Santa Monica Mirror June 16, 2023

INSIDE LA City Council Member Curren

Price Charged By LA

District Attorney

PAGE 4

Proposed Amendment to the California Constitution Passes Housing Committee

ACA 10 Would Enshrine The Fundamental Right To Housing In The State

By Dolores Quintana

California Assemblymember Matt Haney of District 17 in San Francisco has introduced ACA 10, which is a Constitutional amendment for the state of California that would enshrine the fundamental right to housing in the state’s constitution. According to The Sacramento Bee, ACA 10 passed a vote in the Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development with a 6 to 2 vote. The no votes were from Republican members of the committee on June 7, 2023.

Assemblymember Haney reminded everyone, while making a speech and as quoted by reporter Eytan Wallace, that the situation in the state is that while many California residents realize that there is a problem with homelessness, no one is quite sure what to do about it. On the Westside of Los Angeles, people see unhoused people and encampments, but for so long, there hasn’t

been an overall plan to house people and keep others from falling into homelessness. Haney said, “This is about accountability. Otherwise, we have the status quo. We have more homeless people than anywhere in the country. We have more rent-burdened people...We have a lack of follow-through at every level of govt.”

The ACLU has expressed support for ACA 10 and said, via Twitter, “A right to housing is the tool we need to end barriers and ensure that everyone has a stable & permanent home in CA. Thank you to Asm. Housing Committee members for voting to pass #ACA10 by @ MattHaneySF.”

One thing to remember is that the amendment doesn’t mean that everyone in the state will be given housing for free. Assemblymember Haney said, via his Twitter page on June 8, “Nothing in this amendment gives everyone free housing from the government--it simply recognizes housing as a fundamental human right, which is common sense for most people, deeply interconnected to every other right we are afforded as citizens, and that government has to plan within available resources to meet that right and be held accountable, and when it is violated there should be scrutiny similar to the many other rights we are afforded as citizens.”

The text of the amendment says, “ACA 10,

as introduced, Haney. The fundamental human right to housing. The California Constitution enumerates various personal rights, including the right to enjoy and defend life and liberty, acquiring, possessing, and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining safety, happiness, and privacy.

This measure would declare that the state recognizes the fundamental human right to adequate housing for everyone in California. The measure would make it the shared obligation of state and local jurisdictions to respect, protect, and fulfill this right by all appropriate means, as specified.”

Additionally, there was an article that was added to the amendment, which states, “Section 1. The state hereby recognizes the

fundamental human right to adequate housing for everyone in California. It is the shared obligation of state and local jurisdictions to respect, protect, and fulfill this right, on a non-discriminatory and equitable basis, with a view to progressively achieve the full realization of the right, by all appropriate means, including the adoption and amendment of legislative measures, to the maximum of available resources.”

Assemblymember Haney jointly created ACA 10 with principal coauthors, Assembly Members Bryan and Kalra, Senator Waha, and co-authors Assembly Members McKinnor and Quirk-Silva and Senators Blakespear, Gonzalez, and Smallwood-Cuevas.

Department of Transportation Director Announces Retirement

Ed King Served for 46 Years in Public Transportation

The City of Santa Monica’s Department of Transportation Director, Ed King, has announced his retirement, effective August 2023.

With over 46 years of experience in public transportation, King has served for the past 12 years as the director for the City of Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus, and most recently, for the Department of Transportation. Prior to his tenure in Santa Monica, King held leadership positions at Long Beach Transit and the San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority.

During his time with the City, King has led various notable accomplishments, including the development of a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certified bus maintenance facility in 2012. Santa Monica became one of the first municipal transit agencies in the country to convert its entire fleet to renewable natural gas (RNG) in 2015, which is cleaner than clean diesel. In 2016, an award-winning transit system redesign was completed, resulting in new bus routes, increased service hours, accessible bus stops, and improved integration

with E Line (Expo) stations.

“In his distinguished tenure, Ed has made tremendous improvements to Santa Monica’s transportation network,” said City Manager David White in a release. “He adopted

sustainable solutions for our transit fleet, restored services through our economic recovery efforts, and led the Department of Transportation through the challenges of COVID-19.”

