City Council to Discuss Future of Santa Monica Airport, Higher Landing Fees
April 30, 2013 -- The Santa Monica City Council will tackle a wide-range of issues surrounding the City's local airport Tuesday, including increased landing fees to help the airport carry its own weight.

Santa Monica “Chain Reaction” Fund Up to $15,000, Fundraisers Say
April 30, 2013 -- Saturday’s benefit to help save Santa Monica’s iconic “Chain Reaction” sculpture drew more than 100 supporters and raised $1,500, bringing the total raised to date to approximately $15,000.

Santa Monica College Paper Wins Top Awards
April 30, 2013 -- The Corsair, Santa Monica College’s student newspaper, won 14 awards at the 2013 state convention of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges, including General Excellence for online journalism.

Santa Monica Gets Down to Downtown Specifics
April 29, 2013 -- What should be the maximum height of buildings in Downtown Santa Monica? What changes need to be made to spur walking and bicycling? And how do you encourage motorists to ditch their cars or park them away from the Downtown center?

Building Caps Downtown Will be Subject of Santa Monica Meeting Next Week
April 29, 2013 -- When the community meets to discuss the controversial Downtown Specific Plan next week, the focus will likely be on major projects at “opportunity sites.”

Former Teen Idol Comes to Santa Monica
April 29, 2013 -- Iconic pop singer and songwriter Paul Anka will be in Santa Monica next week to discuss and sign his new autobiography, “My Way,” and his CD, “Duets,” at the Main Library.

Santa Monica’s $8 Million Pier Replacement Project Underway
April 26, 2013 -- The City began replacing a large swath of the iconic Santa Monica Pier Thursday that will make the 100-year-old structure longer lasting and more structurally sound.

Santa Monica Goes Brit
April 26, 2013 -- Get ready to cultivate the British in you when the Santa Monica Spring Jubilee celebrates BritWeek on the Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica Place May 4 and 5. Think “Downton Abbey” meets “Gidget.”

Santa Monica to Get Lastest Scoop from Mars
April 26, 2013 -- It may not grab frequent headlines, but the story and pictures are literally other-worldly. A rover has been crawling across the Martian landscape for nine months, snapping pictures and taking soil samples.

Santa Monica to Overhaul Urban Forestry Program after Allegations Funds Were Misused
April 25, 2013 -- The City of Santa Monica will restructure its urban forestry division and revisit its contract with it arborist after an internal investigation found there was room for improvement, top City officials told the Urban Forest Task Force Wednesday night.

Santa Monica Prepares for the Future
Second of two parts: Upcoming Public Projects
April 25, 2013 -- It will be easier to get in and out of Santa Monica, thanks to several major public projects slated to be started over the next three years in the beachside City.

Santa Monica Seeks Public Input for Commemorative Wall
April 25, 2013 -- The City is seeking the names of Santa Monica veterans who died while on active duty during war time to be included on a commemorative wall at Woodlawn Cemetery.

Santa Monica Prepares for the Future
First of two parts: Current Public Projects
April 24, 2013 -- Over the next five years, construction crews will be busy in Downtown Santa Monica paving the way for the future. It is a future that includes a new rail line and station, an esplanade, a state-of-the-art parking structure and two new bridges – one leading on to the pier, the other down to PCH.

Supporters of Santa Monica’s “Chain Reaction” to Hold Fundraiser Saturday
April 24, 2013 -- Supporters of Paul Conrad's “Chain Reaction,” which is in danger of being dismantled, will hold a fundraiser Saturday night to help pay for repairs that would save the iconic 26-foot-tall sculpture.

Good Taste: My Introduction to Real Food
April 24, 2013 -- A few weeks ago, I met with an interesting potential client -- a chiropractor, healer and book author. He also did not eat meat and ate only raw and/or organic food.

Old Stores Thrive in Downtown Santa Monica
April 23, 2013 -- Much has changed in Downtown Santa Monica since the Promenade opened in 1989. Third Street, once a gloomy, depressed stretch of stores that closed after sunset, has now become an international destination.

