Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words

Articles from the June 9, 2025 edition


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  • "Mostly Peaceful" No Kings Rally in Palisades Park Will Act as Cover for Rioting, Looting Planned for the Promenade for Saturday June 14, 2025

    Stan Greene, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jun 12, 2025

    14 – Authorities are on high alert as reports surface of a planned "mostly peaceful" riot and looting event scheduled for Saturday, June 14, 2025, at the Third Street Promenade in Downtown Santa Monica. The event will follow the anti-Trump "No Kings Rally" scheduled for Saturday from 11 am to 2:30 pm in Palisades Park. According to sources familiar with the plans, organizers will follow a playbook similar to the May 31, 2020, looting in Downtown Santa Monica, where a r...

  • No Stand Down Orders for Santa Monica Police Regarding 'No Kings Day' Demonstrations Should They Turn into Riots

    Santa Monica Staff|Updated Jun 12, 2025

    June 12, 2025 - Santa Monica Police Chief Ramon Batista released the following statement regarding concerns about the planned 'No Kings' protest on Saturday. On May 31, 2020, a planned demonstration protesting George Floyd's death turned into several days of intense rioting, looting, fires, and assaults in Santa Monica. Dear Santa Monica Residents, Business and Property Owners, I want to thank those of you who have reached out with concerns about the scheduled "No Kings"...

  • Where Are LA's Professional Rioters Recruited? Some Say This Craigslist Ad is The Answer

    Stan Greene, Observer Saff Writer|Updated Jun 10, 2025
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    Where do they find these guys who know how to find cinderblock stashes in Downtown LA, break them up with hammers and toss them at Police? Craigslist, say some local residents. "Looking for the toughest badasses in the city (los angeles) Private. compensation: $6500 - $12500 depending on experience. employment type: contract. experience level: no ... you're not the biggest guy in the room but you're the one people follow when things go bad - that's who we're Looking For!" read...

  • Santa Monica's New Homeless Outreach Program Ignores Key Fact: The Unhoused Would Rather Live on the Street and Take Drugs

    Mike Hunt, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jun 10, 2025

    On June 3, 2025, the Santa Monica City Council approved a new homeless outreach program, allocating $2.5 million to fund a partnership with local nonprofits aimed at addressing the city’s homelessness crisis. However, it doesn't take into account what homeless people have told this author: They value their freedom. That means they would rather live on the street and use drugs such as methamphetamine (meth), then live in public housing for free. It's hard for those of us w...

  • Anarchist Rioters Set Cars on Fire, Hammer Sidewalks in Downtown Los Angeles to Create Rocks to Throw at Police

    David Ganezer|Updated Jun 9, 2025

    Midnight, Monday 6/9/25, Los Angeles, CA - For the fourth consecutive night, downtown Los Angeles has been the scene of violent riots, with leftist protesters clashing with local law enforcement. The unrest, sparked by recent immigration enforcement operations, has left parts of the city in disarray, with reports of vandalism, looting, and assaults on police officers. Despite the escalating violence, Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom have pointed fingers at President...

  • The Chinese Navy Already Has More Ships Than the US. How Will Trump Address This, When China's Shipbuilding Capacity is 100 Times Greater Than the US?

    David Ganezer, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jun 9, 2025

    The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has already surpassed the U.S. Navy in terms of sheer fleet size, with around 370 warships compared to the U.S. Navy's approximately 290 as of recent reports. Between 2015 and 2020, the PLAN overtook the U.S. Navy in the number of battle force ships, and projections suggest it could grow to 395–425 ships by 2030, while the U.S. Navy struggles to maintain its current fleet size, targeting 350 ships by 2045. China's s...

