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

Santa Monica Democratic Club Makes Local Endorsements
September 28, 2018 -- The Santa Monica Democratic Club completed its endorsements Thursday, which include backing two incumbents and a challenger in the race for three City Council seats.

Challengers for Santa Monica City Council Lead Fundraising Race
September 27, 2018 -- Two challengers in the November 6 race for Santa Monica City Council have far outraised incumbents, with Ashley Powell easily topping the list with more than $63,000 in contributions.

Former Santa Monica Resident Makes FBI’s List of "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives"
September 27, 2018 -- A former Santa Monica resident wanted for armed sexual assault has been added to the FBI’s list of "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives," agency officials announced Thursday.

Escobar Charged With Murder, Attempted Murder in Santa Monica, LA Assaults
September 26, 2018 -- The suspect in a series of brutal assaults in Santa Monica and Los Angeles this month mostly aimed at homeless men was formally charged Wednesday with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.

Santa Monica Review Celebrates 30th Anniversary Issue with Series of Month-Long Events
September 26, 2018 -- The Santa Monica Review is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a 200-page special expanded edition that features long and short work, as well as the celebrated literary journal's first foray into graphic storytelling.

Suspect in String of Assaults That Left Three Dead May Be "Previously Deported Felon," Police Say
September 25, 2018 -- The "violent predator" suspected of assaulting seven men in Santa Monica and Los Angeles this month may be a previously deported felon who was out to rob his sleeping victims, authorities said Tuesday.

Santa Monica College Debate Team Kicks Off Season on "High Note"
September 25, 2018 -- Santa Monica College's Speech and Debate team picked up where it left off last school year, winning several awards at the Pacific Southwest Collegiate Forensics Association (PSCFA) “Warm Up” Tournament, college officials announced Tuesday.

Suspect Arrested for Assault Monday in Santa Monica Could Be Responsible for String of Murders
September 25, 2018 -- A suspect arrested for assaulting a man in Santa Monica early Monday morning could be responsible for three murders and three other attempted murders in Los Angeles and Santa Monica this month, authorities said.

Homicide Victim Found Under Santa Monica Pier Was Not Homeless, Authorities Say
September 24, 2018 -- A man whose body was found under the Santa Monica Pier early Thursday morning was not homeless but was sleeping there after an overnight fishing trip, according to his family.

Samohi Students Launch Project to Grow and Plant Some 200 Trees and Shrubs
September 24, 2018 -- Santa Monica High School students are nursing 89 growing trees, mostly oaks, and more than 100 shrubs that will be planted on campus in 2021

Santa Monica Lawmaker's Bill Restricting Plastic Straws Signed Into Law
September 24, 2018 -- A measure co-authored by Assemblymember Richard Bloom that prohibits most dine-in restaurants from offering plastic straws unless requested by a customer was signed into law Thursday.

Santa Monica Planning Officials Assuage Fears of Downzoning Pico Boulevard
September 21, 2018 -- Some Pico Boulevard business owners are growing increasingly worried the busy thoroughfare will be downzoned as part of a plan City officials are embarking on to help preserve the neighborhood.

Santa Monica Lawmaker's Experimental Fishing Program Signed into Law
September 21, 2018 -- A Santa Monica lawmaker's bill that provides limited exemptions from State fishing laws for those pursuing fishery-related research and experimentation was signed into law by the Governor this week.

Body of Homeless Man Found Under Santa Monica Pier Victim of Fouth Homicide This Year
September 20, 2018 -- The body of a man who was killed by a blow to the head was found under the Santa Monica Pier at sunrise Thursday morning, police said.

Santa Monica College Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for Malibu Campus Friday
September 20, 2018 -- Santa Monica College on Friday will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for a new campus in Malibu that will provide a permanent location to offer college classes and a substation for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Education Group Endorses Four Council Candidates for Three Seats
September 19, 2018 -- After backing all four winners in the 2016 City Council race, the Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) is backing four candidates in the November 6 race for three open seats.

Santa Monica Democratic Club Makes Local Endorsements
September 28, 2018 -- The Santa Monica Democratic Club completed its endorsements Thursday, which include backing two incumbents and a challenger in the race for three City Council seats.

Challengers for Santa Monica City Council Lead Fundraising Race
September 27, 2018 -- Two challengers in the November 6 race for Santa Monica City Council have far outraised incumbents, with Ashley Powell easily topping the list with more than $63,000 in contributions.

