Santa Monica Anti-Airport Group Backs Slow-Growth Slate
September 30, 2014 – Santa Monica’s most vocal anti-airport group announced Monday that it is backing three slow-growth advocates in November’s highly contentious City Council race.

Rivals Trade Jabs Regarding Economic Impact of Santa Monica Airport
September 30, 2014 -- Leaders of the campaign opposing the aviation interests-sponsored Measure D say they have the smoking gun proving the Santa Monica Airport does not give the local and regional economies a boost. However, Measure D backers say this evidence actually shows the airport is “a leading generator of economic activity for the city and the region.”

Mysterious Author Presents New Book at Santa Monica Library
September 30, 2014 -- Mysterious author Pseudonymous Bosch will be kicking off his next series of books with an appearance Saturday at the Santa Monica Public Library, where he allegedly began penning his bestselling “Secret Series.”  

Letter - RE: Parents, Teachers Angry About the Heat at Edison School
September 30, 2014 -- Well, here we go. The brand new school cannot be kept cool. The school board wrings their hands and tells us the children must have air conditioning. Had they built properly, this would not have been the case.

Santa Monica Files Suit for Fatal Airplane Crash Cleanup
September 29, 2014 – The City of Santa Monica is expected to file a negligence suit against the estate of construction tycoon Mark Benjamin, the pilot of a small plane that crashed and killed four people in the Santa Monica airport exactly one year ago today.

Parents, Teachers Angry About the Heat at Edison School
September 29, 2014 -- Current hot temperatures have not just been felt outside, but also inside the classrooms of the newly rebuilt Edison Language Academy. Parents and teachers told the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District board last week that the heat had become unbearable and was affecting students’ ability to learn.

OPCC Celebrates 50 Years of Homeless Services in Santa Monica
September 29, 2014 –Founded as a small, grassroots community resource center for low-income families in Santa Monica half a century ago, OPCC held a celebrity studded celebration Saturday as a model homeless services agency.

Santa Monica College Broad Stage Director to Step Down After Six Years
September 26, 2014 – One of the driving forces behind the creation and cultivation of Santa Monica College’s Broad Stage has stepped down from her position as Director.

Santa Monica’s Residocracy Launches Experiment in Electronic Endorsement Voting
September 26, 2014 – In what is Santa Monica’s first online political endorsement vote, Residocracy members began weighing in on their candidate choices for City Council Wednesday.

Tougher Tenant Harassment Laws Won’t Deter Landlords Looking for ‘Economic Prize,’ City Attorney Says
September 26, 2014 -- Santa Monica City Attorney Marsha Moutrie on Tuesday spoke against what she called council members giving false hope to harassed tenants. She said the “economic prize” for getting rid of long-time, rent-controlled tenants was too high for landlords, and new laws would not deter them.

Letter - The Need for Civic Center Open Space
September 26, 2014 -- As California enters deeper into drought and global warming, grass lawns and playing fields, with their high watering demand are becoming the next obvious victims. 

Santa Monica Council Sets Developer Fees to Support Affordable Housing, McKeown Says It’s Not Enough
September 25, 2014 -- City Councilmember Kevin McKeown, who called himself a “houser” who “looks for ways to create affordable housing” had harsh words on Tuesday for his fellow members of the dais and City staff about how they handle developers.

Santa Monica Regulates E-Cigarettes
September 25, 2014 -- Santa Monica on Tuesday joined Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Long Beach in regulating electronic cigarettes – also known as e-cigarettes and vaping machines – within its city limits.

Review - Better Than Ezra Still Delights
September 25, 2014 --These were the days spent at 14 Below. Dressed in crop tops and overalls, Doc Martins and black velvet choker necklaces, we stood in long lines every weekend. The bouncers carefully checked our IDs, and we shuffled in to flirt with greasy guys and drink Killian’s Irish Red. Zima was already out of style.

Santa Monica Rep Goes Wilde
September 24, 2014 -- "This suspense is terrible,” Oscar Wilde once said. “I hope it will last.” If you agree with the sentiment, you may want to catch Wilde's classic comedy "The Importance of Being Earnest" at the Santa Monica Public Library on October 2.

Federal Court Denies Santa Monica’s Motion to Dismiss First Amendment Suit
September 24, 2014 -- A lawsuit charging that Santa Monica unlawfully rescinded the hiring of its information officer will move ahead after a federal district Judge on Monday denied the City’s motion to dismiss the case.

