The Santa Monica Lookout, Santa Monica, California -- JuLY 2018

Black Actor's Account of Encounter with Santa Monica Police Rekindles Racial Profiling Debate
July 31, 2018 -- The issue of racial profiling by both Santa Monica residents and local law enforcement officers resurfaced this weekend when a black actor recounted a 2016 encounter with police at his Santa Monica home.

Santa Monica Purchases Its First Electric Bus
July 31, 2018 -- Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus took the first concrete step towards an emission-free future when the City Council last week authorized the purchase of its first electric bus.

EXTRA SMRR Endorses McKeown, Himmelrich, Morena for City Council
July 30, 2018 -- Two City Council incumbents and a new challenger won the endorsement of Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights (SMRR) on Sunday paving the way for what promises to be a hotly contested race in November.

Santa Monica-Malibu School Board Votes to Place Record Bonds on the Ballot
July 30, 2018 -- The School Board on Thursday placed bonds on the November ballots in Santa Monica and Malibu that together amount to $680 million, the largest ever placed before local voters.

Santa Monica Council Grudgingly Places Term Limits Measure on Ballot
July 30, 2018 -- The Santa Monica City Council voted grudgingly last week to place a measure on the November ballot that would limit Council members to three terms.

Only Four Council Candidates to Seek Santa Monica's Most Coveted Endorsement
July 27, 2018 -- Four City Council candidates will be seeking the endorsement of Santa Monicans' for Renters' Rights (SMRR) on Sunday, likely making it the smallest pool of hopefuls in the group's 40-year history.

Santa Monica Council Adopts "Compensation Philosophy" to Help Address Rising Employee Costs
July 27, 2018 -- The City Council on Tuesday put in place the first of 13 recommendations from an outside study of public employee costs when it adopted a "Compensation Philosophy."

Speculation Likely Driving Ellis Evictions in Santa Monica, Study Finds
July 26, 2017 -- Recent buyers and not longtime owners of Santa Monica rent control buildings are more likely to use the Ellis Act to get out of the rental business, according to a recent eviction study.

OPINION: City of Santa Monica’s Election System Intentionally Dilutes Minority Vote
July 26, 2018 -- Voting rights plaintiff Maria L. Loya asks: How is it possible that “progressives” would vote to spend millions in public funds to fight a voting rights act challenge by people of color who have suffered from a rigged election system?

Scaled-Down Santa Monica Pier Concert Series Announces Fall Lineup
July 27, 2018 -- Santa Monica's "reimagined" concert series on the Pier kicks off with a hot Latin beat not amid the sweltering heat of summer but in September. The new schedule is part an effort by the City to scale down the wildly popular series as it enters its 34th year.

EXTRA Santa Monica Police to Crack Down on Electric Scooters on Beach Bike Path
July 26, 2018 -- Santa Monica police this week will begin cracking down on electric scooters on the beach bike path by enforcing a law banning electric vehicles there.

Santa Monica Slow Growth Activists Forging Council Slate to Challenge Incumbents
July 25, 2018 -- The battle lines are being drawn in Santa Monica's November race for three City Council seats with the forging of a slow-growth slate intent on unseating the incumbents.

Can Vazquez Keep Seat if Elected to State Office? The Answer is Not So Simple
July 24, 2018 -- Speculation has been growing that Santa Monica City Councilmember Tony Vazquez could remain on the dais if he wins the race for a seat on a powerful State tax board in November.

Police Continue Scooter Education Campaign Wednesday Amid Growing Call for Enforcement
July 24, 2018 -- Santa Monica police will continue its highly publicized education and enforcement of traffic laws for electric scooter users as part of a campaign that has so far won mixed reviews.

Santa Monica's 'Jazz on the Lawn' Concert Series Returns Next Month
July 24, 2018 -- Santa Monica's popular Jazz on the Lawn concert series kicks off its 13th season in Santa Monica next month with a performance by vibraphonist, marimbist and composer Nick Mancini and his group.