Greg Alyn Carlson Former Santa Monica Resident Makes FBI’s List of "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives"
September 27, 2018 -- A former Santa Monica resident wanted for armed sexual assault has been added to the FBI’s list of "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives," agency officials announced Thursday.

Escobar Charged With Murder, Attempted Murder in Santa Monica, LA Assaults
September 26, 2018 -- The suspect in a series of brutal assaults in Santa Monica and Los Angeles this month mostly aimed at homeless men was formally charged Wednesday with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.

Santa Monica Review Celebrates 30th Anniversary Issue with Series of Month-Long Events
Santa Monica Review Fall 2018 cover September 26, 2018 -- The Santa Monica Review is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a 200-page special expanded edition that features long and short work, as well as the celebrated literary journal's first foray into graphic storytelling.

Suspect in String of Assaults That Left Three Dead May Be "Previously Deported Felon," Police Say
Ramon Escobar September 25, 2018 -- The "violent predator" suspected of assaulting seven men in Santa Monica and Los Angeles this month may be a previously deported felon who was out to rob his sleeping victims, authorities said Tuesday. Ramon Escobar, 47 from El Salvador, was booked on suspicion of murdering three men and attempting to murder four others.

Santa Monica College Debate Team Kicks Off Season on "High Note"
September 25, 2018 -- Santa Monica College's Speech and Debate team picked up where it left off last school year, winning several awards at the Pacific Southwest Collegiate Forensics Association (PSCFA) “Warm Up” Tournament, college officials announced Tuesday.

Suspect Arrested for Assault Monday in Santa Monica Could Be Responsible for String of Murders
September 25, 2018 -- A suspect arrested for assaulting a man in Santa Monica early Monday morning could be responsible for three murders and three other attempted murders in Los Angeles and Santa Monica this month, authorities said.

Homicide Victim Found Under Santa Monica Pier Was Not Homeless, Authorities Say
September 24, 2018 -- A man whose body was found under the Santa Monica Pier early Thursday morning was not homeless but was sleeping there after an overnight fishing trip, according to his family.

Raise the Tree Samohi Students Launch Project to Grow and Plant Some 200 Trees and Shrubs
September 24, 2018 -- Santa Monica High School students are nursing 89 growing trees, mostly oaks, and more than 100 shrubs that will be planted on campus in 2021.

Santa Monica Lawmaker's Bill Restricting Plastic Straws Signed Into Law
September 24, 2018 -- A measure co-authored by Assemblymember Richard Bloom that prohibits most dine-in restaurants from offering plastic straws unless requested by a customer was signed into law Thursday.

Santa Monica Planning Officials Assuage Fears of Downzoning Pico Boulevard
September 21, 2018 -- Some Pico Boulevard business owners are growing increasingly worried the busy thoroughfare will be downzoned as part of a plan City officials are embarking on to help preserve the neighborhood.

Santa Monica Lawmaker's Experimental Fishing Program Signed into Law
September 21, 2018 -- A Santa Monica lawmaker's bill that provides limited exemptions from State fishing laws for those pursuing fishery-related research and experimentation was signed into law by the Governor this week.

Santa Monica Election System on Trial
A voting rights trial that began August 1 could shake up Santa Monica's power structure and radically change the way council members are elected. Below are accounts of key moments.

Plaintiffs in Santa Monica Voting Rights Lawsuit Paint Picture of Disenfranchised Minority

Latinos More than Fairly Represented on Santa Monica Council, Defense Argues in Voting Rights Case

Study Surfaces That Could Aid Plaintiffs in Voting Rights Case Against City

Top Voting Demographics Expert Advised City, Activists on Santa Monica Redistricting

Santa Monica Voting Rights Trial Ends

Body of Homeless Man Found Under Santa Monica Pier Victim of Fouth Homicide This Year
September 20, 2018 -- The body of a man who was killed by a blow to the head was found under the Santa Monica Pier at sunrise Thursday morning, police said.

Santa Monica College Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for Malibu Campus Friday
Santa Monica College Malibu Campus rendering September 20, 2018 -- Santa Monica College on Friday will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for a new campus in Malibu that will provide a permanent location to offer college classes and a substation for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The groundbreaking ceremony takes place from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Education Group Endorses Four Council Candidates for Three Seats
September 19, 2018 -- After backing all four winners in the 2016 City Council race, the Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) is backing four candidates in the November 6 race for three open seats.