Santa Monica Planning Commission Approves Various Alcohol Permits
September 24, 2014 -- Last week’s alcohol-themed Santa Monica Planning Commission meeting was not much of a party. Every item on the agenda involved requests for alcohol-serving rights or expansion of rights, and they were all approved with no comments from the public and little controversy.

Santa Monica to Help Decide State Propositions
September 23, 2014 – While Santa Monica voters are focusing on hotly contested local measures that will determine the future of the airport and affordable housing, six statewide initiatives will also be on the ballot in the November 4 General Election.

Santa Monica Council to Consider $8.5 million Consent Calendar
September 23, 2014 – The Santa Monica City Council on Tuesday will consider spending $8,549,673 on new transit buses, credit card processing services and planning services for the Civic Auditorium, among other expenses on the Consent Calendar.

Santa Monica, Malibu Students Post High Scores in AP Scholar Awards
September 23, 2014 – Some 400 Advanced Placement (AP) students at Santa Monica and Malibu high schools have received AP Scholar awards, School District officials announced Monday.

Santa Monica’s Promenade Celebrates 25th Anniversary with Old-Fashioned Block Party
September 22, 2014 -- Twenty five years after community leaders transformed a decaying shopping strip into one of the most profitable outdoor shopping malls in the world, City officials celebrated the Promenade's 25th anniversary with an old fashioned block party Sunday.

Santa Monica Council Poised to Regulate E-Cigarettes
September 22, 2014 -- The use of electronic cigarettes in public places has ignited a firestorm of controversy across the nation. Next week, Santa Monica will likely join Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Long Beach in regulating the smoking trend.

Reviews -- Pompeii Exhibit is a Bust
September 22, 2014 -- I started down the dusty stone street in the hot afternoon sun. A gentle ocean breeze provided a bit of relief, as I skipped over the gaps between the stones made by horse-drawn carts.

Santa Monica Chamber Targets Younger Tech Voters
September 22, 2014 -- The Chamber of Commerce launched a campaign to register and turn out new voters and employees of Santa Monica’s burgeoning tech industry for the November 4 election.

Exclusive - Sue Himmelrich Backed by SMRR Leadership for Council Race
September 19, 2014 –The Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights (SMRR) steering committee voted to back Planning Commissioner Sue Himmelrich for City Council during a special closed-door meeting Thursday evening, the Lookout has learned.

The Jewel of the Promenade
September 19, 2014 -- On a sunny Friday afternoon in Santa Monica, Tony Ayoub is busy behind the counter of The Jewel Shop on Third Street Promenade talking with a customer as if they are old friends.

Santa Monica History Museum Celebrates First Flight Around the World
September 19, 2014 – In 1924, Santa Monica took center stage when a squadron of U.S. Army Airmen took off from the bayside city and flew Donald Douglas cruisers 27,553 miles to complete the first flight around the world.

Santa Monica Police and Firefighters to Back O’Connor, McKeown and Gruber
September 18, 2014 –Santa Monica’s powerful public safety unions will throw their reputation and considerable campaign war chest behind two incumbents and one challenger in the race for four City Council seats, union officials will announce Thursday.

The Making of a Model Place
September 18, 2014 -- When planning began for Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade more than 25 years ago, there were few successful outdoor pedestrian malls in the United States from which to draw inspiration.

Santa Monica Gang-related Shooting Suspect Convicted
September 18, 2014 – A Santa Monica gang member responsible for a 2013 shooting that broke a three-and-a half-year lull in gang violence will serve 11 years in state prison for attempted murder, police officials said Tuesday.

Alcohol Dominates Santa Monica Planning Commission Agenda
September 17, 2014 -- Liquor, beer and wine will play major roles at the next Santa Monica Planning Commission meeting. No, there will not be any drinking on the dais this Wednesday evening, but requests for alcohol service rights are featured in every item on the agenda.

Santa Monica Cops Honored with Medal of Valor
September 17, 2014 – Three law enforcement officials from Santa Monica were honored Monday by Governor Edmund “Jerry” Brown and Attorney General Kamala Harris for their part in ending a shooting spree that took five lives in June of 2013.

Santa Monica Promenade Celebrates 25 Years : The Success Spreads
Second of two parts
September 16, 2014 -- Launched on September 16, 1989 as an experiment in urban planning, the success of Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade soon spread to neighboring streets.

School District Proposes Ed Board Support Real Estate Tax Hike
September 16, 2014 -- The campaign in favor of two November ballot measures calling for a real estate tax increase to support affordable housing projects in Santa Monica could receive a boost Thursday if the Board of Education accepts the school district staff’s recommendation to endorse the proposal.

