Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words

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  • Astonishing Pay of Santa Monica Bureaucrats Attracts Attention of CBS News

    Observer Staff|Nov 14, 2016
    6

    We've been talking about it for years: The huge paychecks paid by the City of Santa Monica to its progressive bureaucrats. Now it's finally attracted the attention of CBS News media. Why do 105 Santa Monica City employees, make more than $300,000 a year? Tune in to the channel 2 News at 11 pm Monday, and find out. Good luck explaining that one, guys. "Small City, Big Pay." The Santa Monica city manager makes $450,000 a year which is 20% less than the $650,000 a year the city manager of Bell...

  • Santa Monica Blvd Closed Due to Accident

    Observer Staff|Nov 14, 2016

    Update, 11:35 am: Traffic collision investigation on Santa Monica Blvd. between Centinela and Berkley has concluded. Santa Monica Blvd is now open in both directions. Below is the entire content of a message from the City of Santa Monica: Santa Monica Blvd is closed in both direction between Centinela Avenue and Berkley due to a traffic collision investigation. This area will be clossed until further notice. Please adjust travel routes around this area....

  • Brightest Supermoon Since 1948 to Dominate Skies Tonight

    Observer Staff|Nov 14, 2016

    This year, the full moons of October, November and December all take place when the moon is at its closest point of approach in its orbit around Earth — a so-called supermoon. The moon will appear 14% bigger and 30% brighter than your average full moon, said astronomer Corey Powell. Because it's so big and bright, it does not require a telescope. Just go up with a pencil and piece of paper, and see what you can draw. The moon will reach its peak at 854 PM EST. Los Angeles clouds will see it r...

  • Donald Trump On His Way to Election HQ, to claim the Presidency

    Observer Staff|Nov 8, 2016

    Update 9:20 PM, PST: at 254 electoral votes, Donald Trump is on his way to his Manhattan headquarters to claim the presidency of the United States. No one expected it, and perhaps Donald Trump is more surprised than anyone else. It is however a reality that in the words of David Plouffe, Obama's 2008 campaign manager, must be accepted with sobriety. Update, 6:45 PST: Fox News now projects Clinton will win New Mexico. Trump they project in KS, ND, SD, TX, WY, LA. The score is now Trump 147,...

  • Santa Monica Files Eviction Lawsuits Against Airport Operators

    Observer Staff|Nov 8, 2016
    6

    A TRO having been denied them yesterday, today the City of Santa Monica has filed UD's against 2 of the major tenants servicing aircraft and Santa Monica Airport. This has to be regarded as a major step forward in the City's stated intention to close SMO ASAP, and in any case before 2020 when (by some interpretations), the FAA's easement on part of the property expires. Unlawful Detainers (what California lawyers call evictions) typically go to trial within 60 days of the date they are filed....

  • FBI Concludes Investigation of Clinton E Mails, Won't Recommend Charges

    Observer Staff|Nov 8, 2016

    Sunday, 11/06/2016; 2 days before election day, FBI director James Comey announced in a letter to Congress, that he had finished his 10 day review of the 650,000 new e mails found on Anthony Weiner's laptop, downloaded apparently from Huma Abedin's iPhone in 2013. Comey confirmed the conclusion that he reached in July, saying "We're glad that this matter is now resolved." Today's decision was as much of a stunner as the Friday, October 28th decision to reopen the investigation. On July 28, 2016...

  • Freak accident: police Bullet kills pitbull, wounds woman

    Observer staff|Nov 8, 2016

    Police on ocean front walk and rose shot and killed a pit bull. The bullet accidentally went through the dog and hit a woman on a bicycle. She was taken away by ambulance to receive medical treatment. The incident Happened around 305pm Friday. Several homeless people were congregating in the area. one person was bitten by a dog. The dog was then shot by officer on the scene. Another witness said the woman was shot during the incident. She was a tourist on a bicycle. The incident caused a...

  • Gary Johnson May Win New Mexico, Which Would Keep both Trump and Clinton from Victory

    Observer Staff|Nov 8, 2016
    16

    Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson has a real shot at winning the State of New Mexico, where he was governor for 8 years. A poll released by the Albuquerque Jounal newspaper shows Johnson receiving 24 percent of the vote. While this is below the 35% support given Democrat Hillary Clinton, and the 31% saying they will vote for Republican Donald Trump, it is within the realm of possibility that Johnson could pull enough support away from the major party candidates by Election Day to...

