Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words

Articles from the December 8, 2014 edition


Sorted by date  Results 1 - 16 of 16

  • McKeown Named Mayor

    David Ganezer, Observer Publisher|Dec 8, 2014

    by David Ganezer Observer Publisher Santa Monica is an egalitarian City, and everyone gets their chance to be Mayor. In a move that surprised no one, since it was arranged for in advance; Councilman Kevin McKeown was elected Mayor of Santa Monica by the other six City council members. He will be mayor for a one-year term, and then Councilman Tony Vazquez will succeed him in 2016. Vazquez was elected Mayor Pro Tempore. In 2016, Ted Winterer will be Mayor Pro Tempore (Latin meaning "for a time,"...

  • Residents Urged to Prepare for Rain, Wind

    Dec 8, 2014

    With a major storm moving toward the Southland, the weather service is warning of wild weather including heavy wind and rain, thunderstorms, and low snow levels. residents near the Colby Fire burn area in Glendora were bracing again today for possible mudslides and flooding. The storm is expected to arrive in the Los Angeles area late Thursday and continue through Friday. National Weather Service forecasters said the storm could dump 1 to 2 inches of rain on coastal and valley locations, and 2...

  • Torrance Mayor Seeks to Boot O'Connor from MTA

    Dec 8, 2014

    Torrance Mayor Pat Furey is seeking to oust his Santa Monica counterpart as the regional representative on the Metropolitan Transit Authority board, a role Pam O’Connor has held since 2001. O’Connor, a bus rider and professional planner who is a transportation policy wonk and “strong advocate for public transit,” has never been challenged during her tenure. But her most recent four-year term has expired and the mayors of the 19 South Bay and Westside cities that make up a subcommittee that recommends its representative to the full Metro board a...

  • New Officers Sworn In

    Dec 8, 2014

    At the December 9 City of Santa Monica Council meeting all newly elected officials took the oath of office from City Clerk Sarah P. Gorman. Returning councilmembers Kevin McKeown and Pam O'Connor were sworn in for the fifth and sixth times respectively. Newly elected councilmember Sue Himmelrich took the oath of office. Kevin McKeown was unanimously elected mayor and Tony Vazquez will be mayor pro tempore....

  • Local News Briefs

    Dec 8, 2014

    Dumpster Diving Called Lifestyle Crime When Ismail Aguirre removed old computers from a recycling bin, he never imagined that it might be a crime. An ever vigilant SMPD officer charged Aguirre with removing property from a city owned bin. Santa Monica City Attorney Jennifer Grigsby moved to dismiss the case, in Dept. 147 of the LAX Los Angeles Superior courthouse. Judge Deborah Brazil admonished Aguirre, “that it is illegal and you will be arrested if you remove materials from a city owned bin in the city of Santa Monica.”: Grigsby said peo...

  • 6Th Annual 'Fireside at the Miles' Series

    The Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Division is proud to announce the 6th Annual “Fireside at the Miles” Performance Series at the historic Miles Memorial Playhouse (1130 Lincoln Blvd.) Few residents know that the Playhouse, designed by renowned local architect John Byers and completed in 1929, contains a large period fireplace in the main auditorium. In the 1930’s and 40’s the fireplace was often used as a centerpiece for community events and performances and it is in this spirit of community gathering that the series was started in January...

  • EVENTS CALENDAR

    The Holiday Shop at GRACIE November 15 -December 23 Tuesday - Saturday, 11 AM-6 PM Each year, the GRACIE gift shop expands for the holidays, filling to the brim with artful, one-of-a-kind gifts hand-selected by the Santa Monica Museum of Art’s retail curator. Opening day shoppers will enjoy cider, cookies, lots of good cheer, and unique gifts and items to delight the entire family. They will find unique gifts and items to delight the entire family in SMMoA’s holiday wonderland, including art objects, toys, and jewelry. All proceeds support SMMo...

  • SM Resident Named To Financial Times' List Of Top 100 Women

    Dec 8, 2014

    Santa Monica resident and Santa Monica High School graduate, Nikki Michelini, has been named as one of the Top100 Women Financial Advisors by Financial Times newspaper. Michelini is a Principal and Director of Wealth Management for Los-Angeles headquartered Aspiriant, a leading independent registered investment advisor with offices in seven US cities and more than $8 billion of assets under management and advisement. She was one of more than 400 women financial advisors with more than 10 years...

