Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words

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  • Celebrate Special Occasions with a Staycation at The Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica!

    Chanin Victor, Contributing Editor|Updated Nov 29, 2023

    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...

  • Peak Bagging In the New Mexico Wilderness With Leroy the Dog.

    Eric Smith, Special to the Observer|Updated Mar 21, 2023

    This winter I've been driving places to go Peak Bagging with Leroy the Dog. Two hours south of Albuquerque and just south of Socorro NM, we climbed 3 peaks 1800 feet of vertical gain. It was sunny and the air was clean and beautiful. Leroy is a wonderful dog, but he's maybe a little older now, and so am I. We have had to cut it to 3 peaks over 7 miles. We used to do almost twice that. He's very gung ho, looking around for animals and watching them run. Leroy's big on rabbits....

  • Skirball Cultural Center launches distance-learning initiative inspired by its landmark children's and family destination

    Updated Feb 14, 2021

    The Skirball Cultural Center announces Noah's Ark at the Skirball™: The Art of Imagination, a suite of virtual programs and FREE educational resources developed for Pre-K through Grade 5 distance learning. Based on the artistry and storytelling of the children's and family destination Noah's Ark at the Skirball-which remains closed to the public in accordance with Los Angeles County public-health orders-the initiative is designed to support students and teachers amid o...

  • Volunteers Join Andy and Mary to Clean the Beach. Before They Know It, A Movement Begins

    Liz Angeles, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Feb 13, 2021

    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...

  • Dana Point Harbor Welcomes Community for Valentine's Day with Waterfront Accommodations and Experiences

    Courtesy of Dana Point Harbor|Updated Feb 13, 2021

    There is a lot to love at Dana Point Harbor this Valentine’s Day. Couples, friends and families can enjoy safe, physically-distanced activities including seaside stays and dining, takeout specials, shopping along the waterfront, a sunset sail and photo moments in front of Dana Point’s very own “Love Wall” mural. Book a weekend getaway this Valentine’s Day at the Dana Point Marina Inn. Providing beautiful ocean views, the Marina Inn is perfect for those looking to soak up the l...

  • Catalina Island Reopens to Daily Departures - Catalina Express Expands

    Updated Feb 13, 2021

    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...

  • Street Racers Take Over West LA Intersection for an Evening of Street Racing at Bundy and Pico

    Stan Greene, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Feb 3, 2021

    Tonight tonight the highway's bright. Out of our way mister you best keep! 'Cause summer's here and the time is right, For racing in the street. -- Bruce Springsteen, Racing in the Streets. If you're young and in high school or college, street racing has become the thing to do to get out of the house during this pandemic. There are reports of street racing in Pacoima, in South LA and East LA. The cars are often modified. They spin out and turn donuts as a mostly male, mostly m...

  • Wildlife Crossing over 101 Freeway at Liberty Canyon is On-Track to Save Mountain Lions and Other Wildlife from Death by Car with over $18 million in Donations

    Beth Pratt, SaveLACougars|Updated Feb 1, 2021

    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...

  • Seagulls In Santa Monica Practice Social Distancing During Covid-19

    David Ganezer, Observer Staff writer|Updated Feb 1, 2021

    An atmospheric river passed through Santa Monica last night, dropping 3 inches of rain. LA County gets about 14 inches of rain in a typical year, so that's about a quarter of our annual rainfall in one storm. Santa Monica resident Liz Angeles wondered where the birds go when it rains? She shot these photos attempting to find out. She discovered that the intelligent birds were practicing social distancing. Anthony Fauci has apparently inspired them to avoid coronavirus. Days...

  • Bernie Sanders Reflected in Monolith in Utah Desert, Next to Bruce Springsteen, in Famous Paintings.

    Stan Greene, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jan 28, 2021

    Some say we Americans are fascinated with winners. But sometimes we are just as fascinated with losers. Take Bernie Sanders, for example. The old communist has run for President since I was in Grade school, never coming closer than runner up for the Democratic nomination. But now the commie from Vermont is making bank (for charity) off his cold discomfort on January 21. During the Inauguration of Joe Biden on January 20, 2021, a photograph of Vermont senator Bernie Sanders...

