June 24, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Former NBC4 News Producer Announces Bid For Santa Monica City Council:

Common name, common sense.

That’s the tagline for local journalist and teacher John C. Smith who filed papers Monday in the race for one of the four open Santa Monica City Council seats on Nov. 6.

Smith, who earned several Emmy Awards for “Best Newscast” during 18 years as a TV News Producer at NBC4, left his post last month to run for office.

“Every issue comes down to people,” Smith said. “Many politicians don’t get that, or they’ve forgotten it. Not me. I get it and I’ll never forget it.”

He said he has been out meeting voters every day.

“They’re passionate, they care about our city and they question the direction we’re heading,” he said. “There’s a real sense that the Santa Monica they love is changing too fast with more traffic, congestion and development.”

He said Santa Monica can and should grow “steady and strong, but more gracefully, like a Redwood.”

“I think the pace of growth has a lot of people concerned,” he said.

Smith, who first moved to Santa Monica in 1997, has taught at USC and Santa Monica College, and plans to return to both schools this fall.

“I’ve been covering issues my entire adult life,” he said. “I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. Santa Monica needs a fresh, informed voice, someone who can cut through the noise and add some common sense to the City Council. Someone, like me.”

The filing period officially opened Monday for the four seats on the Santa Monica City Council, two seats on the Santa Monica Rent Control Board, three positions on the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education, and three spots on the Santa Monica Community College District Board of Trustees.

The filing period closes Aug. 10.

in News
<>Related Posts

(Video) Food Fight: Chefs Join Forces to Raise Money to Protect Immigrant Families in Venice

June 24, 2025

June 24, 2025

Estrano, Little Dynamite, Sunday Gravy, Kabob Senpai Answer the Call From Turk’s Pizza Party. Dave Turkel Put This Food Resistance...

(Video) This is Downtown Palisades Six Months After the Devastating Wildfires

June 24, 2025

June 24, 2025

With Only a Few Businesses Remaining and Reopened, The Once-Idyllic District is Still Mostly Charred Remains With Only a Few...

Former Ontrak CEO Sentenced to Prison in $12.5M Insider Trading Scheme

June 24, 2025

June 24, 2025

CEO Receives Federal Prison Sentence for Misusing Stock Trading Plans Terren Scott Peizer, the former CEO and board chairman of...

Planning Commission Approves 18-Story Residential Tower on 6th Street, Rejects Environmental Appeal

June 23, 2025

June 23, 2025

The 194-foot-tall building exceeds local height limits by 109 feet under California’s Density Bonus Law The Santa Monica Planning Commission...

Shooting at Waymo Car Injures Two Juveniles in Santa Monica

June 23, 2025

June 23, 2025

Preliminary findings suggest the shooting was a targeted, isolated incident stemming from a verbal altercation earlier that evening between the...

Sculptor-Designed Marina Del Rey Beach Home Hits Market for Nearly $10M

June 23, 2025

June 23, 2025

The four-bedroom, six-bathroom residence, known as Shore House, features black glass windows across two wings A 6,603-square-foot beachfront home, designed...

Downtown Santa Monica Landmark Faces Uncertainty as Loan Misses Maturity Deadline

June 23, 2025

June 23, 2025

$26.7M Santa Monica Office Loan Moves to Special Servicing Amid Cash Flow Shortfall Morningstar Credit reported that the loan tied...

Santa Monica to Begin AI-Powered Bus Lane Enforcement in July

June 23, 2025

June 23, 2025

The program follows a 45-day pilot conducted earlier this year along Lincoln Boulevard, where 511 potential violations were identified, though...

A.O.C. Brentwood to Close After 16 Years on San Vicente Boulevard

June 22, 2025

June 22, 2025

Chef Goin and Styne Cite Unsustainably High Rent in Decision to Close  A.O.C. Brentwood, the acclaimed Westside outpost from James...

Malibu Traffic Delays Expected: REPORT

June 21, 2025

June 21, 2025

The warning applies to the first weekend of summer Transportation officials are warning travelers on the Pacific Coast Highway through...

Strongman to Pull 34,680-Pound Bus at Santa Monica Pier

June 21, 2025

June 21, 2025

Licis, also the 2022 “Arnold Strongman Classic” champion, will undertake the feat to showcase his strength  Strongman Martins Licis, the...

All Aboard to LAX: Metro Opens Game-Changing Transit Hub Ahead of Global Events

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

 New LAX/Metro Transit Center Comes Closer to Connecting Metro Directly to LAX The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)...

New Leadership at Samohi: Jane Han Named House Principal

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Equity-Focused Educator Joins Samohi Leadership Team By Diana Bouchaaya, SMMUSD Communications Specialist The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) Board...

Food Fight on the Venice Boardwalk: Chefs Stand Up for Immigrants with Food

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Turk’s Pizza Party Rallies Top Local Eateries for an Immigrant Rights Fundraiser In a bold display of culinary activism, Turk’s...

Weekend Lane Closures on PCH in Malibu Could Snarl Summer Beach Traffic

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Army Corps Work Triggers Weekend Closure on Pacific Coast Highway Motorists traveling along Pacific Coast Highway this weekend should prepare...