Measure ES “Desperately Needed” to Fund Improvements in Santa Monica and Malibu Schools
October 31, 2012 -- With the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District facing a need for some $1 billion in improvements district-wide, and little help likely coming from Sacramento, SMMUSD has few options to augment funding.

Orchestrating the Downtown Santa Monica Beat
October 31, 2012 -- Lt. David Hunscke, the officer in charge of policing Downtown, stands near a corner of the popular strip and watches the weekday afternoon crowd. A young man stops to ask if he can light up a cigarette (he can’t), and a passerby slows to offer the officer a greeting and a smile.

Santa Monica City Manager to Meet with Residents
October 31, 2012 -- Santa Monica City Manager Rod Gould will be holding a series of meetings in November to inform residents about safety and quality-of-life issues.

AFM Pushes Santa Monica Attractions
October 30, 2012 -- After coming close to losing the annual American Film Market (AFM) in town, Santa Monica is reaping extra benefits as the big independent film industry trade show promotes the beachside city as a destination in its marketing efforts.

Santa Monica Rent Board, School Board Candidates Raise Funds Down the Home Stretch
October 30, 2012 -- With little more than a week left before the November 6 election, candidates in Santa Monica's School Board and Rent Control Board races are drumming up support -- and funds -- to take them into the home stretch.

Santa Monica's Pacific Park Celebrates a Family-Friendy Halloween
October 30, 2012 -- For the first time in ten years, Santa Monica's Pacific Park will celebrate Halloween with a light display on its world-famous Ferris Wheel.

Movie Theaters in Santa Monica Take A Trip Back to the Future
October 29, 2012 -- Twenty-two years ago, when AMC opened a multi-screen theater on the newly built Third Street Promenade, the state-of-the-art theater was hailed as one of the most ambitious projects in the operator’s nearly 30-year history.

Santa Monica Council Candidates Drumming Up Money in the Home Stretch
October 29, 2012 -- With the election around the corner, candidates running for office in Santa Monica keep pounding the pavement and raising money to give them the edge come November 6.

Santa Monica Celebrates Day of the Dead
October 29, 2012 -- Santa Monica residents looking to honor their departed loved ones in a traditional way will find no shortage of options next week as the City celebrates the Day of the Dead.

Developer PAC Drops $400,000 on Santa Monica Council Race
October 26, 2012 -- Santa Monicans United for a Responsible Future (SMURF) has raised over $215,000 in the three weeks since the group last disclosed its campaign finances.

Santa Monica Civic Auditorium Will Close in June, As Planned
October 26, 2012 -- While the future of Santa Monica's dilapidated Civic Center remains largely uncertain, the Council decided to stick to the June 30 date to close the building.

Santa Monica College's “Heart Mountain” Revisits Japanese Internment
October 26, 2012 -- “The war started on a Sunday and I went to school on Monday,” said Noboru Kamibayashi. “When I came home, my father was gone because they had taken him to the local jail.”

Santa Monica's House of Rock Survives Emergency Ordinance Hearing
October 25, 2012 -- After nearly three hours of public comment and deliberation, Santa Monica's City Council failed to adopt an emergency ordinance that would have put the kibosh on large events at private homes for commercial reasons.

Santa Monica Extends Ban on Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
October 25, 2012 -- The Council voted unanimously, and without discussion, to extend a 45-day moratorium on permits allowing medical marijuana dispensaries in Santa Monica.

New Santa Monica Smoking Ban to Take Effect Next Month
October 25, 2012 -- After a year of debate, the Santa Monica City Council gave final approval Tuesday to a law that bans smoking in all apartment and condo units occupied after November 22.

Letter -- Marijuana Is Not a Gateway Drug
October 25, 2012 -- It can only be hoped that Councilmember Bob Holbrook knows more about the prescription medications he dispensed as a pharmacist, than what he knows about medical marijuana.

Santa Monica Fire Department Called Out on Radiation Scare
October 24, 2012 -- Santa Monica's Waste Management Division made an emergency call to the Fire Department after radioactive material was discovered in a dumpster behind the Albertson's at Lincoln and Ocean Park Boulevards Wednesday morning.

Santa Monica Neighborhood Group Chair Resigns After Lengthy Battle
October 24, 2012 -- Chair of the Wilmont Neighborhood Coalition Valerie Griffin resigned from the board Monday after almost five months of infighting over an election held last summer which she called a violation of the group's bylaws.

Assembly District Candidates to Talk Education at Santa Monica Student Forum
October 24, 2012 -- Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom and State Assembly incumbent Betsy Butler will square off at a student-moderated forum Thursday over the troubled state of California's public schools.

