S A N TA M O N I C A
REFLECTING THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY smmirror.com
June 3 – June 9, 2022 Volume CXLIII, Issue 147
INSIDE
Rick’s Tavern on Main Set for Relaunch
PAGE 5
Report Finds High Levels of Mold at Santa Monica Elementary School BY DOLORES QUINTANA
Students and teachers were removed from a Santa Monica elementary school classroom because mold levels counts were so high. Upon inspection, the back of the classroom’s whiteboard was found to be “pretty well covered with mold.” This report states that mold levels in 19 out of 21 classrooms that were tested were within the acceptable range, but that two of the classrooms had double the density of mold versus the levels present in the outside air. In one of the classrooms, room 415, students and teachers were removed because mold levels were so high. Upon inspection, the back of the classroom’s whiteboard was found to be “pretty well covered with mold,” according to Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) Chief Operations Officer Carey Upton. Upton was speaking at a May 19 meeting. SMMUSD officials announced more findings last week when they released a 131-page report on significant water damage on the Muir/SMASH campus, located at 2526 6th Street. The report said that the problem stems from poor construction, age of the building, exposure, proper maintenance that was deferred and defective and inappropriate installation of construction materials which includes
recent work that was done on the building. The report additionally found evidence of “hidden” mold growth concealed in the wall cavity of one of the locations in the school. The SMMUSD Board has committed to finding the source of the water damage, making repairs, identifying how serious the mold problem is and completing decontamination of the site to preserve the health and safety of staff and students. Consultants from NV5 made recommendations that any individuals with mold sensitivity stay out of the potentially contaminated rooms, that porous materials, like drywall and insulation, should be removed and that a contractor that handles the removal of mold should be hired. It is not known how much these actions will cost the district because the investigation isn’t yet complete. Despite this, the SMMUSD Board has already approved $55,000 to begin the mold removal process and offered a contract to a company that would conduct weekly tests. trip costs ranging from $0.05 to $0.29 cents per minute. In total, 307 riders are enrolled in the low-income options offered, who took a total of 8,367 trips. The report, however, noted the structure of signing up can present challenges such as requiring detailed paperwork of participation in federally funded programs to determine
eligibility, language barriers, and can be difficult to navigate through the providers’ websites. The report also noted that from July 2021 – March 2022, the City received 115,311 requests about shared mobility devices, which mostly cited mis- parked devices or bad rider behavior. Code Enforcement issued citations for 40 violations and impounded 584 devices for ADA blockages, being parked in the street, and blocking the PROW, operator response times, amongst other violations. Staff will develop the solicitation and negotiation process for the next phase of shared mobility set to begin in 2023. Staff will return to City Council in late summer 2022 with recommended ordinance language for the next phase of Shared Mobility in Santa Monica. The report was released at the same time as UCLA study highlighted the dangers of e-scooters, finding the injury rate for riders of e-scooters on the Westside is higher than the national rates for riders of motorcycles, bicycles, cars and pedestrians. The study, used data from 1,354 injured people treated primarily at UCLA Health’s two hospitals — Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica — from Jan. 1, 2014 through May 14, 2020. The estimated injury rate amounts to 115 injuries per 1 million
Photo: Sam Catanzaro The John Muir/SMASH campus.
e-scooter trips. By contrast, the national injury rates for other modes of transportation are 104 injuries per million motorcycle trips, 15 injuries per million bicycle trips, 8 injuries per million passenger car trips, and 2 injuries per million walking trips Those injured in e-scooter accidents included not only the vehicles’ riders, but also pedestrians who were hit by moving e-scooters or who tripped over parked e-scooters. The researchers found that patients often were treated for injuries to the head and extremities. 533 patients sustained injuries to more than one part of the body, 72 were admitted to the hospital, 21 were sent to the critical care unit and 2 died from their injuries.
Elementary School, see page 4
Santa Monica’s Izzy’s Deli Permanently Closed Longtime 24-hour deli closes after after nearly 50 years of service BY SAM CATANZARO Santa Monica landmark Izzy’s Deli has permanently closed. The 24-hour deli had been serving hungry diners pastrami and other deli-fare since 1973. The restaurant, located at the corner of 15th Street and Wilshire Boulevard, had been close since November 2020 for renovations. The restaurant had planned for a June reopening but owner Izzy Freeman– known as the ‘Deli Lama’– decided it was time to retire. Freeman issued the following statement announcing the closure. “After 47 amazing years of serving the community 24/7, 365, the time has come for Izzy’s Deli to officially close its doors.
We had every intention to reopen postpandemic but it has become apparent that the only option at this point is to retire. I’d like to thank my incredibly loyal customers who became friends, the three generations of my family who called IZZY’S their second home, and the two generations of employees who made IZZY’S DELI a landmark in Santa Monica. Over the years we became ingrained in our customers’ lives - we saw first dates that became engagements, husbands awaiting the births of their children who eventually came in as parents themselves, customers becoming friends with each other, families gathering year after year after year, late night study breaks, business meetings, holidays and just enjoying each and every day. We laughed, we loved, we cheered, and boy did we EAT!! Our matzoh ball soup, overstuffed sandwiches, tuna melts, and Thanksgiving dinners brought in customers from just around the corner, thousands of miles away and everywhere in between. Together, we truly made my childhood dream a reality and brought a taste of New York to Santa Monica,
Photo: Sam Catanzaro
and for that, I will be forever grateful. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for 47 wonderful years! This may be the end of this road, but it’s certainly not goodbye.” Izzy opened the Deli in 1973 with Kenny Horowitz. At the time, Izzy owned two IHOPS in Los Angeles and the intent was for Kenny to run the Deli and Izzy to run the IHOPS. “I helped him open the deli on Monday morning and I never left,” Izzy told the Mirror in 2018. Izzy’s was the first major deli in Santa Monica in many years, and from the start, it was a success. Customers were waiting
in line for overstuffed corned beef and pastrami sandwiches, matzo ball soup, freshly roasted turkeys and of course the best New York style rye bread. In the decades since, the popularity of the Deli has only increased, being featured multiple times on Larry David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and winning numerous awards including “Best Designed Restaurant” to “Best All Night Restaurant.”
Izzy’s Deli, see page 4