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july 2024 Newslist
Santa Monica Rents Continue Sliding
July 31, 2024 -- Santa Monica rents dipped again in July, marking the sixth monthly drop this year amid modest rent growth nationwide, according to the monthly rent report by Apartment List.
Police to Hold DUI Checkpoint Friday
July 31, 2024 -- Santa Monica police will hold a DUI checkpoint Friday from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. at undisclosed location in the city, police officials announced.
LETTERS -- Incumbents Have Full-Term Achievement Gap
July 31, 2024 -- The incumbents up for re-election this year were woefully unable to deliver what they pledged in 2020, writes former Mayor Kevin McKeown.
Parra's Candidacy Alters Race
July 30, 2024 -- Councilmember Christine Parra's surprise entry into the November race has swiftly shifted the dynamics of what promises to be a hotly contested election for four open Council seats.
Three Change Incumbents to Run in November
July 29, 2024 -- The three Change incumbents on the City Council pulled nomination papers from the City Clerk on Monday, setting up a showdown with the slate backed by Santa Monica's political establishment.
LA Man Sentenced for Alleged Gang-Related Shooting
July 29, 2024 -- A Los Angeles man who shot a victim in the face in Palisades Park last year was sentenced to nine years in State prison after pleading guilty to attempted murder this month.
LETTERS -- Council Candidate Dan Hall’s "Storybook of Claims"
July 29, 2024 -- By arguing “public safety” covers everything from library programs to electric scooter adoption, slippery candidates can say they support public safety while favoring crime-friendly policies.
Council Places Parking Tax Measure on Ballot
July 26, 2024 -- In an effort to boost public safety initiatives, Santa Monica voters will be asked to approve a parking tax hike measure on the November ballot for motorists using private parking facilities.
City to Streamline Building Permitting Process
July 25, 2024 -- For decades, Santa Monica has been notorious for delays that snarl building projects in red tape. That is expected to change under a new permitting system.
Police to Enforce Motorcycle Safety Friday
July 25, 2024 -- For the second time this month, Santa Monica police will be cracking down Friday on drivers and motorcycle riders who violate traffic laws.
City Launches Negotiations to Revive the Civic
July 24, 2024 -- The City Council on Tuesday quietly took a major step in its efforts to resurrect the iconic Civic Auditorium, an endangered building that has been shuttered since 2011.
LETTERS -- Stick to the Facts
July 24, 2024 -- Every Santa Monican deserves the right to feel safe in their home, neighborhood, downtown, and parks. Public safety, however, is more than which DA you support, writes City Council candidate Dan Hall.
SMC Planetarium to Focus on Women Astronauts
July 24, 2024 -- The Santa Monica College (SMC) planetarium will showcase the careers of three female astronauts and explore SpaceX's upcoming Polaris Dawn mission during two shows next month.
Council Candidate Field Expands, Still No Incumbents
July 23, 2024 -- As of the end of the day Tuesday, 14 candidates -- none of them incumbents -- had pulled nomination papers to run for four open City Council seats, including Rent Board Chair Erika Lesley.
Santa Monica Celebrates National Farmers Market Week
July 23, 2024 -- Santa Monica will celebrate National Farmers Market Week next month with special events at two of the city's popular markets, City officials announced Tuesday.
Another Change Slate Cover-Up
July 23, 2024 -- I served during parts of four decades and two centuries, and it was only after the 2020 election that we saw illegal leaks from closed session, writes former Mayor Kevin McKeown.
Council Takes Up Proposal to Keep Scooters for Good
July 22, 2024 -- Mayor Phil Brock on Tuesday will try to put the brakes on a staff proposal to continue on a permanent basis the City's e-scooter program launched in 2017.
LETTERS -- Council Candidates Stubbornly Support Gascon
July 22, 2024 -- Law-abiding residents are rightfully fed up with criminal-friendly District Attorney George Gascon. Sadly, four City Council candidates support more of the same.
SMPD Transitions to New Crime Reporting System
July 18, 2024 -- The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) has transitioned to a new crime reporting system that allows police to collect more detailed data, police officials announced Thursday.
CrowdStrike Outage Affects City Computer Systems
July 19, 2024 -- The CrowdStrike outage that triggered global chaos Friday morning has impacted some of the City of Santa Monica's online services, City officials said.
School District Separation Plan Breaks Down
July 19, 2024 -- The long and bumpy road towards dividing the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) has hit a major obstacle months before the 13-year-effort seemed about to end.
Santa Monica Pier 3rd Most Polluted West Coast Beach
July 18, 2024 -- Despite multi-million-dollar upgrades, the Santa Monica Pier remains one of the most polluted beaches on the west coast, according to the Heal the Bay's 2023-24 Beach Report Card.
Miramar Redevelopment Project Moves Forward
July 17, 2024 -- The Architectural Review Board (ARB) on Monday unanimously recommended supporting the final design for the ambitious redevelopment of the iconic Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Downtown Santa Monica.
SMC Makes List of Top Film Schools
July 17, 2024 -- MovieMaker magazine has named Santa Monica College (SMC) one of the top 30 film schools in the U.S. and Canada, praising its affordable hands-on approach to filmmaking.
Battle Lines Being Drawn as Council Candidates Begin Pulling Papers
July 16, 2024 -- The four candidates backed by Santa Monica's political establishment wasted no time pulling nomination papers this week after winning early endorsements from two major groups.
