City Seeks Proposals for Prime Downtown Santa Monica Site
July 18, 2025 -- Nearly five years after the City Council rejected The Plaza mixed-use hotel project in the heart of Downtown, the City is actively seeking proposals to develop the 2.57-acre site.

Former Local Hotel Exec Faces Multiple Felony Charges
July 18, 2025 -- Steve Farzam, whose family owns the Shore Hotel in Santa Monica, has been charged with 28 criminal counts, including impersonating a firefighter during the Palisades Fire and discharging a laser at aircraft, the Los Angeles District Attorney's office announced Thursday.

Historic Housing Bills Won't Impact Santa Monica
July 17, 2025 -- Historic reforms to boost housing development across California will have little, if any impact, on Santa Monica, according to a leading land use attorney.

SMC Offers 'Sneak Peek at New Planetarium
July 17, 2025 -- On August 8, Santa Monica College (SMC) will give sky watchers a "sneak peek" at the school's new planetarium, which is set to open in late September, college officials announced this week.

Fentanyl Overdose Deaths Fall in LA County
July 16, 2025 -- Fentanyl overdose -- a leading killer among Santa Monica's homeless population -- saw a dramatic drop as a cause of death in Los Angeles County last year, according to a report released last month.

Police to Crack Down on Traffic Violations
Juy 16, 2025 -- The Santa Monica Police Department will hold a Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Operation Friday, its first since the City Council approved a $793.3 million annual budget that enhances street safety spending.

Homelessness Drops in LA County Based on Questionable Count
July 15, 2025 -- The eagerly awaited results of the 2025 Homeless Count released Monday show a second straight drop in LA County's homeless population, a trend a recent study has called into question.

Key Player in Civic Auditorium Group Indicted
July 15, 2025 -- A key player in the group negotiating to resurrect Santa Monica's historic Civic Auditorium has been indicted for conspiring to rig the bidding process for an arena contract in Texas, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

Downtown Agency CEO to Step Down
July 14 -- Andrew Thomas, a staunch advocate of zoning changes that are helping revive an economically crippled Downtown district, unexpectedly announced his resignation Friday.

Santa Monica Resident Charged with Selling U.S. Equipment to Iran
July 14, 2025 -- Federal agents on Thursday arrested a resident of Santa Monica and Tehran at LAX for illegally exporting electronic equipment to Iran's government, according the U.S. Justice Department.

SaMo Bridge Program Off to a Fast Start
July 11, 2025 -- A new City program that offers homeless individuals who have committed low-level crimes an alternative to jail is off to a promising start, City officials said.

Santa Monica Suspect Charged in 3 Attacks
July 11, 2025 -- A homeless man has been charged in a sexual assault on the Santa Monica beach bike path in April, as well as in two other attacks that took place in Long Beach last week.

Council Approves Airport Park Without Housing
July 10, 2025 -- The City Council on Tuesday voted 6 to 1 to move ahead with a plan to convert 192 acres of airport land into a "Great Park" that excludes, and does not immediately study, housing.

Police Launch Website to Fill Record Vacancies
July 10, 2025 -- The Santa Monica Police Department on Wednesday announced it has launched a "modern, userfocused" website to recruit new officers as vacancies reach a historic high.

RAND Study Calls Into Question LA County's Homeless Counts
July 9, 2025 -- A report by the RAND Corporation released last week raises serious questions about the accuracy of the latest homeless counts conducted by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), including those in Santa Monica.

OPINION -- Santa Monica 30 years Later
I often wondered how Santa Monica was doing today. I hadn't been back since I walked out the door. And my 30-year-absence was too long, writes former Outlook managing editor Lou Brancaccio.

Council Set for Airport Land Showdown
July 8, 2025 -- Advocates for a "Great Park" at Santa Moica Airport will rally outside City Hall before a highly anticipated showdown with housing advocates who will present a new poll to bolster their case at Tuesday night's City Council meeting.

Housing Bill Backed by Council Clears Hurdle
July 8, 2025 -- A bill to boost housing near transit stops continued to move through the State legislature last week after winning easy approval by a key Assembly Committee.

Council Could Suspend Funding for Neighborhood Groups
July 7, 2025 -- The City Council is poised to take steps Tuesday that could suspend funding in the budget approved two weeks earlier for neighborhood groups whose tax status allows them to engage in political activity.

Opposition to Entertainment Zone Wanes, Poll Shows
July 7, 2025 -- Opposition to Santa Monica's Entertainment Zone seems to be waning less than one month after visitors were first allowed to stroll the strip with a drink in hand.

Santa Monica Celebrates Independence Day
July 3, 2025 -- On Friday, an old-fashioned parade will wind down Main Street, City Hall will close its doors and Independence Day will be capped with the world's only solar-powered Ferris Wheel glowing red, white and blue.

Two Santa Monica Beaches Under Health Advisory
July 3, 2025 -- As Independence Day weekend approaches, two stretches of Santa Monica State Beach are under Public Health advisories due to high levels of bacteria.

Santa Monica Rents Drop in June
July 2, 2025 -- After a hot start to the year, rents in Santa Monica dropped for the second straight month in June, according to Apartment List's monthly report released Tuesday.

Law to Curb Unwanted Behavior on Buses Kicks In
July 2, 2025 -- Starting on Wednesday, Big Blue Bus (BBB) passengers who have been routinely cited for policy infractions or arrested for crimes on buses or at transit facilities can be denied service.

