July 13, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Santa Monica’s California Heritage Museum Seeks Maintenance Help:

The California Heritage Museum located at 2612 Main Street is seeking community help after losing city maintenance support.

For more than two decades, under the leadership of Parks and Open Space Operations Supervisor Mariano “Tito” Molina, the City of Santa Monica has provided an outside contractor to maintain Santa Monica’s park-like properties, which includes the Museum.

However, Molina retired earlier this year, leaving Jason Harris, the new Economic Development Manager, responsible for the aforementioned job.

The Museum is now fully responsible for the interior and exterior of the property, per the recent letter from Harris.

California Heritage Museum Executive Director Tobi Smith said she and the only other full-time employee at the museum are unable to carry the museum’s duties along with the landscaping duties.

“We just want to find someone in the landscape business – a gardener, even – to help us,” she said. “We want to start a gardening club here (in the museum). And that’s very common in museums that have property.”

Needless to say, Smith said she would be enthused if the city continued to offer its support to the museum’s maintenance.

“Although (the City of Santa Monica) won’t continue their support any time soon, we will have to make the best out of it,” Smith said.

But Smith is not discouraged from the duties and labor that are put into the museum.

She has a long history of devotion to the arts and museums.

A few decades ago, she was noted for writing grants for Southern Californian museums.

In the mid-1980s, the then-director of the museum asked her to write grants for the Heritage Museum.

“Then, all of a sudden, (the director) was offered a full-time position at Cal State Northridge and so I was asked to be the director,” Smith said.

Once Smith accepted the job, she traveled from Ojai, her former place of residency, to Santa Monica using the public transportation for the first few years.

However, the museum board offered Smith an apartment a block away from the museum, which facilitated the job.

Since she has a long history working for the museum, Smith said she is dedicated to the duties of the museum.

She encourages the community to pitch in ideas to continue future exhibitions.

“I always need ideas (for exhibitions) as long as we can afford it,” Smith said. “Wells Fargo is a huge supporter for the exhibitions at the museum and has been one for 20 years.”

The help from corporations manages to keep the museum running. After their $30,000 loss for a city ordinance, the museum is in a fragile state.

“There was another city problem in which we lost $30,000 earlier this year,” she said. “This allowed for me to pay my staff assistant salary. My staff assistant’s salary and mine hasn’t been paid in a very long time. Pretty soon it’s going to be a question of whether or not I am going to lose my house.”

Despite the severe budget problems the museum is facing, Smith hopes that community support for the landscaping will not only alleviate a couple of museum setbacks, but will encourage more community involvement.

Anyone who is able to lend support can contact Smith at 310.392.8537 or email calmuseum@earthlink.net.

For more information about the museum, visit www.CaliforniaHeritageMuseum.org

in News
<>Related Posts

County Health Leaders Decry Federal Policy Barring Undocumented from Programs

July 12, 2025

July 12, 2025

The officials argued the policy jeopardizes care for all residents, noting it could deter people—regardless of status—from seeking treatment  Leaders...

County Supervisors Move to Preserve Measure J Amid Charter Error

July 12, 2025

July 12, 2025

Measure J mandates that at least 10% of the county’s locally generated, unrestricted funds be allocated to community investments like...

LA Medical Center Seeks Help Identifying Unconscious Patient

July 12, 2025

July 12, 2025

He has been unconscious since admission, and staff have been unable to determine his identity Los Angeles General Medical Center,...

Mayor Bass Issues Directive to Protect Immigrant Communities

July 12, 2025

July 12, 2025

The order expands access to city resources for affected families and requests records from ICE, including details on arrests Mayor...

Downtown Santa Monica CEO Andrew Thomas to Step Down

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

Thomas, who rejoined DTSM, Inc. in 2022, oversaw the introduction of a private security program, expanded homeless outreach, and boosted...

Conservancy to Tour Historic Miles Playhouse at State of the City Event

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

Built in 1929, the Miles Playhouse serves as the centerpiece of Lincoln Park The Santa Monica Conservancy will offer 15-minute...

Sen. Ben Allen Highlights Challenges, Economic Gains for LA28 Olympics

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

The remarks came during the first informational hearing of the Senate’s Special Committee on International Sporting Events State Sen. Ben...

(Video) Summer Camp at School of Rock West LA Turns Kids Into Rockstars

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

To Sign Up Now, Go To Schoolofrock.com Summer Camp at School of Rock West LA Turns Kids Into Rockstars To...

L.A. Louver Marks David Hockney’s 88th with Exhibit

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

Hockney, a British artist born in 1937, gained fame with the British Pop Art movement and later became known for...

Suspect Arrested in Shoe Retail Theft Spree Across LA County

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

During the search, police recovered two firearms and a significant quantity of merchandise The Los Angeles Police Department’s Organized Retail...

Suspect Arrested in Santa Monica Pier Arson Incidents

July 10, 2025

July 10, 2025

The suspect, matching video footage from an arcade, was taken into custody Santa Monica Police Department officers arrested a suspect...

SMPD Launch New Recruitment Website Amid High Vacancy Rates

July 10, 2025

July 10, 2025

The site features multimedia content, including day-in-the-life videos and officer profiles, highlighting the impact of serving the community The Santa...

Father-Daughter Authors to Host Book Signing to Aid Fire-Affected Women

July 10, 2025

July 10, 2025

Ten percent of proceeds from book and art sales will benefit the Pacific Palisades Rebuilding Fund, a nonprofit initiative created...

Metro Reports Crime Drop, Higher Rider Satisfaction, and Progress on Major Projects

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The Authority said the drop in violent incidents—down to the lowest level since May 2019—coincided with more uniformed personnel and...

Santa Monica Joins Regional Lawsuit to Halt Unconstitutional ICE Raids

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The motion to intervene seeks to ensure that Santa Monica and other plaintiff-intervenors can advocate for their residents’ rights in...