Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words
Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words
Sorted by date Results 101 - 125 of 165
Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles has sued the City of Santa Monica and its police chief over the ordered curfews that allegedly violated demonstrators' constitutional and civil rights during last year's protests over the killing of George Floyd, according to court papers. The lawsuit, filed late week in Los Angeles federal court, alleges that the citywide curfew order issued on May 31, 2020 was a "tactic used to stifle political protest against police violence" and it hindered peaceful protesters...
A 43-year-old homeless man was arrested this week after he allegedly chased another man through traffic along Lincoln Boulevard while brandishing two knives, local police said. The incident occurred at 2:10 on July 3 in the 2800 block of Lincoln Boulevard, according to Santa Monica Police Department. On patrol in the area, an officer saw multiple vehicles slam on their brakes at the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Hill Street, SMPD said in a press release. "The officer observed a male...
Santa Monica has extended its residential eviction moratorium until September, city officials announced this week. Last week, the city adopted a 38th supplement to Santa Monica's local emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic that explicitly adopts most provisions of Los Angeles County's residential tenant eviction moratorium. With the new supplement, residential rent due during the period July 1 through September 30, 2021, may now be deferred for 12 months, city officials said. The city's emergency...
The City of Santa Monica has announced the seven appointees to the newly-formed We Are Santa Monica Fund Board. They include business executives, a RAND analyst and a social services commissioner. The We Are Santa Monica Fund – a donor advised fund (DAF) – was established last year, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, to provide a pathway for the community to donate emergency goods, services, and monetary funds to aid recovery efforts, city officials said. The seven-member board will adv...
People living in homeless encampments on the Venice Beach boardwalk will be offered permanent housing and shelter starting next week, Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Bonin has announced. Beginning Monday, June 28, Bonin said, "we are launching the next phase of an ambitious and unprecedented program that will humanely address the homelessness crisis at Venice Beach, respond to the urgent safety needs of the housed and the unhoused, and fully reopen the park and beach for general public use." Bo...
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office filed an attempted homicide charge this week against a 29-year-old man in connection with a shooting last Sunday on Main Street. Harold Dwayne Willis was also charged on Tuesday with assault with a deadly weapon, felon in possession of firearm and carrying unregistered loaded firearm, among other 7 charges. The shooting took place at 8:08 p.m. on June 20 in the 1900 block of Main Street, according Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD). The...
The City Council this week adopted a balanced 2021–2023 biennial budget which "positions Santa Monica to emerge from the COVID-19 restrictions and cultivate a revitalized local economy." The budget – totaling $707.8 million in 2021-22 and $598.9 million in 2022-23 – focuses on community priorities and includes "expanded services to address homelessness, provide clean and safe public spaces and facilitate an equitable and inclusive economic recovery," said city officials At its Tuesday night...
An empty panga boat washed ashore near the Malibu Pier area Monday morning, triggering an investigation by local and federal authorities. The boat was discovered about 8:45 a.m. near the 23200 block of Pacific Coast Highway, said officials from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Authorities told the local media they were looking for any possible occupants of the boat and investigating an unconfirmed report that a body may have been found in the area. "A panga style boat was recovered and a...
The Santa Monica City Council this week reviewed and provided input to the draft Housing Element update, which "prioritizes 100% affordable housing in city-owned land" and "addresses historic discrimination and satisfies affirmatively furthering fair housing." The Council discussed and approved the various changes to the plan – some of which were recommended by the Planning Commission – and directed staff to transmit the draft Santa Monica Housing Element to the state's Housing and Com...
A high school student from Santa Monica has been selected to participate in the 17th annual GRAMMY Camp program., operated by the GRAMMY Museum. Jaq Adelman will be among 81 talented high school students from 67 U.S. cities who will take part in the annual summer camp that will be held virtually from Tuesday, July 20 to Saturday, July 24. Adelman will focus his efforts on the Keyboard Instrument. All Time Low, Echosmith, and The War and Treaty will be this year's guest artists at the music...
A 37-year-old man was convicted by a federal jury yesterday in connection with placing a lit firebomb at the entrance of a Jewish senior health care facility in Massachusetts last year. Following a week-long trial, John Rathbun, of Massachusetts, was convicted of one count of attempting to transport or receive explosive devices in interstate or foreign commerce with the knowledge or intent that the device will be used to kill, injure or intimidate any individual and one count of attempting to...
6/14: An Asian American woman walking to work on in the early hours of Monday reported that she was attacked by a white man in what Culver City police are calling a possible hate crime. The attack happened around 1 a.m. in the 13300 block of Washington Boulevard, the Culver City Police Department said. The victim was walking westbound on Washington Blvd when she was approached by the suspect who asked her for a cigarette, police said. "Fearful of the male suspect, the victim told him that she...
Beachgoers, paddle-boarders and residents are invited to reopening of the beloved house of fun By Jack Simon, Observer Staff Writer Beachgoers, surfers, sun-worshipers, paddle boarders, fun-seekers and community members will be welcomed back to the Annenberg Community Beach House next week, the City of Santa Monica has announced. As part of its the city's expanding in-person services, the Annenberg House will reopen next Tuesday, June 15, inviting the community members to return to the...