Santa Monica College Students Clean Up Former "Inkwell" Beach
Nick Galbadon September 19, 2018 -- A group of some 550 volunteers organized by minority students from Santa Monica College helped clean up a once segregated stretch of local beach on Saturday. The historic site known as "The Intkwell" is where legendary surfer and SMC student Nick Gabaldón, who was of Black and Mexican descent, taught himself to surf.

Slow Growth Group Endorses One Council Candidate
September 18, 2018 -- One of Santa Monica's two slow growth groups this week endorsed a single City Council candidate and a ballot measure to impose term limits on Santa Monica's governing body.

OPINION -- Santa Monicans Deserve Answers on the Crime Crisis
September 18, 2018 -- Between 2010 and 2016, Santa Monicans have seen total crime jump by more than 23 percent. If City leaders won’t tackle the growing crime crisis head on, the question remains: who’s left to advocate for a safer Santa Monica?

Downtown Santa Monica "Experiment" to Help Shape Its Future
Santa Monica Promenade experiment September 18, 2018 -- If you visit the north block of Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade you might notice people tossing bean bags or reading a book or even playing a piano on patches of Astroturf that might be somewhere else when you return. It's part of an experiment launched by Downtown Santa Monica, Inc.

Santa Monica Launches Pilot Program for Electric Scooters, Bikes
September 17, 2018 -- Santa Monica, the birthplace of an electric scooter craze that is taking hold across the nation, launched a pilot program on Monday aimed at controlling the vehicles' run-away success.

EXTRA Santa Monica Forward Endorses Two Incumbents, Challenger
September 17, 2018 -- City Councilmember Kevin McKeown, long considered a slow-growth advocate, has received the endorsement of Santa Monica Forward, a political group largely backed by developers.

Santa Monica College Announces Communication & Media Series Line-up
September 17, 2018 -- Child sex trafficking, military families during war and Latinos in animation will be among the topics explored during Santa Monica College's fall Communication & Media Series starting this month. The free series features a line-up of industry professionals.

Free Meals Program for the Homeless Moves from the Promenade Indoors
September 14, 2018 -- A program that for a decade has been handing out free vegan meals to the homeless on Santa Monica's popular Third Street Promenade will move indoors.

City Streamlines Bidding Process for Small Construction Projects
September 14, 2018 -- In an effort to expedite smaller construction projects, the Santa Monica City Council on Tuesday voted to form a pool of prequalified contractors to provide services on an as-needed basis.

Santa Monica Library Offers Personal Trip Through 1968
Get Clean for Gene poster September 14, 2018 -- The year 1968 marked a seismic moment in U.S. history. And through it all, Alan Seltzer, a leader of the student protest movement, was there as both witness and participant. Seltzer will share his experiences at the Santa Monica Library this month.

Santa Monica Pier Concert Series Succeeds in Drawing Much Smaller Crowds
September 13, 2018 -- If the first two concerts are an indication, Santa Monica's efforts to scale down its wildly popular Twilight Concert series on the Pier has been a success.

Santa Monica Education Foundation Raises More Than $600,000 Without Malibu's Help
September 13, 2018 -- Nearly 1,000 donors helped raise more than $600,000 during the Santa Monica Education Foundation's first solo back-to-school giving campaign, officials of the non-profit announced Thursday.

EXTRA Record Bond Measure for Santa Monica Schools Draws No Opposing Ballot Arguments
September 12, 2018 -- The largest School District bond measure in Santa Monica history will have no opposing arguments on the ballot when it goes before voters in November, making it the fist time since at least 2000 that voters will not be presented with reasons to oppose a school funding measure.

Cost of Retrofitting Fire Station Rises After "Unforeseen Conditions" Found
September 12, 2018 -- The cost of retrofitting the fire station in Santa Monica's Mid-City neighborhood has risen after construction crews found asbestos, mold and termite damage. On Tuesday the City Council increased the $1.067 million contract by $275,000 to address "the unforeseen conditions."

Santa Monica College's Emeritus Art Gallery Showcases Abstract and Documentary WorksSeptember 12, 2018 -- The very different styles of two student artists at Santa Monica College's emeritus program -- colorful abstract works by Earleen Ahrens and black and white photographs by Jonathan Tillman -- will be exhibited at the school's Downtown gallery starting with a reception Thursday, September 7, at 5:30 p.m.