LA City Council Member Curren Price Charged By LA District Attorney

Price Charged Multiple Counts Of Embezzlement and Perjury

By Dolores Quintana

In a surprise announcement, Los Angeles Councilmember Curren Price has officially been charged with offenses related to public corruption. The charges include allegations that Price had a financial interest in projects he voted on and that he caused the city to pay for medical benefits for his current wife while he was still married to another woman. The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office announced the charges on Wednesday.

District Attorney Gascón said, via a press release,” Today’s charges against Councilman Curren Price are the result of a thorough investigation into allegations of public corruption. This alleged conduct undermines the integrity of our government and erodes the public’s trust in our elected officials. We will continue to work tirelessly to root out corruption at all levels and hold accountable those who betray the public’s trust.”

Price is facing multiple charges, including five counts of embezzlement of government funds, three counts of perjury, and two counts of conflict of interest. The arraignment for these charges will be scheduled for a later date.

According to the criminal complaint, Price’s wife allegedly received payments totaling over $150,000 from developers between 2019 and 2021, coinciding with his votes in favor of approving projects. The complaint also accuses Price of failing to disclose the money his wife received on government disclosure forms, a violation of the law, and receiving about $33,800 in medical coverage for his wife while he was still married to another woman.

Council member Price is prohibited from

having any financial interest associated with projects before the City Council, further adding to the seriousness of the charges against him.

Following the announcement of the charges, Council member Price, who was also President Pro Tempore of the City Council, resigned from that post and from his committee assignments.

LA City Council President Paul released a statement in the wake of these charges, which said, “Councilmember Curren Price has written to me to resign from his position as President Pro Tempore of the City Council and to relinquish his committee assignments. Pursuant to that request, I have removed him from all committees, effective immediately.

Tomorrow, I will introduce a motion to initiate the process of suspending Councilmember Price from his duties on the Council, pursuant to Section 211 of the City Charter. The motion to suspend will proceed by regular order to the Rules Committee for hearing and then back to the Council for a final vote. This process will give the Council adequate opportunity to consider all of the issues, including the nature of the charges that have been filed and the impacts of suspension on the people of the Ninth District.

At the same time, we will begin a process of outreach to the people of the district to hear what course of action they believe would be most appropriate to ensure that they are not harmed by a potential vacancy of this Council seat and that they continue to receive the services of their Council office.

While I am deeply saddened to learn of these charges, I am confident that justice will be served by the legal process. In the meantime, the City Charter does not permit the Council to remove or replace a sitting member who has not been convicted of a criminal offense, and we should all honor the presumption of innocence. As the judicial process takes its course, the Council will continue to conduct the business of the people.”

The case is currently under investigation by the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation.

Former Custodian at Local School District Shoots

Himself in Police Standoff

The Suspect Worked at Santa Monica - Malibu Unified School District Until 2022

By Zach Armstrong

A former custodian at Santa MonicaMalibu Unified School District shot himself during a standoff with Santa Monica police officers.

On June 9 at around 5 a.m., detectives with the Santa Monica Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division served an arrest warrant in the 800 block of E. 65th Street in the City of Inglewood for Arthur Isaac. The suspect was wanted for two violent felonies, one committed in Inglewood and the other in Santa Monica.

Officers negotiated with Isaac for over two hours, according to a City report, trying to

Tesla-Powered Home on Market for Almost $13M

get him to peacefully exit his location. Once SWAT officers entered, they found Isaac deceased from what appeared to be a selfinflicted gunshot wound.

Isaac worked as a custodian for SMMUSD, having last worked for the district in August 2022, a spokesperson confirmed to Santa Monica Mirror. No other information on Isaac was disclosed.

The death investigation will be done by the Los Angeles County Coroner.

The Property Is Equipped With Smart Features and a TwoCar Garage

By Zach Armstrong

Designed by architect Ken Unger, a 6,705 square foot Santa Monica home running off of three Tesla batteries and solar panels is on the market for $12.9 million.