  • James Comey, You Are So Fired: Valerie Jarrett, Speaking of the Day After Election

    Observer Staff|Nov 8, 2016

    A brief list of sure things as we head into the great beyond election day: 1. Barack Obama will fire James Comey, from his 10 year term as FBI director. He has 7 years left, but it kinda doesn't matter, says the UK Independent. According to a White House source familiar with Obama's decision, Jarrett and the president held lengthy discussions over the past several days about the political and legal ramifications of firing the FBI director. Jarrett is currently Senior Advisor to the President of...

  • Donald Trump Watches Melania Vote. Is She a Secret Clinton Supporter??

    Observer Staff|Nov 8, 2016

    The Republican presidential candidate gave two momentary looks toward his wife as they cast their ballots in New York City. While it does not appear that he tried to look at her ballot, a screenshot of his glance made the Internet rounds, with people joking that Trump did not trust his wife to vote for him. Around the web, news organizations are reporting that Democrat Hillary Clinton will prevail against Republican Donald Trump in tomorrow's presidential contest. Channeling "Dewey Defeats...

  • Pilot of Commercial Airliner Nearly Collides with Drone Near LAX

    Observer Staff|Nov 8, 2016

    The pilot of a commercial airliner reported seeing a drone flying Monday near Los Angeles International Airport, reports City News Service. The unmanned aerial vehicle came dangerously close to colliding with the airline, with potentially disastrous consequences. The crew of a departing WestJet Boeing 737 spotted the drone 1,500 above the ground shortly after noon, according to Ian Gregor of the Federal Aviation Administration. The jetliner was departing runway 24L when the unmanned aircraft...

  • Suddenly The Race for US President is Nearly Tied

    Observer Staff|Nov 5, 2016

    The US presidential race is a lot closer than you may think. According to the real clear politics average of polls: 1) In A 4- way Race Clinton is leading 45.3%-- 43.4% in a 2 way race she is leading 47.0%- 45.3% 2) In electoral Votes Clinton is leading 273-265. It takes 270 to win. Colorado has 9 electoral votes and Clinton is leading 43.7% -41.3%. New Mexico has 5 electoral votes and Clinton is leading 40.5% -32%. New Hampshire has 4 electoral votes and Clinton is leading 46%- 41.3%. If Trump...

  • City Councilman Accused of Taking $ From Developer After Approving Project

    Observer Staff|Nov 5, 2016

    The Santa Monica Transparency Project today filed with the City 2 Complaints alleging violations of Santa Monica's anti-corruption law, Oaks, by Councilmember Terry O'Day. Mr. O'Day is seeking re-election and these violations have just come to light. Oaks prohibits public officials, including councilmembers, from, among other things, receiving campaign contributions or a job from contractors and developers after the official voted to approve a public benefit for them. It is aimed at avoiding...

  • FoxNews: FBI Sources Say an Indictment Likely in the Clinton Email, Clinton Foundation Cases

    Observer Staff|Nov 5, 2016

    FoxNews reports that the FBI investigation into the Clinton Foundation and Clinton Foundation cases. It is not clear who would be indicted. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich commented that in Watergate, Nixon himself was pardoned, and 43 lesser functionaries went to jail. Gingrich believes the same may happen here. Below is the transcript from Fox TV: BRET BAIER: Breaking news tonight -- two separate sources with intimate knowledge of the FBI investigations into the Clinton emails and the...

  • Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Appoints New Superintendent

    Observer Staff|Nov 5, 2016

    SMMUSD Press Release: Dr. Ben Drati comes to SMMUSD from the Santa Barbara Unified School District where he has served as the assistant superintendent of secondary education since 2012. In this assignment he is charged with designing and implementing key initiatives involving the development of a culturally proficient school district through professional development, teacher collaboration, parent engagement and providing equity and access to all students. Prior to serving in this position, Dr. D...

  • Man With Sign Disrupts Trump Rally in Reno, NV

    Observer Staff|Nov 5, 2016

    A middle-aged white man who smuggled a sign into a Trump rally in Reno Nevada, disrupted the rally when the Secret Service escorted Trump off the stage. The man was questioned and released. Members of the audience at the event for the GOP presidential nominee tackled Austyn Crites, 33, of Reno after someone yelled "gun" while others were trying to rip away his anti-Trump sign. "I just went with sign that said 'Republicans Against Trump,’ " Crites said. "It’s a sign that you can find online. I h...

  • OPCO Merges With Larger LAMP Homeless Services Organization

    Observer Staff|Nov 3, 2016

    As detailed in the latest episode of Shameless, nobody wants a homeless shelter in their neighborhood. Nope, Not In My Back Yard. It is for this reason that the Ocean Park Community Organization is located not in swank Ocean Park, but on Cloverfield, 100 yards from the City dump. Anyway, below is the press release. I can't make heads or tails of it, other than the first paragraph, which says that OPCC has merged with LAMP, whatever that stands for, to form "The People Concern." Which I thought...