  • Illegal Aliens Arrested by Ice in Los Angeles Last Week Included Convicted Murderers, Child Rapists, says DHS

    Stan Greene, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jun 9, 2025

    On June 7, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted operations in Los Angeles, arresting 45 illegal aliens with serious criminal convictions, including murder, sexual assault, and other violent crimes. Among those detained was Cuong Chanh Phan, a 49-year-old Vietnamese citizen convicted of second-degree murder for a shooting at a high school graduation party that killed two teenagers and injured seven others. Another individual, Jose Alfredo Ordaz, was...

  • Is Santa Monica Making Any Special Preparations Due to the Immigration Riots?

    Sarah Storkin, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jun 8, 2025

    There’s no specific information confirming that the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) is on heightened alert following the June 8, 2025, riots in downtown Los Angeles (DTLA). The SMPD’s official Instagram and website don’t mention any tactical alert or heightened status as of the latest updates, with their most recent posts focusing on routine activities like vehicle burglary responses from May 2025. However, given the proximity to DTLA (about 15 miles) and the scale...

  • ICE Protestors Block 101 Freeway, Other Roads Sunday. Protestors Set Five Waymo Driverless Vehicle on Fire in Downtown Los Angeles

    Stan Greene, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jun 8, 2025

    Update 8pm PST 6/8/25. On June 8, 2025, downtown Los Angeles experienced significant unrest related to anti-ICE protests, escalating into riots. Here’s an update based on the latest available information: Overview: Protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, prompted by the Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants, intensified on the third day. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) declared an unlawful assembly in the...

  • As Anti Immigration Enforcement Riots Continue in Downtown Los Angeles, Trump Calls in the National Guard

    Stan Greene, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jun 7, 2025

    On June 7, 2025, protests erupted in downtown Los Angeles in response to aggressive U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across the city. The demonstrations, which began Friday night after ICE arrested at least 44 people, escalated into Saturday with significant unrest. Protesters, chanting slogans like "Free them all" and holding signs demanding "Full Rights for All Immigrants" and "Stop the Deportations," clashed with authorities, blocked streets, and in...

  • Local Briefs Waymo Beeping Complaints Escalate, as Coyote Sightings Surge Post-Palisades Fire

    Observer Staff|Updated Jun 7, 2025

    Santa Monica residents are increasingly frustrated with noise from Waymo's driverless car charging stations, particularly near Broadway and Euclid. Another charging station is located at 14th Street and Santa Monica Blvd. The noise problem has caused a few neighbors take drastic measures, like obstructing Waymo vehicles, with some facing legal pushback like restraining orders. This ongoing saga reflects broader tensions about autonomous vehicles in residential areas. People...

  • Class of 2025 Graduates from Pacific Palisades High School, Despite Losing Their Campus in the January 7th Fire

    Sarah Storkin, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jun 7, 2025

    The Palisades Charter High School Class of 2025 held its graduation ceremony on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at the Hollywood Bowl, a departure from the school's campus due to damage from the Palisades Fire on January 7, 2025, which destroyed parts of the campus, including the football stadium. The ceremony celebrated the resilience of the graduating class amidst significant adversity. Speakers at the Graduation The ceremony featured notable speakers, reflecting the school's...

  • IDs through the ages: How people have proven their identity over time

    Stacker, Beth Mowbray|Updated Jun 7, 2025

    With over 8 billion people spread across the Earth's nearly 25 million square miles of habitable land, proving one's identity has become more complex than it was with smaller populations thousands of years ago. Whereas ancient Greeks could just pair their name with that of their father to confirm who they were, modern-day home sapiens need more details to find the right John Smith. Ever since humans evolved to build geographically diffuse social networks around 130,000 years...

  • 10 destinations across the US for car enthusiasts to add to their bucket list

    Stacker, Pamela Avila|Updated Jun 7, 2025

    They move us through the world, but automobiles play an even more significant role in our daily lives and culture. More than simply a mode of transportation, a car can be a form of self-expression, a marker of social and economic status, and a reflection of the times. Dating back to the 15th century when Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci was creating designs and models for the world's first self-propelled vehicle, the automobile has a rich history that can't be traced to a si...