The single-story home, located at 306

Georgina Avenue, features four bedrooms, five bathrooms, Miele and SubZero appliances, clerestory windows and high ceilings reaching as far as 25.5 feet. It also boasts a whole-house water filter, a programmable irrigation system and smart features such as its lights and shades.

The guest house features a kitchen, bath, closet with built-in wardrobe and laundry hookups. Behind automatic gates is a halfcircle driveway and 612 square foot two-car garage with storage.

The property was listed F. Ron Smith and David Berg of Compass. For more information about the property, go to https://www.compass. com/listing/306-georgina-avenue-santamonica-ca-90402/1329061687185046345/.

Thai Brunch Bar Expanding to Santa Monica

The Restaurant Sources From CageFree Eggs and Farmer’s Market Berries

Met Her at a Bar, the brunch counterpart to the Italian-infused Met Him at a Bar and Her Thai, is expanding with a new location on Main Street, reported What Now Los Angeles. The addition will join its sister establishments on South La Brea Avenue and 8th Street in Midcity.

Founded by Vinny and Mindy Kinne, a husband and wife team who serendipitously met at a bar in 2014, became engaged in 2016, and tied the knot in 2019, Met Her offers a Thai-inspired breakfast and lunch experience. The eatery sits across from its sibling establishments, Met Him and Her Thai, creating a culinary trio.

Met Her’s menu explores creative flavors,

Santa Monica Seafood Launching Campaign Promotion of SustainablySourced Seafood

Each Week Is Dedicated to Featuring an ASC-Certified Seafood Item

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council and Santa Monica Seafood have joined forces for a retail promotion, aiming to highlight the advantages of certified, responsibly raised seafood and ASC’s sea green label to shoppers and diners in Southern California.

exemplified by the Thai-style chicken and waffles featuring tom yum seasoning and crispy basil. The menu also offers dishes such as a breakfast sandwich with chipotle aioli and a black bean avocado wrap. Met Her takes pride in sourcing quality ingredients, including cage-free eggs, free-range chickens and farmer’s market berries, reported the dining outlet.

Launching on June 16, the “Sea Green. Be Green.” campaign will span six weeks, during which Santa Monica Seafood will dedicate each week to featuring an ASC-certified seafood item and showcasing the farms where the seafood was responsibly raised across its market and café locations.

The Santa Monica Seafood Market & Café is located at 1000 Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica.

Through July 27, Santa Monica Seafood’s

markets will offer limited-time specials, while their cafés will introduce new menu items that highlight the certified seafood of the week. ASC-certified seafood, which will be the focal point of the promotion, will be available at various locations.

By Kathryn Whitney Boole

In my humble estimation, this is one of the best movies of the year. In fact, I would give it a handful of Oscar nominations. However, it’s not material for a movie night for the kids, even though the film illustrates how we adults retain much more of our childhood repertoire of action and reaction than we would like to think. Sanctuary is a black comedy/psychological study for adults. It’s a very smart film. The dynamic between the two protagonists shifts back and forth, like a game of tennis. Without knowing their entire background, you see deeply into these two and perhaps recognize your own strengths, flaws, and idiosyncrasies. A team of emerging talent shot this film in 18 days in a 1200-square-foot room.

It began as a one-act play written by Micah Bloomberg in 2007, taking shape as a psychological “session” between a dominatrix and her client. Director Zachary Wigon, whose career began as a film critic and director of a few short films, made his first full-length feature, The Heart Machine, in 2014. In 2020 Wigon was hired to write an episode of the TV

series Homecoming, where he met Bloomberg, a former sound mixer who was a writer and executive producer on the show. Wigon mentioned to Bloomberg that he had always wanted to make a film about a dominatrix and her client, so Bloomberg excitedly sent him a copy of his play.

