Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words

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  • Brush Fire Closes Santa Monica Freeway and Lincoln Blvd - UPDATE - all roads now open

    Observer Staff|Oct 17, 2024

    A brush fire forced the closure of two major arteries for the Westside Wednesday October 16th. East Bound and West Bound Santa Monica Fwy were be closed between the McClure Tunnel and 20th St. Lincoln Blvd was closed to both Northbound & Southbound traffic from Westbound Olympic to Eastbound Olympic. Lincoln Blvd is the main up and down link connecting Santa Monica, Venice, Westchester, Inglewood and the Los Angeles Airport. The Santa Monica Freeway transitions to the Pacific Coast Highway via...

  • Santa Monica Observer Endorses the Safety Slate for City Council: Phil Brock, Oscar de la Torre, John Putnam, and Dr. Vivian Roknian

    Observer Staff|Oct 17, 2024

    As Santa Monica faces rising concerns about crime and public safety, it's more important than ever for voters to understand which candidates genuinely prioritize safety and security for our community. This election, we strongly endorse the slate of Phil Brock, Oscar de la Torre, John Putnam, and Dr. Vivian Roknian for Santa Monica City Council. These candidates have consistently shown a commitment to tackling the city's safety challenges head-on, standing in stark contrast to their opponents...

  • 4.7 Earthquake Strikes 7 kilometers north of Malibu, shakes local community

    Observer Staff|Sep 13, 2024

    September 12, 2024 - At 7:28 this morning, as people were having breakfast or commuting to school or work, a 4.7 earthquake shook the region. The epicenter is noted by the USGS as located 7 kilometers north of Malibu, right along Kanan Dume road. Two minutes later, a second quake of 2.8 struck nearby, 6 km north of Malibu, in an area that appears to be between Kanan Dune and Bonsail Drive....

  • Disappointed by Public Safety, Democrats for a Safer Santa Monica Announces a City Council Slate

    Observer Staff|Sep 2, 2024
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    A slate to counter the Santa Monicans for Renters Rights annual slate has been announced. The four candidates are: 1) Dr. Vivian Roknian, a long-time resident, oral surgeon, small business owner, and parent; 2) John Putnam, a 30-year resident, a small business owner and parent; 3) Incumbent Mayor Phil Brock and 4) Incumbent Councilmember Oscar de la Torre. The press release from the organization is below. SANTA MONICA COMMUNITY UNITES TO FIND NEW LEADERSHIP FOR A SAFER CITY Residents, Business...

  • Woman Abducts 4 Year Old Child From Restaurant in 1900 Block of Lincoln Blvd.

    Observer Staff|Jul 19, 2024

    7/12/24: Santa Monica Police recovered a 4 year old girl from a heavyset woman in her 30's who abducted the child from a resaurant in the 1900 block of Lincoln Blvd. Santa Monica Police released the following press release: This afternoon at 12:11 PM, the Santa Monica Police Department received a frantic call for help from a grandmother whose 4-year-old granddaughter had been kidnapped from a restaurant in the 1900 block of Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica. The first officers were on the scene...

  • The Third Street Promenade: Is it a Fun, Safe Place for Families or Overrun by Crime and Human Degradation?

    Observer Staff and John Alle|Jun 10, 2024

    In response to Santa Monica Mayor Phil Brock uploading to Instagram a promotional video featuring the Third Street Promenade in rose-colored terms, John Alle wrote the following regrading what he and the Santa Monica Coalition he co-founded see as the ongoing and very real problems in the Santa Monica downtown area. His remarks have been edited for length. He also provided the photos, which were date and time stamped as we have recorded here. What you [Phil Brock] conveyed in your video does not...

  • Brush Fire Briefly Closes PCH at Santa Monica Early This Morning

    Observer Staff|May 10, 2024

    May 9, 2024 - At 2:43 am the Santa Monica Alert system warned of a closure of the Pacific Coast Highway in both directions from the California Incline to Entrada. The reason given was a brush fire. Homeless individuals camp on the palisades below the park along Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica and have started fires on other occasions, but it is unknown if that is the case here. At 3:25 am, the Alert system notified the public that the highway was again open....

  • Lincoln Boulevard Near the Freeway to Be Closed This Weekend

    Observer Staff|May 10, 2024

    May 10, 2024 - Southbound Lincoln Blvd. between Colorado Ave. and Olympic Blvd. will be closed from Friday May 10th at 8 AM to Saturday May 11th at 6 PM. One lane southbound will be opened for hours of Friday 6 PM to Saturday 8 AM. Alternate route to I-10 East, use Santa Monica Blvd. to Cloverfield Blvd. This block of Lincoln blvd has several large apartments blocks under construction....