Santa Monica 2nd Worst City for 1st-Time Home Buyers
July 16, 2024 -- Santa Monica was ranked the second worst city in the U.S. for first-time home buyers, according to an analysis of 300 cities by WalletHub released Tuesday.
LETTERS -- Sad When Police Union Head 'Mounts Personal Attack'
July 16, 2024 -- An accurate comparison of budgets would be far better than attacking an experienced voice who merely asked for a more thoughtful analysis, writes former mayor Kevin McKeown.
Council Approves Three High Profile Items
July 15, 2024 -- The City Council last week approved the nation's first Bitcoin "office," sought input on a landmark Supreme Court decision and reversed course on a local ballot measure.
Kidnapping Suspect Not Related to 4-year-old Victim
July 15, 2024 -- A 31-year-old woman struggling with homelessness is not related to the four-year-old girl she is accused of kidnapping Friday afternoon, according to police.
LETTERS -- Believe the Data and Your Own Eyes
July 15, 2024 -- Former Mayor Judy Abdo is asking you not to believe the women and men who keep the community safe, the data and, worst of all, your own lying eyes, writes Police Union Chair Cody Green.
Homeless Man Charged After Holding Knife to Boy's Throat on Pier
July 12, 2024 -- A homeless man on probation was charged this week with assault with a deadly weapon after holding a knife to 16-year-old boy's throat in front of his mother Sunday at the Pier.
Four-year-old Girl Kidnapped, Suspect Arrested
July 12, 2024 -- Police officers were out in force Friday afternoon searching for a four-year-old girl kidnapped from a restaurant near Pico and Lincoln Boulevards.
LETTERS -- Back to the Calculator, Please
July 12, 2024 -- Police union Chairman Cody Green should compare Santa Monica's financial commitment to policing based on our real, truly comparable general budget, writes former Santa Monica Mayor Judy Abdo.
Council Shakes Up Two Major Boards
July 11, 2024 -- The Change faction on the City Council flexed its political muscle Tuesday night and replaced a Planning Commissioner and Downtown Board member appointed four years ago by the rival faction.
Police Hold Motorcycle Safety Enforcement Operation
July 11, 2024 -- The Santa Monica Police Department will have extra officers on patrol Friday to focus on traffic violations made by drivers and motorcycle riders.
OPINION -- Santa Monica Massively Underfunding Its Police Department
July 11, 2024 -- The fact Santa Monica has so underfunded its police department and expects the results to be anything different than what we are currently getting is the shockwave that should ripple across this community.
Council Approves BBB Plan Boosting Service
July 10, 2024 -- Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus (BBB) will provide more frequent service on most routes and expand the hours its buses run under a five-year plan approved by the City Council Tuesday.
Interim City Clerk to Assume Permanent Post
July 10, 2024 -- Interim City Clerk Nikima Newsome will assume the post on a permanent basis after the City Council named her Santa Monica's new City Clerk on Tuesday.
Council Poised to Place Two Tax Measures on Ballot
July 9, 2024 -- Two years after Santa Monica voters approved three tax measures in 2022, the City Council is expected to place two more on the November ballot to generate additional revenues for the cash-strapped City.
City Accepting Applications for $2,000 Bike Vouchers
July 9, 2024 -- Santa Monica residents who meet income qualifications can now apply for $2,000 vouchers that can be used to purchase bicycles and related safety equipment, City officials announced Monday.
Council Asked to 'Halt' Plan to Boost Safety Spending
July 8, 2024 -- Ten days after the City Council voted to boost public safety spending minutes before adopting a $765.3 million fiscal year budget, it could vote Tuesday to almost as quickly drop the plan.
Pier Vendors Arrested for Felony Assault, Sexual Battery
July 8, 2024 -- Four Pier vendors were arrested last month in a fight that broke out after one of them sexually battered several women on the beach, according to police.
LETTERS -- Homeless Count Is a 'Comically Wretched Scam'
LA County’s most recent homeless count results bring to mind the comedic Marx Brothers scam that delivers its punch line when the skeptical victim is asked, “Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?”
Apartment Complex Terrorized by Naked Tenant
July 3, 2024 -- A naked tenant who has allegedly been terrorizing a Community Corp building in Santa Monica for months is making headlines after a local television station posted videos of his erratic behavior.
Just the Facts -- SMPD Launches New Blog
Did you know police officers transported 255 individuals to a hospital for mental health evaluations last year? Or that you can find that fact on a new blog the Santa Monica Police Department began posting Wednesday?
Santa Monica Celebrates Independence Day
July 2, 2024 -- City Hall and other public facilities will close on Thursday and municipal services will be scaled back or suspended as Santa Monica celebrates Independence Day with an annual parade in Ocean Park.
Police Step Up Deployment Over Holiday Weekend
July 2, 2024 -- Police officers will be out in force during the Fourth of July weekend as SMPD's holiday deployment plan goes into full effect, officials said.
Council Adopts Budget With Added Public Safety Spending
July 1, 2024 -- In an unexpected move, the City Council last Tuesday voted to explore spending more on public safety minutes before adopting a $765.3 million fiscal year budget that was months in the making.
Monthly Poll Shows Support for Promenade Sign
July 1, 2024 -- A poll of Santa Monica residents concerned with public safety showed overwhelming support for a large sign on the Promenade, condemned by the City Council, that warns the city is unsafe.
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