Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words
Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words
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Chicago, IL – As the Obama Presidential Center officially opened to the public on June 19, 2026, online discussions have spotlighted a striking cost comparison with another iconic Chicago structure: the Trump International Hotel and Tower. The Trump Tower, a gleaming 98-story mixed-use skyscraper completed in 2009 along the Chicago River, cost approximately $847 million to build. The Obama Presidential Center, a 19.3-acre public campus in Jackson Park featuring a museum, libra...
California voters will decide in November whether to impose a one-time 5% tax on the net worth of the state's roughly 200 billionaires as part of the 2026 Billionaire Tax Act. The measure, which qualified for the ballot after supporters submitted more than 1.55 million signatures-nearly double the required threshold-cleared verification by the Secretary of State and is set for certification on June 25. The initiative would levy the tax on California residents with a net worth...
The US-Iran deal (as of mid-June 2026) is a 60-day Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), often called the "Islamabad agreement" due to Pakistani mediation. It aims to extend a ceasefire, reopen the Strait of Hormuz for shipping, and kick off further talks on Iran's nuclear program. It is not a full, final nuclear deal like the JCPOA-many core issues (nuclear details, sanctions, proxies) are deferred to negotiations within the 60-day window. Key Terms (Based on US and Mediating...
Santa Monica, CA (June 11, 2026) — The City of Santa Monica has converted what had been a working Downtown street called Broadway, into a cluster screw of bike lanes, concrete barriers, bus lanes, and parking in the middle of the street. Yesterday, it nearly cost a motorcyclist her life. A motorcyclist was critically injured in a collision Tuesday evening at the intersection of 5th Street and Broadway, near the Target store in downtown Santa Monica. The crash occurred a...
In a dramatic early-morning raid, federal agents arrested Mahender Makhijani, a 44-year-old lawful permanent resident from India living in the exclusive Corona del Mar neighborhood of Newport Beach, on charges of bank fraud. Authorities allege he defrauded a federally insured bank of nearly $100 million by falsifying title insurance policies and concealing senior liens on real estate collateral. Makhijani, who controlled Cantor Group V LLC, a Newport Beach-based firm,...
Short runways at commercial airports demand precise piloting, weight restrictions on aircraft, and careful performance calculations, especially in hot weather, high density altitude, or with tailwinds. Only airports with scheduled passenger service from major carriers (or their regional affiliates) are considered here. Runway lengths refer to the longest or primary commercial runway(s). 1. Hilton Head Island Airport (HHH / HXD), South Carolina – 5,000 feet This holds the t...
Eyewitness accounts and vote data from the June 2026 Los Angeles mayoral primary paint a disturbing picture of how late mail-in ballot "drops" in Downtown LA (DTLA) are disproportionately boosting one candidate: Nithya Raman. This explains why after June 2, the race for LA Mayor shifted from Spencer Pratt and Towards Nithiya Raman to finish second and make the November runoff against Karen Bass, who allowed the Palisades to burn down. Pratt himself says: "A net swing of more...
SACRAMENTO — With roughly two-thirds to 72% of ballots counted statewide in California's June 2 primary, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary **Xavier Becerra** (D) has secured first place and advanced to the November general election. The battle for the second spot remains tight between Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Tom Steyer, though Hilton maintains a narrow edge as late mail ballots continue to be tallied. Current statewide estimates show: - **Xavier B...
18: With the majority of votes now counted in California's June 2, 2026, top-two primary for Insurance Commissioner, State Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) has solidified a strong second-place position, positioning him to advance to the November general election. Latest results (as of early June 4 reporting, with most precincts partially or fully reporting): Jane Kim (D, progressive/Working Families Party): 23.8% (~1,140,336 votes) Ben Allen (D): 19.2% (~920,814 votes)...
Yesterday, San Francisco voters went to the polls in the primary to choose who will succeed Nancy Pelosi in California's 11th Congressional District. I ran as a Republican in one of the most reliably Democratic districts in the country. I felt strongly that in a once in 38 year open seat election, Republicans should be represented--even if SF is the bluest city in America. I didn't advance to the general election-nor did I expect to-but the experience was invaluable. Here's...
Santa Monica, CA - Voters in Santa Monica encountered notably long lines at polling locations on Election Day, reflecting a broader trend of increased participation across Los Angeles County in the June 2, 2026, Statewide Direct Primary Election. According to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan, the county - home to more than 5.8 million registered voters - experienced modestly higher turnout compared to the 2022 primary. Officials projected...
San Francisco voters: This June primary is a mess. Three main Democrats are fighting for Nancy Pelosi's seat - but all have serious red flags. They have been conducting a circular firing squad, ever since Pelosi endorsed one of them for her job. Here's why you should think twice before voting for any of them... and why a fresh, pragmatic choice makes sense. 1/ Connie Chan: Accused of ties to BOTH Israel lobby AND CCP influence Connie Chan is the first candidate in California...
