Woman Sexually Assaulted in 2nd Beach Attack This Week
August 30, 2024 -- A homeless man was arrested by Santa Monica police after sexually assaulting a woman who was sitting on the beach in Ocean Park late Wednesday night, police officials confirmed Friday.

Santa Monica Sees County's Steepest Yearly Rent Drop
August 30, 2024 -- Santa Monica has seen the steepest rent drop in LA County over the past year, despite a slight increase this month, according to the monthly rent report by Apartment List released Thursday.

New Coalition Endorses Council Slate
August 29, 2024 -- A coalition of new local political groups threw its support Wednesday behind a slate of pro-law-enforcement candidates trying to hold on to a slim City Council majority.

Homeless Suspect Arrested for Sexual Battery
August 28, 2024 -- A homeless man with an out-of-state criminal record was arrested for sexual battery Tuesday afternoon after attacking a young woman who was sunbathing on the beach, according to police.

EXTRA -- Public Safety Unions Deal Blow to Establishment Slate
August 28, 2024 -- Santa Monica's public safety unions will throw their considerable clout and hefty warchests into stopping the city's political establishment from regaining control of City Hall.

Homeless Attacker Sentenced in Hate Crime Spree
August 28, 2024 -- A homeless man with a lengthy criminal record has been sentenced to nearly 24 years in state prison for a string of violent hate crimes in Santa Monica and Los Angeles last August, police officials said Wednesday.

Police Subdue Assault Suspect with Taser
August 27, 2024 -- A man threatening hotel workers with a hammer Tuesday afternoon was subdued with rubber bullets and a Taser after fleeing towards Santa Monica High School, according to an SMPD post on X.

SMC Planetarium Explores Light, Gravity and Seasons
August 27, 2024 -- Is light a particle or a wave? Whats the difference between equinoxes and solstices? And why is it easier to send a spaceship out to Jupiter than in toward the Sun?

November Ballot Order Set
August 26, 2024 -- A potential spoiler, an incumbent and two political establishment challengers are at the top of the November ballot in the race for four City Council seats.

Child Kidnapping Suspect to Undergo Mental Evaluation
August 28, 2024 -- A homeless convict arrested for attempting to kidnap an 8-year-old girl in Santa Monica last week will undergo mental evaluation before criminal proceedings can resume, a Superior Court judge ruled Monday.

Homeless Housing, Needle Distribution on Council Agenda
August 23, 2024 -- Members of City Council's Change faction, which is trying to hang on to a slim majority in November's general election, have placed three items on Tuesday's agenda that address the hot-button homeless issue.

Incidents Involving Knives, Out-of-State Suspects Among 'Notable" Arrests
August 23, 2024 -- Police arrested two suspects believed to be responsible for three commercial burglaries, returned three suspects wanted in other jurisdictions and made five arrests that involved brandishing knives.

Council Could Make it Harder for Homeless to Sleep in Public Places
August 22, 2024 -- The City Council can remove an exemption in the local anti-camping law that allows the use of sleeping bags, blankets, pillows and bedrolls in public spaces, according to a legal opinion from the City Attorney issued Thursday.

Homeless Convict Arrested for Attempting to Kidnap 8-year-old Girl
August 22, 2024 -- A homeless woman with multiple out-of-state arrests faces kidnapping charges after attempting to grab and run off with an 8-year-old girl Wednesday afternoon, according to police.

City Officials Could Face Fines for Accepting Gifts
August 21, 2024 -- Those wishing to reward a Santa Monica City official with a gift as "a token of appreciation" for an official act might want to think twice.

Who Qualifies for New 'Supportive Housing' Projects?
August 21, 2024 -- Two Santa Monica developments that offer permanent supportive housing (PSH) and services to those who have been living on the streets have made headlines this year.

EXTRA -- Council to Consider Lowering Speed Limits
August 20, 2024 -- Motorists driving in Santa Monica will be required to slow down along some 31 miles of street under a proposal to reduce speed limits the City Council will consider next Tuesday.

Felon Arrested for Water Meter Vandalism Spree
August 20, 2024 -- A convicted felon has been charged in connection with a vandalism spree that disabled more than 300 City-owned water meters over the span of several weeks, police officials said Tuesday.

SMPD Investigation Leads to Fed Ponzi Scheme Case
August 19, 2024 -- An investigation launched by Santa Monica police when two local residents were defrauded in 2022 led to a federal probe that has uncovered a $2 million Ponzi scheme.

Man Charged with Multiple Felonies in Assault on BBB Passenger
August 19, 2024 -- A Los Angeles man was charged last week in the unprovoked beating of a Big Blue Bus passenger that sent the victim to the hospital with significant injuries, according to police.

Local Ballot Shrinks as 10 Qualify for Council, Two Races Canceled
August 16, 2024 -- There will be a showdown for four Council seats in November, with one potential spoiler among the ten candidates left in the race, while the elections for Rent Control Board and College Board have been canceled.

SMC's Corsair Takes Home Top Journalism Prizes
August 16, 2024 -- The Corsair, Santa Monica College's student-run media outlet, placed among the top ten in the nationwide annual Sweepstakes Clips & Clicks Awards.