A pilot program calling for the closure of portions of Main Street during summer weekends has received the green light from the Santa Monica City Council despite complaints from residents that it is a "hare-brained scheme" that will negatively impact their neighborhoods. At its Tuesday night's meeting, the Council directed staff to move forward with the program to "open a 1½ block-long portion of Main Street (between Hill Street and Kinney Street) to pedestrians with expanded outdoor busi...
The Justice Department has reached an agreement with a California landlord to resolve a Fair Housing Act lawsuit alleging that he sexually harassed female tenants for two decades, including offering "to reduce their rental payments in exchange for sex." Under the consent order – entered by the U.S. District Court on Thursday – Larry Nelson of San Diego must pay at least $230,000 to $205,000 in damages to 13 tenants harmed by his harassment and a $25,000 civil penalty to the United States. A jud...
A 29-year-old man was arrested last Saturday night on suspicion of driving under the influence after he allegedly crashed his motorized scooter into a 91-year-old pedestrian, killing him on a Lincoln Boulevard sidewalk, authorities said. The DUI suspect was riding the scooter northbound Lincoln on the east sidewalk, near Marco Court, around 9 p.m. when he collided with a pedestrian who "fell onto the sidewalk hitting his head," said Los Angeles Police Department in a press release....
A drug-trafficking investigation, conducted by Culver City police along with detectives from other agencies, has netted 2,500 pounds of Methamphetamine and about 200 kilos of cocaine valued at $60 million, local authorities announced this week. "This drug seizure is believed to be one of the largest in Los Angeles County history," the Culver City Police Department said in a statement. The drug bust was conducted earlier this month by the by the multi-agency task force, CCPD said. The...
The City Council held two study sessions this week to review the proposed 2021-23 Biennial Budget which "positions Santa Monica to safely and responsibly emerge from the COVID-19 emergency orders and cultivate a revitalized local economy that reflects and services our diverse community." The budget – totaling $705.5 million in 2021-22 and $597.7 million in 2022-23 – includes expanded services to address homelessness, provide clean and safe public spaces and "facilitate an equitable and inc...
Students who were issued Chromebooks by the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District will not have to return their devices if they plan to continue with learning over the summer, school officials said this week. "We understand that many families are anxious to continue with student progress and learning over the summer," said Supt. Ben Drati. "We are planning to allow our students to keep their Chromebooks to support and facilitate summer learning." In a letter to parents, posted online on...
Wolfgang Knabe has been appointed as Interim Santa Monica Fire Chief, city officials announced Friday. He will start his temporary post June 10. Knabe, a 40-year fire service veteran, will succeed current Fire Chief Bill Walker who announced last week he was stepping down on June 4 to head up the City of Bedford Fire Department in Texas. Knabe retired as Fullerton/Brea's Fire Chief in 2018 and, in July of 2020, came out of retirement to lead the Manhattan Beach Fire Department as Interim Fire...
Santa Monica this week selected Lyft, Spin and Veo to participate in its second Shared Mobility Pilot Program, slated to begin on July 1. The 21-month pilot program, approved by City Council in March, will feature 2000 electric bikes and scooters. It was designed to promote the health and wellbeing of Santa Monica residents and will include new technologies that can improve public safety and different device types to meet the needs of users, said city officials. Francie Stefan, Santa Monica's...
Culver City police arrested on Saturday a man who allegedly stole at gunpoint a 10-month-old French bulldog in Fox Hills earlier this week. "The French bulldog was located (unharmed) and returned to its rightful owner," Culver City Police Department said in a press release. The dog snatcher reportedly responded to an advertisement listing the dog for sale. On Wednesday, May 12, the bulldog's owner agreed to meet the man on the 6000 block of Canterbury Drive around 7 p.m. to make the exchange, ac...
Santa Monica has resolved another tenant-landlord dispute and banked $15,000. The City reached a settlement with Marshall Reddick Real Estate and Balthazar Investment Group – landlords of a five-unit apartment building at 820 Bay Street – "to resolve allegations of tenant harassment and wrongful eviction," Santa Monica officials announced on Monday. Under the settlement agreement, the landlords will provide the tenants with more than $7,500 in rental credits, pay Santa Monica $15,000, and att...
Santa Monica Fire Chief Bill Walker announced on Tuesday he will be departing his post on June 4 to head up the City of Bedford Fire Department in Texas. A Southern California native, Walker has served as head of the Santa Monica Fire Department since 2016, guiding it through a period of transformation with new technology, four new fire engines, the new Fire Station 1, and Fire Station 7 at the beach, the city said in a press release. "Santa Monica could not have had a better leader to see us th...
The City Council met this week to review the OIR Group's independent, after-action report on the events connected to the civil unrest in Santa Monica May 31, 2020. The Group's 116-page analysis does not condemn the Santa Monica Police Department but it does contain 44 recommendations to improve the city and SMPD's emergency response. At its meeting Tuesday night, the Council directed SMPD to prepare within 60 days a response to the report, setting out a plan for implementation of the...
