved Digital Marketing Agency” implies that their moment wasn’t just a flash in the pan.
It hints at resilience. It speaks to trust. And most importantly, it suggests that the experiences clients have after the spotlight is on are good enough to keep that spotlight shining.
In business, that may be the rarest achievement of all.
Anyone can have a great season. Far fewer can convince everyone it wasn’t just a season, but a lasting legacy.
For Tower 25, this second consecutive win is more than a trophy on a shelf. It’s solid proof that the qualities driving their success have survived success itself.
And that’s usually where the real story begins.
### Rough Sleeping Hits 4-Year High in L.A. Despite Flat Overall Homeless Numbers, RAND Finds
URL: https://www.smdp.com/rough-sleeping-hits-4-year-high-in-l-a-despite-flat-overall-homeless-numbers-rand-finds/
Last updated: 2026-06-01T10:00:00.000Z
The overall number of people living on the streets in three high-profile Los Angeles neighborhoods held steady in 2025, but the way those people sleep has shifted in a troubling direction — with rough sleeping reaching its highest level in four years of monitoring, according to a new report from the RAND Corporation.
The findings come from RAND's Los Angeles Longitudinal Enumeration and Demographic Survey, known as LA LEADS, which tracked unsheltered homelessness in Hollywood, Skid Row and Venice from January 2025 through January 2026\. The study concluded that the combined unsheltered population in those neighborhoods was statistically unchanged from a year earlier, but rough sleeping — defined as living completely without a tent, makeshift shelter or vehicle — rose 20%, adding roughly 250 people to that most-exposed category.
By January 2026, 44% of all unsheltered people in the study area were sleeping rough, up from 30% in 2021-22 when the study began.
"The total count held steady in 2025, but the makeup of the population continued to shift substantially," said Louis Abramson, the study's lead author and an adjunct researcher at RAND. "Compared to a year ago, more people are sleeping completely unsheltered, more spread out geographically, and with fewer connections to the systems that contributed to the prior year's progress."
A Shifting Population
Tent dwelling, long the most visible marker of street homelessness, continued a steep decline — falling 23% during 2025 and roughly half since the study began in 2021\. But those reductions have been offset by growth in rough sleeping and vehicle dwelling, which rose 11% in 2025\. For every four tents removed over the four-year study period, approximately three vehicles or rough sleepers were added on average each day, researchers found.
By January 2026, 87% of the tents still standing in the three study neighborhoods were located in Skid Row, up from 60% four years earlier — concentrating what remains of the encampment population in the county's most acute homelessness zone.
Skid Row was the only one of the three neighborhoods to show continuous population growth across the entire study, averaging increases of nearly 4% per year. On an average night in 2025, approximately 2,100 people were unsheltered there, compared to roughly 650 in Hollywood and 700 in Venice.
New survey data collected in 2025 suggest encampment clearings may be directly driving the rise in rough sleeping. Nearly half of rough sleepers surveyed reported losing a dwelling in the past year, and 46% of those said it was confiscated or towed by government officials or service providers.
"The continued increase in rough sleeping from 2024 to 2025 is concerning because our data show that this population can be harder to engage and often has greater clinical needs," said Sarah Hunter, a co-author and senior behavioral scientist at RAND. "It suggests encampment-based approaches may no longer be effective and that different strategies are needed."
What Is LA LEADS — and How It Differs From the Official Count
LA LEADS was launched in fall 2021 to address what RAND researchers identified as a critical gap in homelessness data. Unlike the federally mandated Point-in-Time count conducted annually by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, LA LEADS used trained professional field staff rather than volunteers, and conducted six enumerations per neighborhood per year — providing a much higher frequency snapshot of how the unsheltered population was changing month to month.
LAHSA's annual count relies on approximately 8,000 volunteers canvassing more than 3,000 census tracts over three January nights, using statistical multipliers to estimate total population from tent, vehicle and individual observations. LA LEADS employed standardized methods and consistent survey instruments to track not just numbers but demographics, health conditions, service access and housing history.
That methodological difference has produced starkly different results in recent years. A separate RAND study found that LAHSA's 2024 Point-in-Time count fell 26% short of LA LEADS totals in the three study neighborhoods — a gap that widened to 32% in 2025\. The undercount was most severe in Skid Row, where the official count captured just 61% of the unsheltered population RAND identified. In Venice, the figure was 76%, and in Hollywood, 81%.
Researchers warned those inaccuracies carry direct financial consequences. LAHSA's Point-in-Time count directed $220 million in federal funds in 2024 and roughly $100 million in regional Measure A funds in 2025\. An undercount in the neighborhoods with the highest need, researchers cautioned, risks diverting resources away from those who need them most.
Why the Count Matters — and Why It's Been Contested
The annual Point-in-Time count is more than a statistical exercise. Under federal law, the count determines how hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funding is allocated across the country. In Los Angeles, it has also become a politically charged barometer of whether elected officials are making progress on what polls consistently show is voters' top concern.
LAHSA has faced years of criticism over the reliability of its methodology. A 2017 Economic Roundtable report concluded the count was "not yet sufficiently accurate to identify year-to-year changes in homelessness." Volunteers have flagged app crashes and inadequate training — most notably in 2022, when a Venice census tract previously showing 509 unsheltered people was reported as zero. LAHSA's own associate director of data management later acknowledged in internal emails that the agency did not have a formal documented reconciliation process.
A March 2025 court-ordered forensic audit tracking $2.3 billion tied to three city homelessness programs concluded there was "nearly zero financial oversight or accountability" at LAHSA. On April 1, 2025, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 to pull the county's roughly $350 million in annual funding from the agency and create a new county Department of Homeless Services and Housing. LAHSA CEO Va Lecia Adams Kellum resigned days later. The agency announced 284 layoffs and has since transitioned to a narrowed role focused on its database, Continuum of Care governance and the annual count.
The 2025 official count, conducted in mid-February following a postponement due to the Palisades and Altadena wildfires, reported 67,777 people experiencing homelessness countywide — a roughly 4% decline. Mayor Karen Bass cited the numbers as evidence her Inside Safe encampment resolution program was working. RAND's findings complicate that narrative, suggesting that while tent counts have fallen in Hollywood and Venice, the underlying unsheltered population has not meaningfully declined and is becoming harder to serve.
What Comes Next
RAND researchers say the findings call for a fundamental shift in strategy. With tent dwellers now representing a small fraction of the unsheltered population outside Skid Row, programs designed around encampment resolution have diminishing targets and diminishing returns.
The report recommends that city and county agencies pivot toward low-barrier permanent supportive housing with integrated behavioral health services, expand rapid rehousing and employment supports in areas like Venice with younger and more transient populations, and develop centralized service hubs where outreach workers can bring clients rather than delivering services on dispersed street locations.
Researchers also urged enforcement and sanitation agencies to base encampment clearings on the actual availability of alternative shelter beds — warning that clearing encampments without offering viable housing options is likely producing more rough sleepers, not fewer.
"After four years of conducting this count, the unsheltered population today looks different from the population these strategies were built to serve," Abramson said. "Successfully addressing current conditions means rethinking how we engage unsheltered people, bring them indoors, and support them once they are there."
LA LEADS was the largest ongoing professional count of unsheltered people in Los Angeles outside LAHSA's annual tally. The study was supported by the Lowy Family and conducted by the RAND Housing Center, based in Santa Monica.
### Palisades teen turns fire-relief money into miniature memorial of lost neighborhood
URL: https://www.smdp.com/palisades-teen-turns-fire-relief-money-into-miniature-memorial-of-lost-neighborhood/
Last updated: 2026-06-01T10:00:00.000Z
When the January 2025 wildfires damaged his family's Pacific Palisades home and devastated much of the surrounding community, Loyola High School junior Luca Dal Bello received money to replace what he had lost. He chose instead to fly to Japan and commission professional miniature makers to recreate the neighborhood itself.
The result, an exhibition of more than 50 hand-crafted scale models of homes, schools, churches, restaurants and landmarks from the Palisades, opens May 30 at EMECO House in Venice under the name Palisades Collective. The show runs through June 21.
"I didn't really feel the need to replace my toys or clothes," Dal Bello said. "What I felt I had truly lost overnight was the community itself, and that's what I wanted to bring back."
The collection includes the United Methodist Church of Pacific Palisades, the Robert Bridges House, the 1920s Will Rogers Ranch House, the Topanga Ranch Motel, Palisades Elementary School, St. Matthews Elementary School and lost neighborhood gathering spots such as Toppings, Cafe Vida and Moonshadows. The exhibition also features more than 10 personal memory pieces and a large-scale coastal diorama. An additional 20 to 30 Altadena models are in production through summer 2026.
Many of the structures were not chosen for their architectural significance. Dal Bello built the project around what residents themselves submitted through a website and social media account.
"Many of the buildings aren't famous landmarks or architecturally important sites," he said. "They're schools, churches, local restaurants, after-school hangout spots, and places where people gathered and built memories together."
Dal Bello, who is half Japanese, traveled to [Japan ](https://www.smdp.com/music-guild-at-st-matthews-closes-season-with-dvorak-violin-concerto-may-29/)to commission the work from artists including the architecture model maker Yamato Kougei and miniature food artist Fukumaruko. Photographer Trish Alison also contributed to the exhibition.
"I grew up appreciating Japan's craftsmanship and attention to detail," he said. "Japan has a strong culture of miniature making, from architecture and train models to food replicas and tiny everyday scenes, and they can look incredibly real. I felt that level of craftsmanship could help preserve these memories in a meaningful way."
Dal Bello said he has not yet returned to his own home because rebuilding and remediation remain underway for many families. He described the miniature-making process as a form of closure.
"It's hard seeing the things you treasure most, even ordinary, everyday places, burned and replayed over and over in the news," he said. "But miniatures feel different. They freeze moments in time and space forever. For me, this process has been healing. It gives me a sense of closure knowing these memories are now permanently preserved."
The exhibition pairs the models with oral histories, touchscreen stations, QR-based storytelling and workshops. Visitors can select miniature figures and place themselves inside the models. Through a partnership with StoryCorps, recordings collected at the exhibition will be archived at the Library of Congress.
The venue itself carries a personal connection. EMECO House owner Jaye Buchbinder lives in Dal Bello's neighborhood and also lost her home in the fire. A miniature of her burned atelier is among the works on display.
"I created the name 'Palisades Collective' because the project is really about collective memory," Dal Bello said.
Programming during the run includes an artist talk with Yamato Kougei at the May 30 opening, an architect talk on June 4 featuring UCLA architecture professor Hitoshi Abe, and a closing talk on June 21 with Alison. On June 8, students from Palisades Elementary and St. Matthews will gather at YMCA Simon Meadow to record oral histories, make memory keychains and create 2D self-portraits that will become part of a school miniature destined for the Los Angeles Public Library.
Fashion Girls for Humanity, the fiscal sponsor of the project and the organization led by Dal Bello's mother, Kikka Hanazawa, will present grant checks of $5,000 to $10,000 to every affected elementary and middle school at the opening. A temporary shelter designed by Dal Bello's brother, Kai, in collaboration with ETH Zurich's Chair of Architectural Behaviorology, will also be displayed and donated to a Palisades resident who lost a home.
The [Los Angeles Public Library](https://www.lapl.org/?ref=smdp.com) is in discussions to host a traveling presentation later in the year, and the Eames Foundation is scheduled to host a pop-up version of the exhibition in July or August 2026.
Dal Bello said the project has expanded his sense of the community he set out to preserve.
"Before the fire, many of us mostly knew people within our own schools or circles," he said. "Through this project, I've met neighbors, students, artists, volunteers, and families from across the community that I otherwise never would have met."
Admission is free. EMECO House is located at 507 Boccaccio Ave. in Venice.
### SMC Planetarium June Shows Offer Eye-opening Look at the Universe
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-planetarium-june-shows-offer-eye-opening-look-at-the-universe/
Last updated: 2026-05-31T18:59:59.000Z
The Santa Monica College Planetarium will present Friday evening and Sunday afternoon live-hosted, on-campus shows in early June, including the popular weekly update "The Night Sky Show" and a feature program, "Welcome to the Universe," offering a look at once-unseen objects in the cosmos.
Each show runs about 40 minutes and is followed by a short audience Q&A with Planetarium Lecturer Sarah Vincent.
Friday evening shows start at 6 p.m. with "The Night Sky Show," presenting the latest news in astronomy, space exploration and the night-sky celebrities making their appearance in the evenings ahead. The show is followed at 7 p.m. by the feature program. No children under age 3 are permitted at the Friday shows. Sunday family matinée shows start at 1 p.m. with "The Night Sky Show," followed at 2 p.m. by the feature program.
Using SMC's 4K Digistar projection system, Vincent will present a virtual tour of constellations and other night-sky celebrities. "Welcome to the Universe" explores what the universe looks like beyond the seemingly empty black night sky, taking an eye-opening look at the threads binding Earth to the rest of the cosmos.
June 2026 shows are scheduled for Friday, June 5, at 6 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 7, at 1 and 2 p.m.
All shows will be presented in the SMC Planetarium, located in room MSB 126 of the[ ](https://www.smc.edu/about/campuses/documents/smc-main-campus.pdf?ref=smdp.com)[Mathematics + Science Building](https://www.smc.edu/about/campuses/documents/smc-main-campus.pdf?ref=smdp.com) on the SMC Main Campus at 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica. Ample free parking is available.
Tickets may be purchased at[ ](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/tickets](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com), with a $1 per ticket service fee charged by the ticketing company. "The Night Sky Show" and the feature program are each $10 for adults and $7 for children ages 3-12\. A show combo is $16 for adults and $10 for children.
More information is available online at[ ](http://smc.edu/planetarium?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/planetarium](http://smc.edu/planetarium?ref=smdp.com) or by calling 310-434-4163\. All shows are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Will Californians pick candidates who are government outsiders or ones with governing experience?
URL: https://www.smdp.com/will-californians-pick-candidates-who-are-government-outsiders-or-ones-with-governing-experience/
Last updated: 2026-05-31T16:00:36.000Z
By [Jim Newton](https://calmatters.org/author/jim-newton/?ref=smdp.com), CalMatters
This commentary was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
A few years back, in one of our many conversations for the biography I wrote of him, Gov. Jerry Brown told me that he never put much stock in political experience — until he had some.
The man who was California’s governor twice — from 1975 to 1983 and again from 2011 to 2019 — was, in the first iteration, fresh and unconventional, and in the second, seasoned and effective. Each has its place.
The current election cycle in California and Los Angeles is a reminder of that, as the races for governor and mayor of Los Angeles highlight the tension between having a fresh political perspective and being an experienced government leader.
In the [race for governor](https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2026/governor/?ref=smdp.com), Tom Steyer and Steve Hilton represent one version, while [Xavier Becerra leads a field](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/05/governor-poll-hilton-becerra-california/?ref=smdp.com) of current and former elected officials that represents the other.
Steyer, the billionaire hedge fund investor, and Hilton, the Fox political commentator, come from outside government and base their argument for themselves around the need for someone new, someone untainted by the messy work of political compromise or running a giant bureaucracy.
As Hilton [says about himself](https://stevehiltonforgovernor.com/meet-steve-hilton/?ref=smdp.com): “To make real change happen in government, you need the ability to think differently, the courage to challenge establishment groupthink and the conviction to follow through.”
For Hilton, and especially for Steyer, the trouble with outsider qualifications is the assumption that making money translates into political leadership. Says who?
Governments don’t turn a profit. They can’t turn away customers. And they are required to provide services that the private sector can’t or won’t take on. Spotting promising investments is a fine way to turn a small fortune into a big one, but it’s no way to run a government.
And there’s an arrogance to all this. The rich guy candidate assumes that governing is not really that hard and that wealth is sufficient evidence of mastery to warrant a voter’s support. That’s no more true than thinking great ballplayers make great coaches or that the strongest person on an oil rig should run Chevron.
Voters see through it. The California political landscape is littered with the candidacies of rich people who thought they could persuade voters their skills were what the state needed in Sacramento or Washington. Cue Michael Huffington, Bill Simon, Meg Whitman, or Al Checchi.
That’s not to say Becerra — who has served in Congress, as California’s attorney general and as Secretary of Health and Human Services — or one of the other veteran candidates will easily walk away with a top spot in next week’s top-two primary. But there is something to be said for having experience and an appreciation for governing when you’re looking to run a government.
In Los Angeles, the distinction between those who appreciate government and those who don’t is even more stark, as the city considers who should serve as its next mayor. Mayor Karen Bass, the quintessentially experienced political leader, faces two significant challengers of opposite types.
## Old guard vs new
City Councilmember Nithya Raman represents a conventional opponent. Raman, as a member of the council, spotted an opportunity to move up. That surprised City Hall, given her past support for Bass, but the idea of a council member running for mayor is hardly novel. Eric Garcetti served as a council member before becoming mayor, as had Antonio Villaraigosa.
Raman’s candidacy is built on an assumption about the Los Angeles electorate — that its steady move to the left in recent decades will leave Bass holding only the old guard and that [Raman will appeal to younger](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/02/la-mayor-liberal-voters-election/?ref=smdp.com), working-class voters, renters and critics of the police. Hers is not a challenge based on a differing approach to the mayor’s office; it takes on the incumbent by proposing new ideas and appealing to new voters rather than rejecting what it takes to serve.
Spencer Pratt is a horse of a different color. Pratt has [no experience in government](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/04/spencer-pratt-la-mayor-race/?ref=smdp.com) or any discernable knowledge about how it works. Asked recently about homelessness by Josh Haskell from ABC, [Pratt insisted](https://abc7.com/post/la-mayors-race-spencer-pratt-claims-homeless-have-homes-choose-drug-addicts/19148120/?ref=smdp.com) those who live on the street are “not homeless. They're drug addicts … They are choosing to be on the streets because they want to do drugs.”
Pressed on what he would do with those people, Pratt first said the city had adequate space for all of them, then insisted he could build a “facility” where they could receive treatment. Such a facility, he added, could be built in three days.
He based that estimate on conversations he said he’d had with “all the CEOs of these companies. I said, 'How long do these take?' I met with FEMA and HUD…”
And where would that facility go? “On federal, beautiful, federal land, property,” he said, adding he “couldn’t give you the exact address” until he’s elected mayor.
That’s gibberish, of course. And it’s typical of Pratt’s dogged determination to insist that he’s the right candidate for mayor because he knows the least about the job.
Lurking beneath Pratt’s discombobulated ideas is a contradiction built into his view of the mayoralty. He regards the mayor’s office as extraordinarily powerful, so powerful that the right mayor, in his estimation, could have prevented the damage caused by the Palisades fire. That’s why he likes to blame Bass for burning down his house.
But the same Pratt also assumes that just anyone can run the mayor’s office. Otherwise, what could possibly qualify someone [whose own website describes him](https://mayorpratt.com/?ref=smdp.com#about) as a “media entrepreneur, outspoken advocate, and emerging political leader,” who rose to “international prominence as the architect of modern reality television,” as the right person to govern the nation’s second-largest city?
Experience is not everything in government. Look no further than Donald Trump, whose first term in office equipped him for the second. But that experience mostly allows him to be more effective at being a despicable president. His prior turn as president has streamlined his attacks on immigrants, his militarization of American cities and his aimless war against Iran. Being good at executing bad ideas is hardly a plus.
Character, integrity and vision all matter, as do their lack.
But it’s also worth remembering this: Jerry Brown was a better governor his second time around.
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/05/candidates-government-outsiders-insiders-california/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Key inflation gauge worsens as Americans' income and spending power erodes
URL: https://www.smdp.com/key-inflation-gauge-worsens-as-americans-income-and-spending-power-erodes/
Last updated: 2026-05-31T16:00:35.000Z
A key inflation gauge accelerated in April to the highest level in three years, squeezing Americans' finances and creating political challenges for President Trump and congressional Republicans with midterm elections just five months away.
Inflation jumped to 3.8% in April compared with a year ago, the Commerce Department said Thursday, up from 3.5% in March and the highest since May 2023\. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.4%, down from the 0.7% jump in March but still higher than the inflation-fighters at the Federal Reserve would prefer.
Thursday's inflation report also showed that in addition to gasoline, prices for groceries, clothing and electricity are also on the rise, indicating that inflation may be growing more entrenched. Inflation is notably above the Federal Reserve's target of 2%, which means Fed policymakers may decide to forego any cuts to their key short-term interest rate this year. Some officials have signaled that the central bank's most substantial move under new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh could be a rate hike, rather than a cut.
Yet Trump and some his top officials are showing little concern about higher prices and the impact of the Iran war on Americans' financial health. Consumers have a dim view of the economy and have soured on the Trump administration's economic policies. Thursday's report showed that Americans' after-tax, inflation-adjusted incomes fell for the third straight month, while spending, adjusted for inflation, barely rose.
Trump has said that increases in gas prices — up more than 50% since the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran — amount to "peanuts." He previously said he does not consider Americans' personal finances "even a little bit" when mulling his options on the war.
And on Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said higher prices would be "transitory," reviving an ill-fated term used by former Fed Chair Jerome Powell to describe the 2021-22 inflation spike that became a forceful political tailwind for Trump in his campaign for a second presidential term.
Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core inflation rose to 3.3% in April from 3.2% the previous month. It is the highest core figure since October 2023\. One positive sign in the report: Core prices rose just 0.2% in April from March, down from 0.3% the previous month.
Dan North, senior economist at Allianz Trade North America, acknowledged the core price increase isn't "huge," but added, "it's the wrong way, and we think it will continue in the wrong way because there are so many inflation pressures in the pipeline."
Americans' incomes were unchanged in April from March, in part because farm incomes fell after a large government aid package ended last month. Adjusted for inflation, personal income actually slipped 0.1% last month.
Spending rose 0.5% in April from March, though most of that reflected price increases. Adjusted for inflation, spending rose just 0.1% in April, down from 0.3% the previous month.
"Signs of stress are building inside the American household across the economy," Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM, a tax advisory firm, said. "Inflation-adjusted spending, disposable income ... point to a slowing in May spending as inflation approaches a peak on the back of a historic supply shock."
The U.S. economy grew at a modest 1.6% annual pace from January through March, according to a separate report from the Commerce Department Thursday. The country's gross domestic product — the nation's output of goods and services — rebounded from a lackluster 0.5% expansion the last quarter of 2025 when growth was hobbled by the 43-day federal government shutdown.
The first-quarter growth, which covered the first month of the Iran war, was a downgrade from the 2% expansion Commerce initially reported.
Resilient consumer spending — mostly by upper-income households — and ongoing investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure are helping propel modest growth.
Growth in consumer spending, which accounts for two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, slowed to 1.4% in the first quarter from 1.9% at the end of 2025 and was down from the 1.6% preliminary first-quarter estimate. But business investment, likely driven by spending on artificial intelligence, rose at a 7% pace.
Gas prices averaged of about $4.50 a gallon nationwide for three weeks this month before slipping to $4.43 on Thursday, according to the AAA motor club. Gas averaged $2.98 a gallon the day before the Iran war began.
Yet the cost of many other goods and services have picked up in recent months, raising concerns among many Fed officials that inflation is being pushed higher by tariffs and other factors in addition to the war. The cost of services such as dental visits, car repairs and veterinarian visits have been rising sharply, and clothes, toys, and groceries are also seeing outsize price gains.
Rapid investment in artificial intelligence centers also appears to be driving up the cost of computer equipment and software, adding to inflationary pressures. Electricity prices have also spiked from a year ago.
By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER and PAUL WISEMAN Associated Press Writers
### Our house burned down but our mortgage didn’t. California fire survivors need time
URL: https://www.smdp.com/our-house-burned-down-but-our-mortgage-didnt-california-fire-survivors-need-time/
Last updated: 2026-05-30T19:00:18.000Z
By Rachel Jonas and Robert Fagnani, Special for CalMatters
This commentary was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
We were supposed to celebrate our younger son's first birthday in our backyard on January 11th, 2025\. Instead, four days before his party, we watched the Palisades fire take our home. We’d packed what we could, put our kids in the car and drove to Tennessee to live with family because we had nowhere else to go.
Our house is gone. Our older son's preschool is gone. The library, the restaurants, the small routines that made up a life are all gone. What remains is a mortgage on a property that no longer exists and a rebuilding process that every expert we've spoken to says will take two to four years, minimum.
We did not expect to become advocates. But in the months after the fire, we kept running into the same impossible questions from other families — questions about forbearance, credit and what their mortgage servicer was actually required to do. Nobody had clear answers, so we founded[ Disaster Mortgage Relief](https://www.disastermortgagerelief.com/?ref=smdp.com) and have spent the past year listening to hundreds of families across the Palisades and Altadena navigate a financial system that was simply not built for what we are living through.
That experience is what brings us to [Assembly Bill 1847](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca%5F202520260ab1847?ref=smdp.com). The California Bankers Association recently argued that this bill — which would extend and strengthen mortgage protections established under last year’s fire emergency mortgage relief law, [AB 238](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca%5F202520260ab238?ref=smdp.com) — could end up [restricting access to credit](https://hoodline.com/2026/05/sacramento-mortgage-showdown-as-california-banks-say-law-is-shutting-out-homebuyers/?ref=smdp.com).
We want to engage with that, because we think it gets the situation almost entirely backwards.
AB 238 gave people whose homes burned up to 12 months of mortgage forbearance. But the rebuilding timeline in the Palisades and Altadena is not 12 months. Debris removal, utility restoration, insurance disputes, permit approvals, contractor shortages and construction inflation have made this a multi-year process for virtually everyone we work with.
The original forbearance framework was built around a recovery timeline that does not exist in reality. Now that fire survivors’ forbearance periods are expiring, we are watching the consequences in real time: Families who were current on their mortgages before the January 2025 fire — who followed every rule — are seeing their credit scores fall by 200, 300, even 400 points.
Some are being pushed toward foreclosure. Some are being handed balloon payments of $100,000 or more, due at the exact moment they are trying to finance construction.
This is not a story about irresponsible borrowers. These are teachers, small business owners, young families who made these neighborhoods what they were. Most still desperately want to come home. But the financial pressure is forcing many of them out for good.
We understand lenders need predictable rules and functioning credit markets. California cannot solve one crisis by creating another. But the greater threat to future lending is not temporary forbearance; it is mass borrower failure, collapsing credit, abandoned rebuilds and neighborhoods that never recover.
AB 1847 does not forgive debt. It does not eliminate lender rights. It does not tell banks they won't be repaid. It allows payments to be deferred during rebuilding and moved to the loan’s back end.
The CARES Act, which gave borrowers of federally-backed mortgages [up to 360 days’ relief ](https://pirg.org/resources/is-your-mortgage-forbearance-ending-2/?ref=smdp.com)during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrated that similar structures were operationally feasible on a national scale.
For many families, freeing up two or three years of principal and interest and applying that money to construction is the difference between rebuilding and permanently leaving. It requires no taxpayer money; it simply restructures debt that already exists so families have a realistic chance to come home.
In our case, my family is still in Tennessee, saving every dime we can to *hopefully* afford to rebuild the home we lost.
Climate events are no longer temporary and localized. They destroy entire communities at once and displace families for years. The financial infrastructure around homeownership needs to catch up to that reality.
The question before California is simple: when disaster survivors are trapped between a destroyed home and a mortgage system that no longer matches modern recovery, will we force families into financial collapse or adapt the system to the world we now live in?
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/05/california-fire-survivors-mortgage-forbearance/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Saturday, May 30, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/saturday-may-30-2026/
Last updated: 2026-05-30T17:37:49.000Z
Good morning. Primary elections are this Tuesday. It's too late to safely mail your ballot and have it postmarked in time, but you can use a dropbox or vote in person. Sunshine and a few clouds.
Today 🌤️ 68º/58º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 71º/59º
### FIRST UP
### Mountain lion tranquilized after closing 14th St. for most of the day
A mountain lion that spent the day in backyards just north of Montana Ave. was safely tranquilized by a California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist on Friday afternoon...[READ](https://www.smdp.com/possible-mountain-lion-sighting-near-14th-montana/)
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[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184436/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
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### MORE NEWS
[Santa Monica Lands Major Olympic & Super Bowl ActivationsSanta Monica approves ESPN broadcast hub for 2027 Super Bowl at the Pier and Swiss Olympic hospitality house at Camera Obscura during 2028 Games, generating $1.3+ million in fees.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-doubles-down-on-major-events-strategy-with-additional-olympic-activations/)
[Pacific Park Continues 30th Anniversary Celebration With Special Ride Offers Through June 11Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier is extending its 30th anniversary celebration with discounted rides and special pricing through June 11\. Through the promotional period, guests can ride the Pacific Wheel for $10, nearly 45% off the regular ticket price. Unlimited ride wristbands are also discounted, dropping from $50SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/pacific-park-continues-30th-anniversary-celebration-with-special-ride-offers-through-june-11/)
[URGENT CALL: Blood and platelet donors needed nowThe American Red Cross is urgently calling for blood and platelet donors, warning that a sharp drop in scheduled donations has put the national blood supply under significant strain heading into what officials call the most dangerous stretch of the year for traumatic injuries. Scheduled donations, which account for 90%SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/urgent-call-blood-and-platelet-donors-needed-now/)
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Santa Monica Launches $6M Renter Aid Program to Combat EvictionsSanta Monica City Council unanimously approved a $6 million renter aid program providing up to $20,000 emergency assistance to prevent evictions and homelessness, launching summer 2025.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/council-approves-6m-renter-aid-program-to-combat-evictions-and-homelessness/)
[Joby Aviation Eyes Santa Monica Airport for Fall 2025 eVTOL FlightsJoby Aviation is in talks to begin electric air taxi demonstration flights at Santa Monica Municipal Airport as early as fall 2025, ahead of the LA28 Olympics.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/joby-aviation-in-talks-to-begin-flights-at-santa-monica-airport-ahead-of-la28/)
[Insurance Commissioner Candidates Address Wildfire Recovery at Santa Monica Beach ForumFour California Insurance Commissioner candidates discussed rebuilding, affordability and consumer protection at Jonathan Beach Club in Santa Monica, focusing on wildfire recovery in Malibu, Pacific Palisades and Altadena.SMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/insurance-commissioner-candidates-stump-for-votes-at-the-beach/)
[Suspect charged with criminal threats after dog attack in anti-semitic incident Near Third Street PromenadeA 49-year-old Illinois man was charged Wednesday with criminal threats and battery after allegedly stopping his vehicle near the Third Street Promenade, chasing a pedestrian and commanding his dog to attack the victim in an incident that drew concern from Santa Monica’s Jewish community. Nay Min Tar, of Illinois, facesSMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/suspect-charged-with-criminal-threats-after-dog-attack-in-anti-semitic-incident-near-third-street-promenade/)
[Santa Monica’s 2026 Election: A Guide to 134 CandidatesSanta Monica voters face 134 candidates for local office in 2026\. Learn about judicial candidates, state senate races, and key endorsements affecting the Westside.SMDPDevan Sipher](https://www.smdp.com/who-are-these-people-flooding-our-mailboxes/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/052926.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### SMC Piano Ensemble to Perform Concerts June 4 and June 6
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-piano-ensemble-to-perform-concerts-june-4-and-june-6/
Last updated: 2026-05-30T17:32:46.000Z
The Santa Monica College Piano Ensemble will present two concerts featuring four-to-eight-hand piano and piano duo compositions. A free concert will be held at 11:15 a.m. Thursday, June 4, and an early afternoon concert will be presented at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 6.
Both concerts will be held in The Edye at the[ ](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com)[SMC Performing Arts Center](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com) at Santa Monica Boulevard and 11th Street. Free parking is available on the premises, and seating is strictly on a first-arrival basis.
Under the direction of SMC music instructor Sumy Takesue, intermediate and advanced SMC piano students will demonstrate the uniqueness and diversity of four-to-eight-hand piano and piano duo compositions. "Prepare to be Romanced!" Takesue said.
Tickets for the afternoon concert are $10 for general admission, plus a modest service charge, and free for students with any student ID. Advance tickets may be purchased online at[ ](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/tickets](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com). Tickets may also be purchased starting 45 minutes before the performance at The Broad Stage Box Office at the SMC Performing Arts Center.
More information is available by calling 310-434-4323\. The concert is subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica doubles down on major events strategy with additional Olympic activations
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-doubles-down-on-major-events-strategy-with-additional-olympic-activations/
Last updated: 2026-05-30T10:00:46.000Z
Santa Monica is cementing its place on the global sports calendar, with the City Council approving negotiations for an ESPN broadcast hub during the 2027 Super Bowl and a Swiss Olympic hospitality house during the 2028 Games — the latest in a growing portfolio of major activations the city is banking on to drive economic recovery.
The council voted Tuesday to authorize City Manager Oliver Chi to negotiate and execute a license agreement with ESPN Productions, LLC, for use of the Santa Monica Pier deck, adjacent beachfront and nearby parking lots as a temporary interactive broadcast and event space tied to Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium. The agreement would cover the period from Jan. 18 through Feb. 22, 2027, with ESPN paying the city a license fee of $1,057,654.
The council also authorized Chi to finalize a separate agreement with the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs for use of the Camera Obscura building in Palisades Park during the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games. Switzerland's "House of Switzerland" hospitality and cultural venue would operate at the landmark 1450 Ocean Ave. location from June 14 through Sept. 21, 2028, with a base license fee of $300,000 and an option to expand into adjacent Palisades Park areas for an additional $200,000.
The council additionally adopted resolutions granting targeted waivers of city noise, construction hours, signage and operating restrictions necessary to host both events, as well as the previously authorized Club France hospitality house at the Annenberg Community Beach House during the 2028 Olympics.
ESPN Takes the Pier
The ESPN deal, which has been in negotiation since the council authorized exclusive talks last December, would transform the Santa Monica Pier and surrounding beachfront into a nationally televised broadcast campus for the Super Bowl. The activation would include live national and international productions, community programming and partnerships with local vendors.
Under the license terms, ESPN has committed to providing free public access to programming, funding a recreational legacy project to be donated to the city after the event, and prioritizing local hotels, restaurants and businesses. The company has also agreed to give priority consideration to additional activations on the Third Street Promenade and other city locations.
The city granted ESPN waivers from standard noise ordinances, entertainment closing hours and construction restrictions — citing the practical impossibility of running a major broadcast operation within normal municipal limits. ESPN's load-in, build-out, programming and full site restoration would span roughly five weeks.
Camera Obscura Gets a Swiss Makeover — And a Future
The Swiss agreement carries implications beyond the Games themselves. City staff told the council Tuesday that the Olympic partnership is being used as a vehicle to finally reopen the Camera Obscura building as a permanent park concession — potentially as soon as the summer of 2027.
The building, a mid-century modern landmark that has been largely closed to the public for years, has suffered from deferred maintenance including roof problems and mold. Under the arrangement, the city will fund structural repairs — HVAC, roofing, windows and other building systems — through its capital improvement program. Switzerland's contribution will be on the design side, with furniture, lighting and interior elements intended to carry a Swiss aesthetic as a post-Games legacy.
“So we're using the partnership with the Swiss Federation to build out an actual park concession so that hopefully maybe even next year we could open it as a park concession so people can get a drink or a quick bite to eat,” said Assistant City Manager Susan Cline. “We're used to seeing this more so throughout Europe and we want to make sure that we're providing moments of respite in our parks, along with all the recreation opportunities we have.”
She said the facility would hopefully operate in perpetuity once the Swiss activation ended.
Mayor Caroline Torosis, who pulled the item for clarification, pressed staff on both the funding arrangement and the preservation of the building's iconic character.
"I just want to make sure that we're keeping the mid-century modern look and feel," Torosis said, "because when I read 'Swiss design' I was a little bit confused, I'm just going to be honest."
The building's exterior and mid-century character would be preserved, Cline said, with the city's architecture division overseeing the remodel.
Club France at Annenberg
Also receiving a formal waiver resolution Tuesday was Club France, the French National Olympic Committee's hospitality house planned for the Annenberg Community Beach House from June 30 through Aug. 4, 2028\. That agreement, previously authorized by the council, carries a $1.55 million license fee — the largest among the Olympic activations — and includes commitments to free or low-cost community events, paid student internships and support for city programming including Promenade activations and open streets events.
The Bigger Picture
Tuesday's actions are part of a broader strategy the city has been assembling for more than a year.
"Over the next several years, the Los Angeles region will become a global stage for some of the world's most watched sporting and cultural events," Chi wrote in his report to council. "Santa Monica's coastline, public spaces, public transit access, and established reputation as a world-class destination create a rare opportunity for the City to participate in and help shape this regional moment on the global stage."
That strategy kicks off next month. The Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club fan experience opens June 11 on the Santa Monica Pier, running through June 25 as a free, 21-and-older soccer-themed environment timed to FIFA World Cup matches in Los Angeles. Capacity is expected to range from 1,000 to 5,000 guests at any time, with total attendance projected between 25,000 and 75,000 over the 15-day run.
Surrounding the Pier activation, producing partner Revel Republic is coordinating a broader slate of downtown and beach programming running the full length of the World Cup through July 19, including the Golden Hour series on the Third Street Promenade, the World Play Zone family activation at 4th Street and Colorado, wellness events in Tongva Park and a culminating COAST Open Streets Festival on July 19.
A Goldenvoice-produced music festival on the beachfront, targeting 30,000 to 35,000 attendees across multiple days, is also being planned for fall 2026 under a separate negotiating agreement with the AEG Presents division behind Coachella and Stagecoach.
The city's unified pricing framework requires all activations to be fully self-funding through license fees covering land use, parking displacement and city services, with no municipal subsidy. Final license terms for each event are subject to council review after environmental compliance is completed.
### Pacific Park Continues 30th Anniversary Celebration With Special Ride Offers Through June 11
URL: https://www.smdp.com/pacific-park-continues-30th-anniversary-celebration-with-special-ride-offers-through-june-11/
Last updated: 2026-05-29T20:32:28.000Z
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier is extending its 30th anniversary celebration with discounted rides and special pricing through June 11.
Through the promotional period, guests can ride the Pacific Wheel for $10, nearly 45% off the regular ticket price. Unlimited ride wristbands are also discounted, dropping from $50 to $40 for guests 8 and older and from $30 to $20 for children 7 and under. Reduced admission is also available on select attractions including the Route 66 West Coaster roller coaster and Sea Dragon ride.
"Following the excitement of Pacific Park's 30th Anniversary celebration, we wanted to continue thanking the community and our guests with special offers that make it even easier for families and visitors to experience the Santa Monica Pier," said Steve Garcia, director of sales and marketing at Pacific Park.
All promotional offers are available at Pacific Park's ticket windows.
Pacific Park marked its official 30th anniversary May 26, commemorating three decades since the park opened in 1996 — the first amusement park on the pier since the 1930s. Anniversary events included a birthday-themed Pacific Wheel light show, the opening of Sweet Rose Creamery and the release of "Sp30tlights: 30 Years of Pacific Park," a multi-day series highlighting moments from the park's history.
Pacific Park features 12 rides, 14 midway games, oceanfront dining and retail, anchored by the Pacific Wheel, billed as the world's only solar-powered Ferris wheel.
The park is open daily. For hours and information, visit pacpark.com or call 310-260-8744.
— Edited by SMDP Staff
### URGENT CALL: Blood and platelet donors needed now
URL: https://www.smdp.com/urgent-call-blood-and-platelet-donors-needed-now/
Last updated: 2026-05-29T20:30:13.000Z
The American Red Cross is urgently calling for blood and platelet donors, warning that a sharp drop in scheduled donations has put the national blood supply under significant strain heading into what officials call the most dangerous stretch of the year for traumatic injuries.
Scheduled donations, which account for 90% of all blood donations, have fallen sharply in recent weeks, causing the blood supply to drop by several thousand units in a single week. Officials say the timing is particularly alarming as the country enters what AAA calls the "100 deadliest days" — the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when fatal crashes involving teen drivers rise by 30% and severe injuries from car accidents, ATV crashes and other summer activities spike.
A single person injured in a serious car accident can require up to 100 units of blood.
"For a person suffering from severe bleeding, stopping the bleeding and stabilizing them is a race against an unforgiving clock," said Dr. Emily Coberly, the Red Cross's medical director. "For each minute that passes without blood transfusion, the risk of death increases by 11% for patients suffering from hemorrhagic shock."
Officials said summer compounds the donation shortfall through school-year disruptions, travel, heat waves and blood drives canceled by severe weather. Upcoming large-scale sporting events are expected to add further strain.
Donors of all blood types are eligible to give. In most states, donors must be at least 17 years old — 16 with parental consent where permitted by state law — weigh at least 110 pounds and be in generally good health. Those 18 and younger must also meet height and weight requirements.
Those who donate by May 31 will receive a Red Cross beach towel while supplies last. Donors who give between June 1 and June 28 will receive a $15 e-gift card and be entered for a chance to win one of two $7,500 gift cards.
Appointments can be scheduled at RedCrossBlood.org, by calling 1-800-733-2767 or through the Red Cross Blood Donor App.
— Edited by SMDP Staff
### Friday, May 29, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/thursday-may-28-2026-2/
Last updated: 2026-05-29T19:21:52.000Z
Sunshine and a few clouds. High 66F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph.
Today 🌤️ 66º/57º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 69º/58º
### FIRST UP
### Mountain lion in backyard of home near 14th & Montana
Santa Monica Police Department personnel responded to a report of a mountain lion sighting in a residential area just north of Montana Ave...[READ](https://www.smdp.com/possible-mountain-lion-sighting-near-14th-montana/)
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### MORE NEWS
[Santa Monica Launches $6M Renter Aid Program to Combat EvictionsSanta Monica City Council unanimously approved a $6 million renter aid program providing up to $20,000 emergency assistance to prevent evictions and homelessness, launching summer 2025.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/council-approves-6m-renter-aid-program-to-combat-evictions-and-homelessness/)
[Malibu & LA County Enter Tolling Agreement for Fire RecoveryCity of Malibu pauses litigation with Los Angeles County over Palisades Fire claims, prioritizing $250 million infrastructure investment and resident recovery efforts.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/city-of-malibu-and-los-angeles-county-enter-tolling-agreement-to-advance-fire-recovery/)
[Peaches, pears and PFAS: California lawmakers may limit ‘forever’ pesticides in foodsBy Nathan Donley, Special for CalMatters This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Amid growing awareness that so-called forever chemicals, or PFAS, can linger in landscapes and waterways for centuries, federal and state regulators have repeatedly insisted they’re working aggressively to protect us allSMDPCal Matters](https://www.smdp.com/peaches-pears-and-pfas-california-lawmakers-may-limit-forever-pesticides-in-foods/)
[Joby Aviation Eyes Santa Monica Airport for Fall 2025 eVTOL FlightsJoby Aviation is in talks to begin electric air taxi demonstration flights at Santa Monica Municipal Airport as early as fall 2025, ahead of the LA28 Olympics.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/joby-aviation-in-talks-to-begin-flights-at-santa-monica-airport-ahead-of-la28/)
[Insurance Commissioner Candidates Address Wildfire Recovery at Santa Monica Beach ForumFour California Insurance Commissioner candidates discussed rebuilding, affordability and consumer protection at Jonathan Beach Club in Santa Monica, focusing on wildfire recovery in Malibu, Pacific Palisades and Altadena.SMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/insurance-commissioner-candidates-stump-for-votes-at-the-beach/)
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[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184437/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
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### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Suspect charged with criminal threats after dog attack in anti-semitic incident Near Third Street PromenadeA 49-year-old Illinois man was charged Wednesday with criminal threats and battery after allegedly stopping his vehicle near the Third Street Promenade, chasing a pedestrian and commanding his dog to attack the victim in an incident that drew concern from Santa Monica’s Jewish community. Nay Min Tar, of Illinois, facesSMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/suspect-charged-with-criminal-threats-after-dog-attack-in-anti-semitic-incident-near-third-street-promenade/)
[Santa Monica’s 2026 Election: A Guide to 134 CandidatesSanta Monica voters face 134 candidates for local office in 2026\. Learn about judicial candidates, state senate races, and key endorsements affecting the Westside.SMDPDevan Sipher](https://www.smdp.com/who-are-these-people-flooding-our-mailboxes/)
[California treats homelessness spending as action. That’s not a measure of successBy Tangela Babbitt, Special for CalMatters This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. California is spending billions on homelessness prevention without the governance infrastructure to know whether it is working. I watched that failure happen firsthand. I remember when a mother in Sacramento County wasSMDPCal Matters](https://www.smdp.com/california-treats-homelessness-spending-as-action-thats-not-a-measure-of-success/)
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[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184438/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
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Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/052926.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### Malibu Arts Commission Invites Local Artists to Summer 'Carving Canvas' Exhibition
URL: https://www.smdp.com/malibu-arts-commission-invites-local-artists-to-summer-carving-canvas-exhibition/
Last updated: 2026-05-29T19:00:01.000Z
The City of Malibu Arts Commission is inviting local artists to participate in the city's summer public art exhibition, "Carving Canvas," celebrating Malibu's rich surf and skate culture and the creative spirit of the community.
"Art and recreation both bring people together, inspire creativity, and strengthen community connections," said Mayor Bruce Silverstein. "Malibu's connection to surf and skate culture has shaped generations of artists, athletes, musicians, and storytellers, making this a perfect theme for the City's next art exhibition as we celebrate the completion of Malibu's beautiful new skate park at Malibu Bluffs Park."
Selected artists will have their artwork featured in the Malibu City Gallery at City Hall, with a free public opening reception on Friday, July 10, at 6 p.m.
Local artists are invited to submit original artwork in any medium by May 29 to be considered for the community-wide exhibition. Submissions must be completed online at[ ](https://carvingcanvas.artcall.org/?ref=smdp.com)[carvingcanvas.artcall.org](https://carvingcanvas.artcall.org/?ref=smdp.com). Late submissions will not be accepted.
Artists may submit one artwork per entry. Artwork must measure at least 15 inches by 20 inches. Selected artists will receive email instructions for artwork drop-off at Malibu City Hall between June 22 and July 6.
The exhibition will be on display at the Malibu City Gallery at City Hall, located at 23825 Stuart Ranch Road, from July 13 through Aug. 21\. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.
For more information, call 310-456-2489, ext. 349, or visit[ ](https://malibuartscommission.org/166/Call-for-Artists?ref=smdp.com)[MalibuArtsCommission.org/166/Call-for-Artists](https://malibuartscommission.org/166/Call-for-Artists?ref=smdp.com). To learn more about the Malibu Arts Commission, visit[ ](https://www.malibuartsandculture.org/?ref=smdp.com)[www.MalibuArtsandCulture.org](https://www.malibuartsandculture.org/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### The Venice Fest Returns to Venice Boulevard June 20 for Summer Celebration
URL: https://www.smdp.com/the-venice-fest-returns-to-venice-boulevard-june-20-for-summer-celebration/
Last updated: 2026-05-29T19:00:01.000Z
The Venice Fest returns Saturday, June 20, transforming Venice Boulevard in Mar Vista into an open-air celebration of music, culture, wellness, food, art and community. Produced by Venice Blvd Productions, the event marks the 13th festival since the series launched in November 2021.
The festival has grown from a small neighborhood block party into one of the Westside's most anticipated cultural events, drawing more than 20,000 attendees annually. The free, all-day Summer Edition will feature multiple music stages, immersive brand activations, curated food experiences, a VIP social garden, a Kids & Family Zone, wellness programming, local shopping and interactive experiences.
"The Venice Fest was created to celebrate community, creativity, and connection in an authentic way that feels uniquely Los Angeles," said Sarah Fisk, founder and executive producer of The Venice Fest and Venice Blvd Productions. "We're incredibly excited about the partners and experiences coming together this year to create something immersive, energetic, and truly memorable for the community."
Spiritual Gangster will serve as the official wellness partner, leading this year's wellness programming. The day will officially kick off with a complimentary community yoga class hosted by Light On Lotus.
Featured partners include Athletic Brewing Co., Sparkling Ice, Mineragua, Postmates, Vitaminwater, Mr. Pibb, Minute Maid Zero Sugar, Sprite, Topo Chico Sabores, Smartwater, Natalie's Orchid Island Juice Company, Siete Foods, Tap Truck Beach Cities, Roséade Wine Spritzer, Sailor Jerry, Milagro Tequila, Salt Point Cocktails and Famosa Beer. Attendees can expect curated tastings, experiential pop-ups, lounge spaces, branded activations, interactive giveaways and social-first experiences.
As part of the festival, Fatty Mart will host a free Match Viewing Experience sponsored by Gatorade, bringing fans together throughout the day to watch live soccer matches in an indoor environment featuring DJs, lounges, giveaways, food and drinks. Organizers said the viewing party reflects the growing intersection of sport, culture and community ahead of the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics.
Additional programming announcements, artist lineups and brand activations will be announced in the coming weeks.
The Venice Fest: Summer Edition runs from 12 to 8 p.m. at 12257 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles. Admission is free.
For more information, visit: [www.thevenicefest.com](https://www.thevenicefest.com/?ref=smdp.com)
Edited by SMDP Staff
### City of Malibu and Los Angeles County Enter Tolling Agreement to Advance Fire Recovery
URL: https://www.smdp.com/city-of-malibu-and-los-angeles-county-enter-tolling-agreement-to-advance-fire-recovery/
Last updated: 2026-05-29T17:31:55.000Z
The City of Malibu has entered into a tolling agreement with Los Angeles County, pausing litigation over claims against the county brought in the city's February lawsuit arising from the Palisades Fire. The city took the step in light of recent action by the county and cooperative efforts between the two governments, while fully preserving Malibu's legal rights.
A tolling agreement is a legal mechanism that pauses the statute of limitations on a claim. By entering into the agreement, the city is not abandoning its case or its pursuit of answers but rather choosing a path that prioritizes immediate, tangible outcomes for Malibu residents over the constraints of active litigation.
The city's decision reflects its recognition that Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath and the county have advanced a serious commitment to infrastructure investment and resiliency. The county's five-year, nearly $250 million capital plan, spanning 20 projects to improve water capacity, fire flow and system resilience across Waterworks District 29, represents the kind of investment Malibu has long sought. The city is prepared to work constructively with the county to ensure the plan is executed with urgency and accountability.
"The City Council authorized the filing of the lawsuit to pursue accountability and compensation from multiple parties whose conduct appears to have caused or materially contributed to the destructive spread of the Palisades Fire," Mayor Bruce Silverstein said. "We are grateful for County Supervisor Horvath's partnership and her commitment to the nearly $250 million capital plan that includes significant improvements to Waterworks District 29 required to improve resiliency moving forward. The Tolling Agreement provides space for the City and County to continue working collaboratively on the recovery effort, while the City continues to pursue its legal claims against other parties. Although the City Council is hopeful that litigation with the County will be obviated altogether, the Tolling Agreement preserves the City's rights to pursue claims involving the County at a future date if the City Council should determine it is necessary or appropriate to do so."
Silverstein added that the agreement reflects the city's commitment to getting results for residents who lost so much in the Palisades Fire. "Our residents and our rebuilding community cannot afford delays, and we will keep pushing until the job is done," he said.
Last month, Horvath and Malibu leaders broke ground on a critical water main project along Carbon Canyon, a $14 million investment representing a significant first step in the capital plan. The project is supported in part by a $2.5 million grant included in the 2026 California state budget. The county has also secured $2.2 million in Proposition 4 funding for brush clearance and fire safety efforts in the Santa Monica Mountains and has requested $800 million in federal recovery assistance, including Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants.
Malibu residents, businesses and workers have also benefited from the county's $50 million in direct fire relief funds, along with support from the Malibu-Topanga Business Interruption Fund, funded by the Office of Supervisor Horvath.
The city will continue to monitor implementation of the capital plan, hold partners to their commitments and take whatever steps are necessary to protect Malibu's residents, infrastructure and future.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Peaches, pears and PFAS: California lawmakers may limit ‘forever’ pesticides in foods
URL: https://www.smdp.com/peaches-pears-and-pfas-california-lawmakers-may-limit-forever-pesticides-in-foods/
Last updated: 2026-05-29T17:31:09.000Z
By Nathan Donley, Special for CalMatters
This commentary was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
Amid growing awareness that so-called forever chemicals, or PFAS, can linger in landscapes and waterways for centuries, federal and state regulators have repeatedly insisted they’re working aggressively to protect us all from the cancer-linked poisons.
They are not.
Even as regulators and lawmakers tout their baby steps to [limit forever chemicals in U.S. drinking water](https://calmatters.org/projects/california-water-contaminated-forever-chemicals/?ref=smdp.com), they’re allowing a dramatic increase in the use of pesticides containing the chemicals across millions of acres of industrial agriculture. That often ends up in [waterways](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.estlett.6c00132?ref=smdp.com) and drinking water supplies, including in California.
PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of [synthetic chemicals used since the 1950s](https://calmatters.org/environment/water/2024/04/drinking-water-forever-chemicals-new-standards/?ref=smdp.com) to make consumer products resistant to water, grease and heat. Studies have linked PFAS to cancer, reproductive harm, endocrine disruption and other health effects.
An alarming [14% of all conventional pesticide active ingredients](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11268133/?ref=smdp.com) are now PFAS, according to a peer-reviewed study I co-authored with scientists from the Environmental Working Group and the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. And it’s getting worse: The dangerous substances make up 30% of pesticide active ingredients approved just in the last 10 years.
Nowhere is the exploding use of PFAS pesticides more unsettling than in California, which produces more than [three-quarters of U.S.-consumed fruits and nuts](https://calmatters.org/environment/climate-change/2023/05/california-farmers-climate-change/?ref=smdp.com) and [nearly half its vegetables](https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/Statistics/?ref=smdp.com). In March, the U.S. Geological Survey [reported widespread water contamination](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.estlett.6c00132?ref=smdp.com) with PFAS pesticides in the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys, where most California fruit and vegetables are grown.
PFAS chemicals were [found in nearly 40%](https://www.ewg.org/research/forever-chemicals-contaminate-nearly-40-non-organic-california-grown-produce?ref=smdp.com) of samples of nonorganic fruits and vegetables tested by state regulators in 2023, according to a new report by the Environmental Working Group. That analysis found 17 different PFAS pesticides on more than half of 78 types of nonorganic fruits and vegetables, including nectarines, peaches, plums, strawberries, blueberries, celery and green beans.
The proliferation of forever chemicals in Californians’ food and the continued approval of PFAS pesticides by state regulators leaves no doubt California lawmakers must pass [Assembly Bill 1603](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca%5F202520260ab1603?ref=smdp.com).
The measure would require that products disclose if they contain PFAS, and it would prohibit any new PFAS pesticide approvals. It also would phase out the use of PFAS pesticides over the next 10 years.
The bill faces a do-or-die vote in the full California Assembly by [May 29](https://www.senate.ca.gov/system/files/2026-04/2026-proposed-calendar-updated-march-2026.pdf?ref=smdp.com).
What heightens the need for action is the fact that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Donald Trump and California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation are going in the wrong direction on PFAS pesticides.
Since Trump took office, the EPA has [approved two PFAS pesticides](https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/trump-epa-approves-its-second-forever-chemical-pesticide-in-two-weeks-2025-11-20/?ref=smdp.com) and [proposed approving](https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/epa-plans-to-approve-fifth-forever-chemical-pesticide-since-trump-took-office-2025-11-04/?ref=smdp.com) three more.
And recently, California’s pesticide office [again approved](https://apps.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/registration/nod/2026-15.pdf?ref=smdp.com) the PFAS insecticide sulfoxaflor, even though it has been [repeatedly rejected by state](https://earthjustice.org/press/2024/bee-killing-insecticide-sulfoxaflor-to-remain-off-shelves-in-california?ref=smdp.com) and [federal courts](https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/legal-victory-court-rules-epas-registration-of-bee-killing-insecticide-unlawful-citing-failure-to-assess-risks-to-endangered-species-2022-12-21/?ref=smdp.com) because of its high toxicity to pollinators, such as honeybees.
The pesticide industry claims that many new pesticides are not PFAS because they contain only one, instead of two, fully fluorinated carbons. But that claim, which has been embraced by the EPA, [disregards the widely accepted](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.estlett.5c00478?ref=recommended) [scientific definition](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.1c06896?ref=smdp.com), that any chemical with a single fully-fluorinated carbon is a PFAS.
The [grim reality is](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11268133/?ref=smdp.com) that 23-35 million pounds of pesticide ingredients used annually in the United States are PFAS. California has registered 53 PFAS pesticides. And about 2.5 million pounds of those [poisons are applied](https://www.ewg.org/research/ewg-25-million-pounds-toxic-pfas-pesticides-spread-california-farmland-annually?ref=smdp.com) annually to California cropland.
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/05/forever-pesticides-california-limit/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Mountain lion tranquilized after closing 14th St. for most of the day
URL: https://www.smdp.com/possible-mountain-lion-sighting-near-14th-montana/
Last updated: 2026-05-30T18:56:15.000Z
A mountain lion that spent the day in backyards just north of Montana Ave. was safely tranquilized by a California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist on Friday afternoon.
California Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement assisted with the tranquilization and transportation of the animal, which was to be evaluated and relocated in coordination with wildlife experts, including the National Park Service's Santa Monica Mountains study area team.
The big cat spent hours relaxing in the backyard of a home on 14th Street prompting Santa Monica police to deploy officers to the residential neighborhood just north of Montana Avenue and spurring a response from state wildlife officials.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife arrived just before noon and worked with local officers to safely remove it. Officers from the Santa Monica Police Department were already in the area assessing the situation and coordinating with wildlife resources.
Photographs of the animal showed it appeared to be in good health. Police urged residents in the area to remain indoors, keep pets inside, and avoid approaching or attempting to photograph the lion. Anyone who spots the animal was asked to call 911 immediately from a safe location.
The last time a mountain lion was seen in the city was in 2012 when one was discovered on the Promenade. In that case, the animal tried to escape before it could be tranquilized and was killed.
Photo: Nate Redmond
**A narrow corridor, a rare encounter**
The presence of a mountain lion in a Santa Monica residential neighborhood is unusual even by the standards of a region where the animals occupy a range stretching roughly 40 miles from the Hollywood Hills to Point Mugu.
National Park Service researchers tracking the local population have recorded more than 250,000 GPS points showing that lions strongly avoid humans and rarely enter developed areas, favoring chaparral and coastal sage scrub habitat instead.
Adult males in the region average a territory of roughly 144 square miles, while females average about 52 square miles, according to a 15-year NPS study. The 101 Freeway serves as a near-impenetrable barrier to movement — since 2002, only a handful of lions have documented crossings. One of them, P-22, famously crossed both the 101 and the 405 to reach Griffith Park, where he occupied a roughly 9-square-mile range — the smallest ever recorded for an adult male. He was euthanized in December 2022 following injuries sustained in a vehicle strike and attacks on small dogs.
**A small population under pressure**
NPS researchers estimate 10 to 15 adult and subadult mountain lions inhabit the Santa Monica Mountains and surrounding areas. Statewide, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's December 2025 status review estimated the total population at between 3,645 and 4,750 animals.
The local population faces severe inbreeding pressure. The leading causes of death are vehicle strikes — more than 32 documented since 2002 — rodenticide poisoning, with 28 of 29 tested lions returning positive results, and intraspecific conflict.
On Feb. 12, 2026, the California Fish and Game Commission voted 3-0 to list Southern and Central Coast mountain lions as threatened under the California Endangered Species Act. Researchers have modeled that even one immigrant lion crossing into the population every two years could cut local extinction risk to about 2.4% — the primary conservation rationale behind the ongoing effort to construct a wildlife crossing over the 101 Freeway at Liberty Canyon.
**Wildfires have pushed lions toward greater risk**
Regional wildfires have compounded pressure on the local population, forcing lions into more dangerous movement patterns.
The 2018 Woolsey Fire burned nearly 100,000 acres, destroying roughly half of available lion habitat and approximately 88% of NPS parkland in the area. Two collared lions died in the fire, including P-64\. A 2022 study published in Current Biology found that in the aftermath, lions avoided burned areas and took on significantly elevated risk: road crossings increased from roughly three to five per month, crossings of the 101 Freeway jumped from approximately once every two years to once every four months, and monthly travel distances rose from about 250 to nearly 400 kilometers.
The January 2025 Palisades Fire burned approximately 23,700 acres, with nearly 20,000 acres falling within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Tracked lion P-63 survived the fire, and footage captured a mother lion and two cubs fleeing down Topanga Canyon Boulevard as the blaze spread.
**Attacks remain rare but have occurred nearby**
Despite the low frequency of human-lion encounters overall, several attacks have occurred in communities adjacent to the Santa Monica Mountains in recent years. In August 2021, lion P-98 attacked a 5-year-old boy in Calabasas. A 5-year-old boy was attacked at Malibu Creek State Park on Sept. 1, 2024, and an 11-year-old girl was attacked in Malibu on Aug. 10, 2025, while feeding chickens. The lion responsible for each attack was subsequently euthanized.
California has recorded roughly two dozen verified mountain lion attacks on humans since 1986, a small number of them fatal.
### Joby Aviation in Talks to Begin Flights at Santa Monica Airport Ahead of LA28
URL: https://www.smdp.com/joby-aviation-in-talks-to-begin-flights-at-santa-monica-airport-ahead-of-la28/
Last updated: 2026-05-29T15:21:36.000Z
Airport officials disclosed this month that Joby Aviation, the leading electric air taxi developer, is in active discussions to begin demonstration flights out of Santa Monica Municipal Airport as early as this fall, potentially positioning the facility as an eVTOL hub in the run-up to the 2028 Summer Olympics — even as the airport remains on a path to permanent closure at the end of that year.
Airport Director Stelios Makrides told the Santa Monica Airport Commission that Joby and Atlantic Aviation, the fixed-base operator that holds a major leasehold on the north side of the airfield, approached city officials roughly two weeks before the commission meeting with a proposal that would include leasing hangar space and conducting non-commercial flights in the Los Angeles Basin.
"Joby came to us and want to be here," Makrides said. "We are in the center of the Olympics, the 2028 Olympics."
Makrides said Joby intends to fly its aircraft through the LA airspace this fall, pending federal authorization — a process he described as imminent. The flights would not carry paying passengers; instead, they would serve as airspace integration operations similar to demonstration flights Joby has conducted in New York, where the company recently flew from JFK to the East River heliport, and in San Francisco.
"I'll be surprised if it's denied," Makrides said of the expected federal permission. "They've flown in other airspaces that are as congested."
An industry expert who presented at a March 2026 environmental noise conference in Las Vegas predicted that Joby could be selling seats to passengers as early as the summer of 2028, with Joby ranked as the industry leader ahead of rival developers Lilium and Archer, Makrides noted.
To power the aircraft, Atlantic Aviation and its subsidiary Verdeport are exploring a battery energy storage system that could be moved onto the ramp rather than requiring a major overhaul of the airport's electrical infrastructure, Makrides said. An earlier proposal to bring additional power from Southern California Edison to the ramp now appears to have been set aside in favor of the more targeted battery approach.
Commissioners raised questions about fire-safety ratings for aviation-grade batteries, a concern Makrides acknowledged he would need to address once a formal proposal is in hand. The handful of public commenters at the Commission meeting were split on the proposal.
Airport critics said the new operations were contrary to the spirit of closing the facility while supporters said the new generation of planes were quieter and safer than anything else available.
Santa Monica Airport is already home to two certified electric aircraft operated by Eco Aviation Foundation through Proteus Air Services flight school — including a Pipistrel Velis Electro, the world's first FAA type-certified electric airplane. Smith said the aircraft is inaudible to ground observers during flight.
Joby's interest follows the launch earlier this year of the first scheduled passenger flights in the airport's 103-year history. Dallas-based JSX began operating ATR 42-600 turboprop flights to Las Vegas in December 2025, later adding routes to Scottsdale and Napa.
The airport is bound by a 2017 federal Consent Decree requiring it to remain open through Dec. 31, 2028, after which the city has committed to converting the 227-acre site into parks and open space under voter-approved Measure LC. City Manager Oliver Chi reiterated that commitment as recently as December 2025.
Roughly 350 aircraft remain based at the airport and must relocate before the closure deadline. Makrides said the commission would receive a fuller update once Joby and Atlantic Aviation submit a formal proposal.
Correction: Archer Aviation is the official air taxi for the LA28 Olympic Games
### Council approves $6M renter aid program to combat evictions and homelessness
URL: https://www.smdp.com/council-approves-6m-renter-aid-program-to-combat-evictions-and-homelessness/
Last updated: 2026-05-29T10:00:00.000Z
The City Council has voted unanimously to launch a new homelessness prevention program that will provide up to $20,000 in emergency financial assistance to Santa Monica renters facing eviction, awarding a $6 million contract to The People Concern to administer what officials called a groundbreaking effort to keep vulnerable residents housed.
The Santa Monica Renter Aid program, funded entirely by Measure GS — the city's real estate transfer tax approved by voters in 2022 — is expected to begin serving residents this summer and will initially assist approximately 150 at-risk households annually. The council approved the contract 6-0, directing staff to execute a two-year agreement with The People Concern with three additional one-year renewal options.
"I'm very excited about this," Mayor Caroline Torosis said before casting her vote. "I think we're doing groundbreaking work here for a city of our size. We want to see the number of unlawful detainer filings decrease and hopefully keep more people housed, because it's cheaper to keep people housed than it is to get them housing."
The program represents a key component of the city's broader 2025-2030 Homelessness Strategic Plan, which the council adopted in March 2025\. That plan, built around four pillars of prevention, intervention, coordination and communication, identified creation of a flexible financial assistance program as a core renter protection strategy.
How the Program Works
The Santa Monica Renter Aid program will offer three tiers of financial assistance to renters earning up to 120 percent of area median income — approximately $126,000 annually for a single-person household — with priority given to those at the greatest risk of homelessness.
One-time emergency assistance of up to $5,000 per household will be available to residents facing an acute financial crisis threatening their ability to pay rent. Ongoing monthly assistance totaling up to $10,000 per household annually will support longer-term housing stability. Renters already involved in unlawful detainer (eviction) proceedings who are receiving services through the city's existing Right to Counsel program will be eligible for up to $20,000 in assistance to help maintain their housing or, if necessary, fund a relocation.
