Field of Council Candidates Grows, Few Have Board or Commission Experience
January 16, 2019 -- (UPDATED) With the Thursday deadline fast approaching, a record 43 candidates had applied for an open seat on the Santa Monica City Council as of 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Council Hiked Relocation, Water Rates at Meeting Last Week
January 16, 2019 -- The City Council last week awarded $3 million in contracts, raised the water rate and extended an interim ordinance barring fast food restaurants on the Promenade.

Train Collision Marks First Pedestrian Death Since 2017
January 15, 2019 -- A pedestrian was killed by a Metro train in Santa Monica Tuesday morning after being dragged from the platform at the Colorado & 17th street station, according to the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department.

January 15, 2019 -- Novelist and actor Wally Rudolph, whose characters both on the screen and page wage a constant battle to survive in a violent world, is the new writer-in-residence at Santa Monica's Annenberg Community Beach House.

OPINION -- Changing Pico Boulevard Zoning to Neighborhood Commercial Will Preserve Area's Character
January 15, 2019 -- The City of Santa Monica’s Pico Wellbeing Project is paving the way for zoning rules that will change the character and scale of the Pico Neighborhood, says community leader Oscar de la Torre.

Field of Santa Monica Council Hopefuls Grows
January 14, 2019 -- With a record 35 candidates so far submitting applications for a vacant City Council seat, an activist group is weighing in on the process, while a former Council hopeful looks to put the Council's criteria to a test.

Person Infected with Measles Visited Santa Monica Pier, Taco Restaurant
January 14, 2019 -- County health officials this weekend warned that visitors to the Santa Monica Pier and Blue Plate Taco restaurant may have been exposed to measles late last month.

SUV Plows Into Pico Youth Center Causing 'Major Damage' January 14, 2019 -- The Pico Youth and Family Center (PYFC) is scrambling to literally pick up the pieces and reopen after a speeding Bentley SUV smashed into its storefront Saturday night.

Jet Departures at Santa Monica Airport Took Nosedive in 2018
January 11, 2019 -- Jet departures at Santa Monica Airport nosedived from 7,753 in 2017 to 1,487 last year in the first annual tally with a shortened runway.

City Council Takes Steps to Make Wilshire Boulevard Safer
January 11, 2019 -- In the past decade six people have been killed and 29 severely injured in traffic accidents on Wilshire Boulevard, most of them pedestrians and bicyclists.

Santa Monica to Host Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration January 21 January 11, 2019 -- Santa Monica will host what has become one of the largest and most diverse celebrations of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in Southern California on Monday January 21.

Santa Monica Library Earns Another Five Star Rating
January 10, 2019 -- For the ninth year in a row, the Santa Monica Public Library was ranked among the nation's best thanks in large part to circulation and visits.

First Candidates Submit Applications to Fill Vacant City Council Seat
January 10, 2019 -- (UPDATED) A former Rent Control Board member and a newcomer to Santa Monica politics are the first candidates to apply for an empty seat on the City Council.

City Files Suit Against Major Santa Monica Landlord
January 9, 2019 -- The City has filed a lawsuit against affiliates of one of Santa Monica's largest landlords charging them with tenant harassment, violating local zoning laws and maintaining a public nuisance.

Council Launches Process to Choose New Member
January 9, 2019 -- The City kicked off the application process Wednesday morning for candidates wanting to fill the City Council seat vacated by Tony Vazquez on Tuesday.

City Collected More Than $5.6 Million in Development Impact Fees, Reports Says
January 8, 2019 -- The City of Santa Monica collected nearly $5.65 million in impact fees from developers to fund community benefits during the past fiscal year, according to the latest annual report.

Working Group to Begin Tackling Monster Mansions in Santa Monica -- Again
January 8, 2019 -- For the second time in two decades, Santa Monica will begin developing new standards for "monster mansions" when a workimg group is expected to convene its first meeting later this month.

Fireside at the Miles Kicks Off 10th Season Friday January 7, 2019 -- Friday nights kicks off the 10th annual Fireside at the Miles that features a variety of performances in the historic playhouse at Santa Monica's Reed Park. The starts Friday at 8 p.m. with a performances by the Taiko fusion group On Ensemble

Downtown Officials Hope Proposed Music Club Kicks Off Promenade Trend
January 7, 2019 -- A blast from the past will sweep on to the Third Street Promenade if a proposed restaurant with live music and dancing gets the final go-ahead from the Planning Commission this week.

'Food of the Gods' Featured During Santa Monica Restaurant Week January 7, 2019 -- All week long, chefs at 30 Santa Monica restaurants will whip up dishes featuring an orange fruit whose botanical name means “food of the gods.”

Update Santa Monica Police Arrest Suspect in Series of Trash Bin Fires
January 4, 2018 -- Police have arrested a man who could be responsible for a series of fires set in trash cans in Santa Monica alleys over the past two weeks.

Plaintiffs in Voting Rights Case Propose July Special Council Election
January 4, 2019 -- The plaintiffs in the voting rights lawsuit against the City submitted a "proposed statement of decision" to the court on Friday that calls for holding a special election on July 2 for all seven City Council seats.

News Flash Santa Monica Police Search for Serial Arsonist
January 4, 2019 -- Santa Monica police are searching for a suspected arsonist who could be responsible for 15 fires set in trash cans in alleys over the past two weeks.

City Poised to Hike Water Rates
January 4, 2019 -- After three years of 5 percent increases, Santa Monica's water rates will go up 9 percent under the annual adjustment the City Council is expected to approve Tuesday.

City Council to Launch Process to Fill Vacant Seat
January 3, 2019 -- The Santa Monica City Council could have a new member as early as January 22 under a process that would be launched with the acceptance of Tony Vazquez's resignation next Tuesday.

Santa Monica Eatery Closes Soon After Opening, Blames Government Bureaucracy
January 3, 2019 -- In an unusual move, a Santa Monica restaurant blamed the City, and the California Coastal Commission, for its closure after only four months in business.

Santa Monica Seeks Volunteers for 2019 Homeless Count
January 3, 2019 -- The City of Santa Monica is seeking volunteers to comb the beach town on the night of January 23 and count the number of people who are homeless.