Santa Monica Observer

08/30/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/08/29/news/6700-gallons-of-raw-sewage-pours-into-storm-drain-in-pacific-palisades-closes-will-rogers-beach-at-sunset-boulevard/8443.html

August 29, 2024 Ocean Water Closure Due to Sewage Release Avoid Water Contact and Wet Sand The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is issuing an ocean water closure due to the release of approximately 6700 gallons of untreated sewage. The affected areas include: Will Rogers State Beach fr...

08/28/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/08/26/opinion/the-santa-monica-needle-and-pipe-distribution-is-harming-children-i-know-because-it-harmed-mine/8438.html

[EDITOR'S NOTE: The m**h pipes are paid for by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health with direction from Dr. Barbara Ferrer. They are distributed by Venice Family Clinic, who are contracted by LADPH. The city of Santa Monica does not pay for nor distribute drug paraphernalia in the park...

08/22/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/08/19/news/proposed-new-ordinance-will-ban-distribution-of-all-drug-paraphernalia-from-santa-monicas-public-spaces/8428.html

August 21, 2024 - Santa Monica City Councilmember Oscar de la Torre intends to sponsor legislation that will close a loophole in a May ordinance that defunded third-party contractors like the Venice Family Clinic if they distributed needles and drug paraphernalia in the city's public parks. The orig...

08/21/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/08/19/lifestyle/the-complications-to-social-security-benefits-of-a-civil-service-retirement-system-pension/8427.html

Ask Rusty - Retiree Asks About His Social Security Russell Gloor, AMAC Certified Social Security Advisor Dear Rusty: I retired with a (gross) $4600 per month Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) annuity from the US Postal Service in December 2022. I am 66 and will attain full retirement age in Nov...

08/21/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/08/19/opinion/gascon-keeps-top-staffer-who-is-charged-with-6-felony-counts/8426.html

As Ryan Erlich highlighted in April, George Gascón's administration continues to reveal a troubling double standard regarding accountability. This double standard is particularly evident in the case of Diana Teran. Diana Teran, who was appointed by Gascón to serve as the "Ethics and Integrity Advi...

08/20/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/08/19/news/why-are-all-the-criminals-still-out-on-the-street-look-at-the-la-county-zero-money-bail-schedule/8425.html

August 8, 2024 - A new bail schedule set by the Los Angeles County Superior Court in October 2023 sets zero-money bail for nearly all crimes committed in the county. In 2020, California residents voted to restore money bail by repealing Senate Bill 10. Nevertheless, Superior Courts have the authorit...

08/15/2024

Police Ask for Help Finding Brazilian Woman, 26, Missing after Sleeping in Santa Monica AIRBNB.
Mychelle Dias Hespanhol missing person, last seen in Santa Monica, Cellphone Found Broken.

Police are asking anyone who has seen a Brazilian woman, 26, Mychelle Dias Hespanhol, to call Santa Monica Police. Hespanhol has green eyes and brown hair, and a tattoo on her arm that says "Itelvina." She is a missing person, last seen in Santa Monica, Cellphone Found Broken "This is a Brazilian gi...

08/15/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/08/12/opinion/californians-must-be-prepared-for-an-onslaught-of-tax-increases-this-november/8418.html

Your November ballot is going to be an o**y of tax increases that would make the K**a Sutra blush. In the main arena, we see that state lawmakers have unbuckled old restraints that have stopped local governments from taking on too much debt. The 1879 California constitution stated, "No county, city,...

08/01/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/08/02/lifestyle/do-members-of-the-us-congress-pay-social-security-tax-like-the-rest-of-us/8406.html

Ask Rusty – Does Congress Pay Into Social Security? Dear Rusty: I've been told that members of Congress do not have Social Security deducted from their pay; Additionally, that their retirement dollars come from the Social Security Administration purse even if they only serve as a member of Congres...