Santa Monica Restaurant Operator Pleads No Contest to 14 Misdemeanor Charges
September 16, 2014 –Eighty-one years after the repeal of Prohibition, a modern day speakeasy has been successfully prosecuted in Santa Monica for violating city alcohol permit laws.

Opinion - Santa Monica Promenade’s Secret to Success
September 16, 2014 -- I know many of us can remember the 1980s, but for those of you who don’t, downtowns were a dying breed, and Santa Monica was no exception. Indoor shopping centers were all the rage, and Frank Gehry had just designed one in Santa Monica. It became the place to go.

Santa Monica Promenade Celebrates 25 Years: The Ingredients for Success
First of two parts
September 15, 2014 -- On September 16, 1989, Santa Monica civic leaders stood before a cheering crowd Downtown and cut the ribbon on a three-block stretch they had christened the Third Street Promenade.

Santa Monica Sees Slight Rise in Serious Crime, While Violent Crimes Drop, Statistics Show
September 15, 2014 –The number of serious crimes in Santa Monica rose slightly last year, but those considered violent crimes dropped to the lowest level in half a century, according to the latest statistics released by the Police Department last week.

Santa Monica Promenade Celebrates 25th Anniversary with a Week of Festivities
September 15, 2014 – Downtown Santa Monica Inc. (DTSM) will celebrate the 25th anniversary of one of the most popular outside shopping malls in the world with a week of activities and parties.

‘Backroom Deal’ Alleged in Council’s Selection of Bergamot Arts Center Developer
September 12, 2014 -- Supporters of Measure D, the November ballot proposal that would prohibit the City Council from making major changes to the Santa Monica Airport without voter approval, are calling shenanigans after the council on Tuesday selected a developer for a major project a few days after he donated $10,000 to the Measure D opposition committee.

Santa Monica BMW Dealership Arsonist Still at Large
September 12, 2014 – A suspect arrested for allegedly setting fire to five cars at a popular Santa Monica BMW dealership Wednesday night was released from police custody Thursday morning.

As Los Angeles Considers Minimum Wage Hike, Santa Monica 'Monitors'
September 12, 2014 -- With no debate and after hearing from no public speakers, the City Council voted Tuesday to instruct City staff to “monitor” the movement toward a possible minimum wage increase in the city of Los Angeles and its possible effect on Santa Monica, which could lead to raising the rate here.

Santa Monica Council Approves Payments for Park Improvements and Design
September 12, 2014 – The Santa Monica City Council approved about $166,000 in expenses Tuesday, all of which will go towards park improvements and design.

Council Rejects City Staff’s Recommendation for Bergamot Arts Center Developer
September 11, 2014 -- Following approximately four hours of public testimony and an additional hour of discussion on the dais, the City Council selected a team led by the Worthe Real Estate Group for the nearly $100 million redevelopment of the Bergamot Station Arts Center on Santa Monica’s east end.

Pony Rides to be Replaced at Santa Monica Farmer’s Market
September 11, 2014 – For the first time in 20 years, come spring pony rides will not be a staple at the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market on Main Street.

Soulful Finale for Santa Monica Pier Concert Series
September 11, 2014 – Legendary funk-soul singer Charles Bradley will headline the final Twilight Concert of the season Thursday at the Santa Monica Pier.

Teamsters Back Old Guard in Santa Monica Council Race
September 10, 2014 – The City of Santa Monica Teamsters union is backing three City Council candidates who have been stalwarts on the dais during the past two decades, union officials announced Tuesday.

Santa Monica’s Colorado Esplanade Project to Get Upgrade
September 10, 2014 – Santa Monica City officials have revised the design of a key component to the Colorado Esplanade that will greet riders when the Expo line arrives in the bay side city in early 2016.

Santa Monica College Presents Fall Jazz Series
September 10, 2014 – Whether it’s Latin, New Orleans or Modern Jazz, it’s often the notes they don’t play that will entertain music lovers during Santa Monica College’s (SMC) Fall Jazz Series.

Santa Monica Affordable Units Protected Under State Law, Court Rules
September 9, 2014 – The Santa Monica Rent Control Board won a two-year legal battle last month that could preserve as many as 200 affordable units in the upscale bay side city,  according to board officials.