Poll Gauges Santa Monica Voters' Take on Latino Candidates and District Elections
July 23, 2018 -- How confident are Santa Monica voters that former Mayor Bobby Shriver is Latino? How about School Board member Oscar de la Torre? Or Councilmember Gleam Davis? Four hundred registered voters were asked that question.

Melkonians to Run for Council Again, But Focus Shifts
July 23, 2018 -- Armen Melkonians, a leader of the grassroots fight against development in Santa Monica, pulled papers to run for City Council last week -- but this time, his focus has changed.

EXTRA O'Connor to Seek Reelection to Santa Monica City Council
July 20, 2018 -- Speculation that Pam O'Connor would not run for a record seventh term on the Santa Monica City Council was put to rest Thursday when she pulled nominating papers.

Santa Monica Police to Crack Down on Traffic Violations
July 20, 2018 -- Santa Monica police will be on the lookout Friday and Monday for traffic violations that can lead to collisions involving motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists.

Santa Monica Council to Take Up "Compensation Philosophy"
July 19, 2018 -- With employee compensation and staffing rapidly becoming a major political issue in Santa Monica, the City Council on Tuesday will take up a proposed "Compensation Philosophy" to guide future polices and decisions.

Pioneering Santa Monica Digital Program Wins Nationwide Recognition
July 19, 2018 -- A pioneering City program that provides high speed internet and IT training to Santa Monica's affordable housing residents has been recognized as one of the most innovative public sector programs in the nation.

Councilmembers Seek Changes to Strengthen Santa Monica's Tenant Protections
August 9, 2018 -- Worried that long-time rent control tenants will be increasingly displaced in Santa Monica's heated real estate market, two Councilmembers are recommending that staff revisit local renter protections.

EXTRA Santa Monica Mother Launches Petition Drive After Son Injured by Motorized Scooter
July 18, 2018 -- A Santa Monica mother has launched an online petition drive to ban the use of motorized scooters on the beach bike path after her seven-year-old son lost several teeth in a recent collision.

OPINION -- Highlights From the Last Six Months and What Lies Ahead
July 18, 2018 -- From Homelessness and pensions to motor scooters and fighting crime, Santa Monica Mayor Ted Winterer takes a look at the City's accomplishments and the challenges it faces.

County Supervisors Give Go-ahead for 'Safe Clean Water Program'
July 18, 2018 -- The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors signed off Tuesday on a program that would boost the local water supply and improve water quality.

Twenty Candidates Pull Nominating Papers on First Day of Election Season
July 17, 2018 -- Twenty candidates -- eight of them incumbents -- pulled nomination papers for four local races on Monday, officially kicking off the 2018 election season in Santa Monica.

Santa Monica College Art Exhibit Captures Faces of 'Invisible Women'
July 17, 2018 -- Portraits that capture the "feel" of "invisible women" will be on display at the Santa Monica College Emeritus Art Gallery starting next week, exhibit organizers said.

California Democratic Party Endorses Ballot Measure to Expand Rent Control
July 16, 2018 -- A measure to repeal California's vacancy decontrol law that could have a major impact in Santa Monica "overwhelmingly" won the support of State's Democratic Party on Sunday, campaign officials said.

OPINION: How Many Rent-Burdened Tenants Lose Their Homes in Santa Monica?
July 16, 2018 -- Local Realtor and landlord advocate Wes Wellmen wanted to find out how many "rent-burdened" tenants lose their homes because they can’t afford their rent. This is what he found.

Santa Monica College Planetarium to Prepare Skywatchers for Perseid Shower
July 15, 2018 -- The Santa Monica College John Drescher Planetarium will prepare skywatchers next moth for one of the most anticipated celestial wonders of the year, the Perseid meteor shower.

EXTRA Graphic Photo of Man Masturbating in Santa Monica Park Causes Uproar
July 13, 2018 -- (This article was updated at 8:24 p.m.) A graphic photograph of a man masturbating in a Santa Monica park posted on social media Thursday has led to the arrest of the suspect and caused an uproar in a City increasingly concerned with crime.

Federal Funding Could be Headed to Route 66 After 'Most Endangered' Designation
July 13, 2018 -- The enduring allure of Route 66 -- which ends in Santa Monica -- can be found in the lists of songs, films, books and television shows the old road has inspired.