The program will also provide case management services, with staff connecting renters to the Right to Counsel program and other city resources. City data estimates that approximately 472 Santa Monica renters face unlawful detainer filings annually, a figure that shaped the program's design from the outset.
The first year of the contract is valued at $1.2 million, with 75 percent — about $900,000 — directed toward direct financial assistance. The remaining 25 percent will primarily fund case manager positions.
Selection Process
The Housing and Human Services Department released the request for proposals in January 2026, drawing three applications from nonprofit organizations. The People Concern, formed through the 2016 merger of Ocean Park Community Center and Lamp Community, scored highest among the applicants. An interdepartmental evaluation panel that included an external reviewer and a member of the Measure GS oversight committee assessed applicants on organizational capacity, fiscal performance, past experience and program model.
"The People Concern operates a number of programs regionwide and in Santa Monica, and these homelessness prevention programs — which consist of case management and financial assistance — are substantively separate from some of the other programs that TPC administers that folks in the community might be more familiar with," said Tee Martin, a senior analyst with the city's Homelessness Prevention and Intervention Division, who presented the item to the council.
Council Questions Accountability, Transparency
The council's discussion centered on questions of accountability, fund disbursement and public transparency.
"There's a lot of transparency issues around the broader conversation around these programs," Negrete said, pressing staff on how quickly funds could reach residents facing imminent eviction. Martin said the average timeline from application to assistance would be two to three weeks, with expedited processing available for households facing 30-day notices or other urgent timelines.
Negrete also asked about how funds would be disbursed and whether payments would go directly to tenants or to landlords. Staff confirmed that under most circumstances, payments would be made to landlords or other vendors rather than directly to renters.
“I do want to point out that as much as we trust people I would hate for those that, you know, may not be intending to take advantage of it to end up using the funds for something it's not intended for and taking from someone who desperately needs to stay in their place,” she said. And so for me I think that's my biggest concern when I was referring to how quickly it gets sent to obviously prevent from an unlawful detainer or any additional fees and things like that but also to make sure that it's very clear that there's a set allowance that it's allowed to be used for certain things so that we can make sure that the most amount of people are getting those very necessary things of a roof over their head, electricity, heat all that kind of stuff.”
Negrete also asked about public-facing performance benchmarks, noting the importance of community trust in how Measure GS funds are being spent. Martin said the program would be integrated into city scorecards and the Homelessness Strategic Plan's public data dashboard.
Torosis pushed staff to consider more flexibility in how funds are distributed, pointing to models in other cities that have used direct cash payments to tenants. "We need to trust tenants and we need to trust people to do what they need with their money," she said, adding that faster access to funds could prevent unlawful detainer filings before they occur.
Implementation Timeline
The program is expected to launch this summer. Outreach will be conducted in multiple languages. Applications will be available online through the city's website as well as in paper form for those who need it. Staff will hold in-person office hours at Virginia Avenue Park in the Pico neighborhood as well as at libraries and other city facilities.
The program will be promoted through the city's Seascape newsletter, downtown digital kiosks and Big Blue Bus advertising. Outcomes and participant feedback surveys will be monitored regularly by the Homelessness Prevention and Intervention Division, with performance tied to the contract's renewal options.
The city will also audit grantee organizations including The People Concern for fiscal performance.
### Suspect charged with criminal threats after dog attack in anti-semitic incident Near Third Street Promenade
URL: https://www.smdp.com/suspect-charged-with-criminal-threats-after-dog-attack-in-anti-semitic-incident-near-third-street-promenade/
Last updated: 2026-05-29T00:10:00.000Z
A 49-year-old Illinois man was charged Wednesday with criminal threats and battery after allegedly stopping his vehicle near the Third Street Promenade, chasing a pedestrian and commanding his dog to attack the victim in an incident that drew concern from Santa Monica's Jewish community.
Nay Min Tar, of Illinois, faces one felony count of criminal threats under Penal Code 422(a) and one misdemeanor count of battery in Los Angeles County case 26ARCF01044\. If convicted on all counts, he faces up to three years and six months in state prison.
Tar pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Wednesday. A preliminary hearing setting is scheduled for June 15 in Department 31 of the Airport Courthouse.
The incident occurred May 24 at approximately 5:20 p.m. near 3rd Street and Broadway. According to the Santa Monica Police Department, Tar was driving on Broadway when he stopped in traffic and began yelling threats at two people crossing the street. He then exited his vehicle and chased one of the victims while continuing to make threats.
Tar's dog, described as a male Cane Corso, chased the victim and bit him on the thigh, allegedly at Tar's command. The Santa Monica Fire Department treated the victim at the scene for a minor injury. Tar was arrested a short distance away on 4th Street by officers assigned to the Downtown Services Unit.
Santa Monica Animal Control Officers responded and took custody of the dog, which was transported to a local shelter where it remains in quarantine.
Witnesses reported offensive and threatening language during the incident. SMPD documented those statements as part of its investigation and detectives reviewed witness statements and video evidence before submitting the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for filing consideration.
The DA's office did not include a hate crime enhancement in the charges. SMPD acknowledged the decision in its update, noting that the absence of such an enhancement does not render the reported language or conduct acceptable, nor does it diminish the impact on the victims or the broader community.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman emphasized the seriousness of the charges.
"Our communities should be safe places for everyone to live, work and enjoy without fear," Hochman said. "Anyone making threats of violence should face swift and appropriate punishment, as this behavior often leads to further escalation. We thank the Santa Monica Police Department for their partnership and assistance in apprehending the individual responsible."
Santa Monica Police Chief Darrick Jacob addressed the community's concerns directly.
"Hate has no place in Santa Monica," Jacob said. "We understand the fear and harm these incidents can create, not only for the victims, but for the broader community. Our responsibility is to respond quickly, document the facts thoroughly, and pursue accountability through the legal process."
The prosecution requested the court set bail at $50,000 under the Los Angeles County felony bail schedule. The court cited *In re Kowalczyk* in reducing bail to $2,500 over the prosecution's objection.
SMPD said it takes targeted threats, intimidation, violence and hate-motivated conduct seriously, and that the department remains committed to thorough, evidence-based investigations, careful documentation of reported bias indicators, coordination with prosecutors and continued outreach to community members and partner organizations.
Community members can learn more about hate crimes, how to report hate-related incidents and available resources at www.santamonica.gov/hate-crimes. Anyone with information related to the incident is encouraged to contact SMPD at 310-458-8427.
The charges are allegations. Tar is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
*The case is being prosecuted by the Airport Branch Office and remains under investigation by the Santa Monica Police Department.*
### Culver City restaurateur sentenced to more than 3 years in prison for $4 million COVID loan fraud
URL: https://www.smdp.com/culver-city-restaurateur-sentenced-to-more-than-3-years-in-prison-for-4-million-covid-loan-fraud/
Last updated: 2026-05-28T23:59:48.000Z
A Culver City restaurateur who owns a hospitality company with restaurants and hotels in California, Tennessee and Kentucky was sentenced Tuesday to 41 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining more than $4 million in COVID-19 economic relief loans.
Philip Frederick Camino, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Fred W. Slaughter, who also ordered him to pay $4,365,667 in restitution. Camino was taken into federal custody at the conclusion of the hearing.
Camino pleaded guilty in August 2024 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
In spring 2020, Congress created two federal programs to provide financial assistance to Americans and businesses suffering economic harm from the COVID-19 pandemic: the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans.
From April 2020 to April 2021, Camino, who owned several companies based in Hollywood, Westwood, Studio City and Beverly Hills as well as in Arizona, submitted fraudulent applications to the U.S. Small Business Administration and banks for PPP and EIDL loans.
In the applications, Camino inflated employee counts, submitted fictitious federal tax forms never filed with the IRS and falsely certified that loan proceeds would be used for permissible business purposes. In total, he submitted more than 20 fraudulent loan applications, obtaining more than $4 million.
Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
The case was prosecuted by Jennifer L. Waier, chief assistant U.S. attorney and chief of the Criminal Division.
— Edited by SMDP Staff
### Culver City Man Who Works for Nonprofit that Distributes Syringes to Homeless Drug Users Arrested on Federal Fentanyl Charge
URL: https://www.smdp.com/culver-city-man-who-works-for-nonprofit-that-distributes-syringes-to-homeless-drug-users-arrested-on-federal-fentanyl-charge/
Last updated: 2026-05-28T23:55:07.000Z
A Culver City man employed by a nonprofit syringe distribution organization was arrested Thursday on a federal complaint alleging he possessed fentanyl when officers pulled him over near MacArthur Park earlier this month.
Christopher Barret Johnson, 42, is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He is expected to make his initial court appearance Friday afternoon in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
Johnson works for People Assisting the Homeless, known as PATH, a nationwide nonprofit that provides street outreach, interim housing and permanent housing services. PATH also operates as a vendor distributing syringes in the MacArthur Park area, a neighborhood marked by high poverty rates and open-air drug activity.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Los Angeles Police Department officers patrolling the MacArthur Park area around 10:20 p.m. May 5 observed a white BMW without a front license plate make an abrupt U-turn in front of them and conducted a traffic stop.
Johnson, the vehicle's sole occupant, appeared visibly nervous, the affidavit states. An officer observed in plain view on the center console a plastic bag containing methamphetamine and noticed Johnson carrying two knives in his waistband. Officers ordered Johnson out of the vehicle.
A pat-down search of Johnson produced an additional bag of methamphetamine in his left front pants pocket. A search of the vehicle turned up a partially open backpack containing bags of methamphetamine and fentanyl, a digital scale with fentanyl residue, empty plastic bags and cash. Officers also found a dish soap container filled with additional bags of fentanyl, along with cash and a large quantity of plastic bags inside the center console.
Laboratory analysis confirmed the seized drugs included at least 142 grams of a fentanyl-containing substance and nearly 46 grams of methamphetamine.
If convicted, Johnson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 40 years.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating the case with assistance from the LAPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Jones of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting.
A complaint is an allegation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
— Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica College Fashion Program Presents LA Mode 2026 on June 8
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-college-fashion-program-presents-la-mode-2026-on-june-8/
Last updated: 2026-05-28T23:50:43.000Z
Santa Monica College's Fashion Program will present its annual student fashion show, LA Mode 2026, on Monday, June 8, at 7 p.m. at the John Adams Middle School Performing Arts Center, 1630 Pearl St., Santa Monica.
This year's theme is "Above the Clouds in Style, Substance, and Sustainability." A pre-show runway at 6:45 p.m., billed as "Salvation Army X SMC Chop Shop = Transformed Treasures," will showcase garments repurposed from discarded apparel otherwise destined for landfills.
Tickets are $25, or $20 for college students with valid ID. A "Cloud Carpet" reception begins at 4:30 p.m., featuring sponsor giveaways and networking for SMC alumni, current students, and fashion industry guests.
The show will feature 21 collections spanning casual, cocktail, club, and avant-garde styles, with each reflecting the designer's future aspirations. The event is produced by SMC's Fashion Show Production students under the direction of fashion professors La Tanya Louis, serving as show producer and collections director, and Lorrie Ivas, industry judge director for the SMC Fashion Advisory Board.
The production is a cross-disciplinary collaboration. SMC photography students, under the direction of professors Josh Withers and Ed Mangus, will photograph the show and shoot designers' look book images. Designer interview videos were produced and edited by media and communication students under the direction of Communication and Media Studies Department Chair Redelia Shaw, Professor Gail Fetzer, and Broadcast Tech Manager Thoren Jorgensen. Cosmetology students under the direction of Brandon Ceballos will handle hair and makeup. Photography, media, and communication students will also produce behind-the-scenes content leading up to showtime.
The 21 collections were developed by students from the Los Angeles area, across the United States, and internationally as part of SMC's two-year fashion studies program.
Industry professionals — including designers, stylists, costume designers, and retailers — will judge the collections. Among them are SMC Fashion Advisory Board members and SMC alumni, many of whom now offer internships through their companies. Judges will evaluate collections before the show, with winners announced live in categories including marketability, creativity, sustainability, technical achievement, and outstanding collection.
The show is sponsored by Jeff Abrams, founder of contemporary clothing line Rails. Abrams also funded 20 fashion scholarships. Additional support came from Tukatech, local businesses, Santa Monica community members, and Los Angeles fashion industry supporters.
The evening will also include the presentation of the 10th annual Style and Substance Award, honoring Henry Duarte, a Los Angeles leather artisan and denim, goth, and rock-and-roll designer known for dressing prominent figures in music and entertainment and for mentoring SMC fashion interns.
The SMC Fashion Program, offered through the Photography and Fashion Department chaired by Professor Josh Sanseri, includes associate degrees and certificate programs in both fashion design and fashion merchandising.
More information is available at smc.edu/LaMode or by emailing LaMode@smc.edu. The program can also be followed on Instagram at @SMClamode and on Facebook at SMC LA Mode Fashion Show.
— Edited by SMDP Staff
### Thursday, May 28, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/thursday-may-28-2026/
Last updated: 2026-05-28T20:35:03.000Z
Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy this afternoon. High 66F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 65º/56º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 66º/57º
### FIRST UP
SMDP Image
### With Election Day approaching, voters may want to skip the Post Office
Voters across Los Angeles County are casting their ballots this week but experts are warning that if you haven’t mailed your ballot yet...[READ](https://www.smdp.com/vote-centers-open-across-la-county-ahead-of-june-2-primary/)
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### MORE NEWS
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[Santa Monica’s 2026 Election: A Guide to 134 CandidatesSanta Monica voters face 134 candidates for local office in 2026\. Learn about judicial candidates, state senate races, and key endorsements affecting the Westside.SMDPDevan Sipher](https://www.smdp.com/who-are-these-people-flooding-our-mailboxes/)
[Police investigate possible hate crime after man uses a bat and dog in Promenade assaultView this post on Instagram A post shared by Benjamin Basire (@benjibasire) A man was arrested Sunday after allegedly threatening two pedestrians with a baseball bat and unleashing a dog that bit one of them in the thigh, as investigators examine whether the attack was motivated by hate. Tar Nay,SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/police-investigate-possible-hate-crime-after-man-uses-a-bat-and-dog-in-promenade-assault/)
[California treats homelessness spending as action. That’s not a measure of successBy Tangela Babbitt, Special for CalMatters This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. California is spending billions on homelessness prevention without the governance infrastructure to know whether it is working. I watched that failure happen firsthand. I remember when a mother in Sacramento County wasSMDPCal Matters](https://www.smdp.com/california-treats-homelessness-spending-as-action-thats-not-a-measure-of-success/)
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[West LA Medical Center Wins Newsweek’s Best Maternity Hospitals 2026Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center recognized by Newsweek as one of America’s best maternity hospitals for exemplary patient care and safety.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/west-la-medical-center-named-to-newsweeks-best-maternity-hospitals-2026-list/)
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Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/052826.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### Poll shows Becerra and Hilton are pulling ahead of the pack in California’s governor race
URL: https://www.smdp.com/poll-shows-becerra-and-hilton-are-pulling-ahead-of-the-pack-in-californias-governor-race/
Last updated: 2026-05-28T19:00:45.000Z
By [Dan Walters](https://calmatters.org/author/dan-walters/?ref=smdp.com), CalMatters
This commentary was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
The 2026 campaign for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s successor may be all but over after the votes from next week's primary are counted, even with an election still needing to be staged in November.
A [new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California](https://www.ppic.org/publication/ppic-statewide-survey-californians-and-their-government-may-2026/?ref=smdp.com) found that Democrat [Xavier Becerra](https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2026/governor/?ref=smdp.com#xavier-becerra), a former congressman, state attorney general and Biden cabinet member, and Republican [Steve Hilton](https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2026/governor/?ref=smdp.com#steve-hilton), a former Fox News commentator, have what appear to be commanding leads just days before the June 2 primary election.
If they finish in the top two next week, they will face each other in the November general election. But the poll also found that Democrats have nearly 2-to-1 support from voters in California versus Republicans, a trend the PPIC has consistently identified since December.
While polling should always be met with skepticism, this latest survey suggests that Becerra will be California’s next governor. It's a remarkable possibility for a candidate who was barely visible in the early stages of the primary but rocketed into contention after former [U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell's campaign imploded](https://www.kqed.org/news/12079911/the-rise-and-fall-of-eric-swalwell?ref=smdp.com) after a wave of sexual misconduct allegations.
The PPIC poll found that 23% of likely voters have voted or plan to vote for Becerra, followed by Hilton at 20% and billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer at 15%, the same trailing position he’s occupied for weeks despite [spending nearly $200 million on ads](https://apnews.com/article/california-governor-tom-steyer-billionaire-advertising-ed00b8f4ef4fcfa3b30bc8864a7873bb?ref=smdp.com), many waging harsh political attacks on Becerra.
At one time, Democratic leaders were worried that Hilton and [Chad Bianco](https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2026/governor/?ref=smdp.com#chad-bianco), the Republican sheriff of Riverside County, might finish 1-2 and freeze out Democrats. Swalwell’s abrupt departure and Becerra’s equally sudden rise quashed that scenario.
Bianco gets 13% in the PPIC poll, followed by former Rep. [Katie Porter](https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2026/governor/?ref=smdp.com#katie-porter) at 12%.
Although the GOP threat has faded, the faint possibility that it could have occurred unnerved Democrats. Some are [pushing for a ballot measure to jettison](https://www.kcra.com/article/effort-repeal-top-two-primary-system-california/71269716?ref=smdp.com) the top-two primary system and return to closed party primaries.
The top-two system was adopted by voters in 2010 after Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic legislative leaders placed it on the ballot as part of a budget deal. Schwarzenegger said a top-two system, dubbed a “jungle primary” by some, would result in more centrist legislators being elected because candidates would have to appeal to a wider array of voters.
Whether that has been the outcome is debatable, but leaders of both parties never liked the system that was forced on them.
The PPIC poll, however, found that voters still like it.
“About six in ten say they are satisfied with the choice of candidates in the governor’s race and think that the top-two primary has been mostly a good thing for California since Proposition 14 passed in 2010,” the PPIC's pollsters said in their analysis.
The poll confirming Becerra and Hilton as the potential top two finishers is the latest wrinkle in a primary campaign that has been impossible to handicap because none of the serious candidates, originally a dozen out of 61 names on the ballot, stood out as an obvious leader.
Politicians who would have been obvious leaders, such as former Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, Attorney General Rob Bonta or Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, all passed. Kounalakis initially filed to run for governor but eventually opted to run for state treasurer.
Swalwell was in a leading position in the early going but suspended his campaign in April after the San Francisco Chronicle revealed allegations from women about sexual assaults. After more reports surfaced, he resigned from Congress.
Becerra, who had been stuck in the lower tier of candidates, immediately shot to the top. Meanwhile, two Democrats who had been expected to be contenders, Porter and San Jose Mayor [Matt Mahan](https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2026/governor/?ref=smdp.com#matt-mahan), never clicked.
Steyer has remained in contention with his historically heavy barrage of ads, both positive and negative, but doesn't appear to have broken through. His campaign scrambled to discredit the PPIC poll, calling it "an outdated snapshot."
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/05/poll-becerra-hilton-california-governor/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Around Town: Free Concerts, Wine & Food Events, & More
URL: https://www.smdp.com/around-town-free-concerts-wine-food-events-more/
Last updated: 2026-05-28T19:00:01.000Z
SMDP's Weekly Guide to Food & Entertainment Goings-On In & Around Town includes a variety of free summer concerts, multiple wine dinners and other wellness food events, and much more!
**Santa Monica College Mariachi Ensemble Los Corsarios Presents Free Concert:** Directed by Mary Alfaro, the ensemble will perform a program of traditional rancheras, boleros and huapangos.**Thursday, May 28, 11:15 a.m., SMC Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St.** [smc.edu/calendar/music.php#event-details/05c7e86f-ad26-4ee6-b3f9-19900966d11c](http://smc.edu/calendar/music.php?ref=smdp.com#event-details/05c7e86f-ad26-4ee6-b3f9-19900966d11c)
**Grocery Store Comedy Show:** Belly Laughs is a stand up comedy show showcasing rising stars and seasoned veterans of the LA comedy scene. Grab a drink, some food, sit back, relax, and laugh! **Friday, May 29, 7p.m., Fatty Mart, 12210 Venice Blvd.** [instagram.com/p/DYabcgBSpaV](http://instagram.com/p/DYabcgBSpaV?ref=smdp.com)
**Pier Play Festival Featuring Afro-House Artist AMÉMÉ:** AMÉMÉ, a West African native whose music draws on his Benin heritage, brings together Afro-house tribal percussion, ethereal vocals and deep house influences. He joins a previously announced bill that includes Âme Live Presents — described as an expanded live format incorporating guest vocalists — along with a back-to-back set from AWEN and Xinobi, French artist Notre Dame and rising talent Darina Chuz. **Saturday, May 30** [https://www.rasa.fyi/event/pier-play-4/prls](https://www.rasa.fyi/event/pier-play-4/prls?ref=smdp.com)
**Chamber Music Palisades Free Concert:** Enjoy a two-part program that includes the Cantilena Trio and a special jazz set as the conclusion. **Saturday, May 30, at 2:30 p.m., Brentwood Presbyterian Church, 12000 San Vicente Blvd.** [cmpalisades.org](http://cmpalisades.org/?ref=smdp.com)
**"Off the 405" Free Outdoor Summer Concerts:** The Getty Center's annual series presents some of today's most exciting bands as they take the courtyard stage and create a vibrant musical experience amid stunning architecture and breathtaking sunset views. This weekend features aja monet, a celebrated surrealist blues poet, vocalist, and composer. **Saturday, May 30, starting at 6p.m.,** [https://www.getty.edu/whats-on/off-the-405/](https://www.getty.edu/whats-on/off-the-405/?ref=smdp.com)
**Pilates for the People:** Bounce from pilates to brunch at Belles Beach House for a whole day of sweat and community, including complimentary bevvys and sunscreen. **Sunday, May 31 10a.m., Venice** [partiful.com/e/b6INgZL4lofN5aOVEUcf](http://partiful.com/e/b6INgZL4lofN5aOVEUcf?ref=smdp.com)
**We All Play:** Join a museum-wide daytime pajama party where the entire museum transforms into a high-energy day of performances, activities, food, treats, and hands-on fun for both kids and adults. **Sunday, May 31, 10:30a.m. – 2:30p.m., 395 Santa Monica Place** [caytonmuseum.org/weallplay](http://caytonmuseum.org/weallplay?ref=smdp.com)
**Closing Reception & Open Studios at Santa Monica Studios 3026:** Under One Roof, a group exhibition of artists curated by Peter Frank closes on **Sunday, May 31** with a Closing Reception and Open Studios event from 2-5pm that will include light refreshments, the opportunity to connect with the artists, plus a Silent Auction of small works by the resident artists. 3026 Airport Ave. FREE. [airportartscenter.com](http://airportartscenter.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**Root to Rise: Day Retreat with Crudo e Nudo Chef Brian Bornemann:** Root to Rise invites you into a full-day retreat where movement, mindfulness, and the living earth come together in nourishing harmony. Hosted by yoga and mindfulness teacher Hannah Dawe and Chef Brian Bornemann at the beautiful Ecology Center, this one-of-a-kind experience weaves together morning movement, a guided farm tour, hands-on group food preparation, a fresh farm-to-table lunch, a seed planting ceremony, and a closing meditation with tea. Long-time friends and collaborators. **Sunday, May 31** [https://theecologycenter.org/event/root-to-rise-day-retreat-hannah-dawe-chef-brian-bornemann/](https://theecologycenter.org/event/root-to-rise-day-retreat-hannah-dawe-chef-brian-bornemann/?ref=smdp.com)
**Read Between the Wines:** Bring your favorite book — romance, sci-fi, smut, whatever you're to Reading Rhythms at Bodega Wine Bar and settle in for a night of reading with wine, food, and good company as the backdrop. Happy hour pricing all night long. 📗**Monday, June 1 at 6p.m., 814 Broadway** [luma.com/reading-cpn6](http://luma.com/reading-cpn6?ref=smdp.com)
**Bleak Week Film Festival returns to Santa Monica with a global expansion:** American Cinematheque’s “Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair” will screen films at the Aero Theatre while expanding to nearly 100 theaters worldwide. **June 1 - 7**
**Route 66 Steak Challenge:** Texas Meets Santa Monica: Straight from Texas to Santa Monica, the legendary 72 oz Steak Challenge, from the Big Texan Steak Ranch is taking over Route 66-where brave contenders attempt to devour a massive steak dinner in under one hour on a live stage. **Thursday, June 4, 4 - 8p.m., Santa Monica Pier** [https://www.meetdaisy.co/calendars/see-santa-monica/events/route-66-steak-challenge-texas-meets-santa-monica](https://www.meetdaisy.co/calendars/see-santa-monica/events/route-66-steak-challenge-texas-meets-santa-monica?ref=smdp.com)
**ONGOING:** [Museum of Illusions](https://moisantamonica.com/?ref=smdp.com); [The CUBE VR](https://www.thecubeevents.com/santamonicaexperiences?ref=smdp.com); [Splatter Studio](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/california-live/paint-sip-and-create-in-santa-monica/3834517/?ref=smdp.com);
**What to Eat & Drink?**
**Oysters & Wine at Divine Vintage:** The Blue Plate Oysterette van is coming to Divine Vintage. Get 3 oysters for $10 to along with your wine of choice. **Sunday, May 31, 3-7p.m., 1025 Montana Ave.** [divinevintage.com/products/new-zealand-oysters-sauvignon-blanc](http://divinevintage.com/products/new-zealand-oysters-sauvignon-blanc?ref=smdp.com)
**Winemaker Dinner at Shutters with Turnbull & Shypoke:** Celebrate Napa Valley craftsmanship with winemaker Peter Heitz as Turnbull and Shypoke wines take center stage in a dynamic, flavor-driven dining experience. Turnbull and Shypoke represent generations of Napa Valley heritage, known for artisanal, small-lot wines that reflect uncompromising quality and authenticity. **Wednesday, June 3, 7p.m., 1 Pico Blvd.** [https://www.shuttersonthebeach.com/experiences/#!/collection/4fbfa96d-3a78-424b-bf2e-3895ac89bbcf](https://www.shuttersonthebeach.com/experiences/?ref=smdp.com#!/collection/4fbfa96d-3a78-424b-bf2e-3895ac89bbcf)
**Free Lobster for a Year? Luke’s Lobster Launching In-Shack Exclusive Mystery Grab Bags:** On June 4 and 5 with mystery grab bags! Diners who spend $25 or more can walk away with merch prizes including a grand prize of free lobster rolls for a year! **200 Santa Monica Blvd.** [instagram.com/lukeslobster](http://instagram.com/lukeslobster?ref=smdp.com)
**Tercero Winemaker dinner at Orto:** Enjoy a four course dinner featuring Tercero Wines from Los Olivos presented by the winemaker. **Thursday, June 4, 7p.m., 502 Santa Monica Blvd.** [opentable.com/r/orto-santa-monica](http://opentable.com/r/orto-santa-monica?ref=smdp.com)
**The Infatuation’s 2026 Best Santa Monica Restaurant List:** The updated list has 21 spots, including newcomers Holy Basil on Santa Monica Blvd., Ghisallo on Ocean Park Blvd., Breadhead on Montana Ave., and Not No Bar on Main St., joining mainstays like Bay Cities, Tar & Roses, and Father’s Office, and Michelin ranked spots Cobi’s, Melisse, and Seline. [theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/best-restaurants-in-santa-monica](http://theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/best-restaurants-in-santa-monica?ref=smdp.com)
**Further Afield:** **U.S. Women’s Open Golf Championship: ⛳**For the first time in history, the U.S. Women’s Open is being played at Riviera Country Club on the Westside, bringing elite professional golf and international attention to the region. Expect four days of top-tier competition, celebrity sightings, and fan events tied to one of golf’s major championships. 📅 June 2 – 5, 📍 Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, CA 🔗 [https://www.santamonica.com/global-events/](https://www.santamonica.com/global-events/?ref=smdp.com)
**Looking Ahead:** [World Cup Street Parties](https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2026/04/16/major-events-agreements-advance-world-cup-activations-kick-into-high-gear?ref=smdp.com); [Santa Monica Block Fest IV](https://www.instagram.com/p/DY0r%5FyEmlN4/?ref=smdp.com) (6/13); [Hollywood on the Coast Food & Wine Fest](https://www.hollywoodonthecoast.com/?ref=smdp.com) (6/13); [Juneteenth Celebrations](https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2026/05/21/celebrate-juneteenth-in-santa-monica?ref=smdp.com) (6/19-20); [Main St. Summer SOULStice Festival](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-soulstice-festival-tickets-1987951789316?ref=smdp.com) (6/20)
If there’s something you think is worth highlighting, you can reach out directly to me at [sean@smdp.com](mailto:sean@smdp.com).[ ](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com)[Here](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com) are my past columns and let me know if you have any feedback on **Around Town: Free Concerts, Wine & Food Events, & More**
### SMC to host free Collaboration Showcase concert June 2
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-to-host-free-collaboration-showcase-concert-june-2/
Last updated: 2026-05-28T19:00:00.000Z
The Santa Monica College Music Department will present the SMC Collaboration Showcase, a free performance featuring ensemble works from jazz, commercial and European art music traditions, including arrangements and compositions created by SMC students.
The showcase will be held Tuesday, June 2, at 11:15 a.m. in the Music Hall at the[ ](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com)[SMC Performing Arts Center](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com), 1310 11th St. at Santa Monica Boulevard. Free parking is available on premises, and seating is on a first-arrival basis.
The musicians in the showcase are students in SMC's Music 49 (Combo and Chamber Ensemble) class, led by SMC Music Professor Jimmy Cheesman and SMC Music Department Chair Brian Driscoll. Launched in spring 2025, the class gives students the opportunity to explore, prepare, rehearse and perform music in a wide range of styles for small ensembles, including jazz combos, chamber quartets, rock bands and commercial ensembles. The course also addresses practical matters such as the logistics of equipment, technology, and rehearsal and performance spaces.
The performance is subject to change or cancellation without notice. More information is available by calling 310-434-4323.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Big Blue Bus Offers Free Rides on Primary Election Day
URL: https://www.smdp.com/big-blue-bus-offers-free-rides-on-primary-election-day/
Last updated: 2026-05-28T19:00:00.000Z
Big Blue Bus will offer free rides system-wide on Tuesday, June 2, for Primary Election Day to make it easier for residents to get to the polls.
As part of its commitment to connecting riders to essential destinations, the transit agency said it is helping voters travel safely, conveniently and affordably to cast their ballots.
Riders can roll to the polls in three easy steps. First, voters should make sure they are registered before Election Day. Registration is available online, by mail or in person. Second, voters should locate their assigned polling place or nearby vote center. Third, riders can plan their free trip to the polls by visiting[ ](https://bigbluebus.com/?ref=smdp.com)[bigbluebus.com](https://bigbluebus.com/?ref=smdp.com).
For additional help planning a trip to the polls, call Customer Service at 310-451-5444.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Insurance Commissioner candidates stump for votes at the beach
URL: https://www.smdp.com/insurance-commissioner-candidates-stump-for-votes-at-the-beach/
Last updated: 2026-05-28T16:00:21.000Z
As wildfire recovery continues across communities including Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Altadena, the race for California Insurance Commissioner has evolved beyond discussions of premiums and policies into something much larger; a debate over who gets rebuilt, how quickly communities recover and whether California's insurance system itself can remain sustainable.
That urgency filled Jonathan Beach Club Thursday evening, where more than 100 attendees gathered for an Insurance Commissioner Candidate Forum featuring State Senator Ben Allen, Steven Bradford and Patrick Wolfe, alongside industry experts Stacey Korsgaden and Merritt Farren. Moderated by Amy Bach of United Policyholders and hosted by James Woods, the conversation moved well beyond campaign rhetoric into a larger discussion about rebuilding, regulation and consumer protection.
While candidates shared concerns over affordability and market instability, clear distinctions emerged around how California should move forward. Steven Bradford repeatedly emphasized modernization and accountability. Bradford focused heavily on underinsurance, arguing that many homeowners only discover gaps in coverage after disaster strikes. "Consumers buy homes and assume they're covered," Bradford said, pointing to homeowners in Pacific Palisades and Altadena who learned too late that replacement costs had far exceeded policy limits.
His proposed solution included a consumer facing online dashboard where homeowners could enter an address and home information to determine realistic replacement values based on current labor, inflation and material costs. "Show me the math," Bradford said later in the discussion while arguing for greater transparency surrounding premium increases and stronger requirements for insurers to justify rates before receiving approval.
Korsgaden focused on underinsurance through a different lens, arguing that structural changes in policy design have created vulnerabilities for homeowners. Korsgaden pointed to the industry's move away from guaranteed replacement cost policies following earlier catastrophic fires and suggested California should reconsider bringing those protections back. "What happens if your entire community burns?" Korsgaden asked, noting that labor and rebuilding costs can surge dramatically after a large scale disaster.
She additionally emphasized the importance of stronger consumer advocacy and criticized delays in addressing complaints involving policyholders and claims handling. "When there's a complete loss, that's the easiest claim to have. You write the check," she said, arguing that survivors should not face months of burdensome inventories after losing everything.
Farren repeatedly returned to simplification and consumer usability. Drawing on experience in both law and technology, Farren argued that consumers should not need specialized expertise to understand whether they are adequately protected. Among his proposals was creating annual Department of Insurance rebuilding benchmarks by zip code and requiring insurers to identify potential coverage gaps directly to homeowners. "We need to simplify that and do it in a way that works for consumers," Farren said.
Allen focused on resilience and long term insurability. Allen argued that attracting insurers back into communities ultimately depends on rebuilding differently than before. He pointed to examples where communities enforcing strict fire safety standards and infrastructure investments have successfully lowered risk and attracted carriers. "The insurers are only interested in coming back to communities if they're built to the highest fire safety standards," Allen said.
Allen cited examples from Palisades and other communities where investments in resilient infrastructure, fire prevention systems and stricter standards helped restore insurability. Rather than framing insurance solely as a market challenge, Allen argued that rebuilding itself has become an insurance strategy.
Wolfe emphasized restoring trust in the office itself and protecting its long term credibility. Calling the Department of Insurance "fragile," Wolfe warned that California had reached an inflection point and stressed the importance of leadership focused solely on the role rather than broader political ambitions. "This may be the hardest job in California," Wolfe said, adding that the office would require difficult decisions and long term commitment.
Across differing approaches, one theme repeatedly emerged as insurance is no longer simply about premiums and policies - increasingly it may determine whether communities recover at all.
For many homeowners still rebuilding after disaster, California's next Insurance Commissioner may help decide not just who receives coverage, but what California itself looks like in the years ahead.
### Who are these people flooding our mailboxes?
URL: https://www.smdp.com/who-are-these-people-flooding-our-mailboxes/
Last updated: 2026-05-28T15:59:42.000Z
It’s that biennial season when you get to feel like the winner of a popularity contest each time you fetch your mail. There are so many political candidates so eager to prove their virtues (or another candidates’ vices), and as you remove the fistfuls of glossy, grandstanding mailers is your first thought: A) I feel loved; B) I’m fortunate to still live in a democracy; or C) Why won’t these people leave me alone?
As I perused the official sample ballot from Los Angeles County, I realized that I recognized very few of the names and I doubt I’m the only one. I counted 134 people running for public office, and that doesn’t include the 61 running for governor—but it does include several facing charges of criminal or ethical violations.
If the latter surprises you, keep in mind that the current occupant of the Oval Office was elected as a convicted felon, so the bar is pretty low.
However, mere accusations aren’t proof of wrong-doing, and there’s only an accusation against Fiona Ma, the current State Treasurer running for Lieutenant Governor due to term limits (not to be confused with Eleni Kounalakis, the current Lieutenant Governor running for State Treasurer). Ma was accused of [sexual harassment](https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2024-08-30/california-treasurer-fiona-ma-sexual-harassment-lawsuit-settlement-agreement-350000?ref=smdp.com) by a former employee but has denied the allegation. She rightly points out that the lawsuit against her was dropped, but that was because of a settlement that required the State of California (meaning you and me) to pay $350,000 to her accuser.
Robert S. Draper, L.A. County Superior Court Judge (Office No. 2 on your bingo card), has also been [accused](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-04-29/los-angeles-judicial-candidates-2026-election?ref=smdp.com) of sexual harassment, based on inappropriate (and somewhat bizarre) comments. Though Judge Draper has had an impressive legal career, including 14 years on the bench, he’s now 84 years old and hasn’t been allowed to adjudicate a case since 2023, when it was determined that he no longer could carry out his duties due to diminished faculties. Where have we seen this show before? The Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) rated him “not qualified.”
If you’re not familiar with the [LACBA ratings](https://lacba.org/?pg=lacba-news&blAction=showEntry&blogEntry=144319&ref=smdp.com) (the link is included in the online version of this column), it’s a great resource for separating the wheat from the chaff—or at least the “qualified” from the unqualified. Of the 37 judicial candidates on the ballot, only one received the highest ranking of "exceptionally well qualified”: Judge David Walgren (Superior Court Office No. 81).
Moving on to statewide contests, if you’re reading a newspaper, you most likely know who’s running for governor, though you may be underwhelmed by the choices. I have to confess I’ve gone from dreading Kamala Harris might run for governor to deeply regretting that she didn’t.
Not that we’re lacking for star power, given that Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer, Pete Buttigieg and even Hillary Clinton make nearly daily appearances on the campaign literature of Brian Goldsmith, who is running for state senator.
The celebrity endorsements are supposed to convince us of Goldsmith’s qualifications and capabilities, but they have the inverse effect on me. The mailers trumpet Goldsmith’s opposition to Trump, which is mostly irrelevant to the job Goldsmith’s seeking, while offering little about his accomplishments or skills beyond ingratiating himself (or sucking up) to Democrat bigwigs.
Competing for our attention (and our mailbox real estate) is [Dr. Sion Roy](https://drsionroyforsenate.com/?ref=smdp.com), a cardiologist and former president of the Santa Monica Democratic Club, boasting endorsements from more local, lower-wattage politicos. Santa Monica Renters Rights (SMRR) has sent out repeated missives touting Roy’s support for rent control while referring to Goldsmith as an untrustworthy stranger, which implies that Goldsmith’s sucking up needed to start a little further down the ladder.
And in case you’re wondering, Roy is also eager to lead the battle against Trump from the deep blue perch of Sacramento.
There are actually eight other candidates in the state senate race, including Zennon Ulyate-Crow, the precocious 23-year old executive director of Abundance Network Santa Monica and [Mike Newhouse](https://www.newhouse4ca.com/?ref=smdp.com), a moderate Democrat and former president of the Venice Neighborhood Council, who is endorsed by several police associations.
Newhouse gets credit for including the most information on his mailers about his background and his goals. However, when I visited each of the campaign websites, it’s [Goldsmith](https://www.briangoldsmith.com/?gad%5Fsource=1&gad%5Fcampaignid=23710196558&gbraid=0AAAABDDMmjTobfIkCN%5FONukM1j83AU0Ij&gclid=CjwKCAjwidXQBhAZEiwA4egw6Ad8mNOnVzFgfJKPwBzgUy00cZ4BeZ7kqXUoDr5tmUv6I5NxHEOueRoCgMgQAvD%5FBwE&ref=smdp.com), an accomplished political consultant, who offered the most extensively detailed positions on the largest range of issues.
There are many other contests, and I highly recommend checking out the [LA Times](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-05-01/2026-california-election-voter-guide-primary?ref=smdp.com) and/or [LAist](https://laist.com/news/politics/voter-guides/2026-election-california-primary-los-angeles-county?ref=smdp.com#la-county-race-guides) voter guides. There are two former Santa Monica mayors running for state office: [Tony Vazquez](https://vazquez4treasurer.com/?ref=smdp.com) for California Treasurer and [Michael Feinstein](https://www.facebook.com/feinstein.michael/) for Secretary of State. And [Ben Allen](https://www.benallenca.com/?ref=smdp.com), term-limited out of the state senate seat so many are pursuing, is now running for California Insurance Commissioner, where his intelligence and integrity would be welcome.
It’s easy to support someone as conscientious as Allen, but I have the advantage of having interviewed him. I know far less about most of the other candidates, though I’ve now spent hours researching all of them online, which is something few people have the time to do.
Is it truly democracy if we have so little clue who we’re voting for? Of course not. It’s not news that we have a terribly flawed system. Yet it still beats the alternatives. I prefer a little electoral homework to kneeling at the golden statue of our dear leader. How about you?
Devan Sipher can be reached at [Devan@smdp.com](mailto:Devan@smdp.com).
### With Election Day approaching, voters may want to skip the Post Office
URL: https://www.smdp.com/vote-centers-open-across-la-county-ahead-of-june-2-primary/
Last updated: 2026-05-28T15:58:18.000Z
Voters across Los Angeles County are casting their ballots this week but experts are warning that if you haven’t mailed your ballot yet, you might want to consider an alternative approach to voting to make sure your vote counts.
A combination of new federal postal regulations and a sharp rise in rejected ballots has made mail voting close to election day increasingly risky.
Under California law, mail ballots are counted if postmarked by Election Day and received within seven days. However, a U.S. Postal Service rule that took effect Dec. 24, 2025, warns that postmarks "may not necessarily reflect" the day USPS took possession of a mailpiece and there may be delays as mail is transported to a regional processing hub. The LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk recommends voters mail their ballots at least seven days before Election Day.
Voters can avoid postmark risk entirely by using one of more than 400 official 24-hour drop boxes throughout the county or dropping off a ballot at any Vote Center.
Voters can also cast their ballots in person at one of the 122 Vote Centers.
The Vote Centers, administered by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, are open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Monday, June 1 and will access ahead of Election Day, when all Vote Centers will operate from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Locations and live wait times are available at locator.lavote.gov.
"The RR/CC encourages voters to review their ballots carefully and vote early, as this ballot includes a large number of contests and candidates," Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean C. Logan said in a statement.
Under California's Voter's Choice Act, any registered LA County voter may cast a ballot at any Vote Center in the county — no precinct assignment required.
How to Vote
Drop boxes are available 24 hours a day across the county and will be locked at 8 p.m. on June 2\. Locations are listed at locator.lavote.gov.
Voters who prefer to cast their ballot in person can do so at any Vote Center. Each site is equipped with accessible Ballot Marking Devices, which display five candidates at a time for races with large fields. Voters can press a "More" button to view all candidates. The county also offers an Interactive Sample Ballot tool at isb.lavote.gov that allows voters to pre-mark their selections on a smartphone or computer and transfer their choices directly to the Ballot Marking Device at the Vote Center, saving time at the polls.
Voters who have lost or never received their ballot may request a replacement online at lavote.gov, by calling (800) 815-2666, or in person at the Registrar-Recorder's Norwalk headquarters at 12400 Imperial Highway. After today's deadline, replacement ballots must be obtained directly at a Vote Center.
Late Registration Still Available
Residents who missed the May 18 voter registration deadline are not necessarily out of options. California's Conditional Voter Registration program allows eligible residents to register and vote on the same day at any LA County Vote Center through 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Under the program, voters complete a registration application at the Vote Center and cast a ballot, which is held securely until the registration is verified through California's statewide VoteCal database. Once validated, the ballot is processed and counted alongside all others.
To register, voters should bring a California driver's license or identification card, or have the last four digits of their Social Security number available.
What's on the Ballot
The June 2 primary features a wide range of federal, state and local contests. With Gov. Gavin Newsom termed out, the governor's race heads a ballot that also includes other state constitutional offices, U.S. Senate and House seats, and State Legislature races. Locally, voters will weigh in on the LA County Sheriff, LA County Assessor, two seats on the LA County Board of Supervisors, and the Los Angeles mayor's race, among other contests.
Also on the ballot is county Measure ER, a proposed half-cent general sales tax intended to fund county health services.
Language Access and Assistance
The Registrar-Recorder offers voting assistance in English and 18 additional languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Korean, Vietnamese, Armenian and Farsi, among others. Voters can reach the multilingual assistance hotline at (800) 815-2666, option 3.
Voters with disabilities may use the Remote Accessible Vote by Mail program at lavote.gov/ravbm to mark their ballot using personal assistive technology. Curbside voting is also available at every Vote Center.
For a complete list of Vote Center locations, drop box sites, registration status and other election information, visit lavote.gov.
### Police investigate possible hate crime after man uses a bat and dog in Promenade assault
URL: https://www.smdp.com/police-investigate-possible-hate-crime-after-man-uses-a-bat-and-dog-in-promenade-assault/
Last updated: 2026-05-27T23:27:51.000Z
> [ View this post on Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYyYDwpxwqH/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading)
>
> [A post shared by Benjamin Basire (@benjibasire)](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYyYDwpxwqH/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading)
A man was arrested Sunday after allegedly threatening two pedestrians with a baseball bat and unleashing a dog that bit one of them in the thigh, as investigators examine whether the attack was motivated by hate.
Tar Nay, whose age was not immediately available, was booked into Santa Monica Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and criminal threats following the 5:20 p.m. incident near 3rd Street and Broadway.
According to the Santa Monica Police Department, Nay was driving on Broadway when he stopped in traffic and began yelling threats at two people crossing the street. He allegedly displayed a baseball bat from inside the vehicle before pulling into the intersection, exiting the car and chasing one of the victims on foot.
During the chase, Nay's dog — a male Cane Corso — attacked the victim and bit him on the thigh. Santa Monica Fire Department personnel treated the victim at the scene for a minor injury; no additional medical treatment was required.
Officers from the Downtown Services Unit located and detained Nay a short distance away on 4th Street. Witnesses provided statements and video evidence from the area was collected.
Santa Monica Animal Control Officers took custody of the dog, which was transported to a local shelter.
SMPD said detectives are reviewing whether the incident constitutes a hate crime, citing reports, body-worn camera footage, witness statements and available video. The department acknowledged public concerns that the attack may have been motivated by bias.
"SMPD takes targeted threats, intimidation, and violence seriously," the department said in a statement. "Our focus is on conducting a thorough, evidence-based investigation and ensuring all relevant information is provided to prosecutors for filing review."
The case has been submitted to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for filing consideration. Prosecutors could pursue additional charges or sentencing enhancements depending on the outcome of the hate crime review.
Anyone with information is asked to contact SMPD at 310-458-8427.
### California treats homelessness spending as action. That’s not a measure of success
URL: https://www.smdp.com/california-treats-homelessness-spending-as-action-thats-not-a-measure-of-success/
Last updated: 2026-05-27T22:29:31.000Z
By Tangela Babbitt, Special for CalMatters
This commentary was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
California is spending billions on homelessness prevention without the governance infrastructure to know whether it is working. I watched that failure happen firsthand.
I remember when a mother in Sacramento County was facing eviction and trying to find help before she and her children lost their housing. For two months, she called 211 and the county's Department of Human Assistance looking for answers. Each system referred her to the other. Back and forth, week after week, neither could tell her what assistance was actually available or who owned the process.
I was on the other side of the phone.
For more than 11 years, I worked as a human services specialist for the county, helping administer CalFresh, CalWORKs and Medi-Cal benefits. I have seen California’s safety net from the inside. What [recent CalMatters coverage highlighted](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/04/homelessness-california-preventing-fighting-dark/?ref=smdp.com) is not simply a data problem — it is a governance failure.
That mother I tried to help was not “falling through the cracks.” The cracks were built into the system itself. Agencies operate in silos, each assuming the other has the answer. Meanwhile, the person in crisis remains stuck in the middle.
A [UC San Francisco study](https://homelessness.ucsf.edu/our-impact/studies/california-statewide-study-people-experiencing-homelessness?ref=smdp.com) found that a third of California’s unhoused adults were long term leaseholders who had been evicted, many for the first time. An eviction order increases the probability of [homelessness](https://calmatters.org/category/housing/homelessness/?ref=smdp.com) by more than 300%.
We understand the pathway into homelessness. What California still lacks is a coordinated system designed to interrupt it before families lose housing.
Thanks to my work, I see the issue clearly: California funded multiple rounds of homelessness prevention programs without requiring measurable outcome reporting tied to continued investment.
When it comes to project management, no responsible organization would continue approving phase after phase of funding without evidence that prior phases produced results. Yet California distributed billions through the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program while failing to build consistent statewide accountability measures.
The California Interagency Council on Homelessness was intended to serve as the oversight layer. In 2021, it was directed to collect statewide homelessness program data. It completed one report, [then largely disappeared from public visibility](https://information.auditor.ca.gov/reports/2023-102.1/index.html?ref=smdp.com), as a scathing state audit found three years ago.
That is not effective governance. It is the appearance of governance.
California has focused heavily on outputs, such as dollars distributed, shelter beds funded and services launched. But outputs are not outcomes. The real question is whether people remained housed six or 12 months later. Too often, the state has labeled activity as success.
Frontline workers did not create this problem. The failure happened upstream in the design of the system itself.
[Senate Bill 1160](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca%5F202520260sb1160?ref=smdp.com), which would require county courts to report eviction outcomes by ZIP code, is an important step and should pass. But data alone will not fix a governance design problem.
California must require measurable outcome reporting as a condition of continued homelessness prevention funding. The interagency council must function as an active oversight body with real authority and accountability. Most importantly, the state must treat the person in crisis as the unit of measurement, not simply the dollar distributed.
At some point that mother stopped calling. I do not know whether she kept her housing, entered a shelter or became homeless. The system didn't require anyone to track the answer.
That is the real cost of operating without accountability.
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/05/california-homelessness-spending-governance-failure/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Newsom’s unbalanced budget faces strong pushback for spending cuts. Will lawmakers back him?
URL: https://www.smdp.com/newsoms-unbalanced-budget-faces-strong-pushback-for-spending-cuts-will-lawmakers-back-him/
Last updated: 2026-05-27T22:27:33.000Z
By [Dan Walters](https://calmatters.org/author/dan-walters/?ref=smdp.com), CalMatters
This commentary was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
Gavin Newsom is trying to finish his governorship on a high note, claiming he has written “a balanced budget structurally for 18 months” that would give his successor some breathing room.
The word “structurally” is the key feature Newsom is touting because for the past four years, after he and the Legislature raised spending on an erroneously expansive revenue projection, budgets have spent a total of $125 billion more than the state's real revenues, according to the Legislature’s budget analyst, Gabe Petek.
It is [what budget junkies term a “structural deficit,”](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/02/newsom-spending-california-chronic-deficit/?ref=smdp.com) meaning spending commitments are more than the revenue system can cover. Newsom is now claiming that with a recent surge in revenues and some belt-tightening, his 2026-27 budget is now structurally sound.
However, the numbers he presents say otherwise.
His [$349.4 billion budget](https://ebudget.ca.gov/budget/m/2026-27/BudgetSummary?ref=smdp.com) projects that the state will take in $226.5 billion in general fund tax revenues during the fiscal year that begins July 1 but would spend $246.6 billion, a $20 billion gap that’s somewhat smaller than those of recent years but still a structural deficit.
A short-term revenue spike, some spending reductions, some borrowing and the usual mix of other “solutions” would cover the shortfall, but even so, the budget acknowledges that long-term deficits still loom, although perhaps smaller than previous estimates.
Petek says the budget [still leaves the state “ill-prepared”](https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5187?ref=smdp.com) for even a small hiccup in revenues.
Newsom is obviously proud of what he has wrought, saying “We’re cutting deficits but not cutting corners.” However, as the June 15 constitutional deadline for passing a budget looms, he and legislators are facing widespread resistance to the budget’s reductions, particularly in education and health and welfare services for the poor and disabled, and to an unwillingness to cover additional cuts in federal aid for those programs.
Scarcely a day passes without some demonstration or other event staged by advocates to pressure the Capitol’s politicians to make their programs whole. And more pressure is coming from powerful education groups because Newsom is holding back some school funds that the constitution requires to be paid.
Last week, for example, the California School Boards Association and a coalition of school unions and other education groups staged a rally on the Capitol steps, demanding Newsom and legislators give schools their designated state aid, reminding them that it’s “a matter of law, not a suggestion that can be discarded when it becomes inconvenient for policymakers,” as the school boards’ president, Debra Schade, put it.
“Yet, for the third consecutive year, the administration has proposed manipulating the Proposition 98 minimum funding guarantee instead of fully honoring it. Once we open the door to the idea that Proposition 98 can be manipulated whenever the state faces fiscal pressure, we fundamentally weaken the protections voters deliberately put in place for California students.”
Healthcare advocates are equally adamant. For example, backers of dental care for poor children released a report saying that “Upwards of 1.2 million low-income California children could lose access to dental healthcare if Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed Medi-Cal dental cuts are enacted.”
Meanwhile, supporters of Newsom’s expansion of pre-kindergarten education and childcare are complaining that “the governor is cutting all childcare and pre-K programs by 2% in real spending,” adding, “After championing young children, family supports for several years, the governor's reversal is odd ... in light of his presidential ambitions.”
The Legislature’s supermajority Democrats are obviously sympathetic to the complaints flooding their offices, even to the extent of raising taxes. However, Newsom also doesn’t want to leave after imposing a big increase in taxes.
We’ll soon learn whether legislators will anger advocates of programs they’ve proudly supported to support a lame duck governor who is obviously plotting a run for the White House.
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/05/unbalanced-budget-cuts-newsom-california/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Matthew Perry's assistant gets more than 3 years in prison for central role in his ketamine death
URL: https://www.smdp.com/matthew-perrys-assistant-gets-more-than-3-years-in-prison-for-central-role-in-his-ketamine-death/
Last updated: 2026-05-27T22:26:17.000Z
By ANDREW DALTON AP Entertainment Writer
Matthew Perry's live-in personal assistant, who had a central role in the "Friends" actor's descent into ketamine addiction and injected him with a fatal dose of the drug, was sentenced Wednesday to three years and five months in prison, bringing an end to the legal saga surrounding the death of one of the biggest TV stars of his generation.
"You were privy to his struggle with addiction," said Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett, who handed down the sentence to the 60-year-old Kenneth Iwamasa in federal court in Los Angeles. "Your conduct was reckless, not just on the day of his death but in the days leading up to his death."
Iwamasa was the last person sentenced of the five who pleaded guilty in the investigation and prosecution that followed Perry's death at age 54 on Oct. 28, 2023\. The group included corrupt doctors and a major street dealer, "Ketamine Queen" Jasveen Sangha, whose 15-year sentence was the only one longer than Iwamasa's.
The assistant was constantly at Perry's side in his final days, acting as the actor's enabler, drug messenger and de facto doctor. He was the last person to see Perry alive, and he was the one who found him dead in his Jacuzzi. He would eventually become prosecutors' most important informant.
How much blame for an assistant to an addict?
Wednesday's nearly three-hour hearing was largely a debate between lawyers for both sides, the judge and Perry's loved ones over the level of responsibility that can be put on the employee of a powerful person when addiction is in the mix.
"His loyalty to Mr. Perry was paramount," Iwamasa's lawyer, Alan Eisner, told the judge. "He worshipped Mr. Perry, he looked up to Mr. Perry. All he did was please and accommodate Mr. Perry."
Eisner argued for a six-month prison term with six months of home confinement.
"Mr. Perry was not blameless," the lawyer said. "Nobody likes to hear that."
When Eisner said Iwamasa was unable to act differently than he did, the judge cut him off and said: "Unwilling. Not unable. He could have said no."
Perry's mother and sisters made it clear in letters to the judge that there is no one, not even Perry himself, who they blame for his death more than Iwamasa — a longtime friend they thought would help the actor maintain sobriety.
Perry's stepfather, longtime "Dateline" journalist Keith Morrison, spoke for the family at the sentencing.
"We really felt that he was part of the family," Morrison said. "We trusted him implicitly."
Morrison acknowledged the power imbalance, but said Iwamasa still had a choice.
"You did the injections. You could have made the phone call," he said. "But you didn't. Because you were living a dandy life." He added, "You were in control of one of the most famous people in the world."
'The monster that killed him'
Lisa Ferguson, Perry's business manager for most of his career and now his estate executor, painted a darker picture, saying Iwamasa deliberately drove out everyone else surrounding Perry, including sober-living companions and medical workers, to shore up his own power and influence. She angrily said he used Perry's addiction to his own advantage.
"What you are is the monster that killed him," Ferguson said. She said he had shown "not a shred of guilt or remorse" since Perry's death, and that he ought to "rot in prison."
"Matthew deserved to live," she said. "You don't."
Iwamasa looked right at Morrison and Ferguson throughout their remarks, and made the unusual move of facing Perry's family and friends in the audience when he spoke.
"I'm horribly, horribly sorry, and I offer my condolences to you," he said. "I'm just so sorry to have done these illegal acts that I will forever regret."
Iwamasa wore a charcoal-gray suit, with his long white hair combed back. He had no visible reaction to the sentence. His father and brother sat in the audience with other supporters.
Iwamasa comes clean to police, faces the spotlight
Perry had hired Iwamasa in 2022, and he was paying him $150,000 a year. The broad criminal investigation began not long after Iwamasa returned from running errands to find Perry dead. The LA County Medical Examiner found that ketamine was the primary cause of death. Drowning was a secondary cause.
At first, Iwamasa lied to police and got rid of evidence of ketamine use. But after investigators served a search warrant on the house in January of 2024, he began coming clean. By that August he had pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death.
That came quietly before any Perry-related indictments were announced, and Wednesday was Iwamasa's first time under the intense public spotlight surrounding the case. He stood in front of dozens of cameras outside the courthouse as Eisner spoke for him, saying that the sentence was excessive and didn't reflect the dynamic between the two men.
"One person had the power. One person had no power," the lawyer said.
Morrison said outside court he was satisfied that the family could get the sentencing behind them.
But, he added, "It doesn't change the fact that we've lost him, that he's dead, and that my wife is broken."
The sentence was exactly what prosecutors sought, though Garnett disagreed with them on the details. She found Iwamasa did not abuse a position of trust, which could've brought more prison time, saying that category was generally reserved for professionals and experts. She found that he had not benefited financially from the crime, though acknowledged he did from the relationship with Perry.
She also told Iwamasa, "there is no hard evidence that you acted with malicious intent, though some would disagree."
His sentence also included a $10,000 fine and two years of probation. He was ordered to return to go to prison on July 17.
Perry became a major TV star along with Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow on "Friends," NBC's megahit sitcom that ran from 1994 to 2004.
### Billionaire Tom Steyer's ad spending breaks records in California governor's race
URL: https://www.smdp.com/billionaire-tom-steyers-ad-spending-breaks-records-in-california-governors-race/
Last updated: 2026-05-27T22:23:26.000Z
By MICHAEL R. BLOOD AP Political Writer
Win or lose, billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer will leave a mark in the history books in his bid to become California's next governor — he's running the most expensive political advertising campaign in the country this year.
Steyer — a former hedge fund manager turned liberal activist — has spent or booked more than $195 million in ads for broadcast TV, cable and radio with the tally still growing, according to data compiled by advertising tracker AdImpact.
His torrent of ads has opened the one-time presidential candidate to criticism that he is trying to buy the governor's chair, and his ad total represents more than 20 times the amount spent by his nearest rival, fellow Democrat Xavier Becerra, as the two duel for a spot in the November election.
Nationally, his spending is unparalleled — no one is even close.
In Georgia, Republican health care executive Rick Jackson has spent about $83 million on advertising in his primary race for governor, which is headed for a June runoff, ranking him second. The third place spot is held by his Republican rival, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who has President Donald Trump's endorsement and has spent nearly $31 million on ads, according to AdImpact.
Following Jones was Democratic U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, who spent over $28 million on advertising in a failed bid for U.S. Senate.
Trying to 'buy the governor's office?'
Katie Porter, a former U.S. House member who is among seven established Democrats in the California race, has repeatedly criticized Steyer for dipping into his personal fortune to keep ads in front of voters with scant competition from rivals.
"He's not earning support — he's buying this seat," her campaign wrote in an email to supporters Wednesday.
In raw numbers, Steyer's ad blitz has eclipsed the 2010 record set by Republican Meg Whitman, who spent $178.5 million in total on a losing bid for governor, much of it her own money. At the time, it was the costliest campaign for statewide office in the nation's history. When adjusted for inflation, however, Whitman still holds the state record, but that represented spending for the full election, not just the primary.
A crowded field with no clear leader
Steyer's record-level output has lifted him into contention in the crowded race, but he's not breaking away from the field. He's among a leading group of several candidates — including Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton — as the campaign heads toward a June 2 primary. Mail voting started earlier this month.
Still, Steyer's cash advantage is giving him a publicity edge as the contest enters its crucial final days. He's maintained a steady flow of advertising and online posts questioning Becerra's credentials and record, with Becerra, a former state attorney general and Biden administration health secretary, lacking the funds to reply in kind.
One Becerra ad sought to connect with voters who might be getting bleary-eyed from the cascade of Steyer advertising. It used tranquil scenes of Joshua trees, waves curling on a beach and soaring redwoods, with a gentle prod: "You can stop the endless Tom Steyer ads. Vote Xavier Becerra."
Steyer's financial edge has allowed him to stretch the boundaries of his campaign far beyond traditional TV and radio ads, with steady posts on online platforms like YouTube and Instagram. The New York Times reported that his campaign paid a progressive Texas influencer $100,000 to help Steyer win the election. The Sacramento Bee reported that Becerra, too, had hired an influencer.
In a statement, Steyer spokesperson Kevin Liao did not directly address the campaign's spending but pointed to millions of dollars pumped into ads by independent groups backed by Pacific Gas and Electric Co., real estate agents and others seeking to defeat the billionaire, who has promised to "break up the electric monopolies in California."
Speaking to reporters Wednesday in Berkeley, Steyer defended his spending in the race, saying he was fighting against powerful corporate interests that are driving up the price of living in the state.
"The corporations and billionaires have spent a record amount against me," Steyer said. "I'm only working for the people of California."
Many voters have been slow to vote in a race without a star candidate and no clear leader. More than 50 names will be on the ballot. California uses a "top two" primary system that puts all candidates on one ballot, with only the top two vote-getters advancing to November, regardless of party.
"In a race this close, it all matters," said Democratic consultant Andrew Acosta.
Money doesn't always make the difference
History shows that money doesn't always translate into votes.
Billionaire developer Rick Caruso spent over $100 million in 2022 in his bid to become Los Angeles mayor, much of it his own money, but he was handily defeated by Mayor Karen Bass, who spent a fraction of Caruso's total. Billionaire former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg spent more than $1 billion of his own money on his 2020 presidential bid before dropping out. And Steyer's money was unable to lift him into contention in the 2020 presidential contest, from which he dropped out early in the year after a poor finish in the South Carolina primary.
Democratic San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan's campaign for governor was supported by independent committees bankrolled by millions of dollars from tech leaders and venture capitalists, yet he failed to gain traction in the race.
Steyer has never held elected office.
In a 2019 interview with The Associated Press, Steyer was asked what he would say to people who think he's trying to buy the presidency.
"I don't think that's possible," Steyer said at the time, before adding, "I'm never going to apologize for succeeding in business. That's America, right?"
The contest is unfolding as California struggles with a long-running homeless crisis, wildfire insurance shortages, projected budget shortfalls and housing costs that are out of reach for many working-class families. Voters, meanwhile, are saddled with growing everyday bills for groceries, utilities and gas.
The AdImpact data does not include ads on some popular streaming services, like Hulu and YouTube, or mail advertising.
### Wednesday, May 27, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/tuesday-may-26-2026-2/
Last updated: 2026-05-27T19:09:02.000Z
Experts are predicting a strong "El Niño" event for July of this year potentially developing into a "super" event that would last through 2027 with significantly above-average rainfall, coastal erosion, and higher temperatures.
Mostly cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High 64F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 64º/53º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 65º/55º
### FIRST UP
SMDP Photo
### College Board erupts over layoffs as financial crisis deepens
Accusations of anti-labor bias, a decade of poor financial stewardship and a leadership vacuum collided at Santa Monica College’s Board of Trustees May meeting...[READ](https://www.smdp.com/college-board-erupts-over-layoffs-as-financial-crisis-deepens/)
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### MORE NEWS
[West LA Medical Center Wins Newsweek’s Best Maternity Hospitals 2026Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center recognized by Newsweek as one of America’s best maternity hospitals for exemplary patient care and safety.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/west-la-medical-center-named-to-newsweeks-best-maternity-hospitals-2026-list/)
[Santa Monica Senator Advances 8 Bills on Insurance, Housing, ClimateState Sen. Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) advanced eight bills through the Senate Appropriations Committee, addressing insurance protections, mobile home rights, disaster relief, and energy affordability in California.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/sen-allen-advances-eight-bills-through-senate-appropriations-committee/)
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[18 years after California voters approved the bullet train, progress and finances are still stalledBy Dan Walters, CalMatters This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Construction of the 1,911-mile transcontinental railroad connecting California with the eastern half of the United States began in 1863, while the nation was engaged in a bloody civil war, and was completed sixSMDPCal Matters](https://www.smdp.com/18-years-after-california-voters-approved-the-bullet-train-progress-and-finances-are-still-stalled/)
[Foster Youth & Legal Ethics Bills Pass California AssemblyAssemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur advances AB 1967 and AB 2039 in California with bipartisan support, protecting foster youth and legal consumers while honoring Out Athlete Fund.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/zbur-advances-foster-youth-legal-ethics-bills-honors-lgbtq-sports-nonprofit/)
[Summer Fun Starts June 6 at Annenberg Beach HouseAnnenberg Community Beach House opens June 6 with free summer programming including Cardboard Yacht Regatta, PRIDE Swim, World Cup watch party, and daily pool access through Labor Day.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/annenberg-community-beach-house-unveils-summer-programming/)
[SMC Jazz Ensemble Honors Miles Davis & Coltrane CentennialsSanta Monica College Jazz Ensemble performs ‘Miles and Trane’ on June 1 at 7 p.m., celebrating the centennial of Miles Davis and John Coltrane with special guest trumpeter Clay Jenkins.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-jazz-ensemble-to-celebrate-miles-davis-john-coltrane-centennials-june-1/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/052726.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### Where Route 66 ends, a Santa Monica writer gives the Mother Road her own voice
URL: https://www.smdp.com/where-route-66-ends-a-santa-monica-writer-gives-the-mother-road-her-own-voice/
Last updated: 2026-05-27T19:00:00.000Z
A hundred years after Route 66 was commissioned to stitch a fractured country together, the highway that ends at the Santa Monica Pier has found a new chronicler — and, according to local author Crystal Sershen, the Mother Road has been doing most of the talking.