  • You Were Dreaming of a Big Wedding, but - Covid? Never Fear: Lovely Little Weddings Has Got You

    Alyssa Erdley, Observer Staff|Updated Jan 28, 2021

    When the lockdowns hit Southern California, it didn't take wedding industry professional Andrea Cohen long to realize she could turn what seemed like devastation into a new business. The owner of Chuppah Studio, a business that provides custom and rental chuppahs for Jewish weddings, Cohen saw by May of 2020 that the restrictions on gatherings made by state and local officials was not going to end soon since COVID-19 was continuing to move through the population. She reached...

  • 200 Kids Need Foster Parents in Los Angeles: Be A Foster Parent and Change A Child's Life

    Marcia Morris, Childrens Bureau|Updated Jan 24, 2021

    Children's Bureau is now offering two virtual ways for individuals and/or couples to learn how to help children in foster care while reunifying with birth families or how to provide legal permanency by adoption. A live Zoom Orientation is scheduled on January 21st from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM hosted by a Children's Bureau team member and a foster parent. For those who want to learn at their own pace about becoming a foster and/or fost-adopt parent, an online orientation...

  • California Condor Chick Spreads its Wings at Los Angeles Zoo, a Triumph of Conservation

    Alyssa Erdley, Observer Staff|Updated Jan 24, 2021

    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...

  • Know Your Life Expectancy - The Key to Knowing When to Collect Social Security

    Rusty Gloor, Association of Mature American Citizens|Updated Jan 23, 2021

    Ask Rusty – Should I Wait Until Age 70 To Claim? Dear Rusty: I have read your answers to the commonly asked question of "When should I claim social security benefits." You always say one should wait as long as possible (up to age 70) to get the maximum monthly benefit. But I have not seen you address the matter of all the money you could have collected if you start drawing sooner and how many years it will take, if you wait, to recoup all that money. I am now 64. I have a...

  • It's Harder to Avoid Meth Than to Get it in Prison

    Amber S. Jackson, Lucky Lifer|Updated Jan 20, 2021

    I doubt many stop to ponder what types of issues a prisoner might be dealing with during this pandemic. Unless you know someone in prison, why would you? We actually have a lot of the same issues, you and I. Our schools are closed. Our store is out of a lot of things due to supply chain disruption. Many of us can't go to work due to quarantine. We can't have visits with anyone. Many of us are addicts in danger of relapse. In prison, a lot of things come down to sheer will and...

  • Rewards Patches for Youth Soccer-Player Masks Made Girls Willing to Keep Playing During Pandemic

    Noa Krop, Girl Scouts|Updated Jan 10, 2021

    Soccer and Girl Scouts have been a big part of my life, so when Covid limited previous ways of participating in both for most of 2020, I started to think about new ways to stay involved. I turned to earning my Girl Scout Gold Award through a project I called "Patching Together a Safe Return to Soccer." The idea was to better understand issues of health and safety in youth group sports, particularly during the pandemic, support girls' leadership development, encourage girls to...

  • State Prison Guards Won't be Required to Get the Covid Vaccine, according to a Woman Inmate

    Amber S. Jackson, Lucky Lifer|Updated Jan 6, 2021

    Since Covid-19 began, many basic needs go unmet. We face extreme lows. Not knowing when it will end. Wondering if you're in a nightmare. Is this an endurance test? Is this war? Am I being mentally water boarded? Is this only prison? I'd rather deploy to a combat zone. See, I'm on almost a month straight of "quarantine" AKA lockdown here at the California Institution for Women in Corona, California. This began December 2nd here. Why? Because prison staff carried Covid-19 into...

  • Mural Reflects Heroes in the Time of Pandemic

    David Ganezer, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Jan 6, 2021

    Does life reflect art, or should art reflect life? Art gives us a new perspective, shows us a new dimension and makes our understanding of life deeper, wrote Emmanuel Kant. Or perhaps it was Banksy. "Great art often comes from difficult times," acknowledges mural artist Samir Arghandwall. "We're left alone most of the time with not much to do, so we have time to develop your own work. Any time an artist is left alone, they can work on their own stuff. Time to reflect on your o...

