Local News Briefs

Kye’s Opens in SM

Superfood purveyor Kye’s will open its first store at 1518 Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, California, today.

Kye’s will introduce its signature item, the KyeRito, which feature wraps made of options like nori or romain rather than the typical flatbread or tortilla. The wraps, many of which are vegetarian, gluten-free and /or paleo-friendly, come in four categories: Breakfast, Deli Style, Classic Comfort, and Asian-Inspired.

Kye’s will also offer superfood-inspired beverages and desserts.

Kye’s will give the first 50 guests a complimentary KyeRito on opening day, and donate a portion of the day’s proceeds to local nonprofit Heart of Los Angeles, benefiting underserved youth in the MacArthur Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.

The 1,200-square-foot space, designed by Chioco Design, incorporates rustic and modern and will seat 20.

Cause of Storage Facility Fire In Venice Remains ‘Undetermined”

After more than a week of investigation, fire officials and federal authorities have been unable to determine the cause of a fire that heavily damaged a storage facility in Venice, the Los Angeles Fire Department announced Tuesday.

Investigators with the LAFD and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said the cause of the Oct. 25 blaze at Extra Space Storage, 658 Venice Blvd., is “undetermined

Carlos Canino, ATF Special Agent in Charge in Los Angeles, said an “undetermined’’ finding is made “when the cause cannot be proven to an acceptable level of certainty, which could be due to insufficient information or if multiple causes could not be eliminated.’’

SMC Receives $1.6 Million “La Hi-Tech” Grant

Santa Monica College was awarded a $1.6 million grant from the California Department of Education’s California Career Pathway Trust. SMC is part of a larger educational and industry consortium in Los Angeles called the “LA Hi-Tech” which received a total of $15 million over three years to collaborate in preparing students for careers in the emerging field of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

The ICT industry brings in about $73 billion in sales revenue for Los Angeles and Orange County and employs over one million Californians, and includes occupations such as software developer, web designer, database administrator, electrical engineer, and graphic designer.

“The whole purpose of this grant is to create economic impact,” says Dr. Patricia Ramos, SMC Dean of Workforce and Economic Development. An executive council composed of all the college presidents and the high school principals involved will work towards removing educational policy barriers to support the development of these “career pathways” for students to segue from high school to college and into these ICT jobs.