Council continues to dissect the already convoluted issue of cannabis retail
City officials are attempting to embed social equity rules into as-yet unwritten laws that will allow recreational cannabis dispensaries into the city. Santa Monica has issued permits for two medical dispensaries but is expanding rules to allow recreational businesses to open. Those rules will incorporate some restrictions on proximity to sensitive sites but the focus of discussion last month was on ways to incentivize certain populations to enter the business. According to a staff presentation to City Council, “cannabis social equity” recognizes “the long-term impact of the criminalization of cannabis upon minority communities” and “promotes equitable ownership and employment opportunities in the cannabis industry” and finally decreases “disparities and improves outcome among identified groups that have been most affected by the war on drugs.”
Employee union to receive wage increases in tentative agreement with the school district
After an elongated negotiation period between Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) officials and Union SEIU Local 99, district employees have received many of their asked-for provisions, including pay raises and extended working hours. Local 99, which represents many of the district’s employees, has reached a tentative contract agreement with SMMUSD that secured union members an 18% wage increase through the 2025-26 school year. The agreement included a 5% wage increase plus retroactive pay to January, a 3% wage increase effective July 1, and two-step adjustment wage increases of 5% during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years.
Captain sentenced to four years following boat fire in 2019 that killed 34
The captain of the charter boat MV Conception that caught fire during the night and killed 34 people on board near Santa Cruz Island on Labor Day 2019 was sentenced to four years in prison for gross negligence on May 2. In the Los Angeles federal courthouse that was packed with relatives of the victims, US District Judge George H. Wu handed down the four year sentence to Jerry Boylan, 70, which will be followed by three years supervised probation with the condition that he participate in mental health treatment. A restitution hearing was scheduled for July 11, at which time, or shortly thereafter, Boylan will begin his sentence. Until then, he remains free on a $75,000 bail bond.
Student advocates loom large in SMMUSD shift to renewable energy
On May 1, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) hosted a “Plugging In” ceremony to commemorate a switch back to 100% renewable energy sourcing, a movement spurred in large part by student activists at Santa Monica High School. On the rooftop of the Samohi Discovery Building, the students were the stars of the show, namely members of Samohi’s Team Marine, who were instrumental in the SMMUSD Board of Education approving the transition. Team Marine student captain Maya Williams came to the SMMUSD board in early 2023 with a petition featuring over 800 signatures from students and community members calling on the district to transition back to renewable sources.
City sets up ‘Celebrate28 initiative’ in preparation for the 2028 Olympic Games
The City of Santa Monica has taken the first steps to create what it’s calling the “Celebrate28 initiative” by inviting relevant members of City staff, along with key community leaders and business representatives “to play a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of our city in preparation for this global event.” According to the City, there will be a total of nine separate committees and they “will serve as the driving force to define goals, set milestones and determine resource needs essential for Santa Monica’s successful participation in the LA28 Olympics.”
Westside celebrates Mexican heritage during holiday weekend
All of the Westside came together to celebrate Mexican culture, heritage and freedom during various Cinco de Mayo events during the holidays weekend. In Santa Monica, local points of interest like the Third Street Promenade and Pier were packed out, with a special Mariachi performance at the Promenade bringing a large crowd. In Venice, the streets and beach were taken over by the vibrant Mexican car culture, with a Saturday street festival adjacent to Oakwood Recreation Center featuring low-riders along with musical entertainment and food trucks. On Cinco de Mayo itself, the Venice Beach boardwalk was taken over by a special Car Show, featuring the likes of 310 Riders Car Club and United Riderz Los Angeles.
Barnes & Noble set for summer 2024 opening, but Din Tai Fung could be 2025
Both the eagerly-awaited Din Tai Fung restaurant and the Barnes & Noble bookstore are still on course to open outlets in Downtown Santa Monica. According to local officials, Din Tai Fung received its building permit in mid-April and pre-construction work is underway for an opening date by January 2025. Barnes & Noble is still on track to open in 2024, hopefully by the end of June or beginning pf July, according to Barnes & Noble, Inc. Senior Director of Planning and Design Janine Flanigan, Sr. While not as big as the Barnes & Noble store in The Grove, there are plans to hold book signings and other special events, but ones that are more suitable to the slightly smaller store footprint.
Homeless man arrested after threats against tourist and Legion patrolman
A section of the northbound lane of Ocean Avenue, opposite the Santa Monica Pier entrance, was shut down for approximately 45 minutes on May 7 as officers from the Santa Monica Police Department reacted swiftly to a homeless man acting in a severely irrational and threatening manner. According to a witness, at about 11am, while on the monthly Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM) safety walk, the team consisting of DTSM Operations personnel, Legion Security, DTSM Outreach and members of the police department encountered an individual exhibiting anti-social behavior. According to the witness, when the team engaged the individual, he became agitated and threatening, picking up a knife and saying he was willing to kill members of the team. After a standoff, police took the individual down and into custody. The subject was being charged under California Penal Code 422 for threats against the security officer and outreach personnel.
Tourism summit highlights importance of international visitors amid post-pandemic recovery
On May 2, local leaders gathered at Hotel Casa Del Mar for the 15th annual Santa Monica Travel & Tourism Summit, featuring an unveiling of the 2023 Tourism Economic and Fiscal Impact summary report for the city. In 2023, Santa Monica had 4,637,700 visitors, which was a 12.8% decrease from the 2022 total of 5,320,500. While this also meant total visitor days were down from 2022, a 9% decrease, the average length of visitor stay was up from 1.4 days in 2022 to 1.46 days in 2023. International visitors, called a “silver lining” due to longer stays and spending more money in town, did just that as the 1.12 million visitors spent $366.6 million, up over 11% from 2022.