City Seeking Scooter and Bike Share Services for Pilot Program
July 13, 2018 -- The City this week began taking applications for scooter and bike share services that will be part of Santa Monica's "Shared Mobility Pilot Program" approved by the City Council last month.

Election Season Kicks Off in Santa Monica Next Week
July 11, 2018 -- The contests are starting to take shape as Santa Monica kicks off another election season Monday, the first day candidates can begin pulling nomination papers for the November 6 races.

Las Vegas Man Charged With Attempted Murder in Santa Monica Shooting
July 11, 2018 -- A suspect in a shooting that took place in Santa Monica's exclusive North of Montana neighborhood two years ago has been charged with attempted murder, police said.

Landlord, Rent Board Battle Over "Ellised" Santa Monica Building
July 10, 2018 -- A Santa Monica landlord and the City's Rent Control Board are waging a heated battle over a vacant five-unit apartment building withdrawn from the rental market two and a half years ago.

Santa Monica Wins Another Victory In Fight Against Illegal Rentals
July 10, 2018 -- Two weeks after winning a major court victory against two short-term rental platforms, the City of Santa Monica was handed another key win when a California Appellate Court affirmed a decision against vacation rental operator Globe Homes LLC last week.

Man Charged With Violent Crime Spree in Santa Monica Gets Maximum Sentence
July 9, 2018 -- A 24-year-old homeless man responsible for a series of violent attacks in Santa Monica last year was sentenced Friday to 32 years in prison.

Suspect Arrested, Victim Identified in Killing on Hospital Grounds in Santa Monica
July 9, 2018 -- Investigators on Tuesday plan to present the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office with a murder case against Daniel Roy Davis, 29, in the stabbing death of a homeless man on a hospital bench in Santa Monica Friday.

School Board Separates Santa Monica, Malibu Fundraising Efforts
July 6, 2018 -- The School Board last Thursday ended a controversial fundraising policy that saw donations from Malibu parents plummet and led in large part to the potential split of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.

Police Seek Public's Help in Suspicious Death Investigation
July 6, 2017 -- Santa Monica police are investigating the suspicious death of a man whose body was found on a bench at St. John’s Hospital early Friday morning.

EXTRA Santa Monica Voters to Decide Term Limits for Council in November
July 5, 2017 -- Santa Monica voters will decide in November whether to limit the length of time members can serve on the City Council, which has seen only two incumbents defeated in the past 24 years.

City of Santa Monica to Replace Security Cameras at Promenade, Pier
July 5, 2018 -- Santa Monica will replace and upgrade police cameras at the Third Street Promenade and the Pier after the Council last week approved contracts with Convergint Technologies LLC totaling $2 million over the next five years.

LETTERS -- Santa Monica's Outside Law Firm Should Pay for Costly Mistake
July 5, 2016 -- Under no circumstances should our City pay a penny for the filing mistake made by its 1,000-lawyer outside law firm.

Santa Monica Lawmaker to Reintroduce Tax on Sugary Beverages
July 3, 2018 -- More than three years after a Santa Monica lawmaker's bill to tax sodas and other sugary beverages failed in committee, a similar measure is back on the agenda for the 2019 legislative session.

PUBLIC NOTICE -- Nomination Period for Santa Monica Candidates Kicks Off This Month
The City Clerk is accepting nominations from candidates seeking local office from July 16 to August 10. Interested candidates are encouraged to attend workshops on July 16 at 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers. More information can be found at smvote.org

Santa Monica Fourth of July Parade Expected to Draw Thousands
July 3, 2018 -- "Bringing Communities Together" is the theme of the 12th Annual Santa Monica 4th of July Parade Wednesday morning. The parade -- which has become an annual tradition -- is expected to draw hundreds of participants and thousands of spectators as it winds itself along Main Street.

Santa Monica Leaseholders Get Break as Minimum Wage Hike Kicks In
July 2, 2018 -- The Santa Monica City Council on Tuesday put to rest a brewing battle with the local business community by nixing a motion that would require restaurants to sign labor peace agreements on all City leases.