Santa Monica Sexual Assault Suspect in Custody
October 24, 2012 -- Police are looking for additional victims after a man was arrested and charged with the sexual assault of a woman on Santa Monica Beach two weeks ago.

Letter -- I Resign As Chair of Wilmont
October 24, 2012 -- I cannot be on a Board with people who have treated Wilmont, other Board members, and me the way we have been treated publicly, in email, and in the press. I know that a majority wants to ignore the legal requirements and associated transparency.

Santa Monica House of Rock Offers Peace Ahead of Emergency Zoning Ordinance Vote
October 23, 2012 -- Ahead of Tuesday's Council meeting, where a vote could determine whether single-family houses can be used as events venues, attorneys representing The House of Rock in Santa Monica have offered a compromise.

Lawsuit Over Marijuana Lab Raises Questions About Santa Monica's Pot Moratorium
October 23, 2012 -- While the City Council will consider Tuesday whether to extend a 45-day moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries within city limits for another 10 months, the city will also be fighting a lawsuit by one businessman who has been denied a permit to open a marijuana testing lab in Santa Monica.

Santa Monica Spent Less Than Expected in 2012, Report Says
October 23, 2012 -- The City Council will get some good news Tuesday when staff presents them with an overview of the year's budget, showing almost $5 million in savings to the General fund.

Letter -- Proposed Emergency Ordinance Is "Impermissible"
October 23, 2012 -- The released draft ordinance suffers from a number of fatal deficiencies, including: (1) it fails the basic requirements of an emergency ordinance, both under state law and the City charter, and (2) it is replete with Constitutional violations, including Equal Protection and Due Process violations and substantial and impermissible restrictions on freedom of association.

Santa Monica Neighborhood Group Battle May Be Near an End
October 22, 2012 -- Members of the Wilmont Neighborhood Coalition voted Saturday to move on from the contentious battle that has plagued the organization since June, passing a motion to forgive and forget all alleged wrongdoings while reinstating members who had been kicked out during the struggle.

Meet the Candidates for Santa Monica City Council: Terence Later
October 22, 2012 -- This is the last in a series of posts that provides the answers to questions by candidates in the November 6 race for Santa Monica City Council. The answers from the candidates will be posted in the order they were received.

Dance and Obesity Are on Santa Monica College Calendar in November
October 22, 2012 -- Santa Monica College will offer up a lecture on obesity in America and a dance series by the Synapse Dance Theater in early November.

USPS to Dismiss Congressman Waxman's Appeal of Santa Monica Post Office Closure
October 19, 2012 -- The United States Postal Service filed a motion to deny Congressman Henry Waxman's appeal of its decision to close Santa Monica's historic post office Friday, claiming that it is not being closed, but rather, relocated.

Santa Monica Neighborhood Group Power Struggle Continues
October 19, 2012 -- The ongoing battle over who belongs on the board of Santa Monica's Wilmont Neighborhood Coalition will enter a new chapter Saturday when Chair Valerie Griffin will hold another election, this time to change the bylaws.

Santa Monica Church to Host Graham Nash for Army Whistleblower Benefit Concert
October 19, 2012 -- On October 26, legendary folk singer and activist Graham Nash will present an intimate acoustic concert performance at Santa Monica's Church in Ocean Park to benefit this generation’s most well-known whistleblower, Army Private First Class Bradley Manning.

Santa Monica Police Call on Residents to Help Stop Domestic Violence
October 19, 2012 -- Joining forces with the Commission on the Status of Women, the Santa Monica Police Department is asking residents to help fight domestic violence.

Letter -- Developers Have Too Much Influence On This Election
October 19, 2012 -- I am not going to fill out the questionnaire, but would like you to post my response. I am boycotting all Forums & and any Questionnaires for the following reasons. I truly believe that this election has been rigged by certain members of the City Council.

Good Taste -- Cora's Coffee Shop in Santa Monica Redefines “Hip”
October 18, 2012 -- I check my SurfSantaMonica.com e-mail on a regular basis, hoping that I will get kudos on the columns that I write. Actually, I've had some really nice comments on them and I am so grateful that they are actually read!

Meet the Candidates for Santa Monica City Council: Armen Melkonians
October 18, 2012 -- This is the 13th in a series of posts that provides the answers to questions by candidates in the November 6 race for Santa Monica City Council. The answers from the candidates will be posted in the order they were received.

Santa Monica Youth Center On Road to Recovery
October 17, 2012 -- Three months after the City told Santa Monica's Pico Youth and Family Center administrators they had until December to get their affairs in order or the Center could risk losing City funding, PYFC is on its way to recovery.