  • When Staff Cook Meals Instead of Inmates, the Results are Inedible, says Woman Inmate

    Amber S. Jackson, Lucky Lifer|Updated Jan 4, 2021

    Prisoners assigned to kitchen jobs cook all the meals for the entire institution, under staff supervision, of course. It's been this way since the prison industrial complex formed its authority over mass incarceration. So, prisoners cooking daily for prisoners is the norm. Well, since the quarantine of most of the California Institution for Women in Corona, California, this has left a dramatic shortage of inmates to run the kitchen, as well as other areas of the prison. How...

  • Have US Politicians Stolen Money from Social Security? Actually, No

    Russel Gloor, Association of Mature American Citizens|Updated Jan 2, 2021

    Ask Rusty – About Repaying Social Security Money Taken by Politicians Dear Rusty: It is common knowledge that over the decades politicians have taken billions if not trillions of dollars out of the Social Security fund to finance other government programs. This information is never published or addressed and having the government repay this money back to SS is never discussed, as it seems to be the most logical solution. When the SS program is financially viable again, f...

  • U.S. Military is Adding True-Life Ray Guns to its Arsenal

    John Grimaldi, Association of Mature American Citizens|Updated Jan 2, 2021

    'Buck Rogers' weapons are becoming a reality, says AMAC WASHINGTON, DC, Dec 31 -- "No kidding, our troops are getting genuine ray guns to use against an enemy attack. They are not the kind that Buck Rogers had back in the day; they are sophisticated defensive laser weapons," reports the Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC]. Lt. Gen. Paul Ostrowski recently revealed that by 2022 the Army will add a 50-kilowatt mobile laser weapon to its active duty arsenal. Ostrowski...

  • When Should I Claim Social Security? The answer can be complicated

    Russel Gloor, Association of Mature American Citizens|Updated Dec 28, 2020

    Ask Rusty – I'm 66. When Should I Claim Social Security? Dear Rusty: I'd like to get advice on when I should begin taking my Social Security benefit. I turned 66 in October of 2020. Signed: Pondering Retirement Dear Pondering: Deciding when to claim your Social Security benefit is a personal choice which should consider several factors, most importantly: • Your need for the money at this time • Your current health and expected longevity • Your marital status Since you have al...

  • Cat Cafe and Lounge Still Offering Highly Social Cats and Kittens to Adopt During a Pandemic

    Sarah Storkin, Observer Staff Writer|Updated Dec 26, 2020

    Someone in Japan thought of a Cat Cafe: A place where you could go have a cup of coffee, while a couple dozen felines brush past your legs and snuggle in your lap. You could even take one home. A cat, not just coffee. Then came March 16, 2020, the pandemic and lockdowns. The no kill shelter that is West LA's Cat Cafe and Lounge, is still open due with the help of volunteers and staff, and the public is still welcome to bring home a new kitten or adult cat. But the cafe is...

  • Uplifting Holiday Stories During a Covid-depressed Christmas Season

    John Grimaldi, Association of Mature American Citizens|Updated Dec 26, 2020

    Feel-good stories are few and far between this Holiday Season due to the scourge of COVID-19 that has us locked down, safe-distancing and wearing masks. Whether your holiday of choice is Hannukah, Kwanzaa or Christmas, here are a few little uplifting events that occurred recently that just might lift your spirits: Winning $5,000 on a scratch card lottery bet makes you lucky; getting an unexpected gift of $5,000 is a truly heartwarming experience, especially this time of the ye...

  • Should a Working Widow Claim Social Security Now or Wait? Ask Rusty

    Russel Gloor, Social Security Matters|Updated Dec 20, 2020

    Ask Rusty – Should a Working Widow Claim Now or Wait? Dear Rusty: My husband died 13 years ago at age 50. I am now 64, never remarried, and work full time making a healthy income. I have never claimed any of his benefits. What are my best options? Signed: Working Widow Dear Working Widow: You have several options available as both a widow and a worker entitled to your own Social Security benefit. 1. You could collect a reduced survivor benefit (only) from your deceased h...

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