CIVIC CENTER — Billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad has chosen downtown Los Angeles over Santa Monica as the site to house his extensive contemporary art collection after a decision by the Grand Avenue Authority on Monday to approve his plans for the project.
The ruckus began after members of Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights gathered for their annual convention to endorse candidates for local races this November.
CITY HALL — Bicycle activists and their allies on the Planning Commission and City Council are headed for a high-stakes clash with bio-tech firm Agensys over a proposed bike lane they want incorporated into a proposed office development the company is planning on the east side of town.
CITY HALL — A former Big Blue Bus supervisor could spend a year behind bars after she was convicted this week of allegedly abusing City Hall’s rideshare program that provides employees who use public transit to get to work with free bus passes.
When Santa Monica City Council members passed a ban on doing business with Arizona companies because of that state’s controversial anti-immigration law, SB 1070, little did they know they were about to see a proposed $3 million contract on the agenda with Cavco Industries, Inc.
BBB HDQTRS — A trip on a Big Blue Bus is about to get more expensive. As of Aug. 29, the standard cash fare for regular passengers and students on most lines is going up 25 cents to $1 per ride, with the fare on Express lines going to $2, up from $1.
DOWNTOWN L.A. — Santa Monica’s chances of landing billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad’s museum took another hit Tuesday after the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors gave unanimous support to a plan to build the museum as part of the Grand Avenue Project in Downtown Los Angeles.
If I were Robert Rizzo, the city manager for the city of Bell, I’d have given a press conference to thank the people of Bell for paying me $787,637 per year.
CITY HALL — Calling the existing bridge that connects Ocean Avenue to the Santa Monica Pier “structurally deficient and functionally obsolete,” officials are making plans to replace the 61-year-old structure, a project they hope will be almost entirely funded with federal transportation grants.
CITY HALL — The Veterans Administration plans to complete renovation of a facility to house homeless combat veterans on the agency’s West Los Angeles campus by 2012 — faster than local officials previously thought — a VA spokesman said on Monday.
CITY HALL — Donors to the two-month long “Save Our Schools” fundraising drive contributed more than $1.5 million to the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation — an amount leaders of the effort said could save 18 teaching positions this school year.
WILSHIRE BLVD — The Parlor restaurant and sports bar, which earlier this year was forced to reduce its operating hours after residents complained to the Santa Monica City Council the establishment was a nuisance — has closed for renovations but plans to re-open.
