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Newsletter: Mar 27, 2026

By Editor
Published:

Cloudy. Intermittent drizzle this morning. High 71F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Today: 🌧️ High 71° / Low 56°
Tomorrow: ☁️ High 73° / Low 60°

First Up

Downtown
Plan: Santa Monica Council approves eight-point plan to boost business amid declining sales and fire recovery challenges. (Photo Credit: SMDP)

Santa Monica Launches Sweeping Economic Recovery Package as Downtown Struggles to Rebound

Facing declining restaurant sales, stubbornly high retail vacancies, and the lingering economic shadow of the 2025 Palisades Fire... READ

Close to Home

Growth rate slowed in US metro areas in 2025, with steepest drops along the southern border
Growth rates in U.S. metro areas dropped the steepest last year in communities along the border with Mexico because of declines in immigrants, while counties along Florida’s Gulf Coast lost residents due to a series of hurricanes, according to population estimates released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.
AI Virtual Tour Guide & Avatar Generator Guide
Learn how to create AI virtual tour guides using avatar generators and Pippit AI tools to build engaging, interactive video experiences.
Gen Z Drives LA Red Cross Volunteer Surge to 48%
Generation Z comprises 48% of Los Angeles Red Cross volunteers, leading growth among 9,000+ volunteers across the region in 2024.
Metro Launches New Safety Website with Crime Data
Metro launches Safety Hub, a new online resource providing transparent data on transit safety, crime statistics, and security efforts across LA’s transit system.

In Case You Missed It

Chamber of Commerce CEO announces departure after four years
Judy Kruger, the president and CEO of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, announced she will step down from the role by the end of June, concluding a four-year tenure during which the organization expanded its programming and restored financial footing following the COVID-19 pandemic. Kruger, who has led the
Cayton Children’s Museum Brings Free Weekly Family Programming to West LA’s Bundy Triangle Night Market
Cayton Children’s Museum will offer free, weekly hands-on activities for children and families at the Bundy Triangle Night Market in Sawtelle every Friday from March 27 through the end of October, the museum announced. The programming, offered in partnership with Los Angeles City Councilwoman Traci Park, will run from 5
Santa Monica Faces $35M Budget Deficit, Says Council Candidate
Santa Monica City Council candidate Doug Trussler exposes $35 million budget deficit for 2026, criticizes city’s financial transparency amid parcel tax request.
Santa Monica resident opposes new SMMUSD parcel tax
Santa Monica resident Karen Melick argues SMMUSD’s $495 parcel tax is unnecessary, citing $84M reserves and history of budget surpluses.

Events

$5 Community Dog Training Classes!

Virginia Ave Park

Sat. Mar 28 10:30AM

2200 Virginia Ave, Santa Monica

DadTime

Virginia Avenue Park (fitness room inside the Park Center)

Sat. Mar 28 9:00AM

2200 Virginia Avenue, Santa Monica

Eddie Frierson's MATTY: an evening with Christy Mathewson

Santa Monica Playhouse

Sat. Mar 28 7:00PM

1211 4th St,, Santa Monica

Rediscovering Twin Peaks

West Los Angeles Regional Library

Sat. Mar 28 1:30PM

11360 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles

Roman Garden: Seed Ball Workshop

Getty Villa

Sat. Mar 28 11:00AM

17985 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Pacific Palisades

2026 Downtown Santa Monica Easter Celebration

1300 Block

Sun. Mar 29 12:00PM

, Santa Monica

Eddie Frierson's MATTY: an evening with Christy Mathewson

Santa Monica Playhouse

Sun. Mar 29 1:30PM

1211 4th St,, Santa Monica

Trash Art at the Library

West Los Angeles Regional Library

Sun. Mar 29 2:00PM

11360 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles

Venice Electric Light Parade - Sundays at Sunset

Windward Plaza

Sun. Mar 29 12:00AM

1501 Ocean Front Walk, Venice

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