Sershen's debut book, "Dust & Dreams: Roadmap of the American Soul (A Memoir of the Mother Road, in Her Own Words)," was self-published in March in celebration of the [Route 66](https://www.smdp.com/bosch-wiper-blades-announces-route-66-grant-program/) centennial. The lyrical memoir is told entirely in the voice of the highway herself, tracing a century of American history through the travelers, towns and landscapes the road has carried.
For Sershen, the timing and the setting are inseparable. Route 66 was conceived in 1926 to "unify a country wild with potential and rife with injustice, splitting at the seams and trying to patch itself up with dreams, migrations, and movements," she said. "One hundred years later, that sounds all too familiar."
The book was born on the Santa Monica Pier, the day before Route 66's 99th birthday. Sershen's friend Frankie, who works at the pier's 66-to-Cali shack at the road's western terminus, was describing his own idea for a "Travels with Charley"-style memoir set along the highway.
"I cut him off," Sershen said. "'You know what would be a great idea? A really great idea would be to write the memoir of Route 66 — her story, from the Mother Road's own perspective, in her own words!'"
What came next, she said, was not a process of invention so much as transcription.
"I'm not kidding when I say she spoke to me," Sershen said. "From that moment on, she was beside me every step of the way. I knew her voice immediately. Her humor. What she'd seen and how she felt about it, over 100 years of tumultuous American history."
The structure, she said, "filed into my brain like slot machine symbols lining up a jackpot." Each decade of the road's life gets a main chapter. Towns along the route appear as the highway's "Earth Children," each with its own personality. "Scenic Detours" hitch rides with travelers real and imagined. Tributes go to roadside attractions, to the workers who kept the route alive, and to the natural beauty that makes the highway, in Sershen's phrase, "a kaleidoscopic destination of dreams."
"The chapters would be short: daytrips, not safaris," she said, "the idea being that you can open to any page, learn something, soak in a poetic moment, and take a piece of Route 66 along in your heart."
The book is illustrated throughout in full color by Venice artist Frank Strasser. The two worked seven days a week for a year to finish in time for the centennial — "without killing each other, I might add," Sershen said. "Though it was pretty close sometimes."
The themes, she said, are wanderlust, resilience, land, loss "and the sacredness of motion" — questions she sees mirrored in the city where the highway ends. Sershen has lived in Santa Monica since 2003, leaving twice and returning both times.
"The freedom and oneness with nature I feel living here is mirrored in the feeling you get out on the road — or in the air or on the sea — in the continual search for a home, a rightness, that very well may not exist," she said.
In the book, the road speaks of that ending herself. "I remember the first time I reached her edge, when the pavement met sand and salt, and the road simply…stopped," Mama Road says. "But the ocean, she kept going — into a different kind of Great Wide Open. And in that contrast — in that collision of journey and endlessness — I realized there is no end of the trail, and I was never meant to complete anyone. Only to deliver them here — to the place where questions meet water and fall quiet."
Santa Monica, the road says, is "my horizon daughter. My sunlit goodbye. She's where I end and everything else begins."
Sershen, who holds a BFA and MA from New York University, began her career as a story editor for Bravo, MTV and VH1 before moving into performance, audiobook narration and book editing. She has not yet traveled Route 66 end to end, though she has driven sections of it at different points in her life. This year, she will join the Route 66 Caravan led by Rhys Martin from Santa Monica to Amarillo, Texas.
The full Chicago-to-Santa Monica trip remains the goal, she said, "so I can end at home, where my heart is."
"Dust & Dreams" is available through Sershen's website, [crystalsershen.com](http://crystalsershen.com/?ref=smdp.com).
### College Board erupts over layoffs as financial crisis deepens
URL: https://www.smdp.com/college-board-erupts-over-layoffs-as-financial-crisis-deepens/
Last updated: 2026-05-28T01:41:38.000Z
Accusations of anti-labor bias, a decade of poor financial stewardship and a leadership vacuum collided at Santa Monica College’s Board of Trustees May meeting, as members traded sharp criticisms over mass layoffs while the institution’s financial reserves continued a four-year slide toward insolvency.
The board voted 6-2 to finalize the termination of 45 classified employees — custodians, administrative assistants, parking enforcement officers, tutors and other support staff — effective June 30, as the college grapples with a projected $14.7 million deficit heading into the 2026-27 fiscal year. The dissenting votes came from Trustees Margaret Quiñones-Perez and Rob Rader, who both condemned the board’s decade-long pattern of fiscal mismanagement and argued that the burden of the crisis was being placed squarely on the workers least responsible for creating it.
“We have had a crisis of leadership at every level in this college, including the board,” Trustee Rader said before casting his no vote. “And yet today we are taking decisions to place the costs of those decisions on the people that have the least responsibility for them, instead of having a fully shared pain amongst everybody.”
Trustee Quiñones-Perez went further, accusing a faction of her colleagues of being ideologically hostile to labor. “I can guarantee you that we have three very strong anti-labor board members, very strong,” she said. “I’m not going to sit here in silence and have them talk about taking away your health benefits, talk about cutting classes, talk about cutting salaries when it’s not done among themselves.”
The acrimony unfolded as the board also received a third-quarter budget report showing the college’s unrestricted general fund reserves are projected to fall to roughly $16.9 million by June 30, representing just 7.14% of total expenditures. The Chancellor’s Office recommends a minimum reserve ratio of 16.67%. The college’s reserves peaked at $43.9 million in 2021-22, bolstered by federal pandemic relief funds, and have declined every year since — a loss of more than $27 million, or roughly 61% of reserves, in four years.
Vice President of Business Administration Chris Bonvenuto, presenting the quarterly budget report, told the board that even with the recent actions factored in, the college’s revenues will continue to be outpaced by expenditures. He estimated the layoffs and restructuring measures approved Monday would generate approximately $8 million in savings, leaving a remaining gap of $6 million to $7 million that will still need to be addressed.
“Even with all we’ve done tonight, our revenues will still be outpaced by our expenditures,” Bonvenuto said. “The numbers are extremely high, and you have more work to do.”
The third-quarter budget report showed total projected revenues of $230.2 million against projected expenditures and transfers of $236.8 million, yielding an operating deficit of approximately $6.6 million after accounting for one-time revenue items including $2 million in state wildfire assistance, a $2.7 million transfer from the college’s auxiliary fund — which has now been depleted — and a $1 million donation from the SMC Foundation. Bonvenuto cautioned the board that none of those one-time sources would be available in the coming fiscal year.
Salary and benefit costs have been the primary drivers of the structural deficit. Combined academic and classified salaries have grown more than 20% since 2021-22, while benefits have increased 25% over the same period, adding nearly $40 million to the college’s expense base. Health and welfare costs have continued rising steeply, and the college projects a $553 million increase in retirement payouts this year alone as nearly 20 employees announce June retirements — roughly four times the typical annual retirement rate — triggering mandatory vacation and banked-hours payouts totaling approximately $1.1 million.
The wave of retirements added a pointed dimension to Monday’s debate. Faculty Association representative Peter Morse, who has attended board meetings since 2013, noted that the employees losing their jobs “are not the ones who caused” the financial crisis and criticized the administration for failing to act on years of warnings from constituent groups. “Despite years of calls from constituents for action to address structural issues at the college in a thoughtful, student- and employee-centered way, little was done to reimagine the college, to rebuild morale, or to assess where we wanted to be as an institution in one, five or 10 years,” Morse said.
He also challenged the board on the retirement-related compensation packages being funded even as classified workers were being let go, arguing there was still “little evidence” the administration was committed to the structural changes and metric-based planning needed for long-term stability.
Academic Senate President Vicenta Arrizon told the board she had pleaded for corrective action “at nearly every meeting” and warned that the structural deficit extends beyond the current crisis into the 2027-28 fiscal year. The Chancellor’s Office is currently monitoring the college against seven indicators of systemic fiscal distress, and Arrizon noted the college meets five of them — including negative spending trends and reserve levels below recommended thresholds.
The college previously eliminated approximately 70 classified staff and management positions as it confronted the now-$16.7 million projected deficit. However, those cuts were eventually reduced to the 45 discussed this month. Those earlier cuts followed $8.6 million in cost reductions already implemented for the current fiscal year, including a 5% reduction in class schedules and attrition-based position eliminations. This month’s action formalized the remaining terminations after an administrative law judge issued a proposed decision that the board adopted.
Among those terminated were custodians, switchboard operators, parking enforcement officers, English and math tutors, a plumber, a painter, a library assistant, research analysts and financial aid specialists. Several employees displaced colleagues with less seniority rather than accept termination outright, a common feature of classified layoff proceedings under California Education Code.
CSEA Chapter 36 representative Cindy Ordaz offered a sober tribute to the departing workers, noting that classified professionals had ratified a successor contract with personal pay reductions by a 91% margin — an act of solidarity, she said, aimed at preventing additional layoffs. “They are not the ones who created this fiscal crisis,” she said. “They just stepped up to help protect each other.”
Trustee Rader, in his floor remarks, attempted to introduce an amendment directing the college to voluntarily seek guidance from the Financial Crisis and Management Assistance Team, or FICMAT, as an alternative to the layoffs. The motion failed to receive a second.
Among those laid off and who addressed the board was Antonio Sanchez, an 11-year employee of the college’s grounds department who thanked the board for the opportunity to serve and asked to be considered for rehire when conditions improve.
Bonvenuto told the board the May budget revision from the state — which could reflect significantly higher-than-projected tax revenues — would inform the tentative budget presentation next month. He cautioned, however, that even under the most optimistic assumptions, any additional state funds would not close the structural gap entirely. The college’s final adopted budget is expected in September.
Board Chair Sion Roy, who voted in favor of all three personnel resolutions, offered a sober assessment as the meeting drew to a close.
“There is nothing positive that comes from this from a human perspective,” Roy said. “My only hope is that this provides at least some clarity in the short term, though I know it’s clarity on the backs of people who have long sacrificed for the college.”
editor@smdp.com
### GigXR Adds Conversational AI to HoloPatient, Announces Meta Quest Compatibility
URL: https://www.smdp.com/gigxr-adds-conversational-ai-to-holopatient-announces-meta-quest-compatibility/
Last updated: 2026-05-26T21:00:57.000Z
GigXR, Inc., a global leader in holographic healthcare training, announced a transformative evolution of its flagship application, HoloPatient. The company is integrating advanced Conversational AI into the platform while officially declaring the application's availability on Meta Quest headsets.
Since its inception, HoloPatient has been a standard for volumetric video-based learning, allowing students to observe and diagnose lifelike holographic patients. By introducing Conversational AI, GigXR moves beyond observation into active engagement.
Learners can now speak directly to the holographic patient, practicing critical soft skills including patient history taking by asking nuanced questions to uncover symptoms, developing bedside manner with empathy and communication clarity in high-pressure scenarios, and exercising clinical reasoning by receiving real-time, contextually accurate responses from the AI-driven patient.
The update preserves existing features educators trust while adding a layer of interactive realism that was previously impossible. The impact is already being felt in the classroom at the University of Georgia, where students working with the AI-enhanced HoloPatient are rethinking what's possible in clinical training.
"What stood out most was not simply that students learned to use the technology quickly, but that the experience fundamentally shifted how they viewed AI and XR in healthcare," said Michael Fulford, assistant dean for institutional effectiveness and strategic initiatives and director of faculty affairs at the University of Georgia. "Students reported feeling more confident, less anxious about emerging technologies, and more prepared to work in increasingly digital healthcare environments. That combination of engagement, confidence-building, clinical imagination, and workforce readiness is exactly why XAIR (extended reality infused with AI) represents such a powerful direction for the future of health professions education."
While HoloPatient has been accessible on Meta's Quest platform, GigXR is now formally announcing its official support for the hardware. The expansion is intended to make clinical simulation more accessible and affordable for institutions globally.
"Our mission has always been to provide the most immersive, effective training tools to the next generation of healthcare professionals," said David King Lassman, CEO of GigXR. "By combining the power of Conversational AI with the accessibility of the Meta Quest headset, we are removing barriers to high-fidelity simulation and providing a level of engagement that truly prepares learners for the complexities of real-world patient care."
The dual announcement marks a milestone in GigXR's technical roadmap. By leveraging generative AI technologies, GigXR continues to solidify its position as an innovator in the XR healthcare space as the company continues to engage in strategic conversations with the investment community.
GigXR is a provider of holographic healthcare training software. Its flagship product, the Gig Immersive Learning Platform, delivers a catalog of XR training applications developed in partnership with medical institutions.
For more info, visit: [www.gigxr.com](https://www.gigxr.com/?ref=smdp.com)
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Tuesday, May 26, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/tuesday-may-26-2026/
Last updated: 2026-05-26T19:12:13.000Z
Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High near 65F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 65º/56º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 65º/54º
### FIRST UP
Pier: Pacific Park amusement park opened in 1996 on the Santa Monica Pier. (Photo Credit: Cynni Murphy)
### Pacific Park marks 30 years on Santa Monica Pier with birthday light show
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier celebrates its 30th anniversary Tuesday...[READ](https://www.smdp.com/pacific-park-marks-30-years-on-santa-monica-pier-with-birthday-light-show/)
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### MORE NEWS
[18 years after California voters approved the bullet train, progress and finances are still stalledBy Dan Walters, CalMatters This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Construction of the 1,911-mile transcontinental railroad connecting California with the eastern half of the United States began in 1863, while the nation was engaged in a bloody civil war, and was completed sixSMDPCal Matters](https://www.smdp.com/18-years-after-california-voters-approved-the-bullet-train-progress-and-finances-are-still-stalled/)
[Foster Youth & Legal Ethics Bills Pass California AssemblyAssemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur advances AB 1967 and AB 2039 in California with bipartisan support, protecting foster youth and legal consumers while honoring Out Athlete Fund.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/zbur-advances-foster-youth-legal-ethics-bills-honors-lgbtq-sports-nonprofit/)
[Summer Fun Starts June 6 at Annenberg Beach HouseAnnenberg Community Beach House opens June 6 with free summer programming including Cardboard Yacht Regatta, PRIDE Swim, World Cup watch party, and daily pool access through Labor Day.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/annenberg-community-beach-house-unveils-summer-programming/)
[SMC Jazz Ensemble Honors Miles Davis & Coltrane CentennialsSanta Monica College Jazz Ensemble performs ‘Miles and Trane’ on June 1 at 7 p.m., celebrating the centennial of Miles Davis and John Coltrane with special guest trumpeter Clay Jenkins.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-jazz-ensemble-to-celebrate-miles-davis-john-coltrane-centennials-june-1/)
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[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184438/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
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### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[LA28 Launches Resilience Champions Fund in Los AngelesLA28 announces first eight grantees for Resilience Champions Fund, investing $100,000 each in Los Angeles nonprofits addressing wildfire, heat, and ocean resilience ahead of 2028 Olympics.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/la28-launches-resilience-champions-fund-names-first-eight-grantees/)
[SMMUSD Guarantees Community Access to School FacilitiesSMMUSD Board unanimously approved Resolution 25-66 affirming community access to school athletic fields, gyms, and play areas regardless of parcel tax or city agreements.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smmusd-board-affirms-community-access-to-school-facilities-in-unanimous-vote/)
[With so many candidates and options in California, when’s the right time to vote?By Kim Alexander, Special for CalMatters This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. There has been a lot of coverage about the crowded field of candidates seeking to become California’s next governor. It’s especially crowded because this is an open-seat contest, with noSMDPCal Matters](https://www.smdp.com/with-so-many-candidates-and-options-in-california-whens-the-right-time-to-vote/)
[Road Work Ahead: PCH & Topanga Canyon ClosuresCaltrans Palisades Fire recovery work continues on PCH and Topanga Canyon Boulevard May 25-31 in Malibu and Pacific Palisades with weekday lane closures 9 a.m.–3 p.m. No closures Memorial Day.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/weekly-road-and-lane-closures-on-pch-and-topanga-canyon-boulevard/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/052626.pdf?ref=smdp.com)
### West LA Medical Center named to Newsweek's Best Maternity Hospitals 2026 list
URL: https://www.smdp.com/west-la-medical-center-named-to-newsweeks-best-maternity-hospitals-2026-list/
Last updated: 2026-05-26T18:59:59.000Z
Newsweek has recognized Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center on its America's Best Maternity Hospitals 2026 list, one of 13 Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Southern California to receive the designation for exemplary patient care.
Newsweek partnered with Statista to identify the country's top maternity hospitals, noting that high-quality maternity care from pregnancy through birth and postpartum is key to the long-term health of newborns and women who give birth.
"This recognition from Newsweek holds special meaning for me, both as a maternal-child health nurse and as a healthcare leader," said Lilit Zibari, senior vice president and area manager. "It reflects not only Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center's commitment to clinical excellence, but a philosophy of care that honors the profound, life-shaping moments surrounding birth."
Zibari said the medical center strives to create an environment where "safety, dignity and compassion are inseparable" across pregnancy, delivery and the postpartum journey.
"I am incredibly proud to be part of a team that doesn't simply deliver babies, but safeguards beginnings — ensuring that every family feels seen, supported and empowered at one of the most meaningful times in their lives," she said.
Dr. Kirk Tamaddon, area medical director and chief of staff, called the recognition meaningful.
"Our physicians, nurses, midwives and support teams are deeply committed to providing safe, compassionate care for every family, from prenatal visits through delivery and recovery," Tamaddon said. "We're proud to help welcome new lives into the world while supporting the health and well-being of parents and babies in the communities we serve."
In addition to West Los Angeles Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente hospitals recognized for maternity care included Anaheim, Baldwin Park, Downey, Fontana, Irvine, Los Angeles, Ontario, Panorama City, Riverside, San Diego, South Bay and Woodland Hills medical centers.
The ranking is based on three factors: hospital quality metrics, including low rates of elective early deliveries and adherence to safety protocols; patient experience surveys drawn from publicly available data; and a nationwide online survey of health care professionals and hospital managers, including neonatal and perinatal doctors, nurses and midwives, who were asked to recommend leading maternity hospitals.
Statista publishes industry rankings and company listings with high-profile media partners through its data and business intelligence portal at[ ](http://statista.com/?ref=smdp.com)[statista.com](http://statista.com/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Sen. Allen advances eight bills through Senate Appropriations Committee
URL: https://www.smdp.com/sen-allen-advances-eight-bills-through-senate-appropriations-committee/
Last updated: 2026-05-26T19:00:00.000Z
State Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica, advanced eight proposals through the Senate Appropriations Committee, a key legislative hurdle that evaluates bills on fiscal merits.
"We remain undeterred in our efforts to improve affordability and consumer protections for Californians," Allen said. "From insurance to homeownership to utilities and beyond, we have plenty of work ahead of us to ensure the California Dream remains alive and attainable for working families up and down this state."
The bills cleared by the committee fall into three broad areas:
On insurance and risk reduction,[ ](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260SB1301&ref=smdp.com)[SB 1301](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260SB1301&ref=smdp.com) gives policyholders more time to find new coverage or remediate property before being dropped by their insurer.[ ](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260SB1209&ref=smdp.com)[SB 1209](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260SB1209&ref=smdp.com) strengthens the Department of Insurance's enforcement authority to push insurers to correct operational practices that harm policyholders.[ ](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260SB894&ref=smdp.com)[SB 894](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260SB894&ref=smdp.com) provides low-interest loans for home hardening and defensible space upgrades to improve fire resilience.
On mobile homeowner and disaster protections,[ ](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260SB1092&ref=smdp.com)[SB 1092](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260SB1092&ref=smdp.com) gives mobilehome park residents an opportunity to purchase their community in the event of a sale.[ ](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260SB1093&ref=smdp.com)[SB 1093](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260SB1093&ref=smdp.com) expands transparency, communication and resident rights after a disaster.[ ](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260SB1365&ref=smdp.com)[SB 1365](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260SB1365&ref=smdp.com) closes three loopholes in rent price gouging law exploited after the 2025 LA Fires and allows certain city attorneys to enforce anti-competitive business practice law.
On climate resilience and energy affordability,[ ](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260SB1180&ref=smdp.com)[SB 1180](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260SB1180&ref=smdp.com) details spending requirements and guidelines for the Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund.[ ](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260SB1233&ref=smdp.com)[SB 1233](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202520260SB1233&ref=smdp.com) limits unnecessary utility costs on ratepayers by scrutinizing investor-owned utilities' return on equity, the approved profit rate a utility is allowed to earn on its invested capital.
Each bill must receive a vote on the Senate floor by Friday, May 29, the deadline for measures to pass out of their house of origin.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Pacific Park marks 30 years on Santa Monica Pier with birthday light show
URL: https://www.smdp.com/pacific-park-marks-30-years-on-santa-monica-pier-with-birthday-light-show/
Last updated: 2026-05-26T10:00:51.000Z
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier celebrates its 30th anniversary Tuesday, marking three decades since amusement returned to one of Southern California's most recognizable oceanfront landmarks.
The park opened May 26, 1996, as the first amusement park on the pier since the 1930s, helping reestablish the boardwalk as a hub for seaside entertainment and community gathering. Today it draws visitors as part of a [pier](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-pal-to-host-6th-annual-rick-crocker-5k-on-may-21/) that welcomes more than 12 million people annually from around the world.
To mark the milestone, the park staged a birthday-themed lighting display on its world-famous Pacific Wheel, featuring "Happy Birthday" and 30th anniversary messaging along with celebratory imagery including a birthday cake. The signature light show illuminated the night sky 40 feet above the Pacific Ocean.
"Thirty years ago today, Pacific Park brought amusement back to the Santa Monica Pier," said Jeff Klocke, CEO of Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier.
Klocke pointed to several moments that have shaped the park's identity over three decades. The 1996 opening marked the beginning of a new era for the pier itself. The introduction of the world's first solar-powered Ferris wheel in 1998 established the park's identity as both innovative and uniquely tied to the California coast. A new Pacific Wheel and dramatic LED lighting package installed in 2008 elevated the ride into an internationally recognized visual icon for Los Angeles. In 2012, the Ferris wheel earned a Guinness World Record, further cementing its place in popular culture.
Equally meaningful, Klocke said, have been the park's longstanding community partnerships with organizations including Santa Monica PAL, Special Olympics Southern California and Make-A-Wish, along with countless local celebrations and family traditions that connect the park to the pier.
The numbers tell their own story. Since opening, Pacific Park has provided nearly 100 million rides on its 12 classic boardwalk attractions and welcomed more than 14 million riders on its solar-powered Ferris wheel. Along the way, it has served more than 4.5 million scoops of ice cream, brewed more than 4.1 million cups of coffee and dusted more than 3.6 million funnel cakes. Staff have also served 1,811,620 churros and spun more than 530,725 pieces of cotton candy.
Today the park offers 12 rides, 14 midway games, oceanfront dining at Snackville and beachside retail, all anchored by the Pacific Wheel, which remains the world's only solar-powered Ferris wheel. [Pacific Park](https://pacpark.com/?ref=smdp.com) bills itself as Los Angeles' only admission-free amusement park.
The anniversary celebration began several days before the official date with a community-focused Santa Monica Pier Locals' Night on May 21\. Klocke said starting with locals was intentional.
"Pacific Park exists because the Santa Monica Pier was preserved and supported by the community, so it felt important to begin the anniversary by saying thank you to the people who live here, work here and have supported the pier over the years," he said. "The Santa Monica Pier has always been more than a tourist destination — it's a gathering place and shared public space that generations of local families have helped shape."
The celebration continued through the weekend with the release of "Sp30tlights: 30 Years of Pacific Park," a three-part series highlighting defining milestones from the park's history.
Klocke said the park intends to keep evolving while preserving what has made it a fixture on the Southern California coast.
"Pacific Park is a reflection of the community that saved this pier and continues to shape its future," he said. "As we celebrate this milestone, we're proud of the memories created here and excited to continue evolving the experience for the next generation of guests."
Looking toward the park's 40th and 50th anniversaries, Klocke said the goal is to continue creating new experiences while preserving the nostalgia, accessibility and sense of community that have defined the destination.
"We want Pacific Park to remain a place where locals and visitors alike can come together to enjoy the oceanfront, celebrate milestones and experience a uniquely Southern California tradition for decades to come," he said.
Pacific Park is open daily on the Santa Monica Pier.
### 18 years after California voters approved the bullet train, progress and finances are still stalled
URL: https://www.smdp.com/18-years-after-california-voters-approved-the-bullet-train-progress-and-finances-are-still-stalled/
Last updated: 2026-05-25T20:32:25.000Z
By [Dan Walters](https://calmatters.org/author/dan-walters/?ref=smdp.com), CalMatters
This commentary was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
Construction of the 1,911-mile transcontinental railroad connecting California with the eastern half of the United States began in 1863, while the nation was engaged in a bloody civil war, and was completed six years later when its two legs were joined at Promontory Summit in Utah.
California’s bullet train project was launched in 2008 when [voters passed a $9.95 billion bond issue](https://ballotpedia.org/California%5FProposition%5F1A,%5FHigh-Speed%5FRail%5FBond%5FMeasure%5F%282008%29?ref=smdp.com) on promises that it would be completed by 2020, whisking passengers from one end of the state to the other.
Eighteen years later, an [initial segmen](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2025/08/california-high-speed-rail-strategy/?ref=smdp.com)[t](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2025/02/high-speed-rail-trump-train/?ref=smdp.com) in the San Joaquin Valley, linking a station near Merced with one near Bakersfield, is little more than a skeleton of concrete supports, dubbed Stonehenge by some critics, with no track, no trains and, therefore, no service.
It is a hot mess that’s contributing to California’s reputation for managerial incompetence — as a [recent episode of CBS network’s “60 Minutes”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Hm0%5F-bOB4Y&ref=smdp.com) underscored. The program’s interviews with project officials ripped open their inability to explain how and when the bullet train would be completed.
Oddly, as the project’s financial viability has shriveled, Gov. Gavin Newsom, [once highly critical](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2025/02/high-speed-rail-trump-train/?ref=smdp.com), has become its most visible champion, staging media events to tout even its tiniest advances.
Twelve years ago, while serving as lieutenant governor, Newsom was scornful. In a[ 2014 recorded interview](https://katv.com/news/nation-world/resurfaced-2014-video-shows-newsom-calling-high-speed-rail-dream-unlikely-in-our-lifetime?ref=smdp.com), he concluded, “The facts seem overwhelming that this project is not going to materialize in our lifetime.”
Five years later, in his first State of the State address, Newsom once again questioned the bullet train’s viability.
“Let’s be real,” [Newsom told legislators.](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2019/02/its-time-to-derail-the-train-to-nowhere/?ref=smdp.com) “The project as currently planned would cost too much and take too long. There’s been too little oversight and not enough transparency. Right now, there simply isn’t a path to get from Sacramento to San Diego, let alone from San Francisco to L.A.”
Newsom’s remarks were widely interpreted as him wanting to pull the plug. But after construction unions and other advocates pushed back, he insisted he wanted to see the project become reality, with a lengthened the San Joaquin Valley segment.
Last February, his cheerleading took him to Kern County to [celebrate a small supportive project](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/G6ZuAoMHxSQ?ref=smdp.com).
"Here on the high-speed rail system, we’re now in the process of starting to lay track, 119-mile first phase, fully funded because of the investments we’ll make through the cap-and-invest program through 2045,” he said.
“Seventeen hundred people every single day — union jobs — go to work on this project. Fifty-eight large-scale structures have been completed; 29 others under way; 99% of the environmental work done. All of the hard work is behind us. Now we’re going to see the fruits of that. We’re going to start seeing precisely what you see here, real tracks, real progress.”
All of the hard work done? Not by a long shot.
At best, it will take another six years — the same time span of the transcontinental railroad — before trains are carrying passengers, and that would only be between stations near two rural cities. Moreover, to get that far the project must borrow construction money by pledging its $1 billion a year from emission auctions.
The saga’s latest chapter is [a new “business plan,”](https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-HSR-Draft-Business-Plan-02282026.pdf?ref=smdp.com) pegging the cost of linking San Francisco to the Los Angeles area by 2040 at $126 billion.
In response, the Legislative Analyst’s Office [issued a critique](https://lao.ca.gov/handouts/transportation/2026/High-Speed-Rail-Draft-2026-Business-Plan-042726.pdf?ref=smdp.com) that listed the plan’s shortcomings, concluding that it didn’t meet state law requirements for transparency on costs and other points.
The project was a mess when Newsom became governor; it will be a mess for his successor and it will probably be a mess when the next governor departs.
The old saying about beating a dead horse and hoping it will revive comes to mind.
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/05/bullet-train-progress-stalled-california/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Zbur Advances Foster Youth, Legal Ethics Bills, Honors LGBTQ+ Sports Nonprofit
URL: https://www.smdp.com/zbur-advances-foster-youth-legal-ethics-bills-honors-lgbtq-sports-nonprofit/
Last updated: 2026-05-25T19:00:00.000Z
Democratic Caucus Chair and Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur, D-Hollywood, marked a productive week in the California State Assembly with the passage of two bills addressing foster youth stability and legal ethics reform, and the recognition of an LGBTQ+ sports nonprofit as the 51st Assembly District's 2026 Nonprofit of the Year.
Assembly Bill 1967, which would help foster youth access critical services and housing support, passed the Assembly with bipartisan support and zero opposing votes. Sponsored by the Alliance for Children's Rights and California Coalition for Youth, the bill requires more timely investigations when young people independently seek help from the child welfare system and removes barriers preventing former foster youth from reentering extended foster care when their adoptive parent or legal guardian is no longer providing financial support — even if that adult continues collecting benefits on the youth's behalf.
"For many youth in foster care, extended foster care can be the difference between stability and homelessness," Zbur said. "These young people are often navigating homelessness, unsafe living situations, unemployment, mental health challenges, and disruptions to education or healthcare all at once."
California extended foster care services to youth ages 18 to 21 in 2010, but youth who exited through adoption or guardianship often face significant challenges reentering the system when those placements become unsafe. Current law can prevent young adults from accessing services if an adoptive parent or guardian continues receiving Adoption Assistance Program or Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment benefits.
Kristin Power, vice president of policy and advocacy for the Alliance for Children's Rights, said the bill "addresses the vulnerability youth can experience by connecting them to the support they need to thrive." Jevon Wilkes, executive director of the California Coalition for Youth, said the state's safety net is "fraying, leaving young people at risk of temporary homelessness becoming a lifetime of homelessness."
Also clearing the Assembly with bipartisan support and no opposing votes was AB 2039, legislation targeting illegal client solicitation, protecting whistleblowers and increasing transparency in attorney-client financial agreements. Sponsored by Consumer Attorneys of California, the bill requires mandatory summary disbarment proceedings for felony illegal capping convictions, prohibits retaliation against whistleblowers who report attorney misconduct, and requires clear, separate agreements for attorney-client loans.
Recent Los Angeles Times reporting detailed allegations of unethical attorney conduct, including illegal client solicitation schemes targeting vulnerable individuals. While practices such as illegal client referrals, commonly known as "capping," are already prohibited, inconsistent enforcement has allowed misconduct to persist.
"Californians deserve a legal system that operates with integrity, transparency, and accountability," Zbur said. "AB 2039 strengthens protections for consumers, cracks down on unethical conduct that undermines public trust in the legal profession, and helps ensure bad actors cannot continue exploiting vulnerable people for financial gain."
Doug Saeltzer, president of Consumer Attorneys of California, called the vote a clear message that "accountability in the legal profession is not optional."
Both bills now move to the Senate.
Zbur also announced the Out Athlete Fund as the 2026 Nonprofit of the Year for the 51st Assembly District, recognizing the organization during the State Assembly's annual California Nonprofits Day celebration. CEO Michael Ferrera and Olympic figure skater Randy Gardner, an Out Athlete Fund ambassador, represented the organization in Sacramento.
The Out Athlete Fund supports LGBTQ+ athletes through financial assistance, educational outreach, advocacy and event programming. The group is leading efforts to organize Pride House Los Angeles–West Hollywood for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
"During the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Pride House LA/West Hollywood will be the largest LGBTQ+ celebration ever, spanning the full 17 days of the games," Ferrera said.
Zbur said the nonprofit plays a critical role "at a time when LGBTQ+ athletes — especially transgender athletes — continue to face discrimination and political attacks."
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Annenberg Community Beach House unveils summer programming
URL: https://www.smdp.com/annenberg-community-beach-house-unveils-summer-programming/
Last updated: 2026-05-25T19:00:00.000Z
The Annenberg Community Beach House will offer a full slate of summer events beginning Saturday, June 6, including returning community favorites, new craft and game activations, a World Cup watch party and daily poolside recreation.
Programming opens June 6 from 5 to 8 p.m. with internet radio station dublab returning for Ocean of Sound, a curated evening of restorative listening for ages 18 and older. The free event requires an early RSVP.
The 14th annual all-ages Cardboard Yacht Regatta returns Saturday, June 13, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with two-person teams racing themed cardboard and duct tape yachts across the historic pool. Spectators attend free; participants must pre-register for $20 per team.
The historic heated pool opens for daily recreational swimming Sunday, June 14, through Labor Day, Sept. 7\. Hours are noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday, with Labor Day hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Celebrating SaMo Pride, the PRIDE Sunset Swim returns Friday, June 26, from 6 to 9 p.m., offering a queer, judgment-free space for ages 18 and older with crafts by Lavendar Art Club, pool floaties and s'mores.
A World Cup Fun & Watch Party will be held Thursday, June 25, from 6 to 9 p.m., with soccer-inspired activities, crafts and games for all ages plus livestreaming of the Türkiye vs. USA and Paraguay vs. Australia matches.
All-ages Sunset Picnics in the courtyard run from 5 to 8 p.m. on June 18, July 16 and Aug. 13\. The June 18 edition features a Route 66 theme with trivia, crafts and music. Later dates include s'mores and live musical duos. The events are free, but RSVPs are encouraged. A new Sand & Sea Room Fun activation offering crafts and games for all ages will run from 3 to 5 p.m. on those same dates.
Additional Sunset Swims for ages 18 and older take place July 10 and 24 and Aug. 7 and 21 from 6 to 9 p.m.
Queer Surf's 2nd Annual Art Splash takes place Sunday, July 26, from 5 to 8:30 p.m. The annual Community Picnic is Thursday, July 30, from 5 to 8 p.m. Santa Monica Public Library at the Beach returns Friday, Aug. 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Summer recreation classes include stand-up paddleboard, floating fitness, yoga, youth volleyball camps, swim lessons and Camp Bounce.
More information:[ ](https://annenbergbeachhouse.com/?ref=smdp.com)[annenbergbeachhouse.com](https://annenbergbeachhouse.com/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### SMC Jazz Ensemble to celebrate Miles Davis, John Coltrane centennials June 1
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-jazz-ensemble-to-celebrate-miles-davis-john-coltrane-centennials-june-1/
Last updated: 2026-05-25T19:00:00.000Z
The Santa Monica College Jazz Ensemble will present a live concert celebrating the centennial year of Miles Davis and John Coltrane on Monday, June 1, at 7 p.m. in the Music Hall at the[ ](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com)[SMC Performing Arts Center](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com), 1310 11th St. at Santa Monica Boulevard.
Directed by Frederick Keith Fiddmont, the ensemble will perform "Miles and Trane," a program featuring works by Davis and Coltrane, two of the most influential musicians of the modern era. Both legends were born in 1926.
The ensemble will host special guest trumpeter Clay Jenkins, who has performed with Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich, Count Basie and Joe LaBarbera. Jenkins is a founding member of the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and has served on the faculty of the Eastman School of Music for more than 20 years.
Tickets are $10 general admission, plus a modest service charge, and are free for all students with a valid student ID. Advance tickets can be purchased at[ ](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/tickets](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com) or by calling 310-434-3005, Monday through Friday during limited hours. Tickets may also be purchased starting 45 minutes before the performance at The Broad Stage Box Office at the SMC Performing Arts Center. Free parking is available on premises, and seating is on a first-arrival basis.
The concert is subject to change or cancellation without notice. More information is available by calling 310-434-4323.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### The CalPERS gamble: Why the push to invest in private equity alarms public employees
URL: https://www.smdp.com/the-calpers-gamble-why-the-push-to-invest-in-private-equity-alarms-public-employees/
Last updated: 2026-05-25T17:00:16.000Z
By Devara Berger, Special for CalMatters
[CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
Public employees’ retirement security depends on the integrity of the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS). However, its CEO, Marcie Frost, is steering the fund into a high-stakes gamble on private equity and private credit, pushing exposure toward 17%. While Frost [frames this as a turnaround](https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/09/calpers-election-private-equity/?ref=smdp.com), a closer look reveals a pattern of misrepresentation and hidden fees designed to enrich Wall Street at the expense of Californians.
Facing low returns and a multibillion-dollar funding deficit, CalPERS shifted from stable traditional assets to an aggressive alternative model. This overhaul raised its private equity target allocation to 17% and established an 8% eventual target for its newly introduced private credit portfolio.
Unlike public stocks with transparent prices, private equity assets are valued by the managers who run them. Managers use internal formulas to estimate what a company *might* be worth, rather than what someone is actually willing to pay for it today.
By updating values infrequently, private equity managers "smooth out” market downs. This creates an illusion of stability, allowing Frost to report "strong" returns even when the broader economy struggles.
While high-risk markets can deliver notable gains, they come with substantial drawbacks. Chief among them is an alarming lack of transparency.
Labor coalitions and retirement associations recently pushed for transparency through [Senate Bill 1319](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca%5F202520260sb1319?ref=smdp.com), The Private Equity Sunshine Act. It would have mandated public benchmarking and asset disclosure.
CalPERS mounted an aggressive misinformation campaign to kill the bill. It claimed increased transparency would trigger billions of dollars in lost returns and necessitate sharp employee contribution hikes. This speculative and questionable narrative helped kill the bill. The result is CalPERS keeps members blind to structural risks until major losses arise.
Furthermore, Frost’s claims of outperformance are often built on shifting goalposts. CalPERS often compares private equity performance against specialized private stock indices rather than the S&P 500\. Over the last five years, simple, low-cost public index funds have frequently matched or beaten CalPERS' expensive private equity portfolio — without charging multibillion-dollar fees.
Then there's the fact that private equity valuations lag public markets by three to nine months. When the stock market crashes, private equity valuations stay artificially high for months. Frost often uses this window to claim "outperformance," effectively taking credit for a delay in bad news.
Frost has publicly stated that CalPERS wants more data from its partners and boasts how transparent CalPERS is. But at the same time, CalPERS continues to shield Limited Partnership Agreements from the public. The truth is, you can't have it both ways. These private agreements often contain hidden fee structures or terms that the public — even the CalPERS Board — never see.
What Frost doesn't discuss is that CalPERS adopted a “total portfolio” approach which depends heavily on private equity investments, an approach CalPERS is eager to protect.
CalPERS has created a massive wealth transfer from public servants to Wall Street. While Frost claims to have cut management fees, these "savings" are often eaten up by "carry" (or performance) fees and administrative costs that remain shielded**.**
If these mirage returns fail to materialize, it is the public employees who face potential benefit cuts or increased contribution requirements. Mediocre or huge losses don't bother Frost, who continues to collect huge bonuses and salary increases while CalPERS lags behind other [pension systems](https://calmatters.org/tag/pensions/?ref=smdp.com).
It [remains underfunded at 79%](https://calmatters.org/economy/2025/07/calpers-investment-gain-after-tariff/?ref=smdp.com) and carries $179 billion in unfunded pension liabilities.
Public employees are being told a story of "specialized approaches," but the reality is it faces high fees and returns that struggle to beat a basic index fund. When the person managing your money refuses to show you the contracts, it isn't "private" investing — it's a lack of accountability.
CalPERS members should demand full disclosure of all fee agreements. Our retirement security is too important to be left in the dark.
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/05/calpers-gamble-private-equity-california/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Monday, May 25, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/monday-may-25-2026/
Last updated: 2026-05-25T16:09:37.000Z
Good morning. It's Memorial Day, a tradition that originated as Decoration Day following the Civil War to honor soldiers killed in service by placing a flower on their graves. May was chosen because flowers should be blossoming all across the nation.
Our Memorial Day should be unexpectedly sunny and lovely.
Today ☀️ 66º/58º; Tomorrow 🌥️ 65º/57º
### FIRST UP
### Santa Monica Elks Lodge to host 84th Memorial Day ceremony at Woodlawn today at 11:30 a.m.
The public is welcome, and the program will include patriotic music, speakers and a wreath procession...[READ](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-elks-lodge-to-host-84th-memorial-day-ceremony-at-woodlawn/)
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[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184436/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
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### MORE NEWS
[LA28 Launches Resilience Champions Fund in Los AngelesLA28 announces first eight grantees for Resilience Champions Fund, investing $100,000 each in Los Angeles nonprofits addressing wildfire, heat, and ocean resilience ahead of 2028 Olympics.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/la28-launches-resilience-champions-fund-names-first-eight-grantees/)
[SMMUSD Guarantees Community Access to School FacilitiesSMMUSD Board unanimously approved Resolution 25-66 affirming community access to school athletic fields, gyms, and play areas regardless of parcel tax or city agreements.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smmusd-board-affirms-community-access-to-school-facilities-in-unanimous-vote/)
[With so many candidates and options in California, when’s the right time to vote?By Kim Alexander, Special for CalMatters This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. There has been a lot of coverage about the crowded field of candidates seeking to become California’s next governor. It’s especially crowded because this is an open-seat contest, with noSMDPCal Matters](https://www.smdp.com/with-so-many-candidates-and-options-in-california-whens-the-right-time-to-vote/)
[Road Work Ahead: PCH & Topanga Canyon ClosuresCaltrans Palisades Fire recovery work continues on PCH and Topanga Canyon Boulevard May 25-31 in Malibu and Pacific Palisades with weekday lane closures 9 a.m.–3 p.m. No closures Memorial Day.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/weekly-road-and-lane-closures-on-pch-and-topanga-canyon-boulevard/)
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Santa Monica SaMo Bridge Celebrates First Year SuccessSanta Monica’s SaMo Bridge diversion program connected 462 justice-involved individuals to housing and treatment in its first year, with 81% immediately placed in services.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-marks-first-year-of-samo-bridge-diversion-program/)
[Hilton and Becerra lead in new California governor poll. Steyer trails but isn’t outBy Dan Walters, CalMatters This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Two weeks from now we’ll probably know which of the 61 candidates for governor have finished 1-2 in the primary election and will face each other in November for the dubious honor ofSMDPCal Matters](https://www.smdp.com/hilton-and-becerra-lead-in-new-california-governor-poll-steyer-trails-but-isnt-out/)
[Free Mariachi Concert at Santa Monica College May 28Santa Monica College presents the SMC Mariachi Ensemble Los Corsarios in a free concert May 28 at 11:15 a.m. featuring regional Mexican folk music.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-mariachi-ensemble-los-corsarios-to-perform-free-concert-may-28/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://www.smdp.com/r/f4b9163c?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332)
### Weekly Road and Lane Closures on PCH and Topanga Canyon Boulevard
URL: https://www.smdp.com/weekly-road-and-lane-closures-on-pch-and-topanga-canyon-boulevard/
Last updated: 2026-05-26T15:38:09.000Z
Caltrans will continue Palisades Fire and recovery work along Pacific Coast Highway and Topanga Canyon Boulevard from May 25 through May 31, with no lane closures planned on either roadway through 11:59 p.m. Monday, May 25, due to the Memorial Day holiday.
Crews on PCH may set up single-lane closures anytime between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekdays. Planned closures are listed below, but additional closures may occur.
On Pacific Coast Highway from Temescal Canyon Road in Pacific Palisades to Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu, current conditions include a reduced 35 mph speed limit with cones and signage from Temescal Canyon Road to Sunset Boulevard. The stretch from Sunset Boulevard to Carbon Beach Terrace remains an active work zone subject to single-lane closures and 25 mph speed limits.
Potential lane closures in active work zones include the area south of Las Flores Canyon Road to Sunset Boulevard, where crews will repair fire-damaged roadway, drainage and electrical systems and conduct slope repairs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays as needed. Between Carbon Canyon Road and Las Flores Canyon Road, Southern California Edison electrical work will close one northbound lane from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and one southbound lane from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.
Other closures include catchment wall construction just south of Big Rock Drive, closing one northbound lane from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily; slope repair and culvert cleanup just south of Topanga Canyon Boulevard to Sunset Boulevard, reducing northbound traffic to one lane from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. as needed; retaining wall work near Getty Villa just south of Coastline Drive, closing one northbound lane from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily; and retaining wall work just north of Porto Marina Way, closing one northbound lane from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. as needed.
On Topanga Canyon Boulevard/State Route 27 from PCH to Grand View Drive, motorists are advised to remain alert, especially around blind curves. Traffic control for the 2026 Topanga Days Parade will run from 8 to 10 a.m. Monday, May 25\. One-lane traffic control will be in place at postmile 2.7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays for retaining wall drainage work. Crews continue retaining wall work behind k-rail between postmiles 2.5 and 2.8, where the speed limit is 15 mph. Verizon trenching work between PCH and postmile 1.8 will require one-lane control from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. weekdays.
On SR-27 from Old Topanga Canyon Road to Happy Trail, SCE electrical work will require one-lane traffic control from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. weekdays.
Closures are weather-permitting and subject to change. Fines can be doubled in a work zone. Motorists can view current traffic conditions on the Caltrans[ ](http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/?ref=smdp.com)[Quickmap](http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Turf wars won't keep locals off school fields
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smmusd-board-affirms-community-access-to-school-facilities-in-unanimous-vote/
Last updated: 2026-05-25T10:00:45.000Z
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution affirming the district's long-standing commitment to keep its athletic fields, gymnasiums, play areas and other facilities open to the community after school hours, regardless of the outcome of a pending parcel tax measure or the scheduled expiration of a key agreement with the city of Santa Monica.
Resolution No. 25-66 passed on a 7-0 vote. The resolution confirms that community access to district facilities will continue as a matter of district policy and state law. The commitment is not contingent on voter approval of the Excellent Santa Monica Public Schools Parcel Tax Measure on the Nov. 3, 2026, ballot, nor on the renewal of the Master Facilities Use Agreement between the district and the city, which is set to terminate June 30, 2027.
Chief Operations Officer Carey Upton, who presented the item, told the board the resolution was meant "to reaffirm both what the policy is, to clarify what came about to make it, and also to decouple a little bit." He said the practice of community use predates any formal arrangement and is grounded in California's Civic Center Act, which designates public school facilities as civic centers available for community purposes.
"The Master Facility Use Agreement did not create the practice of community use," Upton said. "But it did formalize it, and it funded around it."
Public concern has been raised that [community](https://www.smdp.com/jams-students-fight-the-civics-education-crisis-at-regional-expo/) access could be reduced or discontinued if the Master Facilities Use Agreement, known as the MFUA, is not renewed. The resolution is intended to address those concerns directly by separating the underlying access commitment from the financial agreement.
Lieberman, who requested that the item be placed on the agenda, said the goal was "to reassure people who are concerned and who haven't understood how this whole arrangement came into being, that regardless of whether a parcel tax happens or the MFUA, as it's currently constructed, goes away … the district's facilities are still going to be available in the ways that they have been."
Kean was more emphatic. "This isn't about money," he said. "This is about the school district saying, 'Hey, city, when you had the chance to build fields, you didn't do it … but we're building world-class facilities that y'all can come use, come swim in our pools, come play in our fields.'"
Rouse, who noted she lives in Malibu, said the resolution mattered regardless of the financial questions surrounding the MFUA. "We're committed as a district to make sure our families in both communities get our parks," she said. "Our budget is an ever-present concern and is overlapped in this issue, but is a separate issue from our commitment to making sure that our public grounds are doing that."
Smith, who seconded the motion, recalled her own experience as a parent in the district. "I was so, so, so grateful that the people of this community created this place where my kids had parks on the weekends," she said.
Mignano, who chaired the meeting, said the resolution reflected a broader principle. "Schools are the heart of the community," she said, "and so that's what we want to do here, and say, like, no matter what happens, we want to continue to make sure that our facilities are available to our community."
Day-to-day community use of district facilities is currently governed by four supplemental use agreements operating under the MFUA: the Playground Partnership, the John Adams Middle School agreement, the Lincoln Middle School agreement and CREST.
The Playground Partnership provides weekend and school-break access to elementary school play fields, play structures, courts, exercise paths and restrooms. Hours generally run from 9 or 10 a.m. until dusk on Saturdays, Sundays and weekdays during winter, spring and summer breaks. Use is limited to youth under 18 and families, with priority given to children 12 and under. Groups of 10 or fewer may use fields and courts without a permit; larger groups require city-issued permits.
The [John Adams Middle School](https://jams.smmusd.org/?ref=smdp.com) and Lincoln Middle School agreements operate in parallel. Both cover youth sports, camps, enrichment programs and field permitting, with access to volleyball courts, play fields, tracks, gymnasiums, outdoor courts and hardscape. Public access runs from 5 to 10 p.m. on weekday evenings during the school year, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays during school breaks, and from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends year-round. At each site, public field access is guaranteed for at least six hours per week.
CREST — short for Childcare, Recreation, Enrichment, Sports — Together — is a joint city-district after-school program established in 1999\. Under the agreement, CREST clubs are provided designated classrooms, homework rooms, library and computer lab access, office space and playground use.
The Playground Partnership applies to six elementary schools: Franklin, Roosevelt, McKinley, Rogers, Grant and Edison. CREST operates at seven elementary schools: Edison, Franklin, Grant, McKinley, Ocean Park, Rogers and Roosevelt. The middle school agreements cover John Adams and Lincoln.
The current MFUA, first negotiated in 2002 and extended in 2012 and again in 2022, provides roughly $12 million annually from the city's general fund — an amount Upton said is roughly equivalent to the cost of 73 teachers' salaries and benefits.
### LA28 launches Resilience Champions Fund, names first eight grantees
URL: https://www.smdp.com/la28-launches-resilience-champions-fund-names-first-eight-grantees/
Last updated: 2026-05-24T23:14:15.000Z
The LA28 Organizing Committee announced the inaugural cohort of its Resilience Champions Fund, a new initiative investing in local nonprofits working to build a more resilient Los Angeles. The fund is one pillar of the broader LA28 Resilience Champions Initiative, which will also drive pre-Games volunteerism in host communities.
The fund supports projects across three priority areas: wildfire resilience and nature restoration, ocean protection and cooling solutions. Projects target communities most affected by extreme heat, wildfire risk and environmental degradation.
"Resilience is built in communities and sustained through collective action," LA28 Chief Executive Officer Reynold Hoover said. "Through the LA28 Resilience Champions Fund, we're investing in local organizations leading solutions rooted in community, driven by ingenuity, and designed to protect the future of Los Angeles."
The first eight grantees, each receiving $100,000, are:
Active SGV will transform unused school space in El Monte into a cooling community asset with native shade trees, natural seating and play features. Amigos de los Rios will expand tree canopy and install green infrastructure near the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area. Chrysalis will deploy a trained resilience workforce to reduce wildfire risk in the Sepulveda Basin. Climate Resolve will convert a Boyle Heights basketball court into a climate-ready sports hub with a cool court and shaded seating, paired with youth training programs.
Conservation Corps of Long Beach will train young adults in coastal conservation by restoring wetlands, habitats and trails near the Long Beach Zone. The LA Community Garden Council will convert community gardens from Sunland-Tujunga to East Hollywood to South Los Angeles into resident-run cooling hubs. The Los Angeles Urban League will train youth from fire-affected areas in Pasadena and Altadena in wildfire resilience and green construction. The Santa Monica Mountains Fund will install a dense native micro-forest in Westwood, adjacent to the Olympic and Paralympic Village.
LA28 selected award recipients in collaboration with Community Partners and an advisory group of leaders from public, academic, nonprofit and philanthropic sectors, grounding decisions in community need and local expertise.
LA28 also introduced an official Resilience Champions emblem representing the three pillars of the initiative. Conceptually tied to land, water and the sun, the emblem reflects the natural elements that shape Los Angeles and signals collective responsibility and optimism for a more resilient future.
The grant period for the projects begins immediately.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### With so many candidates and options in California, when’s the right time to vote?
URL: https://www.smdp.com/with-so-many-candidates-and-options-in-california-whens-the-right-time-to-vote/
Last updated: 2026-05-24T17:00:42.000Z
#
By Kim Alexander, Special for CalMatters
This commentary was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
There has been a lot of coverage about the crowded field of candidates seeking to become California’s next governor.
It’s especially crowded because this is an open-seat contest, with no incumbent running. Also California conducts state elections under “open primary” rules where all candidates from all parties appear on the primary ballot, so voters can vote for any candidate they wish, regardless of the voter’s party preference.
In the general [election](https://calmatters.org/category/politics/elections/?ref=smdp.com) the top two vote-getters face off and may be of the same party. This has happened in the past. But what has never happened before is two Republicans running against each other statewide.
Democratic Party strategists [have been worrying about that](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/05/governor-poll-hilton-becerra-california/?ref=smdp.com). While party leaders have [pressured candidates with low polling numbers](https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/04/california-governor-race-yee/?ref=smdp.com) to bow out — which they technically can’t do because their names are on the ballot — others are [urging voters to “vote late](https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/democrats-governor-race-voting-strategy/?ref=smdp.com)” and wait to see if any candidates stand down their campaigns.
Regardless of how one feels about this situation, let’s stop saying “vote late” and instead say “vote close to Election Day.” That is exactly what I am planning to do.
This is a very fluid election, and I believe voting is precious, as do a lot of other people in our state.
There are few things worse than not voting. One is casting a vote-by-mail ballot and having it go uncounted because it arrives too late. Another is voting too early only to have your pick drop out of the race.
I am sympathetic to California voters who face this quandary. But we also face lateness problems with our elections: late arriving ballots can get rejected, and late election results determined days or weeks after Election Day can undermine voter confidence.
Gov. Gavin Newsom recently urged counties to “count faster,” but that is not where the problem lies. We are the problem, us voters.
We turn in ballots in envelopes on Election Day that take time and care to process and cannot be processed until after Election Day. Processing these ballots — which account for as much as a quarter of all ballots cast — creates a bottleneck I like to call “the pig in the python” effect. It prevents counties from doing other tasks they need to do to certify the results.
## **When is it smart to vote?**
Make a plan. Decide now when you want to vote. Here are some options, listed in order of my preference:
If you want to help speed up the vote count and see your results in totals on Election Night, then return your completed vote-by-mail ballot in-person to an official county ballot drop box, election office or voting site on or before May 30th, the Saturday before Election Day.
If you want to take as much time as possible, plan to vote in person on Election Day on June 2.
If you want to submit your ballot by mail, then plan to do that at least a full week before Election Day; that’s Tuesday, May 26\.
Saturday, May 30th is the sweet spot for me, because it provides more time and, for the first time, all county election offices will be open at least six hours that day. But that means deciding by Friday, May 29th who I am voting for.
In the meantime, I suggest you keep talking to friends, attending events, watching debates and engaging in social media discussions.
What we are seeing is a remarkable degree of interest, which is rare for a statewide non-presidential primary. Historically this type of election has the lowest voter turnout.
So take your time, but don’t wait too long. And if you vote a little early but still want something to do on Election Day, bring balloons or flowers to a nearby voting site. Wear your “I Voted” sticker. Help someone else vote.
When results come in on Election Night you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing your votes are in the count.
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/05/time-to-vote-california-elections/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Santa Monica Elks Lodge to host 84th Memorial Day ceremony at Woodlawn
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-elks-lodge-to-host-84th-memorial-day-ceremony-at-woodlawn/
Last updated: 2026-05-24T10:00:24.000Z
For 84 years running, the columbarium at Woodlawn Cemetery has anchored a Memorial Day tradition that has weathered changing crowds, shifting venues and the slow filling-in of the grounds around it.
The Santa Monica Elks Lodge No. 906 will continue that tradition Monday, May 25, with its annual Memorial Day Ceremony beginning at 11:30 a.m. at Woodlawn Cemetery, 1847 14th St. The public is welcome, and the program will include patriotic music, speakers and a wreath procession.
This year's ceremony marks the 84th year the lodge has organized the observance at Woodlawn. Ilene Knebel, a 10-year Elks member and current Exalted Ruler of Lodge No. 906, said the event has evolved considerably over the decades.
"The Santa Monica Elks Lodge has planned the event for many years, and it used to be quite grand with big crowds, bands and speakers and such," Knebel said. "Over time the cemetery got 'filled up' and there was less space to do the ceremony, so it has moved to different locations, but always with the columbarium (the large domed structure) as the centerpiece."
Rather than a single keynote speaker, this year's program will feature three voices from within the lodge and the local [community](https://www.smdp.com/montana-avenue-wellness-walk-and-sidewalk-sale-returns-may-16/). Elks member and event co-chair Jenny Zepp will read General Logan's Orders. Lodge Trustee Xiomara Jovell, an Air Force veteran, will read a poem. Local student Daniela Kadish will read her first-place entry from the lodge's Americanism Contest.
Knebel said the ceremony carries a broader purpose.
"I think the main takeaway is the reminder that freedom and everyday comforts often come at a real human cost," she said. "These ceremonies honor service members who gave their lives, while also encouraging gratitude, reflection, unity, and support for veterans and military families."
Ahead of the program, the lodge coordinates with local community volunteers who place wreaths during the ceremony itself. The lodge also relies on financial support from the City of Santa Monica to stage the event each year.
"Without this, we would not be able to hold the event, so we are grateful for their partnership," Knebel said.
Volunteers are also needed for flag placement and removal surrounding the holiday. Flags will be placed at Woodlawn Cemetery at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 23, and retrieved at 3 p.m. Monday, May 25\. Participation patches are available for those who help.
Founded April 12, 1904, the Santa Monica Elks Lodge has spent 120 years supporting local programs that serve youth, veterans, and unhoused and food-insecure individuals and families. It is one of more than 2,000 Elks lodges nationwide that operate under the order's stated mission to "promote and practice the four cardinal virtues of charity, justice, brotherly love and fidelity; to promote the welfare and enhance the happiness of its members; to quicken the spirit of American patriotism and cultivate good fellowship."
Nationally, the Order of Elks spends more than $80 million each year on benevolent, educational and patriotic community programs. Those efforts include scholarships through the Elks National Foundation, support for special needs children, scouting and athletic teams, veterans' services, physical and occupational therapy programs, and the national "Hoop Shoot" free-throw contest, which involves more than 3 million children.
Youth programming has long been central to the order's work. The Elks Drug Awareness Education Program was developed to alert primary-grade students and their parents to the dangers of drug use. The Elks also originated the observance of Flag Day on June 14, a tradition the order began in 1907 and that Congress later adopted as an official observance.
The Santa Monica Memorial Day Ceremony is open to the public. Additional information about the lodge and its programs is available at[ ](http://www.santamonicaelkslodge906.org/?ref=smdp.com)[www.santamonicaelkslodge906.org](http://www.santamonicaelkslodge906.org/?ref=smdp.com) or by emailing santamonicaelkslodge906@gmail.com.
### California’s best chance for enough water in the future is to bolster local supplies today
URL: https://www.smdp.com/californias-best-chance-for-enough-water-in-the-future-is-to-bolster-local-supplies-today/
Last updated: 2026-05-23T19:00:19.000Z
By Sean Bothwell, Special for CalMatters
This commentary was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
Imagine turning on your tap and not being sure it’s safe to drink what comes out.
For [one million Californians](https://calmatters.org/environment/2024/06/california-drinking-water-failing-systems/?ref=smdp.com), this scenario is not hypothetical. In disadvantaged communities, including some in the Central Valley, families have been [told for years to boil their tap water](https://calmatters.org/environment/water/2026/05/newsom-california-safe-drinking-water/?ref=smdp.com) for safety or buy bottled water they cannot afford.
Their water systems consistently fail to meet [safe drinking water](https://calmatters.org/tag/drinking-water/?ref=smdp.com) standards. Yet no meaningful action has been taken to fix this known problem. Meanwhile, 30,000 miles of the state's coastlines, lakes and rivers fail basic water quality standards.
How does a state at the forefront of environmental leadership fail to ensure clean, reliable water for its people?
The short answer: California is managing 21st century water challenges with 20th century technology under 19th century law. And state leaders, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, continue promoting infrastructure projects designed for precipitation patterns that climate change is already erasing.
This year's rapid snowpack loss is not an anomaly; it is a preview. Yet the state keeps pushing large-scale projects which can’t deliver water to farms or families without a reliable Sierra snowmelt. Instead of more dams and diversions, we need to shift attention and resources to a local approach rooted in our new reality.
California Coastkeeper Alliance’s [Blueprint to Climate-Ready Water Policy](https://cacoastkeeper.org/californias-blueprint-to-climate-ready-water-policy/?ref=smdp.com) is a practical guide for state policymakers, regulators and the next governor to set a course for a more resilient and sustainable water future. The blueprint is built on several clear imperatives.
## **Prioritize resilient local water supplies**
Instead of spending tens of billions moving water around the state, California must prioritize investment in wastewater recycling, stormwater capture and water efficiency. These systems deliver water regardless of how long the snowpack sticks around.
These types of systems are proven, scalable and drought proof. The payoff extends beyond reliability: California's water sector consumes 19% of the state's electricity and 30% of its natural gas, driven largely by importing water into urban centers from faraway places. Prioritizing local water supplies reduces water insecurity in a cost-effective and affordable way, while cutting the emissions that accelerate climate change.
## **Strengthen and enforce water laws**
The Trump administration’s rollbacks of the Clean Water Act have steadily eroded protections Californians have relied on since the 1970s. The most damaging change stripped federal protections from millions of acres of wetlands and thousands of miles of seasonal streams, leaving them open to pollution and development. In response, the state must fortify its own standards.
We need enforceable rules that restore fisheries and protect coastal communities. California must adopt specific standards to confront the pollution driving ocean acidification and the ecosystem collapse that follows. We need real investment in floodplain restoration, forest health and natural infrastructure that shields communities from billion-dollar climate disasters.
## **Fix system of water governance**
California's water bureaucracy is antiquated, inequitable and unaccountable. The appointment process for our state’s water leaders is outdated, prioritizing engineering expertise over science and equitable representation. This approach results in continued reliance on gray infrastructure and engineered solutions over more sustainable and resilient nature-based solutions and urban greening.
The result is a system where large water users — such as pistachio growers and data centers — get water on the cheap, while low-income communities subsidize their use.
We need reforms to address historical inequities and ensure those that demand more water pay for it. Environmental justice and tribal leadership must be involved in water planning from the start. And we must ensure polluters, not ratepayers or taxpayers, pay for cleaning up the water we drink and swim in.
Our economy and our communities depend on making the hard choices that will deliver clean, affordable water into the future. We will not get there by funding yesterday's solutions and hoping the climate cooperates.
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/05/water-supply-california-future-local/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Memorial Day: Higher fuel prices have some Americans scaling back their travel plans
URL: https://www.smdp.com/memorial-day-higher-fuel-prices-have-some-americans-scaling-back-their-travel-plans/
Last updated: 2026-05-23T19:00:17.000Z
As someone who is "not the best person with bugs and stuff," Stephanie Bernaba never imagined herself becoming an outdoorsy mom.
But the mother of three is getting more daring as gas prices and other travel costs make vacations more expensive. Her family has traded pricier trips, such as long summer stays in Florida and an annual Disney World visit around her birthday, for local beaches, bike rides and hiking trails near their home in coastal Rhode Island.
"I've been trying to do more of that because one, it's quality time. Two, it's fresh air. And three, we're not spending an arm and a leg," Bernaba, 47, said.
That kind of calibration is shaping the summer travel season, which gets its traditional start in the U.S. with the long Memorial Day holiday weekend. Higher fuel prices resulting from the Iran war and other inflationary pressures are making most forms of travel costlier as people in many parts of the world form their plans.
The U.S. Travel Association expects annual travel spending to grow by a modest 1% this year, powered largely by domestic leisure travel despite the FIFA World Cup giving soccer fans from other countries a reason to visit the U.S. Airfares have climbed around the world along with the price of jet fuel as the war constrains global oil supplies.
Sticking closer to home may not cushion the sticker shock. The nonprofit Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimated Americans would collectively spend an extra $3.5 billion on gasoline over the holiday weekend. The average price for a gallon of regular gas in the U.S. was $4.56 on Thursday compared to $3.18 a year ago, according to motor club AAA.
Other travel expenses have gone up too. The latest consumer price index showed airfares were 20.7% higher in April from a year earlier, the cost of intracity transit such as buses and subways rose 5.6%, lodging cost 4.3% more, and eating out got 3.6% pricier.
Changing travel patterns
Despite elevated prices, industry forecasts suggest Americans still want to get away, even if it means replacing long trips with long weekends, choosing destinations closer to home and finding ways to cut costs by cooking meals or using buses and trains instead of driving.
AAA predicted that 45 million U.S. residents would travel at least 50 miles (80.47 kilometers) from home between Thursday and Monday for the holiday. The Transportation Security Administration said it expects to screen 18.3 million passengers from Thursday to next Wednesday.
Many households are planning summer vacations but making tradeoffs such as shorter trips or cheaper lodging, according to Bank of America analysts. Mastercard said in a recent report that consumers appeared increasingly focused on value and were adjusting their destinations and timing instead of not going away at all.
"Generally, it's certainly more of a demand reshuffling than a demand softening," David Tinsley, a senior economist at Bank of America Institute, said.
For the Bernaba family, that has meant trading a big vacation for a shorter trip nearby this summer. Their scaled-back itinerary still is pricey: more than $400 for a ferry to Martha's Vineyard for their car and passengers, and about $800 a night for each of the two hotel rooms the family of five needs.
Another family that had planned to join them backed out after seeing the price tag.
"The pinch is being felt all the way around," Bernaba said.
Analysts have increasingly described travel spending as "K-shaped," with higher-income households continuing to spend while lower-income families pull back or opt out entirely. Bank of America said lower-income households were significantly more likely to report having no summer travel plans this year.