07/26/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/07/22/opinion/los-angeles-county-supervisor-lindsay-horvath-lies-about-santa-monica-after-ending-up-on-mount-drugsmore/8396.html

July 26, 2024 - Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsay Horvath is lying About Santa Monica. She recently said in an emailed statement: "County partners with Venice Family Clinic to provide harm reduction services for up to three hours each week in Santa Monica. Through harm reduction and other effort...

07/24/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/07/22/lifestyle/how-to-earn-enough-credits-to-claim-social-security-benefits/8394.html

Ask Rusty – I was Self-Employed and Don't Have Enough Credits for Social Security Dear Rusty: For a thirty-year period, I was making a living as an independent contractor and freelancer. I was working on behalf of myself. Thus, I was only paying state and federal taxes when applied. Due to changes...

07/23/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/07/22/news/suspect-in-beating-of-john-alle-may-get-diversion-instead-of-prison/8392.html

July 23, 2024 - On Friday, Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Mark Zuckman indicated he would like to recommend a diversion program for the suspect who reportedly attacked local business owner and community activist John Alle in Palisades Park last summer. Alle claims he was taking a short brea...

07/21/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/07/22/news/15000-gallons-of-raw-sewage-spilled-into-pacific-ocean-and-closes-beaches-for-1-mile-radius-around-ballona-creek/8389.html

July 20, 2024 Ocean Water Closure Due to Sewage Release Avoid Water Contact and Wet Sand The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has issued an ocean water closure for the following area due to the release of approximately 15,000 gallons of untreated sewage: One mile north and one mile sou...

07/10/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/07/09/news/amazon-prime-day-shoppers-risk-counterfeits-fraud-and-scams/8375.html

July 10, 2024 - Los Angeles, CA – Amazon's highly anticipated Prime Days are just a week away on July 16th and 17th, and consumers should heed a critical warning: "Buyer beware." Despite Amazon's hefty $139 Prime membership, consumers should be alarmed that it offers no protection against counterf...

07/05/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/07/05/opinion/santa-monicas-mayor-phil-brock-was-attacked-on-the-promenade-now-hes-pretending-like-santa-monica-is-safe/8369.html

Lots of news outlets are now covering how unsafe Santa Monica is because of the Santa Monica Coalition's sign on the promenade. The Santa Monica Coalition's sign says "Santa M**hica Is Not Safe. Our City Manager Supports the Needle & M**h Pipe Distribution Program In Our Parks and Public Spaces." Sa...

06/28/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/06/25/news/santa-monica-daily-arrest-reports-are-now-available-again-after-41-day-hiatus/8356.html

June 26, 2024 - The Santa Monica Police Department has once again put online for public viewing their daily arrest log. In the past, SMPD daily arrests were reported automatically in the City's Open Data Portal and were available for two weeks. But on May 1, the department switched to a new records....

06/28/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/06/25/news/public-safety-do-we-need-more-lets-study-the-matter-says-santa-monica-city-council/8358.html

June 28, 2024 - At a lengthy city council meeting, the legislative body refused three attempts by Mayor Phil Brock to raise enough money to hire more police officers or otherwise increase the budget for public safety. Instead, they voted to ask for a study to be made regarding if and how to increase...

06/20/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/06/21/news/heat-advisory-this-weekend-for-the-san-fernando-san-gabriel-and-santa-clarita-valleys/8349.html

une 20, 2024 Heat Advisory High Temperatures Forecast for Parts of Los Angeles County The Los Angeles County Health Officer has issued a heat advisory as high temperatures have been forecast for the following areas: West San Fernando Valley: Saturday June 22, 2024 through Sunday June 23, 2024 until....

06/17/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/06/18/news/with-pride-month-come-monkeypox-cases-10-new-cases-in-past-two-weeks/8345.html

June 17, 2024 - The Los County Department of Public Health announced today that 10 monkeypox (or mpox, as they prefer to call it) cases have been confirmed in the county in the past two weeks, an increase over less than two cases per week previously. Monkeypox arrived in this country two years ago,....

