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Santa Monica Bids Bob Holbrook a Fond Farewell
November 27, 2014 –Bob Holbrook teared up as he sat on the dais for the last time in his record breaking 24-year career on the Santa Monica City Council Tuesday.  He had just received a commendation, two standing ovations and an antique radio from his colleagues in City Hall.

Santa Monica Cash Registers Expected to Ring
November 27, 2014 -- Favorable forecasts, both nationally and locally, combined with the usual support from Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM) should have area retailers feeling positive going into the holiday season this year.

Santa Monica Celebrates Small Business Saturday
November 27, 2014 – If you shop in Santa Monica this Black Friday weekend, as much as 70 percent of the money you spend, will stay in the community and help grow the local economy, according to “Buy Local Santa Monica” campaign officials.

Santa Monica Brings Thanksgiving Feast to Less Fortunate
November 26, 2014 – With Thanksgiving just a day away, Santa Monicans are coming together not only to spend time with family and give thanks, but to feed the homeless, as well as families who are less fortunate.

Santa Monica Named Nation’s Hot Tub Capital
November 26, 2014 -- If you want to make sure your next rental home has a hot tub, there is a decent chance you don’t have to leave town. The rental listings website Zumper reported this month that Santa Monica has the highest percentage of rental homes with hot tubs in the nation.

Santa Monica Council Approves $3.6 Million Consent Calendar
November 26, 2014 – The Santa Monica City Council approved spending nearly $3.6 million Tuesday for public works projects, the search for a new city manager and custodial services, among other expenses on the Consent Calendar.

Owner of Stalled Santa Monica Apartment Project Files Appeal
November 25, 2014 -- The owner of a two-story apartment building project in Santa Monica that has been nearly two decades in the making has appealed a Planning Commission decision denying the permits necessary to complete the project.

Santa Monica Council to Consider Bus Transfer Station for Expo Rail
November 25, 2014 -- An approximately $8 million project City officials say will make visiting the future 4th Street/Colorado Avenue light rail station easier for some people through “optimum transit transfer access” will be presented to the City Council on Tuesday.

Official tally in for Santa Monica Elections
November 25, 2014 -- Los Angeles County officials released final results for the November 4 elections Monday, with tallies differing little from the previous unofficial numbers, which ushered in a Santa Monica City Council newcomer, two incumbents and delivered mixed results on measures regarding the Santa Monica airport, affordable housing and other issues.

Slow Growth Advocates Could Seek to Scrap Santa Monica’s Planning Policies
November 24, 2014 -- More than 200 Santa Monica residents attended a town hall meeting last week to discuss future development, with the slow-growth group Residocracy announcing it could launch a referendum drive to scrap the City’s current planning policies.

Santa Monica Landmarks Ordinance Could Be Tweaked
November 24, 2014 -- Santa Monica property owners could have a harder time preventing their section of town from turning into a designated historic district.

Santa Monica Teen Film Festival Now Accepting Submissions
November 24, 2014 -- The 10th annual Santa Monica International Teen Film Festival next June is accepting submissions from talented young people from Santa Monica and all across the world.

Santa Monica Homeless Initiatives Paying Off, Officials Say
November 21, 2014 -- Santa Monica’s efforts to find permanent housing for those living on the street is paying off, but more progress has to be made in order to reach the goals stated in the City’s 2008 “Action Plan to Address Homelessness.”

Santa Monica Library Presents the Lighter Side of Death
November 21, 2014 -- Can you catch a disease from a corpse? How many dead bodies fit in a Dodge van? What exactly does a flaming skull look like?

Santa Monica-based Group Reports Virus Could Be Cause of Massive Sea Star Die-Off
November 21, 2014 -- A disease that kills sea stars, also known as starfish, by causing them to melt in a horror film-like manner has been a problem on the nation’s West Coast for several decades, but it has been happening at a higher rate for more than a year. 

Santa Monica Says It Doesn't Have the Money for Affordable Housing Project
November 20, 2014 -- For the third consecutive year, the City did not pay for any affordable housing, despite having the authority to finance more than 1,000 affordable apartment units in Santa Monica. 

Santa Monica-Malibu Teachers Union Rips Mudslinging in Election Campaign
November 20, 2014 -- Election Day has passed, but talk of at least one piece of controversial campaign literature for the Board of Education contest has not.

Mary Ann Sails to Santa Monica
November 20, 2014 -- Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip at the Santa Monica Library, where Mary Ann herself, Dawn Wells, will discuss her new book “What Would Mary Ann Do? A Guide to Life.” 

Santa Monica Voter Turnout Hits Record Low
November 19, 2014 -- Despite a number of competitive local contests on the November 4 ballot, voters in Santa Monica largely stayed home as turnout in the bayside city hit a record low 34.83 percent, according to figures released by the Los Angeles County Registrar’s Office.