Santa Monica’s Edison Academy Wins State Recognition
April 23, 2013 -- The Edison Language Academy, which serves some of Santa Monica’s poorest students, has been recognized by California’s business community for closing the achievement gap, local School District officials announced Monday.

Puppets on Parade in Santa Monica This Weekend
April 23, 2013 -- Hundreds of people bearing puppets will flock to Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade Sunday to celebrate the end of Los Angeles' first-ever city-wide puppet festival.

Santa Monica Planning Commission Postpones School Development, Grants Permits to Restaurants
April 22, 2013 -- After nearly four hours of discussion Wednesday, the Santa Monica Planning Commission voted to grant two restaurants alcohol permits but postponed a decision on Crossroads School's proposed Science Center.

Cash Registers Ringing for Many Downtown Santa Monica Retailers
April 22, 2013 -- Aided by a boost from tourists, Downtown Santa Monica stores are holding steady and even showing some sales gains in what continues to be a difficult retail environment nationally.

Newest Council Members Share Views of Downtown Santa Monica
April 22, 2013 -- Tony Vazquez and Ted Winterer – who last December became the first two new council members in 20 years to take the dais after an election – are no strangers to Downtown Santa Monica.

State Moves to Block Additional $24 Million in Payments to Santa Monica's Former RDA
April 19, 2013 -- The State informed Santa Monica Monday that it plans to block $24.6 million in tax revenues the City says its former Redevelopment Agency (RDA) has already committed, The Lookout has learned.

Bristol Farms Set to Open Santa Monica Store This Summer
April 19, 2013 -- The high-end organic grocery chain Bristol Farms will open its newest store in Santa Monica this summer, replacing a mid-priced grocery store that was a staple of the community for more than a decade.

Santa Monica-Based RAND Elects New Chair
April 19, 2013 -- The RAND Corporation Board of Trustees has elected former Wall Street Journal publisher Karen Elliott House as its new chair, the Santa Monica-based non-profit research organization announced Thursday.

EXTRA! Santa Monica's Former Redevelopment Agency Could Owe Another $140 million, State Says
April 18, 2013 -- The State Department of Finance (DOF) could add another $140 million to the tab it claims Santa Monica's former Redevelopment Agency (RDA) owes the County, The Lookout has learned.

Lincoln Repaving and Groundwater Monitoring Contract Top Santa Monica's Consent Calendar
April 18, 2013 -- The Santa Monica City Council will vote Tuesday whether to commit another $1.3 million to monitoring the Olympic Groundwater Basin for possible contamination, as well as more than $2 million to repave Lincoln Boulevard south of the I-10 Freeway.

Police to Help Santa Monicans Dispose of Prescription Drugs
April 18, 2013 -- Santa Monicans will get another chance this month to rid their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. 

Santa Monica Council to Tackle Private Trainers in Public Parks
April 17, 2013 -- The City Council will decide Tuesday whether to go forward with legislation that would ban groups from working out in Santa Monica's Palisades Park and would levy a fee against private trainers for use of public spaces.

Santa Monica’s Public Art Trove Grows
April 17, 2013 -- When Santa Monica was awarded $1 million in Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Mayor’s Challenge Competition for its innovative Wellbeing Project, the City got more than a check to cash. Also offered was a new addition to the civic art inventory -- a sculpture from famed Danish -- Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson.

Attempted Murder Suspect Arrested in Santa Monica's Pico Neighborhood
April 17, 2013 -- Santa Monica Police arrested attempted murder suspect Jeremy Emmanueal Gonzalez at his home in the Pico Neighborhood last Tuesday.

Save the Civic, Say Santa Monica Residents
April 16, 2013 -- A group of civic leaders, including several one-time Council hopefuls, a former mayor and a Landmarks commissioner, have banded together to help save Santa Monica's historic Civic Auditorium.

Santa Monica Trailer Park Residents Get Ready for Legal Battle
April 16, 2013 -- Two residents of Santa Monica's Village Trailer Park, one a former attorney, are forming a nonprofit to fight the proposed development of the four-acre site approved by the City Council last week.