  • Major Sewage Spill Closes Dockweiller, Venice and Other Los Angeles County Beaches

    Observer Staff Writers|May 10, 2024

    LA County Department of Public Health has closed Dockweiler and Venice beaches, after a a discharge of 14,400 gallons of sewage entered Ballona Creek. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is updating its ocean water closure due to the release of approximately 14,400 gallons of untreated sewage to include: Dockweiler State Beach from Ballona Creek to one mile South. Venice Beach from Ballona Creek to one mile North. The expansion of the closure area was due to information provided b...

  • What did the UCLA Chancellor Really Mean in His Statement Regarding Encampment Takedown

    Observer Staff|May 7, 2024
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    Here is our interpretation of what Chancellor Block really meant in his message about the takedown of the encampment on campus that conducted activities directly contrary to university policy and whose participants were shown on multiple videos harassing and restricting movement of Jewish students, clear violations of Federal Title VI. Translations of his statement are between brackets. May 2, 2024 Around 1:40 pm, UCLA Chancellor Gene Block shared the following message about the immense toll...

  • 4.1 Earthquake in Corona at 1:49 pm Today (Earlier Reported as 4.3)

    Observer Staff|May 2, 2024

    May 1, 2024 - A 4.3 magnitude earthquake struck just moments ago at 1:49 pm local time. The epicenter was located 9 km southwest of Corona California at a depth of 1.5 km....

  • Reports of Armed Suspect in the Bluffs Closes PCH in Santa Monica for Two Hours

    Observer Staff|Apr 15, 2024

    April 8, 2024 - The Pacific Coast Highway was closed for nearly two hours today around noon as police negotiated with an armed suspect. At 12:07, the Santa Monica Police Department sent out an alert that they were closing the Pacific Coast Highway from Entrada south to the I-10 Freeway 4th Street exit. As is typical, the alert gave no details about the "Police activity" that was taking place, but social media posts reported that a suspect may have assaulted individuals on the beach and then...

  • Wrong Way Driver Causes Deadly Collision at Overland Entrance to the Santa Monica Freeway.

    Observer Staff|Apr 11, 2024

    A crash on the 10 Freeway that involved a wrong way driver killed one person and sent three others to the hospital with serious injuries, authorities said. According to preliminary information, the three-car collision occurred just after 1:50 a.m. Sunday on the westbound span of the 10 near Overland Avenue in West L.A.'s Rancho Park neighborhood. The deceased was a 19 year old boy riding in the vehicle struck by the wrong way driver. The driver, a 51 year old woman, was arrested at the scene...

  • Local Briefs: Santa Monica Budget Tops $750,000,000; Beverly Hills Middle School Expels Students Who Portrayed Classmates as Nude Through AI

    Observer Staff|Mar 14, 2024

    SM Budget Tops $750,000,000 Santa Monica lawmakers grappled with a three quarters of a billion dollar annual budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year. "On June 27, 2023, the City Council unanimously adopted a balanced biennial budget for FY 2023–25 focused on community priorities of a safe and clean Santa Monica, addressing homelessness, and an equitable and inclusive economic recovery," says the City's website. "Adoption of the Biennial Budget comes as Santa Monica emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic...

  • Sweet Lady Jane Bakery in Santa Monica Hits Permitting Glitch in Plans to Reopen

    Observer Staff|Mar 14, 2024

    March 8, 2024 - The Sweet Lady Jane bakery branches, all of which closed to near-universal sorrow in January, has been bought by a new owner and has reopened in Beverly Hills. However, the branch on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica closed down again. According to a sign posted on the door, the new owners, "Julie and Matt," ran into a permitting glitch with the City of Santa Monica. The previous owner reportedly failed to acquire necessary permits for some remodeling work. A notice posted next to...

  • Turkish Member of Parliament Shouts "Israel Will Suffer the Wrath of Allah!" Then Dies of a Heart Attack

    Observer Staff|Dec 15, 2023

    A Turkish Member of Parliament suffered a heart attack seconds after shouting that Israel would "suffer the wrath of Allah." MP Hasan Bismet spoke out strongly against Israel, and shouted about Israeli suffering the "wrath of Allah". Seconds later, he had a heart attack, reports Visegrad News on Twitter. https://x.com/visegrad24/status/1734566904629428292?s=20 Making the story even more ironic, Turkey has occupied the Northern third of Cyprus, an independent Greek speaking country, since 1975....

