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Articles from the July 30, 2026 edition


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  • Holding It In at the Happiest Place on Earth: Disneyland water outage shuts every bathroom - guests left high and dry

    Stan Greene, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jul 29, 2026

    ANAHEIM - Guests at Disneyland Park and Downtown Disney faced a chaotic evening Tuesday when a city of Anaheim infrastructure problem caused a major drop in water pressure and partial outages, leaving the popular resort without running water. According to reports from visitors on the ground, the outage left restrooms completely unusable across the park and Downtown Disney district. Restaurants and bars were unable to seat guests due to health code requirements that mandate...

  • Dead Body Found in Driveway Near Virginia Avenue and Kansas Avenue in Santa Monica; Death Not Treated as Homicide

    Sarah Storkin, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jul 27, 2026

    SANTA MONICA - A person was found deceased Monday evening in a driveway near the intersection of Virginia Avenue and Kansas Avenue in Santa Monica, according to multiple neighborhood witnesses. Police and the coroner's office responded to the scene, which was located across from 2600 Virginia Avenue and next to a preschool. Witnesses reported that a motorist pulling into a driveway discovered an individual on the ground and contacted authorities. Santa Monica Police...

  • Aquatic Theme Park Seeks Court Approval to Sell Mexican Resorts and Dozens of Marine Animals for $20 Million

    David Ganezer, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jul 27, 2026

    CANCÚN, Mexico - July 27, 2026** - The Dolphin Company, the largest aquatic theme park operator in Latin America, is seeking bankruptcy court approval to sell Mexican resorts along with 87 dolphins, 6 sea lions, and 8 manatees for $20 million, according to reports circulating Monday. The proposed transaction forms part of the company's ongoing Chapter 11 restructuring in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Leisure Investments Holdings LLC, the U.S. parent...

  • Four suburban teens killed after pickup plunges off Chicago bridge into train car during police chase

    Stan Greene, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jul 27, 2026

    CHICAGO - Four teenagers from the northern suburbs died early Sunday when the pickup truck they were in launched off a viaduct on the city's Southwest Side and smashed into a stationary freight train car while fleeing police. The crash occurred around 2:16 a.m. in the 6900 block of South Cicero Avenue. Authorities identified the victims as Cristofer Lopez Montan, 19, and Yuarem Garcia-Pena, 18, both of Woodstock; Yaritza Martinez Villeda, 17, of Crystal Lake; and Vanessa Moral...

  • Teen Hospitalized After Failed Cliff Jump at San Diego's Sunset Cliffs

    Updated Jul 27, 2026

    SAN DIEGO - A 17-year-old boy was rescued and hospitalized Saturday after a cliff jump at Sunset Cliffs went wrong when he struck a protruding rock shelf on the way down, according to authorities and video of the incident. The unidentified teen sprinted toward the edge of the rocky bluffs near Sunset Cliffs Boulevard in the Point Loma area and leaped into the Pacific Ocean. He failed to clear a lower rock ledge, slamming into it with his back and backside before tumbling into...

  • Three Killed, Four Wounded by Shooter at Bite of Seattle Festival; Suspect in Custody

    David Ganezer, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jul 27, 2026

    SEATTLE — Three people were killed and four others wounded, including a 2-year-old boy, when gunfire erupted Sunday evening at the annual Bite of Seattle food festival at Seattle Center. The shooting occurred around 6 p.m. local time on July 26, 2026, near the fountain area and outside the Seattle Center Armory in the central grounds of the festival. Witnesses reported hearing rapid gunshots as large crowds of festival-goers panicked and fled. Seattle Police Department c...

  • 78 Degree Water in Santa Monica Bay? Record Ocean Warmth Hits Santa Monica Pier as Strong El Niño Builds

    J. Livingston Seagull, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jul 26, 2026

    Santa Monica, CA — Water temperatures at Santa Monica Pier reached a balmy 76.8°F on July 25, marking the highest July reading ever recorded at the popular coastal landmark, according to weather tracker Colin McCarthy of US Stormwatch. The unusually warm nearshore waters have contributed to elevated humidity levels across Southern California this summer, making conditions feel more tropical than the typically dry coastal climate many residents expect. Sea surface temperature a...

  • Woman Murdered by her Guest at "The Manor" at 1905 Pico Blvd in Santa Monica; 5th Murder of 2026 in City of 90,000

    Samuel Alioto, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jul 26, 2026

    A woman was found dead in an apartment in the 1900 block of Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica (near Santa Monica College, consistent with reports around 1905 Pico Blvd) on the evening of Saturday, July 25, 2026; it is being investigated as a homicide, and a suspect is in custody. According to the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD), officers responded around 5:20–5:21 p.m. to a call about a woman needing medical assistance inside an apartment. They located an adult female with...

  • NYC Mayor Mamdani Notifies Luxury Second-Home Owners of New Pied-à-Terre Tax

    David Ganezer, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jul 25, 2026

    NEW YORK - Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced on July 23, 2026, that the city has mailed notification letters to owners of second homes valued at more than $5 million, informing them that a new pied-à-terre tax will soon take effect. In a post on the official mayoral account, Mamdani wrote: "If you have a second home in New York City worth more than $5M, check your mailbox when you're back in the five boroughs - because you've got mail. Today, we sent notification letters...

  • The Cayton Children's Museum at Santa Monica Place is hosting Summer Friday Family Movie Nights

    Chanin Victor, Lifestyle Editor

    Looking for a fun family outing to spotlight this summer? The Cayton Children's Museum at Santa Monica Place is hosting Summer Friday Family Movie Nights, a new weekly after-hours series designed for families with children ages 0–8. Every Friday evening through August 28, families can enjoy exclusive museum access, hands-on play, a kid-friendly movie screening, and complimentary popcorn and drinks-all in one ticket. This year's lineup includes beloved favorites like E...

  • pool area

    Inside San Diego's Newest Extended-Stay Hotel

    Chanin Victor, Travel and Lifestyle Editor|Updated Jul 24, 2026

    The first thing I noticed wasn't your typical hotel room, it was a large "living" room. We checked into the brand-new Element by Marriott San Diego Mission Valley expecting a standard hotel suite, and instead found ourselves standing on the top floor of the hotel in a fully private, but shareable space with a living room, a dining table, and a full kitchen. Four separate bedroom doors could branch off it, each with its own bed/bathroom configuration, and one main door out in...

  • Robot Powered by Qualcomm's New AI Chip Folds Like a Fentanyl Addict During Presentation

    David Ganezer, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jul 24, 2026

    TAIPEI - A high-profile humanoid robot demo powered by Qualcomm's new Dragonwing IQ10 AI chip came to an abrupt and undignified end this week when the machine collapsed face-first onto the stage mid-presentation, folding over in a sudden, limp heap that immediately drew comparisons online to a fentanyl addict mid-nod. The incident occurred during Qualcomm's Computex 2026 showcase of the Dragonwing IQ10 Robotics Reference Design, a premium "brain-in-a-box" platform the company...

  • Tot Mauled by Rattlesnake Hiding Under Amazon Package in her Own Yard

    Da Phouc, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jul 24, 2026

    SANTA CLARITA, Calif. - A heart-stopping horror unfolded in a rural Southern California backyard when a 3-year-old girl was viciously bitten by a rattlesnake lurking beneath an Amazon package dropped right over the family fence. Little Addy Barajas excitedly dashed outside after her mom, Lynn, mentioned a padded brown envelope had arrived - a special gift just for her. As the tot reached down to snatch it up, a sneaky Southern Pacific rattlesnake hiding underneath sank its...

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