Judge Blocks Santa Monica from Enforcing Jet Ban; Appeal Expected
by Brian Bland, Friends of Sunset Park board member and FOSP Airport Committee member A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction against the City of Santa Monica, blocking it from enforcing its ban of C and D jets at Santa Monica Airport (SMO). Judge George Wu, who earlier issued a temporary restraining order against the city, had been given written briefs by City representatives and a U.S. attorney representing the Federal Aviation Administration. On Friday, May 16,... Read More
Treesavers Plan All-Night Vigil at City Hall
Santa Monica’s Treesavers announced today that it will hold an all-night “Save Our Trees” protest, beginning at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20, and ending at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 21, on the front steps of Santa Monica City Hall. According to a Treesavers press release, the purpose of the vigil is “to demonstrate their sadness and anger with the City’s May 16 ficus tree chainsaw massacre along Second and Fourth Streets (in downtown Santa Monica)…the peaceful... Read More
Whither the Weather 5/17 – 5/23
By Ava Tramer Beaches Mostly clear and cooling Highs: 69-86; Lows: 57-63 Inland Sunny and hot Highs: 80-98; Lows: 51-62 Deserts Hot and clear Highs: 82-110; Lows: 61-80 And Santa Monica… This week will take us in reverse order through the usual spring-to-summer transition. Instead of things going from cool and overcast to warm and sunny, we’ll actually see the weather go from hot, clear, and sunny to cooler and cloudy over the course of this week. Highs will start in the... Read More
Four Council Members Okay Flawed Project
It’s been a bad week in Santa Monica. On Wednesday, the Court of Appeals lifted the restraining order that had prevented the City from beginning work on its $8.2 million “Pedestrian and Streetscape Improvement Project.” On Friday at dawn, City crews removed the trees that were the cause of the controversy, leaving thousands of residents stunned and angry (see related stories below).Not only had the trees been destroyed, but residents had been betrayed by their own elected... Read More
Trees Are Gone, Anger Lingers On
The seven-month tree war ended this morning not with a bang, but a whisper. Crews attacked the 23 ficus trees on Second and Fourth Streets in downtown Santa Monica that the City had targeted for removal at six a.m. By the time Treesavers, the residents’ group that had opposed the trees’ removal, learned of the City’s stealth attack, it was done, and their plans to protest, commit acts of civil disobedience and chain themselves to the doomed trees were foiled. Earlier... Read More
Voters Protest State Budget Cuts
By Rebecca Kennerly Concerned voters from all over Los Angeles and Ventura counties gathered in front of Governor Schwarzenegger’s Los Angeles office today to voice their dismay over his most recent budget proposal, which continues to include deep cuts in funding to programs that protect the welfare of children. The rally culminated with the delivery of hundreds of letters, pleading for and demanding adequate funding for the public education and healthcare systems that will... Read More
Treesavers Calls Emergency Meeting
In the wake of the Court of Appeal ruling that Treesavers’ suit to block City plans to remove a number of ficus trees from Second and Fourth Streets in downtown Santa Monica was filed too late, Treesavers’ leaders have called an emergency meeting and vigil on Friday, May 16, at 6 p.m. on the lawn in front of City Hall. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the next steps in Treesavers’ continuing campaign to save the trees and develop a City-wide tree policy that focuses... Read More
FAA, City Go to Court This Morning
The FAA has filed for a preliminary injunction to prevent the City from enforcing its ordinance banning Class C & D aircraft from the airport while the matter is in litigation A hearing on the preliminary injunction is set for this morning, Thursday, May 15, at 10 AM. The FAA’s application for the preliminary injunction and the City’s response will be heard in federal district court by Judge George Wu in Courtroom 10, on the Spring Street level of the U.S. Courthouse... Read More
City Scores TKO Against Trees, Residents
A California Appeals Court ruled yesterday in favor of the City of Santa Monica, saying the plaintiffs – Treesavers and Jerry Rubin – had failed to observe the statute of limitations in filing their claim that the City violated CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) regulations. The narrow technical ruling focused exclusively on whether Treesavers had failed to file its complaint within the prescribed 180-day time frame. It did not absolve the City of wrongdoing... Read More
Mission Santa Cruz
By David Fresco Fourth Grade, John Muir School The Santa Cruz mission was established by Father Fermin Lasuen on August 28, 1791. The mission is located 75 miles south of San Francisco. It was named for the sacred cross of Christianity. Unfortunately, the Santa Cruz mission was not designed to be prepared for disaster. The church was destroyed by a series of violent earthquakes, and the rest of the mission was flooded twice. All of the grounds have been rebuilt, except for the... Read More