EXTRA Santa Monica Voting Rights Trial Ends
September 11, 2018 -- After six weeks of testimony from City Council members, experts and community leaders, the voting rights lawsuit against the City of Santa Monica ended Tuesday with testimony from the defense's final witness, Councilmember Gleam Davis.

LA County Supervisors Approve Rent Stabilization Policy for Unincorporated Areas
September 11, 2018 -- An measure authored by Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl to protect renters who could face homelessness due to escalating rents was approved by the County Board on Tuesday.

OPINION: Not Waiting for Sacramento to Tackle Pension Liability
September 11, 2018 -- Santa Monica City Manager Rick Cole examines how "a catastrophic miscalculation" in Sacramento created a long-term, slow-moving crisis that poses a serious threat to public services and the future standard of living and quality of life.

Santa Monica Fire Stations to Mark 9/11 With Ceremonies Tuesday Morning
September 10, 2018 -- On Tuesday, Santa Monica firefighters will honor the memories of those who died in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the east coast that hit close to home in a California beach city 2,800 miles away.

Santa Monica Council Expected to Seek Experts to Help Plot City's Future
September 10, 2018 -- The City Council on Tuesday is expected to begin seeking expert advice to help tackle "disruptive" global forces that pose both threats and opportunities for Santa Monica's economy.

Santa Monica College Presents Social Justice Lecture Series
September 10, 2018 -- Subtle racism, the achievement gap and teaching mathematics for social justice are among the topics explored this fall during Santa Monica College's Social Justice Lecture Series, college officials announced this week.

Santa Monica Hires "Chief People Officer " in Charge of Human Resources
September 7, 2018 -- Santa Monica has hired a "Chief People Officer" who will assume the post of Human Resources director and work to engage and energize the City's workforce, City officials announced Friday.

Sunday's Sold-Out Santa Monica Classic to Benefit YMCA
September 7, 2018 -- More than 6,000 runners will take part in Sunday's Santa Monica Classic to raise funds for the local and Los Angeles YMCAs.

Police to Focus on Pedestrian Safety During Month-Long Campaign
September 7, 2018 -- Santa Monica police will be paying extra attention to behavior that can lead to pedestrian injuries or death this month, police officials announced Friday.

Santa Monica Planning Officials to Embark on Pico Neighborhood Plan
September 6, 2018 -- Santa Monica planning officials are embarking on a long-awaited initiative this fall to preserve the Pico Neighborhood from a wave of gentrification that threatens its character and affordable housing supply, City officials announced this month.

Stretches of Downtown Closed By Mental Health Episodes Wednesday
September 6, 2018 -- Two separate mental-health-related incidents -- a suicide and a man who refused to climb down from a tree -- shut down parts of Downtown Santa Monica Wednesday.

Santa Monica to Celebrate Ethiopian New Year This Month
September 6, 2018 -- Santa Monica will celebrate the Ethiopian New Year this month with a festival showcasing the African country's rich cultural heritage.

Santa Monica to Add Another Beach Park This Month
September 5, 2018 -- Santa Monica's second universally accessible playground will open this month between the Pier and the Annenberg Community Beach House, making it the fifth play area on the beach, City officials announced this week.

Santa Monica College Appoints New Vice President of Academic Affairs
September 5, 2018 -- Dr. Jennifer Merlic -- who already has made a mark on Santa Monica College's curriculum -- has assumed the post of Vice President of Academic Affairs, College officials announced Wednesday.

Iconic Santa Monica Mosaic Could Be Removed Under Legal Settlement
September 5, 2018 -- A year and a half after designating Santa Monica's Home Savings building a local historic landmark, the City Council last week settled a lawsuit that could jeopardize the half-century-old structure and its iconic mosaic.

Scaled-Down Twilight Concert Series Kicks Off on Santa Monica Pier Wednesday
September 4, 2018 -- Santa Monica's Twilight concert series is kicking off when it would normally end -- in September -- with a "Latin Wave" lineup featuring Havana's Orquesta Akokán sweeping onto the Pier Wednesday.

Santa Monica Lawmaker's Bill Banning Giant Nets Used for Swordfishing Passes Senate
September 4, 2018 -- A bill by Santa Monica lawmaker Ben Allen to phase out giant nets used for swordfishing that trap marine mammals, sea birds and turtles is awaiting the Governor's signature.

Samohi to Hold All-Class Alumni Day This Month
September 4, 2018 -- You never know if you'll run into legendary guitarist Ry Cooder, or actor Robert Downey, Jr., or the President's advisor Stephen Miller at Samohi this month.

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