Santa Monica Restaurant Pleads Guilty to Selling Whale Meat
November 19, 2014 -- The parent company and owner of The Hump, a Japanese restaurant that shut its doors at the Santa Monica Airport in 2010, pleaded guilty Monday to federal charges of selling endangered whale meat.

Santa Monica Police to Enforce Bike, Pedestrian Safety
November 19, 2014 -- The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) next week will focus its enforcement efforts on violations that cause collisions involving motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists.

Defeat of Measures H and HH May Signal Shift in Affordable Housing
November 18, 2014 – Affordable housing has long been a unifying issue in Santa Monica, garnering support from both smart-growthers and slow-growthers alike, but it was dealt a blow by voters this month.

Santa Monica College Near the Top in International Enrollment
November 18, 2014 -- For the sixth year in a row, Santa Monica College ranked number two on a list of community colleges with the most international students. 

SMC Film Program Invited to International Student Film Festival
November 18, 2014 – Santa Monica College’s film program is only one of three in the U.S. being represented this week at the 2014 FILMSCHOOLFEST MUNICH in Germany, one of the most respected student film festivals in the world.

Letter -- Re: New Parking Meters
November 18, 2014 -- I received postcards in the mail informing me that additional parking meters will be installed in my area. In actuality I think it’s another stab in the back for Santa Monica residents.

Planning Commission Praises Adjusted Dennys Replacement Project
November 17, 2014 -- More than four months after the Planning Commission trashed a proposal to transform the property occupied by Denny’s restaurant on Lincoln Boulevard off Colorado Avenue into a mixed-use project, the panel praised a significantly adjusted version on Thursday.

Santa Monica Hosts Town Hall Meeting on Future Development
November 17, 2014 – Santa Monica stakeholders will get the chance this week to provide feedback on the Zoning Ordinance update that translates the city’s development policies into tangible laws.

Santa Monica Among Top Digital Cities in America
November 17, 2014 -- Santa Monica was ranked the fourth most advanced digital city in its population category (75,000 – 124,999) -- tied with Davenport, Iowa and Westminster, Colorado – according to the 14th annual Digital Cities Survey.

Planning Commission Takes on Mixed-Use Downtown Project
November 14, 2014 -- Developer NMS Properties heard a range of comments from planning commissioners, many of them positive, on Wednesday about its proposal to build an 84-foot-tall building on 5th Street between Santa Monica Boulevard and Broadway.

Secret Santas of Santa Monica
November 14, 2014 -- As a child, Eula Fritz was lucky to receive nearly everything on her Christmas wish list.

Santa Monica Presents First Artist Resource Fair
November 14, 2014 – “Starving” artists from Santa Monica will have a chance to learn about opportunities and resources available to them during the City’s first Artist Resource Fair on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Camera Obscura Building on 1450 Ocean Ave.

Drought No Excuse to Avoid Developing Housing, Santa Monica Council Members Say
November 13, 2014 -- With the drought not expected to end anytime soon, water usage is a concern for many people. But this cannot be used as an excuse to avoid building homes, several council members said on Tuesday.

Santa Monica Council Approves $6 million Consent Calendar
November 13, 2014 -- The Santa Monica City Council approved more than $6.2 million in expenses Tuesday, including funding for operating City parking facilities and launching a pilot program for new water meters.

Santa Monica City Council Launches First Bike Share Program in LA County
November 13, 2014 -- The Santa Monica City Council unanimously approved a $10.4 million contract with Miami Beach-based company CycleHop to create a 500-unit bike share program for the bayside city, the first of its kind in Los Angeles County.

Santa Monica Pony Ride Owners Sues Protesters
November 12, 2014 – The owners of the pony rides that will be terminated next year at the Santa Monica Farmers Market on Main Street filed a lawsuit Monday against protesters who accused the company of animal abuse.

Begin Planning for Park on Airport Property, Santa Monica Group Says
November 12, 2014 -- Last week’s overwhelming defeat of a pro-Santa Monica Airport measure and landslide win of a rival proposal mean the aviation facility will soon be replaced by a park, at least that’s the view of one activist group. The Santa Monica Airport Association (SMAA) disagrees.

Santa Monica College Hosts Dance Theater Showcase
November 12, 2014 – The Santa Monica College (SMC) contemporary dance ensemble, Synapse Dance Theater, will perform new works by professional guest artists, faculty artists and student choreographers on November 21 and 23.

Santa Monica on ICE
November 11, 2014 -- It’s hard to believe that a surface parking lot at the corner of Arizona Avenue and 5th Street could bring so many holiday memories.

Owner Agrees to Rent Control for Pico Blvd. Development
November 11, 2014 -- When the Planning Commission asked developer Peter Bohlinger in September to place rent control restrictions on 11 of the 32 units planned for an apartment complex project on Pico Boulevard off 11th Street, his attorney said that would not be possible. He appears to have changed his mind.

