Sloppy Joes, turkey sandwiches, and salads that can barely be called such, were once staple lunch items for kids in the U.S.. While the junk-food inclusion on a daily basis may be long gone, the importance of lunch, is not. School lunches feed kids over the country nine months out of the year, but what about the other three?

Santa Monica Pier was host to a series of paddleboard races this past Saturday, with an action-packed festival transforming the beach and Pier into full day of sporting, history and coastal fun.

During his final year of graduate studies at the Koç University in Istanbul, Turkey, Santa Monica native Coby Schoffman traveled to Uganda to volunteer at the Kikaaya College and Vocational School, located in a small village north of Kampala.

Going to college is a dream for most and a pipe dream for some as they work their way through school. That was partially remedied last month, when 12 worthy participants in the Santa Monica Police Activities League (PAL) received $29,500 toward their education, presented by the Chris Carrey PAL Education Scholarship program.

Environmental group Heal the Bay hosted its annual Bring Back the Beach Gala June 9 on the sand at The Jonathan Beach Club.

Celebrate this Father’s Day by taking some simple steps to ensure your children get the best start possible in life. More than 80 percent of neuron connectivity in the brain is completed by age 3, with 90 percent completed by age 5.

For the third year in a row, the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF) hosted their Super Saturday fundraiser June 11 at the historic Barker Hangar at Santa Monica Airport.

Born and raised in Santa Monica, Becky Neiman has worked her way up the Pixar ladder to land the roll of production manager for the upcoming film, “Finding Dory,” which opens in cinemas today.

Hidden Agenda

On Wednesday, June 8, at 11:30 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department who were on a routine patrol in the area of 11th Street and Olympic Boulevard spotted a man who was acting in a very suspicious manner.

Felicia Marcus received the prestigious Dorothy Green Award at Heal the Bay’s Bring Back the Beach Gala on the sand in Santa Monica, June 9. Green founded Heal the Bay in 1985 with a group of concerned Angelinos. She passed away in 2008, with an annual award presented to an outstanding environmentalist each year.