  • The fix for parched Western states: Recycled toilet water

    Stacker, Matt Simon for Grist|Updated Jun 7, 2025

    If you were to drink improperly recycled toilet water, it could really hurt you—but probably not in the way you're thinking. Advanced purification technology so thoroughly cleans wastewater of feces and other contaminants that it also strips out natural minerals, which the treatment facility then has to add back in. If it didn't, that purified water would imperil you by sucking those minerals out of your body as it moves through your internal plumbing. So if it's perfectly s...

  • How global trade is reshaping furniture pieces

    Stacker, Steven Neman for House of Leon|Updated Jun 7, 2025

    Global trade has transformed the furniture industry, changing where our tables, sofas, and décor come from—and at what cost. In particular, U.S.-Asia trade routes now dominate the furniture market, with Asian countries supplying a large share of American furniture. Recent shifts in tariffs and trade policies are accelerating these changes, affecting prices and the balance between imported and American-made furnishings. Below, House of Leon explores how these trends are reshapi...

  • The movies leaving Netflix this month Include Ocean's 11, "Won't You Be My Neighbor,"

    Stacker, Jake Kring-Schreifels|Updated Jun 7, 2025

    June has arrived, bringing with it backyard barbecues, splashy pool days, and the annual quest to find the perfect pair of sunglasses. But while the days are long, your time to binge some beloved movies on Netflix is not. More than two dozen titles—from cult favorites to comfort comedies to animated gems—are packing their bags and heading out by the end of June 2025. There are quite a few reasons a film can get dropped from a streamer like Netflix; perhaps the movie's rig...

  • Movies and TV shows casting across the US

    Stacker, Jaimie Etkin|Updated Jun 7, 2025

    The glitz and glam of Hollywood captures the attention of Americans starting from an early age. Beyond celebrities' Instagram Stories and red carpet poses, there are actors out there paying their dues and honing their craft in pursuit of a sustainable career or a fulfilling sideline. Submitting to casting calls is a big part of that journey. Whether you're a working actor or an aspiring one, you might be curious to know which movies and TV shows are casting roles near you....

  • Social media before bedtime wreaks havoc on sleep-a sleep researcher explains why screens alone aren't the main culprit

    Stacker, Brian N. Chin for The Conversation|Updated Jun 7, 2025

    "Avoid screens before bed" is one of the most common pieces of sleep advice. But what if the real problem isn't screen time—it's the way we use social media at night? Sleep deprivation is one of the most widespread yet overlooked public health issues, especially among young adults and adolescents. Despite needing eight to 10 hours of sleep, most adolescents fall short, while nearly two-thirds of young adults regularly get less than the recommended seven to nine hours. Poor sle...

  • Brain study identifies a cost of caregiving for new fathers

    Stacker, Darby Saxbe for The Conversation|Updated Jun 7, 2025

    Parenting makes the heart grow fonder, and the brain grow … smaller? Several studies have revealed that the brain loses volume across the transition to parenthood, Darby Saxbe, a psychology professor at the University of Southern California, writes for The Conversation. But researchers are still figuring out what these changes mean for parents. In a 2024 study that looked at brain change in first-time fathers, Saxbe and her colleagues found that brain volume loss was linked w...

  • The Milken Institute 2025 Global Conference"Toward A Flourishing Future " Impressions and Take-a-ways

    Rachel Ganz, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jun 6, 2025

    The Milken Institute's 28th annual Global Conference was held from May 4–7, 2025 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, 9876, Wilshire Blvd, BeverlyHills, CA, 90210. Elon Musk addressed the conference by Video. There were over 5,000 participants and 1,000 speakers from more than 80 countries- including CEOs, philanthropists, government officials, doctors, nurses, teachers, scientists, investors, cultural icons, actors, nonprofit leaders and journalists worldwide - . Under the theme "...