  • SMPD Arrests Meth Heads With Stolen Copper Wire and Drug Paraphenelia

    Observer Staff|Nov 6, 2023

    The following is a press release from the Santa Monica Police Department: In the early morning hours of Monday, October 23, 2023, SMPD officers on patrol stopped a vehicle for a stop sign violation at the intersection of 12th Street and Montana Ave. Officers could see a methamphetamine pipe in the vehicle on the driver side floorboard and a large amount of copper wire in the backseat. Officers recovered over 500 feet of copper wire along with additional drug paraphernalia. Three suspects were...

  • Town Hall Organized by Santa Monica Coalition Promises to Provide the Real Scoop on Crime and Public Safety- POSTPONED

    Observer Staff

    UPDATE: POSTPONED The Santa Monica Coalition has organized a Safety Town Hall. Come join us: Thursday, October 26, 6:30PM - 8:30PM Listen to our panelists, experts in their fields, discuss the current public safety challenges in Santa Monica as well as offer their solutions on how we can make Santa Monica safe again. We look forward to seeing you at the Town Hall. Please share this flyer with your neighbors and friends. Everyone is welcome....

  • Santa Monica Pier Closed Again - This Time for Fire and Police Training

    Observer Staff|Oct 14, 2023

    Santa Monica Alerts released the following message early this morning: SMAlerts | This is an important message from the City of Santa Monica. Santa Monica Pier will be closed today until noon due to a Santa Monica Police/Fire training....

  • Former Hamas Leader Khalid Mashal, Who Lives in Luxury in Qatar, Asks for Moslems Worldwide to Rise Up Friday

    Observer Staff Writer|Oct 14, 2023

    Khalid Mashal the leader and founding member of Hamas, lives in a palace in Qatar. He gave a speech Wednesday 10.11.23, asking Muslims all around the world to do the following: 1. To show anger, especially next Friday, in Muslim countries and Also among Muslim diaspora around the world; he called it "the Friday of Al-Aqsa flood", he said this will send a message of rage to Zionists and to America 2. He asked for financial help from all Muslims around the world; to help with their money, he...

  • Israel vs. Hamas War Continues For 5th Day, as Deaths, Injuries, Continue to Rise

    Observer Staff|Oct 12, 2023

    1) At least 1,000 Israelis and 830 Palestinians have been killed, with thousands wounded on both sides 2) The prosecutor for the International Criminal Court said the court's mandate applies to the current conflict, as it has an ongoing investigation for alleged war crimes committed since 13 June 2014. 3) A senior Hamas official denied reports that Iran was involved in the planning of the Palestinian attack on Israel. 4) A Palestinian Liberation Organization official said that Israel refused a...

  • Three Million Dollars Stolen From School District Construction Funds, SMMUSD Says

    Observer Staff|Oct 10, 2023

    In an email sent to faculty staff and parents, the Santa Monica Malibu School District announced that $2.9 million was stolen in August 2023. All but $200,000 was recovered "thanks the efforts of quick acting District staff." the email said. It is unclear who took the money or how so much of it was able to be recovered. The District does say that "It appears that a hacked email account was used to perpetrate this fraud." The email is reprinted below. SMMUSD Provides Fraud Investigation Public...

  • Hamas Surprise Attack: At Least Six Killed in Rocket Attack on Southern Israeli Town: Ha'Aretz Reports.

    Observer Staff|Oct 7, 2023

    Hamas is the terrorist organization that runs Gaza. They have launched this morning 5000 missiles on Israeli. Even more concerning, several trucks with armed men have shot up Israeli towns, including Sderot and Tel Aviv. The men reportedly infiltrated on paragliders and in boats. “We are at war,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised statement, his first remarks since the fighting began Saturday morning. 141 pm PST. Here are some reports from Israeli sources: "Killed in gun...

  • First Citizens Bank Robbed Friday; SMPD and FBI Seek Information From the Public

    Observer Staff|Oct 5, 2023

    The Santa Monica Police Department along with the FBI are asking the public's help identifying a bank robber. The robbery happened around 9:25 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 22, at First Citizens Bank at 1630 Montana Avenue. FBI Los Angeles posted several photos of the suspect on X, formerly known as Twitter, which show a person wearing a jean jacket and a facemask. Investigators said after the robbery, the suspect fled in a black BMW X5 SUV, which was featured in the series of photos. Anyone who...

  • Unveiling the gripping complexities of Arthur Miller's "A View From the Bridge."

    Observer Staff|Sep 28, 2023

    Unveiling the gripping complexities of Arthur Miller's Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Olivier Award winning story, this timeless masterpiece serves as a powerful exploration of human nature, examining the fragility of relationships, the complications of love, and the devastating impact of unresolved conflicts. The play revolves around Eddie Carbone, a longshoreman whose life unravels after his wife's cousins arrive from Italy and his niece falls for an immigrant. Through its...

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