Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words

Articles from the March 31, 2014 edition


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  • Samohi Wrestling Coach Thrown to the Lyons - April 5 News Update

    David Ganezer, Publisher|Mar 31, 2014
    1

    Nobody wants to touch this one, do they? In case you left town the last 2 days, SamoHi's wrestling couch Mark Black (Yeah, the same 60 year old dude who was involved in the whole wrestling dummy thing 2 years back), was trying to confiscate a bag of weed from an 18 year old, male student. The student refused. The story from here varies, but there's agreement that the kid put the weed back into his backpack, and the two tussled in the classroom, while another student filmed the whole thing on an...

  • YMCA Swim Program Fires Coaches

    Mar 31, 2014

    Tara Pomposini, the CEO of the YMCA, fired all the coaches Monday, without prior warning to parents. She cited unspecified misconduct, which she said did not harm or endanger children. "Your kids can come to swim but without any supervision aside from the lifeguards," parents were told. But formal classes were suspended due to the lack of coaches. The swim team and a swim program cost only $55 a month, making it the lowest cost program around. Most swim programs are $200 a month. So the loss...

  • Santa Monica Mtns National Recreation Area Generates $26 Million in Local Economic Impact

    Mar 31, 2014

    A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that the 650,000 visitors to national park lands in the Santa Monica Mountains spent $26 million in the surrounding community in 2012. That spending supported 336 jobs in the local area. The report only studied the number of visitors to National Park Service land, which comprises just 15% of Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The total number of visitors to the recreation area, including lands managed by California State Parks and the...

  • The Santa Monica Chorus Wins 1st Place

    Mar 31, 2014

    The Santa Monica Chorus Wins 1st Place in Annual Regional Barbershop Harmony Competition and will Represent the Region in the Sweet Adelines International Competition in Las Vegas in 2015 The Santa Monica Chorus, an all-women chorus that specializes in four-part barbershop harmony, competed in the annual regional competition held in Bakersfield, CA this past weekend. The Chorus, a chapter of Sweet Adelines International, placed first in a field of 11 choruses from California and Nevada that...

  • Walgrove Elementary Hosts a Night of Fun

    Colleen OMara and Bianca Silva|Mar 31, 2014

    Last fall, the P.S. ARTS Program and The Tommy Hilfiger Foundation announced a partnership to develop a multi-year arts education curriculum in only two schools in the Los Angeles school district. Walgrove Elementary was chosen based on its established reputation for supporting inclusive education, a dedication to valuing diverse experiences, backgrounds and voices – a community committed to the value of arts in education. The annual Family Night was hosted as a part of the P.S. ARTS program. T...

  • Samohi Varsity Softball Team

    Mar 31, 2014

    Swingers: Samohi Varsity Softball Team's regular season starts tomorrow. Photos by Wendy Perl. front row, Left to right: Annie Quine # 21, Ashley Rakuljic #16, Carly Condon #1, Sara Garcia #13 (Senior), Bella Lilly #22, Alexis Carter #23, Adriana Alvarado #2 back row, Left to right: Denise Reynoso #5, Whitney Jones #8, Cayman Hunter #11, Frankie Golick #18 (Senior), Sofia Gutierrez #3 (Senior) Jordan Breuer # 6, Kenedee Jamerson #26 and Jasmine Gomez #4...

  • Should Dodger Fans Worry? Probably

    Mar 31, 2014

    The new Dodger owners spend lavishly and they're attempting to build a championship team. "Last year we made a lot of progress and reached the playoffs," said Magic Johnson. "Now our goal is to go all the way." Many forecasters have listed the Dodgers as favorites to win the World Series. One consideration is their record $240 million payroll. But there's been enough early trouble for fans to be concerned. Let us count the difficulties – quite a few since it's only the beginning of April. F...

  • Escaped Inmate Found in SM

    Mar 31, 2014

    An inmate who escaped from a Los Angeles County jail last month was located and arrested in Santa Monica Wednesday night. Christopher Lee Brown, 37, disappeared on March 12 just hours after he was sentenced to four years and eight months in county jail for stealing computers from AHMC Healthcare facility in Alhambra, according to the L.A. County District Attorney's Office. It's unclear how Brown, a transient, escaped jail, but he slipped away from an inmate reception center near the Twin Towers...

  • Move to Ban Pony Rides

    David Ganezer, Publisher|Mar 31, 2014
    2

    A petition to ban Pony rides at Santa Monica's Farmers Markets (and presumably elsewhere in town), has gathered over 200 signatures, it's MoveOn backers report. Since Sunday my Move On petition has garnered 160 signatures (39 from Santa Monica) to shut down the pony rides and petting zoo at the Sunday farmers market in Ocean Park. Signers object to ponies circling round and round for hours, tethered to a pole, with loud music playing next to them. Let's end this side show and teach our children...

  • Hazardous Materials Team

    Mar 31, 2014

    2 of Santa Monica's finest stand in front of a home at 13th and Carlyle, where they have just extinguished a garage fire. The hazardous materials team was called because of what was in the garage. No one was injured...

