Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words

Articles from the January 24, 2017 edition


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  • President Obama's Parting Letter to the American People

    Liz Miller|Jan 24, 2017

    President Obama penned an emotional letter to the public, published Thursday, in which he thanks us for allowing him to serve as our president, and promises to be with us as American moves into the future. "I'll be right there with you every step of the way ... Yes, we can." These are words that so many Americans, most Americans, have been aching to hear. We miss you already, Mr. President. This is the full text of the Letter: It's a long-standing tradition for the sitting president of the...

  • Obama's Approval Ratings Highest on Record since First Year in Office

    Zane|Jan 24, 2017

    As President Obama passed the torch to President-elect Trump, The Harris Poll took a final look at America's feelings towards his time in office. For the first time since August 2009, just over half of Americans rate President Barack Obama positively. As his two-term Presidency comes to a close, 51% of adults say the President is doing an excellent or pretty good job overall. While Obama's positive ratings have been steadily climbing since March of 2016, this new rating is significantly higher...

  • Harry Belafonte's 90th Birthday with Re-release of When Colors Come Together

    Zane|Jan 24, 2017

    Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, is celebrating the 90th birthday of the iconic American singer/songwriter/actor/social activist/cultural ambassador Harry Belafonte (born March 1, 1927) with the release of When Colors Come Together... The Legacy of Harry Belafonte on Friday, February 24, 2017. Preorder available here: http://smarturl.it/belafonte_wcct_amzn Harry Belafonte broke into both mainstream success and musical immortality in 1956 when his breakout...

  • Astonishing Figure: City will spend $141,000,000 to build a 50,000 sft building.

    David Garden, SM Resident|Jan 24, 2017

    Dear Friends and Neighbors, I am writing about my upcoming, January 24th, City Council appeal hearing of the $86 million that is about to be spent on an annex to the backside of the Santa Monica City Hall. The annex is officially being called the, "City Services Building." It is my opinion that this is an exorbitant amount of taxpayer money to be spent for only 50,000 square feet of space and 239 workers. Also, let's not forget that this $86 million will be financed with municipal bonds at...

  • Small City to Erect The Most Expensive Public Building in World History

    David Garden, SM Resident|Jan 24, 2017

    • Proposed building "massing" overhangs the historic City Hall building on the south side as it will project all the way to the sidewalk and disturbs the historically significant streetscape view of City Hall from Main Street. The historic landmark significance of City Hall is being chipped away at bit by bit. A recent example was the removal of the City Hall entrance steps during the construction of Ken Genser Square. • Proposed plans to win the Living Building Challenge (LBC) extreme sus...

  • Solar Roof Dynamics Expands throughout Southern California

    Zane|Jan 24, 2017

    Solar Roof Dynamics, the leading solar solutions provider to the roofing industry, today announced its successful expansion into the Southern California market with the addition of six new roofing contractors into its Signature Dealer Network of vetted, expertly-trained solar roofing installation companies. "After successfully building out our Signature Dealer network throughout California, the company is now ready to expand nationally, thereby maintaining and solidifying our market leadership...

  • Topanga Canyon Blvd Closed Through Mountains Until Thursday

    Observer Staff|Jan 24, 2017

    A huge boulder fell on Topanga Canyon Boulevard during the rain Sunday night, not far from the town of Topanga. There were also mudslides and debris. As a result, California department of transportation has closed Topanga Canyon Boulevard until Thursday. A boulder twice the size of an SUV, rolled down a wet hillside and came to rest in the southbound lane. There was also a mudslide that blocked part of the northbound lane causing Caltrans to shut down Topanga Canyon Road, a main artery...

  • Wayne Barrett, America's top investigative Trump biographer, Dies at 71

    Zane|Jan 24, 2017

    "We are detectives for the people," esteemed journalist Wayne Barrett replied, when asked by his son's elementary class, what a muckraking reporter does. For over five decades Barrett reigned as the supremely incorruptible investigative conscience of New York City journalism. With respect to his legendary coverage of Donald Trump, The New Yorker's Jennifer Gonnerman said: "There may be no journalist who knows more about Trump than Barrett." Barrett, the author of the critically acclaimed...

  • Even Dogs Are Welcome at Ashland-Hill's Casual Beer and Wine Garden

    Vildana Hajric, Observer Staff Writer|Jan 24, 2017

    Ashland Hill, a Santa Monica favorite amongst locals, will be celebrating its second anniversary at the end of the month. The casual beer and wine garden features California-inspired bites, a rotating selection of popular taps, and a brand new gin and tonic menu. Executive Chef Greg Daniels, who got his start at one of Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Michelin-rated New York restaurants, is in charge of the menu, and certainly has reason to raise a glass in celebration. The restaurant offers a cozy,...

  • Strip of Percolative Concrete in Centers of Alleys Shows Signs of Wear After One Year

    David Ganezer, Observer Staff|Jan 24, 2017

    One year ago, the City of Santa Monica launched a program to add a strip of concrete down the center of 75 alleys. This allows rainwater to percolate through the strip and into the groundwater, then out to sea. The problem is, that center strip visibly wears out more quickly than the surrounding black asphalt. The City launched an "Alley Renewal Program" which, over 20 years, will "improve the condition and functionality of 75 of the City's most worn alleys. Project work includes everything...

  • Santa Monica to Conduct Annual Homeless Count; 250 Volunteered

    Observer Staff|Jan 24, 2017

    The City of Santa Monica will conduct its annual street-by-street enumeration of homeless individuals on the night of January 25, 2017,This annual count helps assess the City's efforts in addressing homelessness, and will be held in conjunction with other counts throughout the region taking place next week. The count starts at St. Monica Catholic Community - Grand Pavilion - 725 California Avenue, Santa Monica. Mayor Ted Winterer and City Council, City Manager Rick Cole, Assemblymember Richard...

  • California Incline Shut Down Again on Sunday From Second Mudflow, Reopened Monday.

    Observer Staff|Jan 24, 2017

    Update 9:19 am PST Monday: "Clean up operations are complete. The California Incline has reopened," says the City Traffic Dept. by e mail. Update, 4:34 pm PST Sunday: An e mail from the City of Santa Monica says: California Incline Closure due to weather conditions. Mud and Debris on roadway California Incline was shutdown "until further notice" due to mud and debris from the bluffs falling on the Incline. This in a notice from the City of Santa Monica's traffic Dept. Why the City of Santa...