Westside Food Bank Warns of 'Hunger Cliff'
March 24, 2023 -- With California poised at the edge of a "Hunger Cliff," the Westside Food Bank (WSFB) is bracing for a surge in the need for food starting next week, according to the Santa Monica-based non-profit.

New COVID Workplace Requirements Kick In
March 24, 2023 -- While Los Angeles County remained in the Low COVID-19 Community Level for the 10th consecutive week, workplaces -- including schools -- must adhere to new California OSHA requirements, Health officials said Friday.

Little Progress Moving Needle Exchange Program Indoors
March 23, 2023 -- More than six months after former Mayor Sue Himmelrich requested that the County move a program that hands out clean needles to drug users indoors, the effort has reached a standstill.

Council Approves Modified BBB Contract with SMC
March 23, 2023 -- With fewer in-person classes on campus, Santa Monica College (SMC) will pay less than half of its pre-pandemic cost for students, faculty and staff to ride the Big Blue Bus for free.

Majority of Council "Offended" By Street Vendor Discussion
March 22, 2023 -- A seemingly innocuous item on Tuesday's agenda calling for better communication with street vendors triggered a heated debate that managed to offend the majority of the City Council.

Police Bust Apparent Cell Phone Theft Ring
March 21, 2023 -- A missing phone ringing inside a car in the parking lot of a Main Street nightspot led police to more than 20 phones stolen by what appears to be an organized theft ring of Columbian nationals.

Loews Hotel, Union Reach Agreement for Laid Off Workers
March 21, 2023 -- The 320 hotel workers laid off for the renovation of the Loews Santa Monica Hotel will receive recall rights, free family health insurance and pension contributions during the expected nine-month closure, union officials announced Monday.

City Could Face Lawsuit Over New Gun Licensing Fee
March 20, 2023 -- A gun rights advocacy group is threatening to challenge Santa Monica's "ridiculous" concealed carry weapon (CCW) licensing fees, arguing they discourage residents from exercising their second amendment rights.

Two Stabbed in Early Morning Fight Sunday
March 20, 2023 -- Two victims were hospitalized with stab wounds after a fight broke out between two groups at the northern end of Palisades Park in the early hours of Sunday morning, according to police.

Flu Joins COVID in LA County This Season
March 17, 2023 -- There have been an estimated 540 flu-related deaths in Los Angeles County since October, with California experiencing the greatest number of per capita cases in the nation, according to the latest local and national health data.

Homeless Man Charged in Series of Sexual Assaults
March 17, 2023 -- A homeless man was charged Thursday with a series of nighttime sexual assaults on homeless women late last summer, including one in Santa Monica, according to police.

SPECIAL REPORT -- Why Homeless Knife Attacks Have Increased in Santa Monica
March 16, 2023 -- A dangerous mix of legal knives, illegal drugs and lenient State laws are likely driving a surge in stabbings among the homeless in Santa Monica, according to police.

Homeless Man Stabs City Worker in Palisades Park
March 16, 2023 -- A City worker was stabbed by a homeless man he tried to rouse from his sleep Wednesday morning in Palisades Park, according to police.

Council Sets Fees for Concealed Carry Weapon Licenses
March 15, 2023 -- Santa Monica residents will pay $617 for a concealed carry weapon (CCW) license after the LA County Sheriff's Department (LASD), which charged $150, stopped processing them for the city.

Santa Monica Review Celebrates 35th Year
March 15, 2023 -- Santa Monica College's (SMC) literary journal celebrates its 35th anniversary with an eclectic issue that will be showcased at three events and a reading.

EXTRA -- After 7 Years, Voting Rights Lawsuit Could Be Decided Soon
March 14, 2023 -- Nearly two-and-a-half years after the California Supreme Court took up a 2016 voting rights lawsuit against the City, the closely watched case is likely coming to an end.

SMC Training Programs Win Exemplary Award
March 14, 2023 -- Two certified healthcare training programs at Santa Monica College (SMC) have been recognized as nationwide models by the National Council for Continuing Education and Training (NCCET).

Council Creates Department to Focus on Housing and Homelessness
March 13, 2023 -- After once again declaring homelessness its top priority, the City Council on Saturday unanimously directed staff to create a new department and allocate new tax dollars to tackle the persistent problem.

Man Injured After Narrowly Escaping Motel Blaze
March 13, 2023 -- A man was hospitalized Saturday after "narrowly" escaping an early afternoon blaze at the Holiday Motel & Suites in Santa Monica, where he lived, Fire Department officials reported.

County Relaxes Coronavirus Guidelines
March 10, 2023 -- Coronavirus cases in Santa Monica and LA County continued dropping as Public Health officials announced Monday the County will relax its guidelines to align with the State.

Homeless Man Charged with Attempted Murder in Hate Crime Attacks
March 10, 2023 -- A homeless man was charged with assault and attempted murder on Wednesday after attacking three Black victims with a metal pipe one week ago.

3 City Owned Parking Lots Earmarked for Affordable Housing
March 9, 2023 -- The City Council is poised to set aside three surface parking lots in the Mid-City Neighborhood for low-income housing, bringing Santa Monica a step closer to meeting its State-mandated housing goal.

