Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words
Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words
Sorted by date Results 827 - 851 of 1122
Have you ever wished that you could be recruited by the Men in Black? This story is about a guy who actually was. One day in 2001, Mansour Jabbaar (M.J.) George was strolling through the Topanga Canyon mall when he was stopped by a casting director from Central Casting. She asked MJ, if he would like to try out to be a Body Double for Will Smith. Columbia studios was then filming Men in Black II, and they needed an actor who resembled Smith. She gave MJ a card and told him to...
There are two perspectives on the current state of the pandemic in the U.S. One perspective is that it's time to accept some sickness and return to our lives. The New York Post recently printed an editorial entitled "Ignore the Hysteria: It's Time to Move Past Covid, America." The Post, a conservative newspaper founded by Alexander Hamilton in 1790, argues that with the vaccines, Covid is now like Influenza. Although the flu kills thousands of people every year, we do not...
The SMMUSD has issued a press release, reaffirming that in class instruction will begin in Santa Monica and Malibu on August 19th, 2021. It is unclear whether or not masks will be required of students. "Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District is returning to in-person instruction for the 2021-22 school year with health and safety protocols in place as directed by our guiding agencies," writes the District. "The California Department of Education (CDE) has authorized...
West LA residents report that they have seen newly dead house cats killed by coyotes. Brazen coyotes have been seen in busy intersections such as Olympic and Sepulveda, which carry freeway levels of traffic. Residents report seeing corpses of cats across the fine trimmed lawns of West Los Angeles. "Coyotes are hunting in our neighborhood again and are a threat to pets and children!" warns a poster that has appeared in the neighborhood. Olympic is full of cars during the day, b...
At Tuesday night's City Council meeting, a caller informed the City Council that "agents of Satan" were "driving Christians from the Promenade." The City Clerk allowed the caller her two minutes to speak, then told her "your time is up." and then cut her off. You can't make this stuff up, people. The Third Street Promenade is a pedestrian mall esplanade, shopping, dining and entertainment complex in the downtown area of Santa Monica. According to Wikipedia, it originally...
Conservative radio talk show host Larry Elder has won his fight to be on the September 14th recall ballot. The son of a restaurant owner, Elder has electrified Republicans with the possibility that they could defeat Gov. Gavin Newsom and replace him with the first statewide Republican officeholder since Arnold Schwarzeneggar. Elder sent out the following email: "Huge news, fellow conservative! We won our lawsuit against the California Secretary of State and are back on the...
The Santa Monica City Council announced on Thursday that it has selected David White to serve as Santa Monica’s next city manager. White’s employment contract – including an October 11 start date and salary – will be considered at the July 27 Council meeting, said city officials at last night’s special Council meeting. White currently serves as deputy city manager for the City of Berkeley, where he oversees internal service departments, public safety reform, economic...
The Los Angeles Times has posted an editorial criticizing Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, for his willingness to resign as Mayor of Los Angeles and accept the Biden Administration's nomination to be Ambassador to India. "Mayor Eric Garcetti's willingness to abandon his office in L.A. is a sign of the city's civic inadequacies," writes the editorial board in the Los Angeles Times website. https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2021-07-09/eric-garcetti-ambassadorship-los-angeles...
As suddenly as they disappeared 16 months ago, salad bars and hot food bars have returned to local markets this month. According to one source at a market, who asked not to be named, LA County Public Health has removed protocols that forbade salad bars and hot food bars during the Coronavirus pandemic. At Publichealth.lacounty.gov, there are a list of "Retired Protocols – Not in Effect." It does in fact say that "these following protocols and guidance documents are no longer i...
In a 4 to 2 vote, the Santa Monica City Council appointed Lana Negrete to take Kevin McKeown's seat on the 7 member Santa Monica City Council. The Council selected Negrete from 34 eligible candidates who submitted their interest for the appointment to the seat vacated by Kevin McKeown in June. Her term lasts until November 2022. “Lana Negrete was born and raised in Santa Monica and is the owner of the Santa Monica Music Center. As a mother, she has long been active in the l...
Britney Spears has committed no crime, she says. She alleges that her father and his conservatorship are blocking her from living her life, and becoming a mom again. The mother of two is of course one of the most successful musicians of the last 20 years. But she seemed to be suffering from bipolar disorder in 2007. That year, her father went to Court and proved by clear and convincing evidence that the pop queen was not able to manage her own financial affairs. Her father, Ja...
Bus riders will no longer be able to pay for their rides in cash. Starting Monday July 12, the Big Blue Bus Co. has announced that it will no longer accept cash from riders. Customers must pay with TAP cards purchased from machines at train stations, or they will have to buy mobile tickets online. The idea is to make payment "contactless," seemingly a holdover from the pandemic. During the pandemic, both MTA and BBB buses were free to all. Both companies have since started...