  • SamoHi 10th Grader Vanai Jelks dies in bed of Mysterious Causes 10/25

    Observer Staff|Nov 3, 2016
    1

    Update: 10/29: The Los Angeles County Coroner's website lists the cause of Vanai Jelks death as "deferred." The Coroner's office is conducting an autopsy and will release results. Her family members in Inglewood report that she threw up Friday Morning, 10/21. But she seemed well enough to go to school, says he step father. They assumed the 10th grader had a cold, but she did not seem terribly ill. On Saturday, 10/22, she took part in a drama competition that lasted until 7 pm, says her step...

  • Santa Monica Police Dept. 19 Year Veteran Convicted of Petty Theft

    Observer Staff|Nov 3, 2016

    On October 20, 2016, Eduardo Parraga - 51 years old, was arraigned at the Los Angeles County Airport Courthouse on misdemeanor petty theft charges. "He has been accused of stealing personal property from a retail outlet valued at $45," said Lt. Saul Rodriguez, Public Information Officer for the City of Santa Monica. The Santa Monica City Attorney's Office filed charges on Parraga, a 19 year veteran police officer with the Santa Monica Police Department. Parraga pled "No Contest" to the charges...

  • SMPD Closes 4th Street Between Broadway and Olympic in Santa Monica

    Observer Staff|Nov 1, 2016

    Update 10:30 AM November 1: 4th Street is back open and there is no sign of police activity. We are informed that 4th Street is shut down between Broadway and Olympic in Santa Monica; this includes the area around the Expo Line Station. The official Alert says "Police Activity" is the reason. Here is the entire alert, which as is typical, contains few details: Westbound 10 freeway 4th street offramp and the area of 4th and Colorado is shut down for police activity. 4th Street is the main...

  • Watermain break shuts down Pico at Westside Pavilion.

    Observer staff|Nov 1, 2016

    A water main break on Pico Blvd in West Los Angeles at the west entrance to the Westside Pavilion, has shut down pico Boulevard in both directions at 11:30 AM Tuesday morning. This is located between Overland Avenue and Westwood Boulevard. A fire hydrant blew and caused this Geyser on pico near Overland in West LA. Pico was closed for 300 feet in either direction. Aging infrastructure has been discussed repeatedly in this year's election campaign both locally and at the national level. In July...

  • Dakota Access Pipeline Protestors Evicted from Private Land in Pipeline's Path

    Observer Staff|Nov 1, 2016

    At least 117 people were arrested in North Dakota on Thursday as police forcibly removed protesters from private property in the Dakota Access pipeline right of way. More standoffs against the 1,200-mile Dakota Access pipeline continued on Friday, as questions were raised on twitter and Facebook about the fairness of police action against protestors. Comparisons were raised with the Bundy's and their standoff over the Malheur refuge. Hundreds of Native Americans staged a peaceful march up a...

  • Antarctic Agreement Tentatively Reached for World's Largest Marine Reserve

    Observer Staff|Oct 30, 2016

    In 1970 nations of the world signed a 50 year deal ending in 2020, not to exploit Antarctica's natural resources, nor to settle people there, and to keep the continent demilitarized and nuclear free. There has been cheating along the fringes of that deal. The Chileans, for example, have 3 villages on the Antarctic Peninsula, so they can claim a native population with the treat is renegotiated 3 years from now. The Russians have made a dump of Belinghausen Island. After years of negotiations,...

  • Judge, Refusing to Release Acquitted Bundy's, Tasers & Arrests Their Attorney Instead

    Observer Staff|Oct 30, 2016

    update, 10/28: The Bundy brothers remained in jail Friday following a dramatic acquittal a day earlier in a courtroom that erupted into chaos after an attorney yelled at a judge for their release, resulting in him being subdued with a Taser gun and arrested. A jury delivered an extraordinary blow to the government Thursday in a long-running battle over the use of public lands when it acquitted all seven defendants involved in the armed occupation of a national wildlife refuge in rural...

  • Orthodox Rabbis Declare Marijuana Kosher for Passover, Sukkot

    Observer Staff|Oct 30, 2016

    Federal authorities still consider cannabis a schedule one drug. But orthodox Jews answer to a Higher authority. Orthodox Jewish authorities have declared cannabis and Marijuana Kosher (Parve) for Passover and all year, reports the Israel National News. After sniffing the leaves, Rabbi Kanievksy and Rabbi Yitzchak Zilberstein said that the Cannabis plant has a "healing smell," according to the Times of Israel, and blessed the leaves. For the eight-days of Passover, Jews avoid leavened bread and...

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