  • Believe It Or Not, Stanton's Contract Makes Sense

    Mitch Chortkoff, Sports Editor|Dec 8, 2014

    Giancarlo Stanton recently signed a 13-year, $325 million contract with the Miami Marlins. Although the right fielder hit 37 home runs last season and came close to outpolling Dodger pitcher Clayton Kershaw for the National League MVP award critics have wondered about the wisdom of the Marlins' decision. You see, the contract will be the largest for any player in the history of North American sports. I wondered too until I heard what Stanton had to say about the negotiations. I gave him the bene...

  • Football Playoff Committee Was Clumsy But Got It Right

    Mitch Chortkoff, Sports Editor|Dec 8, 2014

    The committee that settled on the four teams who’ll play in the first College Football Playoff got it right at the finish. But this distinguished group created needless controversy in the manner it operated, first advancing TCU to No. 3, then five days later after the team had crushed its final regular season opponent, 51-3, dropped TCU to No. 6. The committee on Sunday ultimately set up the two semi-finals properly. Oregon (No. 2) will play Florida State (No. 3) on New Year’s Day in the Rose Bo...

  • MOVIE REVIEW: EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS

    debbie lynn elias|Dec 8, 2014

    The finger of God seems to have descended on Hollywood the past few years with a resurgence in the spectacle of the Old Testament and teaching of the New, on both the big and small screens. Perhaps a commentary on the world itself, perhaps as tool to give hope in desperate times, perhaps divine intervention, but we are none the worse for wear for the experiences given us by Roma Downey's "The Bible" and 'Son of God" or Darren Aronofsky's "Noah" and now, in perhaps the grandest spectacle yet, Rid...

  • Big Blue Bus Honors Retirees' 150 Years of Service

    Dec 8, 2014

    Big Blue Bus will soon bid adieu to four long-time team members with nearly 150 years of combined service. BBB employs a team of 300 Motor Coach Operators to deliver 61,000 trips per day and 43 Mechanics who maintain a fleet of nearly 200 vehicles. Big Blue Bus commends these experienced road ambassadors for their many years of service to BBB customers in Santa Monica and BBB's greater Los Angeles service area. Tim Giroux, Santa Monica Resident and BBB's longest driving Motor Coach Operator,...

  • The Luxe Group, Celebrate An Evening of L'inspiration Officiel

    Christine Peake|Dec 8, 2014

    The Luxe Group brought its 5 Los Angeles salons together at Luxelab on Montana avenue for an evening of education and inspiration to share the many inspirations from several recent international fashion shows their team participated in. David Abrams and Jason Lara, the charismatic leaders of Luxelab, inc, spent years fostering and cultivating talent through their industry leading in-house Luxelab Academy, and are proud to witness the unrivaled talent that has grown from it. The show opened with...

  • HOW2GIRL, Courtney Bingham-Sixx Shares Details Of Her Auction For Breast Cancer

    Christine Peake|Dec 8, 2014

    How2Girl Courtney Bingham-Sixx proudly announced yesterday that her online auction for Cancer Awareness has come to a close she has raised an astounding $12,500.00 with the help of her friends and a lot of imagination. Courtney recently held a ladies Think Pink Ladies Luncheon at the sprawling mansion she shares with new husband, legendary rocker Nikki Sixx from Motley Crue, the two tied the knot in Summer this year. (The wedding is to be featured in a huge layout in the Winter issue of Inside...

  • Local Student Leaders Organize Community-Wide Teen Protest at Santa Monica City Hall

    Dec 8, 2014

    Santa Monica, CA, December 12th, 2014: Local high school students, disappointed by the recent lack of justice for the victims of police brutality Tamir Rice, Mike Brown, and Eric Garner, turned their disappointment into motivation by organizing a large, youth-based protest in their Santa Monica community. The movement began when the students decided on impulse to walk out of their school and circle the block to join a national walk out on December 5th. Inspired by the act members of the Student...

  • SM-Venice Christmas Run

    The Santa Monica-Venice Christmas Run drew more than 5,000 runners Dec 7 to one of the westside's largest running events. Long-time organizer and local realtor Bruce Mitchell said the fees and requirements imposed by the city of Los Angeles and Santa Monica are getting more and more prohibitive. Proceeds from the event go toward the Santa Monica women's shelter Harvest Home, which provides a safe refuge for pregnant women in crisis....