SQA ceremony honors environmental stewardship amongst business community
Local business achievements in environmental stewardship, social responsibility and economic development were celebrated during the 2024 Sustainable Quality Awards (SQA) ceremony held at the Annenberg Community Beach House. SQA winners were announced in April, honoring six businesses in all, with Sustainable Works Co-Executive Director Susy Borlido stating that past and present winners have done everything from facility retrofits and purchasing changes to switches to energy-efficient equipment and taking advantage of available city green rebate programs. The Grand Prize Winner for 2024 was clothing store Patagonia Santa Monica.
SMC, Chamber continue bold talent program with biotech, cloud computing focuses
On April 26, Santa Monica College (SMC) and the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce furthered its Chamber Talent Connect program, which builds partnerships for SMC students and Santa Monica businesses, but hosting an event focused on the biotechnology industry. The following week, the program focused on the sector of cloud computing, data science and artificial intelligence. At the biotechnology event, hosted at the Kite Gilead campus adjacent to Bergamot Station Arts Center, Kite and SMC faculty discussed opportunities for SMC students in the ambitious industry, including a chance to engage with Kite’s revolutionary cell therapy aimed to treat and potentially cure cancer. The cloud computing, data science and artificial intelligence event on May 3 was held on SMC’s main campus and featured speakers along with workshops for interested students.
LA City Councilwoman Traci Park announces new homeless services and beach clean up in Venice
Los Angeles City Councilwoman Traci Park was joined by officials from the Bureau of Sanitation, Recreation and Parks, Los Angeles Police Department and community leaders the morning of May 7 to announce a new initiative to help the homeless and clean up the beaches. Park previously secured funding for a Care Plus team dedicated to the Los Angeles coastal area, and announced the first Care Plus operation in Venice, a team consisting of six individuals, a truck operator and environmental compliance inspectors. The team will be removing large solid waste and debris two days a week, with a goal to eventually expand up to five days a week.
Young adult novel popularity continues to soar at festival
The popularity of young adult and teenage-focused novels has continued to persist, as local youth filled the campus of Santa Monica High School this month to meet their favorite authors. Over 50 authors in a plethora of genres signed books for excited fans and took part in panels discussing their works for the tenth anniversary of the Yallwest book festival. The festival was an extension of the Yallfest event that began in Charleston, South Carolina in 2011, and Yallwest was co-founded by authors Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz.
Opera icon’s return to BroadStage a family affair
A world-traveled legend of operatic singing, mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča’s return to Santa Monica was a special one for herself and her family. On May 10, Garanča came back to the BroadStage as part of the Celebrity Opera Recital Series, a family affair as she was accompanied by an orchestra led by her husband, esteemed British conductor Karel Mark Chichon. An audience favorite at BroadStage, Garanča and Chichon’s trip was the first time bringing their two daughters to the Los Angeles area. Garanča has received global recognition from audiences, appearing regularly at iconic stages like the Metropolitan Opera House and Carnegie Hall in New York City, Wigmore Hall in London and Deutsche Oper Berlin in Germany.
Ambitious modular construction project aims to support transition-age youth
On April 26, Community Corporation of Santa Monica broke ground on the city’s latest 100% affordable housing development, titled Berkeley Station, located at 1342 Berkeley St. Consisting of 13 one-bedroom apartments and using a modular form of construction, the partnership between Community Corporation and city officials aims to support transition-age youth. Community Corporation had the property purchased years ago, primarily for parking lot use for the adjacent Big Berkeley affordable housing project.
Santa Monica Animal Shelter to hold third annual fundraiser day of events and activities
The Santa Monica Animal Shelter will hold its third annual open house fundraiser on Saturday, June 1, to raise money to help cover the cost of veterinary care, medical attention and food for hungry animals. During the event, residents will be able to tour the facility and meet animals waiting to be adopted. For a small donation, you could win prizes in a raffle, including gift certificates and gift baskets from many local businesses. Silent auction prizes include a ride on a Santa Monica Harbor Patrol rescue boat or an educational experience with the Santa Monica Police Forensics Department.
SMC breaks ground on first microforest at US community college
Last month, Santa Monica College in collaboration with the City of Santa Monica and the Malibu Foundation unveiled a microforest on its main campus, becoming the first community college in the nation to have such a space. The 400 square foot space acts as an indigenous forest using native plantlife, acting as a self-sustaining ecosystem with a plethora of environmental benefits. The benefits also extend to SMC students, as the college’s biology pathway will have students from two different classes continually visiting the microforest to measure things like plant growth and soil development.
Rent Control Board Chair Ericka Lesley announces run for City Council
Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. board member and Chair of Santa Monica’s Rent Control Board, Ericka Lesley has officially declared her candidacy for a seat on City Council. Four seats will be up for election in November, all currently occupied by incumbents, namely Gleam Davis, Phil Brock, Oscar de la Torre and Christine Parra. Lesley is the second person to publicly announce an intent to run, but the formal paperwork to become a candidate won’t be available for several months.
thomas@smdp.com