06/17/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/06/18/news/santa-monica-mayor-and-vice-mayor-remain-committed-to-getting-needle-distribution-out-of-public-parks-after-ride-along-with-venice-family-clinic/8346.html

June 17, 2024 - Santa Monica Mayor Phil Brock said in a phone interview that he and Vice-mayor Lana Negrete did a ride-along with Venice Family Clinic (VFC)as part of an effort to move LA County Department of Public Health's "harm reduction" needle distribution program out of the city's parks. Accor...

06/14/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/06/14/news/santa-monica-college-professors-accused-of-creating-antisemitic-assignments/8339.html

June 14, 2024 - Santa Monica College has received a legal complaint letter from nonpartisan education organization StandWithUS regarding two class assignments that they call bigoted, harassing, and ultimately illegal. StandWithUs supports Israel and fights antisemitism. The assignments involved are:...

06/12/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/06/14/news/overdose-in-palisades-park-shortly-after-the-lunch-hour-today-june-12/8337.html

06/07/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/06/03/opinion/the-third-street-promenade-is-it-a-fun-safe-place-for-families-or-overrun-by-crime-and-human-degradation/8330.html

In response to Santa Monica Mayor Phil Brock uploading to Instagram a promotional video featuring the Third Street Promenade in rose-colored terms, John Alle wrote the following regrading what he and the Santa Monica Coalition he co-founded see as the ongoing and very real problems in the Santa Moni...

06/05/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/06/03/news/excessive-heat-warning-for-parts-of-los-angeles-county/8327.html

June 4, 2024 Excessive Heat Warning High Temperatures Forecast for Parts of Los Angeles County The Los Angeles County Health Officer has issued an excessive heat warning as high temperatures have been forecast for the following areas: Antelope Valley: Wednesday June 05, 2024 through Thursday June 06...

05/31/2024

Store owned by Santa Monica city Council member Lana Negrete is once again the victim of a crime. 

5.31. A suspect tried to assault the owner of Santa Monica Music Center this morning. He is not the same suspect who had been arrested for the theft of a guitar, said owner Lana Negrete, who is also a Santa Monica City Council member. The suspect had tried to pass a counterfeit hundred dollar bill T...

05/29/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/05/27/news/suspended-pro-hamas-protestors-at-mit-allowed-to-graduate/8324.html

May 29, 2024 - In an email to alumni, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Hillel Rabbi, Michelle H. Fisher, politely expressed her concerns about ongoing anti-Israel protests at the university and expected disruptions at the upcoming graduation ceremony. A large pro-Hamas encampment had been i...

05/29/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/05/27/events/open-house-at-santa-monica-animal-shelter/8320.html

Saturday, June 1st, 12-3pm Santa Monica Animal Shelter Open House Fundraiser At the Santa Monica Animal Shelter 1640 9th St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 Join us for a fun afternoon for the whole family to raise much needed funds for the animals at the Santa Monica Animal Shelter. At the event: Adopt-Tour...

05/29/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/05/27/lifestyle/social-security-explaining-earnings-limits-and-cost-of-living-adjustments/8322.html

Ask Rusty - About Social Security's Earnings Test and Cost of Living Adjustments Dear Rusty: Is there a limit on earnings when you're fully retired? Also, should all retirees receive COLA or is there an exception? Signed: Retired But Wondering Dear Retired: Your questions are fairly simple but, neve...

05/29/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/05/27/events/exposing-the-hard-truth-the-border-big-government-and-big-business/8319.html

"You can't handle the truth!" OH, YES WE CAN! Jack Nicholson's infamous line in A Few Good Men rings so true that it is among the top movie quotes / internet memes of all time - for a good reason. We all know the truth is well covered up and the mainstream media isn't giving it to us. At this point....

05/24/2024

https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/05/24/lifestyle/why-am-i-paying-medicare-part-b-if-im-still-working-and-paying-into-the-system/8314.html

Ask Rusty – I'm Working after age 65; Why Aren't I Exempt from Medicare Part B Premium? Dear Rusty: Why, as I continue to work after age 65 and have F**A taxes taken from my check, am I - or anyone - also compelled under the threat of penalties, rate increases, etc. to immediately take Medicare Pa...