Embattled Santa Monica Nonprofit to Hold Community Meeting
October 17, 2012 -- Common Ground, Santa Monica's only nonprofit HIV treatment center, will hold its first community meeting October 24 to hear from neighbors about safety concerns they may have.

Santa Monica's New PAC Causes Protest from Candidates
October 16, 2012 -- Political Action Committees (PACs) are not new to Santa Monica during election season, but as the November 6 elections draw nearer, candidates have begun to protest the newcomers on the political scene.

Santa Monica College Gallery to Host Local Artist's Retrospective
October 16, 2012 -- The Pete & Susan Barrett Art Gallery will host the work of award-winning Santa Monica Artist Martha Alf starting October 27.

Meet the Candidates for Santa Monica City Council: Jonathan Mann
October 16, 2012 -- This is the 12th in a series of posts that provides the answers to questions by candidates in the November 6 race for Santa Monica City Council. The answers from the candidates will be posted in the order they were received.

Council Candidates Disgruntled Over Santa Monica Paper Forum
October 15, 2012 -- Six Santa Monica City Council candidates were not invited to participate in a debate sponsored by The Daily Press Monday night, and they've been rallying support to pressure the paper to include them.

Santa Monica's Winterlit Set to Spread Holiday Cheer
October 15, 2012 -- Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM) is poised to wow residents and visitors again this holiday season with another event-packed Winterlit Festival launching in early November.

Meet the Candidates for Santa Monica City Council: Tony Vazquez
October 15, 2012 -- This is the 11th in a series of posts that provides the answers to questions by candidates in the November 6 race for Santa Monica City Council. The answers from the candidates will be posted in the order they were received.

“From Malibu, For Malibu” Campaign Raises Concerns in Santa Monica
October 12, 2012 -- Three challengers from Malibu are in the race to sit on the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education, but their campaign has raised some eyebrows, with two different messages for each city.

Meet the Candidates for Santa Monica City Council: Shari Davis
October 12, 2012 -- This is the 10th in a series of posts that provides the answers to questions by candidates in the November 6 race for Santa Monica City Council. The answers from the candidates will be posted in the order they were received.

Good Taste -- Blue Plate Cafe in Santa Monica Gets the Creative Juices Flowing With Healthy Comfort Food
October 12, 2012 -- Did I mention I am working on a cool new website, HotFlashUniverse.org? It's like an online version of Cosmopolitan Magazine but for women over 50. The idea was conceived in one of my favorites spots for breakfast: The Blue Plate on Montana Avenue.

Santa Monica Police Seek Sexual Assault Suspect
October 11, 2012 -- Police are looking for a suspect in connection with a sexual assault on a woman who was attacked while jogging on the beach in the early morning Wednesday, Santa Monica Police officials said.

Los Angeles County Democratic Party Backs Candidates in Santa Monica Races
October 11, 2012 -- The L.A. County Democratic Party (LACDP) voted to endorse only one incumbent and three challengers for Santa Monica's City Council race Tuesday.

Santa Monica Can Bar AIDS Walk from Bus Ads, Judge Rules
October 11, 2012 -- A federal judge on Wednesday refused to grant a temporary restraining order that would have forced Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus to run non-commercial advertising.

Meet the Candidates for Santa Monica City Council: Ted Winterer
October 11, 2012 -- This is the ninth in a series of posts that provides the answers to questions by candidates in the November 6 race for Santa Monica City Council. The answers from the candidates will be posted in the order they were received

Landmarks Commission Saves Santa Monica Bar, Will Study Post Office
October 10, 2012 -- Santa Monica's Landmarks Commission looked at two historical buildings Monday, officially giving one landmark status while exploring their options regarding the Federally-owned post office on Fifth Street.

Santa Monica Council to Take Up Food Labeling Initiative
October 10, 2012 -- Later this month, the Santa Monica City Council will consider whether or not to endorse Proposition 37, the controversial initiative that has generated an avalanche of campaign spending and sparked furious debate between forces decrying intrusive government regulation and consumers demanding the “right to know.”

Meet the Candidates for Santa Monica City Council: Richard Mckinnon
October 10, 2012 -- This is the seventh in a series of posts that provides the answers to questions by candidates in the November 6 race for Santa Monica City Council. The answers from the candidates will be posted in the order they were received.

Santa Monica's New Developer-Backed Political Group Outraises SMRR
October 9, 2012 -- As candidates in the race to sit on Santa Monica's City Council struggle to raise money for their campaigns, a new developer-backed political group has rustled up $175,000 in less than one week.

