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ADDA Lawsuit How to listen to live court audio in the ADDA vs. DA lawsuit For those interested in listening to the Court proceedings in Association of Deputy District Attorneys v. George Gascón et al., on Tuesday, February 2nd, YOU WILL NEED TO REGISTER IN ADVANCE Please follow these directions. 1. Create an account with the Superior Court. https://my.lacourt.org/remoteaudio/welcome 2. A confirmation email will be sent to you to complete registration. 3. Next - register for...

When it comes to local getaways, there's simply no better luxe hotel to celebrate a special occasion than the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows. While it's right here at the epicenter of Santa Monica (near the pier and the beach), once you step inside, the five expansive acres personify the term "Serenity Now"!. The Fairmont Miramar is truly an incredible historic property chronicling memoirs of the rich & famous while offering loads of amenities. The 297-room hotel strikes...

While the police were investigating a robbery near the Metro Train station, a 32 year old homeless dude jumped on top of a detectives unmarked police vehicle, poured gas on it, and set it on fire. Not the wisest career move, maybe. This happened last Thursday and was not connected to the George Floyd rioting last Summer. The police press release from Lt. Rudy Flores follows. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has filed charges on George Joosten, a 32-year-old wh...

Courts & Rulings U.S. Supreme Court weighs scope of police power to enter homes without a warrant U.S. Supreme Court justices on Wednesday appeared reluctant to give police unlimited power to enter a home without a warrant when pursuing a suspect for a minor crime in a case involving a California driver tailed by an officer after honking his horn while listening to music. The driver, Arthur Lange, was later convicted of driving under the influence after being confronted...

Prison is a small city, both in physical layout and in how it operates. You have ghetto areas, higher class areas, drug-addicted clusters, etc. So, its not a far stretch to see how crime would be and is committed on a regular basis. All types of crime. As I told you in my article 'Baptized By Fire,' many brutal crimes go unreported. Others, like myself, are left with traumatic memories. Stuck between a desire to help stop this and my own self preservation. Maybe by unlocking...

ADDA Lawsuit Association of Deputy District Attorneys on LA DA Gascón's reforms (Audio) Last month, we spoke with Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón about his various criminal justice reforms which were meant to address incarceration and racial inequity. Today, we follow that conversation with Michele Hanisee, president of the Association of Deputy District Attorneys for Los Angeles County. Plus, we'll contextualize with our criminal justice correspondent F...

The Santa Monica-Malibu School District has announced that it is "committed to in-person instruction as our priority for the fall" as the Center for Disease Control just released its guidance for reopening schools during this pandemic. In an email to parents, Superintendent Dr. Ben Drati said the local school district is planning for 2021-22 school year "with the expectation that our students will back in campus learning in-person to the greatest extend possible. We say this...

The Third Street Promenade, the three-block, open-air retail and entertainment district, may be getting a facelift this year. At its meeting Tuesday night, the Santa Monica City Council discussed revitalization plans for the Promenade which has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the state's Stay at Home orders. City officials said the Promenade is a vital economic engine for Santa Monica and major contributor to community-serving programs, generating 15% of sales tax r...

California Governor Newsom announced the opening of a new group of workers who will be eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. As part of Phase 1B Tier 1, education and childcare workers, food and agriculture workers, and emergency services workers will be able to sign up to get vaccinated. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said they plan to start these vaccinations in two to three weeks. Decisions regarding who gets prioritized to receive the Covid-19...

I took my usual morning beach walk Sunday morning and discovered this amazing organized group of community beach cleaners. I just had to investigate. This was spearheaded by Mary Curran. I had to dig deeper. Mary shares her story here. "My husband Andy and I live in Santa Monica and we walk down to surf multiple times a week. Let's be honest, I boogie board while he surfs because I'm not coordinated enough to surf. (I also started an adult boogie boarding club but that's a...

As LA County reopens to leisure travel, staying close to home and enjoying the great outdoors are key trends according to TripAdvisor. Catalina Island is just 22 miles off the coast of Southern California and known for providing visitors an experience that has been compared to the Mediterranean. Effective as of January 29, 2021, the updated Los Angeles County Public Health orders allow the additional businesses to reopen with updated protocols. Social distancing and face...

The National Wildlife Federation's #SaveLACougars campaign announced today that fundraising for the wildlife crossing at Liberty Canyon over the 101 Freeway in the Los Angeles area reached a pivotal $18 million-mark last month. This includes a recent $1.4 million gift from a private donor-bringing the project's fundraising to an exciting homestretch and putting the groundbreaking within sight. "The incredible support of people from around the world has allowed us to advance...