New polling of registered U.S. voters by Quinnipiac University found that 48% have cut back on vacation spending, 54% have reduced what they spend on dining out, and 36% have curbed their driving.
Travelers are confronting other stressors besides cost.
Airlines around the world have canceled flights and trimmed routes to save on fuel and operating costs, leaving passengers with fewer options. The conflict in the Middle East has complicated getting there and rerouted flights to and from Asia, adding another layer of concern on top of broader geopolitical tensions and the declining value of the dollar for people considering trips abroad.
Recent U.S. government shutdowns, which caused major flight disruptions and long security lines, also are likely still fresh in travelers' minds.
The various factors impacting travel right now has made planning trips more mentally taxing and may be pushing people toward simpler and more accessible vacations that feel easier to manage, said Marta Soligo, a tourism sociologist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
"The key word here is unpredictability," Soligo said. "Tourists don't like unpredictability."
Quality over quantity
Jim Wang, a personal finance blogger who lives in Maryland with his wife and four children, said his family's original plan to travel to Spain to see a full solar eclipse in August began to unravel once they looked at the logistics.
Beyond thousands of dollars in airfare, the trip would have required multiple connecting flights, plus a car rental to reach northern Spain, where the path of totality is expected to pass.
"It's like, 'Oh, I don't know if I want to see the eclipse that much,'" Wang said.
Instead, Wang's family plans to head this summer to the Lake Tahoe area straddling California and Nevada, where they can stay at a relative's cabin for free, hike and enjoy a slower pace with limited cellphone service. His wife's parents and sister expect to join them.
"We're still going to travel. It'll just be different," Wang said. "The vacations are no longer as grand for the adults. But for our kids, it's still exciting."
Nancy McGehee, a Virginia Tech hospitality professor who studies consumer behavior, said travelers are increasingly focusing more on the "why than the where" when it comes to vacations.
"What we're seeing is people are saying, 'Alright, we can't do that big splashy trip we wanted to do, but what else can we do?'" McGehee said. "It's more quality over quantity that we're seeing people go for."
Back in Rhode Island, Bernaba has accepted that travel may look different for her family for a while.
"I think that's probably why my mind has gone to doing more nature-y things," she said. "Let's learn how to use the earth to enjoy ourselves because that's not going to cost as much money."
By RIO YAMAT AP Airlines and Travel Writer
### Saturday, May 23, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/saturday-may-23-2026/
Last updated: 2026-05-23T16:30:20.000Z
Good morning. Memorial Day weekend has arrived, bringing with it a bit of May Gray/June Gloom. Possible afternoon sun.
Today 🌥️ 66º/58º; Sunday 🌥️ 66º/56º; Monday 🌥️ 67º/57º
### FIRST UP
Runners participate in the 2nd Annual Venice Beach Half Marathon & 5K on May 17
### 2nd Annual Venice Beach Half Marathon & 5K brings out thousands
The Venice Beach Half Marathon & 5K returned for its second year on May 17, bringing more than 4,000 runners, walkers, spectators and volunteers to one of Los Angeles’ most recognizable coastal neighborhoods..[READ](https://www.smdp.com/the-2nd-annual-venice-beach-half-marathon-5k-presented-by-goodr-avtive-eyewear-raises-money-for-local-schools/)
---
[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184436/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
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### MORE NEWS
[Santa Monica SaMo Bridge Celebrates First Year SuccessSanta Monica’s SaMo Bridge diversion program connected 462 justice-involved individuals to housing and treatment in its first year, with 81% immediately placed in services.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-marks-first-year-of-samo-bridge-diversion-program/)
[LA County Delivers $5.4M in Relief to Small BusinessesLos Angeles County distributed $5.4 million to 1,327 small businesses impacted by immigration enforcement through the Small Business Resiliency Fund, with grants ranging from $2,000 to $5,000.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/la-county-delivers-5-4-million-to-small-businesses-hit-by-immigration-enforcement/)
[Free Mariachi Concert at Santa Monica College May 28Santa Monica College presents the SMC Mariachi Ensemble Los Corsarios in a free concert May 28 at 11:15 a.m. featuring regional Mexican folk music.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-mariachi-ensemble-los-corsarios-to-perform-free-concert-may-28/)
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[MAINopoly & Memorial Day Weekend Events in Santa MonicaSanta Monica events this Memorial Day weekend include MAINopoly tasting event (May 24), Pier Locals Night finale (May 21), free Bike Anywhere Day rides, and Dine Latino Restaurant Week through May 24.SMDPSean Besser](https://www.smdp.com/around-town-mainopoly-pier-locals-night-finale-more-memorial-day-weekend-festivities/)
[Hilton and Becerra lead in new California governor poll. Steyer trails but isn’t outBy Dan Walters, CalMatters This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Two weeks from now we’ll probably know which of the 61 candidates for governor have finished 1-2 in the primary election and will face each other in November for the dubious honor ofSMDPCal Matters](https://www.smdp.com/hilton-and-becerra-lead-in-new-california-governor-poll-steyer-trails-but-isnt-out/)
[Jake Levine’s Plan for LA Wildfire Recovery and Better GovernmentCongressional candidate Jake Levine campaigns on government effectiveness and undergrounding power lines in Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and high-risk LA communities.SMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/from-wildfire-recovery-to-washington-jake-levine-makes-his-case-for-a-different-kind-of-leadership-running-for-congress/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/r/c2817d32?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332).
You can read our print version [here](https://www.smdp.com/r/f4b9163c?m=6dfc2295-4654-483f-8473-abd585d64332)
### The 2nd Annual Venice Beach Half Marathon & 5K Presented by goodr Active Eyewear Raises money for Local Schools
URL: https://www.smdp.com/the-2nd-annual-venice-beach-half-marathon-5k-presented-by-goodr-avtive-eyewear-raises-money-for-local-schools/
Last updated: 2026-05-23T15:23:17.000Z
The Venice Beach Half Marathon & 5K returned for its second year on May 17, bringing more than 4,000 runners, walkers, spectators and volunteers to one of Los Angeles’ most recognizable coastal neighborhoods for a race that doubled as a celebration of fitness, local culture and community impact. Presented by goodr Active Eyewear and produced by Generic Events, the event followed a sold-out debut year and expanded into a full race weekend experience, with participants taking part in the half marathon, 5K, One-Mile Dash and family-friendly activities.
The course wound through some of Venice’s most familiar landmarks, including Ocean Front Walk, Venice Boulevard, Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Muscle Beach, the Venice Canals and the historic Venice Sign finish line on Windward Avenue.
Beyond the race itself, organizers leaned into Venice’s creative spirit, transforming the neighborhood into a festival atmosphere with live DJs, cheer zones, photo activations, drag shows, sponsor experiences and post-race celebrations. Activations from presenting sponsor goodr and R.A.D. Performance Footwear lined Abbot Kinney Boulevard, while runners and guests gathered at the finish line festival and VIP beer garden hosted at Belle’s Beach House in Windward Circle.
The event also raised $10,000 for local schools and youth programs across Venice, Mar Vista and Marina del Rey, with organizers setting a goal of $25,000 for 2027\. “We created this event to celebrate everything that makes Venice so special, the energy, creativity, diversity, and strong sense of community,” said event co-producer Michelle Lindner. “Seeing thousands of people come together to support local schools while experiencing the magic of Venice Beach has been incredibly rewarding. We’re excited to continue growing the event and increasing our impact for the community in the years ahead.”
The event’s charitable partner, FEATSTREET Inc., will serve as fiscal receiver for donations, with funds distributed directly to participating local schools. Benefiting schools include Beethoven Elementary, Broadway Elementary, Coeur d’Alene Elementary, Grand View Elementary, Mar Vista Elementary, Mark Twain Middle School, Phoenix High School, Short Avenue Elementary, Venice High School, Walgrove Elementary, Westminster Elementary and Westside Global Awareness Magnet School. Additional partners included Blankspaces, Sound Running, Hotel Erwin, Costco, Postmates, Bambas and the Venice Chamber of Commerce.
As Los Angeles continues building toward the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Venice Beach Half Marathon & 5K has quickly positioned itself as more than a race. It has become a local showcase for movement, neighborhood pride and the kind of community activation that makes Venice one of the city’s most distinctive cultural corridors.
### Santa Monica marks first year of SaMo Bridge diversion program
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-marks-first-year-of-samo-bridge-diversion-program/
Last updated: 2026-05-22T19:00:00.000Z
One year after launching, the city of Santa Monica's SaMo Bridge diversion program has exceeded initial goals, connecting hundreds of justice-involved individuals to housing, treatment and supportive services.
On May 14, the city celebrated four recent graduates at a ceremony recognizing participants who completed their 90-day rehabilitation plan through SaMo Bridge.
In its first year, the program logged 462 Police Department referrals, with 363 individuals starting 90-day care coordination plans. Of the 233 participants directly connected to services, 81% were immediately placed into housing and treatment programs. Fifty-four graduates became eligible for citation dismissal.
SaMo Bridge[ ](https://www.santamonica.gov/blog/addressing-homelessness-samo-bridge-diversion-program-to-open-in-april?ref=smdp.com)[launched in April 2025](https://www.santamonica.gov/blog/addressing-homelessness-samo-bridge-diversion-program-to-open-in-april?ref=smdp.com) and was initially designed to serve about 260 people annually. The program is fully funded through a state grant and operates as a collaboration between the City Attorney's Office, Police Department, Housing and Human Services Department, and Exodus Recovery, Inc.
"These results show what is possible when we intervene early and offer people a path forward instead of cycling them through the criminal justice system," Chief Deputy City Attorney Jenna Grigsby said. "SaMo Bridge is helping individuals stabilize, access care and make meaningful changes that benefit both them and the broader community."
Police Chief Darrick Jacob said the program has become an essential tool for officers.
"It allows us to respond in a way that is compassionate, effective, and addresses immediate concerns, while helping individuals access the services that reduce repeat calls for service and improve overall public safety," Jacob said.
Building on early success, the city expanded SaMo Bridge in early 2026 as part of the[ ](https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2025/10/24/santa-monica-charts-path-to-realignment?ref=smdp.com)[Realignment Plan](https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2025/10/24/santa-monica-charts-path-to-realignment?ref=smdp.com). The expansion increased capacity at the respite hub and enhanced overnight staffing, allowing the program to serve more individuals.
"SaMo Bridge is a critical part of our broader strategy to address homelessness with compassion," Housing and Human Services Director Aileen Reynolds said. "By meeting people where they are and connecting them to services right away, we are creating real opportunities for long-term stability."
The city provides regular updates on SaMo Bridge at quarterly Human Services Commission meetings.
More information on SaMo Bridge and other city diversion programs is available at[ ](https://www.santamonica.gov/topic-explainers/diversion-programs?ref=smdp.com)[santamonica.gov/topic-explainers/diversion-programs](https://www.santamonica.gov/topic-explainers/diversion-programs?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### LA County delivers $5.4 million to small businesses hit by immigration enforcement
URL: https://www.smdp.com/la-county-delivers-5-4-million-to-small-businesses-hit-by-immigration-enforcement/
Last updated: 2026-05-22T18:59:59.000Z
The Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity and the Board of Supervisors announced the third and final round of the Small Business Resiliency Fund, bringing total direct financial assistance to more than $5.4 million for 1,327 businesses affected by immigration enforcement actions.
Of the recipients, 839 were storefronts, 409 were street vendors and 79 were independent contractors or home-based businesses. Retail trade represented 31% of awarded businesses, followed by restaurants at 25% and 22% spread across industries including wholesale trade, manufacturing, healthcare and construction.
The fund launched Sept. 29, 2025, following a June 17, 2025, motion by Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis and Supervisor Janice Hahn. The program provided relief to businesses experiencing revenue declines, workforce disruptions or reduced customer activity. Eligible applicants included brick-and-mortar businesses, sidewalk vendors, independent contractors and certain home-based businesses.
Grants ranged from $2,000 to $5,000 for essential expenses such as rent, payroll, inventory, marketing and debt repayment. Early survey data from the first two cycles showed 33% of businesses used funds for rent, 24% for utilities or operating expenses and 25% for inventory or equipment.
"The Small Business Resiliency Fund reflects the real challenges small businesses continue to face as immigration enforcement activity persists across Los Angeles County," Solis said. "Small businesses are the backbone of our communities, and this initiative helps ensure they are not navigating these challenges alone."
The third round drew on $300,000 in discretionary funding, including $100,000 each from Second District Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell and Third District Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, plus $100,000 set aside for countywide distribution to top-scoring applicants.
"Immigration raids by the federal government have not just upended lives and torn apart families — they have also destabilized our local economy," Mitchell said, noting that small businesses have closed temporarily or lost foot traffic as workers and shoppers stayed home.
Horvath said the funding stands with "the people behind these businesses — their hard work, their sacrifices, and everything they've built."
DEO Director Kelly LoBianco credited the Board of Supervisors for expanding the effort. Award notifications were issued by AidKit in coordination with DEO. Businesses not selected will be referred to alternative resources.
More information is available at[ ](https://opportunity.lacounty.gov/resiliencyfund?ref=smdp.com)[opportunity.lacounty.gov/resiliencyfund](https://opportunity.lacounty.gov/resiliencyfund?ref=smdp.com) and[ ](https://opportunity.lacounty.gov/immigration?ref=smdp.com)[opportunity.lacounty.gov/immigration](https://opportunity.lacounty.gov/immigration?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### SMC Mariachi Ensemble Los Corsarios to perform free concert May 28
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-mariachi-ensemble-los-corsarios-to-perform-free-concert-may-28/
Last updated: 2026-05-22T18:59:59.000Z
The Santa Monica College Music Department will present the SMC Mariachi Ensemble Los Corsarios in a free concert celebrating regional Mexican folk music.
The performance is scheduled for Thursday, May 28, at 11:15 a.m. in the Music Hall at the[ ](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com)[SMC Performing Arts Center](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com), 1310 11th St. at Santa Monica Boulevard. Free parking is available on premises, and seating is on a first-arrival basis.
Led by director Mary Alfaro, Mariachi Los Corsarios will perform a variety of ranchera, bolero and huapango songs that have become standards in the mariachi canon.
The concert is subject to change or cancellation without notice. More information is available by calling 310-434-4323.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Friday, May 22, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/friday-may-22-2026/
Last updated: 2026-05-22T18:29:31.000Z
Partners of the Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project will host a public meeting on Sunday, May 31, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Pierce College in Woodland Hills to share updates on ongoing restoration and design efforts for one of Southern California’s last remaining coastal wetlands. The public is encouraged to RSVP in advance [via Eventbrite](https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F%5F%5Fhttps:%2F%2Fwww.eventbrite.com%2Fe%2Ftopanga-lagoon-restoration-project-public-meeting-tickets-1988605236795%3Faff=oddtdtcreator%5F%5F%253B%2521%2521LVq-52eSbsHOEHc%25216jTGGxPcKaL3xkqQIQEN2NudhrrBs3LVOtGZl2IcRfV98NdBCmCagtoJLJOePion%5FXFqEIJu34WNdAvEcpBnOusw%2524%26utm%5Fcontent=%26utm%5Fmedium=email%26utm%5Fname=%26utm%5Fsource=govdelivery%26utm%5Fterm=/1/0100019e2ca73c7b-06a32c74-44c8-4394-9af3-b6f708b4551f-000000/TLsa1enx5GK6XF583yUCk9lyrV-GbEkJzkziEm1NsWM=452?ref=smdp.com).
Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy this afternoon. High 66F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 66º/58º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 67º/58º
### FIRST UP
John Adams Middle School students from Santa Monica present their civic action projects at the Teach Democracy regional expo in Los Angeles.
## JAMS students fight the civics education crisis at regional expo
At a time when national proficiency in civics has fallen to historic lows... [READ](https://www.smdp.com/jams-students-fight-the-civics-education-crisis-at-regional-expo/)
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### MORE NEWS
[Circle Bar Santa Monica Reopens Friday After 75 YearsCircle Bar, a legendary Santa Monica nightclub at 2926 Main Street established in 1949, reopens Friday, May 22 under new ownership by local restaurateurs Mark and Addie Van Gessel.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monicas-legendary-circle-bar-returns-friday-after-reopening-under-new-ownership/)
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[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184437/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
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### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Hilton and Becerra lead in new California governor poll. Steyer trails but isn’t outBy Dan Walters, CalMatters This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Two weeks from now we’ll probably know which of the 61 candidates for governor have finished 1-2 in the primary election and will face each other in November for the dubious honor ofSMDPCal Matters](https://www.smdp.com/hilton-and-becerra-lead-in-new-california-governor-poll-steyer-trails-but-isnt-out/)
[John Erickson Campaign for CA State Senate District 24West Hollywood Councilmember John Erickson runs for State Senate District 24, focusing on housing affordability, workers’ rights, and California’s disaster recovery efforts.SMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/john-erickson-makes-his-case-for-state-senate-centering-housing-safety-and-californias-rebuilding-effort/)
[MAINopoly & Memorial Day Weekend Events in Santa MonicaSanta Monica events this Memorial Day weekend include MAINopoly tasting event (May 24), Pier Locals Night finale (May 21), free Bike Anywhere Day rides, and Dine Latino Restaurant Week through May 24.SMDPSean Besser](https://www.smdp.com/around-town-mainopoly-pier-locals-night-finale-more-memorial-day-weekend-festivities/)
[Topanga Lagoon Restoration Meeting May 31Join the Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project public meeting on May 31 at Pierce College in Woodland Hills from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Share feedback on coastal wetland restoration efforts.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/topanga-lagoon-restoration-project-to-hold-public-meeting-may-31/)
[Music Guild Santa Monica Season Finale: Dvořák Violin ConcertoMusic Guild at St. Matthew’s in Santa Monica closes its 2025-26 season May 29 at 8 p.m. featuring violinist YuEun Gemma Kim performing Dvořák’s Violin Concerto with works by Debussy and Ravel. Tickets $45.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/music-guild-at-st-matthews-closes-season-with-dvorak-violin-concerto-may-29/)
[Jake Levine’s Plan for LA Wildfire Recovery and Better GovernmentCongressional candidate Jake Levine campaigns on government effectiveness and undergrounding power lines in Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and high-risk LA communities.SMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/from-wildfire-recovery-to-washington-jake-levine-makes-his-case-for-a-different-kind-of-leadership-running-for-congress/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/event-3/#/show?subset=picks).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/052226.pdf?ref=smdp.com).
### Gavin Newsom’s last budget still would leave California’s finances wobbly
URL: https://www.smdp.com/gavin-newsoms-last-budget-still-would-leave-californias-finances-wobbly/
Last updated: 2026-05-22T18:00:50.000Z
By [Dan Walters](https://calmatters.org/author/dan-walters/?ref=smdp.com), CalMatters
This commentary was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
Last week Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a [revised version of his eighth and final state budget](https://ebudget.ca.gov/FullBudgetSummary.pdf?ref=smdp.com), which he said would not only [be balanced for the 2026-27](https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/05/gavin-newsom-final-budget-plan/?ref=smdp.com) fiscal year but also for his successor’s first year.
“I’m not trying to get out of Dodge,” Newsom said. “This is a balanced budget structurally for the next 18 months after I’m gone.”
On Monday, the Legislature’s budget analyst, Gabe Petek, said Newsom accomplished that with the use of one-time resources, such as reserves, and other budgetary maneuvers that will [continue the “structural deficit](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2025/11/california-revenue-budget-deficit/?ref=smdp.com)” that has plagued the state for the last four years.
“A budget is structurally balanced when revenues collected in a given fiscal year are sufficient to cover expenditures planned for that same year,” [Petek’s analysis](https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5187?ref=smdp.com) says. “On this basis, the administration’s estimates show operating deficits of roughly $10 billion annually from 2026‑27 through 2029‑30 (and) beginning in 2027-28 these deficits represent the ongoing gap that would need to be addressed in future budgets.”
In other words, if Newsom’s final budget is enacted, he could walk out the door next January — and presumably begin his 2028 campaign for president — while claiming to have solved the problem that he caused in 2022.
However, in reality California’s fiscal dilemma will continue.
For those who don’t recall, Newsom loudly proclaimed in 2022 that [the state had a $97.5 billion surplus](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/02/newsom-spending-california-chronic-deficit/?ref=smdp.com) based on an expansive, multi-year revenue projection that turned out to be a mirage. The administration later acknowledged it had overestimated revenues by $165 billion, but by then Newsom and the Legislature had ramped up spending that could not be covered by real revenues.
The structural deficit — an ongoing gap between income and outgo — has existed ever since, totaling $125 billion, according to Petek. While the newly revised budget would be balanced on paper, Petek is saying, the maneuvers to achieve that are temporary rather than permanent, so the underlying imbalance continues, albeit somewhat smaller than previous estimates.
Petek also notes that one way Newsom achieves short-term balance is by tapping into the state’s emergency reserves, both through transfers from the current reserve funds and deferrals of mandatory deposits into those funds — thus contributing to what Petek terms “a wall of debt” that has been amassed during the years of deficit spending.
Reserves, under Newsom’s revised budget, would shrink from $47.2 billion a year ago to $19.5 billion by June 2027.
The term “wall of debt” harkens back to Newsom’s predecessor, Jerry Brown, who used it to describe what he confronted as he began his second stint as governor in 2011\. Brown cleaned up that debt and left Newsom a healthy balance sheet eight years later. Newsom wants to end his governorship on the same fiscal high note, but Petek is saying, in essence, that’s an illusion.
Petek suggests a series of amendments that would truly put the state’s finances in order but says they would cost $24 billion in either reduced spending or increased revenues and concludes, “The state’s current fiscal situation is genuinely unprecedented. Despite booming revenues, the budget position is overextended, reflecting: a [structurally higher spending base](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/02/newsom-spending-california-chronic-deficit/?ref=smdp.com), diminished reserves, an already accumulated wall of debt, and an operating deficit.”
He also warns that “a revenue shock could be coming, as the state’s revenue outlook rests disproportionately on AI‑driven equity valuations that are trading at highs last seen at the peak of the dot‑com bubble.”
There’s still another aspect to the analyst’s somewhat gloomy scenario — legislators are being [besieged by demands from advocacy groups](https://calbudgetcenter.org/resources/first-look-understanding-the-governors-2026-27-may-revision/?ref=smdp.com) that they reject the spending reductions in Newsom’s budget, especially in healthcare, and increase outlays, even if that requires increasing taxes.
It is, to use another phrase from the inimitable Jerry Brown, a “yeasty situation.”
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/05/newsom-last-california-budget-wobbly/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Santa Monica's Legendary Circle Bar Returns Friday After Reopening Under New Ownership
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monicas-legendary-circle-bar-returns-friday-after-reopening-under-new-ownership/
Last updated: 2026-05-22T17:00:16.000Z
One of Santa Monica's most storied nightlife spots will switch its lights back on Friday, May 22, when Circle Bar reopens to the public under new ownership.
The dimly lit, oval-bar nightclub at 2926 Main Street has been taken over by local restaurateurs Mark and Addie Van Gessel, the duo behind the Venice mainstay Hinano Cafe and Santa Monica's Tavern on Main. The owners said they intend to preserve the bar's identity as one of Los Angeles' best dive bars while updating its sound, lighting and production.
"Circle Bar isn't just a bar," Mark Van Gessel said. "It's part of Santa Monica's cultural DNA. Everyone has a Circle Bar story. We want to honor what made it special while bringing fresh life into the space, keeping the focus on great music and drinks, and a fun atmosphere so a new generation can create their own Circle Bar stories."
Established in 1949, [Circle Bar](https://circlebar-sm.com/?ref=smdp.com) began as a country-western neighborhood watering hole and evolved over the decades into a fixture of Santa Monica's nightlife and music scene. By the 1970s, it had become a regular gathering place for artists, musicians and locals, eventually known for late-night DJ sets, live music and a packed dance floor that drew everyone from industry professionals to neighborhood regulars.
The venue's low-key, windowless interior also attracted a notable list of late-night drop-ins over the years, including Jim Morrison, Truman Capote, Anthony Kiedis, Sean Penn, Robert Downey Jr. and cast members of "Mad Men."
The Van Gessels said preserving that character drove nearly every decision in the reopening. The original 1949 floor plan remains untouched.
"We believed that if you changed the floor plan drastically it would change the identity," Mark Van Gessel said. "The bar is a key signature feature of the space. I had such great memories of the bar that to change it would change the character and core of Circle Bar."
The exterior, including the historic signage and dark facade, has also been kept intact. "This is a historic sign and with the dark exterior always provided the classic feel of the intimate space that exists inside," Van Gessel said. "On the inside we made sure to keep the look and feel were authentic with its history so people returning will still recognize the space and it will bring back great memories."
Among the upgrades is an expanded dance floor and a new elevated DJ booth, called "The Halo," placed at the center of the room. The venue has also installed a QSC sound system, a digitally controlled Chauvet lighting rig that highlights its signature disco ball, and a 100-inch-plus[ screen](https://www.smdp.com/u-s-soccer-house-to-take-over-venice-beach-during-world-cup/) paired with an 8K laser projector for visual programming and private events.
Van Gessel said the music program is designed to evolve with its audience, much as the bar itself has. "When the bar first opened in 1949 it was a country western place because that was what the people wanted," he said. "As times changed so did the people and what they wanted to listen too. We plan on catering to what the people want and excited to try different music to make sure we can give people what they want."
He added that the space was built to be flexible. "We have designed the space to accommodate prerecorded music, DJ's and live bands," he said. "Since the venue has no windows it will always have a warm intimate feel that allows one to feel like they have entered a unique space once they pass through the doors."
Addie Van Gessel said the goal is to keep the bar grounded in what longtime patrons remember. "We're not looking to change what people loved about Circle Bar," she said. "We're focused on bringing it back in a way that feels authentic — an unpretentious, music-driven space where the focus is on the dance floor, not the guest list."
A refreshed cocktail menu balances the bar's dive roots with new offerings, including the Pacific Cooler, the Roadhouse Mule and the Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. A daily "Power Hour" from 6 to 7 p.m. will feature $5 bubbles and wine, along with discounted margaritas, Old Fashioneds and Aperol Spritzes.
Asked what he hopes guests take away on opening night, Mark Van Gessel said the aim is continuity. "For opening night we are hoping people realize they are stepping into the next chapter of such a legendary space," he said. "For past patrons we hope it brings back great memories and for first timers they realize what an amazing space it is and come back to create memories."
Circle Bar will operate Thursday through Saturday from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., with private events available Sunday through Wednesday. A media preview is scheduled for Thursday, May 21, from 6 to 9 p.m.
### JAMS students fight the civics education crisis at regional expo
URL: https://www.smdp.com/jams-students-fight-the-civics-education-crisis-at-regional-expo/
Last updated: 2026-05-22T10:00:17.000Z
At a time when national proficiency in civics has fallen to historic lows, a group of John Adams Middle School students were among more than 200 Los Angeles-area students Thursday presenting civic action projects on some of the most pressing issues of the day — from immigration policy to juvenile vaping to eating disorders.
The students are participating in a Civic Action Project Expo hosted by Teach Democracy, a downtown Los Angeles-based nonprofit
The timing is pointed. According to a University of California, Riverside report, only 18% of young people in California attend a school district where civic learning is considered a priority. An American Bar Association report puts student proficiency in civics at between 20% and 25% nationally.
Teach Democracy — formerly the Constitutional Rights Foundation, established in 1963 — runs the Civic Action Project program in partnership with more than 6,000 teachers and 200,000 students nationwide. The program asks students to identify an issue affecting their community, research related public policies, and develop presentations aimed at influencing local policymakers.
It has produced measurable results. Students in a previous cohort successfully lobbied for a traffic light to be installed near a busy school crosswalk after presenting their findings through the program.
Theexpo brought together students from schools across the county. Teach Democracy CEO Stephanie Doute and Senior Program Director Gregorio Medina were also there.
For Jorge Cierra, the Spanish immersion social studies teacher who brought the program to John Adams roughly five years ago, the expo represents the payoff of months of classroom work.
“Civics is important — it provides them an awareness of their role in society,” Cierra said. “It gives them positionality. It gives them a position in this community, and it just really makes them a citizen — not in the legal term, but more of a member of a community or a society.”
What began as a project limited to Cierra’s immersion students has grown significantly. This year, all 250 eighth graders at John Adams will present civic action projects at an on-site school symposium next week. Cierra selected four groups to represent the school at Thursday’s larger, multi-school event — chosen based on how far along their projects were, not the subject matter.
“I want to see my kids present, both in English and in Spanish,” Cierra said ahead of the event. “I’d like them to show off all their work. They’ve been working on this for many, many weeks.”
The student groups began their research in January and February, ramping up through March and continuing after spring break. Lessons covered research methods, survey design, policy analysis, and interview techniques.
The four John Adams projects reflect a range of issues that have touched students personally or caught their attention in the news.
Felix Carpenter, Leif Reyna, Oliver Frost and Angel Cortes Ortiz chose juvenile vaping, proposing that schools install vape detectors in bathrooms and examining the psychology behind why teenagers start using e-cigarettes. Frost said the issue was something he and his classmates noticed at school.
“I felt like it was a good issue that we could try and help and solve,” Frost said. The group built a 25-slide presentation, dividing sections among group members, each responsible for roughly five slides.
Dulce Atehortia-Osorio took on eating disorders and body dysmorphia, motivated by personal connections to the issue.
“We know a lot of people that struggle with it,” said Atehortia-Osorio. “We want to bring awareness to it.”
The students said they hoped the event would help them grow as public speakers and give them a chance to hear feedback on their work. The group began the digital portion of their presentation two weeks before the expo, putting together the poster board in just the final days.
A third group focused on what they called “Celebrate America” — a project examining how Americans view their country and how constitutional amendments like freedom of speech shape differing political opinions as the country approaches its 250th anniversary.
“People have different opinions of America, and the amendments can affect other people’s beliefs,” said Diego Martinez, who is working on the project with Allison Mechrano-Rivera. “Freedom of speech allows both positivity and negative views on who’s in office.”
The students produced their presentations in both English and Spanish — a deliberate choice reflecting the demographics of their community.
“A lot of parents don’t speak English, and we wanted them to also feel connected to our presentation,” said Mechrano-Rivera.
The fourth project, led by student Juliet Diaz and partner Frida Sernas, focused on educating elementary school students about immigration — a topic Diaz said she felt was rarely discussed in classrooms despite dominating news coverage in recent months.
“I’ve never heard of people talking about immigration in classrooms — it’s very rare,” Diaz said. In researching the project, she looked into both Santa Monica Unified School District policy and city of Santa Monica policy on federal officer access to campuses, finding that federal officers can access school grounds without advance notice under current rules — a detail she said she found significant.
Sernas said her motivation to participate came from the broader impact the project could have.
“I feel like a lot of younger kids don’t really know what’s going on right now, and this would really kind of help them understand this topic a little better,” Sernas said. “Knowing that I could help other people learn more — that’s what’s really motivating me.”
Both students produced a bilingual digital presentation and a traditional trifold poster board as part of their project.
Cierra said the multi-school environment offers something a classroom cannot replicate.
“They’re going to be exposed to schools that are not necessarily neighboring schools, but schools from all over LA County,” he said. “They’ll see a variety of projects — some that they probably would not have thought of, or topics they probably would not have worked on.”
editor@smdp.com
### Thursday, May 21, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/wednesday-may-20-2026-2/
Last updated: 2026-05-21T22:43:01.000Z
Mostly sunny. High 69F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 70º/58º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 67º/58º
### FIRST UP
SMDP Photo
## Santa Monica Pier Ranks Among California's Most Polluted Beaches for 10th Straight Year
The Santa Monica Pier has been ranked among California's most polluted beaches for the 10th consecutive year... [READ](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-pier-ranks-among-californias-most-polluted-beaches-for-10th-straight-year/)
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[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184436/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
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### MORE NEWS
[Hilton and Becerra lead in new California governor poll. Steyer trails but isn’t outBy Dan Walters, CalMatters This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Two weeks from now we’ll probably know which of the 61 candidates for governor have finished 1-2 in the primary election and will face each other in November for the dubious honor ofSMDPCal Matters](https://www.smdp.com/hilton-and-becerra-lead-in-new-california-governor-poll-steyer-trails-but-isnt-out/)
[John Erickson Campaign for CA State Senate District 24West Hollywood Councilmember John Erickson runs for State Senate District 24, focusing on housing affordability, workers’ rights, and California’s disaster recovery efforts.SMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/john-erickson-makes-his-case-for-state-senate-centering-housing-safety-and-californias-rebuilding-effort/)
[MAINopoly & Memorial Day Weekend Events in Santa MonicaSanta Monica events this Memorial Day weekend include MAINopoly tasting event (May 24), Pier Locals Night finale (May 21), free Bike Anywhere Day rides, and Dine Latino Restaurant Week through May 24.SMDPSean Besser](https://www.smdp.com/around-town-mainopoly-pier-locals-night-finale-more-memorial-day-weekend-festivities/)
[Topanga Lagoon Restoration Meeting May 31Join the Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project public meeting on May 31 at Pierce College in Woodland Hills from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Share feedback on coastal wetland restoration efforts.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/topanga-lagoon-restoration-project-to-hold-public-meeting-may-31/)
[Music Guild Santa Monica Season Finale: Dvořák Violin ConcertoMusic Guild at St. Matthew’s in Santa Monica closes its 2025-26 season May 29 at 8 p.m. featuring violinist YuEun Gemma Kim performing Dvořák’s Violin Concerto with works by Debussy and Ravel. Tickets $45.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/music-guild-at-st-matthews-closes-season-with-dvorak-violin-concerto-may-29/)
[Jake Levine’s Plan for LA Wildfire Recovery and Better GovernmentCongressional candidate Jake Levine campaigns on government effectiveness and undergrounding power lines in Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and high-risk LA communities.SMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/from-wildfire-recovery-to-washington-jake-levine-makes-his-case-for-a-different-kind-of-leadership-running-for-congress/)
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[World Turtle Day marks 26th year as turtle populations face uncertain futureA global conservation observance enters its 26th year this week with a new website, expanded resources and a renewed push to grow its international reach — all as scientists warn that more than half of the world’s turtle species face the threat of extinction. World Turtle Day, observed annually on MaySMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/world-turtle-day-marks-26th-year-as-turtle-populations-face-uncertain-future/)
[The Annenberg Community Beach House offers a sun-soaked summer of fun and relaxationThe Annenberg Community Beach House is bringing back community favorite events and introducing new programming for summer 2026, including Sand & Sea Room Fun crafts and games and a World Cup Fun & Watch Party. The summer schedule kicks off Saturday, June 6, with the return of Ocean of Sound, a freeSMDPGuest Author](https://www.smdp.com/the-annenberg-community-beach-house-offers-a-sun-soaked-summer-of-fun-and-relaxation/)
[Big Blue Bus on Weekend Schedule for Memorial DayIn observance of Memorial Day, Big Blue Bus will operate a weekend schedule on Monday, May 25, 2026 Customer Service and Blue: The Transit Store will be closed. Normal hours of operation will resume Tuesday, May 26, 2026\. Please note: \* Routes 5, 15, 16, 41, 44, and Rapid 10 willSMDPGuest Author](https://www.smdp.com/big-blu/)
[SMC Student Named Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship RecipientSanta Monica College student Martin Orea has been named a 2026 recipient of the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. Orea, a first-generation college student from Fullerton, is among 60 community college students nationwide selected for the scholarship from a pool of more than 1,300SMDPGuest Author](https://www.smdp.com/smc-student-named-jack-kent-cooke-foundation-scholarship-recipient/)
[Santa Monica College Mariachi Ensemble Los Corsarios Presents Free Concert May 28Santa Monica College’s Mariachi Ensemble Los Corsarios will perform a free concert Wednesday, May 28, at 11:15 a.m. in the Music Hall at the SMC Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St. at Santa Monica Boulevard. The ensemble, led by director Mary Alfaro, will perform ranchera, bolero and huapangoSMDPGuest Author](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-college-mariachi-ensemble-los-corsarios-presents-free-concert-may-28/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/event-3/#/show?subset=picks).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/052126.pdf?ref=smdp.com).
### Global Capital Is Still Flowing Into California — Nearly $13 Billion Worth
URL: https://www.smdp.com/global-capital-flowing-california/
Last updated: 2026-06-04T20:07:52.000Z
When international investors scan the global map for where to put their money, California keeps landing near the top of the list.
A new report from [Becker & Poliakoff](https://beckerlawyers.com/the-state-of-foreign-direct-investment-across-america/?ref=smdp.com), the national law firm, finds California ranked No. 3 in the United States for new foreign direct investment in 2024, pulling in $12.9 billion from abroad. The analysis draws on the most recent full-year federal data available and places California behind only Texas ($22.8 billion) and Georgia ($16.3 billion) among all 50 states.
Business district in California attracting global capital and international investors
The drivers are familiar ones for anyone who tracks the state's economy. Silicon Valley's technology and chip-design infrastructure, a life sciences industry with global reach, and major Pacific ports connecting California to capital markets in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan all factor into the state's draw. The practical result: foreign-owned businesses operating here support 885,600 California jobs — a figure no other state matches.
That workforce number matters because it illustrates what foreign investment actually produces on the ground. It is not simply a financial metric. It represents payrolls, facilities, supply chains, and economic activity woven into local communities across the state.
Nationally, the United States is not just competitive — it is dominant. America attracted $279 billion in foreign direct investment, more than doubling China's $116 billion. The [Becker & Poliakoff ](https://beckerlawyers.com/?ref=smdp.com)report frames that gap in strategic terms: FDI leadership reinforces the dollar's global reserve currency status, gives the federal government greater leverage in imposing economic sanctions, and supports 15 million jobs held by Americans working for foreign-owned companies.
The global top 10 reflects how concentrated FDI flows have become among a handful of financial centers and major economies. Singapore ranked second at $143 billion, Hong Kong third at $126 billion, followed by China, Luxembourg, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates.
For California, the third-place national ranking is a data point worth noting in a period when debates about the state's business climate are rarely quiet. Whatever policy friction exists at the margins, the numbers from international investors tell a different story — one in which California remains a first-tier destination for global capital with few real rivals.
### Hilton and Becerra lead in new California governor poll. Steyer trails but isn’t out
URL: https://www.smdp.com/hilton-and-becerra-lead-in-new-california-governor-poll-steyer-trails-but-isnt-out/
Last updated: 2026-05-21T19:00:11.000Z
By [Dan Walters](https://calmatters.org/author/dan-walters/?ref=smdp.com), CalMatters
This commentary was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
Two weeks from now we’ll probably know which of the 61 candidates for governor have finished 1-2 in the primary election and will face each other in November for the dubious honor of governing a state that may be ungovernable.
The weasel adverb “probably” is warranted because three would-be governors are in a close race, and California is notorious for taking a long time to produce a final election count.
The [latest Democratic Party poll](https://cadem.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/5.19.26-FINAL-CA-Voter-Index-Tracking-Survey-IV-Topline.pdf?ref=smdp.com), released Tuesday, has Republican Steve Hilton, a British-born former Fox News commentator, and Democrat Xavier Becerra, a former attorney general, virtually tied at 22% and 21% respectively. Billionaire Tom Steyer is still alive at 15%, but all other once-viable candidates are trailing in single digits.
There are three potential outcomes of the June 2 primary, assuming that none of the 58 other candidates defies political gravity and climbs into contention over the next fortnight.
The most likely is that Hilton and Becerra are the top two finishers and will face each other in the November election. Less likely is Hilton and Steyer finishing 1-2 or the two Democrats taking both top places.
Given the state’s lopsided Democratic voter registration advantage, Hilton’s only realistic chance of winning in November would be for his Democratic rival to somehow self-destruct. That’s an unlikely scenario, but this campaign has already generated a string of unpredictable events, so nothing should be rejected out of hand.
There’s been a semi-secret drive underway by Democratic operatives to trumpet Hilton’s ties to a very unpopular President Donald Trump, hoping that would spark an outpouring of Republican support that would boost him into one of the two top finishes, thus avoiding a Democrat-vs-Democrat showdown.
That’s exactly what happened in a U.S. Senate race two years ago when Democrat Adam Schiff helped Republican Steve Garvey qualify for the November election, thereby avoiding a faceoff with Democrat Katie Porter. Porter is now running for governor but has faded to 7% in the latest poll.
Earlier in the governor's race, Democrats worried about a 1-2 Republican primary finish that would lock them out of the governorship, but that possibility faded when a leading Democrat, Eric Stalwell, [imploded among allegations of sexual harassment and assault](https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/04/california-governor-swalwell-out/?ref=smdp.com).
Stalwell’s exit (his name remains on the ballot) propelled Becerra, who had been languishing in the lower tier of candidates, into contention seemingly overnight.
Ever since, he’s been the target of steadily escalating personal attacks from Steyer, who's spending millions from his vast fortune on a nonstop barrage of TV and internet ads accusing Becerra of seemingly everything short of causing the heartbreak of psoriasis.
The most pointed allegation is that Becerra is somehow culpable for a scheme in which money from one of his campaign accounts was siphoned into the pockets of what had been a trusted aide.
[Three people have pleaded guilty to federal charges](https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/pr/california-political-consultant-and-former-public-official-pleads-guilty-conspiracy?ref=smdp.com), and prosecutors consider Becerra to have been a victim, not a perpetrator. But that has not stopped Steyer from attacks that fall just a micrometer short of accusing Becerra.
One Steyer broadside: “Becerra’s campaign manager and chief of staff were indicted for stealing from his campaign, raising the question: Was Becerra complicit, or too incompetent to notice?”
While the scenario of a 1-2 Republican finish has vanished with Becerra’s rapid rise and the decline of the other GOP candidate, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, the possibility of a Republican freezeout has so unnerved Democratic leaders that they now are planning to do away with the top-two system that they — and Republican Party apparatchiks — never liked in the first place, because it leaves too much to chance.
Or, in other words, it is thought to be too small “d” democratic.
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/05/governor-poll-hilton-becerra-california/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### John Erickson Makes His Case for State Senate, Centering Housing, Safety and California’s Rebuilding Effort
URL: https://www.smdp.com/john-erickson-makes-his-case-for-state-senate-centering-housing-safety-and-californias-rebuilding-effort/
Last updated: 2026-05-21T19:00:00.000Z
As California continues grappling with affordability pressures, housing shortages and the long road toward recovery following recent disasters, candidates seeking higher office are increasingly being asked not simply what they stand for, but whether they can effectively deliver results.
For John Erickson, candidate for California Senate District 24, former Mayor and current Councilmember in West Hollywood, that answer begins with experience. Erickson said his campaign is built around a record of advancing legislation on issues affecting working Californians, including housing protections, workers’ rights, climate policy and economic equity. “I have a proven track record of passing bold, courageous legislation,” Erickson said. “As a Councilmember, I co-authored the highest minimum wage in the county. As VP of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles and at Alliance for a Better Community, I've successfully taken on the Trump Adminsitration to protect reproductive freedom, access to affordable healthcare and immigrant rights. It is easy to make promises, ascertains, but I know how government works, and I know how to deliver results.”
As families throughout Los Angeles County continue facing rising costs for groceries, gas, rent and healthcare, Erickson said the affordability crisis has become increasingly personal for residents, and himself. “The cost of living is affecting people every single day. People are feeling it everywhere. It is easy to blame the affordability crisis on Trump, but the truth is the state has been putting special interests over families for decades. I am running to bring the kind of systemic change the state has needed for a long time," he said.
As the only renter in the Senate race, Erickson said his own experience navigating Southern California’s housing market has shaped his approach. He pointed to tenant protections enacted during his time in West Hollywood, including a cap on annual rent increases at 3 percent, a model later adopted by Santa Monica. “Housing is personal for me. I understand what people are going through because I live it, my friends live it, my constituents live it," said Erickson.
If elected, Erickson said his immediate priorities would focus on education funding, healthcare affordability and housing production. He pointed to education funding challenges and said California must explore sustainable revenue solutions to protect schools and institutions facing budget pressures.
On healthcare, Erickson emphasized protecting community clinics and organizations such as Planned Parenthood, where he previously served as Vice President, while addressing growing healthcare costs that continue affecting families across the state.
Housing, however, remains one of the district’s most visible challenges because, he says, “Nobody should have to choose between food, medicine and paying the rent. Having a safe and affordable place is essential. “We need more infill housing, mixed use housing and affordable housing at every level. It should not cost more to build an affordable housing unit than a parking space," said Erickson.
Beyond affordability, Erickson said safety and rebuilding efforts will likely define California’s next chapter, particularly following wildfire disasters that exposed vulnerabilities in the state’s emergency response and insurance systems.
He pointed specifically to growing concerns around insurance companies canceling policies or significantly increasing rates, as well as broader concerns over infrastructure and utility accountability. “This will be a long term challenge. Rebuilding communities does not happen overnight,” said Erickson.
He argued that California must take a larger role in supporting local communities during disasters, ensuring emergency resources are available and helping create greater stability for residents facing displacement and uncertainty. “We need government to step up and support implementation at the local level,” Erickson said. “Communities need certainty, they need resources and they need leaders willing to stay engaged for the long haul.”
Erickson also spoke about public safety through a broader lens, emphasizing not only emergency preparedness but community stability, economic security and protecting essential services. He said creating safer communities requires addressing root issues including housing instability, healthcare access and economic opportunity alongside traditional public safety measures.
As his campaign continues, Erickson pointed to support from teachers, nurses, firefighters and labor organizations throughout the district, as well as a coalition of local elected officials and community leaders. “The labor movement has been a major supporter because they know I fight for working people,” Erickson said.
He also emphasized that his campaign is rooted in visibility and local engagement, pledging to hold town halls across every city within the district and meet with major stakeholder groups during his first 100 days if elected. “I want to be more present in the district than in Sacramento,” Erickson said. “People want someone who shows up and knows how to do what he says he’ll do.”
### Around Town: MAINopoly, Pier Locals Night Finale, & More Memorial Day Weekend Festivities
URL: https://www.smdp.com/around-town-mainopoly-pier-locals-night-finale-more-memorial-day-weekend-festivities/
Last updated: 2026-05-21T19:00:01.000Z
SMDP's Weekly Guide to Food & Entertainment Goings-On In & Around Town includes **MAINopoly, Pier Locals Night Finale, Dine Latino Restaurant Week, & Many More Memorial Day Weekend Festivities**!
**Bike Anywhere Day (Thursday, May 21):** Big Blue Bus is celebrating its growing community of multimodal riders, by offering free rides to bicyclists! On May 21, your ride is FREE when you board Big Blue Bus with a bike or helmet. Metro Bike Share will offer free 30-minute rides on May 21 across the 225 bike rental stations throughout Los Angeles. All riders can redeem them by selecting ‘1-Ride’ at any Metro Bike Share kiosk, online or in the Metro Bike Share app, and by entering promo 052126 – this code can be redeemed multiple times throughout the day.
**Pier Locals’ Night Season Finale:** Some nights on the Santa Monica Pier just feel like summer. Thursday, May 21 is one of them, as Locals’ Night returns for its spring season finale from 3:30 to 10 p.m., bringing together live music, storytelling, classic cars, and community celebration across the Pier in one unforgettable evening—free and open to all ages. This special edition also marks the beginning of Pacific Park’s 30th anniversary celebration, with select moments woven into the evening, including a community “thank you” tribute on the Ferris wheel and the debut of Sweet Rose Creamery for guests. **Thursday, May 21, 3:30-10p.m.** [instagram.com/santamonicapier](http://instagram.com/santamonicapier?ref=smdp.com)
**Rick Crocker 5k Run/Walk:** Lace up and join us for the 6th Annual Rick Crocker 5K Challenge in support of the Santa Monica Police Activities League (PAL). **Thursday, May 21, 3:30-10p.m., SaMo Pier** [santamonicanext.org/2026/02/rick-crocker-5k-run-walk-coming-back-on-5-21/](http://santamonicanext.org/2026/02/rick-crocker-5k-run-walk-coming-back-on-5-21/?ref=smdp.com)
**"9 to 5 The Musical":** Now playing through June 7 at The Morgan-Wixson Theatre as part of the Theatre's 80th anniversary season, brings the high-energy comedy with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton to the stage. **Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at 2627 Pico Blvd.** morgan-wixson.org
**11th Annual MAINopoly: A Taste of Main Street:** This is one of my personal favorite days on Main St. every year. This all-ages community event is a fun take on the classic board game, giving players access to tastings at over 20 participating businesses. Stop at every location for a chance to win a "Taste of Main Street" Prize Package. For the first time ever, MAINopoly guests can sip while they stroll! Thanks to a special City of Santa Monica permit, attendees 21+ can enjoy alcoholic beverages throughout designated areas of Main Street during the event. Grab a drink from the “Go to Jail” Beer Garden or select participating locations and enjoy it as you make your way from stop to stop. $30 for advanced tickets. **Sunday, May 24, 1 – 5p.m.** [https://mainopolysm.com/](https://mainopolysm.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**Handlebar Happy Hour:** Close out Bike Month with the second Handlebar Happy Hour at Bodega Wine Bar (814 Broadway) on Thursday, May 28 from 4PM to 6PM. Connect with fellow cyclists, and enjoy a local establishment along the newly constructed Broadway corridor. The City of Santa Monica’s Mobility team will be present to answer questions about the Broadway project.
**Memorial Day at The Miramar:** Enjoy a luau featuring island-inspired cuisine in the Miramar Gardens, experience Mermaid Magic poolside with storytelling, and savor coastal moments thoughtfully designed for all ages under the Santa Monica sun. [fairmont-miramar.com/happening-at-the-miramar-2026/](http://fairmont-miramar.com/happening-at-the-miramar-2026/?ref=smdp.com)
**Free Mariachi Ensemble Concert: Directed by Mary Alfaro, the ensemble will perform a program of traditional rancheras, boleros and huapangos.** Thursday, May 28, 11:15 a.m., SMC Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St.
**ONGOING:** [Museum of Illusions](https://moisantamonica.com/?ref=smdp.com); [The CUBE VR](https://www.thecubeevents.com/santamonicaexperiences?ref=smdp.com); [Splatter Studio](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/california-live/paint-sip-and-create-in-santa-monica/3834517/?ref=smdp.com);
**What to Eat & Drink?**
**Dine Latino Restaurant Week:** Now through Sunday, May 24, more than 200 local restaurants representing the culinary traditions of 20 Latin American countries, are offering prix-fixe menus and special dishes. The Latino Restaurant Assn. aims to celebrate and provide essential support to participating Latino restaurants across L.A. County, which have faced mounting challenges since ICE raids began last year. Participating SaMo spots include La Monarca Bakery (1300 Wilshire Blvd.) and Fogo De Chao (1551 Ocean Ave.). [https://dinelatinomap.tiiny.site/](https://dinelatinomap.tiiny.site/?ref=smdp.com)
**Five-Course Oceanfront Dinner & Nikka Whisky Pairing:** Indulge in an evening at The Lobster on a five-course dinner paired with Nikka Whisky & Spirits. $160/person. 21+ only. **Thursday, May 21, 6p.m., 1602 Ocean Ave.** [resy.com/cities/los-angeles-ca/venues/the-lobster](http://resy.com/cities/los-angeles-ca/venues/the-lobster?ref=smdp.com)
**Florentine Steak Dinner Series at All'Antico Vinaio:** The popula Italian sandwich spot has teamed up with Florence Underground for a dinner series at their Santa Monica location centered around bistecca alla Fiorentina. For $160 per pair, the meal opens with cured meats, cheeses, and house-made schiacciata bread before the main event: a thick T-bone seasoned only with salt and olive oil, served slightly before medium-rare with classic sides family-style. Olive oil cake and crema close it out. Available just three dates, May 29, June 26, and July 30\. [tables.toasttab.com/all-antico-vinaio-santa-monica-blvd/experience/fiorentina-night](http://tables.toasttab.com/all-antico-vinaio-santa-monica-blvd/experience/fiorentina-night?ref=smdp.com)
**"Circle Bar’s Triumphant Return To Santa Monica":** This Toddrickallen blog post details "One of Santa Monica’s most legendary nightlife venues is set to return on Friday, May 22\. Circle Bar, the longtime OG Main Street bar and nightclub known for its dimly lit, oval-shaped bar, packed dance floor, and historic past, will reopen under new ownership. At the helm are local restaurateurs Mark and Addie Van Gessel, the duo behind the Venice staple Hinano Cafe and Santa Monica’s Tavern on Main." [https://toddrickallen.com/2026/05/14/circle-bars-triumphant-return-to-santa-monica/](https://toddrickallen.com/2026/05/14/circle-bars-triumphant-return-to-santa-monica/?ref=smdp.com)
**Italian Gelato Chain Bacio di Latte Opens on Montana Ave.:** It's known for making its product fresh daily in-store with popular offerings including classics such as Stracciatella, Pistachio, Hazelnut, and the signature Bacio di Latte sweet cream, along with rotating fruit sorbets and seasonal items. 1510 Montana Ave.
**Pop’s Bagels Opens On Montana Ave.:** After two years B&T’s Deli abruptly closed up shop on April 30 at 912 Montana Ave. By some miracle, cult-fave carb purveyor Pop’s Bagels has not only managed to move in but are planning opened up within a couple weeks already. Pop’s Bagels has four other LA locations and is well-known for long lines and bagels described as “fluffy, crispy, and perfectly chewy”. With equally culty H& H Bagels just a block away, and Sam’s Bagels a little over a block in the opposite direction, Montana Ave is turning into something of a carb capital. [toddrickallen.com/2026/05/15/pops-bagels-opens-on-montana-ave](http://toddrickallen.com/2026/05/15/pops-bagels-opens-on-montana-ave?ref=smdp.com)
**Cotti Coffee Plans to Open on Third Street Promenade:** ☕Cotti is now the third-largest coffee chain in the world, behind only Starbucks and Luckin, and just entered the U.S. market last year. Their selection of the Promenade alongside their NYC and LA debut sites puts Santa Monica on a very short list of U.S. cities they are targeting.
**Further Afield:** **Live Talks Hosts José Andrés in conversation with Jennifer Garner, discussing his newest book: Spain My Way: Eat, Drink, and Cook Like a Spaniard:** Enjoy a lively, immersive, and authoritative collection of Chef José’s most beloved recipes from his home country, and the stories of the diverse people and places behind them. **Tuesday, May 26, 8p.m., 4401 Elenda St, Culver City** [eventbrite.com/e/jose-andres-with-jennifer-garner-tickets-1986634208396](http://eventbrite.com/e/jose-andres-with-jennifer-garner-tickets-1986634208396?ref=smdp.com)
**More Further Afield: Street Food Cinema Returns:** L.A. State Historic Park hosts weekly outdoor movies along with live performances, comedians, popular food trucks, themed cocktails and more. **Saturdays through August, 1245 N Spring St., LA** [streetfoodcinema.com](http://streetfoodcinema.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**Looking Ahead:** [U.S. Women’s Open Golf Championship](http://uswomensopen.com/2026/tickets.html?ref=smdp.com) (6/2-5); [World Cup Street Parties](https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2026/04/16/major-events-agreements-advance-world-cup-activations-kick-into-high-gear?ref=smdp.com); [Main St. Summer SOULStice Festival](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-soulstice-festival-tickets-1987951789316?ref=smdp.com) (6/20)
If there’s something you think is worth highlighting, you can reach out directly to me at [sean@smdp.com](mailto:sean@smdp.com).[ ](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com)[Here](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com) are my past columns and let me know if you have any feedback on **Around Town: MAINopoly, Pier Locals Night Finale, & More Memorial Day Weekend Festivities**
### Topanga Lagoon restoration project to hold public meeting May 31
URL: https://www.smdp.com/topanga-lagoon-restoration-project-to-hold-public-meeting-may-31/
Last updated: 2026-05-21T19:00:01.000Z
Partners of the Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project will host a public meeting on Sunday, May 31, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Pierce College in Woodland Hills to share updates on restoration and design efforts for one of Southern California's last remaining coastal wetlands.
The 2025 Palisades Fire directly affected the Topanga Lagoon ecosystem and nearby visitor-serving areas associated with Topanga Beach and lower Topanga State Park. During the meeting, project partners will provide updates on lagoon restoration, the Caltrans bridge replacement and the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors Visitor and Emergency Services facilities at Topanga Beach.
Community feedback gathered at the meeting will help inform ongoing planning. Attendees will have an opportunity to share their perspectives and personal connections to Topanga Beach and Lagoon. Family-friendly activities will be available, along with Spanish translation services and additional accessibility accommodations on request. Participants may attend in person or virtually.
The public is encouraged to RSVP in advance[ ](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/topanga-lagoon-restoration-project-public-meeting-tickets-1988605236795?aff=oddtdtcreator&ref=smdp.com)[via Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/topanga-lagoon-restoration-project-public-meeting-tickets-1988605236795?aff=oddtdtcreator&ref=smdp.com).
Located at the eastern edge of the Santa Monica Mountains, the Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project area includes Topanga State Park, managed by California State Parks, and Topanga Beach, managed by the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors. The project also encompasses the nearby Caltrans right-of-way along Pacific Coast Highway and Topanga Canyon Boulevard. The Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains serves as the project's grant manager.
The restoration effort seeks to preserve and expand the lagoon's biological, cultural and recreational resources while improving coastal access, emergency response and visitor amenities. The lagoon also functions as a natural filtration system and stormwater buffer and provides habitat for rare and endangered species. Long-term planning is also helping address impacts from sea level rise and changing coastal conditions.
Learn more at[ ](https://www.topangalagoonrestoration.org/?ref=smdp.com)[topangalagoonrestoration.org](https://www.topangalagoonrestoration.org/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Music Guild at St. Matthew's closes season with Dvořák Violin Concerto May 29
URL: https://www.smdp.com/music-guild-at-st-matthews-closes-season-with-dvorak-violin-concerto-may-29/
Last updated: 2026-05-21T19:00:02.000Z
Music Guild at St. Matthew's will conclude its 2025–26 season on Friday, May 29, at 8 p.m. at St. Matthew's Church, 1031 Bienveneda Ave., featuring the Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthew's led by Music Director Dwayne S. Milburn and violinist YuEun Gemma Kim performing Dvořák's Violin Concerto in A minor.
"This is exactly the kind of program I love for a season finale," Milburn said. "It has color, energy, imagination, and tremendous emotional range. Debussy and Ravel give us elegance and sparkle, John Graham's music brings a vivid contemporary voice shaped by storytelling and drama, and Dvořák's Violin Concerto is one of the great Romantic works for the instrument. To close the season with YuEun Gemma Kim at the center of this concerto is especially exciting for all of us."
The concert opens with Claude Debussy's Danse (Tarantella Styrienne), a lively, graceful piece originally written for piano and later arranged for orchestra by Maurice Ravel. The program continues with music from John Graham's award-winning score for "Unbound," the hit Japanese historical drama that aired in 2025 on NHK, Japan's national broadcast network. The evening concludes with Dvořák's Violin Concerto in A minor, featuring Kim, a work full of warmth, energy and memorable melodies.
Kim, an award-winning South Korean violinist, performs internationally as a soloist and chamber musician on both modern and Baroque instruments. Since moving to the United States in 2013 to study with Midori Goto at the University of Southern California, she has appeared with ensembles including Delirium Musicum, American Bach Soloists, Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra, Boulder Bach Festival and Voices of Music.
She has been recognized as a top prize winner at the Boulder International Chamber Music Competition Art of Duo, a semifinalist at the Qingdao and Michael Hill international violin competitions, and the recipient of the Jeffrey Thomas Award from American Bach Soloists. Kim is a core member of the self-conducted chamber orchestra Delirium Musicum and a former Artist-in-Residence with Musica Angelica.
A free pre-concert talk, "Liner Notes," begins at 7:10 p.m. Hosted by Milburn with guest David Garrett, the talk offers context about the music, composers and historical figures featured in the program and is open to all ticket holders.
Tickets are $45 general admission, with students paying $10 at the door with ID. Tickets may be purchased at[ ](https://musicguildonline.org/?ref=smdp.com)[MusicGuildOnline.org](https://musicguildonline.org/?ref=smdp.com) or at the door one hour before the performance. More information: 310-573-0722.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### SMC Dance Department to host open house showcase May 27
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-dance-department-to-host-open-house-showcase-may-27/
Last updated: 2026-05-21T19:00:02.000Z
The Santa Monica College Dance Department will hold its Dance Open House Showcase on Wednesday, May 27, from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in SMC Core Performance Center 310, on the[ ](https://www.smc.edu/about/campuses/documents/smc-main-campus.pdf?ref=smdp.com)[SMC Main Campus](https://www.smc.edu/about/campuses/documents/smc-main-campus.pdf?ref=smdp.com) at 1900 Pico Blvd. The event is free and open to the public.
The showcase will present informal showings of Dance Department coursework along with works by student choreographers. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn about SMC's Dance program, including its AA Degree and Certificates of Achievement, meet faculty and current students, and hear about performance opportunities.
Santa Monica College is a California Community College accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
More information is available at[ ](http://smc.edu/dance?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/dance](http://smc.edu/dance?ref=smdp.com) or by calling 310-434-4100 or 310-434-3467.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### From Wildfire Recovery to Washington, Jake Levine Makes His Case for a Different Kind of Leadership running for Congress
URL: https://www.smdp.com/from-wildfire-recovery-to-washington-jake-levine-makes-his-case-for-a-different-kind-of-leadership-running-for-congress/
Last updated: 2026-05-21T10:00:00.000Z
As a fast moving brush fire triggered evacuation orders in Simi Valley this week, leaders gathered in Pacific Palisades with a message reflecting a broader question surfacing across Los Angeles as communities continue rebuilding after devastating fires, whether government systems are still capable of delivering solutions at the scale communities now need.
Jake Levine, candidate for California's 32nd Congressional District and former Senior Director for Climate and Energy at the National Security Council, has increasingly framed his campaign around that question. Rather than centering his candidacy solely around political differences, Levine argues that voters are looking for a government that can work effectively, coordinate across agencies, and produce tangible outcomes. "We need people who actually want to work effectively rather than just getting a soundbite; people are done with performative politics," Levine said.
That conversation took on added urgency as Levine joined Rick Caruso, businessman, philanthropist, and founder and chairman of Steadfast LA, at a press conference Monday calling for federal action to underground dangerous overhead power lines across the highest fire risk communities in the district. The proposal focused on communities including Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Encino, Sherman Oaks, Woodland Hills, and surrounding areas increasingly facing wildfire threats.
For Levine, wildfire recovery and resilience have become among the clearest examples of what he sees as larger challenges around government coordination and infrastructure investment. "If you overlay wildfire maps with power line maps, the difference becomes striking. We need federal funding to properly rebuild infrastructure in a way that is more resilient," said Levine.
Levine, whose childhood home was lost during the fires, argues that rebuilding efforts require more than isolated projects. Instead, he says they require systems and agencies working together in ways that have often been missing. "One thing that has been missing is coordination, legislative staffs at city, county, state and federal levels often do not know one another and are not talking to each other; that should not happen," Levine said.
Caruso echoed similar concerns around long term resilience efforts and the need for urgency. "The people of Los Angeles deserve leaders who will stand up for them when it matters most and take their safety seriously. Undergrounding power lines in our red flag areas, where the risk to lives and homes is greatest, is one of the most important things we can do to protect these communities," said Levine.
Caruso also argued that communities recovering from devastating fires require leaders willing to undertake the "heavy lifting" needed to secure long-term protections and funding partnerships, but some of the strongest reflections on what these conversations mean on the ground came from local leaders who have lived through the realities of disaster response and recovery.
Malibu City Council member Haylynn Conrad, who also endorsed Levine's candidacy alongside Caruso, connected Levine's message around effectiveness and coordination to what many residents have experienced first-hand. "What I learned was that what we have right now is not working. We need new energy, a new direction and politics without all of the performative stuff. I want effectiveness. I do not care about appearances if people are not getting results," said Conrad.
Conrad pointed specifically to concerns surrounding agency coordination and infrastructure vulnerabilities facing Malibu and neighboring communities, noting that major transportation and evacuation routes remain susceptible during disasters. "PCH could literally face major issues and communities could become cut off during future disasters," Conrad said. "People are asking where resources are going and whether agencies are talking to one another. We need government working for us."
Her comments reflected a broader concern increasingly surfacing throughout recovery conversations across Southern California; for many communities, resilience is no longer simply about rebuilding structures. It is becoming equally about whether systems, agencies, and leadership can work together effectively when communities need them most.
Levine's experience spans climate policy, national security strategy, clean energy deployment, and work across federal agencies, including within the Obama administration and the White House. During discussions surrounding wildfire recovery, he repeatedly emphasized that solving challenges of this scale requires bringing agencies and stakeholders together around practical solutions rather than political silos.
Levine has also expanded his message beyond wildfire recovery into broader economic concerns including California's entertainment industry and workforce displacement. "The economic displacement we are seeing is on the scale of what happened to the Detroit auto industry. These are not just industry jobs; these are restaurants, construction workers, electricians and communities being affected," said Levine.
For Levine, the conversation ultimately extends beyond policy proposals and infrastructure projects into a larger generational question. "I think about people in Gen Z and what they have lived through. Many have never really experienced a government that has done something productive for them. We can make big changes, but we need people willing to step up and do it," said Levine
Whether voters embrace that message remains to be seen, but as Los Angeles continues rebuilding from one crisis while preparing for the next, the debate increasingly appears to center on something larger than a single election, whether leadership will ultimately be defined by politics as usual, or by a renewed focus on urgency, collaboration, and getting things done.
### Santa Monica Pier Ranks Among California's Most Polluted Beaches for 5th Straight Year
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-pier-ranks-among-californias-most-polluted-beaches-for-10th-straight-year/
Last updated: 2026-05-21T17:12:22.000Z
The Santa Monica Pier has been ranked among California's most polluted beaches for the 5th consecutive year, according to an annual water quality report released ahead of Memorial Day weekend, raising fresh public health concerns at one of the state's most visited coastal destinations.
The environmental nonprofit Heal the Bay placed the iconic pier at No. 2 on its 2025-2026 Beach Bummer list, a ranking of the 10 California beaches with the worst water quality during summer dry weather. The designation reflects what the group described as "persistent water quality challenges at one of the state's most visited coastal destinations."