17 Paris, France – Celebrations following Paris Saint-Germain's (PSG) dramatic win in the 2026 UEFA Champions League final descended into chaos Saturday night, with riots, fires, looting, and clashes with police across central Paris. PSG defeated Arsenal 4-3 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw through regular and extra time at Budapest's Puskás Aréna on May 30, 2026. The victory marked PSG's second consecutive Champions League title. Shaky nighttime video cir...
As the publisher of the Santa Monica Observer and a candidate for Congress in California's 11th District, I've watched progressive experiments turn San Francisco into a cautionary tale. Sky-high rents, streets littered with needles and tents, businesses fleeing, and a quality of life that once made this city legendary now feels like a distant memory. With Nancy Pelosi retiring after nearly four decades, voters face a critical choice on June 2. There can be little doubt that...
On Friday, May 29, 2026, a mountain lion — popularly known as a cougar — made a dramatic appearance in a quiet residential neighborhood north of Montana Avenue on 14th Street in Santa Monica. What began as an evasion saga, with the elusive big cat slipping through initial containment efforts, ended successfully when California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) biologists tranquilized, examined, collared, and relocated the animal. The Sighting and Prolonged Res...
Sacramento, CA - A video circulating widely on social media shows Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang facing away from the American flag as fellow officials and attendees recite the Pledge of Allegiance during a council meeting, reigniting debate over patriotism and elected officials' responsibilities. Vang, a Democrat representing District 8 and a candidate in the June 2, 2026, primary for California's 7th Congressional District, has made no secret of her practice. She...
UCs and Cal States Should Admit Students Totally on Merit The University of California system and California State University system are among America's great public universities. They built world-class reputations through rigorous standards and merit. But recent policies have eroded that foundation, leading to unprepared students, strained faculty, and long-term damage to California's higher education brand. It's time to return to pure merit-based admissions : objective measu...
As a longtime publisher in Santa Monica and now a candidate for Congress representing San Francisco, I've watched progressive experiments in housing play out up close - and the results are painfully clear. While my opponent and others tout zoning reforms and density mandates as victories, the data tells a different story: doubled median home prices, record homelessness, fewer homes built in key periods, a persistent statewide shortfall, and shrinking homeownership...
Summary: Average San Francisco voters distrust Scott Wiener, yet commentators call him a moderate progressive with well-intentioned YIMBY housing laws. In reality, he is California's most extreme legislator, exploiting constituents, stoking division, and ramming through unwanted policies while accusing opponents of bigotry. He enabled addiction by opposing Prop 36, authoring SB 57 for safe injection sites, and killing bills enhancing fentanyl penalties and targeting dealers....
**San Francisco** - In a city where parking spots can fetch six figures and tech millionaires bid up multimillion-dollar homes, a 5,000-square-foot "lot" near Candlestick Point just sold for a jaw-dropping $250 - with one major caveat: it's entirely underwater. The parcel at 0 Bancroft Avenue, Lot 17, in the Bayview District, consists of roughly 4,996 square feet of San Francisco Bay seabed. Listed on Zillow as a "rare underwater parcel" offering "unique opportunity for...
IMPORTANT NOTE: ON 5/19/2026 the Santa Monica Police Department contacted us and denied most of the facts alleged in this article. Their email is posted here: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2026/05/16/news/span-classbrnwsbreaking-news-spanthe-smobserved-article-asserting-that-eight-dead-individuals-were-found-around-reed-park-415-to-5152026-is-incorrect-writes-smpd/9871.html In what some local residents are calling a "drug zombie apocalypse," Santa Monica authorities have...
Nancy Pelosi has finally made it official: she is hand-picking Connie Chan, San Francisco's District 1 Supervisor, as her successor in California's 11th Congressional District. After nearly four decades in the seat she has treated as a family heirloom, Pelosi's endorsement is being presented as a coronation. But San Francisco voters deserve more than a dynastic passing of the torch-they deserve transparency, accountability, and genuine representation. Let's be clear about...
Nancy Pelosi has just hand-picked San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan as her successor in California's 11th Congressional District, the seat she has held for nearly 40 years. After decades of dominating San Francisco politics, Pelosi is not leaving anything to chance. She is endorsing Chan as the candidate "best prepared" to carry forward her legacy in Congress. If you are tired of that legacy - if you believe San Francisco and America deserve better - then I have a simple...
LOS ANGELES - A suspect wanted in connection with a kidnapping investigation in Santa Monica was arrested early Monday morning, May 18, 2026, following a vehicle pursuit that ended with an officer-involved shooting in South Los Angeles, authorities said. No one was injured. According to the Santa Monica Police Department, officers located the suspect around 3:15 a.m. while investigating an ongoing kidnapping case involving an adult victim that originated in Santa Monica. The s...
(May 16, 2026) - A decomposed body was found Saturday morning in a homeless encampment beneath the California Incline near Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), according to local resident and City Council candidate Derrick Townsend. Townsend, who is running for Santa Monica City Council in the 2026 election, said he and his dog Frank discovered the remains while walking in the area. He described the body as "very decayed" with a strong odor, noting it was located in a known...