Good Taste: A Beach House in Santa Monica with a South-of-the Border Flair
April 16, 2013 -- Last, week, we decided to get out of the office, past the food trucks, past the salad bar and across the street to a cute little restaurant called OP Cafe.

Santa Monica Rent Board Delays Trailer Park Development
April 15, 2013 -- The Rent Control Board voted unanimously Thursday to delay a decision on whether to grant permits to remove 99 rent-controlled trailer pads at Santa Monica's Village Trailer Park, citing concerns that the proposed development would not provide enough affordable housing.

Santa Monica Police on the Lookout for Drunk Drivers
April 15, 2013 -- Santa Monica Police will be watching out for drunk drivers Friday with a DUI checkpoint somewhere in the city.

Third Suspect in Santa Monica Jewelry Heist Arrested
April 15, 2013 -- Santa Monica Police have two suspects in custody and are searching for a third after a jewelry heist at a business on Montana Avenue Sunday.

Santa Monica City Council Wants More Affordable Housing in Bergamot
April 12, 2013 -- The Santa Monica City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to explore ways to bring more affordable housing to the former industrial Bergamot Area than the City currently requires.

Santa Monica Makes Pier Bridge Improvements
April 12, 2013 – A designated walkway that separates pedestrians from bike and vehicle traffic has been added to the Santa Monica Pier bridge ahead of the summer deadline.

The Boys & Girls Club of Santa Monica Starts New Photography Program
April 12, 2013 -- Santa Monica's youth will have be able to explore the world of photography through a new program at the Boys & Girls Club.

Pedicabs Can Do Business in Santa Monica, Council Says
April 11, 2013 -- Pedicabs can operate in Santa Monica, as long as they stay off the beach bike path and the Pier, the City Council decided Tuesday.

Santa Monica Police Crack Down on Distracted Drivers
April 11, 2013 -- In 2011, drivers involved in 1.3 million crashes nationwide were using cell phones, accounting for 23 percent of the accidents.
More than one third of drivers have sent or received text messages while driving, and 18 percent said they do so regularly.

Learn a Craft at Santa Monica's Camera Obscura Building
April 11, 2013 -- Have you wanted to learn how to make soap, dance the Tango, write a travelogue or sew on a hand-cranked sewing machine? Have you ever wanted to participate in some urban guerrilla art?

Santa Monica's East Village Project DA Passes Second Reading, Again
April 10, 2013 -- After more than six years of planning and negotiations, a reversal by the council to rescind its approval and a $50 million lawsuit, the East Village Project is finally moving forward.

State Reduces Santa Monica's Former RDA Bill by $23 Million
April 10, 2013 -- Santa Monica will have to fork over $19 million in Redevelopment Agency (RDA) funds to the State, down from an initial $55 million earmarked by state financial officials, The Lookout has learned.

Santa Monica Students Log in Car-Free Miles
April 10, 2013 -- One first grader biked a total of 19 miles to and from school last month, while a second grader walked 32 miles.

Santa Monica College’s Malibu Expansion Moves Forward
April 9, 2013 -- More than three decades after discontinuing classes in Malibu, Santa Monica College's plans to build a nearly three-acre campus in the neighboring beachside city is moving forward.

Residents to Talk Height and Density in Santa Monica's Downtown
April 9, 2013 -- A community meeting next month to seek input on the density and heights allowed for projects in Downtown Santa Monica is already causing a stir, as slow growth advocates organize to oppose a staff plan that would allow high rises in designated areas.

Woman Arrested for Kidnapping Son in Santa Monica
April 9, 2013 -- A woman who kidnapped her son from his Santa Monica residence last month was arrested by police in Clermont, Florida, where she had fled with the eight-year-old boy.

Controlled Rents in Santa Monica Highest in 14 Years, Report Says
April 8, 2013 -- The median Santa Monica rent for a controlled apartment topped $3,000 a month for the first time since landlords were allowed to charge market rates for vacated units 14 years ago, according to a Rent Board report.

Santa Monica Library to Screen Documentary About Cuba's Decaying Art Schools
April 8, 2013 -- On Sunday April 21, the Santa Monica Public Library will screen “Unfinished Spaces,” a documentary about three architects exiled by the same revolutionaries who commissioned them to build Cuba's avant-garde National Art Schools in Havana.