Local Hotel Workers' Minimum Wage Hike on Hold
July 1, 2025 -- Santa Monica's local minimum wage will increase by 54 cents on Wednesday to $17.81 per hour, but a much larger hike for local hotel workers has been put on hold.

Two Dogs Victims of Coyote Attacks in Ocean Park
July 1, 2025 -- Two vicious coyote attacks in Ocean Park last month resulted in the death of one dog and seriously injured another, police officials said Thursday.

Tight Budget Zeros in on Public Safety
June 30, 2025 -- The City Council on Tuesday narrowly approved an austere biennial budget that homes in on public safety improvements largely funded with a tax hike approved by local voters in November.

Suspect in Officer, Juvenile Shootings Charged
June 30, 2025 -- A homeless suspect has been charged with attempting to murder a Santa Monica police officer and two juveniles in two separate shooting incidents last week, the LA County District Attorney announced Friday.

Dem Club Rejects Housing on Airport Land
June 27, 2025 -- The Santa Monica Democratic Club Wednesday night overwhelmingly voted to recommend creating a "Great Park" on Airport land when it closes at the end of 2028, while excluding housing on the site.

City Takes Steps to Address Needs of Elderly Residents
June 27, 2025 -- Nearly one in five Santa Monica residents are over the age of 65, and the City is crafting an action plan to help meet their needs, City officials said.

EXTRA -- Police Arrest Suspect in Officer Shooting
June 25, 2025 -- (UPDATED) A suspect wanted in the Sunday shooting of two juveniles Downtown was arrested Wednesday afternoon after shooting and wounding an officer trying to arrest him, according to police.

Bond Costs to Drop for School District Taxpayers
June 25, 2025 -- Santa Monica and Malibu taxpayers will save more than $22 million after the two top credit rating agencies reaffirmed the School District's high scores, District officials announced Wednesday.

Airport Plan Picks Up Speed
June 25, 2025 -- The lengthy process to shape the future of Santa Monica Airport will quickly accelerate over the next two weeks as a key political player weighs in and the City Council begins honing in on a preferred scenario.

Police Seek Break-in Suspects Caught on Video
June 25, 2025 -- Police are asking the public's help finding two masked men caught on video breaking into a Santa Monica coffee shop before dawn Monday.

Council Prepares to Approve Budget as City Faces Dire Economic Straits
June 24, 2025 -- Santa Monica will stop restoring City programs, dip into its "historically low reserves" and explore alternatives to federal funding to balance a biennial budget the City Council is expected to adopt Tuesday.

Two Juveniles Shot Sunday in 'Isolated Incident'
June 24, 2025 -- Santa Monica police are investigating the "targeted" shooting of two juveniles inside an autonomous rideshare vehicle in Downtown late Sunday night.

OPINION -- Santa Monica Democrats Use Appellate Process to Fight Latino Voting Rights
June 23, 2025 -- A Legislative bill to protect minority voting rights and taxpayer funds could soon become law. So why did Santa Monica's "progressive" government successfully lobby to exempt the City?

List of Items Banned at Protests Could Grow
June 23, 2025 -- In the wake of protests and rioting in Los Angeles over federal immigration policies, Santa Monica police officials are asking the City Council to expand the list of items banned at public assemblies.

Council to Make Four Dozen Appointments
June 23, 2025 -- Santa Monica's new ranked choice voting system will be put to a major test Tuesday night when the City Council makes 48 appointments to 19 different volunteer boards.

Final Budget Proposal Boosts Police Funding
June 20, 2025 -- The City Council on Tuesday is expected to adopt a proposed $793.3 million fiscal year budget that boosts the Police Department's efforts to fight crime.

Santa Monica Celebrates Make Music Day
June 20, 2025 -- Santa Monica on Saturday will join more than 2,000 cities around the world in a unique music celebration that originated in France in 1982.

Santa Monica Could Cash In on 2028 Olympics
June 18, 2025 -- Santa Monica may not be hosting beach volleyball during the 2028 Summer Olympics, but it could cash in and get plenty of global attention as a satellite hub for the games.

Santa Monica Commemorates Juneteenth with City Closures, Scaled Back Services
June 18, 2025 -- On June 19, 1865 -- two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation -- U.S. General Gordon Granger stood in Galveston, Texas and read General Orders No. 3.

Man Charged with Attempted Rape of Elderly Santa Monica Woman
June 17, 2025 -- A Long Beach man is facing felony charges after he dragged an elderly woman into a Downtown alley on the night of June 5 and tried to rape her, according to police.

Santa Monica Rolls Out Entertainment Zone
June 17, 2025 -- The "soft launch" of Southern California's first Entertainment Zone turned into a bustling weekend as visitors enjoyed their drinks strolling on the Promenade.

Local Doctor Pleads Guilty to Supplying Drugs Leading to Actor's Death
June 17, 2025 -- A Santa Monica doctor charged in connection with the overdose death of actor Mathew Perry pleaded guilty Monday to four counts of distribution of Ketamine.

Fall in Domestic Visitors Cushioned by Global Travel
June 16, 2025 -- Santa Monica's tourism industry, a key driver of the local economy, was dealt a setback for the second straight year in 2024 due to a steep drop in domestic visitors.

City to Make Purchases Using New High-Tech Platform
June 16, 2025 -- More than ten Santa Monica City departments can now make an estimated $3 million in annual transactions through government credit cards under a newly launched E-Commerce platform that could help boost local businesses.