Before you take a walk to the mailbox, you should know that it's not there. And former US President Donald J. Trump had nothing to do with it. Local residents woke up Saturday morning to find mailboxes removed from sidewalks in front of Will Rogers Station, the post office located at 12th and Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica. Post boxes were apparently also removed from sidewalks in front of other US post offices, including the PO on Nielson Way and the main Santa Monica post...
James Dean walked down the hallways of the History Building at Santa Monica High School in Rebel Without a Cause. Protestors at SamoHi last Saturday tried a last minute effort to save the building. The History building was originally constructed in 1913, but largely rebuilt as a WPA project in the 1930's. The building is undergoing asbestos abatement. Which means the contractor awarded the $200 million contract to replace the historic structure with a "state of the art Career...
When in the Course of Human Events, a guy who grew up in San Gabriel Valley applies for the top job in Santa Monica, and gets offered it along with $440,000 a year, health care for himself and his family and a full pension for life in five years, and then said guy turns it down; you gotta ask why, right? “Stepping into Santa Monica city government doesn't look like the career move anyone would want,” posted one local resident on social media. “We are bankrupt, crime is escal...
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva declared Monday that the LASD would clear the large homeless encampments from Venice Beach by July 4, over the objections of City Council member Mike Bonin. "Today I visited the Venice Boardwalk again to view the failures of local politicians in regard to the homeless crisis," Villanueva tweeted. "Tomorrow the @LASDHQ Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST) will be assessing Venice in order to triage the crisis and develop an action pl...
Unlike last summer where the entire country was stuck at home, millions of Americans are expected to travel during the summer of 2021. Many will be expected to travel to Los Angeles, where the Santa Monica Pier of course is a favorite destination. Recently I dropped off a passenger flying to Rio de Janeiro. I was unable to park in the Airport circle at all. Parking structure 5 is under construction. I was also unable to pull into the famous "White Zone." In recent years, LAX...
Let's face it, being appointed Santa Monica City manager is kind of a $430,000 a year booby prize. The City's progressive residents demand contradictory things of its government. Embrace all and be diverse, but move the homeless people out of my backyard. Provide a safe environment, while at the same time bring in hundreds of thousands of visitors and build public housing on every square inch of available land. No surprise that this hasn't worked out particularly well...
As Covid retreats, Disney is advancing with the world's very first Avenger's theme park. The Avengers Campus will open on June 4 at Disney California Adventure Park. "In just a few days, you'll be invited to team up with the Avengers and their allies to live out your Super Hero dreams as Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure park!" Said Disneyland in a press release. The avengers campus was dedicated and opened for a press preview, in a ceremony that included Ironman...
At tonight's Santa Monica City Council meeting, longtime City Council member Kevin McKeown announced that he would retire as of June 11, 2021. He cited his advancing age. "I know I don't look it, but I'm well into my 70's" he said. He noted that it had been an honor and a privilege to serve the community. He has been a member of the 7 member Council for 25 years. The other Council members expressed shock and surprise at McKeown's announcement, which came as the meeting was...
Venice residents are tired of seeing the once famous, though eclectic, boardwalk turned into one large homeless encampment. And they're talking to the media this week. For example, the UK Daily Mail writes: "On Sunday Crocodile Dundee star Paul Hogan, 81, warned the homeless away. 'This is my house, not yours,' he wrote on a note he posted on the gate of his $3.5 million Venice Beach home. Hogan complained that he is homesick and desperate to return to his native Australia but...
The fire began Friday night at Michael Lane and Palisades Court. As the fire spread, people on social media wondered: Did some homeless guy (or gal) start the fire? Police are searching for an arson suspect believed to have started the fire. They have questioned two men, one of whom is on probation for setting fires. Authorities have a large perimeter set up, and were canvassing the area hoping to find him. Helicopters dropped non stop water on the hills near pacific...
5/13/21: We've all become used to covering our faces everywhere. But as announced Thursday morning by the head of the Centers for Disease Control, and echoed by US President Joseph Biden, there is no longer a need to wear a mask whether indoors or outdoors. President Biden credited an "all out effort" to vaccinate Americans. About half of the adult population is vaccinated. "The CDC is saying they have concluded that fully vaccinated people are at a very low risk of getting Co...
4/30: A major natural gas leak near the intersection of Lipton Avenue and Berkeley Street, has caused an eight-block area of Santa Monica to lose electrical power and natural gas. Residents as far west as 24th Street reported that they could smell natural gas. The outage began at about 6 p.m. on Thursday April 29th, and had not been resolved as of 4 p.m. Friday April 30th. An excavator hit a 16" pipeline underground. "It's like a car wreck down there," explained a Southern Cal...
Forget that silly stuff about Meghan and Harry. Here's a story that actually affects you: On Sunday, April 18th Krispy Kreme Donuts will close its Santa Monica location at Euclid (13th Street) and Wilshire. "Dear Santa Monica Community: Our lease is expiring and this store will be closing permanently on April 18th," said a sign on the counter at KK." we have enjoyed serving you" the sign continued, and please visit our website for other locations. This will leave only 3 donut...