  • White Santa Monicans Hate New Development, Latinos Love It

    Mar 31, 2014

    For anyone who attends public meetings on new development, the stereotype of those who speak against increased density in cities is pretty obvious: old and white. A new survey conducted in Santa Monica, Calif. confirms this stereotype. Commissioned by the city and polling 500 adults in the 90,000-strong independent municipality in Los Angeles County, the survey found that - surprise - old and white residents tend to be the most resistant to development. But there was one somewhat unexpected...

  • Local News Briefs

    Mar 31, 2014

    Strong Currents Possible as Tsunami Waves From Chile Quake Reach CA Strong currents were expected in Southern California after tide gauges in Santa Monica showed levels above predicted readings early Wednesday morning, according to the NWS. The elevated waves arrived just before 5 a.m. in Santa Monica and about 20 minutes later to the north in San Luis Obispo County. Wave heights measured only a few inches and just above the predicted level, but the NWS reported “noticeable currents” in Ventura and Santa Barbara harbors. Tsunami waves lose ene...

  • Movie Review CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

    debbie lynn elias|Mar 31, 2014

    Captain America and company are back with what is undisputably the best script and most well told and constructed story of any super hero movie to date - CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER. With a screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeeley and the film now helmed by newcomers to the Marvel world, Anthony and Joe Russo, the bar of excellence is elevated to astronomical levels that future writers and directors in not only the Marvel universe, but others, will be hard pressed to equal...

  • A Midsummer Night's Dream

    Mona Day|Mar 31, 2014

    Bristol Old Vic in association with Handspring Puppet Company will present The Midsummer Night's Dream at The Broad Stage. The two companies previously collaborated on the highly acclaimed and Tony-Award winning War Horse that played at the Ahmanson Theatre a few years ago. Adapted from the Shakespearean play, the show interweaves the lives of lovers, actors, friends, foes, and fairies. The themes revolve around love, transformation and survival in a place where the mystical presence of fairies...

  • Cast Announced For New Douglas Play

    Mar 31, 2014

    Casting has been announced for the world premiere of Kimber Lee’s “different words for the same thing,” which begins previews May 4 at the Center Theatre Group/Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. The opening night is May 11 and performances run through June 1, 2014. Directed by Center Theatre Group Associate Artistic Director Neel Keller, “different words for the same thing” features acclaimed stage and screen actors Sam Anderson (Blackbird at Rogue Machine, Lost), Jackie Chung (brownsville song (b-side for tray) at Actors Theatre of Louisv...

  • SANTA MONICA CRIME WATCH

    Antje Weser|Mar 31, 2014

    Police Officers Assaulted Santa Monica Police report that some their officers were kicked by an allegedly drunk woman. They say it happened on March 29 on 5th Street and Wilshire Blvd at 11 at night while the officers were investigating a hit and run traffic accident there. The officers saw two women walking eastbound on the north sidewalk of Wilshire Blvd. and they noticed one of the women was stumbling. Authorities say they called a taxi for the two women because they were concerned for their safety, as bothh appeared to be intoxicated....

  • Theatricum Botanicum Lights 450 Birthday Candles and Announces an All-Shakespeare Season for 2014

    Mar 31, 2014

    Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum celebrates the Bard's 450th Birthday with an All-Shakespeare Season under the stars and live oaks of Topanga Canyon. A lively mix of tragedy and comedy with a heaping tablespoon of Theatricum's trademark social commentary, the 2014 five-play repertory season has something for everyone, including unique Theatricum twists on King Lear and All's Well That Ends Well; Shakespeare's much-beloved Much Ado About Nothing; the company's annual, signature production of A...

  • West Beats The Pros Again At Aviation Maintenance Competition

    Mar 31, 2014

    The Aviation Mechanics team from West Los Angeles College took first place in the "Turbine Engine Event" again at their second appearance at the Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC) at AviationPros LIVE in Las Vegas last week. The West competitors even defeated the teams of experienced professionals. The college also took third place in the School Category. The AMC, on March 25 and 26, brought together teams of certificated Aircraft Maintenance Technicians, Aircraft Maintenance Engineers and...

  • April is Earthquake Preparedness Month

    Mar 31, 2014

    The Culver City Fire Department wants you to know that disasters and emergencies can happen at any time and your family may not be together. Power may be lost and cell phones may not work. Do you and your kids have contact phone numbers memorized or written and available in your kid's backpacks or your wallet? Do you have an alternate plan to connect with family and friends? Do you know how to contact your children's school in the event of an emergency? You have every opportunity now, before a d...

  • Superintendent Apologizes for Apologizing - April 5 News Update

    Mar 31, 2014
    1

    Dear Samohi and SMMUSD community, The statement I released concerning Friday’s incident at Samohi has caused great anger. There is concern that my statement reflected a pre-judgment of the teacher’s conduct prior to completion of an investigation. There is also concern about my failure to address the conduct of one or more students who were involved in the incident. In retrospect, I understand how my statement has created these concerns. I apologize that my comments focused solely on the message that teachers should not physically engage whe...