Three young Santa Monicans showed a lot of community spirit recently when they decided to raise money for American Red Cross wildfire relief efforts. (l-r) Marissa Fitzgerald, Alexa Rodriguez, and Julianne Kelly – all nine-year-olds in 4th grade at Franklin Elementary School – made and sold homemade lemonade, hot chocolate, lemon bars, chocolate chip cookies, and cupcakes from their improvised curbside bake stand at the corner of 24th Street and Marguerita Avenue. In only 2-1/2 hours the girls raised $112, which they donated to the Santa Monica chapter of the American Red Cross. photo courtesy of Joy Kelly
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Santa Monica State of City Event to Feature Performances and Updates on the Realignment Plan
Mayor Torosis will deliver the address, outlining accomplishments from the past year and discussing priorities for 2027. Santa Monica will hold its annual State of the City event on July 23 with an open-street gathering […]
100 L.A. youth, families receive World Cup opening match tickets as city expands soccer programs
New partnerships with U.S. Soccer’s Soccer Forward Foundation and LAUSD aim to increase access to youth soccer through schools, parks and community programs ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. More than 100 Los Angeles-area […]

SM.a.r.t Column: The $10 Million Question?
Three months ago, this column asked a simple question about the Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project: Where, exactly, would the money come from? The City’s own Airport Conversion Project identifies “Balance Economics” as one of […]

Santa Monica Place standoff ends safely after mental health crisis response
Crisis negotiators successfully de-escalated the situation at the shopping center. Emergency responders safely resolved a standoff at the Santa Monica Place shopping center Monday evening, taking an individual experiencing a mental health crisis into custody […]

Curious City 07/02/26: MEET THE CANDIDATES!
By Charles Andrews THE GLOVES ARE OFF I wrote in my previous CURIOUS CITY column. But what happens when you take the gloves off? Bare knuckles bashing? Could be. The expression usually means things are […]

LA History-Inspired Cocktails Debut on the Menu at Sunset Strip Bar Bar
West Hollywood bar Bar Next Door adds the Trocadero and Gardner Street drinks, paying tribute to classic Los Angeles landmarks and Hollywood’s golden era. Bar Next Door on the Sunset Strip has added two new cocktails inspired […]
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Los Angeles chefs and bakeries launch Westside food events for Venezuelan earthquake relief
Local spots like The Arepa Stand, Petitgrain Boulangerie, and Chainsaw organize menu specials to fund medicine and food. By Dolores...
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CHP launches Fourth of July crackdown with 100 undercover patrols
State troopers deploy low-profile vehicles to target holiday speeders. The California Highway Patrol will initiate its maximum enforcement period beginning at 6...
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