Good Taste: Santa Monica's Next New Rotary Hangout is Next Door by Josie
April 8, 2013 -- In celebration of Josie Restaurant's 10th anniversary, Josie has opened a new eatery: "Next Door By Josie." It's located right next door to the original Josie on Pico Boulevard. How's that for creativity? At least I will remember where it is.

Options Aplenty to Keep Santa Monica Clean for Earth Day
April 5, 2013 -- Santa Monica residents will have a chance to celebrate Earth Day all week long by helping keep the city clean.

Author to Talk About Local Pioneer of Architectural Criticism at Santa Monica Library
April 5, 2013 -- Esther McCoy spent more than forty years writing about Southern California from her bungalow in Ocean Park and single-handedly changed the way the world viewed architecture in California.

Rusty's on the Santa Monica Pier to Host “Chain Reaction” Fundraiser
April 5, 2013 -- Supporters of Paul Conrad's “Chain Reaction” are trying to get the ball rolling on finding the $450,000 Santa Monica officials say they need to repair the 26-foot-tall sculpture.

Santa Monica Seeks Musical Acts for Sunday Farmers Market
April 4, 2013 -- Every Sunday, thousands of people descend upon Santa Monica's Main Street to pick up fresh, locally-grown produce and enjoy the outdoor shopping experience of the Farmers' Market. City officials are looking for bands to help add to that experience.

Fiber Optics and Youth Soccer Top Santa Monica City Council's Consent Calendar
April 4, 2013 -- The City Council will decide Tuesday whether to spend $550,000 to improve Santa Monica's fiber optic network and fund youth soccer camps throughout the year.

Santa Monica Could Adopt New Pedicab Ordinance
April 4, 2013 -- With four companies applying for business licenses to operate pedicabs in Santa Monica, the City Council will vote Tuesday on new regulations that would ban them from the Beach Bike Path.

Homeless Man Suspected in Santa Monica Car Burglary Spree
April 3, 2013 -- Police arrested a 22-year-old homeless man suspected of breaking into eight cars in mid-City Santa Monica early Tuesday morning.

Saint John's Must Provide More Parking, City Says
April 3, 2013 -- Santa Monica City Officials told Saint John's Health Center (SJHC) Monday that its plan to replace the parking spaces it had leased at the Colorado Center was not enough.

De la Torre Steps Down as Head of Santa Monica Youth Nonprofit
April 3, 2013 -- Oscar de la Torre has stepped down as executive director of Santa Monica's troubled Pico Youth and Family Center (PYFC) amidst a controversy over the future of the organization's funding.

Red Cross to Honor Vets, Cast of “NCIS”
April 2, 2013 -- The Red Cross will honor veterans and the cast of CBS' hit show NCIS Saturday at the organization's seventh annual Red Tie Affair event at Santa Monica's Fairmont Miramar hotel.

Second-Hand Smoke Leads Santa Monica Woman to File Fair Housing Complaint
April 2, 2013 -- Santa Monica's Consumer Protection Unit (CPU) helped a woman with a severe respiratory disability relocate to get away from the second-hand smoke wafting in from her neighbors' apartments, according to City staff.

Battle Over Santa Monica's Nativity Scenes Continues
April 2, 2013 -- The battle over whether religious groups can display Nativity scenes in parks continues as counsel representing the Santa Monica Nativity Scenes Committee prepares to appeal the dismal of their case.

Planning Commission to Discuss Putting Santa Monica Zoning Update on Hold
April 1 , 2013 -- The Planning Commission will decide Wednesday whether to recommend putting adoption of Santa Monica's Zoning Ordinance update for a year to allow for more public comment.

Accommodation Complaints from Tenants with Disabilities "Surge" in Santa Monica, City Attorney Says
April 1, 2013 -- From rejecting service animals and caregivers to forcing severely disabled Section 8 tenants to move after jacking up rents, housing discrimination complaints are on the rise in Santa Monica, according to the City Attorneys Office.