War, Big Tech and Black Horror at SMC Literary Series
March 9, 2023 -- A rising Black author, an expert on "Tech Goliaths" and a top commander in the Gulf War are among the "noteworthy spectrum" of writers featured in Santa Monica College's (SMC) Literary Series this spring.

Electrification Roadmap Just a Start, City Officials Say
March 8, 2023 -- When the City released a "roadmap" to electrify existing buildings, the document -- touted in a press release -- caught many residents and property owners by surprise.

Police Seek Help Unraveling January Crash, Beating
March 8, 2023 -- Santa Monica police are trying to unravel the beating of a woman found in a crashed jeep in January who says she has no memory of what happened.

Crypto Ponzi Scheme Targets Local Latino Investors
March 7, 2023 -- A consumer alert issued by the City Tuesday warns that Latino households in Santa Monica are being targeted by a crypto Ponzi scheme at the center of a federal enforcement action.

City Revenues to Take Five Years to Recover
March 7, 2023 -- Santa Monica's economy is "showing signs of softening" and revenues are not expected to fully recover for another five years, according to a recent report to the City Council.

Transitioning to Electricity Could Cost Property Owners Up to $1 Billion
March 6, 2023 -- Given the age of Santa Monica's building stock, it will likely cost property owners between $500 million and $1 billion to electrify all existing buildings, according to a cost analysis by the City.

Health State of Emergency Ended With Little Fanfare
March 3, 2023 -- The coronavirus emergency declared by the State, County and City three years ago quietly terminated at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday without any official announcement that a landmark moment had been reached.

Construction of Nearly 700 Housing Units Kicks Off
March 2, 2023 -- Tishman Speyer broke ground Monday on a senior building that launches the initial phase of the "Santa Monica Collection" development, which in total will add 677 housing units at eight Downtown sites.

Police Arrest Motorcyclist Involved in Road Rage Robbery and Assault
March 2, 2023 -- Santa Monica detectives accompanied by SWAT officers arrested a man at his Compton home Thursday for an assault with a deadly weapon and robbery that took place during a road rage incident last summer, according to police.

SPECIAL REPORT -- City Report Weighs Pros and Cons of Driverless Cars
March 1, 2023 -- As the first entirely driverless car in LA County prepares to hit Santa Monica streets this month, the City's top transit official released a report on the local status of autonomous vehicles (AVs).

Monthly Poll Finds Strong Support for LA's "Inside Safe" Homeless Program
March 1, 2023 -- A monthly poll of Santa Monica residents found the vast majority wants the City to follow Los Angeles' more "aggressive" approach to tackling homelessness.

Santa Monica Rents Drop for 6th Straight Month
February 28, 2023 -- Santa Monica rents dipped by -0.7 percent in February, marking the sixth straight monthly drop, with the median rent now standing at $2,157, according to a report released by Apartment List on Tuesday.

Social Justice Lecture Series at SMC Offers Eclectic Lineup
February 28, 2023 -- What do Marilyn Monroe and the Pico Neighborhood have in common? The theme of social justice, which will be explored during a lecture series at Santa Monica College this spring.

EXTRA -- Santa Monica Releases 'Roadmap' for Existing Buildings to Go All Electric
February 27, 2023 -- Santa Monica on Monday published an "Electrification Roadmap" that would eventually require property owners to transition from gas to electric before they can rent, sell or make major renovations to existing buildings.

Pacific Park's Sea Dragon Takes Final Bow
February 27, 2023 -- Pacific Park's 27-year-old Sea Dragon is retiring after making a splash in movies, videos and starring in a children's book, park officials announced Monday.

Wary Council Discusses Ways to Tweak Housing Plan
February 24, 2023 -- The City Council trod carefully on Tuesday when discussing how to implement its housing plan, fearing that any changes viewed as restricting development could incur the wrath of the State.

Picasso Meets Einstein at the Ruskin Theater
February 24, 2024 -- Actor and director Steve Martin's first full-length play -- which chronicles a fantasy meeting between Einstein and Picasso in 1904 -- opens at the Ruskin Theater in Santa Monica tonight.

Santa Monica to Add 15 Electric Buses
February 23, 2023 -- Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus (BBB) is poised to add as many as 15 battery electric buses, helping it transition its fleet to zero emissions buses by 2030.

No Citations Issued During "Shoulder Tap" Operation
February 23, 2023 -- A police sting operation this month to nab adults who buy alcohol for minors resulted in no citations, according to the Police Department.

Exercise, Eat and Dance at the Promenade This Spring
February 22, 2023 -- Visitors to the Promenade this spring can sample unique foods, sweat off the calories and dance like like no one is watching on select weekends this spring.

Suggestion to Transfer Housing to Palmdale "Immoral and Repulsive," Former Mayor Says
February 22, 2023 -- Preliminary talks with Palmdale officials to transfer some of Santa Monica's housing quota for cash would likely require funding from a ballot measure whose sponsor calls the fledgling proposal an "abomination."