Third Street Promenade Gets a Facelift
November 11, 2014 -- The world-famous Third Street Promenade will soon be more attractive and easier to navigate thanks to a pilot program that includes updated map cases, directories and a decorative pylon.

Santa Monica Groups See Major Pickups and Losses in the Election
November 7, 2014 – Santa Monica’s established political groups were the biggest winners in Tuesday’s election, backing more than three quarters of the winning candidates and measures, according to an analysis by The Lookout.

Downtown Santa Monica Program Raises $10K for Social Services
November 7, 2014 -- Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM) officials donated $10,000 to a number of local nonprofit organizations that help the homeless.

Santa Monica Election Results Mostly Match State, County
November 7, 2014 -- Most of the major statewide and legislative election results were not close this year. And in several cases, they were even more lopsided in Santa Monica, where 34.53 percent of registered voters went to the polls or mailed in ballots.

Election Night in Santa Monica
November 7, 2014 –As polls closed at 8 p.m. election night, City TV station manager Robin Gee and her staff prepared to post real-time updated election results on the SMVote.org website.

Santa Monica College Planetarium Gives Tips for Buying Telescopes
November 7, 2014 – Buying a telescope can be complicated and a little discouraging, what with things like “apertures,” “focal lenses,” and “mounts” coming in all shapes and sizes, customizable for all personalities and purposes. 

Slow Growth Advocates Gain Control of Santa Monica City Council
November 6, 2014 -- The voters of Santa Monica have tilted the balance of power in the City Council to slow growth advocates with the re-election of incumbent councilmember Kevin McKeown and the election of Planning Commissioner Sue Himmelrich on Tuesday night.

Opinions Vary on Reasons for Lopsided Ballot Measure Results
November 6, 2014 -- In the end, it wasn’t even close. After ballot counting concluded early Wednesday morning, it was determined the pro-Santa Monica Airport Measure D that had gained national attention was rejected by a margin of more than 16 percentage points. 

Changes Coming to School Board Following Election
November 6, 2014 -- The theme of Tuesday’s Board of Education election was a combination of major changes and keeping with the status quo. 

Santa Monica Library Hosts Mystery Writers Forums
November 6, 2014 -- The butler did it in the library with the candlestick.  Everyone likes a good mystery, but how do authors of mystery books work out the complexities of a good thriller?

McKeown, Himmelrich and O’Connor Win Santa Monica Council Seats; Pro-Airport Measure Loses in Landslide
November 5, 2014 -- Election Day was a good day for two City Council incumbents and one challenger, but it was not a good day for aviation interests wanting to reduce local government’s control of Santa Monica Airport.

Ben Allen Victorious in Race for State Senate
November 5, 2014 -- Before a crowd of supporters and elected officials, Santa Monica School Board member Ben Allen declared victory shortly after 11 p.m. Tuesday with 13 percent of precincts counted, handily defeating attorney Sandra Fluke in the race for State Senate.

Kuehl Beats Shriver for Supervisor Seat
November 5, 2014 -- Former state legislator and Santa Monica resident Sheila Kuehl won a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, beating former Santa Monica Mayor Bobby Shriver in a hotly contested, and expensive race, that turned nasty in the final month.

Political Candidates Make Last Minute Appeals
November 4, 2014 – Santa Monica City Council candidates and their supporters raced around the bayside city over the weekend, shaking hands, explaining their positions and trying to scoop last-minute votes before Tuesday’s elections.

Bobby Shriver Loss Would Be Rare Political Defeat for Kennedy Family
November 4, 2014 -- More than just a county supervisor seat is on the line today for Bobby Shriver. The outcome of the former Santa Monica mayor’s race against Sheila Kuehl will determine if he remains among the many Kennedys who have a perfect election record or if he joins his first-cousin Kathleen as the only members of the American dynasty to lose in a general election.

Santa Monica College Receives Grant to Prep Students for Tech Jobs
November 4, 2014 – Santa Monica College (SMC) was awarded a $1.6 million grant from the California Department of Education’s California Career Pathway Trust as part of a regional cooperative to prepare students for careers in the high tech industry.

Santa Monica City Council Elections Could Bring Big Changes
November 3, 2014 -- More than 64,000 Santa Monica voters will have the chance Tuesday to elect three City Council members, and who they choose could have a major impact on the bayside city for years to come.

State and Local Elections Feature Santa Monica Politicos
November 3, 2014 -- Four Santa Monica residents are running in three State and County elections  Tuesday, with local voters helping to decide the successors of three prominent, outgoing political figures.

Ballot Measure Decisions Could Have Major Impact on Future of Santa Monica
November 3, 2014 -- While there are several local, County and State races on the November 4 ballot, the biggest decisions of this city's election season might be those involving two rival measures affecting Santa Monica Airport. 


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