"No one should get sick from a weekend in our waters," Heal the Bay CEO Tracy Quinn said. "These findings are a reminder that water quality isn't just a report, it's a public health issue that affects every beachgoer and river user across California."
According to the report, "despite years of investment and remediation efforts, elevated bacteria levels continue to pose a direct public health risk for millions of beachgoers."
The Beach Report Card, which has tracked bacterial pollution for more than 36 years, evaluates fecal indicator bacteria levels at hundreds of beaches from Washington state to Baja California, translating complex water quality data into letter grades from A to F. "A single exposure to bacteria-contaminated water can lead to illness, including rashes, ear infections, respiratory issues, and gastrointestinal symptoms," the report states.
Only Playa Blanca in Tijuana, heavily impacted by transboundary wastewater flows from Baja California, ranked worse than the Santa Monica Pier. The pier is classified as a storm drain-impacted beach, meaning runoff carrying urban pollutants flows directly into surrounding waters.
[Heal the Bay](https://healthebay.org/?ref=smdp.com) said it is "actively investigating pollution sources near the Pier through its Santa Monica Pier Task Force, in partnership with the City of Santa Monica, to identify long-term solutions."
The pier's poor showing comes against a backdrop of broader statewide water quality declines. The report found that 91% of California beaches still earned A or B grades during summer dry conditions, but "wet weather grades declined statewide, dropping from 67% to 61% during storms." Heal the Bay attributed the slide to increased rainfall, urban runoff and aging stormwater infrastructure.
"Southern California saw some of the largest winter and wet weather declines this year, as stormwater runoff carried more pollution into beaches and waterways," the report said. Six of the 10 Beach Bummer sites this year were in San Mateo County, "many located in enclosed harbor and lagoon systems where limited circulation contributes to chronic bacteria pollution."
The number of beaches earning a spot on Heal the Bay's Honor Roll — reserved for beaches receiving A+ grades across summer dry, winter dry and wet weather conditions — fell sharply this year to 21, "a notable decrease from the 62 beaches last year," according to the report. In Los Angeles County, only Bluff Cove in Palos Verdes Estates earned Honor Roll status.
Most Honor Roll beaches were in Orange and San Diego counties, including sites in Huntington Harbour, Laguna Beach, Carlsbad and Point Loma.
Heal the Bay urged beachgoers heading to the coast over the holiday weekend to take precautions before entering the water. The organization recommends three steps: "Avoid swimming within 72 hours after rainfall," "Stay away from storm drains, river outlets, and enclosed stagnant waters," and "Always check current water quality conditions before recreating."
Weekly water quality grades are available year-round through the Beach Report Card app and at beachreportcard.org.
The report's findings underscore what Heal the Bay described as long-standing infrastructure gaps that allow pollution hotspots to reappear year after year. "Many pollution hotspots identified in previous years reappeared, underscoring ongoing challenges tied to stormwater runoff, stagnant circulation, and aging wastewater infrastructure," the report said.
[Climate change](https://www.smdp.com/california-will-make-less-money-from-greenhouse-gas-emission-auctions/) is expected to compound those challenges. "As climate change intensifies rainfall extremes, wildfire impacts, and urban runoff pressures, sustained investment in water infrastructure and access to clear, reliable public health information, will only become more critical," the report warned.
Founded in 1985, Heal the Bay is "an environmental nonprofit dedicated to making coastal waters and inland watersheds of greater Los Angeles safe, healthy, and clean." The organization said its volunteers have removed nearly 4 million pieces of plastic trash from California coastlines over the past four decades.
For the millions of beachgoers expected at California's coast this Memorial Day weekend, the report card delivers a pointed message about one of the state's most visited destinations: by Heal the Bay's measure, the Santa Monica Pier remains among the most polluted beaches in California.
### Wednesday, May 20, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/wednesday-may-20-2026/
Last updated: 2026-05-20T21:09:16.000Z
Sunny. High 76F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 75º/59º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 71º/58º
### FIRST UP
## Council backs coastal program push amid public skepticism over motives
Residents who packed a special City Council meeting Monday largely backed the city's pursuit of a certified Local Coastal Program... [READ](https://www.smdp.com/council-backs-coastal-program-push-amid-public-skepticism-over-motives/)
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[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184436/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
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### MORE NEWS
[World Turtle Day marks 26th year as turtle populations face uncertain futureA global conservation observance enters its 26th year this week with a new website, expanded resources and a renewed push to grow its international reach — all as scientists warn that more than half of the world’s turtle species face the threat of extinction. World Turtle Day, observed annually on MaySMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/world-turtle-day-marks-26th-year-as-turtle-populations-face-uncertain-future/)
[The Annenberg Community Beach House offers a sun-soaked summer of fun and relaxationThe Annenberg Community Beach House is bringing back community favorite events and introducing new programming for summer 2026, including Sand & Sea Room Fun crafts and games and a World Cup Fun & Watch Party. The summer schedule kicks off Saturday, June 6, with the return of Ocean of Sound, a freeSMDPGuest Author](https://www.smdp.com/the-annenberg-community-beach-house-offers-a-sun-soaked-summer-of-fun-and-relaxation/)
[Big Blue Bus on Weekend Schedule for Memorial DayIn observance of Memorial Day, Big Blue Bus will operate a weekend schedule on Monday, May 25, 2026 Customer Service and Blue: The Transit Store will be closed. Normal hours of operation will resume Tuesday, May 26, 2026\. Please note: \* Routes 5, 15, 16, 41, 44, and Rapid 10 willSMDPGuest Author](https://www.smdp.com/big-blu/)
[SMC Student Named Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship RecipientSanta Monica College student Martin Orea has been named a 2026 recipient of the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. Orea, a first-generation college student from Fullerton, is among 60 community college students nationwide selected for the scholarship from a pool of more than 1,300SMDPGuest Author](https://www.smdp.com/smc-student-named-jack-kent-cooke-foundation-scholarship-recipient/)
[Santa Monica College Mariachi Ensemble Los Corsarios Presents Free Concert May 28Santa Monica College’s Mariachi Ensemble Los Corsarios will perform a free concert Wednesday, May 28, at 11:15 a.m. in the Music Hall at the SMC Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St. at Santa Monica Boulevard. The ensemble, led by director Mary Alfaro, will perform ranchera, bolero and huapangoSMDPGuest Author](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-college-mariachi-ensemble-los-corsarios-presents-free-concert-may-28/)
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[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184437/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
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### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[U.S. Soccer House Takes Over Venice Beach for 2026 World CupU.S. Soccer House opens June 11-26 at Venice Beach with free fan experiences, watch parties, meet-and-greets with players, and live entertainment during 2026 FIFA World Cup.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/u-s-soccer-house-to-take-over-venice-beach-during-world-cup/)
[Where does California rank in homelessness? The federal report that could tell us has been delayed for monthsBy Marisa Kendall, CalMatters This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Every December, the federal government releases a report that reveals the number of homeless residents in each state and across the country. It’s now May and the report, which compiles data from aSMDPCal Matters](https://www.smdp.com/where-does-california-rank-in-homelessness-the-federal-report-that-could-tell-us-has-been-delayed-for-months/)
[Malibu Summer 2026 Recreation Guide Now AvailableMalibu’s Summer 2026 Recreation Guide features youth camps, swim lessons, wellness classes, and new inclusive programs. Registration opens May 11 at MalibuCity.org/Register.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/malibu-releases-summer-2026-recreation-guide/)
[SMC Art Mentor Program Exhibit ‘Well Fed’ Opens May 19The SMC Art Mentor Program Exhibit ‘Well Fed’ opens May 19-30 at Santa Monica College’s Pete & Susan Barrett Art Gallery with a free reception May 21, 5-8 p.m.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-art-mentor-program-exhibit-opens-may-19-with-well-fed/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/event-3/#/show?subset=picks).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/052026.pdf?ref=smdp.com).
### World Turtle Day marks 26th year as turtle populations face uncertain future
URL: https://www.smdp.com/world-turtle-day-marks-26th-year-as-turtle-populations-face-uncertain-future/
Last updated: 2026-05-20T19:00:59.000Z
A global conservation observance enters its 26th year this week with a new website, expanded resources and a renewed push to grow its international reach — all as scientists warn that more than half of the world's turtle species face the threat of extinction.
World Turtle Day, observed annually on May 23, is sponsored by American Tortoise Rescue, a Malibu-based nonprofit that launched the event in 2000\.
Conservationists estimate that 61 percent of turtle species are threatened or already extinct, with smuggling, the exotic food and pet trades, habitat destruction and climate change among the primary drivers pushing the animals toward the brink. Biologists warn that without significant action, turtle and tortoise populations could decline dramatically within decades.
Turtles have existed for approximately 220 million years, outlasting ice ages and mass extinctions.
"Turtles survived the dinosaurs," said Susan Tellem, co-founder of American Tortoise Rescue. "It would be a tragedy if they couldn't survive us."
For 2026, ATR is unveiling a redesigned World Turtle Day website featuring expanded free educational resources and official merchandise, alongside a strategy focused on scaling the event's global reach. Last year's observance reached more than 100 million people across nearly 70 countries, with events and social media activity recorded in the United States, Canada, India, Australia, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, Borneo, Greece and elsewhere.
Supporters are encouraged to participate by hosting events, posting "shellfies" — turtle-themed photos — on social media and advocating for stronger wildlife protections.
About the organization
American Tortoise Rescue was founded in 1990 by Tellem and her husband, Marshall Thompson, after the couple adopted two captive-bred desert tortoise hatchlings. It was the first national rescue organization in the United States focused exclusively on turtles and tortoises. The organization received 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 1996 and has since rescued or rehomed more than 4,000 animals.
The organization's sanctuary and turtle hospital were destroyed in the November 2018 Woolsey Fire, which burned nearly 97,000 acres across Los Angeles and Ventura counties and destroyed more than 1,600 structures. All 35 hospital patients were evacuated before the fire, and hibernating residents survived in fireproof housing that Thompson had built. Subsequent fires in Malibu — the Franklin Fire in December 2024 and the Palisades Fire in January 2025 — came close to the property but did not breach it.
As part of ATR's 2026 transition, the organization's sanctuary residents — including its largest tortoises and nearly 100 additional turtles and tortoises — have been relocated to Turtle and Tortoise Rescue of Arroyo Grande, a volunteer-led sanctuary providing expanded space and lifelong care.
Thompson, a cinematographer who co-founded ATR with Tellem, died Nov. 2, 2025, at age 77 following a diagnosis of dementia in 2021\. Tellem continues to lead the organization as executive director.
About the founder
Tellem, 80, is a veteran Los Angeles public relations executive and registered nurse who has spent decades advocating for turtle and tortoise conservation.
Born May 23, 1945 — the date she later selected for World Turtle Day — Tellem holds a bachelor's degree from Mount St. Mary's College in Los Angeles and trained as a registered nurse. She began her career as a visiting nurse before moving into public relations, founding her own agency in 1977\. The firm was acquired by Saatchi & Saatchi in 1987, after which she served as senior vice president and managing director at Burson-Marsteller. She later relaunched her business as Tellem Grody Public Relations Inc., which specializes in healthcare, entertainment, crisis management and consumer products.
On the advocacy front, Tellem spent nearly two decades campaigning to halt the importation of non-native red-eared sliders and bullfrogs into California's live-food markets. The effort succeeded in 2010, when the California Fish & Game Commission voted 5-0 to end such imports. She continues to advocate for an "adopt, don't shop" approach to turtle ownership and opposes the sale of turtles under four inches in length, a practice that has been banned federally since 1975 due to salmonella risk.
World Turtle Day was trademarked by Tellem and is listed in Chase's Calendar of Events. The observance is intended to draw attention to habitat loss, the exotic pet trade, live-food markets and climate-driven threats to turtles and tortoises worldwide.
More information is available at worldturtleday.org.
### The Annenberg Community Beach House offers a sun-soaked summer of fun and relaxation
URL: https://www.smdp.com/the-annenberg-community-beach-house-offers-a-sun-soaked-summer-of-fun-and-relaxation/
Last updated: 2026-05-20T19:00:42.000Z
The Annenberg Community Beach House is bringing back community favorite events and introducing new programming for summer 2026, including Sand & Sea Room Fun crafts and games and a World Cup Fun & Watch Party.
The summer schedule kicks off Saturday, June 6, with the return of Ocean of Sound, a free evening event from 5-8 p.m. featuring internet radio station dublab presenting a curated lineup of artists for ages 18 and older. RSVPs are required.
The 14th annual Cardboard Yacht Regatta returns June 13 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with two-person teams racing cardboard and duct tape yachts across the facility's historic pool. Spectators may attend free of charge. Participants must pre-register; the entry fee is $20 per team.
The Beach House's historic heated pool opens for daily recreational swimming June 14 through Labor Day, Sept. 7\. Weekday hours are noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Weekend hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
A Pride Sunset Swim for ages 18 and older is scheduled for June 26 from 6-9 p.m., featuring crafts by Lavender Art Club, pool floaties and s'mores.
A World Cup Fun & Watch Party is set for June 25 from 6-9 p.m. and will include soccer-inspired activities, arts and crafts, and a livestream of the Türkiye vs. USA and Paraguay vs. Australia matches. The event is free and open to all ages.
Sunset Picnics in the facility's courtyard are scheduled for June 18, July 16 and Aug. 13, from 5-8 p.m. The June 18 event carries a Route 66 theme with trivia, crafts and music. The July and August editions will feature live musical duos and s'mores. All Sunset Picnics are free; RSVPs are encouraged.
A new activation, Sand & Sea Room Fun, will offer crafts and games for all ages from 3-5 p.m. on each Sunset Picnic date.
Sunset Swims — evening pool sessions for ages 18 and older featuring pool floaties and s'mores — are scheduled for July 10, July 24, Aug. 7 and Aug. 21, from 6-9 p.m.
Queer Surf's 2nd Annual Art Splash takes place July 26 from 5-8:30 p.m. and includes a popup mixed-media art show exploring queer relationships to water, followed by a night swim from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The event is free and open to all ages.
The annual Community Picnic on July 30 from 5-8 p.m. will feature games, crafts, a pie walk and tug-of-war. Attendees are invited to bring dinner. The event is free.
Santa Monica Public Library at the Beach, described as Southern California's only beachside pop-up library, returns Aug. 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a no-library-card-needed book checkout, a Surfside Lounge, games and a Seaside Storytime. All ages are welcome.
Recreation classes offered this summer include stand-up paddleboard, floating fitness and yoga. Youth programming includes volleyball camps, swimming lessons and Camp Bounce.
The Annenberg Community Beach House is located on the former seaside estate of silent film actress Marion Davies, off Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica. For more information, visit annenbergbeachhouse.com.
— Edited by SMDP Staff
### Big Blue Bus on Weekend Schedule for Memorial Day
URL: https://www.smdp.com/big-blu/
Last updated: 2026-05-20T19:00:34.000Z
| In observance of Memorial Day, Big Blue Bus will operate a weekend schedule on **Monday, May 25, 2026**Customer Service and Blue: The Transit Store will be **closed**. Normal hours of operation will resume **Tuesday, May 26, 2026**.Please note:Routes 5, 15, 16, 41, 44, and Rapid 10 will not be in service.**Palisades High and Paul Revere Middle School Riders:** **Route 9**: Northbound Express trips at **7:42 a.m. and 7:53 a.m.** to Pacific Palisades and southbound Express trips at **2:59 p.m.**, **3:02 p.m., and 3:05 p.m**. to Santa Monica will be canceled.**Route 14**: All trips to/from Paul Revere Middle School will be canceled.Please board at the following alternate stop: EB Montana Ave. at Bundy Dr.**UCLA Riders**:Hilgard Terminal will be closed:**Routes 1, 2, and 8:** Serve C.E.Y./P2 Garage. |
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### SMC Student Named Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship Recipient
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-student-named-jack-kent-cooke-foundation-scholarship-recipient/
Last updated: 2026-05-20T19:00:20.000Z
Santa Monica College student Martin Orea has been named a 2026 recipient of the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation.
Orea, a first-generation college student from Fullerton, is among 60 community college students nationwide selected for the scholarship from a pool of more than 1,300 applicants. The award provides up to $55,000 annually toward completion of a bachelor's degree at any accredited four-year institution, along with personalized advising, access to a network of more than 3,900 Cooke scholars and alumni, and opportunities for internships, study abroad and graduate school support.
Orea studies public policy, communications and political science at SMC and is enrolled in the college's Law Pathway Program, which provides students from underrepresented backgrounds with access to the legal profession. He serves as SMC Associated Students director of basic needs and as communications coordinator for the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges. Earlier this year, he was named one of two California community college students to receive the Outstanding Student Stipend Award from California LAW Pathways at the 2026 Pathways to Law Summit hosted by UC Law San Francisco.
Orea plans to transfer to Georgetown University to pursue a bachelor's degree in public policy through a joint program at the McCourt School of Public Policy. He said he ultimately hopes to earn a master's degree in public policy and a law degree and pursue a career in public service focused on state and federal policy.
"Congratulations to Martin Orea," SMC Superintendent/President Kathryn E. Jeffery said. "To be selected for a Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is a tremendous achievement and a testament to Martin's perseverance, excellence, and his vast potential."
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation noted that while nearly 80% of community college students aspire to earn a bachelor's degree, only 16% do so within six years. The scholarship aims to reduce financial barriers and support students through the transfer process.
"These scholars reflect the depth of talent and determination found in community colleges across the country," foundation CEO Giuseppe Basili said in a May 12 statement. "We're proud to help ensure that financial barriers don't prevent them from continuing their education and realizing their full potential."
— Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica College Mariachi Ensemble Los Corsarios Presents Free Concert May 28
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-college-mariachi-ensemble-los-corsarios-presents-free-concert-may-28/
Last updated: 2026-05-20T19:00:17.000Z
Santa Monica College's Mariachi Ensemble Los Corsarios will perform a free concert Wednesday, May 28, at 11:15 a.m. in the Music Hall at the SMC Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St. at Santa Monica Boulevard.
The ensemble, led by director Mary Alfaro, will perform ranchera, bolero and huapango standards from the mariachi canon.
Admission is free. Seating is first-come, first-served. Free parking is available on the premises.
For more information, call 310-434-4323.
— Edited by SMDP Staff
### DoorDash Report Finds Platform Supported $130 Billion in U.S. Economic Activity in 2025
URL: https://www.smdp.com/doordash-report-finds-platform-supported-130-billion-in-u-s-economic-activity-in-2025/
Last updated: 2026-05-20T18:59:59.000Z
DoorDash supported more than $130 billion in economic activity across the United States in 2025, along with nearly $25 billion in tax revenues and over 1.5 million full-time equivalent jobs, according to a new economic impact report commissioned by the company.
The report, produced by independent consultancy Public First, draws on anonymous surveys of 559 merchants, 1,210 Dashers and 1,333 consumers, along with merchant interviews and economic modeling. It examines the platform's impact on local businesses, delivery workers and consumers nationwide.
Merchants generated more than $60 billion in sales on DoorDash Marketplace in 2025, with more than 600,000 local merchants connected to consumers through the platform as of December. Of merchants surveyed, 81% operate a single location, 64% have fewer than 10 employees and 41% are family-owned.
Nearly 1 in 5 businesses, or 19%, said their businesses would not exist today without the platform. Ninety percent of merchants said DoorDash helped them reach new consumers, while 77% said they would have lower overall revenue without the platform. Among non-restaurant merchants, 93% said DoorDash helped them reach new consumers and 82% said it helped establish a bigger presence in their local community.
DoorDash also reported that more than 8 million people dashed in the U.S. in 2025, collectively earning nearly $20 billion including tips. Dashers averaged about four hours per week on the platform during the fourth quarter, with the typical Dasher active for roughly 10 weeks during the year.
The survey found that 85% of Dashers have other income sources or responsibilities, including full- or part-time jobs, retirement, self-employment, parenting or schooling. Women represent 63% of the Dasher workforce, and 24% of Dashers reported having a disability or long-term illness.
Flexibility emerged as a central theme. Ninety-three percent of Dashers said dashing offers more flexibility than other earning opportunities, and 91% said they would prefer to remain independent contractors rather than become employees. Among Dashers who have used the platform to make up for lost income, 46% said they would have to borrow from friends or family without it, and 42% said they would have to take on credit card debt.
For consumers, the report estimates DoorDash saved more than 650 million hours in 2025\. Ninety percent of surveyed consumers said the platform gives them more control over their time, and 86% of parents said it helped them care for loved ones and spend more time with family. Eighty-five percent said DoorDash makes it easier to support local businesses in their community.
The report also highlights Project DASH, DoorDash's social impact program, which has completed more than 8 million deliveries and provided over 135 million meals since 2018 in partnership with food banks, food pantries and nonprofits including United Way, Feeding America partner food banks and Meals on Wheels providers.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica Culinary Icons Unite for One Night Oceanfront Whisky Pairing Experience
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-culinary-icons-unite-for-one-night-oceanfront-whisky-pairing-experience/
Last updated: 2026-05-20T20:28:06.000Z
Two of Santa Monica’s most iconic restaurants are joining forces for a one night only culinary collaboration celebrating World Whisky Day next Thursday. Michelin recognized The Lobster will host an exclusive five course Nikka Whisky & Spirits pairing dinner alongside Michael's Santa Monica.
The evening marks the first official collaboration between Executive Chef Govind Armstrong and Executive Chef Job Carder, two longtime friends and respected figures in Santa Monica’s culinary scene. Set against panoramic Pacific Ocean views, the dinner will pair seasonal California cuisine with acclaimed expressions from Nikka Whisky, blending Japanese craftsmanship with elevated coastal dining. “We’ve talked about doing something together for a long time. We’re both really big fans of Nikka, and this just felt like the right moment,” said Armstrong.
For Carder, the collaboration represents something bigger than a single dinner service, it's about reinforcing community and creativity within Santa Monica’s restaurant industry at a moment when hospitality businesses continue evolving and rebuilding connection with diners. “I think one of the unique things is that we’re doing each course together. It’s not one chef doing one course and the other doing the next. We’re collaborating on every plate together, and that’s pretty unique,” said Carder.
Both chefs emphasized that the partnership is also an opportunity to bring together loyal audiences from two longstanding Santa Monica institutions while creating a fresh experience that highlights collaboration over competition. “We have similar fan bases, but also slightly different styles of cooking. It’s exciting to see how those styles come together on one plate,” said Armstrong.
Carder added that partnerships like this can help create energy and momentum for the local dining scene, particularly as restaurants look for new ways to engage customers through experiential dining. “To be able to highlight a phenomenal whisky like Nikka, and pair that with food in this kind of collaborative environment, is really special. It creates something guests can’t get every day,” said Carder.
The chefs also noted that events like these help reinforce Santa Monica’s reputation as one of Southern California’s premier culinary destinations, especially ahead of a summer expected to bring increased tourism and visitor activity to the coast. “I think just doing this together accomplishes a lot,” Armstrong said. “It’s fun for us creatively, but it’s also about exceeding guests’ expectations and giving people a memorable experience.”
Date Thursday, May 21 and time 6 PM and Ticket price $160 and encourage people to make a reservation as limited seats are available for this unique collaboration tasting experience. Reservations are available on Resy or the Lobster’s website.
[https://thelobster.com/events](https://thelobster.com/events?ref=smdp.com)
### Median Rent in Santa Monica Drops 8.8% Over Past Year
URL: https://www.smdp.com/median-rent-in-santa-monica-drops-8-8-over-past-year/
Last updated: 2026-05-20T12:00:02.000Z
The median rent in Santa Monica fell to $2,302 in May, dropping 1% over the past month and 8.8% over the past year, according to the Apartment List May 2026 Rent Report.
The report shows median asking rents of $2,179 for a one-bedroom apartment and $2,612 for a two-bedroom unit. The citywide apartment vacancy rate stands at 5.3%, up 1.4 percentage points from the same time last year.
Santa Monica's annual rent decline of 8.8% trails both California's statewide growth of 0.4% and the national figure of -1.7%. Among 29 cities tracked in the Los Angeles metro area, Santa Monica posted the slowest annual rent growth, while Aliso Viejo led the metro at 6.9%. Newport Beach remained the metro's most expensive city at a $3,418 median, and Long Beach the most affordable at $1,769.
Four months into 2026, rents in the coastal city have fallen 3% year-to-date, a sharper drop than the 1.9% increase recorded over the same January-to-April stretch in 2025.
A year-over-year comparison shows softening across nearly every measure of the local rental market. [Apartment List's](https://www.apartmentlist.com/?ref=smdp.com) overall median asking rent stood near $2,533 in April 2025, after briefly peaking at $2,527 in March of that year — a 2.9% annual gain at the time, driven largely by displacement demand following the January 2025 Palisades Fire, which destroyed more than 6,800 structures in adjacent Pacific Palisades. By April 2026, the median had fallen to $2,328, an 8.1% annual decline and the steepest of any city in the Los Angeles metro.
Other data providers tracked similar drops. Zumper's average one-bedroom rent fell roughly 12% year-over-year to $2,725 in February, while its two-bedroom average slid 8% to 9% to $4,390\. RentHop reported a 4% annual decline in one-bedroom averages.
The luxury segment told a different story. RentCafe, which surveys only properties of 50 units or more, recorded a one-bedroom average of $3,541 in March, down just 0.4% from a year earlier. Its two-bedroom average rose 1.4% to $4,432 — the only major segment posting gains.
Vacancy has loosened in tandem. Apartment List pegged Santa Monica's apartment vacancy at 5.2% in December 2025, up from 4.5% a year earlier. The broader Los Angeles metro multifamily vacancy rate hit 5.6% in the first quarter of 2026, an 80-basis-point increase, according to Kidder Mathews.
Concessions have become widespread. Roughly 40% of national listings were offering free rent or waived fees in March, the highest March share Apartment List has on record, up from about 30% of Los Angeles-area listings a year earlier.
Santa Monica's rent-controlled housing stock, which is governed by the city's Rent Control Board, also reflected the cooler environment. The board's annual General Adjustment for September 2025 was set at 2.3%, capped at $60 a month, down from a 3% adjustment capped at $76 in September 2024\. Rent-controlled inventory dipped slightly, from 27,668 units at the end of 2024 to 27,589 units at the end of 2025, a net loss of 79 units attributed to Ellis Act withdrawals and demolitions.
Rents in [Santa Monica](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monicas-oldest-flight-school-marks-30-years-as-airports-2028-closure-looms/) remain 5.6% above the Los Angeles metro median of $2,180, but the city's premium has narrowed considerably. Once the metro's second-most-expensive city, Santa Monica now sits behind several Westside neighbors. Brentwood one-bedrooms run $2,900 to $3,200, Venice $2,800 to $3,500, and Culver City $2,700 to $3,100, while Mar Vista offers a relative bargain at $2,300 to $2,600.
The Real Deal characterized the broader trajectory as a three-year decline bringing housing costs near pre-pandemic levels. After surging roughly 12% in 2021 and 9% in 2022, Santa Monica rents have posted three consecutive annual declines, including a 5.9% drop in 2023 and a 1.1% drop in 2024.
Listing data shows rent ranges in the city now span from about $1,895 for studios in the Pico and Sunset Park neighborhoods to more than $20,000 a month for luxury four-bedroom oceanfront units. Roughly 36% of active listings rent for between $1,501 and $3,000, while another 32% sit above $4,500.
Apartment List's methodology draws on U.S. Census Bureau data extrapolated forward using a same-unit growth rate calculated from current listings.
### Council backs coastal program push amid public skepticism over motives
URL: https://www.smdp.com/council-backs-coastal-program-push-amid-public-skepticism-over-motives/
Last updated: 2026-05-20T10:00:32.000Z
Residents who packed a special City Council meeting Monday largely backed the city's pursuit of a certified Local Coastal Program but sharply questioned whether the council's sudden urgency was driven by genuine coastal stewardship or an effort to contain the political fallout from a controversial state bill that removes part of the Coastal Commission’s authority from the city.
The May 12 special meeting, called by Mayor Caroline Torosis and Councilmembers Ellis Raskin and Barry Snell, drew public comments that expressed broad support for bringing coastal permitting authority under local control, paired with deep distrust of the council majority's timing and motivations.
"You have gone too far this time," resident Karen Croner wrote in a public comment. "This land does not belong to you. It belongs to the people. And whoever on the council supports AB 1740 will face such opposition as you have never seen."
What Is a Local Coastal Program?
A Local Coastal Program is a two-part policy document — a Land Use Plan and an Implementation Plan — that local governments develop and submit to the California Coastal Commission for certification. Once certified, an LCP transfers day-to-day coastal development permitting authority from the state commission to the local jurisdiction, allowing cities to review projects for compliance with their own certified coastal policies rather than requiring applicants to seek a separate state permit.
The Coastal Commission was established in 1972 by voter initiative and made permanent by the state Legislature in 1976\. It retains authority over submerged lands and tidelands regardless of whether a city has a certified LCP, and certain sensitive areas — including land within 300 feet of the beach and environmentally sensitive habitat areas — remain subject to commission appeal even under a certified program.
Santa Monica has a certified Land Use Plan dating to 1992, which currently serves as the commission's standard of review for coastal development permits in the city. What Santa Monica lacks is a certified Implementation Plan — the coastal zoning ordinance component. Without it, applicants must obtain city approval and then separately seek a coastal development permit from the commission, a two-step process that city staff said creates significant delays and uncertainty for homeowners, small business owners and major public and private projects alike.
Why Santa Monica Needs One
City planning staff told the council that the absence of a certified LCP creates real, ongoing costs across virtually every category of development in Santa Monica's coastal zone, which stretches roughly from the beach east to Fourth Street and, in some areas, as far inland as Lincoln Boulevard.
Commercial tenants looking to open or renovate businesses on the Third Street Promenade, homeowners seeking to add an accessory dwelling unit, transportation agencies pursuing street improvements and event organizers planning beach activations all currently must navigate the commission's permit process in addition to the city's own approvals.
"It's the homeowner, it's the business owner that just doesn't quite know how to navigate the process," city planning staff said during the presentation.
City Manager Oliver Chi said certification would be directly aligned with the city's economic recovery goals under its Realignment Plan. Council members added specific priorities they want reflected in any MOU framework, including streamlined approvals for commercial changes of use, bus-only lanes, protected bike lanes, outdoor dining, 100% deed-restricted affordable housing and adaptive reuse of vacant buildings.
A Decade-Long Effort
Santa Monica's LCP effort dates to 2014, when the city began a years-long community outreach process. The council adopted a comprehensive Land Use Plan update in October 2018 and submitted it to the Coastal Commission. Progress stalled in the years that followed, with city staff citing fundamental policy disagreements over how the Coastal Act should apply to an urban, transit-rich city. The 2018 LUP was eventually withdrawn before the commission was required to act on it. The city formally resumed the update process in May 2023.
Staff described the current moment as the most substantive opening the city has seen in years. City staff said it has been in direct contact with Coastal Commission Executive Director Dr. Kate Huckelbridge and senior commission staff, with discussions focused on reaching a mutually agreed-upon framework for LCP certification within a defined, near-term timeline. Staff said a complete MOU framework could be ready for council consideration by the May 26 council meeting.
The proposed MOU framework would recognize Santa Monica's track record as a coastal steward, use the council-approved 2018 Land Use Plan as a baseline, establish a timeline targeting Coastal Commission approval of both the LUP and Implementation Plan by June 2027, and explore a streamlined or "ministerial" coastal development permit process for certain low-impact projects.
Staff cautioned that staff-level alignment with the commission does not guarantee support from commissioners themselves at a future hearing, noting that apparent breakthroughs with the commission have not always materialized in the past.
The AB 1740 Shadow
Several public commenters and at least one council member made clear they viewed the special meeting as inseparable from the controversy surrounding Assembly Bill 1740, a measure authored by Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur that would exempt certain housing, transportation and parking projects in Santa Monica from Coastal Commission permitting requirements.
Originally applicable to more than a dozen coastal cities, the bill was narrowed in April amendments to apply only to Santa Monica. Supporters include the City of Santa Monica, the California Chamber of Commerce and several housing advocacy groups. Opponents, including the Surfrider Foundation, Heal the Bay and the Sierra Club, have argued the bill sets a damaging precedent by weakening Coastal Act protections.
Public comments reflected widespread opposition to AB 1740, with residents describing it as a measure designed to bypass local review and open the coast to market-rate development without adequate environmental oversight. One resident voiced support for the bill, arguing it would create needed housing near transit.
Councilmember Lana Negrete questioned why the LCP discussion became an emergency matter only after public backlash over AB 1740 and said she had been working on bringing a similar update to the council through the regular agenda process before being asked to wait.
“I'm obviously in support of a local coastal plan. I think that that's been clear,” she said. “I'm just a little befuddled as to how this became an emergency meeting. I think the community is right in asking how it came about, and I think it's extremely difficult to not reference the assembly bill before us, because it's very clear that that sparked this all of a sudden resurgence of expeditious conversations with Coastal Commission.”
She said the last minute approach creates public skepticism and that residents want to know that policy decisions are being driven by actually thoughtful governance and general collaboration, and not political positioning after the fact.
Torosis, Raskin and Snell all said the process to establish and LCP was an ongoing discussion with the Coast Commission and the emergency meeting was necessary to guide staff in those live negotiations.
Torosis said the city is trying to reach a deal framework with the Coastal Commission before the end of May in order to have an impact within the current legislative session. "We have a limited window in which to potentially get a deal," she said.
Chi confirmed that it was in recent weeks — as AB 1740 advanced and drew public opposition — that commission staff signaled a new openness to accelerate the LCP process. "Whatever the impetus was, certainly 1740 is probably one of the reasons that triggered an interest from Coastal," Chi said.
The council voted unanimously — with Councilmember Jesse Zwick recusing himself due to his employment with the Housing Action Coalition — to direct staff to continue negotiations with the California Coastal Commission toward a memorandum of understanding that could set a defined path to certification.
### Kidnapping suspect faces additional weapon and sexual assault charges
URL: https://www.smdp.com/kidnapping-suspect-faces-additional-weapon-and-sexual-assault-charges/
Last updated: 2026-05-19T21:33:16.000Z
Santa Monica police arrested a Los Angeles man on suspicion of kidnapping, rape and other charges following a pursuit that ended in an officer-involved shooting early Monday morning.
Officers responded at approximately 12:14 a.m. Saturday to the Vons at 1311 Wilshire Blvd. after a woman reported she had been kidnapped. Investigators determined Jorge Luis Vega, 32, of Los Angeles, knew the victim and the two had been in a dating relationship.
Vega allegedly approached the woman in the parking lot and left the area with her in a vehicle. He also allegedly threatened a witness who attempted to intervene.
Officers and detectives immediately began efforts to locate the victim and suspect. Later Saturday, the woman was found in the city of Beaumont. She was no longer with Vega and was contacted by law enforcement.
At approximately 3:15 a.m. Sunday, officers located Vega in Los Angeles. He fled in a vehicle, prompting a pursuit that ended in the 900 block of West 85th Street, where an officer-involved shooting occurred. Vega was taken into custody at the scene. No officers were injured and no gunshot injuries were reported. The victim was not present during the pursuit or shooting.
Vega was booked on suspicion of kidnapping, criminal threats, brandishing a firearm, rape and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The investigation is ongoing. SMPD said it is coordinating with appropriate investigative agencies and will release additional information as it becomes available. The victim's identity is not being released due to the nature of the investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Hilda Lucero at 310-458-8939, Detective Esteban Hernandez at 310-458-8946, Sgt. Alfonso Lozano at 310-458-8774 or the SMPD Watch Commander at 310-458-8427.
### Summer travelers who relied on Spirit Airlines may struggle to find budget alternatives
URL: https://www.smdp.com/summer-travelers-who-relied-on-spirit-airlines-may-struggle-to-find-budget-alternatives/
Last updated: 2026-05-19T19:00:57.000Z
By RIO YAMAT AP Airlines and Travel Writer
The collapse of Spirit Airlines isn't the only curveball confronting people planning summer trips. Rising jet fuel costs tied to the Iran war have pushed up airfares and associated fees across the industry. Two of the remaining U.S. budget carriers just finalized a merger. The developments illustrate how difficult it's gotten for low-cost airlines to operate while squeezed by jet fuel prices, changing consumer preferences and competition. For decades, budget carriers thrived by targeting price-conscious passengers. But big airlines like American, Delta and United have gotten better at tailoring prices to different travelers and matching low fares. Major carriers also can more easily generate revenue to offset higher fuel costs.
Days after Spirit Airlines shut down in the middle of the night, a lawyer for the defunct budget carrier stood before a bankruptcy judge and apologized to the price-conscious customers who might struggle to find affordable flights in its absence.
"We apologize most specifically to those Americans who may now be priced entirely out," Spirit lawyer Marshall Huebner said in court, thanking all the passengers who relied on the airline during its 34-year run, many of whom, he said, "could not otherwise have afforded air travel."
Spirit's May 2 demise is not the only curveball confronting people planning trips a week before the summer travel season has its traditional U.S. launch on Memorial Day. Rising jet fuel costs tied to the Iran war have pushed up airfares and associated fees across the commercial aviation industry. Two of the remaining U.S. budget carriers just finalized a merger.
The uncertain outlook for economical air travel reflects how difficult it has become for low-cost, no-frills airlines to operate while squeezed by volatile fuel prices, inflation and increasingly fierce competition. While budget airlines appeal to customers motivated by fare prices alone, traditional carriers can more easily generate revenue to offset fuel costs through premium cabins, membership rewards, corporate travel programs, add-on charges and pricing algorithms.
"Dynamic pricing has taken away one of the last structural advantages that low-cost carriers had," said Shye Gilad, a former airline captain who now teaches at Georgetown University.
For decades, low-cost carriers thrived by offering fares that traditional airlines often couldn't match without losing money. But that edge has weakened as the "big three" — American, Delta and United — got better at tailoring prices to different travelers, and as JetBlue, Southwest and other airlines that long positioned themselves as less expensive alternatives began chasing higher-paying customers.
Today, big airlines can sell a handful of bare-bones seats at Spirit-level prices while still charging more for standard and premium tickets elsewhere on their planes. That has made it harder for budget airlines to compete solely on price.
"They can't just be the cheapest airline anymore," Gilad said. "They have to be the smartest low-cost airline."
Like gasoline and diesel prices, the price of jet fuel has jumped since the Iran war put a chokehold on Middle East oil shipments 11 weeks ago. The strain prompted the Association of Value Airlines, a U.S. trade group representing Allegiant Air, Avelo Air, Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines and Sun Country Airlines, to ask the Trump administration in late April for $2.5 billion in temporary financial aid.
Airlines for America, the trade group for Alaska Airlines, American, Delta, JetBlue and Southwest, opposed the idea, saying that federal help would give the budget airlines an unfair advantage.
"Government intervention on behalf of those airlines would punish other airlines that have engaged in self-help in order to deal with increased costs and reward airlines who haven't made those tough decisions," Airlines for America said in a statement. "And, in the long-term, sustaining businesses that cannot earn their cost of capital harms competition and consumers by making it more difficult for other airlines to compete."
Transporation Secretary Sean Duffy rejected the request the day Spirit stopped flying.
Even before the latest run-up in fuel costs, consolidation was already underway in the budget airline sector. Alaska Airlines completed its $1 billion purchase of Hawaiian Airlines in September 2024 after the two carriers agreed to maintain the level of service on key routes within Hawaii and between Hawaii and the U.S. mainland where they didn't face much competition.
Spirit was an unsuccessful merger target of both Frontier and JetBlue as its losses mounted after the coronavirus pandemic.
Allegiant said last week it had finalized its roughly $1.5 billion acquisition of Sun Country, a deal first announced in January. The combined airline brings together passenger service with Sun Country's cargo operations and charter business serving sports teams, casinos and the U.S. Department of Defense.
"Consolidation is a signal" of weakness in the industry, Gilad said. "If you can remove a competitor and improve your product offering, you might be able to eke out more profit."
Other experts note the diversity within the budget airline sector, a factor that could make some carriers more resilient to spiking fuel costs and market disruptions than others.
"Budget airlines are a pretty peculiar creature," Vikrant Vaze, an aviation systems expert at Dartmouth College's engineering school, said, describing a category that has encompassed struggling carriers like Spirit to giants like Southwest Airlines, which grew from a low-cost pioneer into one of the largest U.S. airlines.
"Even though they can be clubbed together as budget airlines, if you want a big umbrella term, they're very different from each other," Vaze said. "They have very different levels of budget-ness."
Allegiant's focus on leisure travel centers on smaller airports with less direct competition. JetBlue, a hybrid low-cost carrier, leans more heavily on premium seating and loyalty perks than Spirit ever did.
Frontier comes closest to Spirit's model as an ultra low-cost carrier, though analysts say it entered this period of volatility with stronger liquidity and could benefit from Spirit's exit. It has already begun expanding in former Spirit-heavy markets that include Las Vegas, Detroit and the Florida cities of Orlando and Fort Lauderdale.
Gilad sees echoes of his own experience working as a pilot and flight-training instructor at Independence Air, a short-lived low-cost airline that previously served as a regional carrier for United and Delta. The airline, which launched in mid-2004 as fighting between U.S.-led forces and insurgents in Iraq sent fuel prices soaring, shut down during bankruptcy proceedings in January 2006.
"They burned through almost $200 million in 18 months," Gilad said. "It was just that quick that they were gone."
He said the same structural pressures remain in place today, but there are fewer remaining budget airlines to share them.
\_\_\_
This story has been updated to correct the date of Spirit's closure. It was May 2, not May 3.
### Santa Monica PAL to Host 6th Annual Rick Crocker 5K on May 21
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-pal-to-host-6th-annual-rick-crocker-5k-on-may-21/
Last updated: 2026-05-19T19:00:42.000Z
The Santa Monica Police Activities League will host the 6th Annual Rick Crocker 5K Run-Walk Challenge on Thursday, May 21, at 4:30 p.m. on the Santa Monica Pier, honoring fallen Santa Monica Police Officer Ricardo "Rick" Crocker.
The event benefits PAL youth programs and coincides with the Santa Monica Pier's final "Locals' Night" of the season, running from 3:30 to 10 p.m.
This year's 5K carries added significance as it falls during LA Fleet Week. Sailors and Marines from the USS Essex (LHD 2) and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton are expected to participate, and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band is scheduled to perform.
Participants will check in on the Pier deck behind the historic Merry-Go-Round building at 200 Santa Monica Pier. The route travels south along Ocean Front Walk to the Bay Street loop, then north to the Montana Stairs parking lot before returning to the finish line behind the carousel. Santa Monica Police and Fire departments will have patrol vehicles, fire trucks and emergency equipment on display throughout the event.
Officer Crocker was a 10-year SMPD veteran and Marine Corps Reserve Major who was killed by a rocket-propelled grenade while on tour in Iraq on May 26, 2005\. He was appointed to the department on July 21, 1995, and held the rank of captain in the Marines when hired, later promoted posthumously to major. His final SMPD assignment was with PAL, where he mentored at-risk youth.
"My brother was passionate about helping the youth of Santa Monica reach their full potential through exercise, education and sharing his enthusiastic appreciation of the outdoors," said Maria Crocker, Officer Crocker's sister.
"This year's partnership with Fleet Week and participation from our Sailors and Marines makes the event even more meaningful as we recognize Rick's extraordinary commitment to both his community and country," said Eula Fritz, PAL director.
The Santa Monica portion of Interstate 10 has been dedicated in Officer Crocker's honor.
Pacific Park, which is beginning its 30th anniversary year, is also participating in the evening's programming.
Registration is $45\. Youth and active military register free. To sign up, visit e.givesmart.com/events/N6S. For more information, contact pal@santamonica.gov or call 310-458-8988.
Parking is available at Beach Lot 1 North, 1550 Pacific Coast Highway.
— Edited by SMDP Staff
### Chamber Music Palisades presents free two-part concert May 30
URL: https://www.smdp.com/chamber-music-palisades-presents-free-two-part-concert-may-30/
Last updated: 2026-05-19T18:59:59.000Z
Chamber Music Palisades will present a free matinee concert Saturday, May 30, at 2:30 p.m., featuring a two-part program that includes the Cantilena Trio and a special jazz set as the conclusion.
Performers include CMP co-founder and artistic director Susan Greenberg on flute, classical voice and jazz studies expert Jon Lee Keenan on tenor, guitarist, composer, arranger and educator Kenton Youngstrom, and soloist and choral artist Maria Schafer on vocals.
The program will feature music arranged by the guitarist for the trio in the first half, followed by a jazz segment with a female vocalist in which the tenor will play upright bass and the classical guitarist will perform as a jazz guitarist.
The concert will be held at Brentwood Presbyterian Church, 12000 San Vicente Boulevard, Los Angeles 90049\. Reservations are not required. The concert is sponsored in part by the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles.
Free parking is available in the church lot just north of Montana Avenue on the east side of Bundy.
Donations are welcome in person or online and help support the organization's free family-friendly concerts.
For full program details and to make donations, visit cmpalisades.org.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica College Guitar Showcase Set for May 21
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-college-guitar-showcase-set-for-may-21/
Last updated: 2026-05-19T19:00:00.000Z
Santa Monica College's Music Department will present its Guitar Showcase on Thursday, May 21, at 11:15 a.m. in the Music Hall at the[ ](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com)[SMC Performing Arts Center](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com), 1310 11th St. at Santa Monica Boulevard.
SMC guitar students under the direction of Jimmy Cheesman will perform a range of classical, rock, pop, blues and reggae music.
Admission is free, though seating is limited and available on a first-arrival basis. Early arrival is recommended. Free parking is available on the premises. The showcase is subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Tuesday, May 19, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/tuesday-may-19-2026/
Last updated: 2026-05-19T20:32:42.000Z
Good afternoon, today will be warm and mostly sunny. High 76F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 76º/59º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 75º/59º
### FIRST UP
## Airport advocates step up pressure to keep SMO open
Residents filled Santa Monica City Hall Tuesday night in what organizers called the largest public show of support for Santa Monica Airport to date..[READ](https://www.smdp.com/airport-advocates-step-up-pressure-to-keep-smo-open/)
### MORE NEWS
[U.S. Soccer House Takes Over Venice Beach for 2026 World CupU.S. Soccer House opens June 11-26 at Venice Beach with free fan experiences, watch parties, meet-and-greets with players, and live entertainment during 2026 FIFA World Cup.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/u-s-soccer-house-to-take-over-venice-beach-during-world-cup/)
[Where does California rank in homelessness? The federal report that could tell us has been delayed for monthsBy Marisa Kendall, CalMatters This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Every December, the federal government releases a report that reveals the number of homeless residents in each state and across the country. It’s now May and the report, which compiles data from aSMDPCal Matters](https://www.smdp.com/where-does-california-rank-in-homelessness-the-federal-report-that-could-tell-us-has-been-delayed-for-months/)
[Malibu Summer 2026 Recreation Guide Now AvailableMalibu’s Summer 2026 Recreation Guide features youth camps, swim lessons, wellness classes, and new inclusive programs. Registration opens May 11 at MalibuCity.org/Register.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/malibu-releases-summer-2026-recreation-guide/)
[SMC Art Mentor Program Exhibit ‘Well Fed’ Opens May 19The SMC Art Mentor Program Exhibit ‘Well Fed’ opens May 19-30 at Santa Monica College’s Pete & Susan Barrett Art Gallery with a free reception May 21, 5-8 p.m.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-art-mentor-program-exhibit-opens-may-19-with-well-fed/)
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[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184438/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
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### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Kidnapping suspect in custody after officer-involved shooting in Los AngelesSanta Monica police took a kidnapping suspect into custody early Sunday morning following a vehicle pursuit and officer-involved shooting in Los Angeles. At approximately 3:15 a.m. May 18, officers located the suspect in Los Angeles while investigating a kidnapping involving an adult victim that originated in Santa Monica.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/kidnapping-suspect-in-custody-after-officer-involved-shooting-in-los-angeles/)
[SMC Graduate Lands Special Olympics USA Games ApprenticeshipTarelle Butts, a Santa Monica College 2024 graduate, secured an apprenticeship with the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis through the Television Academy Foundation’s new Alumni Apprenticeships Program.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-college-grad-lands-apprenticeship-with-2026-special-olympics-usa-games/)
[Woman killed by Metro bus crawled under it.A woman believed to be homeless was killed Friday afternoon after she was struck by a Metro bus at the intersection of Main Street and Ocean Park Boulevard, Santa Monica police said. The fatal collision was reported at approximately 2 p.m. The woman, whose identity has not been released,SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/police-co/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/event-3/#/show?subset=picks).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/051926.pdf?ref=smdp.com).
### How to Publish a Name Change Order in California When Your Business Name Is on the Line
URL: https://www.smdp.com/publish-name-change-order/
Last updated: 2026-06-02T15:58:11.000Z
Sarah had run her consulting firm under her own name for eleven years. Then she got married and legally changed her last name.
It should have been simple. But on the business side, nothing about it was easy.
Her contractor’s license was still under her old name. Her business bank flagged her account. Two clients raised eyebrows when her signature on a new contract didn’t match what they had on file. And when she tried to update her fictitious business name with the county, the clerk told her she’d have to refile, republish, and get a new affidavit before she could do anything else.
Changing her name didn’t just mean new paperwork. Without realizing it, Sarah set off a string of legal requirements that affected every corner of her business.
If you’re a business owner in California and you change your legal name, **publishing your court-ordered name change isn’t optional.** It’s the step that makes everything else official. Miss it, or get it wrong, and you’ll feel the ripple effects in your licenses, contracts, and even your right to do business under your current name.
So, what does it actually take to publish a name change order in the newspaper? Here’s what you need to know to get through it without bringing your business to a halt.
## **Why Does a Court-Ordered Name Change Require Newspaper Publication?**
In California, a legal name change isn’t finished just because a judge signs your paperwork. You still have to publish a public notice, and the court won’t even set your hearing until it’s done.
Under [California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1277](https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/code-of-civil-procedure/ccp-sect-1277.html?ref=smdp.com), once you file a petition for a name change, the court issues an Order to **Show Cause**. That’s your signal to **run a notice in a newspaper once a week for four straight weeks.** The whole point is to let anyone with a connection to your name, like a creditor or a business partner, come forward if they have any concerns before your new name becomes official.
If you own a business, this step is even more important. Your name is everywhere in your business life. It shows up on bank accounts, contracts, and vendor files. Changing it touches every single record that links you to your company. Publishing the notice makes your new name part of the **public record**, and that’s what banks, courts, and licensing boards want to see.
[Santa Monica Daily Press](https://www.smdp.com/) takes care of these notices all the time. **We’re approved** for legal postings in Los Angeles County, so publishing with us covers what the court needs. If you’re ready to start, just submit your legal notice. We’ll help you meet your deadline.
## **What Is the Name Change Newspaper Publication Requirement in California?**
California law spells out exactly how this works. The key rules come from [CCP Section 1277](https://law.justia.com/codes/california/code-ccp/part-3/title-8/section-1277/?ref=smdp.com) and [Government Code Section 6064](https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/government-code/gov-sect-6064/?ref=smdp.com). Here’s what you need to know:
- **You have to publish the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (Form NC-120).** This is the document the court gives you after you file your petition. It includes your current name, the new name you want, and your hearing date.
- **The notice must appear once a week for four weeks straight.** It has to be published in a newspaper that serves the county where you filed your petition.
- **The paper needs to be “adjudicated” for that county,** which just means it’s officially approved for legal notices there. If you use a newspaper that isn’t on the list, your publication won’t count. The court will turn down your proof, and you’ll have to start over.
- **You have to complete all four weeks of publication before your hearing.** The court won’t move things forward until you show proof that the notice ran the right way.
- **You must file proof of publication with the court.** After the four weeks are up, the newspaper gives you an affidavit that lists the exact dates and shows the notice ran as required. You’ll need to file this proof with the court before your hearing.
Missing any of these steps doesn’t just slow down your name change. It puts the brakes on everything connected to it, like your new business license, bank account updates, and an amended DBA filing.
## **What Does Failing to Publish a Name Change Order Actually Cost a Business?**
The short-term cost is a delayed hearing. But for business owners, the effects often go much further.
If your name change hasn’t been properly published and approved by the court, you can find yourself facing a domino effect of problems that stack up fast.
**Your contractor’s license may not reflect your legal name.** The California Contractors State License Board expects you to report any personal name change and update your license records. If you can’t show them a finalized, published court order, you’re stuck. Under [Business and Professions Code Section 7083](https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/business-and-professions-code/bpc-sect-7083/?ref=smdp.com), the CSLB expects that you update within 90 days of the name change. Miss that window, and your license can slip out of compliance.
**Bank accounts get tangled, too**. Banks won’t update your business accounts until you show them the certified court order. That document only exists after the hearing, and the hearing can’t happen until you’ve published your notice.
**Contracts can become a headache**. If you’re a sole proprietor or using a DBA that matches your personal name, any agreements signed in the gap between your old name and your new one end up in a sort of limbo. It’s common for clients or partners to question who actually had the authority to sign when the names don’t line up.
**You might even need to refile your fictitious business name statement.** If your DBA is tied to your old legal name, a name change means the owner information is now wrong. California law says you need a new statement, a new publication, and a new affidavit. That’s another month on the clock, another round of publication, and more filing fees.
None of these issues is impossible to fix. But every single one starts in the same place: you have to publish your court-ordered name change correctly, on time, and in the right newspaper.
## **What Does Research Say About How Name Changes Affect Small Business Compliance?**
Changing your legal name sets off a wave of compliance steps, and for small business owners, this isn’t just a minor hassle. It fits into a bigger pattern of regulatory headaches that are well-documented.
The [MetLife and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index](https://www.uschamber.com/small-business/a-majority-of-small-businesses-say-regulations-are-hindering-growth?ref=smdp.com) for Q4 2024 shows just how challenging compliance can be. Surveying thousands of business owners across the country, researchers found that **51 percent** say dealing with regulatory requirements **slows their growth**. Tom Sullivan, who leads Small Business Policy at the Chamber, points out that compliance hits small businesses harder per employee than it does for big companies. The gap becomes glaring when one simple change, like updating your name, triggers a cascade of paperwork across licenses, filings, and accounts.
Volume isn’t the only problem. It’s the order of the steps that gets tricky. A 2024 peer-reviewed study published in [Humanities and Social Sciences Communications](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-020-00552-5?ref=smdp.com) looked at how small business owners manage regulatory obligations. The researchers found that owners **struggle** most with steps that have to be completed in a **specific sequence**. For example, you can’t move forward with one update unless you’ve finished the previous one. If someone misses an early step, they often don’t realize the ripple effect until it causes bigger legal or operational trouble.
Publishing your court-ordered name change is one of these key triggers. If you skip it or put it off, everything else gets stuck until it’s resolved.
**The takeaway is simple.** Owners who handle name changes smoothly aren’t necessarily legal experts. They’re the ones who recognize the importance of the publication step right away and get it done without delay.
## **How Do You Actually Publish a Court-Ordered Name Change in a Newspaper?**
Here’s how the process plays out from start to finish.
Once you file your name change petition with the Superior Court, the clerk gives you **Form NC-120**, called the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name. This order spells out the publication requirement and tells you which county the notice needs to run in.
Next, take a copy of that order to a newspaper in the right county. Make sure it’s an **adjudicated paper,** which means it’s officially approved for legal notices there. The newspaper will use the exact language from your order to prepare the notice, then publish it once a week for four weeks in a row.
When the final notice runs, the paper gives you a **signed affidavit of publication**. This document lists the name of the newspaper, the dates when the notice ran, and the text that was published. You’ll need to file this affidavit with the court clerk before your hearing.
At the hearing, the judge checks your affidavit, makes sure there weren’t any objections, and if everything checks out, signs the **Decree Changing Name** (Form NC-130). You’ll need that decree to update your records with your bank, licensing board, and county clerk.
Santa Monica Daily Press handles name change publications for people and businesses across Los Angeles County. We’re adjudicated and court-approved, so your notice meets the requirements the first time around. Just email your NC-120 to **legal@smdp.com**
## **What Is an Affidavit of Publication for a Name Change and Why Does the Court Require It?**
An [affidavit of publication](https://www.smdp.com/affidavit-of-publication-los-angeles-county/) is the **newspaper’s sworn statement** that your name change notice was published the right way. It’s a legal document that goes straight into your court file.
The affidavit does a few important things. First, it **proves** **your notice ran** in an approved newspaper. It also confirms that the notice ran **for the right number of weeks** and that the **content matched** exactly what the court ordered. If anything is missing or wrong, the court can reject the affidavit and tell you to start the process over.
**For business owners,** this document comes up more than once. After the court approves your name change, **you’ll need the affidavit again** to [update your DBA](https://www.smdp.com/where-to-publish-dba-in-los-angeles/), your contractor’s license, and your business bank accounts. Any agency or institution still using your old name will want to see both the certified court order and proof that your publication was done correctly.
Hang on to the original affidavit and get certified copies. Chances are, you’ll need to show them more than once.
## **Frequently Asked Questions**
**Why do I have to publish a name change order in a newspaper?**
California law, specifically CCP Section 1277, says you have to publish notice before a judge can approve your name change. This step gives the public a chance to speak up if they have concerns before anything becomes official.
**How long does the name change newspaper publication requirement take?**
You’ll need to run the notice once a week for four weeks in a row. Factoring in court scheduling, the whole process usually takes between eight and twelve weeks from the day you file your petition to the moment you get your final decree.
**Which newspaper can I use to publish my court-ordered name change?**
You’ll need to use an adjudicated newspaper of general circulation in the county where you filed. If you’re not sure which papers are approved, check your court order or ask the court clerk for a list.
**What is an affidavit of publication for a name change?**
This is the signed document you get from the newspaper after your notice runs for four weeks. It proves your notice was published correctly. You’ll file it with the court before your hearing, and you’ll want to keep copies for updating your business records later.
**Does a legal name change automatically update my fictitious business name filing?**
No, it doesn’t. If your DBA was registered with your old legal name and any of your details change, you’ll need to file a new FBN statement, republish the notice, and submit a new affidavit to the county clerk.
**How soon do I need to update my contractor’s license after a name change?**
According to California Business and Professions Code Section 7083, you have 90 days to report your name change to the CSLB and provide the right paperwork. It’s smart to start the court process early so you have the decree in time.
**Can I publish my name change online instead of in a newspaper?**
No, you can’t. California courts want a print publication in an adjudicated newspaper of general circulation. Posting online alone doesn’t meet the legal requirement.
## **Get the Publication Step Right Before It Slows Everything Else Down**
A legal name change can seem quick on paper, but in reality, each step takes its time. You file the petition, run the notice in the newspaper, collect the affidavit, show up for your hearing, and finally get your decree. Each piece depends on the one before it, and none of them will wait until you feel ready.
If you run a business, the stakes are even higher than most people realize. Everything from your license to your DBA, your bank accounts, and your contracts ties back to the name the court has on file.
Making sure you get the publication step right, in the correct newspaper, and on schedule, is what keeps the whole process moving.
Santa Monica Daily Press is court-approved and ready to help with legal notice publication in Los Angeles County.
Just send us [your legal notice](https://www.smdp.com/legal-notices/), and we’ll take care of the details.
### Where does California rank in homelessness? The federal report that could tell us has been delayed for months
URL: https://www.smdp.com/where-does-california-rank-in-homelessness-the-federal-report-that-could-tell-us-has-been-delayed-for-months/
Last updated: 2026-05-19T14:00:12.000Z
By [Marisa Kendall](https://calmatters.org/author/marisa-kendall/?ref=smdp.com), CalMatters
This story was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
Every December, the federal government releases a report that reveals the number of [homeless residents ](https://calmatters.org/category/housing/homelessness/?ref=smdp.com)in each state and across the country.
It’s now May and the report, which compiles data from a homeless census known as the “point-in-time count,” is nowhere to be found.
That’s a problem because the report dictates how funding is allocated in California and beyond. It also shapes policy decisions and provides the country’s main barometer for how the homelessness crisis is being managed.
The five-month delay is leaving public officials, policymakers and advocates scratching their heads. California has filled the gap by tallying its own data, [showing a 9% drop](https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/01/08/california-sees-drop-in-unsheltered-homelessness-bucking-national-trend-and-federal-headwinds/?ref=smdp.com) in the number of people sleeping outside. But unlike the official federal report, California’s analysis leaves out information such as the race, age and mental health status of the people who are counted. And without the full federal report, there’s no way to tell where California stands compared to other states.
“It’s a big deal,” said Jesse Rabinowitz, spokesperson for the National Homelessness Law Center. “This is, by what I can tell, the latest any point-in-time count has ever come out, including the years where it was delayed during COVID.”
## 'Point-in-time' count
For the past two decades, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has required local regions to take a census of their homeless populations every other year in a massive undertaking called the point-in-time count. [Volunteers go out](https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2024/01/california-homeless-point-in-time-count-2024/?ref=smdp.com) on foot over a day or two in January and count every person they see living outside. People sleeping in shelters are tallied as well. Counters also conduct surveys of a sample of unhoused people, collecting extra data on people’s race, age, gender, time spent homeless, medical and mental health conditions, and more.
The count isn’t perfect (volunteers can easily miss people, and different counties use different methods), but it’s a key tool policy makers use to measure changes in the population.
Each jurisdiction (which is known in HUD parlance as a “continuum of care,” and typically is made up of a county and the cities within it) must submit their count to HUD by the spring. They also release their local data to the public. Meanwhile, HUD verifies the data, tallies the total count for each state and for the country as a whole, submits a public [report to Congress](https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2024-AHAR-Part-1.pdf?ref=smdp.com) and uploads [more detailed data](https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/coc/coc-homeless-populations-and-subpopulations-reports/?filter%5FYear=2024&filter%5FScope=State&filter%5FState=CA&filter%5FCoC=&program=CoC&group=PopSub&ref=smdp.com) on its website.
While there’s no legal deadline, that report usually comes out in December of the year of the count. In 2021 and 2020, when COVID disrupted counts, the reports came out the following February and March, respectively.
It’s unclear why the 2025 report still isn’t out. The report is so much later than usual that some counties, including [San Francisco](https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/lurie-touts-progress-in-sf-homeless-pit-count-22254079.php?ref=smdp.com), already released their 2026 count data.
HUD refused to comment.
“It is perplexing that HUD has not released this information,” Tara Gallegos, a spokesperson for Gov. Gavin Newsom, said in a statement to CalMatters. “Perhaps the Trump administration is afraid to release clear data that demonstrates California’s strategies for addressing this issue are actually extremely effective.”
## What California's data show
California’s data does point to a reduction in homelessness, suggesting the state’s methods are [starting to work](https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2025/09/ca-homelessness-funding-population/?ref=smdp.com). Data provided by the Newsom administration, and echoed by an [independent analysis](https://homelessstrategy.com/2025-homeless-count-results-recently-released-by-a-majority-of-ca-continuums-of-care-reveal-a-collective-statewide-decrease-of-4-3/?ref=smdp.com), show a 4% overall decrease between 2024 and 2025, and a 9% drop in people sleeping in tents, on the sidewalk, in cars or in other places not meant for habitation.
That data comes from the 30 California continuums of care that counted their street homeless populations last year. The remaining 14 that counted this year instead (they’re only required to count at least every other year) are not included.
“I think it shows that the headwinds in California continue to be very strong and continue to push more people into homelessness,” said Alex Visotzky, senior California policy fellow for the National Alliance to End Homelessness, “but the investments to build up the response to homelessness have made a really big difference and are moving people out of homelessness faster than ever before.”
That runs counter to President Donald Trump’s platform, which holds California up as an example of failed homelessness policy. California follows a principle called “housing first,” which prioritizes getting people into housing immediately and then addressing their other needs (such as mental health and substance use help). The Trump administration wants to end housing first, which it says isn’t working, and instead withhold housing until people enroll in addiction treatment or other programs.
California also uses most of its federal funds to pay for permanent housing, which experts say is the most effective way to end someone’s homelessness. The Trump administration recently tried to divert that money to temporary shelters where people stay for a limited time.
## California's homelessness strategy
California is one of 19 states [suing](https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2025/12/homelessness-funding-lawsuits/?ref=smdp.com) the Trump administration over that change. That case is ongoing, but, in a [win for the states](https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/04/hud-homeless-lawsuit/?ref=smdp.com), a federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s changes.
A drop in homelessness in California would have a significant impact on the country’s overall homeless population. Nearly a quarter of all unhoused Americans lived in California as of 2024 – a total of more than 187,000 people, according to the most recent HUD report.
[The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/28/us/politics/homelessness-decline-trend.html?ref=smdp.com) found homelessness also dropped in other places around the country last year, including Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., Minnesota, Florida and Maine, which it found points to a nationwide reduction.
If homelessness dropped nationwide in 2025, it would be the first time in eight years. In 2024, the national count hit 771,480 – an 18% increase from the year before.
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2026/05/homelessness-report-delayed/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Airport advocates step up pressure to keep SMO open
URL: https://www.smdp.com/airport-advocates-step-up-pressure-to-keep-smo-open/
Last updated: 2026-05-19T10:00:41.000Z
Residents filled Santa Monica City Hall Tuesday night in what organizers called the largest public show of support for Santa Monica Airport to date, urging the City Council to abandon plans to close the facility and instead pursue a hybrid approach that preserves aviation alongside expanded park space.
The overflow crowd at the May 12 council meeting — accompanied by 834 letters submitted to the council in preceding days — marked the latest escalation in a long-running debate over the fate of the 192-acre general aviation field, which the city has the option to close at the end of 2028 under a consent decree reached with the Federal Aviation Administration.
"Last night, hundreds of Santa Monica residents made it impossible to ignore what we have been saying all along," said Ben Marcus, chairman of Spirit of Santa Monica, an aviation advocacy group. "The community supports keeping the airport open while expanding park space and is not willing to be rushed into an irreversible decision over a Great Park plan that still has no funding behind it."
Emergency Preparedness, Economic Impact at Forefront
Speaker after speaker cited the airport's role in emergency response as a central reason to preserve it. Residents and aviation advocates pointed to the facility's use as a staging ground for aerial firefighting operations during the 2025 Palisades Fire and its role supporting law enforcement during the civil unrest of 2020.