More Than 1,600 Vehicles Illegally Parked in Bike Lanes, Pilot Program Finds
August 15, 2024 -- A six week-pilot program videotaped a total of 1,679 parking violations in bicycle lanes along select Santa Monica streets, according to a report to the City Council released Wednesday.

Santa Monica Doctor Charged in Connection to Mathew Perry's Death
August 15, 2024 -- A Santa Monica doctor was arrested Thursday in connection with the death of actor Mathew Perry, who suffered a fatal ketamine overdose in October, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Bus Passenger, Store Employees Assaulted; Teenage Girl Photographed by Sex Offender
August 15, 2024 -- Two store employees were assaulted during separate robberies, two members of the public were randomly attacked and a teenage girl was photographed on the beach by a sex offender.

Council Ballot Dramatically Shortened by Filing Deadline
August 14, 2024 -- Eight candidates have secured a spot on the ballot in the hotly contested race for four City Council seats, ten have dropped out and three are waiting to qualify.

Santa Monica Seeks Input to Restore Another Sand Dune
August 13, 2024 -- Santa Monica's sand dunes keep expanding, and City officials are seeking feedback Thursday on transforming a third stretch of the beach into a natural habitat.

Rising Number of Pedestrians, Cyclists Killed or Seriously Injured in Santa Monica
August 12, 2024 -- Despite major investments in traffic safety, fatal and severe injury crashes involving cyclists and pedestrians in Santa Monica have increased in each of the past three years, according to data provided by the City.

Council Ballot Expands as 4 Candidates Qualify Monday
August 12, 2024 -- The November race for four open City Council seats remains murky after four staunch law enforcement candidates, including two incumbents, qualified for the ballot Monday.

EXTRA -- Parra Pulls Out of Council Race
August 9, 2024 -- Councilmember Christine Parra will not seek a second City Council term in November in order to focus on supporting her family as her mother battles cancer, she said in a statement Friday.

OPINION -- 'A Personal Decision' -- Councilmember Christine Parra's Statement on Not Seeking Re-Election
August 9, 2024 -- I am incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together and the progress we’ve made in our city. However, recent personal challenges have led me to reassess my future commitments.

U.S. Olympic Volleyball Champ Spikes Home Santa Monica's Role in the Game
August 9, 2024 -- The tens of millions of viewers who tuned into the Olympics' final volleyball match in Paris on Friday likely didn't know that Santa Monica was the birthplace of the game they were watching.

Vendor Fights, Carjackings Lead to Arrests
August 8, 2024 -- Two separate fights broke out between food vendors, two carjacking suspects were arrested and a homeless man was forced to remove his large encampments across the city. Those were among the notable incidents included in the second weekly installment of a new Police Department blog.

School District Hires New Student Services Director
August 8, 2024 -- The School Board last Thursday approved the hiring of Dr. Francisco Dussan, the policy organization facilitator for Los Angeles public schools, as the District's new director of student services.

Council Candidates Begin Returning Qualifying Petitions
August 7, 2024 -- The first City Council candidate qualified for the ballot this week, and five others have returned nominating petitions to the City Clerk ahead of next Wednesday's deadline.

Learn to Write a Song in One Hour
August 7, 2024 -- Paul McCartney wrote the melody for the Beatles hit "Yesterday" in less than a minute. A workshop at the Santa Monica Public Library could have you writing a song in an hour.

LA Metro Safety Initiatives Should Help Curb Crime in Santa Monica, Former SMPD Chief Says
August 6, 2024 -- A number of high-tech public safety initiatives approved by LA Metro's governing board last month should help curb crime aboard trains, at stations and in destination cities, like Santa Monica, according to former police chief James T. Butts Jr.

Early Birds Get 50-percent Off All Rides at Pacific Park
August 6, 2024 -- Guests who arrive early at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier can spend the last few weeks of summer break taking unlimited amusement rides at half the price.

Police and Fire Unions to Make Council Endorsements After Ballot is Set
August 5, 2024 -- Santa Monica's public safety unions will make their City Council endorsements -- which could play an out-sized role in this year's election -- after candidates have qualified for the ballot.

Monthly Poll Finds Support for Law-and-Order Candidates
August 5, 2024 -- A monthly poll of "civically engaged" Santa Monica residents found strong support for pro-law enforcement candidates vying for four open seats on the City Council and in the LA County race for District Attorney.

SMPD Launches Blog Recapping Police Activity
August 2, 2024 -- The kidnapping of a four-year-old girl in Santa Monica made international news last month, but police officers made other noteworthy arrests that are now chronicled in a new blog.

Seasonal Roller Rink to Open Downtown
August 2, 2024 -- If you can't wait to glide on the ice in Downtown Santa Monica this holiday season, you can roll for the next two months at the new roller skating rink that opens next Saturday, August 10.

Council Could Apply High Court Homeless Ruling Before Election
August 1, 2024 -- Two months after a June 28 U.S. Supreme Court ruling gave governments the go ahead to clear homeless encampments, the City Council will weigh the local implications at a meeting later this month.

Victim in PCH Hit-and-Run Stable, Driver in Custody
August 1, 2024 -- A homeless pedestrian hit by a car on PCH in the early morning hours Tuesday is in stable condition, and the driver is in custody, police said Thursday.