The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District has approved a $2.8 million purchase of property adjacent to Franklin Elementary School to expand the campus, which is currently half the recommended size for its student population.
The iconic Pacific Wheel on Santa Monica Pier will display New Year's greetings in 16 languages using 174,000 LED lights from sunset to midnight on Dec. 31-Jan. 1. Visitors can view the illuminated 90-foot Ferris wheel from the beach or watch online.
August 2024 brought major leadership changes to Santa Monica as Police Chief Ramon Batista and City Attorney Doug Sloan resigned, marking three senior departures. The month also saw controversial housing policy changes and continued challenges with retail theft.
In September 2024, charter carrier JSX applied to operate daily flights from Santa Monica Airport starting in 2025 using quiet turboprop aircraft, even as city officials reaffirmed the airport will still close permanently in 2028.
Leo Pustilnikov, a developer who has clashed repeatedly with Santa Monica city officials over downtown governance and housing projects, has defaulted on a $37.5 million loan
The FAA has determined Santa Monica Municipal Airport violated federal law by accumulating surplus revenues intended for general city services after the airport's closure, rather than using those funds for aviation purposes as required.
July 2024 brought contrasting homeless statistics to the Westside, with Santa Monica reporting a 5% increase primarily from people living in vehicles, while Venice saw its unsheltered population drop 22%. The month also saw major changes to the DTSM board and algorithmic rental pricing banned.
Front & Center
Biblical levels of rain (for SoCal) fell over Christmas
During the calm before our next storm, we can't help but marvel at our season-to-date rainfall.
Los Angeles County experienced its wettest Christmas in modern history as a powerful atmospheric river dumped extreme rainfall across the region Dec. 22-29. Downtown LA recorded about 4 inches, while Santa Monica received 3.1-4.8 inches, causing widespread flooding and mudslides.
Santa Monica police are investigating a shooting in the downtown area, the latest in a series of violent incidents raising community concerns about public safety. Officials are responding with increased security measures as the entertainment zone launches.