Marcus also argued the airport is home to roughly 100 companies employing 1,000 workers and serves as a hub for emerging electric aviation technology. He said the facility could eventually relieve pressure on Los Angeles roadways by enabling short-range electric vertical aircraft — a technology he said is already operating at Santa Monica Airport in limited form.
Several speakers raised the prospect of long-term height restrictions being lifted if the airport closes, warning that surrounding neighborhoods currently protected by FAA airspace requirements could become eligible for high-rise development.
Jack Dams offered a more personal argument. He described a case in which a donor heart was flown into Santa Monica Airport two years ago, reaching a dying child faster than it could have been transported by ground or through LAX. "Because of it, that's the reason this kid's alive today," Dams said.
Poll, Funding Questions Cited
Supporters of keeping the airport open pointed to a scientific survey conducted by FM3 Research showing 67% of Santa Monica voters favor keeping part of the airport open and improving the land to include more community benefits, compared with 25% who support closing the airport as soon as possible and planning a new park.
Marcus and others also challenged the financial feasibility of the proposed park conversion, noting that the city's own estimates put the cost at approximately $2 billion. With Santa Monica carrying roughly $94 million in reserves while running an approximately $35 million annual deficit, supporters argued there is no realistic path to funding the project.
"There's no way they can afford to build a $2 billion park here," Marcus said, adding that without outside funding the land would likely be sold to developers — an outcome he said would produce more housing density, traffic and pollution, contrary to what park advocates envision.
Planning Process Continues Amid Debate
The city has been advancing post-airport planning through a multi-phase public outreach process that has included 87 public meetings and more than 12,100 online survey responses. In early 2026 the city released a Draft Framework Diagram organizing the site into eight interconnected districts. The city has also secured a $499,149 Los Angeles County grant to begin design on an initial 20-acre segment of the future park.
Closure of Santa Monica Airport, which has operated since World War I, would take effect at midnight on Dec. 31, 2028, under the 2017 FAA consent decree — the result of nearly half a century of legal and political effort by the city.
Housing Proposal Fractures Coalition
A separate dispute has emerged within the pro-closure coalition over whether affordable housing should be incorporated into the future park site.
Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights and local hospitality union Unite Here Local 11 has urged the council to designate a portion of the site — specifically a roughly 30-acre strip along the northern edge known as the Urban Edge — for 3,000 units of below-market-rate housing. In an April 22 letter to the council, SMRR co-chairs Denny Zane and Mike Soloff argued the Urban Edge is the most logical and least disruptive location for such development, noting that its northern boundary already abuts a planned 385-unit market-rate housing project by Boston Properties at 28th Street and Ocean Park Boulevard.
The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from the Santa Monica Airport2Park Foundation and the Santa Monica Great Park Coalition, which called the letter an attempt to disrupt the conversion process. The groups also raised legal concerns, arguing that housing at the airport site may be infeasible under Measure LC, a 2014 city charter amendment that restricts post-closure use of the property to parks and open space.
SMRR, meanwhile, has been gathering signatures for a November 2026 ballot measure that would amend Measure LC to allow up to 3,000 units of largely affordable housing on up to 25% of the site.
What Comes Next
Aviation advocates came to the meeting in anticipation of discussion or decisions by the Council regarding the airport and while no airport items were part of the May 12 agenda, airport supporters say they expect the council to weigh in again on the airport's future in the coming weeks. Spirit of Santa Monica said it would continue pressing residents to contact council members and build out a citywide coalition.
"Once you remove Santa Monica Airport, you can't get it back," Marcus said.
### U.S. Soccer House to take over Venice Beach during World Cup
URL: https://www.smdp.com/u-s-soccer-house-to-take-over-venice-beach-during-world-cup/
Last updated: 2026-05-18T23:29:08.000Z
U.S. Soccer will open a free fan destination one block from Venice Beach during the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup, the federation announced.
U.S. Soccer House presented by Bank of America will operate June 11-26 at 57 Windward Ave. in Venice, serving as the official home for U.S. Soccer fans during the tournament's group stage. The space is open Monday through Thursday from noon to 8 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
"Fandom is what drives this game forward in this country, and U.S. Soccer House presented by Bank of America is about bringing fans closer to it than ever before," said David Wright, Chief Commercial Officer at U.S. Soccer.
The venue will feature a large screen broadcasting U.S. Men's National Team watch parties and select matches from other World Cup groups. Live programming will include podcast recordings, post-match shows, music performances and speaker sessions.
"Soccer brings communities together in powerful ways, and our partnership with U.S. Soccer is rooted in a shared commitment to making the game more accessible and creating meaningful experiences," said David Tyrie, President of Marketing, Digital and Specialized Consumer Client Solutions at Bank of America.
Highlights include meet-and-greets with USWNT players, USMNT legends, former World Cup referees and former coaches. The HBO Original documentary "U.S. Against the World: Four Years with the Men's National Soccer Team" will screen Episode 5 on June 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. PT.
The U.S. Soccer Podcast Presented by Henkel will record live throughout the tournament. Inclusive activations with Special Olympics and Amputee Soccer will engage athletes of all abilities. On June 21, the U.S. Men's and Women's Beach Soccer National Teams will play special matches. Banner, the official U.S. Soccer mascot, will appear on match days with giveaways and pre-match concerts.
The U.S. Soccer Store presented by Visa will offer Nike and New Era gear with on-site jersey customization. Additional activations include BofA Fan Bands, digital trading cards, face art and signed jersey memorabilia displays.
Entry is free for registered members of the U.S. Soccer Insider program. To register, visit the U.S. Soccer House webpage www.ussoccer.com/SoccerHouse2026
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Malibu releases Summer 2026 Recreation Guide
URL: https://www.smdp.com/malibu-releases-summer-2026-recreation-guide/
Last updated: 2026-05-18T19:00:00.000Z
The City of Malibu's Summer 2026 Recreation Guide and City Newsletter is now available online at MalibuCity.org/CommunityServices and was mailed to Malibu residents the week of May 4.
"Summer recreation programs bring our community together, promote healthy lifestyles and create memorable experiences for residents of every age," said Mayor Bruce Silverstein. "From youth camps and swim lessons to wellness classes and inclusive access programs for people of all abilities, Malibu offers something for everyone to enjoy this summer."
The guide highlights city programs, parks and community facilities designed to keep residents active and engaged throughout the season. The accompanying newsletter features updates, informative articles and contact information for city departments and services.
Programs running June through August include CineMalibu Outdoor Movies in the Park, Learn to Swim lessons with group and private options, summer day camps, and complimentary wellness workshops with The Mindry. Additional offerings include night hikes at Charmlee Wilderness Park; teen workshops in comedy, photography, poetry and self-defense; and Senior Center favorites such as chair yoga, monthly excursions and tech help.
The guide also introduces a new series of Inclusive Recreation programs created to provide accessible, adapted and welcoming activities where people of all abilities can participate together. Summer offerings include coloring, film screenings, sensory swimming and yoga.
Registration for summer programs opens Monday, May 11, at 8 a.m. at MalibuCity.org/Register.
For ongoing, up-to-date information on Community Services programs, visit MalibuCity.org/CommunityServices.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### SMC Art Mentor Program exhibit opens May 19 with 'Well Fed'
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-art-mentor-program-exhibit-opens-may-19-with-well-fed/
Last updated: 2026-05-18T19:00:00.000Z
The Santa Monica College Pete & Susan Barrett Art Gallery will present the SMC Art Mentor Program Exhibit, themed "Well Fed," from May 19 through May 30\. A free gallery reception will be held Thursday, May 21, from 5 to 8 p.m.
The gallery is located at the SMC Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th Street at Santa Monica Boulevard.
"Electric, searching, and unapologetically alive, the Art Mentor Exhibition highlights a group of artists actively building their own visual languages," said Barrett Gallery Director Emily Silver, who leads the SMC Art Mentor Program. "What emerges is an exhibition rooted in curiosity and transformation: works that wrestle with material, identity, memory, humor, politics, intimacy, and the strange poetics of becoming. The work on view challenges the rigid systems that confine us: conventional expression, rampant consumerism, technological encroachment, and informational overload."
The exhibition features work by Ava Baroni, Duncan Bielman, Alex Cruz, Charlie Danger, Caleb Deal, Louie Esteem, Kim Farbota, Jeffrey Heimer, Kate McGinnis, Ernie Mcpeek, Jenny Park, Alejandre Rodriguez, sarah k. skogland, Kaili Stafford, April Vásquez and Ira Zimmerman.
"'Well Fed' rewrites the antiquated 'starving artist' myth," said Kim Garcia, who teaches SMC's Art 80, 82 and 84 Gallery Exhibition & Display course. "This exhibition is a testament to what can be created when artists are nourished through creative and intellectual exchange." The exhibition was curated by students in Garcia's course.
The SMC Art Mentor Program is designed for art students building portfolios with the goal of transferring to four-year arts programs. The program offers in-depth studio discourse, individual studio visits, professional artist presentations and group critiques. SMC Art Department faculty invite students with exceptional talent and a strong academic record to join the program.
SMC's Art 80, 82 and 84 course offers hands-on experience in exhibition planning, research, operation and management of exhibition spaces.
For gallery hours and more information, call 310-434-4165\. Gallery activities are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Monday, May 18, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/may-16-2026-2/
Last updated: 2026-05-18T18:05:33.000Z
Due to the Memorial Day holiday, there will be no lane closures on Pacific Coast Highway or Topanga Canyon Boulevard/State Route 27 between 5 a.m. Friday, May 22, through 11:59 p.m. Monday, May 25.
Sunny. High near 70F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph.
Today 🌤️ 66º/56º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 74º/59º
### FIRST UP
SMDP Image
## Kidnapping suspect in custody after officer-involved shooting in Los Angeles
Santa Monica police took a kidnapping suspect into custody early Sunday morning following a vehicle pursuit and officer-involved shooting in Los Angeles..[READ](https://www.smdp.com/kidnapping-suspect-in-custody-after-officer-involved-shooting-in-los-angeles/)
### MORE NEWS
[SMC Graduate Lands Special Olympics USA Games ApprenticeshipTarelle Butts, a Santa Monica College 2024 graduate, secured an apprenticeship with the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis through the Television Academy Foundation’s new Alumni Apprenticeships Program.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-college-grad-lands-apprenticeship-with-2026-special-olympics-usa-games/)
[LA28 Cultural Olympiad to Celebrate LA’s Creative VoicesLA28 Cultural Olympiad will celebrate Los Angeles artists and cultural institutions during 2028 Olympic Games with music, film, fashion, food and visual art programming.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/la28-cultural-olympiad-to-celebrate-citys-creative-voices/)
[Woman killed by Metro bus crawled under it.A woman believed to be homeless was killed Friday afternoon after she was struck by a Metro bus at the intersection of Main Street and Ocean Park Boulevard, Santa Monica police said. The fatal collision was reported at approximately 2 p.m. The woman, whose identity has not been released,SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/police-co/)
[Newsom’s tightfisted final budget faces a rough reception in the LegislatureBy Dan Walters, CalMatters This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Since the turn of the century, California’s state budget has been plagued by a boom-and-bust syndrome rooted in its lopsided revenue system and a lack of political discipline. The budget became increasingly dependentSMDPCal Matters](https://www.smdp.com/newsoms-tightfisted-final-budget-faces-a-rough-reception-in-the-legislature/)
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[SMC Global Motion World Dance Company PerformanceSanta Monica College Global Motion World Dance Company performs traditional and contemporary world dances May 16-17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Broad Stage. Tickets $20-$23.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smcs-global-motion-world-dance-company-to-perform-may-16-17/)
[Santa Monica Optometrist Expands Eye Health Education Through Book and NonprofitAs daily life becomes increasingly screen driven, from Zoom calls and scrolling to digital classrooms and late night streaming, optometrist Irina Yakubin is working to make eye health education more accessible, approachable, and community centered in Santa Monica. Yakubin, an optometrist and founder of OptiHealth Optometry, practices within Montana EyesSMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-optometrist-expands-eye-health-education-through-book-and-nonprofit/)
[Santa Monica Council Unanimously Adopts Boulevard Safety Plan, Orders Quick-Build Protections at School CrossingThe City Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted a safety overhaul of Santa Monica Boulevard, directing staff to install temporary physical barriers at a dangerous intersection near McKinley Elementary School before the next school year and to pursue stronger pedestrian crossing technology on the corridor’s eastern half. The 7-0 vote onSMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-unanimously-adopts-boulevard-safety-plan-orders-quick-build-protections-at-school-crossing/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/event-3/#/show?subset=picks).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/051826.pdf?ref=smdp.com).
### Kidnapping suspect in custody after officer-involved shooting in Los Angeles
URL: https://www.smdp.com/kidnapping-suspect-in-custody-after-officer-involved-shooting-in-los-angeles/
Last updated: 2026-05-18T16:02:47.000Z
Santa Monica police took a kidnapping suspect into custody early Sunday morning following a vehicle pursuit and officer-involved shooting in Los Angeles.
At approximately 3:15 a.m. May 18, officers located the suspect in Los Angeles while investigating a kidnapping involving an adult victim that originated in Santa Monica. The suspect fled in a vehicle, prompting a pursuit that ended near 937 W. 85th St. in Los Angeles, where an officer-involved shooting occurred.
The suspect was taken into custody at the scene. No officers were injured, and no gunshot injuries were reported.
The adult victim had already been contacted by law enforcement and was not present during the pursuit or shooting.
The investigation remains active. SMPD said it is coordinating with appropriate investigative agencies and will release additional information as it becomes available.
### Santa Monica College grad lands apprenticeship with 2026 Special Olympics USA Games
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-college-grad-lands-apprenticeship-with-2026-special-olympics-usa-games/
Last updated: 2026-05-18T19:55:27.000Z
A 2024 Santa Monica College graduate has been selected as the first participant in a new Television Academy Foundation program designed to help emerging media professionals break into an increasingly difficult entry-level job market.
Tarelle Butts, who majored in entertainment promotion and marketing production at [Santa Monica College](https://www.smc.edu/?ref=smdp.com), will begin an eight-week, full-time production apprenticeship May 11 with the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis. He will work with the special events team in talent production and publicity, supporting large-scale, multi-sport production at an event that will unite 3,000 athletes, 1,500 coaches, 10,000 volunteers and 75,000 fans from all 50 states June 20-26.
Originally from San Jose, Butts came to the Television Academy Foundation in 2023 as an editing intern at Ping Pong Productions in Glendale. He learned about the apprenticeship through the Foundation Alumni Network, a LinkedIn page for program graduates, and was selected after a round of interviews with Special Olympics leadership.
"What drew me to this apprenticeship was the opportunity to contribute to storytelling that connects with people while continuing to build my career in television and live event production," Butts said. "I am excited to work alongside experienced professionals in a fast paced collaborative environment while supporting an event that represents resilience, inclusion, determination and joy on such a large scale."
He added: "Opportunities like this can truly change the trajectory of someone's career, and I do not take that lightly. I'm very grateful for the position and honored to be part of it."
Butts's placement marks the debut of the Foundation's Alumni Apprenticeships Program, announced April 23\. The initiative places graduates of the Foundation's education programs into paid media jobs, an effort leaders say is meant to address a hiring landscape that has grown harder to navigate for young workers.
"This initiative is designed to bridge the gap between education and employment, providing our alumni with real, hands-on opportunities to begin building their careers in media," said Tina Perry, chair of the Television Academy Foundation. "We are especially honored to partner with the Special Olympics USA Games as our first employer collaborator — an organization whose commitment to inclusion and powerful storytelling aligns so deeply with our own values."
Anne Vasquez, executive director of the Foundation, said the program grew out of a strategic planning process the organization completed last year.
"We need to build a longer runway for the most promising individuals entering the industry," Vasquez said. "The Alumni Apprenticeships program is a workforce development initiative that operationalizes and capitalizes on the Foundation's deep industry connections to place the next generation of entertainment professionals in paying jobs."
For more than 45 years, the Foundation has placed dozens of interns annually at studios, production companies and agencies, serving as the employer of record. Vasquez described the new apprenticeship program as "the logical next step to that system."
The apprenticeship is underwritten by The Loreen Arbus Foundation. Loreen Arbus, a longtime Television Academy Foundation board member, was the first woman to head programming for a U.S. network, leading Showtime and Cable Health Network/Lifetime, and has been twice nominated for an Emmy. For 17 years she has sponsored the Loreen Arbus Focus on Disability Award at the Foundation's annual College Television Awards.
"We believe that equitable hiring must be backed by action, and that begins with giving diverse people a real chance to enter the workforce," Arbus said. "Launching this initiative with the Special Olympics USA Games is especially meaningful, as it reflects a shared commitment to expanding opportunity and advancing representation."
Christy Sovereign, president and CEO of the 2026 Special [Olympics](https://www.smdp.com/la28-opens-registration-for-second-olympic-ticket-drop-ahead-of-august-sale/) USA Games, called the collaboration "a testament to the Foundation's commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable world."
The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games will be held across Minnesota's Twin Cities, with competitions at the University of Minnesota and the National Sports Center in Blaine.
Vasquez said the Foundation hopes to expand the apprenticeship program in coming years by partnering with other nonprofits that serve as gateways into the entertainment industry, and by working more formally with the studios and production companies that already notify the Foundation of job openings.
"We're also looking to redefine what job creation looks like in a gig economy," she said.
### LA28 Cultural Olympiad to celebrate city's creative voices
URL: https://www.smdp.com/la28-cultural-olympiad-to-celebrate-citys-creative-voices/
Last updated: 2026-05-17T18:59:59.000Z
The LA28 Cultural Olympiad will spotlight Los Angeles artists and cultural institutions during the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, organizers announced, building a program that spans fashion, film, food, music, performance and visual art.
Rather than importing a celebration, the program is designed to surface the creative life already rooted in the city, connecting cultural institutions with local artists, community organizations and neighborhood spaces. Community stages at public parks will bring music, dance and spoken word to neighborhoods across Los Angeles County.
"We have intentionally built the Cultural Olympiad from the community level up, to ensure that we are reflecting the authentic voices of our region," said Nora Halpern, Executive Director of the LA28 Cultural Olympiad. "The Cultural Olympiad must be of Los Angeles, not just in Los Angeles. We want every Angeleno to see themselves in our program."
The International Olympic Committee will support LA28 in amplifying the program's reach.
"By bringing culture, creativity and education together ahead of the Games, the Cultural Olympiad generates excitement and engages communities long before the Opening Ceremony," said Yasmin Meichtry, IOC Culture and Heritage Deputy Director.
Paul Krekorian, Executive Director of the City of Los Angeles Office of Major Events, said the city has been a committed partner from the start.
LA28 will mark the first Paralympic Games held in Los Angeles, and organizers said an intentional focus on equity will ensure the full range of creative voices and abilities is represented.
Program highlights include 16 official LA28 Art Posters — eight Olympic and eight Paralympic — created by local artists selected through a jury-led process, with a public unveiling set for July 2027\. The Official LA28 Cultural Olympiad Mark will recognize and amplify creative institutions and community organizations, with applications opening across the region in early 2027.
A "Sport on the Silver Screen" series will bring 28 sports films to free screenings at iconic LA locations. A Cultural Olympiad Calendar and Mapping platform will launch in January 2028 as a digital guide, eventually gifted to a local partner organization. An underwriting program will reduce or eliminate ticketing fees for some programming during the Games.
Los Angeles previously hosted Olympic cultural programs in 1932 and 1984, the latter helping establish the LA Opera.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Woman killed by Metro bus crawled under it.
URL: https://www.smdp.com/police-co/
Last updated: 2026-05-17T01:52:58.000Z
A woman believed to be homeless was killed Friday afternoon after she was struck by a Metro bus at the intersection of Main Street and Ocean Park Boulevard, Santa Monica police said.
The fatal collision was reported at approximately 2 p.m. The woman, whose identity has not been released, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Security video from a nearby business helped investigators piece together the sequence of events. According to preliminary findings, the Metro bus was stopped when the woman moved underneath the vehicle. She was struck and sustained fatal injuries when the bus pulled away from the stop.
The bus operator remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. At this stage of the investigation, police said there is no indication the operator was impaired or distracted.
A Big Blue Bus vehicle that arrived at the stop shortly after the incident was temporarily held for documentation before being released.
Main Street was closed between Ocean Park Boulevard and Hollister Avenue during the investigation. Traffic on westbound Ocean Park Boulevard toward Main Street was also affected.
The investigation remains active. Anyone with information is asked to contact SMPD Sgt. Jason Olson at 310-458-8367 or Jason.Olson@santamonica.gov, or the Watch Commander at 310-458-8427.
### Newsom’s tightfisted final budget faces a rough reception in the Legislature
URL: https://www.smdp.com/newsoms-tightfisted-final-budget-faces-a-rough-reception-in-the-legislature/
Last updated: 2026-05-16T18:51:45.000Z
By [Dan Walters](https://calmatters.org/author/dan-walters/?ref=smdp.com), CalMatters
This commentary was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
Since the turn of the century, California’s state budget has been plagued by a boom-and-bust syndrome rooted in its lopsided revenue system and a lack of political discipline.
The budget became increasingly dependent on taxes paid by the state’s most affluent residents, whose incomes increasingly came from investments rather than salaries.
Thus state [revenues would often spike](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/01/volatility-complicates-california-budget-deficits/?ref=smdp.com) upwards, only to level off or decline. But governors and legislators would make new spending commitments during the spikes that would become liabilities during the downturns.
It was dubbed “volatility” and it [reached an apex four years ago](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/02/newsom-spending-california-chronic-deficit/?ref=smdp.com) when Gov. Gavin Newsom declared that the state had a $97.5 billion surplus, having decided that a post-pandemic revenue spike would be permanent.
His administration later acknowledged a $165 billion error in a four-year revenue projection. But in the meantime he and the Legislature had raised spending, creating deficits that totaled $125 billion over four years, according to the Legislative Analyst Office. The deficits were papered over with a series of short-term fixes, including loans and accounting gimmicks.
On Thursday, Newsom unveiled [a revised version of his final budget](https://ebudget.ca.gov/FullBudgetSummary.pdf?ref=smdp.com) and, without saying so, indicated he had learned a hard lesson about managing volatility.
Although the state is seeing a new tax spike and his budget sees a $16.5 billion increase in revenues over three years, Newsom’s $349.4 billion 2026-27 budget takes a cautious approach. He says it would not only erase the structural deficit of the past four years, but it would guarantee that his successor would have a balanced first year budget for 2027-28.
“We’re cutting deficits but not cutting corners,” Newsom said.
The $246.6 billion general fund portion of the budget relies not only on new revenues, including a $3.6 billion boost from several relatively minor tax increases, to be balanced, but it is indirectly helped by big reductions in federal aid for healthcare.
Newsom devoted the first minutes of his budget presentation to bragging about California’s $4-trillion-plus economy, saying “we simply have no peers.” He also trolled those with “California derangement syndrome” and denounced President Donald Trump as corrupt and incompetent.
However [Trump’s tightened eligibility for federally subsidized healthcare](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/03/medi-cal-emergency-federal-cuts/?ref=smdp.com) that could affect hundreds of thousands of Californians also has the effect of reducing the state’s healthcare spending, thus helping Newsom draft a balanced budget.
He could have backfilled the lost federal funds, but that probably would have required him to propose a major tax increase of some kind, which, as [a likely 2028 presidential candidate](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/04/newsom-final-budget-taxes-deficit/?ref=smdp.com), he is unwilling to do.
However his attitude on healthcare and taxes places Newsom at odds with advocates for poor Californians who would be affected and their allies in the Legislature, many of whom want a tax increase.
Graham Knaus, CEO of the California State Association of Counties, immediately declared that “the governor is proposing to do to counties what he accuses the president of doing to California.”
Chris Hoene, of the left-leaning California Budget & Policy Center, which has been beating the drums for tax increases, said, “The governor promoted California’s economic dominance while, in the same breath, making it more difficult for Californians with low incomes to access healthcare by reinstating harmful Medi-Cal asset limits, expanding work requirements and increasing Medi-Cal premiums for certain immigrants.”
With just a few months remaining in his governorship, Newsom’s ability to bend the Legislature to his will is fading, so the question his new budget poses is whether legislators will go along. Or will they insist that the new holes in the state’s safety net be plugged and support raising taxes to pay for it?
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/05/newsom-tightfisted-budget-california-legislature/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### California will make less money from greenhouse gas emission auctions
URL: https://www.smdp.com/california-will-make-less-money-from-greenhouse-gas-emission-auctions/
Last updated: 2026-05-16T16:25:22.000Z
By [Dan Walters](https://calmatters.org/author/dan-walters/?ref=smdp.com), CalMatters
This commentary was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
Two decades ago, when California got serious about reducing or even eliminating carbon dioxide and other [greenhouse gases](https://calmatters.org/tag/greenhouse-gas-emissions/?ref=smdp.com), its political leaders weighed two potential tactics about industrial emissions.
The state could impose direct facility-by-facility limits, generally favored by climate change advocates. Or it could set overall emission reduction goals that would gradually decrease and auction off emission allowances, assuming their costs would encourage reductions.
The latter, [known as cap-and-trade](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2025/12/cap-and-trade-new-mission/?ref=smdp.com), was favored by corporate interests as being less onerous and was adopted, finally taking effect in 2012.
Since then, the California Air Resources Board has conducted quarterly auctions of emission allowances, collecting a total of $35 billion dollars so far, which, in theory, is being spent on projects that would reduce emissions.
The revenues have varied from year to year, but they have generally increased as the emission caps have declined. Since [reaching a peak of $8.1 billion in the 2023-24 fiscal year](https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/cap-and-trade-program/program-data/cap-and-trade-program-data-dashboard?ref=smdp.com), however, auction proceeds have been declining.
Roughly half of the money has been given to utilities to minimize cap-and-trade’s impact on consumer costs. However, the program has been widely [criticized as a de facto tax on gasoline](https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/03/california-governors-race-gas-taxes/?ref=smdp.com) and other fuels, which were already among the most expensive of any state.
The remaining revenues have been deposited into a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund that governors and legislators have tapped for various purposes, not all of them connected to emission reductions. In a sense, it’s been a slush fund.
Last year Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature overhauled the program in two bills, [Senate Bill 840](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca%5F202520260sb840?ref=smdp.com) and [Assembly Bill 1207](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca%5F202520260ab1207?ref=smdp.com). The program was extended, it was [renamed as cap-and-invest](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2025/12/cap-and-trade-new-mission/?ref=smdp.com) and new priorities for spending auction proceeds were set.
Notably, the state’s cash-strapped and long-stalled bullet train project would get a flat $1 billion a year, rather than [the 25% share it had been getting](https://calmatters.org/environment/climate-change/2025/05/california-governor-climate-budget-cap-trade-high-speed-rail/?ref=smdp.com). Project managers hope that lenders will advance enough money to complete its first leg in the San Joaquin Valley; the plan is to repay the loans from the $1 billion annual cap-and-invest allocation.
Early this year, the Air Resources Board released new regulations to implement the legislative changes but faced criticism that they would increase consumer costs. That led to a revision in April that softens the rules’ impact — most obviously on refiners who have been threatening to leave California — but [environmental groups are very critical](https://www.edfaction.org/news-resources/carb-without-a-real-pollution-cap-cap-and-invest-doesnt-work?ref=smdp.com).
The April version would also sharply reduce net revenues from emission auctions, [according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office](https://lao.ca.gov/handouts/resources/2026/Amendments-to-Cap-and-Invest-050626.pdf?ref=smdp.com), providing barely enough for the $1 billion allocation to the bullet train and another $1 billion for the governor and Legislature to spend. Other programs that have been receiving cap-and-invest support, such as wildfire protection and housing, would probably get nothing.
The program has been tapped in recent years to backfill programs that a deficit-ridden state budget could not cover, so the projected revenue drop would exacerbate efforts by Newsom and legislators to close the state budget’s yawning gap.
“The (Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund) is a relatively small portion of the overall state budget, but it has been a noteworthy source of funding for environmental and other programs in recent years,” the state Assembly’s budget advisor, Jason Sisney, says in an email. “Collapse of its revenues would change the state budget process noticeably. The state’s cost-pressured general fund seemingly would be unable to make up much, if any, of a significant (Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund) revenue decline at this time.”
When Newsom presents his revised budget this week, he may reveal how he intends to cover the cap-and-invest program’s shortfall, particularly whether he will maintain the $1 billion bullet train commitment that project leaders say is vital to continuing construction of its Merced-to-Bakersfield segment.
It could boil down to bullet train vs. wildfire protection.
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/05/greenhouse-gas-emissions-california-auctions/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### May 16, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/may-16-2026/
Last updated: 2026-05-16T16:19:57.000Z
Good morning, happy weekend, and thank you for being a loyal reader.
Sun and clouds mixed. High 66F. Winds SW 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 66º/58º ; Tomorrow 🌤️ 66º/58º; Monday 🌤️ 71º/57º
### FIRST UP
SMDP photo
# Local organizations coalescing around opposition to turf fields
All seven Santa Monica neighborhood organizations and the local democratic club have formally called on the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District to abandon plans to install artificial turf at..[READ](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-organizations-begin-to-coalesce-around-opposition-to-turf-fields/)
### MORE NEWS
[Fatal accident closes Ocean Park and MainThe intersection of Main and Ocean Park was closed Friday afternoon while police investigated a fatal accident between a pedestrian and a bus. According to the Santa Monica Police Department, officers and firefighters responded to the collision at about 2 p.m. on Friday. While both a Metro and BigSMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/fatal-accident-closes-ocean-park-and-main/)
[SMC Global Motion World Dance Company PerformanceSanta Monica College Global Motion World Dance Company performs traditional and contemporary world dances May 16-17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Broad Stage. Tickets $20-$23.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smcs-global-motion-world-dance-company-to-perform-may-16-17/)
[Santa Monica Optometrist Expands Eye Health Education Through Book and NonprofitAs daily life becomes increasingly screen driven, from Zoom calls and scrolling to digital classrooms and late night streaming, optometrist Irina Yakubin is working to make eye health education more accessible, approachable, and community centered in Santa Monica. Yakubin, an optometrist and founder of OptiHealth Optometry, practices within Montana EyesSMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-optometrist-expands-eye-health-education-through-book-and-nonprofit/)
[Santa Monica Council Unanimously Adopts Boulevard Safety Plan, Orders Quick-Build Protections at School CrossingThe City Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted a safety overhaul of Santa Monica Boulevard, directing staff to install temporary physical barriers at a dangerous intersection near McKinley Elementary School before the next school year and to pursue stronger pedestrian crossing technology on the corridor’s eastern half. The 7-0 vote onSMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-unanimously-adopts-boulevard-safety-plan-orders-quick-build-protections-at-school-crossing/)
### IN CASE YOU MISSED
[Olympic High School Honored with California Model Schools AwardOlympic High School in Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District earned the California Model Schools Award for exemplary continuation education and innovative academic practices.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/olympic-high-school-earns-california-model-schools-award/)
[Kristina Irwin mounts ‘common sense’ campaign for State SenateAs California’s political landscape continues to shift amid growing concerns over affordability, public safety, homelessness, and wildfire recovery, Senate candidate Kristina Irwin is positioning herself as what she calls a “common sense” voice focused on working families, local control, and holding government accountable. Irwin, a Republican candidate running forSMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/kristina-irwin-mounts-common-sense-campaign-for-state-senate/)
[California has 6 weeks of gas supply. After that, it gets expensiveBy Alejandro Lazo, CalMatters This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Eleven weeks into the Iran war and a global energy shock, California drivers are paying the highest gas prices in the nation, an average of $6.15 a gallon this week. The pain atSMDPCal Matters](https://www.smdp.com/california-has-6-weeks-of-gas-supply-after-that-it-gets-expensive/)
Interested in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/event-3/#/show?subset=picks).
You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/051526.pdf?ref=smdp.com).
### Fatal accident closes Ocean Park and Main
URL: https://www.smdp.com/fatal-accident-closes-ocean-park-and-main/
Last updated: 2026-05-16T03:45:04.000Z
The intersection of Main and Ocean Park was closed Friday afternoon while police investigated a fatal accident between a pedestrian and a bus.
According to the Santa Monica Police Department, officers and firefighters responded to the collision at about 2 p.m. on Friday.
While both a Metro and Big Blue Bus were part of the investigation, SMPD said it was the Metro bus that hit and killed the victim.
Witnesses described the victim as walking in front of or falling under the bus but SMPD said they had no information on the cause of the accident and investigators are working to determine the circumstances leading up to the collision.
Main Street was closed between Ocean Park Boulevard and Hollister Avenue. Traffic was also impacted on westbound Ocean Park Boulevard approaching Main Street. Drivers were asked to avoid the area, expect delays, and use alternate routes while the investigation continues.
### Santa Monica organizations begin to coalesce around opposition to turf fields
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-organizations-begin-to-coalesce-around-opposition-to-turf-fields/
Last updated: 2026-05-15T21:11:49.000Z
Seven Santa Monica neighborhood organizations and the Santa Monica Democratic Club have formally called on the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District to abandon plans to install artificial turf at local elementary schools, submitting letters of opposition ahead of the school board's upcoming May 19 meeting.
The neighborhood groups — Friends of Sunset Park, the North of Montana Association, Ocean Park Association, Pico Neighborhood Association, Santa Monica Mid City Neighbors, Santa Monica Northeast Neighbors and the Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition — submitted a joint resolution urging the board to impose an immediate moratorium on new synthetic turf at all elementary school sites and pre-K centers.
The resolution also calls on SMMUSD to collaborate with the city and Santa Monica College to expand natural grass fields and to examine a list of seven underutilized district-owned properties that could be developed into additional playing fields.
"This is not merely a preference, but an urgent environmental, health, and civic necessity," the groups wrote in the joint letter addressed to the SMMUSD Board of Education.
The Democratic Club passed its own resolution in November 2025 urging a ban on artificial turf across all locally owned public land, and both groups cited research on chemical exposure, microplastic pollution and extreme surface temperatures as central concerns.
## **Franklin Became the Flashpoint**
Opposition to turf fields crystallized in spring 2025 after the board voted 7-0 in May to approve a campus renovation plan for Franklin Elementary that included replacing the school's deteriorating grass field with a newer synthetic surface. More than 1,200 residents signed a petition opposing the plan, and state Sen. Ben Allen joined the six neighborhood organizations in pushing back.
The district has operated synthetic turf at multiple campuses for years. Santa Monica High School has had a synthetic field since 2011\. John Adams Middle School fields were first installed in 2008 and replaced in 2018\. Lincoln Middle School converted to synthetic turf in 2019, and Will Rogers Learning Community received a new cork-infill field in 2023.
Plans call for synthetic turf at Grant Elementary in the next facilities cycle, followed by McKinley and Roosevelt elementaries. The four-phase Franklin renovation is funded by Measure QS, a $495 million bond voters approved in November 2024\. The district has said the Franklin surface decision will not be finalized until fall 2027.
## **What the District's Study Found**
The district commissioned an independent study from NV5, a global environmental consulting firm, examining the tradeoffs between the two surfaces across roughly 15 acres of natural grass and 12 acres of artificial turf.
On the operational side, the numbers favor synthetic surfaces. The district's natural grass fields consume approximately 20 million gallons of water annually, require more than 1,600 hours of labor per year and cost roughly $361,000 annually to maintain — about $24,019 per acre. Artificial turf maintenance runs approximately $822 per acre per year.
The usability gap is even more stark. Natural grass can safely handle about 24 hours of weekly use before requiring recovery time, limiting annual availability to roughly 1,100 hours. Artificial turf can accommodate more than 4,800 hours of annual use. California water conservation requirements also loom, with potential penalties of up to $10,000 daily for noncompliance by 2040.
## **Health and Environmental Concerns Remain**
The same study acknowledged that the health and environmental concerns raised by critics are not unfounded. Multiple peer-reviewed studies confirmed the presence of PFAS — so-called forever chemicals — heavy metals and other compounds in artificial turf materials. One Stockholm study found PFAS in 76% of backing samples from 103 football fields.
Research also documents that turf fields release approximately 3 to 5 kilograms of microplastics per field per year. On hot days, artificial turf surfaces can reach temperatures of 158 to 171 degrees Fahrenheit under laboratory conditions — 35 to 64 degrees higher than natural grass — though the district's coastal location provides some moderation.
The NV5 study noted that the district's use of organic cork infill rather than crumb rubber has reduced several chemical exposure pathways, and that some newer-generation turf products show non-detectable PFAS levels.
Injury research was mixed, with natural grass associated with higher rates of lacerations and fractures, while artificial turf showed increased lower-extremity injuries including higher ACL injury rates in high school football and girls' soccer.
## **Broader Momentum**
The Santa Monica City Council voted 7-0 on Jan. 27 to ban new artificial turf on all city-owned land as part of its 25-year Parks and Recreation Vision Plan, though the ban does not apply to SMMUSD property. While critics of turf rejoiced at the City’s ban, they have also questioned the Joint Use Agreement between City Hall and SMMUSD that effectively makes school fields function as public parks in exchange for annual payments.
LAUSD has prohibited new artificial turf at early education, elementary and middle schools. At the state level, the Department of Toxic Substances Control has included artificial turf in its Priority Product evaluation, a process that could eventually require manufacturers to conduct mandatory alternatives analyses.
The open session for the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, will begin at 6 p.m., instead of 5:30 p.m. Closed session will begin at its normal 4:30 p.m. start time.
### Friday, May 15, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/thursday-may-14-2026-2/
Last updated: 2026-05-15T21:04:53.000Z
The open session for the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, will begin at 6 p.m., instead of 5:30 p.m. Closed session will begin at its normal 4:30 p.m. start time.
Sun and clouds mixed. High 66F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Today 🌤️ 67º/58º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 67º/59º
**FIRST UP**
## Santa Monica Council Unanimously Adopts Boulevard Safety Plan, Orders Quick-Build Protections at School Crossing
The City Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted a safety overhaul of Santa Monica Boulevard.... [READ](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-unanimously-adopts-boulevard-safety-plan-orders-quick-build-protections-at-school-crossing/)
**MORE NEWS**
[Santa Monica Optometrist Expands Eye Health Education Through Book and NonprofitAs daily life becomes increasingly screen driven, from Zoom calls and scrolling to digital classrooms and late night streaming, optometrist Irina Yakubin is working to make eye health education more accessible, approachable, and community centered in Santa Monica. Yakubin, an optometrist and founder of OptiHealth Optometry, practices within Montana EyesSMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-optometrist-expands-eye-health-education-through-book-and-nonprofit/)
[Kristina Irwin mounts ‘common sense’ campaign for State SenateAs California’s political landscape continues to shift amid growing concerns over affordability, public safety, homelessness, and wildfire recovery, Senate candidate Kristina Irwin is positioning herself as what she calls a “common sense” voice focused on working families, local control, and holding government accountable. Irwin, a Republican candidate running forSMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/kristina-irwin-mounts-common-sense-campaign-for-state-senate/)
[Bosch Awards $30K to Route 66 Auto ShopsBosch Wiper Blades announces $30,000 three-year grant program for independent automotive and repair shops along historic Route 66\. Five $2,000 grants available starting summer.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/bosch-wiper-blades-announces-route-66-grant-program/)
[Kehillat Israel Returns to Pacific Palisades SanctuaryKehillat Israel returns to its Pacific Palisades sanctuary on May 15, 2025, 16 months after the January fire. Nearly 900 families mark one of the first religious institution returns.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/kehillat-israel-returns-to-pacific-palisades-16-months-after-fire/)
**IN CASE YOU MISSED**
[Santa Monica Events: EEEEEATSCON, Sidewalk Sales & Weekend FunDiscover Santa Monica events May 14-21: EEEEEATSCON food festival, Montana Ave sidewalk sale, Beach Boys 5K, Pier Locals’ Night, and dining specials across the Westside.SMDPSean Besser](https://www.smdp.com/around-town-sidewalk-sales-eeeeeatscon-more/)
[Santa Monica Launches Restorative Justice CommissionSanta Monica City Council voted 6-0 to establish a new Restorative Justice Commission to address historic inequities, consolidate housing and human services bodies, and overhaul advisory commissions.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-creates-restorative-justice-commission-overhauls-advisory-bodies/)
[Iran War Fueling 3.8% Inflation Surge Across AmericaU.S. inflation surged to 3.8% in April 2025, driven by gasoline prices rising 5.4% due to the Iran conflict. Average gas prices exceed $4.50 per gallon.SMDPAssociated Press](https://www.smdp.com/the-iran-war-is-hitting-home-as-gasoline-prices-fuel-inflation-surge-of-3-8-in-the-us/)
Interest in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/event-3/#/show?subset=picks). You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/051526.pdf?ref=smdp.com).
### SMC's Global Motion World Dance Company to Perform May 16-17
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smcs-global-motion-world-dance-company-to-perform-may-16-17/
Last updated: 2026-05-15T19:00:00.000Z
The Santa Monica College Global Motion World Dance Company will present its spring 2026 performance of dances from around the world on Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, at 7:30 p.m. at The Eli & Edythe Broad Stage at the SMC Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th Street.
SMC students will showcase traditional and contemporary world dance styles, including West African, Asian, Hawaiian, Mexican Folklórico and Salsa. The performance features works by guest artists, faculty and student choreographers, with featured works by guest artists Dewa Ayu Dewi Larassanti and Ariel Kasha.
Larassanti is a multicultural performing artist raised in the Bay Area and Bali. She trained at Çudamani, her parents' organization, and at Bumi Bajra, a Balinese theater company. As a 2024 Fulbright Student Researcher, she studied with elderly Balinese master artists. She produced the first LA Gamelan Festival at the Indonesian Consulate in 2025, is featured in the PS5 video game "Kena: Scars of Kosmora," and recently launched her own arts company, LARAS.
Kasha, a former SMC student, has a background in dance ethnology and women's studies. She has studied and performed in Egypt and Turkey in folkloric and stage productions, with a bellydance lineage of more than 20 years.
Global Motion was founded more than 50 years ago by Judith Douglas, former chair of the SMC Dance Department, to bring knowledge and appreciation of dance from around the world while giving students the experience of performing as a professional company.
The company is currently under the artistic direction of Raquel Ramirez and Sri Susilowati. Faculty choreographers are Laura Canellias for Salsa, Keali'i Ceballos for Tahitian, Angela Jordan for West African, Ramirez for Mexican Folklórico-Jalisco, and Joseph Wiggan for Tap. Student choreographers this spring are Kara Alexys and Marissa Aniel for Burlesque, Lizeth Maldonado for Afrobeats, and Jamie "Nova" Rush for Street Dance.
The company has toured throughout California and Mexico for more than 40 years and has performed in Beijing, Bracciano, Italy, Santiago, Chile, Lloret de Mar, Spain, and Paris.
Advance tickets are $20 for general admission, with a modest service charge. Day-of-performance tickets are $23\. Tickets are available at smc.edu/tickets or by calling 310-434-3005\. Free parking is on premises. More information is available at smc.edu/dance or by calling 310-434-8763.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Olympic High School earns California Model Schools Award
URL: https://www.smdp.com/olympic-high-school-earns-california-model-schools-award/
Last updated: 2026-05-15T18:59:59.000Z
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District recognized Olympic High School for receiving the California Model Schools Award and designation during a ceremony held May 2.
The award honors exemplary continuation high schools across California that demonstrate strong academic achievement, innovative instructional practices and comprehensive support systems helping students overcome barriers to success. Schools selected for the designation serve as models for best practices in alternative education.
"Congratulations to Cynthia McGregory and the outstanding staff at Olympic Continuation High School," said Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton. "On Saturday evening, Olympic High School received the California Model Schools Award and designation, an incredible and well-deserved honor. We are proud of Olympic's students and staff for this remarkable achievement. Your commitment to excellence continues to make a meaningful impact and make your community proud."
Olympic High School serves as the continuation high school for SMMUSD and is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The school provides a personalized academic environment for students who benefit from a smaller setting and individualized support, offering a diverse curriculum through a blended learning model that includes online coursework, teacher-led workshops and project-based learning.
"At Olympic, we are deeply committed to meeting students where they are and helping them realize their full potential," said Olympic Principal Cynthia McGregory. "This recognition reflects the dedication of our staff and the resilience of our students, who show every day that with the right support and opportunities, success is within reach."
Through culturally responsive teaching, academic rigor and equitable access to resources, Olympic High School empowers students to progress at their own pace and often recover credits more quickly than in traditional settings. Students can earn between 90 and 120 credits annually, helping them stay on track for graduation.
The achievement reflects SMMUSD's commitment to supporting students through its core values of belonging, curiosity and empowerment.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Saint Monica's Class of 1956 keeps friendships alive after 70 years
URL: https://www.smdp.com/saint-monicas-class-of-1956-keeps-friendships-alive-after-70-years/
Last updated: 2026-05-15T18:59:59.000Z
Seventy years after graduating from Saint Monica's High School in 1956, a close-knit group of eight alumni still gathers for lunch two or three times a year, keeping alive the friendships that first took root in their teenage days.
Their lunch gatherings are filled with laughter, easy conversation and the kind of camaraderie that only decades of shared history can build. The group often reflects with gratitude on the education they received at Saint Monica's from the Sisters of the Holy Name of Jesus and Mary for the girls and the Brothers of Saint Patrick for the boys, crediting the educators with shaping their character and work ethic.
Inevitably, someone brings along a copy of The Compass, their high school yearbook, and the group leans in together, flipping through its pages to revisit old photos, inside jokes and memories of school dances, classroom antics and favorite teachers.
What began as youthful bonds has matured into a lasting tradition — a testament to the enduring power of friendship and the simple joy of remembering where it all began.
The Mariners alumni are: Jean Villaryo Brown, Toni Rubini Colvin, Yolanda Ponce Landis, Maryvon Laumann Kraetsch, Ted Elliott, Bob O'Neill, George Junger and Jim Ziegler.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Sen. Allen highlights wildfire risk reduction needs during preparedness week
URL: https://www.smdp.com/sen-allen-highlights-wildfire-risk-reduction-needs-during-preparedness-week/
Last updated: 2026-05-15T19:00:01.000Z
During Wildfire Preparedness Week, Sen. Ben Allen, D-Pacific Palisades, reflected on the devastation of last year's Los Angeles fires and the continued need to reduce risk across regions to better mitigate damage when disaster strikes.
"Preparing for the next disaster is daunting, but being proactive can ultimately save lives and treasure," Allen said. "We need to adopt an all-hands approach to improve community resilience and better protect families from the new challenges of our growth and a changing climate. Collectively, we can make a more meaningful difference through smart actions and investments to be more prepared for the road ahead."
Allen has spent the past two years focused on resilience and risk reduction across California. The passage of his Prop 4 unlocked $10 billion of investments in infrastructure improvements and resilience projects — the largest investment of this kind in state history. After finalizing $3.2 billion in Prop 4 investments in 2025-26, the state has proposed at least an additional $2.2 billion for the coming fiscal year. Funds have already been used to reduce fire fuel in the Santa Monica Mountains.
Allen has proposed two policies this year aimed at reducing risk across communities.
SB 894 provides low-interest loans for Californians to make home hardening and defensible space upgrades — lowering the financial barrier to renovations that can reduce a structure's fire risk by nearly 50 percent.
SB 1297 establishes Regional Wildfire Partnerships to pool resources between local agencies, nonprofits, insurers and utilities to improve community-scale resilience.
"We cannot improve affordability and reduce risk while operating in siloes," Allen added. "Preparation to save lives and minimize losses requires public participation and collective action."
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica Optometrist Expands Eye Health Education Through Book and Nonprofit
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-optometrist-expands-eye-health-education-through-book-and-nonprofit/
Last updated: 2026-05-15T15:44:38.000Z
As daily life becomes increasingly screen driven, from Zoom calls and scrolling to digital classrooms and late night streaming, optometrist Irina Yakubin is working to make eye health education more accessible, approachable, and community centered in Santa Monica.
Yakubin, an optometrist and founder of OptiHealth Optometry, practices within Montana Eyes on Montana Avenue and is quickly building a reputation for combining modern eye care with public education and local outreach. “My practice is a general optometry practice with an emphasis on dry eye, low vision, and medical care. I spend a good amount of my personal time digging into the latest and greatest advances in medical eye care,” said Yakubin.
Yakubin, who has practiced in Santa Monica since 2023, and is approaching her third anniversary locally, says one of the biggest misconceptions in healthcare is how infrequently people prioritize their vision until something is wrong. “We know to go to our primary care doctor every year. We know to go to the dentist every six months, but we only have two eyes, and most people don’t go to the eye doctor unless there is something wrong.”
That educational gap inspired two new initiatives launched over the past year with The Eye Care Guide, a patient friendly book designed to help readers better understand their eye health, and About My Eyes, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to eye care education. First released digitally late last year before expanding into paperback, the book was intentionally designed for modern readers. “Instead of walls and walls of text, it’s bite sized bits of information. It’s designed for a scrolling friendly generation,” she added.
The timing comes as eye strain, dry eye symptoms, blurred vision, and digital fatigue continue to rise alongside increased screen exposure across all age groups. Yakubin says she regularly sees patients experiencing symptoms tied to prolonged digital device use, particularly among younger generations who grew up immersed in screens during and after the pandemic. She believes that dry eye syndrome is an ocular surface disease that can and should be treated, not something people just have to live with, a misconception she hears from patients. “You’re not just getting an eye exam. You’re getting a little tour of what’s going on with your eyes.”
That educational approach extends beyond the exam room. Through *About My Eyes*, Yakubin has already begun conducting presentations with community organizations including local police activity groups and the YMCA, while also exploring future collaborations with schools and youth organizations across Santa Monica. “This was something I was already passionate about to go into the community and explaining eye care and why people need regular eye exams. I was doing that as one person and as a business owner, and then I thought what if we could scale this?,” she added.
Yakubin says the nonprofit was formed with a growing network of professionals who shared the same mission of making eye health education clearer, more approachable, and more proactive. Beyond optometry, Yakubin brings an eclectic personality to her practice. A longtime animal lover, she says Montana Eyes is intentionally pet friendly, often with dogs greeting patients in the office. She also trains in Krav Maga and jujitsu, balancing what she describes as two very different sides of herself; one rooted in healing and care, the other in discipline and defense.
Her path into eye care was also deeply personal. Nearsighted since childhood, Yakubin began wearing glasses around age five and says getting contact lenses later in life transformed her confidence and perspective. Born in Ukraine, she initially resisted family pressure toward traditional career paths, wanting instead to become a writer. "I told my mom I wanted to be a writer, she said no,” she said. While doing her yndergrad at UCLA, she knew she was going into healthcare, and began shadowing various health care professions and majored in history to stand out as an applicant vs other traditional STEM majors.
In many ways, she found a way to do both. Today, Yakubin continues to write educational content alongside her clinical practice and nonprofit work, blending storytelling with healthcare advocacy. “When I realized other people weren’t consistently receiving eye care and didn’t know how important it was, that’s when I knew I wanted to focus on this,” she said.
### Kristina Irwin mounts 'common sense' campaign for State Senate
URL: https://www.smdp.com/kristina-irwin-mounts-common-sense-campaign-for-state-senate/
Last updated: 2026-05-15T15:43:05.000Z
As California’s political landscape continues to shift amid growing concerns over affordability, public safety, homelessness, and wildfire recovery, Senate candidate Kristina Irwin is positioning herself as what she calls a “common sense” voice focused on working families, local control, and holding government accountable.
Irwin, a Republican candidate running for the California State Senate, says her campaign was shaped not by traditional politics, but by personal experience first during the COVID-19 school shutdowns, and more recently following the devastating Palisades fires that impacted her children’s school community. “I’ve seen the system fail from every angle as a mom, an immigrant, a concerned citizen, and someone watching working families struggle. We need adults back in Sacramento making decisions that actually help communities,” said Irwin.
Irwin first entered politics in 2022 as a write in candidate during the pandemic, driven by frustrations surrounding prolonged school closures and what she viewed as a disconnect between state leadership and families. Though she did not win, she says the campaign gained broad support from parents across party lines and earned the highest vote total ever for a write in candidate in that race. The aftermath of the Palisades fires further solidified her decision to run again. “My children’s school community was devastated,” she said. “The tennis courts, the recreation areas, homes, local gathering places, all gone or damaged. First our children experienced COVID and the isolation from that, and now this. There’s been a massive system failure.”
Irwin’s platform centers on five core issues from public safety, homelessness, education reform, affordability, and streamlining rebuilding efforts across fire impacted communities like Pacific Palisades and Malibu. On public safety, Irwin says fully funding Proposition 36 would be one of her top priorities if elected. “Public safety matters regardless of political party. People overwhelmingly voted for Prop 36, and Sacramento needs to follow through," she said.
On homelessness, Irwin advocates for what she describes as a compassionate but structured approach focused on mental health care, rehabilitation, and reintegration services. “It is not compassionate to leave people suffering on the streets,” Irwin said. “We need wraparound services; mental health treatment, vocational training, psychiatric support, rehabilitation; so people can actually get back on their feet.”
Education reform is another cornerstone of her campaign. Irwin argues California schools need both a return to foundational learning methods and stronger preparation for the future economy. She also supports curriculum transparency, greater parental involvement, and the reintroduction of programs like home economics, auto shop, gardening, and hands on learning, alongside newer areas such as AI education and financial literacy, supporting school choice, charter schools and homeschooling. “Our kids need balance again as they’ve been on screens nonstop since COVID. We need to bring back pen and paper, handwriting, practical skills, and also teach them how banking, stocks, AI, and financial systems work,” said Irwin.
Affordability also remains central to her message. As the only real estate agent currently on the ballot in the race, Irwin says she brings a firsthand understanding of California’s housing and cost of living challenges. Among her economic priorities is suspending the state gas tax and reducing regulatory barriers impacting homeowners and businesses. “We need to cut the red tape. Families in the Palisades and Malibu deserve the ability to rebuild quickly without Sacramento creating more obstacles,” Irwin said.
Irwin also emphasized the importance of local control over rebuilding and development decisions, particularly in wildfire affected communities. “We don’t need Sacramento imposing blanket high density mandates on local communities - people who live here understand what their neighborhoods need,” said Irwin.
In addition to her policy platform, Irwin highlighted concerns around political extremism and rising antisemitism, particularly on college campuses. "We need to get back to the basics of humanity and civility - there is no place for hateful rhetoric whether it's coming from the left or the right, we have to stand against it," she added.
Irwin has received endorsements from several prominent Republican figures and organizations, including the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which aligns with her focus on affordability and tax reform. She has also been endorsed by Senator Shannon Grove and Tony Strickland.
As the campaign enters its final stretch, Irwin says her candidacy is ultimately about restoring accountability and representing families who feel unheard. "Hard-working families are being priced out of the communities they built and future generations deserve a fair shot at success," she said. “I’m running because I love this state, and I believe we can make California work again for working families."
### Santa Monica Council Unanimously Adopts Boulevard Safety Plan, Orders Quick-Build Protections at School Crossing
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-unanimously-adopts-boulevard-safety-plan-orders-quick-build-protections-at-school-crossing/
Last updated: 2026-05-15T15:37:33.000Z
The City Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted a safety overhaul of Santa Monica Boulevard, directing staff to install temporary physical barriers at a dangerous intersection near McKinley Elementary School before the next school year and to pursue stronger pedestrian crossing technology on the corridor's eastern half.
The 7-0 vote on the Santa Monica Boulevard Safety Study clears the way for the city to apply for state grant funding before a June 22 deadline and locks in upgrades the city hopes to complete before the 2028 Olympic and [Paralympic Games](https://www.smdp.com/jpmorganchase-becomes-founding-partner-of-la28-olympic-and-paralympic-games/). The corridor has recorded 435 high-injury crashes over the past decade, with pedestrians and cyclists overrepresented, according to the advocacy group Santa Monica Families for Safe Streets.
The plan narrows general travel lanes to a maximum of 11 feet, designates bus-only lanes of 12 to 13 feet, and extends transit lanes along the corridor in coordination with the Westside Cities Council of Governments. Pedestrian signals will activate automatically from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., eliminating most crosswalk button-pressing.
The most contentious debate centered on the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Chelsea Avenue, used by children walking to McKinley Elementary. Parents pleaded for immediate physical protections, while a nearby Kia dealership pushed for a redesign that would preserve a left-turn lane into its business.
Council Member Dan Hall, who moved the staff recommendation, said dealership access should not drive the design.
"I'm not super interested in preserving a left turn at Chelsea, if the highest pedestrian protection for the children crossing the street to their school would have us design the intersection otherwise," Hall said.
Hall later clarified that if staff determined the safest design eliminated left turns into Chelsea or the Kia driveway, the council would defer to that recommendation. Staff said the Kia left turn — slightly down the boulevard from Chelsea — could potentially be preserved while restricting movements at Chelsea itself.
Council Member Lana Negrete pushed staff to "stress test" the designs for turning radii of fire and bus vehicles.
"I just want to make sure that we're not unintentionally creating conflicts between pedestrian safety and transit operations, emergency response functionality, and, of course, the business community," Negrete said.
The council directed staff to install temporary "quick-build" protections, such as bollards, at Chelsea before the next school year, with final design left to staff.
The council also tackled a technical debate over pedestrian crossings. Staff had proposed Rapid Flashing Beacons — described in city materials as small yellow flashing lights — but advocates said they are insufficient for the corridor's traffic volumes and speeds.
Planning Commissioner Jacob Wasserman warned that "lives are at stake" and urged staff to install Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons, known as HAWK signals, or full traffic lights. In written comments, he wrote: "Why are RFFBs proposed and not HAWKs (or even normal signals) at crosswalks? Research is clear that HAWKs are safer."
Council Member Natalya Zernitskaya echoed those concerns, noting national safety guidelines do not recommend the flashing beacons for streets with the boulevard's traffic volumes. Council Member Jesse Zwick pressed staff to ask the state for the stronger treatment.
"At this stage in time, I mean, we're asking for money. So is there a reason why we wouldn't want to ask for the more appropriate treatment, since we're asking the state for money?" Zwick said.
Staff acknowledged HAWK signals cost considerably more but agreed to include them in upcoming grant applications. The motion directed staff to explore HAWK signals or full traffic signals over the flashing beacons on the eastern half of the corridor.
The vote followed months of revisions. The council had directed staff in February to return with a plan that more aggressively prioritized pedestrian safety and reduced speeding.
Public comment ran heavily in favor of adoption, with dozens of McKinley parents submitting nearly identical letters urging quick-build medians by August 2026 and a HAWK beacon at Chelsea. Some residents pushed back. Caitlin O'Brien wrote that the city had not collected sufficient data on community impacts; Deborah Dinsmore questioned whether narrowed lanes and curb extensions would improve safety.
Mike Sullivan, owner of the [Kia Santa Monica dealership](https://www.kiasantamonica.com/?ref=smdp.com) at 2440 Santa Monica Blvd., submitted an alternative concept by engineering firm Linscott, Law & Greenspan that he said would maintain the westbound left turn into the dealership while meeting safety goals. City Manager Oliver Chi said staff would continue working with stakeholders without "compromising pedestrian safety."
Approval was time-sensitive. An adopted plan is required for the Caltrans Active Transportation Program Cycle 8 grant, which has a June 22 deadline. Staff will also submit a Capital Improvement Project request for the Chelsea intersection in the fiscal 2026-27 budget cycle, with an estimated cost of $1.15 million.
The study covers the corridor from Ocean Avenue to Centinela Avenue. Phase 1 items — signal timing, pedestrian recall and far-side bus stop relocations — are slated to advance within six to 12 months.
### Bosch Wiper Blades announces Route 66 grant program
URL: https://www.smdp.com/bosch-wiper-blades-announces-route-66-grant-program/
Last updated: 2026-05-14T18:59:59.000Z
Bosch Wiper Blades announced a three-year, $30,000 grant program through the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership to support independent automotive and repair shops along historic Route 66.
The announcement coincides with the completion of the Bosch Impressive Innovation Centennial Road Trip, which featured YouTubers[ ](https://www.youtube.com/@EngineeringExplained?ref=smdp.com)[Engineering Explained](https://www.youtube.com/@EngineeringExplained?ref=smdp.com) and[ ](https://www.youtube.com/@GearsandGasoline?ref=smdp.com)[Gears and Gasoline](https://www.youtube.com/@GearsandGasoline?ref=smdp.com) and marked the 100th anniversary of both Route 66 and Bosch's introduction of the electric windshield wiper.
The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership will begin accepting grant applications from independent automotive and repair shops this summer and will award five $2,000 grants for qualifying businesses. Funds can be used to revitalize facilities — from service bay restorations and diagnostic tool upgrades to advanced technician training — or to restore automotive business signage to ensure shops remain visible icons along Route 66.
The Road Ahead Partnership's mission is to revitalize and sustain Route 66 as a national icon and international destination through collaborative partnerships focused on promotion, preservation, research, education and economic development.
"As we mark the Centennial, our mission is to turn this moment of celebration into a moment of investment — supporting the people and places that will keep this historic highway alive for the next 100 years," said Bill Thomas, Chair of the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership. "By strengthening the shops that maintain vehicle performance and the signs that guide the way, Bosch Wiper Blades and the Road Ahead Partnership are reinforcing a shared commitment to driver confidence and safety. In other words, together we're leveraging 100 years of history to build the next 100 years of opportunity."
Scott Sullivan, Bosch Senior Marketing Team Lead, said independent automotive and repair shops have served as a lifeline for Route 66 travelers for a century.
"The Impressive Innovation Centennial Road Trip has given us the opportunity to not only look back, but also to join forces with the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership to renew our commitment to keeping drivers safe for all the miles ahead," Sullivan said.
Established in 2016 with support from the National Park Service and the World Monuments Fund, the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership works through promotion, preservation, research, education and economic development.
For more information, visit[ ](http://route66centennial.org/?ref=smdp.com)[route66centennial.org](http://route66centennial.org/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Kehillat Israel returns to Pacific Palisades 16 months after fire
URL: https://www.smdp.com/kehillat-israel-returns-to-pacific-palisades-16-months-after-fire/
Last updated: 2026-05-14T18:59:59.000Z
On May 15, nearly 900 families of Kehillat Israel will carry their Torah scrolls back into their sanctuary, marking one of the first returns by a religious institution to Pacific Palisades since the January 2025 fire. Of KI's member families, 250 lost their homes entirely and another 250 were temporarily displaced.
The reopening event coincides with the celebration of Cantor Chayim Frenkel's 40th anniversary of service to the congregation.
"Returning home as a community is deeply emotional and personal for me," said Frenkel. "Music and prayer have carried us through these past 16 months. Now, to be welcomed back into our cherished holy space, my family's spiritual home for the past 40 years, is a blessing."
Architecture firm Herman Coliver Locus Architecture, led by Principal Steven Rajninger and Project Manager Megan Costello, redesigned the 4,700-square-foot sanctuary to accommodate more than 400 congregants. New features include "The Portal," an entry designed as a gateway into sacred space; a new ark; updated memorial walls; reconfigured acoustics through a suspended "Sound Cloud"; and enhanced audiovisual capabilities for in-person and virtual events.
"This is more than a physical reopening," said Senior Rabbi Amy Bernstein. "It is a moment to gather again in a familiar space that has been transformed to meet our community members where they are now, a place of calm, reflection, and belonging."
Since the fire, the KI community has continued to prioritize in-person gatherings, meeting in several temporary locations across Los Angeles.
"At KI, our congregants, clergy, and staff have held each other close and relied on one another for support ever since the fire devastated the Pacific Palisades last year," said Board of Trustees President Matthew Ross. "It's been a long road to our reopening, but now that we're back in our reimagined building, we're excited once again to have a central gathering place for our beloved community."
KI's return will be marked by several community gatherings and spiritual services, starting with the May 15 sanctuary rededication and continuing throughout the year.
Founded in 1950 by several Pacific Palisades families, Kehillat Israel is an inclusive Jewish community grounded in Reconstructionist tradition.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### City of Malibu to host 2026 Poetry Summit
URL: https://www.smdp.com/city-of-malibu-to-host-2026-poetry-summit/
Last updated: 2026-05-14T19:00:00.000Z
The City of Malibu will host the 2026 Poetry Summit: Vibrant Cycles on Saturday, May 16, at noon at Malibu City Hall. The city's premier annual poetry event will bring together poets, musicians and artists for an afternoon of spoken word, live music and dance exploring the theme of "Vibrant Cycles."
The event will be hosted by Malibu Poet Laureate Charlotte Ward.
"Malibu's Poetry Summit is a wonderful celebration of creativity, culture and community," said Mayor Bruce Silverstein. "We are proud to support an event that brings people of all ages together through the arts and highlights the incredible talent in Malibu and beyond."
The program will feature readings by local poets including Ann Buxie, Malibu's fourth Poet Laureate; Eileen Fiori; DeForeest Wright III; Pamela Goldsmith; Jolynn Regan; Tracy Katz; Debbie Pommer-Siegel; Malibu's first Poet Laureate Ricardo Means Ybarra; and Patricia Davis, among others. The event will also showcase selected student poets from local schools who have been taught and mentored by Regan, Means Ybarra and former Poet Laureate Nathan Hassall.
The event is free and open to all ages. RSVPs are not required, and light refreshments will be served following the program.
The Malibu City Council approved the creation of the Poet Laureate program in November 2016, following a recommendation from the Malibu Arts Commission. The commission's goal is for the Poet Laureate to keep poetry as an integral part of Malibu's artistic landscape and expand support for poetry within community arts programming.
The Poet Laureate serves as the official Consultant in Poetry to the City of Malibu and the Malibu Library, helping create or participate in an annual Poetry Invitational event. The Poet Laureate also represents the city at literary and poetry events and works with the Laureate Committee to promote poetry and literary arts in local schools and throughout the community.
For more information, visit[ ](https://www.malibucity.org/poetry?ref=smdp.com)[www.malibucity.org/poetry](https://www.malibucity.org/poetry?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### SMC Percussion Ensemble to Perform Free Concert May 15
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-percussion-ensemble-to-perform-free-concert-may-15/
Last updated: 2026-05-14T19:00:00.000Z
The Santa Monica College Music Department will present a free, high-energy concert featuring the SMC Percussion Ensemble on Friday, May 15.
