Local SM Resident Displaced from Home After Fire
A local resident lost his apartment last week to a fire. The fire blazed in one apartment only, but the single was destroyed and the rest of the complex was left alone. Neighbors tried to put out the flames with garden hoses but were not able to do much before firefighters arrived on the scene.
The victim of the fire is a single man and will be put up in the Travelodge on Pico Boulevard courtesy of Mark Solnick, who is the Director of Emergency Preparedness. Solnick also issued the victim a American Red Cross Client Assistance debit card so that he is able to replace basic necessities lost in the fire. The cause of this fire is still undetermined.
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Major Grants Given to 18th Street Arts Center
The James Irvine Foundation has awarded 18th Street Arts Center a $225,000 grant to support the groundbreaking artists-in-residence program. This grant will allow the 18th Street Art Center to advance residency programs, and to award fellowships to California artists who will be working in the gallery/laboratory setting.
The National Endowment for the Arts awarded 18th Street Arts Center $25,000 for its residency program. 18th Street has been selected by a peer committee to receive this award for excellence in providing residencies, exhibitions, and support for contemporary artists.
The Jumex Foundation has awarded a grant of $10,000 to 18th Street Arts Center to support an international residency for Mexican artist Joaquin Segura. Mr. Segura will be in residence for three months in 2009.
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Santa Monica’s Environmental Programs Division Is Renamed the Office of Sustainability and the Environment
Santa Monica has a strong tradition of promoting sustainability and environmental programming no matter what name you use, but that doesn’t mean a name is not important. The Environmental Programs Division is now called the Office of Sustainability and the Environment (OSE), following the division’s move from the City’s Public Works Department into the City Manager’s Office. The move and the name change were made to elevate and centralize the role of sustainability in the organization and allow for greater integration and coordination of green programs and initiatives throughout the city.