End Could Be Near for Farmers Market Pony Rides and Petting Zoo
September 9, 2014 -- The debate over pony rides and a petting zoo at the Main Street Farmers Market has been the subject of rival e-petitions and Internet chatter in recent months. The subject will head to the big stage Tuesday when Santa Monica City Council members will discuss a possible beginning of an end for the popular, but controversial, Sunday attractions.

Women in Afghanistan Subject of Santa Monica College Play
September 9, 2014 –  Before the Taliban in Afghanistan gained widespread notoriety in the U.S. in late 2001, a Santa Monica College (SMC) student and a SMC professor came together to write a play that described women’s conditions under their brutal regime.

Santa Monica Could Follow L.A. in Minimum Wage Raise Effort
September 8, 2014 -- Nearly 12 years after Santa Monica voters narrowly rejected a proposal to make this city the first in the nation to have a minimum wage covering businesses with no direct financial ties to the government, a new effort to raise the salaries of the lowest-paid workers could begin.

Hotel Workers Union Backs McKeown, Gruber for Santa Monica Council
September 8, 2014 – The hotel workers union on Friday became the third major political group to endorse only two Santa Monica City Council candidates in the race for three open seats.

Santa Monica’s Miles Playhouse to Host Fall Open House
September 8, 2014 – Santa Monica’s historic Miles Memorial Playhouse will ring in the autumn season Saturday, September 20 with family friendly performances, shadow puppet workshops, Shakespeare and classical music.

Santa Monica Doughnut Shops Aren’t Afraid of Dunkin’
September 5, 2014 – Santa Monica donut shop owners aren’t worried the much-touted arrival of Dunkin’ Donuts will put a hole in their business.

Former Major Leaguer Says Coach’s Firing Could Hurt School District’s Bottom Line
September 5, 2014 -- The chorus of dissent following the dismissal of a successful and popular Santa Monica High School baseball coach continued at last week’s Board of Education meeting.

Santa Monica’s Tongva Park Offers September Cultural Programming
September 5, 2014 – Swing, hop and bounce atop Tongva Park’s Gathering Hill during a free dance lesson led by National Jitterbug champion Stephen Sayer as part of this month’s cultural programming.

Santa Monica Democrats Back McKeown and Himmelrich for Council Race
September 4, 2014 -- After three rounds of ballots, the Santa Monica Democratic Club endorsed Incumbent Kevin McKeown and Planning Commissioner Sue Himmelrich for Santa Monica City Council Wednesday night, nine weeks before the November general election.

Council Tasked with Selecting Development Team for Bergamot Arts Center
September 4, 2014 -- A little more than two weeks after a divided Santa Monica Arts Commission came up with a recommendation for the future of the Bergamot Arts Center, the City Council on Tuesday is expected to make a decision on how to move forward.

Internet Royalty to Rock the Santa Monica Pier
September 4, 2014 -- The indie-rock kings of viral videos, Ok Go, -- which saw one Youtube video viewed more than 40 million times -- will headline the ninth Twilight Concert Thursday evening at the Santa Monica Pier.

Santa Monica Planning Panel Wants Voluntary Rent Control at New Apartment
September 3, 2014 -- A developer proposing a 32-unit apartment building on Pico Boulevard off 11th Street has promised four of the units would be “affordable” as part of a development agreement, but the Planning Commission wants more perks.

Santa Monica Sues Landlord for Alleged Intimidation Tactics
September 3, 2014 – The Santa Monica City Attorney’s office is suing a landlord who is accused of using intimidation tactics to force three longtime tenants out of their rent-controlled apartments, according to a lawsuit filed last week.

Downtown Santa Monica Dinosaur Fountains Dry, but Not Extinct
September 3, 2014 – In the midst of one of California’s hardest hitting droughts in more than 100 years, the message of water conservation is being spouted not only by City officials, but also by prehistoric beasts.

Santa Monica Election Season Kicks Off
September 2, 2014 – For millions of Americans, Labor Day marked the end of summer, a day off to enjoy the final stretch of warm weather before welcoming the cool fall breezes. 

Dunkin Donuts Starts California Campaign with Santa Monica Shop
September 2, 2014 -- East Coast transplants frequently complain about the absence of Dunkin' Donuts in California. That frustration will come to an end Tuesday morning when the Canton, Massachusetts-based chain opens the state's first franchise in more than a decade at 1132 Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica.

Santa Monica School District Welcomes 13 New Administrators
September 2, 2014 – The Santa Monica-Malibu School District will start the new school year with 13 new faces at its campuses and headquarters, officials said.