The performance will be held at 1 p.m. in the Music Hall at the[ ](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&ref=smdp.com)[SMC Performing Arts Center](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&ref=smdp.com), located at 1310 11th Street. Free parking is available on premises, with seating on a first-arrival basis.
Under the baton of SMC music instructor Megumi Smith, the ensemble will present a vibrant, creative performance of percussion music showcasing a bold mix of styles intended to keep the audience engaged from start to finish.
More information is available by calling 310-434-4323\. All performances are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Thursday, May 14, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/thursday-may-14-2026/
Last updated: 2026-05-14T18:32:12.000Z
Fill up while you can because California is running out of [gas](https://www.smdp.com/california-has-6-weeks-of-gas-supply-after-that-it-gets-expensive/).
A mix of clouds and sun. High 66F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 66º/58º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 67º/59º
**FIRST UP**
Members of the Cougars Patrol from Boy Scout Troop 223 volunteered at The People Concern in Santa Monica.
## Boy Scout troop volunteers at Santa Monica homeless services organization
Members of the Cougars Patrol from Boy Scout Troop 223 recently volunteered at The People Concern in Santa Monica.... [READ](https://www.smdp.com/boy-scout-troop-volunteers-at-santa-monica-homeless-services-organization/)
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[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184436/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
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**MORE NEWS**
[Santa Monica Events: EEEEEATSCON, Sidewalk Sales & Weekend FunDiscover Santa Monica events May 14-21: EEEEEATSCON food festival, Montana Ave sidewalk sale, Beach Boys 5K, Pier Locals’ Night, and dining specials across the Westside.SMDPSean Besser](https://www.smdp.com/around-town-sidewalk-sales-eeeeeatscon-more/)
[Santa Monica Launches Restorative Justice CommissionSanta Monica City Council voted 6-0 to establish a new Restorative Justice Commission to address historic inequities, consolidate housing and human services bodies, and overhaul advisory commissions.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-creates-restorative-justice-commission-overhauls-advisory-bodies/)
[Iran War Fueling 3.8% Inflation Surge Across AmericaU.S. inflation surged to 3.8% in April 2025, driven by gasoline prices rising 5.4% due to the Iran conflict. Average gas prices exceed $4.50 per gallon.SMDPAssociated Press](https://www.smdp.com/the-iran-war-is-hitting-home-as-gasoline-prices-fuel-inflation-surge-of-3-8-in-the-us/)
**IN CASE YOU MISSED**
[SMC Vocal Jazz Ensemble May 15 Concert in Santa MonicaSanta Monica College Vocal Jazz Ensemble performs May 15 at 7:30 p.m. at SMC Performing Arts Center. Features Latin, R&B, Swing, and Bebop. Tickets $10 general, $5 students.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-vocal-jazz-ensemble-to-perform-may-15/)
[World Cup Hotel Bookings Disappoint US OperatorsUS hotel operators report lighter-than-expected World Cup bookings in major cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Kansas City, with high prices and visa concerns cited as factors.SMDPAssociated Press](https://www.smdp.com/us-hotel-operators-say-promised-boon-from-hosting-world-cup-hasnt-materialized-yet/)
[Santa Monica Rejects Boulevard Housing Plan, Backs Downtown DensitySanta Monica Planning Commission voted 5-0 to reject a proposal that would have lowered building heights along commercial boulevards in exchange for waiving affordable housing fees, citing concerns about displacement and the city’s affordable housing program.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-planning-commission-rejects-boulevard-housing-plan-backs-downtown-density/)
Interest in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/event-3/#/show?subset=picks). You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/051426.pdf?ref=smdp.com).
### California has 6 weeks of gas supply. After that, it gets expensive
URL: https://www.smdp.com/california-has-6-weeks-of-gas-supply-after-that-it-gets-expensive/
Last updated: 2026-05-14T18:27:05.000Z
By [Alejandro Lazo](https://calmatters.org/author/alejandro-lazo/?ref=smdp.com), CalMatters
This story was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
Eleven weeks into the Iran war and a global energy shock, California drivers are paying the highest gas prices in the nation, an average of $6.15 a gallon this week.
The pain at the pump is colliding with California’s ambitious push away from fossil fuels, as refinery closures, supply disruptions and a deepening debate over reliance on imported oil and gas raise new questions about whether the state can keep gasoline affordable during the transition.
Here are five things to know about how Sacramento is responding to the crisis and what it could mean for prices in the months ahead.
## **California can see six weeks out — after that, prices could rise.**
California can confidently forecast gasoline and crude oil shipments coming in through about mid-June, and supply looks stable through that window, Siva Gunda, vice chair of the California Energy Commission, [told an Assembly oversight hearing](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279528?ref=smdp.com#t=873&f=3852f2436f68b119addebcdaf6a3f666) last week.
After that, oil and gas will cost significantly more to secure, he said.
California can outbid the rest of the world for gasoline and crude oil, pulling shipments away from Asia and other markets. But that bidding war comes at a cost, and consumers will pay it at the pump, Gunda told the committee.
To hedge against that uncertainty, Gunda said California is negotiating long-term supply deals with Asian refiners that could lock in another three to six months of certainty.
“Liquidity, in the short-term, is okay,” [Gunda said](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279528?ref=smdp.com#t=1090&f=3852f2436f68b119addebcdaf6a3f666). “As we move forward, it's really about making sure more ships are coming, more marine vessels are coming.”
## **As refineries close, imports are filling the gap.**
The Iran war has exposed California’s growing reliance on imports of both crude oil and gasoline. The state needs to import more supply as in-state refineries shut down.
Neale Mahoney, a Stanford economist, [told the committee](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279528?ref=smdp.com#t=1199&f=a177f72bb48580bba5a89eb6b2297bbc) that imports can be a benefit. They add competition and lower prices, since newer overseas refineries often produce gasoline more cheaply than California's.
Other experts agree. UC Berkeley energy economist Severin Borenstein, also at the hearing, said California's resilience now depends on building out port, pipeline and storage capacity to handle imports, not on bringing new refineries online.
As the war has dragged on, California refiners have shifted crude sourcing away from the Persian Gulf toward [Latin America, Alaska and Canada](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279528?ref=smdp.com#t=773&f=3852f2436f68b119addebcdaf6a3f666), Gunda said at the hearing last week. The state met about 20% of its refined-product demand through imports in the year before the war began.
“Fundamentally, we have to recognize we are going to have fewer refineries, and the solution is imports,” [Borenstein said](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279528?ref=smdp.com#t=1248&f=4959e449acbdbfb71cb5a92d15a27c6c).
## **The oil industry says imports are the problem, not the answer.**
But the oil industry is pushing back, saying that relying on increased imports is the wrong strategy. California's fuel system has been "weakened by design" by state policies pushing refiners out of the state, said Jodie Muller, president and CEO of the Western States Petroleum Association — a characterization energy economists dispute.
Because California requires that cars [burn a specialized fuel blend](https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65184&ref=smdp.com), shipments can be tougher to source and take longer to arrive, exposing consumers to delays and volatility every time something goes wrong globally.
“Continuing to move to more and more imports will put this state at more and more risk,” [Muller said last week](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279528?ref=smdp.com#t=516&f=7a07fecb93dd9a4fa1f8e4a1a7e43a5c). “If you think we are in a precarious position right now, we will continue to see more and more volatility.”
And the oil industry argues that the playing field is tilted. California refiners face some of the strictest rules in the world, the industry argues, while imported gasoline is produced under far weaker standards before it’s shipped halfway around the world. California requires importers to certify their fuels meet its standards, but the industry argues that foreign producers operate under less stringent environmental rules.
## **$6.50 or $7-plus? Experts can't agree.**
In the end, what you feel most acutely is the price you pay at the pump. And even the experts aren't sure where things will land.
Asked what consumers should expect if the conflict drags on, Gunda said California prices will likely settle "under seven, more like $6.50." He explained that demand starts dropping once gas crosses about $5.50 a gallon, and California is already seeing drivers shift from higher-priced stations to cheaper ones.
Borenstein is less optimistic. If the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that carried more than 20 million barrels of oil a day before the start of the war, stays closed another 60 days, the price of crude could climb by another $40 to $80 a barrel, he said. Each $40 increase translates into [about $1 per gallon at the pump](https://energyathaas.wordpress.com/2024/07/15/oil-and-gasoline-101/?ref=smdp.com). He called that scenario plausible, and warned there's almost nothing California policy can do about it.
“Unfortunately, I think that would be a crisis,” [Borenstein said](https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279528?ref=smdp.com#t=1814&f=3852f2436f68b119addebcdaf6a3f666). “I know we all hope that doesn't happen and that the flow of oil resumes, but the reality is we are on borrowed time as we run down inventories.”
## **Will high gas prices boost EV sales?**
California has spent years trying to push drivers out of gas cars. Now sky-high gas prices may be sparking interest in some consumers.
EV sales in California slumped last year after the Trump administration revoked a key federal tax incentive, undercutting California’s plan to steadily replace gas-powered cars with electric ones to meet its climate goals.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is now pushing to revive some of those sales through a [new state incentive](https://calmatters.org/environment/climate-change/2026/01/california-ev-rebates-trump/?ref=smdp.com) under negotiation in the budget. It’s too early to know whether pain at the pump is translating into a broad rebound in EV demand. But some consumers are already making the switch.
When gas prices recently climbed past $6 a gallon in Redding, Victor Ireland said his daughter decided there was “no way” she wanted a gas-powered car after watching the family spend more than $140 on a single Sacramento round trip in their minivan.
The search wasn’t easy. EV inventories have dropped across the country since expiring federal tax credits briefly boosted demand. The family searched dealerships across the West, from Washington to Kansas, after his daughter settled on a specific model: the Fiat 500e Giorgio Armani Collector's Edition. They found a dealer in Utah that could ship the vehicle to California.
Ireland said the soaring cost of gasoline only reinforced his family’s decision. “You just charge it and go,” he said.
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/environment/2026/05/california-gas-prices-six-weeks/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Fighting for the Most Vulnerable: Sokolove Law's Approach to Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Cases
URL: https://www.smdp.com/nursing-home-abuse-neglect-sokolove-law/
Last updated: 2026-05-28T17:48:05.000Z
Placing a loved one in a nursing home is one of the hardest decisions a family can make. Families trust these facilities to provide safe, attentive care, often when a relative is at their most vulnerable. When that trust is broken by abuse or neglect, the damage runs deep. Sokolove Law handles these cases with sensitivity and care, giving families support during an emotionally difficult time.
## **What Is Nursing Home Neglect?**
Nursing home neglect happens when a facility fails to provide the basic care residents need to stay safe, healthy, and comfortable. Signs often appear slowly and can be easy to miss during short visits, particularly when staff are trained to present well during family drop-ins. Common forms include:
● Unexplained weight loss or malnutrition
● Dehydration
● Bedsores and pressure ulcers
● Poor personal hygiene and unchanged clothing
● Untreated medical conditions
● Unsafe or unsanitary living spaces
● Frequent falls or unexplained injuries
● Social isolation from other residents and family
Neglect often results from understaffing, poor training, or weak oversight rather than direct cruelty. Facilities operating on thin margins sometimes cut corners on staffing levels, leaving too few aides responsible for too many residents. The outcomes can be devastating for older adults who depend on others for daily care.
## **What Is Nursing Home Abuse?**
Nursing home abuse involves intentional harm inflicted on a resident by staff, other residents, or visitors. Under the federal Nursing Home Reform Act ([H.R.3545 Subtitle C](https://www.congress.gov/bill/100th-congress/house-bill/3545?ref=smdp.com)), every resident has the right to be free from abuse and mistreatment. Abuse can take several forms:
● **Physical Abuse:** Hitting, slapping, pushing, or using improper restraints that cause pain, bruising, or injury.
● **Verbal and Emotional Abuse:** Yelling, threats, intimidation, or humiliation that leave residents fearful, withdrawn, or depressed.
● **Financial Abuse:** Theft, forged signatures, or pressure to change wills and account information without the resident's full consent.
● **Sexual Abuse:** Any unwanted sexual contact or exposure, which is especially harmful to residents with dementia or limited ability to communicate.
Changes in a loved one's mood, body, or behavior are often the first signal that something is wrong. Asking questions early can help protect other residents who may be in the same situation.
## **A Complex Approach to These Cases**
Sokolove Law attorneys build these cases methodically, assembling the evidence needed to hold facilities and their parent companies accountable.
### **Initial Investigation**
The investigation typically begins with a review of publicly available records and materials gathered from the facility and family:
● Facility inspection reports from state and federal regulators
● Staffing records and employee background information
● Incident reports filed at the facility
● Photographs of injuries and living conditions
● Statements from family members and visitors
● Interviews with other residents when appropriate
● Communication logs between family and facility staff
The goal is to establish a clear factual record before any legal strategy is set.
### **Medical Record Analysis**
Medical records frequently reveal what facility reports do not. Attorneys comb through charts, medication logs, and treatment notes to track a resident's condition over time. Gaps in care, missed assessments, or sudden unexplained changes in health can indicate whether a facility met accepted standards of care. In some cases, records show that warning signs were documented internally but never acted upon, which is a detail that can be significant in establishing liability.
### **Liability Determination**
More than one party often bears responsibility in nursing home cases. Possible sources of liability include:
● The nursing home facility itself
● Parent companies and management firms
● Individual staff members
● Medical directors and attending physicians
● Third-party contractors providing services
● Hiring agencies responsible for background checks
Identifying every responsible party is important for families seeking full accountability. Large nursing home chains in particular may attempt to shield corporate entities from liability by structuring ownership across multiple subsidiaries, which is a pattern that experienced attorneys know to look for.
### **Expert Consultation**
Attorneys at Sokolove Law work with medical professionals, nursing care experts, and regulatory specialists to establish what proper care should have looked like and where the facility fell short. Expert testimony helps translate complex medical and regulatory details into clear, accessible language for judges, juries, and insurance companies.
### **Claim Valuation**
Nursing home cases often involve damages that extend well beyond immediate medical costs. Common categories include:
● Medical expenses and future care costs
● Pain and suffering
● Emotional distress
● Loss of dignity and quality of life
● Relocation expenses to a new facility
● Funeral and burial costs in wrongful death cases
● Punitive damages in cases of egregious conduct
### **Negotiation and Litigation**
Most nursing home cases resolve through negotiation. Attorneys come to the table with evidence, expert opinions, and a documented sense of the case's value. This is preparation that often discourages lowball offers from insurers and defense counsel.
When negotiations stall, filing suit opens the door to formal discovery. Under the federal[ Older Americans Act](https://acl.gov/about-acl/authorizing-statutes/older-americans-act?ref=smdp.com), elder abuse victims have protections that support these claims. Discovery can bring to the surface internal policies, staffing budget decisions, prior complaints, and regulatory citations that never would have emerged otherwise.
## **Beyond the Individual Case**
Nursing home abuse litigation does more than pursue compensation for individual families. These cases often pull back the curtain on systemic failures, including chronic understaffing, inadequate training programs, lax state inspection regimes, and corporate ownership structures designed to limit accountability. When evidence surfaces through discovery and becomes part of the public record, it can drive regulatory action, policy changes, and industry-wide scrutiny that benefits residents far beyond the original plaintiff.
Several states have strengthened staffing ratio requirements and inspection protocols in direct response to patterns exposed through litigation. For families, knowing that what happened to their loved one may help protect someone else can matter as much as the outcome of their own case.
## **Finding the Right Legal Help**
Families who suspect abuse or neglect have legal options worth understanding.[ Sokolove Law](https://mesolawyer.sokolovelaw.com/about-us/?ref=smdp.com) offers no-cost case reviews for families facing these situations and has represented clients in nursing home cases nationwide for more than 45 years. More information is available through their website.
### Around Town: Sidewalk Sales, EEEEEATSCON, & More!
URL: https://www.smdp.com/around-town-sidewalk-sales-eeeeeatscon-more/
Last updated: 2026-05-14T16:03:24.000Z
**AJA Vineyards Trivia Night:** Rounding off the first quarter of the 21st century with some fun 2000s until now trivia! Winners will receive special AJA prizes-- bottles of wine, merch and more. **Thursday, May 14, 6:30p.m., 1417 2nd St.** [ajavineyards.com/event/trivia-night](http://ajavineyards.com/event/trivia-night?ref=smdp.com)
**EEEEEATSCON:** The Infatuation’s signature food event returns to The SaMo Airport Barker Hangar, treating foodies to a music-festival-style culinary experience with headlining restaurants, live music, thought-leader panels, and exclusive chef collaborations. **Saturday & Sunday, May 16 & 17** [eeeeeatscon.com/los-angeles](http://eeeeeatscon.com/los-angeles?ref=smdp.com)
**Montana Ave. Sidewalk Sale:** The beloved Montana Avenue Sidewalk Sale is BACK, and it’s the perfect occasion to support local shops while snagging amazing deals on new arrivals! Join us on Saturday for a day filled with great shopping and explore some of the best dining the West Side has to offer. Enjoy the neighborhood’s vibrant atmosphere and welcome the season in style with friends and family. **Saturday, May 16, 10a.m. - 6p.m.**
**Beach Boys 5K Wellness Race:** This year marks the 60th anniversary of The Beach Boys’ iconic album Pet Sounds! Join the celebration with a lively health and wellness day featuring a wellness- and pet-themed festival, live music, energizing fitness experiences, and a fun community 5K run. Bring your friends, bring your pets, and let’s get to running! 🐾🎶🏃♀️ **Saturday, May 16, Third Street Promenade** [https://runsignup.com/Race/CA/SantaMonica/TheBeachBoys5KWellnessDay](https://runsignup.com/Race/CA/SantaMonica/TheBeachBoys5KWellnessDay?ref=smdp.com)
**Kidical Mass Family Bike Ride:** Celebrate the 5th Annual Kidical Mass for a fun-filled morning with family-friendly activities and a group ride for all ages. Participants are encouraged to wear green for mental health awareness month. The bike ride will meet on the west side of Clover Park near 25th Street and Oak Street and start at 9:00AM. Kidical Mass + Mental Health & Wellness Fair **Sunday, May 17, 9 - 11:30a.m., Clover Park, 2600 Ocean Park Blvd.** [https://events.humanitix.com/kidical-mass-for-mental-health-2026](https://events.humanitix.com/kidical-mass-for-mental-health-2026?ref=smdp.com)
**Run Venice Beach:** More than 5,000 participants are expected to take part, with race options including the Half Marathon, 5K, 1-Mile Junior Jog & Family Walk, and the quarter-mile "Grunion Run" for young runners. All participants receive a commemorative race shirt. **Sunday, May 17** [runvenicebeach.com](http://www.runvenicebeach.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**Celebrate the 10th Birthday of the Shotgun House:** It's been ten years since local residents saved this City landmark from demolition. Celebrate with a free block-party-style event with birthday cake, live music, and a chance to spend time with Mayor Torosis, neighbors, and other community leaders. **Sunday, May 17, 2 - 4 pm** [smc.givecloud.co/10thbirthday](http://smc.givecloud.co/10thbirthday?ref=smdp.com)
**Santa Monica Pacific Palisades Lions Comedy Night:** Join the Lions for a fun-filled evening of laughter and comedy and help raise funds to support local community projects and services. Past beneficiaries include the SM YMCA, Meals on Wheels West, Step Up on Second, Westside Food Bank, and Westside Family Health Center, among many others. **Sunday, May 17, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., The Crow, 2525 Michigan Ave.** [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/santa-monica-pacific-palisades-lions-club-comedy-night-fundraiser-tickets-1984781609222](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/santa-monica-pacific-palisades-lions-club-comedy-night-fundraiser-tickets-1984781609222?ref=smdp.com)
**Viceroy Mixology Cocktail Making Class:** Sip into May with a hands-on whiskey Monthly Mixology Class designed for both beginners and whiskey lovers. You’ll learn how to craft classic cocktails that highlight whiskey’s rich flavor while learning how to make it your own - with bright ingredients and creative twists. Enjoy a relaxed, social atmosphere as you mix, taste, and discover cocktails that are perfect for entertaining or elevating your home bar. **Sunday, May 17, 4 - 5:30p.m., 1819 Ocean Ave.** [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/monthly-mixology-class-sip-into-may-whiskey-cocktails-tickets-1984820554709](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/monthly-mixology-class-sip-into-may-whiskey-cocktails-tickets-1984820554709?ref=smdp.com)
**Annual Soundwaves Concert Series -** **Vicki Ray's Rilke Project:** Enjoy a compilation of works by various composers inspired by Rainer Maria Rilke's poetry, and koven: multimedia artist Carole Kim's improvising group with saxophonist M. A. Tisenga, Kazoue Matsumoto on koto, and gamin on Korean reed instruments. **Tuesday, May 19, 7:30p.m., 12424 Wilshire Blvd.** [soundwavesnewmusic.com](http://soundwavesnewmusic.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**Pier Locals’ Night Season Finale:** Some nights on the Santa Monica Pier just feel like summer. Thursday, May 21 is one of them, as Locals’ Night returns for its spring season finale from 3:30 to 10 p.m., bringing together live music, storytelling, classic cars, and community celebration across the Pier in one unforgettable evening—free and open to all ages. This special edition also marks the beginning of Pacific Park’s 30th anniversary celebration, with select moments woven into the evening, including a community “thank you” tribute on the Ferris wheel and the debut of Sweet Rose Creamery for guests. **Thursday, May 21, 3:30-10p.m.** [instagram.com/santamonicapier](http://instagram.com/santamonicapier?ref=smdp.com)
**Rick Crocker 5k Run/Walk Coming Back on 5/21:** Lace up and join us for the 6th Annual Rick Crocker 5K Challenge in support of the Santa Monica Police Activities League (PAL). **Thursday, May 21, 3:30-10p.m., SaMo Pier** [santamonicanext.org/2026/02/rick-crocker-5k-run-walk-coming-back-on-5-21/](http://santamonicanext.org/2026/02/rick-crocker-5k-run-walk-coming-back-on-5-21/?ref=smdp.com)
**ONGOING:** [Museum of Illusions](https://moisantamonica.com/?ref=smdp.com); [The CUBE VR](https://www.thecubeevents.com/santamonicaexperiences?ref=smdp.com); [Splatter Studio](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/california-live/paint-sip-and-create-in-santa-monica/3834517/?ref=smdp.com);
**What to Eat & Drink?**
**Dine Latino Restaurant Week:** Now through Sunday, May 24, more than 200 local restaurants representing the culinary traditions of 20 Latin American countries, are offering prix-fixe menus and special dishes. The Latino Restaurant Assn. aims to celebrate and provide essential support to participating Latino restaurants across L.A. County, which have faced mounting challenges since ICE raids began last year. Participating SaMo spots include La Monarca Bakery (1300 Wilshire Blvd.) and Fogo De Chao (1551 Ocean Ave.). [https://dinelatinomap.tiiny.site/](https://dinelatinomap.tiiny.site/?ref=smdp.com)
**Menotti's Coffee Stop Opening:** Menotti’s will celebrate opening week with a series of special activations, including free oat milk lattes in partnership with Minor Figures and Hatchet Hall cookies for the first 75 customers on each day of **Friday and Saturday, May 15 & 16, 12121 W Olympic Blvd, West LA**.[menottis.com](http://menottis.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**Andrew's Grilled Cheese and Wine Night:** This event is a twist on their popular Grilled Cheese event - each course is paired with some of our amazing and unusual wines. **Friday, May 15, 7p.m., 728 Montana Ave.** [eventbrite.com/e/andrews-grilled-cheese-and-wine-night-tickets-1987102019632](http://eventbrite.com/e/andrews-grilled-cheese-and-wine-night-tickets-1987102019632?ref=smdp.com)
**Five-Course Oceanfront Dinner & Nikka Whisky Pairing:** Indulge in an evening at The Lobster on a five-course dinner paired with Nikka Whisky & Spirits. $160/person. 21+ only. **Thursday, May 21, 6p.m., 1602 Ocean Ave.** [resy.com/cities/los-angeles-ca/venues/the-lobster](http://resy.com/cities/los-angeles-ca/venues/the-lobster?ref=smdp.com)
**Newly Opened - ROLLD Sushi:** This is the first Australian-inspired grab-and-go hand roll concept on the West Coast. Here’s the format: an uncut hand roll, tightly packed, wrapped in nori and eaten with your hands at the beach, on your lunch break or on-the-go. No chopsticks! All rolls are gluten free, $6.50 each, 3 for $17, or 4 for $21\. **It opens on May 16 at 1307 Montana Ave.** [rolldsushi.com](http://rolldsushi.com/?ref=smdp.com)
**Newly Opened - Pontu:** This casual walk-up window is all about Peruvian rotisserie chicken with sides like fries, beans, and beet-topped salad. There’s a surprisingly large patio tucked in back, with walls covered in Peruvian magazines and newspaper clippings. They’re currently open from lunch to 6p.m., with plans to launch an expanded dinner service featuring ceviches and tiraditos soon. **3117 Ocean Park Blvd.** [theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/reviews/pontu](http://theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/reviews/pontu?ref=smdp.com)
**Santa Monica's Mel's Drive-in celebrates 100 years of Route 66:**[](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/entertainment/the-scene-entertainment/santa-monicas-mels-drive-in-celebrates-100-years-of-route-66/3883778/?ref=smdp.com)[This NBC4 Video report](https://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/entertainment/the-scene-entertainment/santa-monicas-mels-drive-in-celebrates-100-years-of-route-66/3883778/?ref=smdp.com) highlights Mel's role as the endpoint for the cross-country road and its centennial celebration. It’s a fun story to learn about people ring the bell at the restaurant to mark completion of the full drive.
**West Side Oyster Club Opening This Summer:** The space formerly home to Blue Plate Oysterette in Santa Monica will receive new life this summer. Local entrepreneurs Greg and Yunnie Morena will open new seafood concept West Side Oyster Club at **1355 Ocean Avenue** in mid-June, according to a release. [https://whatnow.com/los-angeles/restaurants/santa-monica-entrepreneurs-opening-west-side-oyster-club/](https://whatnow.com/los-angeles/restaurants/santa-monica-entrepreneurs-opening-west-side-oyster-club/?ref=smdp.com)
**Further Afield:** **California Strawberry Festival (May 16–17):** Now settled into its new home at the Ventura County Fairgrounds, this is a massive draw for Westside foodies. Mention the strawberry beer and build-your-own shortcakes—they’re always a hit.
**Looking Ahead:** [MAINopoly Taste of Main Street](https://mainopolysm.com/?ref=smdp.com) (5/24); [U.S. Women’s Open Golf Championship](http://uswomensopen.com/2026/tickets.html?ref=smdp.com) (6/2-5); [World Cup Street Parties](https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2026/04/16/major-events-agreements-advance-world-cup-activations-kick-into-high-gear?ref=smdp.com); [Main St. Summer SOULStice Festival](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-soulstice-festival-tickets-1987951789316?ref=smdp.com) (6/20)
If there’s something you think is worth highlighting, you can reach out directly to me at [sean@smdp.com](mailto:sean@smdp.com).[ ](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com)[Here](https://smdp.com/author/sean/?ref=smdp.com) are my past columns and let me know if you have any feedback on **Around Town: Sidewalk Sales, EEEEEATSCON, & More!**
### Santa Monica Council Creates Restorative Justice Commission, Overhauls Advisory Bodies
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-creates-restorative-justice-commission-overhauls-advisory-bodies/
Last updated: 2026-05-14T16:02:42.000Z
The Santa Monica City Council voted 6-0 Tuesday to establish a new Restorative Justice Commission to oversee programs addressing historic inequities in the city, the centerpiece of a sweeping overhaul of the city's boards and commissions that also consolidated housing and human services bodies and triggered a heated debate over compensating commissioners from marginalized communities. Council Member Barry Snell was recused.
The seven-member commission, created by ordinance on first reading, will develop program criteria, eligibility standards and oversight mechanisms for a broader Restorative Justice Program funded through a deal with the [RAND Corporation](https://www.smdp.com/rand-evaluation-finds-jcods-breaking-barriers-program-advances-housing-stability-for-justice-involved-individuals/). The council in January allocated $3.5 million in one-time funds toward the program and reserved an additional $2 million in future RAND funds for the initiative.
Each appointee must be a Santa Monica resident with either subject-matter expertise in restorative justice or lived experience representing communities affected by past and present inequities. The new commission replaces a former staff-developed Landback and Reparations Task Force.
The creation of the commission prompted Council Member Natalya Zernitskaya to call for financially compensating its members, saying she did not want to be "asking folks from marginalized backgrounds to do the heavy lifting without any sort of compensation." Mayor Caroline Torosis backed the idea, saying, "Too often we are expecting people of color to do work for free, and that is not acceptable to me."
Council Member Lana Negrete pushed back on the framing, cautioning colleagues against "presuming that people of color always lack finances or resources." The city attorney noted that the charter limits stipends to the Planning Commission and said staff would research whether other commissions could be compensated.
Any recommendations or policies developed by the Restorative Justice Commission will return to the City Council for public review and formal adoption before implementation.
The vote came as part of a comprehensive review of the city's advisory bodies launched in January. Among the most significant structural changes, the council voted to dissolve the Housing Commission and Human Services Commission and consolidate them into a new seven-member Housing and Human Services Commission effective July 1\. Two seats must be filled by affordable housing participants — one age 62 or older, and one who is unhoused or formerly unhoused.
Other changes reduce the Arts Commission and Public Safety Reform and Oversight Commission to seven members each, convert the Urban Forest Task Force into a standalone commission and consider reducing the Disabilities Commission from 11 members to seven.
Teresa Clark, a Disabilities Commission member, urged the council in written comments to keep that body at 11 seats, writing that the larger membership functions as "an accommodation for the disability community" by allowing for absences while still meeting quorum.
The meeting's most contentious moment came over Section 1.G of the city's commission policies, a long-standing rule barring close family relatives of council members from serving on boards and commissions. Council Member Dan Hall moved to retain the anti-nepotism provision and was seconded by Torosis. Negrete spoke in support, arguing that in a city of more than 90,000 residents, the council should look beyond their own spouses to fill advisory roles.
Council Members Barry Snell and Ellis Raskin successfully passed a substitute motion to delete the rule on a 4-3 vote, joined by Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Zwick and Zernitskaya. Torosis, Hall and Negrete voted no.
Raskin called the original rule "a targeted attack on a specific Commissioner" — the husband of a former councilmember and former mayor — and said it was "discriminatory in a lot of ways, to think that spouses and family members of people serving on this dais... can't make substantial contributions to the community."
Hall, whose partner previously served on the personnel board and stepped down to avoid the appearance of a conflict, urged colleagues to keep the rule, invoking a line he attributed to former Mayor Pro Tem Kristin McCowan: "We either believe in this policy or we don't."
The decision drew sharp public criticism. "Read the room," Santa Monica resident Nikki Kolhoff wrote to the council, citing "an unprecedented time of nepotism, grift, and erosion of democracy." Tricia Crane, chair of Northeast Neighbors, asked, "Which City Council relative is seeking a position on a board or commission?"
The [Airport Commission](https://www.santamonica.gov/events/44a5fp5q8kpbt26rgc3jtqypns/202606221900?ref=smdp.com) also drew significant public comment, with speakers criticizing the body for lacking aviation expertise as the Santa Monica Airport heads toward its scheduled Dec. 31, 2028, closure. Resident Eve Lopez told the council the commission costs roughly $67,270 annually — the city's most expensive advisory body — and argued the council can prioritize aviation expertise without a charter amendment. Staff said formally requiring aviation experts would require a voter-approved charter amendment, estimated at $77,225 on the November 2026 ballot.
The ordinance returns to the council for a second reading before taking effect July 1.
### Boy Scout troop volunteers at Santa Monica homeless services organization
URL: https://www.smdp.com/boy-scout-troop-volunteers-at-santa-monica-homeless-services-organization/
Last updated: 2026-05-14T16:02:30.000Z
Members of the Cougars Patrol from Boy Scout Troop 223 recently volunteered at The People Concern in Santa Monica.
Scout members said one of the most important parts of Scouting is giving back to the community through service. Scouts are taught the value of doing a "Good Turn" daily, helping others without expecting anything in return. The local troop stays active in community service projects throughout the year, and Patrol Leader Asher Lord said he wanted to organize a meaningful Good Turn trip that would allow the patrol to make a real impact while learning more about challenges facing people in the community.
When the scouts first reached out about volunteering, People Concern staffer Ryan Daniels helped make it happen. When they arrived, he gave them a tour of the facility and explained the organization's mission. The People Concern supports individuals experiencing homelessness through services including housing assistance, mental health care and job programs.
Before their visit, the patrol collected donations including towels, toiletries and clothing to contribute to the organization. Lord said it felt good knowing they could help even before they arrived. Organizing the donation drive also showed how scouts can work together as a team to support those in need.
After the tour, the scouts served lunch, helping set up, handing out meals and greeting people as they came through. At first, some were unsure what to expect, but they quickly realized how much something as simple as a warm meal and a friendly smile can mean.
What stood out most was the sense of respect and dignity with which everyone was treated — not just giving out food, but making people feel seen and valued.
Lord said as patrol leader, he was proud to help organize the Good Turn trip and hoped it inspired scouts to continue serving their community.
### Wednesday, May 13, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/tuesday-may-12-2026-2/
Last updated: 2026-05-13T21:11:15.000Z
Main Street's Circle Bar will reopen at the end of the month. Originally established in 1949, the venue has long been a staple of the Westside music and nightlife scene, known for its no-VIP, decades-long low-key celebrity fanfare, music-first energy, and famously packed dance floor.
A mix of clouds and sun. High 66F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 67º/57º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 68º/58º
**FIRST UP**
SMDP Photo
## SMC student attacked near campus
A Santa Monica College student was attacked in an unprovoked assault near the college's Center for Median and Design campus at the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and 26th... [READ](https://www.smdp.com/smc-student-attacked-on-campus/)
**MORE NEWS**
[SMC Vocal Jazz Ensemble May 15 Concert in Santa MonicaSanta Monica College Vocal Jazz Ensemble performs May 15 at 7:30 p.m. at SMC Performing Arts Center. Features Latin, R&B, Swing, and Bebop. Tickets $10 general, $5 students.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-vocal-jazz-ensemble-to-perform-may-15/)
[World Cup Hotel Bookings Disappoint US OperatorsUS hotel operators report lighter-than-expected World Cup bookings in major cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Kansas City, with high prices and visa concerns cited as factors.SMDPAssociated Press](https://www.smdp.com/us-hotel-operators-say-promised-boon-from-hosting-world-cup-hasnt-materialized-yet/)
[Santa Monica Rejects Boulevard Housing Plan, Backs Downtown DensitySanta Monica Planning Commission voted 5-0 to reject a proposal that would have lowered building heights along commercial boulevards in exchange for waiving affordable housing fees, citing concerns about displacement and the city’s affordable housing program.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-planning-commission-rejects-boulevard-housing-plan-backs-downtown-density/)
**IN CASE YOU MISSED**
[Santa Monica’s ‘Hollywood Rabbi’ Documentary Acquired by Republic PicturesRepublic Pictures acquires ‘The Hollywood Rabbi,’ a documentary by Santa Monica resident Jon Kean about Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. Premieres May 12 at LA Jewish Film Festival.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/republic-pictures-acquires-the-hollywood-rabbi-documentary-on-marvin-hier/)
[Montana Avenue Wellness Walk Returns May 16 in Santa MonicaMontana Avenue in Santa Monica hosts a free Wellness Walk and Sidewalk Sale on May 16, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. featuring fitness classes, wellness experiences, and retail promotions.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/montana-avenue-wellness-walk-and-sidewalk-sale-returns-may-16/)
Interest in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/event-3/#/show?subset=picks). You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/051326.pdf?ref=smdp.com).
### The Iran war is hitting home as gasoline prices fuel inflation surge of 3.8% in the US
URL: https://www.smdp.com/the-iran-war-is-hitting-home-as-gasoline-prices-fuel-inflation-surge-of-3-8-in-the-us/
Last updated: 2026-05-13T19:00:02.000Z
U.S. consumer prices climbed sharply again last month as the 10-week war with Iran delivered higher gasoline prices and more pain for Americans.
The Labor Department's consumer price index rose 3.8% from April 2025, the biggest jump in three years, and up from a 3.3% year-over-year gain in March. On a month-to-month basis, April prices rose 0.6% from March as gasoline prices rose 5.4%, according to the data released Tuesday. The month-over-month gain was down from a 0.9% increase in overall prices from February to March, when the initial financial shock from the war hit the U.S. economy.
Labor Department figures showed that gasoline prices are up more than 28% compared with a year ago. However, the AAA motor club listed the average regular gallon of gasoline above $4.50 on Tuesday, about 44% more than it cost last year at this time.
Excluding volatile food and energy costs, so-called consumer core prices rose 0.4% last month from March and 2.8% from April 2025, relatively modest readings that suggest the energy price burst has yet to spill over more broadly into prices for other goods.
Grocery prices rose 0.7% from March to April as meat prices rose after they had declined slightly in the month before.
Prices are rising at a time when Americans are already frustrated by the high cost of living. Affordability is likely to be a key issue when voters go to the polls Nov. 3 to determine whether President Donald Trump's Republican Party maintains control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
"Inflation is the key drag on the U.S. economy now," Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, wrote. "There is a real financial squeeze underway. For the first time in three years, inflation is eating up all wage gains. This is a setback for middle-class and lower-income households and they know it. They are having to cut back on spending and stretch every dollar."
In April, average hourly wages fell 0.3% from a year earlier after accounting for inflation – the first year-over-year drop in three years.
Inflation had been dropping more or less steadily since peaking with a 9.1% year-over-year spike in June 2022, a surge caused by supply chain bottlenecks at the end of COVID-19 lockdowns and a jolt for energy prices following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But inflation has remained above the Federal Reserve's 2% target.
Then, the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, and Tehran responded by shutting off access to the Gulf of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas passes. That has sent oil prices, and most visibly gasoline, racing higher.
The Fed, which had been expected to cut its benchmark interest rate in 2026, has turned cautious as it waits to see how long the conflict lasts and whether higher energy prices spill over into other products and cause a broader inflationary outbreak.
Trump has lambasted the Fed and its outgoing chair, Jerome Powell, for refusing to slash rates to boost the economy. Kevin Warsh, the president's hand-picked choice to succeed Powell, is expected to be confirmed by the Senate this week; but it's unclear whether Warsh would pursue lower rates given the uncertainties arising from the war — or whether he could persuade his colleagues on the Fed's rate-setting committee to go along if he tried.
Some companies are also starting to feel the pain.
Whirlpool, which makes KitchenAid and Maytag appliances, reported last week that revenue dropped nearly 10% in its most recent quarter and said that the war has caused a "recession-level industry decline" that has undermined consumer confidence.
Grace King of Ames, Iowa, said that higher prices in the food aisle and at the pump are making her cut back on spending for things like clothing. The administrative assistant, 31, used to spend $200 per month on clothing, mostly on Amazon, but not anymore.
"There's pressure basically everywhere from the groceries that I buy to the gas to fill up the tank," she said. "I've severely cut back on my frill spending."
For example, King noted that while it's only a five-minute drive to work, she makes the trip twice a day. And if she needs to do any big shopping, that's a 40-minute drive to malls in Des Moines, Iowa.
\_\_\_\_
By PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer. AP Retail Writer Anne D'Innocenzio in New York contributed to this story.
### SMC Vocal Jazz Ensemble to Perform May 15
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-vocal-jazz-ensemble-to-perform-may-15/
Last updated: 2026-05-13T19:00:03.000Z
The Santa Monica College Music Department will present the SMC Vocal Jazz Ensemble in a concert blending Latin rhythms, R&B, and the energy of Swing and Bebop on Friday, May 15.
The performance will be held at 7:30 p.m. at The Eli & Edythe Broad Stage at the[ ](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&ref=smdp.com)[SMC Performing Arts Center](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&ref=smdp.com), 1310 11th Street.
Under the direction of SMC music instructor Marisa Bradfield, who is also associate conductor of the University of Southern California Concert Choir, 54 SMC vocalists will present an eclectic program celebrating the diversity and breadth of jazz with both ensemble arrangements and solo performances. The vocalists will be accompanied by Nate Laguzza on drums.
Tickets are $10 for general admission, plus a modest service charge, and $5 for students with any student ID. Advance tickets can be purchased online at[ ](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/tickets](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com) or by calling 310-434-3005\. Tickets may also be purchased starting 45 minutes before the performance at The Broad Stage Box Office. Free parking is available on premises, with seating on a first-arrival basis.
More information is available by calling 310-434-4323\. All performances are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### SMMUSD Reviews Elementary Music Program with Focus on Expansion, Equity
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smmusd-reviews-elementary-music-program-with-focus-on-expansion-equity/
Last updated: 2026-05-13T19:00:03.000Z
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District is reviewing its elementary music program with a draft proposal aimed at expanding access for younger students while strengthening how instruction is sequenced across grade levels.
District staff presented an update on the review during the regularly scheduled Visual and Performing Arts District Advisory Committee meeting April 29, engaging with committee members and community members on the proposal.
The draft under consideration would expand music education for students in Transitional Kindergarten through second grade and create a more consistent program across all school sites. District staff said the proposal is intended to expand, not reduce, music opportunities by providing early, foundational instruction from credentialed teachers.
Music instruction is not being eliminated at any grade level, staff emphasized. The proposal explores a shift in how and when students are introduced to instrumental music.
Under the current draft, general music instruction would be expanded in the early grades. Fourth grade curriculum would continue to include music instruction with a focus on instrument exploration before students begin instrumental instruction. Instrumental programs and existing honors opportunities, including Stairway to the Stars, would continue unchanged.
Dr. Jim Wang, the district's visual and performing arts coordinator, said the work remains in a planning and feedback phase.
"As we continue this work, I want to be clear that we do not yet have a final plan," Wang said. "My ultimate goal is to be reflective while also building a musical environment where every student can thrive and to make our District's music program better than it has ever been."
Wang added that he will continue working with elementary music teachers in the coming weeks to gather input that will help guide the next phase of the review.
Staff also shared data on student participation trends in music programs, including retention rates as students transition from elementary to secondary levels. The presentation highlighted the role of early, scaffolded music instruction in increasing student confidence, engagement and long-term participation.
Angela Woo, director of instrumental music at John Adams Middle School, said secondary school music teachers are committed to supporting the foundations of the program.
"Among secondary school music teachers, there is a collective commitment to ensuring we nourish the roots of our music program, and we ask what our elementary schools need," Woo said. "We want to ensure there is a place for everyone, regardless of proficiency or interest."
Public comment reflected a wide range of perspectives. Parents, teachers and community members expressed strong support for the district's music programs while raising concerns about potential changes, including the timing of instrumental instruction and overall program structure. Speakers emphasized the importance of maintaining access, program quality and transparency.
District leadership reiterated its commitment to engaging educators, families and the community throughout the review. Additional opportunities for input will continue through upcoming meetings and discussions with music teachers, school leaders and advisory groups.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### SMC student attacked near campus
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-student-attacked-on-campus/
Last updated: 2026-05-13T21:35:50.000Z
A Santa Monica College student was attacked in an unprovoked assault near the college's Center for Media and Design campus at the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and 26th Street at approximately 8:25 a.m. Tuesday, according to a crime alert issued by the SMC Police Department.
Santa Monica Police and Fire personnel responded to the scene and transported the student to a local hospital as a precaution. The suspect was described only as a possibly homeless individual; no further description was available.
SMPD is investigating the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call (310) 458-8495.
### US hotel operators say promised boon from hosting World Cup hasn't materialized yet
URL: https://www.smdp.com/us-hotel-operators-say-promised-boon-from-hosting-world-cup-hasnt-materialized-yet/
Last updated: 2026-05-13T17:26:01.000Z
The promised economic boon from the World Cup hasn't matched expectations, at least not yet, for U.S. hotels.
Room bookings have been lighter than expected in most of the 11 U.S. cities hosting the world's most watched sporting event, according to an April survey by the American Hotel & Lodging Association.
In several cities, including Kansas City, Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle, a majority of hotel operators said bookings were actually running behind typical seasonal demand. In others, including New York City, Los Angeles, Dallas and Houston, demand was flat so far compared with a regular spring and summer, according to the association.
Santa Monica’s hotel occupancy rate increased year on year for March and April as did the average room rate. Officials said while Santa Monica is also seeing a decline in international tourists, the lack of FIFA specific bookings wasn’t impacting their estimates that the local occupancy rate would hit the mid 80’s over the summer.
The hotel association blamed travel concerns from international fans, worries about wait times for a U.S. visa and the cost of attending the tournament — including high ticket prices and transit costs in some cities— as major factors in the softer-than-expected demand.
"I think everyone had hoped the games would lead to an influx of bookings, but with all going on in the world and the USA's involvement, events are playing out differently for everyone," said Michael Black, general manager at the Cloud One hotel in Manhattan.
Concerns about softer-than-expected bookings extend to Mexico, which is co-hosting the games with the U.S. and Canada. Hotels in Mexico City, which hosts the tournament's opening match on June 11, are about 30% to 36% booked, according to the Asociación de Hoteles de Ciudad de México.
High prices may be a factor
Many hotels jacked up their prices after the tournament's schedule was announced, anticipating that soccer fans would pay exorbitant rates if they were able to score tickets to a match.
Near MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, for example, one hotel that normally charges around $200 a night was advertising a rate of $800 on nights around June World Cup matches. The costs soar to more than $1,300 a night ahead of the July 19 final.
Many seasoned fans are probably still waiting for those prices to drop, said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe, a Germany-based fan advocacy group.
"Fans that are used to traveling for tournaments know that this price will always go down," Evain said. "There are many examples of hotel owners regretting that they priced too high and then panicking at the last minute and reducing prices."
Others have already likely secured cheaper lodging farther from the stadiums or through Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms, he added.
Indeed, the metropolitan regions around Kansas City, Seattle, San Francisco, Dallas/Fort Worth and Miami/Ft. Lauderdale are all enjoying an uptick in short-term rental bookings compared with the same period last year, according to a recent report from AirDNA, a rental data firm that tracks bookings on Airbnb and Vrbo.
Airbnb said last week that the number of guests expected to stay at its rental listings during the tournament is expected to exceed earlier estimates and even end up surpassing the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris as the biggest hosting event in the company's history.
Unrealistic expectations
More than 5 million tickets have been sold for the tournament so far, out of the more than 6 million expected to be offered for all 104 matches, according to FIFA.
While many of those attending the tournament will be travelers who need hotel rooms, global events like the World Cup also tend to discourage other types of visitors, said Andrew Zimbalist, an economics professor at Smith College in Massachusetts.
"The general problem is that soccer tourists — and expected congestion, high prices and security concerns — push away normal business travel and tourism," he explained.
Vijay Dandapani, president of the Hotel Association of New York City, said city hotels are seeing a modest upswing in summer bookings -- around 10% compared with the previous year — but nowhere close to the windfall promised by FIFA and other tournament boosters.
In Vancouver, Canada, which is hosting seven matches, hotel occupancy is down from the same time last year, but the industry is optimistic business will pick up closer to the games, says Paul Hawes, CEO of the British Columbia Hotel Association.
In Kansas City, where some 90% of respondents to the American Hotel & Lodging Association survey reported bookings below expectations, tourism officials are still holding out for a record-breaking number of visitors.
"While hotel occupancy in Kansas City has not followed the trajectory originally predicted by FIFA, there are positive indicators for Kansas City on the horizon," said Derik Detter, market research director at Visit KC.
Jon Bortz, CEO of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, a real estate investment company that owns dozens of hotels nationally, is equally positive.
Overall, he said, occupancy rates are up at its many host city properties compared with last year, though he acknowledged cities like Boston with more marquee matchups are performing better than cities like San Francisco that host less in-demand games.
"We haven't seen anything that would cause us to think it's going to be less than what we were expecting," he said. "Maybe other people had much grander expectations."
\_\_\_
By PHILIP MARCELO Associated Press. Associated Press reporters David Skretta in Kansas City, Missouri, Carlos Rodriguez in Mexico City and Jim Morris in Vancouver contributed to this story.
### Santa Monica Planning Commission Rejects Boulevard Housing Plan, Backs Downtown Density
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-planning-commission-rejects-boulevard-housing-plan-backs-downtown-density/
Last updated: 2026-05-13T09:59:59.000Z
The Santa Monica Planning Commission on Wednesday rejected key portions of a city staff proposal that would have lowered building heights along commercial boulevards in exchange for waiving affordable housing fees, with commissioners warning that the plan could undermine the city's affordable housing program and accelerate the displacement of vulnerable residents.
After extensive debate, commissioners stripped all provisions related to the Boulevard Low-Scale Housing Incentive from two Resolutions of Intention before voting 5-0 to adopt the amended measures, which now focus solely on increased downtown height limits and flexibility for city-owned sites.
The study session was the first formal review of draft concepts to implement the city's Realignment Plan, adopted by the City Council in October 2025\. Staff had proposed three major strategies: encouraging lower-scale housing along boulevards, transferring that "lost" height to [downtown](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-kicks-off-world-cup-era-with-revel-republic-leading-six-weeks-of-global-fan-activations/) projects, and exempting city-owned downtown parcels from standard zoning rules.
The most contentious element was a proposal to waive [Affordable Housing Production Program](https://www.santamonica.gov/housing-ahpp-owners?ref=smdp.com), or AHPP, fees for boulevard developers who agreed to cap buildings at roughly 55 feet and include two- and three-bedroom ownership units. Under current rules, projects of 20 or more units must set aside 15% of units as affordable on-site or 20% off-site.
Commissioner Nina Fresco said broad exemptions from the affordable housing program would amount to "the death knell of progressive Santa Monica," arguing that prioritizing market-rate housing without mandatory affordable contributions threatened economic diversity and could push out longtime residents. Vice Chair Peer Chacko echoed those concerns, warning that the waivers could effectively gut the city's affordable housing program and leave it producing few actual affordable units.
Several commissioners called on staff to model the financial trade-offs before moving forward, including comparing potential lost AHPP revenue against funds expected from Measure GS, a local real estate transfer tax that funds affordable housing and homelessness prevention.
Commissioner Jacob Wasserman criticized the boulevard proposal as a reversal of prior city strategy. He said the city had previously agreed to direct density to commercial boulevards specifically to protect single-family neighborhoods from upzoning, making it counterproductive to now incentivize developers to build less housing along those corridors. Chacko added that asking developers to build shorter buildings while requiring larger, family-sized units created a financial mismatch that would make projects difficult to finance.
Commissioner Shawn Landres raised legal concerns, warning staff that lowering allowable heights along corridors such as Pico Boulevard could run afoul of California's Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing mandate, which requires cities to direct housing to high-opportunity areas rather than downzone them. He also urged staff to stop using the term "family-sized" units, calling it a recognized fair housing trigger, and recommended the city instead refer to "two- and three-bedroom units."
Landres and Fresco also raised concerns about commercial displacement, saying rapid redevelopment along boulevards has replaced longstanding neighborhood businesses such as tailors, appliance repair shops and barbers with large ground-floor commercial spaces affordable only to corporate chains. Landres suggested the city explore requiring smaller commercial floor plates and consider commercial rent control on city-owned sites.
While rejecting the boulevard incentives, commissioners broadly supported staff's downtown proposals. Those concepts include increasing baseline downtown building heights by approximately 10 to 20 feet, creating a local density bonus program, and exempting city-owned downtown parcels — including the Downtown Station site, Parking Structure 1, the old Fire Station 1 and the Fourth/Fifth and Arizona site — from the zoning ordinance to allow more flexible public-private partnerships.
Commissioners also expressed cautious support for staff's recommendation to establish a 130-foot height limit for both housing and non-housing projects within the Gateway Master Plan area, which includes The Pierside Hotel site, the former Sears property and the Downtown Station site near the Expo Line. Several commissioners said taller buildings fit downtown's existing character and could help revitalize an underperforming commercial core.
As an alternative to broad density bonuses, Landres proposed a tiered "ratchet" structure under which the city would grant specific incentives only as developers delivered specific community benefits, such as exact affordability mixes or larger units. Wasserman and Fresco urged staff to consider introducing the incentives as temporary pilot programs, allowing the city to test their effects on a limited number of projects before permanently changing the zoning code.
The commission voted 5-0 to adopt Resolutions 26-006 and 26-007 as amended, with Chair Josh Hamilton, Vice Chair Peer Chacko and Commissioners Fresco, Landres and Wasserman in support. A separate motion directing staff to incorporate commissioner feedback into final recommendations also passed 5-0\. Staff is scheduled to return to the commission on June 3 or June 17 with a formal recommendation. The City Council is expected to consider final adoption on July 14.
### Car chase ends with arrest near St. John's hospital
URL: https://www.smdp.com/car-chase-ends-with-arrest-near-st-johns-hospital/
Last updated: 2026-05-12T20:06:56.000Z
A suspect has been arrested in Santa Monica after a brief police chase that originated in Los Angeles.
Calls came into the Los Angeles Police Department this morning for a stolen vehicle heading towards Santa Monica on Santa Monica Blvd. The suspect abandoned the vehicle near St. John’s hospital at about 11:30 a.m. and was arrested with the aid of Santa Monica Police officers at about 11:50 a.m.
The nearby McKinley Elementary school was placed on a lockdown while officers searched the area.
### Tuesday, May 12, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/tuesday-may-12-2026/
Last updated: 2026-05-12T19:13:30.000Z
The Wells Fargo branch at 2nd and Broadway has closed. A sign on the door directs customers to the bank's nearby location at 1300 4th Street (4th and Arizona).
Mostly cloudy. High 64F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Today ☁️ 64º/57º
Tomorrow 🌤️ 65º/57º
**FIRST UP**
The LA Kings are negotiating to host an outdoor NHL game as part of the city's economic recovery strategy.
## Could a King's game crown Santa Monica as event royalty?
Santa Monica’s economy has taken a beating in recent years but officials hope putting some ice on it will help... [READ](https://www.smdp.com/could-a-kings-game-crown-santa-monica-as-event-royalty/)
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[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184436/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
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**MORE NEWS**
[Santa Monica Creates Restorative Justice CommissionSanta Monica City Council will restructure boards and commissions on May 12, creating a new Restorative Justice Commission funded by a $3.5 million RAND Corporation deal.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-to-overhaul-boards-and-commissions-create-restorative-justice-panel/)
[Santa Monica’s ‘Hollywood Rabbi’ Documentary Acquired by Republic PicturesRepublic Pictures acquires ‘The Hollywood Rabbi,’ a documentary by Santa Monica resident Jon Kean about Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. Premieres May 12 at LA Jewish Film Festival.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/republic-pictures-acquires-the-hollywood-rabbi-documentary-on-marvin-hier/)
[Montana Avenue Wellness Walk Returns May 16 in Santa MonicaMontana Avenue in Santa Monica hosts a free Wellness Walk and Sidewalk Sale on May 16, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. featuring fitness classes, wellness experiences, and retail promotions.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/montana-avenue-wellness-walk-and-sidewalk-sale-returns-may-16/)
**IN CASE YOU MISSED**
[Santa Monica OKs $1.8M Federal Housing & Parks FundingSanta Monica City Council unanimously approved a $1.797 million federal funding plan for park improvements, small business assistance, and housing aid for vulnerable residents.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-approves-1-8-million-federal-housing-and-community-development-plan/)
[SMC Emeritus Student Art Exhibition Opens May 14Santa Monica College Emeritus Art Gallery presents Part 1 of its 2026 Annual Student Art Exhibition from May 14-June 19, featuring 47 student artists. Free opening reception May 14, 5-6:30 p.m. at 1227 Second St., downtown Santa Monica.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-emeritus-annual-student-art-exhibition-opens-may-14/)
[How LA Wildfire Tragedy United Clergy Across Religious LinesFaith leaders in Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and Pasadena forged interfaith bonds after the 2025 LA wildfires, working together to rebuild churches and support their communities 16 months later.SMDPAssociated Press](https://www.smdp.com/after-the-los-angeles-wildfires-clergy-crossed-denominational-lines-and-forged-new-bonds/)
[A look at the top candidates vying to be California’s controllerBy Marisa Kendall, CalMatters This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. In the race for oversight over California’s budget, the two main contenders are an incumbent with three years of experience and a challenger who is set on exposing fraudulent and wasteful spending. DemocratSMDPCal Matters](https://www.smdp.com/a-look-at-the-top-candidates-vying-to-be-californias-controller/)
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[  ](https://ad.broadstreetads.com/zone%5Fstatic/184438/click/0?seed=&ref=smdp.com)
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Interest in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/event-3/#/show?subset=picks). You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/051126.pdf?ref=smdp.com).
### Santa Monica Conservancy to Celebrate 10 Years at Historic Shotgun House
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-conservancy-to-celebrate-10-years-at-historic-shotgun-house/
Last updated: 2026-05-12T19:00:00.000Z
The Santa Monica Conservancy will host a free, block-party-style gathering on Sunday, May 17, from 2 to 4 p.m. to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Preservation Resource Center at the historic Shotgun House.
The event will be held at the Shotgun House at 2520 Second St. Registration is available online at[ ](https://smc.givecloud.co/10thbirthday?ref=smdp.com)[smc.givecloud.co/10thbirthday](https://smc.givecloud.co/10thbirthday?ref=smdp.com).
Built in 1897 and recognized as the last intact "shotgun house" in Santa Monica, the structure has experienced multiple relocations, careful restoration and long-term care by the community. Since 2016, the Shotgun House has served as a resource for residents, visitors, property owners, students, young professionals and others interested in how historic places tell community stories.
"The Shotgun House reflects what is possible when a community comes together to care for its history," said Mario Fonda-Bonardi, president of the Santa Monica Conservancy. "This anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate that work, and to welcome others to experience the site and take part in its ongoing stewardship."
The event will feature live music, light bites, a "10th Birthday" cake, Shotgun House storytelling and recognition of the community that helped save the structure from demolition in 1997\. The Conservancy will also recognize attorney Ken Kutcher of Harding Larmore Kutcher & Kozal LLP, who provided pro-bono legal advice for the Shotgun House and is a longtime supporter of the Conservancy's work.
To commemorate the anniversary, the Conservancy is launching the Birthday Benefactors initiative, a $100 donation campaign to support continued stewardship of the Shotgun House. Birthday Benefactors will have their names placed on a large birthday card displayed at the event and inside the Shotgun House for one year.
Interested parties may RSVP and sign the "10th Birthday" card in advance at[ ](https://smc.givecloud.co/10thbirthday?ref=smdp.com)[smc.givecloud.co/10thbirthday](https://smc.givecloud.co/10thbirthday?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### SMC Music Department Presents Fifth Annual Family Concert May 16
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-music-department-presents-fifth-annual-family-concert-may-16/
Last updated: 2026-05-12T19:00:01.000Z
The Santa Monica College Music Department will present its Fifth Annual Family Concert on Saturday, May 16, an event designed to inspire audiences of all ages through engaging performances showcasing the beauty and joy of music.
The free concert will run from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Music Hall at the[ ](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&ref=smdp.com)[SMC Performing Arts Center](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&ref=smdp.com), located at 1310 11th Street. Free parking is available on premises, with seating on a first-arrival basis.
Under the direction of SMC music instructor Megumi Smith, the concert will present a vibrant, family-friendly celebration of music and community. The program features collaborations involving the SMC Music, Art and Dance Departments, Santa Monica High School, Ballet Folklórico de Mayo and Mugen Taiko.
More information is available by calling 310-434-4323\. All performances are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Santa Monica to overhaul boards and commissions, create restorative justice panel
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-to-overhaul-boards-and-commissions-create-restorative-justice-panel/
Last updated: 2026-05-12T16:45:53.000Z
The Santa Monica City Council will consider a sweeping restructuring of the city's boards and commissions Tuesday, including the creation of a new Restorative Justice Commission funded in part by a multimillion-dollar deal with the RAND Corporation.
The proposal, scheduled for first reading at the council's May 12 meeting, would consolidate several commissions, shrink membership rosters and formalize a task force as a standing commission — changes city staff say will make the volunteer advisory program more efficient and impactful beginning July 1.
The centerpiece of the overhaul is the establishment of a seven-member Restorative Justice Commission charged with developing program criteria, eligibility standards and oversight mechanisms for a broader city restorative justice initiative. Appointees must be Santa Monica residents with subject matter expertise in restorative justice or lived experience representing communities affected by historical inequities.
The commission stems from a January 27 council direction tied to the Ebony Beach Club matter, in which the city approved allocating $3.5 million in one-time funds from a deal with the RAND Corporation toward the Restorative Justice Program. An additional $2 million from the same deal is reserved for future program support.
The new commission would replace the former staff-developed Landback + Reparations Task Force. Any recommendations it develops would return to the full council for public review and formal adoption before taking effect.
Other changes moving forward under the proposal include consolidating the Housing Commission and Human Services Commission into a single Housing and Human Services Commission with seven members, two of whom must be affordable housing participants — one aged 62 or older and one who is unhoused or formerly unhoused.
The Public Safety Reform and Oversight Commission would shrink from 11 members to seven in phases, with two seats dissolved after June 30, 2026 and two more after June 30, 2027\. The age range for two designated younger commissioners would expand from 18-22 to 18-25.
The Arts Commission would similarly be reduced from nine members to seven. The ordinance would also remove an outdated requirement that commissioners belong to the Santa Monica Arts Foundation and update the list of artistic disciplines recognized for membership.
The Urban Forest Task Force, currently an informal city body, would be converted into a standing commission under the plan, with current members reappointed to new staggered terms.
Staff is also recommending the Disabilities Commission — kept as a standalone body after the council rejected merging it into the new housing and human services panel — be reduced from 11 members to seven on a phased timeline similar to other bodies.
On the Airport Commission, staff reported that past state Fair Political Practices Commission rulings in 2014 and 2016 found that airport commissioners are not "public officials" under conflict-of-interest laws, addressing concerns raised at a January study session. Any change to the commission's composition would require a City Charter amendment and a public vote. Such a measure could cost approximately $77,225 if placed on the November 2026 ballot.
### Could a King's game crown Santa Monica as event royalty?
URL: https://www.smdp.com/could-a-kings-game-crown-santa-monica-as-event-royalty/
Last updated: 2026-05-12T16:45:21.000Z
Santa Monica’s economy has taken a beating in recent years but officials hope putting some ice on it will help.
The Santa Monica City Council is holding negotiations with the LA Kings for an outdoor game, which would occupy not only the Pier address but also Beach Parking Lot 1 North and a sand area of approximately 15,000 square feet north of the beach bike path — bordered on the east by the bike path, on the west by the Pacific Ocean, and running to Lifeguard Tower 14.
It’s one of two negotiations scheduled for Tuesday night (the other is price and terms of a license with Fever Lab, Inc. for use of property at 200 Santa Monica Pier) that are part of an ongoing effort to revitalize the City's fortunes based around events and entertainment.
The NHL has been expanding its outdoor games over the past 10 years under three brands, the NHL Winter Classic, the NHL Heritage Classic and the Stadium Series. Games travel to different cities under each brand and the inaugural Stadium Series was previously hosted by the Kings at Dodger Stadium in 2014\. A 2026 outdoor game in Florida was made possible by building the rink in a temperature controlled tent that was removed prior to the game’s start.
The negotiations come as Santa Monica executes an ambitious events-driven recovery plan following a fiscal-distress declaration last year.
The declaration cited a projected structural deficit of approximately $29.6 million by fiscal year 2026-27, fueled in part by more than $229 million in sex-abuse settlement payouts tied to the Uller case and compounded by a 26.8% pandemic-era drop in General Fund revenue.
The effects have been visible. The Third Street Promenade has posted increasing vacancy rates. Recent departures include H&M, AMC Theatres, Anthropologie and Nordstrom. Foot traffic on the Promenade dropped more than 40% between July 2017 and July 2023.
Tourism, which accounts for roughly 46% of General Fund revenues, has also stalled. The city drew 4.2 million visitors in 2024, generating $916.6 million in spending and $62.7 million in transient occupancy tax — but that visitor total is half the 8.4 million recorded in 2019\. TOT revenue fell 10% and sales tax revenue fell 6% in fiscal year 2024-25.
City officials have responded with an events and entertainment strategy they describe as central to a citywide recovery. In December 2025, the council approved five major event partnerships — including with concert promoter Goldenvoice, ESPN, Club France and hospitality company Hochsitz/Silverback — anchored by a $3 million economic development fund and the launch of Southern California's first Entertainment Zone on the Promenade.
The Goldenvoice deal, the most prominent piece of the strategy, calls for a one-day ticketed beachfront music festival in fall 2026 on approximately 12.5 acres south of the Pier, with 30,000 to 35,000 attendees and 12 to 15 performing acts. The event is planned to recur annually through 2028\. A Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club tied to the FIFA World Cup is slated for the Pier in June 2026, and ESPN has agreed to broadcast from the Pier and beach during Super Bowl week in February 2027\. Club France is planned at the Annenberg Community Beach House during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
A revised financial outlook released with the Realignment Plan update in March 2026 projected General Fund surpluses through fiscal year 2030 — a sharp reversal from the deficit projections issued just months earlier. Officials have cautioned, however, that the projection depends on whether the events strategy delivers sustained gains in TOT, sales tax and parking revenues alongside public safety investments aimed at restoring foot traffic downtown.
### Republic Pictures Acquires 'The Hollywood Rabbi' Documentary on Marvin Hier
URL: https://www.smdp.com/republic-pictures-acquires-the-hollywood-rabbi-documentary-on-marvin-hier/
Last updated: 2026-05-12T10:00:02.000Z
Republic Pictures has acquired "The Hollywood Rabbi," a feature-length documentary directed by a Santa Monica resident chronicling the life of Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Museum of Tolerance.
The film, directed by local resident and SMMUSD Boardmember Jon Kean, traces Hier's path from an Orthodox Jewish enclave on the Lower East Side of Manhattan to international prominence as a two-time Academy Award winner and a confidant of world leaders and Hollywood power brokers. It is scheduled to make its world premiere May 12 as the opening-night selection of the Los Angeles [Jewish](https://www.smdp.com/stage-adaptation-of-bestselling-jewish-anthology-to-premiere-in-march/) Film Festival at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills.
