Genser Rules!
Ken Genser will spend his 21st and 22nd years on the Santa Monica City Council in the mayor’s chair. Under the City Charter, voters choose the Council members, and they, in turn, choose the mayor., Tonight, after Richard Bloom, Genser, retiring mayor Herb Katz and Bobby Shriver were certified as winners of the November 4 Council election and sworn in by City Clerk Maria Stewart, the next order of business was the election of the new mayor. In effect, Genser’s only competition... Read More
Nightmare in the Works
When work began in 2004 on the revision of the land use and circulation elements of the General Plan (now known as LUCE), we were all younger. And wary. The state-mandated General Plan revision should have been completed in 2004, not begun, but we were encouraged when then-planning director Suzanne Frick described it as our Constitution, as it would determine our destiny for the next 20 years. Residents believed that Frick meant that they would have a major role in developing... Read More
Whither the Cool
By Ava Tramer Beaches Cooler and partly cloudy Highs: 61-72; Lows: 49-51 Inland Gradually warming Highs: 66-80; Lows: 42-45 Deserts Warm and mostly sunny Highs: 71-80; Lows: 50-57 And Santa Monica… Brrrrrr it’s chilly, folks! We’re finally getting a taste of winter weather. Our normally sunshiney blue sky will be peppered with clouds. And most wintry of all, temperatures will drop: nighttime lows early this week will fall all the way down into the 40s. Brrrrrr!... Read More
City Hall Doesn’t Do Simple
If there were a prize for making mountains out of molehills, Santa Monica City Hall would win it. For years, though a 1970 ordinance forbid everything but walking and jogging on the Fourth Street median, people have exercised on the north end of the median, at Adelaide Drive, as well as going down and up the stairway that connects Fourth Street and the Santa Monica Canyon floor. Over time, the stairs have acquired a certain chic in extreme exercise circles, as in, if you... Read More
Upper Canyon Scam warning
George Wolfberg, president, Santa Monica Canyon Civic Association, forwarded these two accounts to the Dispatch. I. I wanted to let you know about something that happened yesterday. A guy (20s, white, long tan shorts, white sweatshirt and baseball hat) came to the door at 5:15 and told me he was my neighbor and asked me to open the door. I said no, that I was in the middle of something and he again repeated that he was my neighbor. I know he is not my neighbor. He left. Shaken,... Read More
An Evening with Steve Lopez
L.A. Times columnist and author of “The Soloist,” Steve Lopez will speak, and Ben Hong, assistant principal cellist with the LA Philharmonic, Antonio Levy, concert cellist and professor of cello studies at UCLA and Santa Monica High School student musicians will perform Wednesday, December 10, at 7 p.m., at Barnum Hall, Santa Monica High School. Clips from DreamWorks Pictures’ production of “The Soloist,” which stars Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr., will also be... Read More
Three Martin Luther King Celebrations Scheduled Here
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Westside Coalition will present three events to celebrate the birthday of the slain civil rights leader in January. This year’s theme is theme is “Be the Change You Want to See in the World.” Dolores Huerta, human rights champion, will be the keynote speaker at the 24th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration, a multi-ethnic interfaith program that includes multi-ethnic inspirational readings, music, a performance by... Read More
Holiday Book Sale Dec. 13
The Friends of the Kaufman Brentwood Branch Library will hold their annual Holiday Book Sale in the Community Room of the library, 11820 San Vicente Boulevard, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, December 13, There will be a large selection of new and gently used books in a variety of categories available to purchase at bargain prices. For more information, call the library at 310-575-8273 SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Holiday Book Sale Dec. 13", url: "http://www.santamonicadispatch.com/2008/12/holiday-book-sale-dec-13/"... Read More
Every Child Is Unique
By Chris Bley Teacher, Brentwood School “A bunch of crazy housewives,” was how two unsympathetic Santa Monica constituents described a group advocating for much needed changes and transparency in our schools’ Special Education program. It was and remains a narrow and intolerant attitude towards parents fighting for their children’s futures. If we as a community want to resolve the Special Education issue in the SMMUSD, then it is essential that we attack the... Read More