Courts & Rulings Sementilli judge torpedoes LADA's scheme to go easy on accused black widow A Toronto family is breathing easier after a Los Angeles judge torpedoed a gambit from the city's new soft-on-crime district attorney to cut an alleged black widow sentencing slack. Superior Court Judge Ronald Coen refused to dismiss the special circumstance clause that can potentially send a convicted felon to prison for life without the possibility of parole. Toronto Sun Judge...

In 1982, California Condors, magnificent birds with a wingspan of over 9 feet, were all but extinct. Only 22 individual birds were left. But since the inception of the California Condor Recovery Program, this number has swelled to over 520 birds. Over half of them are in the wild. The rest contribute their DNA to breeding programs such as the one at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Garden. The 1,720th bird to be recorded in the program was hatched this summer at the LA Zoo, b...

Local resident Steve Beauregard caught this photo of fog rolling into Santa Monica Bay Monday evening. The fog was unusually think and marked a change in the weather from unseasonably warm, to windy, to rain. Fog is a common weather phenomenon along the entire coastline of California extending south to the northwest coast of the Baja California Peninsula, says Wikipedia. The frequency of fog and low-lying stratus clouds is due to a combination of factors particular to the...

Russian scientists announced that a 12,000 Year old Mammoth tusk had been recovered in Siberia. The find is believed to have been exposed by melting permafrost last summer. The woolly mammoth coexisted with early humans, who used its bones and tusks for making art, tools, and dwellings, and hunted the species for food. It disappeared from its mainland range at the end of the Pleistocene 10,000 years ago. Isolated populations survived on St. Paul Island until 5,600 years ago...

Sunday night, 1/18, the Los Angeles Police Department sent two rather shocking tweets. Victims Shot in South LA are up 742% compared to last year, says the LAPD. And homicides are up 150% in the first two weeks of 2021, over the same period in 2020. "Tonight, we are saddened to share some shocking crime stats," reads the tweet from LAPD HQ. "16 days into 2021, and Homicides in South LA are up 150% compared to last year. " "It's our shared responsibility-law enforcement,...

Courts & Rulings Allegation of strike as to one count applies to others The Court of Appeal for this district, in a 2-1 opinion, held on Friday that where an information alleged in connection with three counts a prior which, under the Three Strikes Law constituted a "strike," the trial judge did not err in doubling the sentence under another count although a strike had not been pled as to that count. Metropolitan News-Enterprise Requiring daily visits to probation officer by...

Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Bonin continued his attack on the city's police union January 12, with an emailed statement claiming the police union alone is standing in the way of the metropolis regaining financial solvency. According to Bonin, the Los Angeles Police Protective League, alone of all employee unions in the city, is refusing to delay taking contracted pay raises. The Los Angeles Police Protective League quickly released their own statement, which saw matters...

The Santa Monica City Council unanimously voted on Tuesday to establish a Public Safety Reform and Oversight Commission which would "promote best practices in community-based policing for the fair treatment and safety of all." The new panel will be comprised of 11 residents of Santa Monica, appointed by the Council, and tasked to provide oversight of the Santa Monica Police Department and work with SMPD to recommend "appropriate proposed reforms to its policies and practices."...

'Dating Game' serial killer connected to victims decades after their deaths Rodney Alcala was at the height of his murderous spree in the 1970s when he put himself in the spotlight of primetime television - winning a date with a woman on the hit TV show "The Dating Game." It was decades before authorities discovered he was a prolific serial killer. Alcala has been connected to the murders of at least eight women, according to authorities. He pleaded guilty to murdering two...

Public Works Director Susan Cline has been appointed Acting Assistant City Manager, the City said in a press release. The PUblic Works department is the City's largest department. The Acting Assistant City Manager position is slated for a six-month term beginning January 18, 2021, the city said. Interim City Manager Lane Dilg leaves the City this Spring, reportedly because her husband is taking a position in the Biden administration. So presumably when Dilg leaves, Cline will...

The person with the nuclear codes has been deemed too dangerous to have a twitter account, as the Social Media giant locked down the president's account for 12 hours. "I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!" tweeted @realdonaldtrump at 11 am EST. "I can assure you that my departure from office is going to be very boring." Tweeted A...

In an announcement on the City's website, the City of Santa Monica said its 100 year old pier would close during the long new year's weekend. The Pier was closed from March 16th to October 14th, when it partially reopened. The amusement park, Pacific Park, has never reopened. "In an effort to slow the rampant spread of COVID-19 throughout Los Angeles County, the Santa Monica Pier will temporarily close for the New Year's holiday weekend," reads the City press release. "The...

Sylvan Santa Monica has reopened for virtual instruction amid the ongoing pandemic. We spoke with Managing Director, Ed Guirguis, and found they have a deep commitment to help local families. “Sylvan is a little like others, but different. We believe that learning should be personal and our kids need something unique to them. The assessment tests for reading, writing and math help you gather a more complete picture of your child’s educational standing, allowing you to see the...