"Republic Pictures is proud to support films that spark conversation and illuminate the remarkable lives shaping our cultural landscape," said Sejin Croninger, executive vice president of worldwide acquisitions for [Paramount Pictures](https://www.paramountpictures.com/home?ref=smdp.com). "'The Hollywood Rabbi' is a dynamic portrait of a singular figure whose influence spans continents and decades, and we're honored to bring this story to audiences."
The 88-minute documentary features an extensive roster of political and entertainment figures who agreed to interviews because of their connections to Hier. Among them are former President Bill Clinton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Billy Crystal, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, DreamWorks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg and social media personality Montana Tucker.
Promotional materials for the premiere note that Hier's career has brought him into the orbit of three popes, four kings, eight presidents and a long list of Hollywood figures, including Frank Sinatra, who counted Hier as his personal rabbi. Hier's two Oscars were awarded for the documentaries "Genocide" and "The Long Way Home."
Kean, whose previous films include "Swimming in Auschwitz" and "After Auschwitz," said the access he received was a direct result of Hier's reputation rather than his own.
"These folks didn't talk to me because I'm me," Kean said. "They agreed to interviews out of their respect and affection for Rabbi Hier. At one point, I'm sitting a few feet away from Bill Clinton wondering why is this guy listening and responding to me so intently?"
Kean said Schwarzenegger pranked him repeatedly during filming, that he found Sarandos to be "a real revelation" and that Newsom displayed "some of that Clinton charm." He also interviewed Mohamed Alabbar, the developer behind Dubai's Burj Khalifa.
Production began in September 2023, with roughly 20 days of interviews followed by a week of filming at the Museum of Tolerance. Celebrity interviews were conducted between January and September 2024\. Kean said the film was completed through seven distinct cuts before being delivered to Paramount in December 2025, on a budget of $650,000 to $700,000.
While the documentary leans on Hier's humor and what Kean described as his "Forrest Gump-like life," the director said it also confronts difficult subject matter, including the 1992 Los Angeles riots, racial tensions in the city, accounts from Holocaust survivors and the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.
Kean said making the film prompted him to reconsider warnings he had heard for years from Holocaust survivors who told him a genocide could happen again, even in the United States.
"I always played along but felt they were being influenced by their past traumas and not the present realities," he said. "I think now that I was wrong and they were right. Complacency is real."
Kean said he had previously focused on antisemitism originating from the far right while overlooking what he described as antisemitism from the far left. He added that being Jewish in the United States has become "inexorably interconnected with current events in Israel and its government's choices," a dynamic he called unique among American minority groups.
"There are no easy solutions and no easy ways to teach Holocaust remembrance now," Kean said, noting that the world is approaching a post-survivor era. He said educators must draw connections between the lessons of the Holocaust and contemporary traumas, and must operate from "a common set of truths."
Kean cited a recent comment from a local Holocaust survivor — "never again is for all people" — as encapsulating the film's message and Hier's lifelong advocacy.
"Tolerance is the only path," Kean said. "If we want to leave a flourishing world for our future generations, we have got to stop killing each other and talk to each other instead."
The documentary is produced by Brad Krevoy, Susie Krevoy and Kean. The premiere will include a tribute to Hier featuring introductions by Schwarzenegger, Elon Gold, Tucker and California state Sen. Ben Allen.
### Montana Avenue Wellness Walk and Sidewalk Sale returns May 16
URL: https://www.smdp.com/montana-avenue-wellness-walk-and-sidewalk-sale-returns-may-16/
Last updated: 2026-05-11T18:34:53.000Z
Montana Avenue will host its annual Wellness Walk and Sidewalk Sale on Saturday, May 16, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., stretching along the avenue from 6th Street to 17th Street in Santa Monica.
The free, open-to-the-public event blends fitness activations, wellness experiences, creative workshops, and sidewalk sale promotions from local retailers. Visitors are encouraged to stroll the avenue at their own pace.
Fitness and movement offerings will include pop-ups from Good Body Pilates, Stretch Lab, FITstop, DMN8, Mighty Pilates, Andrea White Pilates, pickleball clinics, and sound baths. Wellness and beauty experiences will feature facials, cryotherapy, and red light therapy from Restore Hyper-Wellness. Paint:LAB will offer creative workshops, while Kik'N Juice and Kreation Organic will provide healthy refreshments.
Participating retailers offering exclusive one-day promotions include Estell Boutique, Laya, Brentwood General, and Margaret O'Leary, among others.
"The Wellness Walk is about more than just a day on the avenue — it's about bringing people together in a meaningful, energizing way," said Michelle Kelly, chair of the Montana Avenue Merchants Association. "It's a day where the community can shop and connect, truly a celebration of everything that makes this neighborhood so special."
Unlike traditional street festivals, Montana Avenue will remain open to traffic during the event.
Admission is free and no RSVP is required for general attendance. To register for specific classes and activities, visit[ ](https://t6eyaadab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001%5FksBEHhRMjoVoUdKhOdJduGl4fYu50giaRuPKl0ZDBVR7XK6ba3ZriatcMoorF6e63wsVWNbq36dL1JNxvFws%5F3FF1Zfmi5nuAC0VP9goeDA-Mvl9EIGvAhd8HhuFDFk%5FV6uL0-SB7xoTTEfzFFN060D4MVRa1kiE%5FeZWaiTBd4tfVFZWq28a44pcJbAlfL8-31fGY7xJa082WMIz1mLTA==&c=zlE7avgpQNOkMorlrVkGkXEBric3WtWZSGcvAsUNKQFW0l5N9EcfJg==&ch=UZqH%5F-e%5FyjSI94UdHeqM7i7kxish9r0tfO-S-gfcfV99hUTTCuEb5w==&ref=smdp.com)[Eventbrite](https://t6eyaadab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001%5FksBEHhRMjoVoUdKhOdJduGl4fYu50giaRuPKl0ZDBVR7XK6ba3ZriatcMoorF6e63wsVWNbq36dL1JNxvFws%5F3FF1Zfmi5nuAC0VP9goeDA-Mvl9EIGvAhd8HhuFDFk%5FV6uL0-SB7xoTTEfzFFN060D4MVRa1kiE%5FeZWaiTBd4tfVFZWq28a44pcJbAlfL8-31fGY7xJa082WMIz1mLTA==&c=zlE7avgpQNOkMorlrVkGkXEBric3WtWZSGcvAsUNKQFW0l5N9EcfJg==&ch=UZqH%5F-e%5FyjSI94UdHeqM7i7kxish9r0tfO-S-gfcfV99hUTTCuEb5w==&ref=smdp.com). For more information, visit[ ](http://www.montanaave.com/?ref=smdp.com)[www.montanaave.com](http://www.montanaave.com/?ref=smdp.com) or the[ ](https://t6eyaadab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001%5FksBEHhRMjoVoUdKhOdJduGl4fYu50giaRuPKl0ZDBVR7XK6ba3ZriatcMoorF6et6%5FglbpDaUi%5F3Cak14Vt9qVunfgTyQPeM0AD-7go06E%5FEnUI1GRCfORugGDJDUtK93baqnqiEndadjcyBsk1zx3wkVGcHbDEwVeYGTilKAedKTsINUE3bCSaAP4DttilDVSDBiuhUxLHRvZuI6%5F-VEye5SdcM9-K&c=zlE7avgpQNOkMorlrVkGkXEBric3WtWZSGcvAsUNKQFW0l5N9EcfJg==&ch=UZqH%5F-e%5FyjSI94UdHeqM7i7kxish9r0tfO-S-gfcfV99hUTTCuEb5w==&ref=smdp.com)[Montana Avenue Wellness Walk](https://t6eyaadab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001%5FksBEHhRMjoVoUdKhOdJduGl4fYu50giaRuPKl0ZDBVR7XK6ba3ZriatcMoorF6et6%5FglbpDaUi%5F3Cak14Vt9qVunfgTyQPeM0AD-7go06E%5FEnUI1GRCfORugGDJDUtK93baqnqiEndadjcyBsk1zx3wkVGcHbDEwVeYGTilKAedKTsINUE3bCSaAP4DttilDVSDBiuhUxLHRvZuI6%5F-VEye5SdcM9-K&c=zlE7avgpQNOkMorlrVkGkXEBric3WtWZSGcvAsUNKQFW0l5N9EcfJg==&ch=UZqH%5F-e%5FyjSI94UdHeqM7i7kxish9r0tfO-S-gfcfV99hUTTCuEb5w==&ref=smdp.com) event page.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Monday, May 11, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/monday-may-11-2026/
Last updated: 2026-05-11T18:02:47.000Z
The Santa Monica Jazz Festival moved to Tongva Park over the weekend drawing music lovers from all. The event is part of an ongoing strategy by City Hall to burnish the city's reputation as an events an entertainment destination.
Partly cloudy. High 71F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 71º/57º
Tomorrow ☁️ 65º/58º
**FIRST UP**
Proteus Flight School faces uncertain future as Santa Monica Airport's 2028 closure approaches after 30 years of training pilots. (Courtesy Image)
## Santa Monica's Oldest Flight School Marks 30 Years as Airport's 2028 Closure Looms
For three decades, Proteus Flight School has trained pilots at Santa Monica Airport, outlasting competitors and weathering regulatory shifts that shuttered other operators at the field... [READ](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monicas-oldest-flight-school-marks-30-years-as-airports-2028-closure-looms/)
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**MORE NEWS**
[Santa Monica OKs $1.8M Federal Housing & Parks FundingSanta Monica City Council unanimously approved a $1.797 million federal funding plan for park improvements, small business assistance, and housing aid for vulnerable residents.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-approves-1-8-million-federal-housing-and-community-development-plan/)
[SMC Emeritus Student Art Exhibition Opens May 14Santa Monica College Emeritus Art Gallery presents Part 1 of its 2026 Annual Student Art Exhibition from May 14-June 19, featuring 47 student artists. Free opening reception May 14, 5-6:30 p.m. at 1227 Second St., downtown Santa Monica.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-emeritus-annual-student-art-exhibition-opens-may-14/)
[How LA Wildfire Tragedy United Clergy Across Religious LinesFaith leaders in Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and Pasadena forged interfaith bonds after the 2025 LA wildfires, working together to rebuild churches and support their communities 16 months later.SMDPAssociated Press](https://www.smdp.com/after-the-los-angeles-wildfires-clergy-crossed-denominational-lines-and-forged-new-bonds/)
[A look at the top candidates vying to be California’s controllerBy Marisa Kendall, CalMatters This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. In the race for oversight over California’s budget, the two main contenders are an incumbent with three years of experience and a challenger who is set on exposing fraudulent and wasteful spending. DemocratSMDPCal Matters](https://www.smdp.com/a-look-at-the-top-candidates-vying-to-be-californias-controller/)
**IN CASE YOU MISSED**
[False threats temporarily close Santa Monica High SchoolSanta Monica police investigated a potential threat at Santa Monica High School on Friday, determining it to be unfounded, officials said. Officers were notified at approximately 11:53 a.m. of a potential threat reported to school officials. School Resource Officers and additional personnel responded immediately, coordinating with administrators, whoSMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monic/)
Interest in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/event-3/#/show?subset=picks). You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/051126.pdf?ref=smdp.com).
### How to Publish a Fictitious Business Name in California Before It Costs You a Contract
URL: https://www.smdp.com/publish-fictitious-business-name/
Last updated: 2026-05-25T15:39:32.000Z
Alice thought she had everything in order. She landed a client, signed the agreement, did the work, and sent out her invoice.
But when her client refused to pay, Alice brought in a lawyer and got ready to take things to court. That’s when the wheels fell off.
Her attorney called with some tough news. She couldn’t sue. Not because the contract was shaky, and not because the work was unfinished. The problem was simple: **she never published her fictitious business name**. In California, skipping that one step means you can’t enforce any contract signed under that name.
This trip-up is more common than most new business owners expect. You choose a name, file paperwork, open a bank account, and dive into your work. But until you publish your business name in an approved newspaper, it’s not legally recognized. Your contracts are on thin ice. Your business identity is up in the air.
Here’s a look at what the [fictitious business name publication](https://www.smdp.com/where-to-publish-dba-in-los-angeles/) rule actually means, why it matters, and how to check it off your list the right way.
## **What Does It Mean to Publish a Fictitious Business Name?**
A fictitious business name, often called a **DBA** (doing business as), is any business name that isn’t your own legal name. Let’s say you’re a sole proprietor named Maria Gonzalez, but you run a company called “Bright Line Design.” That name is considered fictitious. You need to **register it**, and in California, you also have to **publish it.**
Publishing means placing a **legal notice in an approved local newspaper once a week for four weeks in a row**. This notice lets the public know exactly who’s behind the business name. It’s not just a box to check. This is the step that makes your DBA official in the eyes of the law.
[California’s Business and Professions Code Section 17917](https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/business-and-professions-code/bpc-sect-17917/?ref=smdp.com) says you must start publication within **30 days** of filing your fictitious business name statement with the county clerk. Miss that deadline and your statement expires, which means you’ll need to refile, pay the fees again, and restart the process from scratch.
Most new business owners don’t even realize this step exists until something goes wrong.
## **Why Does California Require You to Publish a Fictitious Business Name in a Newspaper?**
It all comes down to **transparency**. California’s fictitious business name law is there to protect the public. When someone does business with “Bright Line Design,” they deserve to know who’s really behind the company. Publishing your business name creates a public record that anyone can check.
But here’s where things get tricky if you skip this step. [California Business and Professions Code Section 17918](https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/business-and-professions-code/bpc-sect-17918/?ref=smdp.com) spells it out clearly: if you’re doing business with an **unregistered** or unpublished name, **you can’t take anyone to court** over a contract made under that name. You can’t sue for payment, you can’t enforce your contract, and you can’t resolve disputes through the courts until you’ve filed and published your DBA.
This isn’t just a technical detail. The law actually treats your DBA as if it doesn’t exist until you’ve made it public.
There’s another risk most people don’t think about. **If you don’t publish** your business name, **someone else can register and publish that same name** in your county, and they’ll get the legal rights to it. Imagine losing your brand, your signs, and all the work you’ve put into your business just because you missed this step. Publishing is how you claim your name for good.
## **What Are the Exact Fictitious Business Name Publication Requirements in California?**
The rules aren’t complicated, but they’re unforgiving if you get them wrong.
- **File first.** Start by filing your fictitious business name statement with the county clerk where your business operates. Fees range from about $26 to $100, depending on the county. In Los Angeles County, a sole proprietor pays around $26 right now.
- **Publish within 30 days of filing.** You have to start publication within 30 days of your filing date. A few counties give you 45 days, but Los Angeles sticks to the 30-day rule under [B&P Code Section 17917](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes%5FdisplaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=17917.&ref=smdp.com). Miss the deadline, and your statement expires, so you’ll need to start from scratch.
- **Run the notice once a week for four consecutive weeks.** The notice must use the exact wording from your filed statement. Don’t shorten, change, or get creative with the language.
- **Publish in the right newspaper.** You can’t choose just any paper. It has to be an adjudicated newspaper of general circulation in the same county where you filed. For example, [Santa Monica Daily Press](https://www.smdp.com/) is approved for Los Angeles County and handles this process for business owners every week. Publish in the wrong paper, and it doesn’t count.
- **File the affidavit of publication.** Once those four weeks are up, the newspaper will send you an affidavit of publication. File this with the county clerk within 30 days of your last publication. That affidavit is your proof that you’ve done everything by the book.
Each step depends on the one before it. Skip any part, and you don’t just have a missing piece; you’re back to square one.
## **What Does Research Say About New Business Owners and Legal Compliance Gaps?**
The publication step catches so many new business owners off guard because it falls into a much larger pattern of regulatory blind spots. The data backs this up.
According to the [MetLife and U.S. Chamber of Commerce](https://www.uschamber.com/small-business/a-majority-of-small-businesses-say-regulations-are-hindering-growth?ref=smdp.com) Q4 2024 Small Business Index, which surveys thousands of small business owners across the country, 51% say dealing with regulatory compliance is holding back their growth. Nearly half, about 47%, report spending too much time just keeping up with those requirements.
Tom Sullivan, Vice President of Small Business Policy at the Chamber, points out that compliance hits small businesses harder, employee for employee, than it does big companies. When you’re running things solo, every missed step has bigger consequences.
For first-time owners, the problem runs even deeper. In a 2024 peer-reviewed study published in [Humanities and Social Sciences Communications](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-020-00552-5?ref=smdp.com), researchers found that small business owners tend to follow what’s called the “availability heuristic.” In other words, they pay attention to rules they’ve bumped into before, but not the ones they’ve only heard about in passing. The study showed that public disclosure requirements, like mandatory publication notices, are often ignored. It’s not because owners are careless, but because they’ve never actually seen what happens when these rules are missed. For most, the first time they hear about the DBA publication rule is after the damage is already done.
All this research paints a clear picture. New business owners aren’t ignoring publication because they don’t care. They’re missing it because no one ever told them it was required.
## **How Do You Actually Publish a DBA in a Newspaper?**
After you file your fictitious business name statement with the county clerk, publishing it is a pretty simple process. Here’s how it usually plays out.
First, reach out to an adjudicated newspaper of general circulation in your county and give them a copy of your filed statement. The newspaper will prepare the legal notice using the exact language from your filing. They’ll run the notice once a week for four weeks in a row. After the final run, they’ll send you a signed affidavit of publication that lists the run dates and the newspaper’s details.
Next, take that affidavit back to the county clerk’s office and file it within 30 days of the last publication. Once that’s done, your DBA is officially published and legally recognized.
At **Santa Monica Daily Press**, [we handle DBA publications](https://www.smdp.com/legal-notices/) for business owners all over Los Angeles County. We’re adjudicated and approved, so your notice holds up in court. You just submit your filed statement, we take care of the four-week publication, and we’ll send you the affidavit when it’s finished.
**There’s one detail you can’t overlook:** the published notice has to match your filed statement exactly. That means every letter, every comma, every word. If there’s any difference at all, the county clerk will catch it. Courts check, too. Make sure it’s right the first time.
## **What Is an Affidavit of Publication for a DBA and Why Does It Matter?**
The [affidavit of publication](https://www.smdp.com/affidavit-of-publication-los-angeles-county/) for your DBA is more than a receipt. It’s your legal proof that the publication requirement was completed correctly.
This affidavit is a sworn statement that the newspaper gives you after your notice has run. It lists the newspaper’s name, the exact dates the notice appeared, and the content that was published. When you file it with the county clerk, it becomes part of your business’s official record.
You’ll need this document to open a business bank account using your DBA name. Most banks in California won’t even consider opening an account under a fictitious business name unless you show proof of publication. If you ever need to enforce a contract in court, you’ll need the affidavit to prove you followed the rules. Without it, you can’t show that you completed the publication step, and the other side can argue you have no standing.
Hold on to the original affidavit and keep it somewhere safe. Your DBA is good for five years, and you might need that affidavit at any time during that period, sometimes when you least expect it.
## **Frequently Asked Questions**
**What does it mean to publish a fictitious business name in California?**
Publishing means running a legal notice in an adjudicated newspaper once a week for four weeks after you’ve filed your DBA with the county clerk. This step is required by California law and is what gives your business name legal recognition.
**How soon do I have to publish after filing my fictitious business name statement?**
In most California counties, including Los Angeles County, you have to start publication within 30 days of your filing date. If you miss that window, your statement expires, and you’ll need to refile and pay the fees again.
**Can I publish my DBA in any newspaper?**
No. You have to use an adjudicated newspaper of general circulation in the county where you filed your statement. If you publish in a non-approved paper, the notice doesn’t count.
**What is an affidavit of publication for a DBA?**
It’s the signed document the newspaper gives you after your four-week publication is complete. It confirms your notice ran on the right dates in a qualifying newspaper. You file this with the county clerk as proof that you met the requirement.
**What happens if I never publish my fictitious business name?**
If you skip publication, California Business and Professions Code Section 17918 says you can’t enforce any contract made under that name in a California court. On top of that, someone else could register and publish the same name in your county before you do, and they’d get the legal rights to it.
**How long does the DBA publication process take?**
The publication itself takes at least four weeks, since your notice has to run once a week for that long. Add in the time it takes to file your affidavit with the county clerk, and the whole process, from filing your statement to getting the completed affidavit, usually takes about six to ten weeks.
**Do I have to publish my DBA when I renew it?**
Not always. If you refile before your DBA expires and nothing has changed, you don’t need to republish. But if any details are different, like your business address or ownership, you’ll have to go through the publication process again.
## **Your Business Name Deserves to Be Protected**
You’ve already put in the work. You picked your name, filed the paperwork, and started building your business. Don’t let a missed publication step leave your contracts powerless or your business name at risk.
At Santa Monica Daily Press, we’ve handled DBA publications for Los Angeles County business owners for over twenty years. We’re adjudicated, approved, and we know exactly what the county clerk is looking for. Submit your filed statement, and we’ll take it from there.
### Santa Monica's Oldest Flight School Marks 30 Years as Airport's 2028 Closure Looms
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monicas-oldest-flight-school-marks-30-years-as-airports-2028-closure-looms/
Last updated: 2026-05-11T10:00:00.000Z
For three decades, Proteus Flight School has trained pilots at Santa Monica Airport, outlasting competitors and weathering regulatory shifts that shuttered other operators at the field. Now, as the airport's scheduled 2028 closure approaches, the school's leadership says a generation of aviation education in Santa Monica hangs in the balance.
Founded in 1996 at 3025 Airport Avenue, Proteus is the oldest continuously operating flight school at the [airport](https://www.smdp.com/housing-advocates-push-for-affordable-housing-at-santa-monica-airport/). It has since expanded to a primary location at 2501 Airport Avenue and a maintenance and instruction hangar at 3147 Donald Douglas Loop South. The school's database includes nearly 3,000 people who have trained there at some point in their aviation careers.
"This is our thirtieth year in operation, and we have outlasted many schools on the field," said Urooj Naveed, operations manager of Proteus Air Services, Inc. She attributed the school's endurance to "our unwavering focus on quality instruction and prioritization of safety."
Roughly half of the school's students transferred from other flight schools to complete their training at Proteus, Naveed said, and former students from the 1990s now enroll their own children at the school.
[Proteus](https://proteus.aero/?ref=smdp.com) operates a fleet of Piper Cherokee aircraft and an FAA-approved Redbird TD2 simulator. While the school has changed ownership twice, founding members remain involved to preserve institutional knowledge, Naveed said. The school employs career instructors rather than pilots simply building flight hours toward airline jobs, she added, though instructors who do move on to commercial carriers often return to fly with former students.
The school's future, however, is clouded by the planned closure of Santa Monica Airport at the end of 2028\. Naveed said the shutdown threatens to end a century of aviation education at the field and would make it difficult to retain the school's experienced staff if operations relocated.
"Proteus has always existed in the context of the history of aviation in Santa Monica," Naveed said. "It is not easy or possible to replicate such an environment in other places."
Naveed pointed to a series of city actions she said have already eroded operations at the airport. The runway was shortened by 1,500 feet in 2017, greatly reducing jet traffic. The city has also reduced the number of available tie-downs, or aircraft parking spots, and imposed what Naveed called "outrageous landing fees" administered by a private company called Vector. Funds, she said, have been directed toward repaving projects rather than improving the quality of flying at the airport.
Despite a public narrative suggesting widespread opposition to the airport, Naveed cited a January 2026 poll indicating that 67% of Santa Monica residents want the airport to remain open.
She said the school adheres strictly to noise-abatement procedures, including curfew hours and designated flight routes designed to minimize disruption to surrounding neighborhoods. The airport, she added, plays a role in emergency preparedness, serving as a potential alternative if Los Angeles International Airport were forced to close, or during fires and earthquakes.
The airport currently houses four flight schools, maintenance facilities, offices and flying clubs. It also hosts community programming, including weekly chess classes for homeschooled students held at Proteus and STEM classes at other schools on the field. Nearby amenities include soccer fields, Cloverfield Park, the Cloverfield restaurant, the Airport Art Center Studios and the Santa Monica Trapeze School, which is relocating across the street from Proteus.
Naveed questioned whether the city has the budget to convert the land into a park, noting that the site has been contaminated by fuel and chemicals over a century of operations. She also pointed out that existing parks in Santa Monica go underused and that the airport's presence caps nearby building heights, preserving the low-rise character of surrounding neighborhoods.
"We hope the community can understand the true motivations behind shutting down the airport have more to do with real estate developers' concerns than the actual community," Naveed said.
Revenue from leases on hangars, offices and studios at the airport would be lost if the field is converted, she said.
"We need pilots for the airlines, cargo, firefighting, military operations," Naveed said, "and we need good quality instruction for that."
### Santa Monica Council Approves $1.8 Million Federal Housing and Community Development Plan
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-approves-1-8-million-federal-housing-and-community-development-plan/
Last updated: 2026-05-11T09:59:59.000Z
The Santa Monica City Council unanimously approved a $1.797 million federal funding plan Tuesday night that will direct Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnerships Act funds toward park improvements, small business assistance and housing aid for the city's most vulnerable residents.
The council voted 7-0 to adopt the proposed 2026-27 Annual Action Plan, which allocates a combined total of federal CDBG and HOME funds from the [U.S. Department of Housing](https://www.hud.gov/?ref=smdp.com) and Urban Development. The plan must be submitted to HUD by June 1.
The funding is divided between two federal programs. The city received a CDBG allocation of $1.12 million for the 2026 program year — a modest increase of one-half percent over last year's award — along with $110,000 in prior-year funds and $40,000 in projected program income, bringing total CDBG resources to just under $1.28 million. On the HOME side, the city received $486,060, a decrease of 3.3 percent from the previous year, which when combined with projected program income yields total HOME resources of $526,060.
The largest single expenditure under the plan is $500,000 in CDBG funds for Phase III of the Virginia Avenue Park Playground Replacement project, which will update aging playground equipment, install an accessible surface and add shade covering to benefit children of all ages and abilities. An additional $318,762 is earmarked for park improvements at other CDBG-eligible sites in the Pico Neighborhood, with funds designated for replacing the Gandara Park basketball court and possibly adding a small dog park at either Gandara or Virginia Avenue Park.
Other allocations include $170,000 for CLARE|MATRIX to operate outreach and substance abuse treatment services for people experiencing or recently exiting homelessness, $50,000 for the city's Small Business Assistance and Tenant Improvement Program, and $400,545 in HOME-funded tenant-based rental assistance for low-income households at risk of losing their [housing](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-moves-to-soften-state-housing-laws-impact-on-vulnerable-neighborhoods/).
Before moving to approve the plan, council members raised pointed questions about the stability of the federal funding amid ongoing uncertainty in Washington.
Council member Ellis Raskin asked staff whether the grants had been vetted for potentially problematic conditions — a concern that has shadowed other federal funding approvals before the council this year. "This is really, really important money," Raskin said, asking whether the city had ensured "there are no conditions that could potentially be problematic."
Acting CDBG and HOME Coordinator Marc Amaral told the council that when the city executed its grant agreements last year, staff worked closely with the city attorney's office to explicitly flag and redline any terms and conditions the city would not comply with. The city informed its local HUD field office that acceptance of the funds was contingent on those requirements not applying, Amaral said, adding that a court injunction supporting the city's position remains in place and that staff intends to follow the same approach for the upcoming grant agreements.
Council member Caroline Torosis noted that earlier this year the Trump administration had proposed eliminating CDBG funding entirely before an agreement was reached to maintain level funding. She pressed Amaral on whether the city had contingency plans should future allocations be cut.
Amaral said he was confident the current allocation would come through, telling the council that "for this particular allocation, this is coming" and that the funding is approved as part of the federal budget. He expressed more concern about the HOME-funded rental assistance, however, noting that it has already declined 20 percent over the past three years and that the $400,000 currently keeping 40 households stably housed remains vulnerable. The city's housing team, he said, is actively working to transition those residents to more stable housing voucher programs as a hedge against further cuts.
Torosis called on the city to ensure CDBG dollars continue to flow to the Pico Neighborhood and urged the city's management and federal lobbyists to protect the funding. "I think CDBG is an opportunity to plug into our economic development priorities," she said, stressing the importance of "economic opportunity, particularly for people in our highest opportunity areas, which is the Pico Neighborhood."
Council member Natalya Zernitskaya asked whether the Virginia Avenue Park playground redesign would include accessible seating options for people with disabilities and those who are breastfeeding. Amaral said those design details would be determined through a future community engagement process when the Public Works team returns to council with a design-build contract recommendation.
Public comment came from Harvey Eder, founder of the Public Solar Power Coalition, who urged the council to prioritize homeownership opportunities for low- and middle-income residents and argued that the city's current approach to affordable housing falls short of state law requirements.
The plan was approved without dissent. Staff will prepare the final document for submission to HUD ahead of the June 1 deadline.
### SMC Emeritus Annual Student Art Exhibition Opens May 14
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-emeritus-annual-student-art-exhibition-opens-may-14/
Last updated: 2026-05-10T18:59:59.000Z
The Santa Monica College Emeritus Art Gallery will present Part 1 of its 2026 Annual Student Art Exhibition from May 14 through June 19, featuring works by student artists from SMC's noncredit Emeritus program for older adults.
A free opening reception will be held Thursday, May 14, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the gallery on the first floor of the SMC Emeritus Campus, 1227 Second St., in downtown Santa Monica. Parking is available next door at Santa Monica Public Parking Structure No. 2.
This year's exhibition again drew so many participants that it was divided into two parts. Part 2 will open June 11 as an online exhibition with a separate reception.
"Due to the ever-expanding popularity of the in-gallery component of the annual Emeritus Student Art Exhibition, participants in this year's Part 1 were limited to only one contribution per person," said Emeritus Gallery Curator Jesse Benson. "It will still be an exciting, packed house regardless, with 47 included artists and an amazing array of voices."
SMC's Emeritus program was founded in 1975 as a noncredit program serving the lifelong learning interests of older adults. It offers more than 120 noncredit adult education classes and special programs, serving more than 3,000 students each year.
Gallery hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. More information is available at[ ](http://smc.edu/emeritusgallery?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/emeritusgallery](http://smc.edu/emeritusgallery?ref=smdp.com) or by calling 310-434-4306.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### After the Los Angeles wildfires, clergy crossed denominational lines and forged new bonds
URL: https://www.smdp.com/after-the-los-angeles-wildfires-clergy-crossed-denominational-lines-and-forged-new-bonds/
Last updated: 2026-05-10T18:59:59.000Z
Rabbi Amy Bernstein says the wind-whipped fire in January 2025 that scorched much of the Pacific Palisades, destroying her home and damaging her synagogue, "blew everything open" for the community's faith leaders.
"If our hearts must break, let them break open," said the rabbi, who leads Kehillat Israel where 300 families out of 900 lost their homes. "This tragedy has really pushed us closer to one another. We're working to change the things we need changed."
Faith leaders both in the Pacific Palisades and in Altadena and Pasadena — devastated by the pair of fires that tore across Southern California — have relied on interfaith and community partnerships to rally congregants who are picking up the pieces 16 months later.
They've had to learn on the fly about insurance coverage and local land use regulations while still trying to keep their scattered flock together and raising money for basic needs. Pastors in Altadena have had to fight to protect the rights of Black people who decades ago found pathways to home ownership in that community despite redlining — but now risk losing their land to outside developers who sense an investment opportunity.
And throughout this span, faith leaders have had to cater to the emotional and spiritual needs of their communities and think about how they want to rebuild their sanctuaries that were lost or damaged in the fire. More than a dozen houses of worship burned to the ground or were damaged.
Interfaith relationships have become stronger after the fires
This would have been difficult for faith leaders to handle but for the interfaith relationships that became closer and stronger after the fires, said the Rev. Grace Park, associate pastor at Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church, which burned down.
Methodists, Presbyterians, Catholics, Jews and yogis have not just found common ground in human suffering and loss, but have learned how to lean on one another in a time of dire need, she said.
"It's a sense of mutual affection and respect, learning from each other and leaning on one another," Park said. "We're sharing the joys and the deep valleys of what it means to lead through a time of tragedy."
Brother Satyananda, a senior monk at the Self Realization Fellowship, lost his living quarters and belongings in the fire. Much of the campus, started by Paramahamsa Yogananda who brought ancient spiritual practices from India to the West, fortunately survived the fire.
Satyananda recalls one day when Bernstein picked up on his sadness and offered him "motherly compassion."
"We share the same profession where we're tuned to people in need," he said. "Now, our relationship has changed because we're tuning into each other. There's a greater level of trust."
Pastor BJ King, who leads LoveLand LifeCenter, worked with the late Rev. Cecil B. Murray to heal communities and build interfaith coalitions after the 1992 Los Angeles riots.
"Back then, there was a choice whether or not to get involved," he said. "But with these fires, there is no choice. It has affected everybody."
Pastors have had to acquire new skills
King's congregation has switched to online services after their leased church building in Altadena suffered smoke damage. Twelve families lost their homes. In addition to helping meet people's basic needs, King has created a program organizing gatherings to connect therapists with those in need of mental health.
"Many people didn't even know they needed that," he said.
One of the most powerful roles faith leaders have played after the fire is to "continue to talk with power, people in charge," said Pastor Jonathan DeCuir, who leads Victory Bible Church in Pasadena. He and others in the region have continued to meet with local officials and even conferred with Gov. Gavin Newsom to keep things moving for their communities.
DeCuir chairs the board of a nonprofit called Legacy Land Project, which provides financial aid, legal support and guidance on building contractors, as well as medical care to those affected by the fires.
The disaster has brought a level of camaraderie that DeCuir says he has never seen among the region's clergy.
"Denominational lines have been crossed," he said. "Even if we have different theological stances or approaches to ministry, we are all now looking at how to care for our people and community. If we don't come together, Altadena will never ever be the same. The people won't be there anymore. That, to me, is terrifying."
While a church is more than a building, physical churches do appear as "beacons of hope" in traumatized communities, said Pastor Mayra Macedo-Nolan, executive director of Clergy Community Coalition in Pasadena. Her group has lobbied for houses of worship to be prioritized on the same footing as businesses in the rebuilding plan.
"When people start seeing churches rebuilding in Altadena, they're going to feel like it's going to be OK because the churches are coming back," she said.
Reimagining a purposeful future
On April 26, the Altadena Fountain of Life Church broke ground to build a new sanctuary after their house of worship, which had stood for over three decades, was destroyed in the fire. Pastor Jonathan Lewis, who ministers to about 75, hopes the church will be ready in time for Easter next year.
"It'll be a Resurrection Sunday for our church, too," he said.
Alexis Duncan, who grew up in Altadena attending that church, came to the groundbreaking with her 6-year-old daughter. She lost both her home and her church building.
"It means everything to me that they're rebuilding because I want the church to be there for my daughter as she grows up," she said. "This new beginning gives me and my family hope and the encouragement to come back."
Some churches like Altadena Community Church, a United Church of Christ congregation, are pausing to rethink their future purpose. The Rev. Michael Lewis, who took over in February after the previous pastor retired, said the congregation is looking into several possibilities for the one-acre lot, including affordable housing.
"We know that a church is not intended to be a landlord and the pastor is no property manager," he said. "But, we're also thinking about who is able to return to Altadena? How will this rich, economically diverse community that was scattered by the fire come back?"
The church has been around since the 1940s. A haven for actors, poets and musicians, the former sanctuary also served as a vibrant performance space. Lewis said they hope to incorporate a performance stage into the new facility.
"It'll look different from what we had before," he said. "Once we figure out how to build community, we can decide what physical structures will help us support that community."
As for Kehillat Israel, on May 15, members will carry their Torah scrolls back to their sanctuary, marking one of the first returns by a house of worship to the Palisades since the disaster.
Judaism has had "a long history of starting over," Bernstein said.
"It's encoded in our cultural approach to the world, that there are things that can always be taken away from you," she said. "But what you become can never get taken away."
\_\_\_
By DEEPA BHARATH Associated Press. Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
### A look at the top candidates vying to be California’s controller
URL: https://www.smdp.com/a-look-at-the-top-candidates-vying-to-be-californias-controller/
Last updated: 2026-05-10T17:00:05.000Z
By [Marisa Kendall](https://calmatters.org/author/marisa-kendall/?ref=smdp.com), CalMatters
This story was originally published by [CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/?ref=smdp.com). [Sign up](https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/?ref=smdp.com) for their newsletters.
In the race for oversight over California’s budget, the two main contenders are an incumbent with three years of experience and a challenger who is set on exposing fraudulent and wasteful spending.
Democrat Malia Cohen has served as controller (AKA California’s chief accountant) since 2023, and has raised more than $1.2 million for [the race](https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2026/controller/?ref=smdp.com) to keep her seat. She oversees spending for a state with a budget of nearly $350 billion and one of the world’s largest economies. It’s her job to make sure the state spends wisely and efficiently.
As the governor and the Legislature hash out a budget deal for this year, Cohen has [urged caution](https://www.sco.ca.gov/eo%5Fpressrel%5F27301.html?ref=smdp.com), saying higher-than-expected spending “reinforces the need for restraint.”
Cohen also has improved the state’s ability to deliver a key financial report that was [chronically late](https://calmatters.org/politics/2024/07/california-financial-report-late/?ref=smdp.com) for years. Cohen made up the backlog by releasing four reports in two years, and she told CalMatters that the upcoming report (called the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report) will almost be on time — late a mere two months, compared to the years others were delayed.
While running for office in 2022, Cohen [told CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/politics/2022/05/malia-cohen-controller/?%5Fgl=1%2A17o8ydo%2A%5Fgcl%5Fau%2AMTIyNDk5NzI3My4xNzc2NzkwMjU1&ref=smdp.com) she planned to scrutinize the state’s homelessness spending and take a critical look at the Employment Development Department and the Department of Motor Vehicles. A 2024 report by the state auditor found that California [fails](https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2024/04/california-homelessness-spending/?ref=smdp.com) to adequately track its homelessness spending.
Cohen did not meet those campaign promises. She said that’s because the state auditor had already looked at those agencies. Instead of duplicating that work, she decided to focus on improving some internal functions of the state’s financial arm. She’s in the midst of ongoing efforts to modernize FI$Cal — the IT system that manages the state’s finances — and the system that pays state employees.
“The bottom line is that I do believe that Californians deserve to know where their money is going,” she said. “So that’s what I'm working to do.”
Cohen’s main challenger, Republican Herb Morgan, has promised to pick up the slack he says his opponent has dropped. Like Cohen promised in 2022, Morgan said if elected, he will carefully scrutinize the state’s spending on homelessness. He wants to create a system where every time a state-funded nonprofit pays for anything, that transaction goes into a state database. Then, he said, he’ll use AI to monitor those purchases and flag anything suspicious.
As an example of how state spending can be transparently tracked, a public [dashboard](https://www.herbmorganonchain.com/herb-morgan-for-california-state-controller?ref=smdp.com) on his website logs his campaign donations in real time. He’s raised $367,000 as of the end of April.
Morgan acknowledged he’s an outlier as a Republican running in a state historically dominated by Democrats. But he believes voters will look at both candidates’ qualifications instead of voting along party lines.
“I don't care where you are on the social spectrum, 99% of us are fiscally responsible,” he said. “It doesn’t mean cutting spending. It doesn't mean defunding. It just means being responsible with our money. And that, I think, appeals to all political ideologies."
Also running is Meghann Adams, a Peace and Freedom Party candidate. A school bus driver who lives in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood, she is president of her union and manages its finances. If elected, Adams promised to expose corporate landlords that drive up rent prices, analyze the cost of imposing a single-payer Medi-Cal system and divest state investments from companies that support Israel’s war against Gaza.
She’s raised $16,000 as of the end of April.
This article was [originally published on CalMatters](https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2026/05/ca-election-2026-controller/?ref=smdp.com) and was republished under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?ref=smdp.com) license.
### Pepperdine Faculty, Students to Exhibit at Venice Biennial This Month
URL: https://www.smdp.com/pepperdine-faculty-students-to-exhibit-at-venice-biennial-this-month/
Last updated: 2026-05-09T19:00:00.000Z
A group of Pepperdine University faculty and students will present work at one of the contemporary art world's most prestigious venues when Love & Mercy, Blue opens May 9 at Palazzo Bembo in Venice, Italy.
The exhibition is part of Personal Structures — Confluences, organized by the European Cultural Centre Italy and running through November 2026 across Palazzo Mora, Palazzo Bembo and Marinaressa Gardens.
Curated by Pepperdine faculty members Yvette Gellis and Kira Maria Shewfelt, the show brings together five faculty artists — Gretchen Batcheller, Kate Parsons, Shewfelt, Ty Pownall and Gellis — alongside five student artists: Adrineh Sahakian, Davyny Olivas, Mason Turner, Mirian Kim and Naomi Popple.
The exhibition centers on the color blue as both aesthetic and spiritual force, exploring themes of mercy, empathy and human connection. Faculty and students are paired as mentor and mentee, with each pair interpreting blue through personal, formal and symbolic approaches.
"Blue becomes a site of encounter: between inner and outer worlds, between maker and viewer, between teacher and student," according to exhibition materials.
The show draws on blue's significance across art history, referencing artists including Wassily Kandinsky, Yves Klein and Lita Albuquerque, as well as the color's transcendent use across cultures and centuries.
Organizers say the exhibition is designed to reflect Pepperdine's core values, presenting a model of arts education rooted in mentorship, faith and reciprocal inquiry rather than academic hierarchy. Student artists are positioned alongside faculty as peers, gaining international exposure and professional experience on a major contemporary art stage.
"By exhibiting alongside mentors on an international stage, student artists are positioned not as apprentices, but as peers in a living continuum of artistic inquiry," exhibition materials state.
The project also carries a broader cultural message. Organizers describe Love & Mercy, Blue as a counterpoint to divisive imagery in contemporary geopolitical discourse — offering instead what they call a statement of mercy, spiritual depth and reverence for human dignity.
Personal Structures — Confluences runs May 9 through November 2026 in Venice.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### JPMorganChase Becomes Founding Partner of LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games
URL: https://www.smdp.com/jpmorganchase-becomes-founding-partner-of-la28-olympic-and-paralympic-games/
Last updated: 2026-05-09T19:00:00.000Z
JPMorganChase announced April 28 that it has become the Official Bank of Team USA and the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as a Founding Partner of the LA28 Games, marking a partnership the firm says will support athletes and create economic impact in Los Angeles and across the United States.
The announcement coincides with America's 250th anniversary. In addition to its Founding Partner role in the Retail Banking category, JPMorganChase is joining as a Worldwide Olympic Partner and will become the first Global Banking Partner in Olympic history.
"Team USA represents the very best of our country: resilience, excellence and the belief that sport can unite and inspire communities across the nation," said Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. She said partnerships like this strengthen the foundation that allows athletes to pursue greatness while advancing the broader Olympic and Paralympic Movement.
Jennifer Roberts, CEO of Chase Consumer Banking at JPMorganChase, said the partnership continues the firm's centuries-long history of investing in American people, businesses and communities. "Our unmatched scale, resources and expertise will help ensure the benefits of the LA28 Games extend far beyond the Closing Ceremony, for generations to come," Roberts said.
LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover said the Games are about championing athletes, expanding opportunity and leaving a lasting legacy. "Together, we're building an LA28 Games that rise to the scale of Los Angeles and redefine what the Olympic and Paralympic Movement can achieve," Hoover said.
JPMorganChase has been investing in America for 227 years. The firm serves more than 86 million consumers and 7.4 million small businesses through more than 5,000 branches in 48 states and the District of Columbia. In greater Los Angeles, it serves more than 5 million customers and 589,000 small business clients through more than 330 branches and 6,000 employees, with investments in affordable housing, wildfire recovery and the entertainment industry.
The firm plans to host financial health workshops at branches and other locations to help athletes plan their financial futures beyond the Games.
JPMorganChase will also partner with NBCUniversal to support multi-platform coverage of the LA28 Games. Mark Marshall, chairman of Global Advertising & Partnerships at NBCUniversal, said the collaboration will deliver storytelling that elevates the Games and inspires viewers.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Saturday, May 9, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/saturday-may-9-2026/
Last updated: 2026-05-09T17:41:33.000Z
Good morning, mixed sun and clouds with winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Today 🌤️ 68º/58º; Tomorrow 🌤️ 69º/58º; Monday 🌤️ 75º/59º
**FIRST UP**
SMDP Photo
## Tickets are coming for blocking bike lanes
Santa Monica launched automated enforcement of bike lane parking violations this month, becoming the first city in California..[READ](https://www.smdp.com/tickets-are-coming-for-blocking-bike-lanes/)
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**MORE NEWS**
[Free Closing Reception: Latinx Photography Exhibition in Santa MonicaSMC Barrett Gallery hosts a free closing reception for ‘Concrete Hope | Esperanza Concreta’ on May 9, 5-8 p.m. in Santa Monica. Features 38 Latine/x photographers, DJ, and local food vendors.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-barrett-gallery-to-host-free-closing-reception-for-latinx-photography-exhibition-may-9/)
[False threats temporarily close Santa Monica High SchoolSanta Monica police investigated a potential threat at Santa Monica High School on Friday, determining it to be unfounded, officials said. Officers were notified at approximately 11:53 a.m. of a potential threat reported to school officials. School Resource Officers and additional personnel responded immediately, coordinating with administrators, whoSMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monic/)
[SMC Wind Ensemble Spring Concert - May 10 in Santa MonicaSanta Monica College Wind Ensemble performs May 10 at 4 p.m. at the Broad Stage. Tickets $10, free for students. Features guest artist Spencer Danielson.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/smc-wind-ensemble-to-perform-spring-concert-may-10/)
[Italian Film Salon Opens on the Westside This MayItalian Film Salon launches May 2024 at Electric Lodge in Venice. Sundays noon-3pm. English subtitles, discussions included. No background required.SMDPMaaz Alin](https://www.smdp.com/new-italian-film-salon-launches-at-electric-lodge/)
**IN CASE YOU MISSED**
[Dr. Sion Roy Enters CA State Senate RaceCardiologist and Santa Monica College Board Chair Dr. Sion Roy enters California State Senate race, focusing on healthcare affordability, wildfire recovery, and practical governance.SMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/dr-sion-roy-enters-state-senate-race-with-physicians-lens-on-affordability-wildfire-recovery-and-practical-governance/)
[Santa Monica police seek information in nanny child abuse caseSanta Monica police detectives are investigating a suspected child abuse case involving an infant allegedly harmed by a Simi Valley woman who was employed as the child’s nanny, authorities said Wednesday. Carolina Cobian, 65, was arrested April 15 and booked at the Santa Monica Jail on felony child abuse charges.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-police-seek-information-in-nanny-child-abuse-case/)
[Lieu secures $841,000 for Santa Monica 911 dispatch upgrade, $13.7M total for districtThe City of Santa Monica will receive $841,000 in federal funding to replace aging dispatcher consoles in its 911 emergency communications center, part of a $13.77 million package of community project grants announced by Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Los Angeles County. The Santa Monica grant, drawn from the DepartmentSMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/lieu-secures-841-000-for-santa-monica-911-dispatch-upgrade-13-7m-total-for-district/)
[Santa Monica Updates Boulevard Safety Plan with Traffic CalmingSanta Monica City Council will vote May 12 on updated boulevard safety plan with narrower lanes, bus-only lanes, and automatic pedestrian signals to slow traffic and protect pedestrians.SMDPMatthew Hall](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-council-to-consider-updated-boulevard-safety-plan/)
[EEEEEATSCON 2026 Comes to Santa Monica May 16-17EEEEEATSCON returns to Santa Monica’s Barker Hangar May 16-17, 2026, featuring LA restaurants, national chefs, and collaborations. Tickets start at $25.SMDPMichelle Edgar](https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-becomes-a-national-stage-for-food-culture-as-eeeeeatscon-returns-to-the-barker-hangar/)
Interest in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/event-3/#/show?subset=picks). You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/050826.pdf?ref=smdp.com).
### Tickets are coming for blocking bike lanes
URL: https://www.smdp.com/tickets-are-coming-for-blocking-bike-lanes/
Last updated: 2026-05-09T10:00:01.000Z
Santa Monica launched automated enforcement of bike lane parking violations this month, becoming the first city in California to use camera technology mounted on parking enforcement vehicles to cite drivers who block cyclists.
The program, developed with San Francisco-based Hayden AI, began issuing warning notices May 1\. Fines of $93 take effect July 1.
Two forward-facing cameras mounted on the roofs of city traffic services vehicles automatically detect and record vehicles illegally stopped or parked in bike lanes. When a violation is identified, an evidence package is generated and reviewed by a city Parking Enforcement officer before any citation is issued.
"This initiative will bolster our growing network of bicycling infrastructure, enhance user comfort, and improve compliance with regulations intended to keep everyone safe on our roads," said Trevor Thomas, the city's senior transportation planner.
The city's pilot of the technology in May 2024 flagged nearly 1,700 violations in just six weeks across two enforcement vehicles, underscoring what officials described as the scale and urgency of the problem. Vehicles stopped in bike lanes force cyclists into active traffic lanes, increasing the risk of collisions.
The program is funded by Measure K, the parking facility tax approved by Santa Monica voters in 2024 to support local public safety initiatives. Payment plans are available for low-income residents who receive citations.
The bike lane enforcement program follows Santa Monica's Automated Bus Lane and Bus Stop Enforcement program, which launched in September 2025 using the same Hayden AI platform. That program, known as ABLE, deploys forward-facing cameras on Big Blue Bus vehicles to detect parking violations obstructing bus lanes and stops.
ABLE has shown measurable results. Bus lane parking violations dropped 67% between July 2025 and March 2026, while bus stop violations fell 40% over the same period. At the location with the highest concentration of bus lane violations, infractions fell 73%. At the worst-performing bus stop location, violations declined 49%.
Hayden AI CEO Marty Beard said keeping bike lanes clear benefits not only cyclists but also people with disabilities who use powerchairs and motorized scooters.
"It also encourages more people to ride bikes — getting cars off the road as a result," Beard said.
The launch coincides with two active infrastructure projects aimed at improving cycling conditions in the city. The city is upgrading the Broadway bike lane with concrete protection between 5th and 26th streets and constructing a new protected one-way bike lane on westbound Colorado Avenue between 17th and 5th streets.
Registered vehicle owners who receive warning notices during the two-month grace period will be notified by mail. Beginning July 1, violations will carry the $93 fine.
Hayden AI, founded in 2019 and headquartered in San Francisco, describes itself as the largest provider of mobile automated bus zone and bike lane enforcement systems in the United States.
### False threats temporarily close Santa Monica High School
URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monic/
Last updated: 2026-05-08T20:52:50.000Z
Santa Monica police investigated a potential threat at Santa Monica High School on Friday, determining it to be unfounded, officials said.
Officers were notified at approximately 11:53 a.m. of a potential threat reported to school officials. School Resource Officers and additional personnel responded immediately, coordinating with administrators, who implemented a temporary shelter-in-place. Officers conducted a systematic search of the campus and surrounding area.
The shelter-in-place was lifted at approximately 1:20 p.m. and normal school operations resumed. No injuries were reported.
Officers remained on campus following the all-clear to provide reassurance and support.
The investigation into the source of the threat remains ongoing. Individuals responsible for making false or threatening reports will be held accountable, police said.
### New Italian Film Salon Launches at Electric Lodge
URL: https://www.smdp.com/new-italian-film-salon-launches-at-electric-lodge/
Last updated: 2026-05-08T19:00:01.000Z
A new cultural offering will arrive on the Westside this May with the launch of the Italian Film Salon, an eight-week Sunday series dedicated to exploring the richness of Italian cinema through screenings, discussion and community gathering.
Hosted at Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave., the series will run on Sundays from noon to 3 p.m., offering audiences an opportunity to experience Italian films in an intimate, salon-style setting.
Each session includes a full film screening with English subtitles, contextual insights into the film's historical and artistic significance, and a relaxed group discussion.
The salon is designed to be accessible to a broad audience, with no Italian language or film background required. "You don't need any background in film or Italian language to participate," organizer Kerry Candaele said. "It's about experiencing great cinema together and creating a space for thoughtful conversation."
The series is limited in size to encourage an engaging and personal experience.
More information, including the full film lineup, is available at[ ](https://www.cine-salon.org/?ref=smdp.com)[www.cine-salon.org](https://www.cine-salon.org/?ref=smdp.com).
Edited by SMDP Staff
### SMC Barrett Gallery to Host Free Closing Reception for Latinx Photography Exhibition May 9
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-barrett-gallery-to-host-free-closing-reception-for-latinx-photography-exhibition-may-9/
Last updated: 2026-05-08T19:00:01.000Z
The SMC Pete and Susan Barrett Art Gallery will host a free closing reception for "Concrete Hope | Esperanza Concreta" on Saturday, May 9, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the SMC Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St. at Santa Monica Boulevard. Entry is through the Performing Arts Center's courtyard.
The reception will feature music by DJ Butchona and food from local vendors including Keren's 504 Fruits, Francisco's Yogurt and Gelatinas, Fresh Fruit by Ruth and Gamma's Tamales.
The exhibition showcases works by 38 Latine/x photographers and lens-based artists and is part of FotoSoCal by CuratorLove, a consortium of more than 20 community college galleries and affiliated spaces across Southern California.
The exhibition was curated by Erika Hirugami, a first-generation Mexican Japanese immigrant, founder of CuratorLove and co-founder of UNDOC+Collective. She serves as Curatorial Director for FotoSoCal and teaches photography history at SMC.
The exhibition closes after the reception. More information is available at smc.edu/barrett.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### SMC Wind Ensemble to perform spring concert May 10
URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-wind-ensemble-to-perform-spring-concert-may-10/
Last updated: 2026-05-08T19:00:01.000Z
The Santa Monica College Music Department will present its spring Wind Ensemble concert on Sunday, May 10, at 4 p.m. at The Eli & Edythe Broad Stage at the[ ](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com)[SMC Performing Arts Center](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=1310+11th+Street%2c+Santa+Monica%2c+CA+90401&sll=34.020066%2c-118.470469&sspn=0.007203%2c0.014291&ie=UTF8&ll=34.024121%2c-118.489974&spn=0.007203%2c0.014291&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1&ref=smdp.com), 1310 11th St. at Santa Monica Boulevard.
Under the direction of conductor Kevin McKeown, the ensemble will perform a mix of traditional and contemporary wind ensemble works. The concert will also feature guest artist Spencer Danielson, a professional musician and Santa Monica native.
"This concert will be an opportunity for our talented musicians to share an eclectic mix of new and traditional works for the wind band," McKeown said. "We are equally excited to highlight Spencer Danielson on two incredible pieces that will bring joy and exhilaration to our audience."
Tickets are $10 general admission, plus a modest service charge, and free for all students with a valid student ID. Advance tickets are available at[ ](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com)[smc.edu/tickets](http://smc.edu/tickets?ref=smdp.com) or by calling 310-434-3005 (Monday–Friday; limited hours). Tickets may also be purchased at the Broad Stage box office beginning 45 minutes before the performance. Free parking is available on the premises. Seating is first-come, first-served.
All performances are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### A Hidden Crisis Is Coming for Santa Monica's Seniors - And Sacramento Holds the Solution
URL: https://www.smdp.com/a-hidden-crisis-is-coming-for-santa-monicas-seniors-and-sacramento-holds-the-solution/
Last updated: 2026-05-08T19:00:02.000Z
By Kaylee Hawkins, MIS, Executive Director, Meals on Wheels West and Molly Davies, LCSW, President & CEO, Wise & Healthy Aging
On many mornings in Santa Monica, a volunteer driver from Meals on Wheels West loads up a warm meal and heads out to a homebound neighbor who may not see another person that day. Across town, a care manager at Wise & Healthy Aging checks in on a frail elder navigating a complex medical system alone, connects a family caregiver to support before they burn out, or ensures a senior at a neighborhood center has somewhere to go. These are not luxury services. They are the infrastructure that allows older adults to remain in their homes, their communities, and maintain their dignity. And now they are under threat.
The California Department of Aging is proposing changes to the Older Americans Act (OAA) Intrastate Funding Formula (IFF) - the mechanism that determines how federal aging services dollars are distributed to local programs. The proposed formula would result in a 17% reduction in annual funding for Los Angeles County. That is not an abstraction. It means nearly 396,000 fewer meals served each year, including more than 209,000 fewer home-delivered meals and over 185,000 fewer congregate meals at senior centers. It means reduced access to case management, caregiver support, elder abuse prevention services and more– the full network of services that keep seniors safe, connected, and out of far more costly care settings.
At Meals on Wheels West, the organization is already at a breaking point. In November 2025, we established a waitlist for the first time - and nearly 70 aging neighbors are currently waiting for a meal slot with no opening in sight. Our 2025 data reflect who is waiting: 93% of our clients have low incomes, four out of five live alone, and 88% say home-delivered meals are the direct reason they can remain in their own homes rather than entering far costlier assisted living or care facilities.
At Wise & Healthy Aging, this change would strike at the heart of services that many older adults depend on to live safely, independently, and with dignity. It could weaken case management programs that help seniors remain in their own homes rather than face unnecessary institutionalization. It could undermine elder abuse prevention efforts that alert older adults to emerging scams and give them the tools to protect themselves from exploitation, fraud, and harm. It may also jeopardize access to the WISE Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, a vital lifeline for residents in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities—one that investigates complaints, stands up for vulnerable residents, and helps protect their most basic civil rights in settings where they are too often unheard.
The formula change is not a neutral technical adjustment. The proposed revisions reduce the weighting for low-income older adults from 35% to 20% and eliminate weighting entirely for adults aged 75 and older and for those living alone. These are not incidental data points. They are the strongest predictors of vulnerability: the seniors most likely to need home-delivered meals, senior center access, care coordination, and crisis intervention. In their place, the formula increases emphasis on geography and broad population percentages, treating a 5% increase in a county of a few thousand as equivalent to a 4% increase in a county of over one million older adults. Los Angeles County added 92,000 older adults in a single year, more than any other county in California. The formula, as proposed, would not follow that growth.
Los Angeles County is home to 1.49 million adults aged 60 and older, and nearly 40% of them struggle to meet basic needs. The cost of serving seniors in a dense, high-cost urban region like ours is real and rising. Food, fuel, and labor costs continue to climb. The ombudsman who advocates for a nursing home resident, the case manager who prevents a hospitalization, the congregate meal site that keeps a senior from disappearing into isolation and missing maybe the only meal they will have that day - none of these are cheap to operate, and none of them are reflected in a formula that prioritizes square miles over seniors.
Once implemented, the funding formula will be extremely difficult to reverse. Programs will cut delivery routes and reduce operating hours. Senior centers will serve fewer meals. Waitlists will grow. Family caregivers will lose access to support before they reach a breaking point. And these costs will eventually surface elsewhere: in emergency rooms, in nursing facilities, in the quiet decline of older adults who lost their connection to services before anyone noticed.
Together, our organizations are calling on the California Department of Aging to pause implementation, release the full methodology and data behind the formula, and revise the IFF to account for the true cost of serving seniors - including regional expenses, waitlist demand, and the vulnerability indicators the current proposal discards. We also support a state budget augmentation to ensure no program or senior loses services in the transition.
If you are a Santa Monica resident, a family member of an aging resident, or simply someone who believes this community takes care of its own - please act before the window closes. Submit a public comment to the California Department of Aging at [CA2030@aging.ca.gov](mailto:CA2030@aging.ca.gov) with the subject line "Public Hearing Comment IFF Proposal" before Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 5 p.m. Pacific Time. (Please note that City of Santa Monica administered grant programs are not affected by changes to the IFF).
Funding must follow need - not geography.
Kaylee Hawkins is Executive Director of Meals on Wheels West. Molly Davies is President and CEO of Wise & Healthy Aging. Both organizations serve older adults in Santa Monica and the surrounding Westside community.
**Submit comments:** [**CA2030@aging.ca.gov**](mailto:CA2030@aging.ca.gov) **| Subject: "Public Hearing Comment IFF Proposal" | Deadline: May 12, 2026 at 5 p.m.**
### RAND Evaluation Finds JCOD's Breaking Barriers Program Advances Housing Stability for Justice-Involved Individuals
URL: https://www.smdp.com/rand-evaluation-finds-jcods-breaking-barriers-program-advances-housing-stability-for-justice-involved-individuals/
Last updated: 2026-05-08T19:00:01.000Z
A new RAND Corporation evaluation found that the Los Angeles County Justice, Care and Opportunities Department's Breaking Barriers program is making measurable progress in helping justice-involved individuals and families secure and maintain housing while building long-term stability through coordinated housing and employment support.
The evaluation found that 83% of participants receiving housing subsidies remained housed after one year, exceeding the program's 12-month retention target. Of the 460 participants evaluated, 56% received subsidies and successfully secured housing through the program.
Breaking Barriers is a rapid rehousing and supportive services initiative for justice-involved individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The program integrates rental subsidies, case management, housing navigation, employment services and flexible financial assistance to support long-term independence.
"The RAND evaluation confirms what we see every day — when people have stable housing, consistent coordinated support, structure, and access to living-wage employment, they generally commit to the provided opportunities and rebuild their lives," said JCOD Director Judge Songhai Armstead, who is retired. "Breaking Barriers is one of the ways we reflect our commitment to investing in solutions that create lasting stability and help people return home with dignity and a path to thrive."
Among participants who received housing subsidies and exited the program, 61% achieved positive outcomes such as assuming their own rent, transitioning to Section 8 housing or securing other permanent housing. Negative exits, including incarceration, shelter stays or returns to homelessness, accounted for 12% of exits among housed participants.
Only 8% of all program exits were due to reincarceration, regardless of housing status. RAND noted that higher levels of engagement with program staff were associated with increased likelihood of obtaining housing, longer housing retention and reduced risk of early exit due to incarceration.
Breaking Barriers met or exceeded most process benchmarks established by the California Board of State and Community Corrections, including targets related to referrals, case management, employment placements, housing applications and rental assistance.
The program is jointly operated by Brilliant Corners and Chrysalis. Brilliant Corners delivers rental subsidies, case management and housing services, while Chrysalis provides employment services such as job readiness training, career planning and transitional employment.
"Breaking Barriers was established to address the significant barriers people exiting justice settings face in accessing housing and employment," said William F. Pickel, CEO of Brilliant Corners. "The findings from this evaluation confirm why this program is such a vital resource."
Mark Loranger, president and CEO of Chrysalis, said housing and employment work together to drive results. "Stable housing creates the foundation, but employment is what allows people to sustain that stability over time," he said.
Funding comes from the California Board of State and Community Corrections and JCOD through the Care First Community Investment initiative. RAND researchers evaluated the program from March 2023 through December 2025 using administrative data and interviews with staff and participants. The report notes findings are associational rather than causal.
The full evaluation is available at jcod.lacounty.gov/program/breaking-barriers. For more information about JCOD programs, visit jcod.lacounty.gov.
Edited by SMDP Staff
### Crossroads Kids for Kololo Club rallys for Ethiopian school meal program
URL: https://www.smdp.com/crossroads-kids-for-kololo-club-rallys-for-ethiopian-school-meal-program/
Last updated: 2026-05-08T21:00:31.000Z
A student-run club at Crossroads School is inviting the Santa Monica community to its second annual charity concert Saturday at noon at in Santa Monica.
Kids for Kololo has raised $11,000 toward its $15,000 goal, with all proceeds going to fund the meal program at Kololo School in Kembata, Ethiopia — an institution that provides most of its students with their only daily meal.
"The Santa Monica community has always been super welcoming and supportive of our work," said Melese Light-Orr, Founder of the club. "We'd love to have that continue in the future."
In March, a team of 14 physicians from Addis Ababa conducted health screenings at the school and found that more than 50% of students showed signs of malnutrition.
"They eat rice and beans, and that's the children's only meal the entire day," Light-Orr said. "If students don't have the meal program, or if they don't get to go to school, they might end up having to do a full day of work on their family's farm in Kololo, and they don't get to have an actual meal that whole day — and that's a kid."
Club co-presidents Light-Orr and Shiv Munjal said this year's fundraising efforts aim not only to preserve the lunch program but eventually expand it to include more nutritious options such as bread and greens.
The event, billed as "Shine A Light," marks the second year of the annual fundraiser. Last year's concert raised more than $20,000, which organizers said is being used to bring electricity to the school and to families in Kololo for the first time.
This year's concert will open with a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony before live performances from nine student acts spanning jazz, blues, rock and pop, including The Bonkers, Jet Lag, Sound Roads and Crossroads Jazz 4\. Participating musicians also include students from New Roads and Geffen Academy, which the club said reflects its goal of inspiring other schools to join the effort.
"Most of the students involved in this club live in Santa Monica," Munjal said. "The community has been so embracing of our cause, and we're very grateful for everybody who has helped us throughout all this."
Tickets and donations are available at https://givebutter.com/shine-a-light-ii-a-concert-for-kololo-ta05zr/meleselightorr3.
### Friday, May 8, 2026
URL: https://www.smdp.com/thursday-may-7-2026-2/
Last updated: 2026-05-08T18:39:20.000Z
Local government has two special meetings next week, SMMUSD will hold a special meeting on May 13 from 4-6 p.m. at the Professional Development Learning Center (PDLC) (2802 4th St., Santa Monica) and the Council has a special meeting scheduled for Monday but no agenda is posted.
Sun and clouds mixed. High 67F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Today 🌤️ 67º/57º; Tomorrow 🌤️ 68º/57º
**FIRST UP**
Courtesy photo
## Dr. Sion Roy enters State Senate race with physician’s lens on affordability, wildfire recovery and practical governance
As California’s State Senate contests begin to take shape, cardiologist and Santa Monica College Board Chair Dr. Sion Roy...[READ](https://www.smdp.com/dr-sion-roy-enters-state-senate-race-with-physicians-lens-on-affordability-wildfire-recovery-and-practical-governance/)
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Interest in nearby events? Check out our [editor's picks](https://www.smdp.com/event-3/#/show?subset=picks). You can read our print version [here](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/050826.pdf?ref=smdp.com).
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