Palmdale Council Votes to Explore Housing Deal With Santa Monica
February 21, 2023 -- (UPDATED) A skeptical Palmdale City Council last week voted to continue conversations with Santa Monica City officials to build State-mandated housing in the inland city in exchange for cash.

Santa Monica College Invites Public to Dance
February 21, 2023 -- If the music moves you, you may want to develop your dancing skills at a series of classes and learning workshops at Santa Monica College (SMC) this spring.

Police Arrest Parolee for Armed Carjacking
February 17, 2023 -- A carjacking at a beach parking lot Thursday evening led to a police chase, a collision with multiple vehicles and a helicopter search for a suspect who remains at large, police said.

New Wavelengths, Launching the Dragon and Space Weather at the SMC Planetarium
February 17, 2023 -- The Santa Monica College (SMC) John Drescher Planetarium will update two new space missions and take a focused look at Earth's "Evil Twin Sister" during a series of free live shows next month.

Fewer Officers Tackling More Crime, Chief Tells Council
February 16, 2023 -- Facing a serious staffing shortage, Santa Monica police are initiating more calls for service, as both crime and arrests are on the rise, Police Chief Ramon Batista told the City Council Tuesday.

Boards and Commissions to Meet in Person
February 16, 2023 -- After three years meeting remotely, Santa Monica Boards and Commissions will begin holding in-person meetings next month, City officials announced Thursday.

North of Montana 7th Most Expensive Zip Code in U.S.
February 15, 2023 -- North of Montana was the 7th priciest zip code in the U.S. last year with a median home sale price of $4.378 million, according to a ranking released this week by PropertyShark.com.

Council Votes to Declare Homelessness Emergency
February 15, 2023 -- The City Council Tuesday night unanimously voted to declare a Local Emergency on Homelessness that will boost funding and speed up hiring to address a worsening crisis.

No Reliable Data to Support Key Housing Number
February 14, 2023 -- The data used to approve City policies, establish financial support programs and pass tax measures for "severely rent-burdened" households is wildly inaccurate.

Council Caught in a Tight Spot on Development
February 13, 2023 -- The City Council on Tuesday will face a volatile political dilemma -- change the unique nature of Santa Monica's four Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts or open the floodgates to virtually unchecked State-sanctioned development.

Pacific Park Wheel Reels With Love
February 13, 2023 -- One of LA's most romantic places will light up with symbols of love for Valentine's Day in Santa Monica.

County Remains at Low COVID Community Level Despite Fast-Spreading Subvariant
February 10, 2023 -- A highly contagious COVID subvariant that has not resulted in an increase in hospitalizations and deaths is now the dominant strain in Los Angeles County, health officials said Friday.

EXTRA -- Santa Monica Set to Declare Homelessness Emergency
February 9, 2023 -- The City Council on Tuesday is expected to declare a state of emergency on homelessness that will make it easier to address a crisis that has persisted for decades and is worsening.

SMC to Launch New Equity-Centered Biotech Program with $1 Milllion Grant
February 9, 2023 -- Santa Monica College (SMC) will launch a new "equity-centered" biotech career program to help fill a growing demand for "cancer-fighting scientists" in the region, school officials said.

Bloom Makes Move from Legislator to Judge
February 8, 2023 -- Former Santa Monica Mayor Richard Blooom -- who rose from neighborhood activist to influential Assemblymember -- has been appointed as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Miramar Match Helps Ed Foundation Raise Nearly $250,000
February 8, 2023 -- A $25,000 match from the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows and its owner MSD Partners spurred 372 donors to give $236,940 to the Education Foundation last month.

County Approves Record Budget to Fight Homelessness
February 7, 2023 -- One month after declaring a state of emergency on homelessness, the LA County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a record $609.7 million budget to tackle the growing crisis and allocated an additional $76.9 million.

Santa Monica History Museum to Provide Free Admission to Low-Income Visitors
February 7, 2023 -- Those receiving food assistance (SNAP) benefits can now visit the Santa Monica History Museum for free as part of a nationwide program to attract low-income visitors.

Developer Scores $375 Million Financing to Develop Vons Downtown Site
February 6, 2023 -- One day after Vons market closed its doors, Related California announced Monday it has secured $375 million in financing to build a 280-unit apartment development on the prime Downtown site.

City Hires Cultural Manager with Eclectic Background
February 6, 2023 -- The City of Santa Monica has tapped the vice president of a design and architecture podcast with a degree in electronic music composition as its new Cultural Affairs manager.

Workplan Outlines City's Efforts Tackling Homelessness
February 3, 2023 -- During the last three months of 2022, the City issued 14 emergency housing vouchers, provided medical and psychiatric services to 478 homeless individuals and issued 1,047 sleeping violations in public parks, according to the latest Homelessness Workplan report.

County Urges Boosters as COVID Wanes
February 3, 2023 -- LA County Health officials are urging more than 4 million residents to get the latest booster shot regardless of their health condition amid a drop in COVID hospitalizations and deaths.

Two Men Charged for Armed Robbery in September
February 2, 2022 -- Two men were arraigned on Wednesday after Santa Monica detectives tracked them down -- one in court and the other in jail for unrelated cases.