Santa Monica Police and Firefighters Back Realtor for Rent Control Board
October 9, 2012 -- In the race to sit on the Rent Control Board, the only candidate not backed by Santa Monicans' for Renters' Rights (SMRR) has secured the backing of the city's public safety unions.

Meet the Candidates for Santa Monica City Council: Terry O'Day'
October 9, 2012 -- This is the sixth in a series of posts that provides the answers to questions by candidates in the November 6 race for Santa Monica City Council. The answers from the candidates will be posted in the order they were received.

New Housing Developer-funded Group Weighs in on Santa Monica Council Race
October 8, 2012 -- A new political group, supported by Santa Monica’s most prominent housing developer, has thrown its weight behind four candidates in November’s race for four open council seats.

Candidates Talk Airport Closure at Friends of Santa Monica Airport Forum
October 08, 2012 -- City Council candidates told supporters of the Santa Monica Airport at a forum Saturday that the 62-year-old facility should either be scaled back or shut down completely.

Meet the Candidates for Santa Monica City Council: Frank Gruber
October 8, 2012 -- This is the fith in a series of posts that provides the answers to questions by candidates in the November 6 race for Santa Monica City Council. The answers from the candidates will be posted in the order they were received.

Council Approves Temporary Ban on Medical Marijuana Facilities in Santa Monica
October 5, 2012 -- The Council adopted a 45-day moratorium on the licenses or permits for medical marijuana dispensaries in Santa Monica Tuesday.

Santa Monica's “Chez Jay” May Get Landmark Status
October 5, 2012 -- The tiny bar with sawdust and peanut-shell covered floors and a storied past, on the edge of Santa Monica's downtown, is likely to be designated a landmark Monday when it goes before the Landmarks Commission.

Meet the Candidates for Santa Monica City Council:Gleam Davis
October 5, 2012 -- This is the fourth in a series of posts that provides the answers to questions by candidates in the November 6 race for Santa Monica City Council. The answers from the candidates will be posted in the order they were received.

Santa Monica Council Revives Smoking Ban in Apartments
October 4, 2012 -- The Santa Monica City Council banned smoking in all new apartments after a 5-to-2 vote Tuesday finally approved a smoking ban after over a year of debate.

Santa Monica Council Wants Emergency Ordinance in Response to House of Rock
October 4, 2012 -- In a meeting that stretched into the early hours of Wednesday morning, Santa Monica's City Council asked staff to prepare an emergency ordinance that could restrict the size and frequency of large events at “design houses” in residential neighborhoods.

Meet the Candidates for Santa Monica City Council: John Cyrus Smith
October 4, 2012 -- This is the third in a series of posts that provides the answers to questions by candidates in the November 6 race for Santa Monica City Council. The answers from the candidates will be posted in the order they were received.

Santa Monica's Seniors Ride Again
October 3, 2012 -- Santa Monica's seniors turned out in force Tuesday morning for the first-ever senior bike ride, co-sponsored by the Bike Center and the Commission for the Senior Community.

Santa Monica Celebrates International Walk to School Day with Walking School Buses
October 3, 2012 -- This Bike It! Walk It! Day expect to see droves of middle schoolers walking, instead of riding in cars, to school Wednesday and Friday.

Meet the Candidates for Santa Monica City Council:Jerry Rubin
October 3, 2012 -- This is the second in a series of posts that provides the answers to questions by candidates in the November 6 race for Santa Monica City Council. The answers from the candidates will be posted in the order they were received.

CRAAP Backs Challengers in Santa Monica Council Race
October 2, 2012 -- Concerned Residents Against Airport Pollution, a decade-old group that advocates for the closure of Santa Monica's airport, endorsed four challengers for City Council.

Suspect Charged in Fatal Santa Monica Car Accident Could Face Life in Prison
October 2, 2012 -- Authorities have charged 26-year-old Cara Cameron with murder and drunk driving in connection with the death of an Australian tourist on August 21 in Downtown Santa Monica.

Meet the Candidates for Santa Monica City Council:Bob Seldon
October 2, 2012 -- This is the first in a series of posts that provides the answers to questions by candidates in the November 6 race for Santa Monica City Council. The answers from the candidates will be posted in the order they were received.

Santa Monica Attorney Proposes Emergency Zoning Ordinance in “House of Rock” Battle
October 1, 2012 -- A prominent Santa Monica land-use attorney is proposing an emergency ordinance that would limit the frequency of large parties in single-family residential (R-1) zones.

Good Taste -- Romantic Memories of a Santa Monica Mainstay
October 1, 2012 -- I have been married to my husband, Larry for 21 years. Our anniversary is coming up in two weeks. A fond memory I have from when we had just after we had gotten married was going to a small, local Italian restaurant on Montana, called Spumoni.