Wigon’s talent, as evidenced in the best directors, is to pull together extraordinary filmmakers and cast. The film would not be the gem that it is without Margaret Qualley as “Rebecca” and Christopher Abbott as “Hal.” In the screenplay, Bloomberg set out to create in Rebecca a woman whose choices would act like bombs, shocking the audience again and again. He admits, “This would not have worked with different actors. Margaret was able to make something that doesn’t make sense make sense. And Chris gets laughs just from cutaways of him listening.” Bloomberg also noted that Wigon used camera angles to emphasize the raw energy between the two. Wigon said that because the film was shot completely in one room, “You can’t go anywhere externally, so you have to go deeper into their heads.”

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The two stars had known each other for a while and wanted to work together. Abbott, who is an outstanding theatre, film, and television actor, knows that if you want to let the audience see the comedy, you play it seriously. Qualley ingrained the script in her memory so that she was able to let go of the structure and be Rebecca. Her greatest talent as an actress is that she seems to be able to buy into the idea that she has nothing to lose and puts it all out there without appearing to try too hard. That may be her nature. She left home at 14 to study ballet at the North Carolina School of the Arts. She was offered an apprenticeship to American Ballet Theatre in NYC, something any striving ballet dancer would kill for, as it’s only offered to the cream of the crop of students. At 16, she wrote to her Mom, who happens to be actress Andie McDowell, “Look, I don’t think I want to be a dancer anymore, so I’m going to quit ballet and stay here in New York City.” Qualley figured Mom couldn’t say no because she was so organized. She then traded dance for acting. Wigon trusted relatively unproven talents with the realization of this movie, Cinematographer Ludovica Isidori, who trained with an Italian fashion photographer, composer Ariel Marx, who has a master’s from NYU and draws from many genres to create unique worlds of sound, and editors Kate Brokaw and Lance Edmands.

The key is not to judge these characters. You need to see the world through their eyes. It’s about two highly intelligent and damaged people who seem to fit together like pieces of a puzzle and balance each other out. It’s crazy fun to watch their interplay.

Kathryn Whitney Boole has spent most of her life in the entertainment industry, which has been the backdrop for remarkable adventures with extraordinary people. She is a Talent Manager with Studio Talent Group in Santa Monica. kboole@gmail.com

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Revised Al Fresco Ordinance Passes LA City Council PLUM Committee

The Process Of Approving The New Version Of The Ordinance Will Continue

By Dolores Quintana

The Los Angeles City Council’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee considered the revised Al Fresco Ordinance that restaurants and the residents of the city have indicated that they would like to make permanent on June 6, 2023. The original ordinance temporarily suspended certain zoning regulations and allowed restaurants to build outdoor dining areas or parklets and utilize sidewalks to encourage people to dine at their restaurants in the open air, which was considered safer.

In an emailed statement, Lien Ta, restauranteur and co-owner of Here’s Looking At You in Koreatown and Silverlake restaurants All Day Baby/ Tet A Tet, talked about the issue after she attended the meeting in support of the ordinance, “The PLUM meeting went well — so it’s moving onto to the next step in approval. For the past three years, restaurants have had access to the Al Fresco Permit Program, which was a lifesaver for thousands of restaurants in LA when we were relegated to outdoor dining exclusively. Restaurants had to pour money into creating desirable patios. Now, the City is attempting to demand that these restaurants go backward and go through a permitting process to properly permit our outdoor spaces per old red tape regulations — this would take years of time and tens of thousands of dollars. so, most restaurants, which don’t have deep pockets, will be forced to give up their patios. Moving forward, the hope is that it isn’t so difficult and expensive to open a restaurant in the first place. At IHC, it is our hope that we offer better solutions for the permitting process and better policy that helps small businesses thrive.”

The revised version of the ordinance, in summary, says, “The proposed Al Fresco Ordinance is a key component of Los Angeles’s economic strategy, geared toward propping up locally-sourced

jobs in the hospitality industry which are recovering from the pandemic. City Planning’s Al Fresco Ordinance amends provisions of Los Angeles’s Zoning Code to facilitate outdoor dining on private property. Recognizing the success of the emergency outdoor dining authorizations, the proposed ordinance will simplify current Zoning Code regulations for restaurant owners who wish to offer outdoor dining in private property areas, including but not limited to parking lots, patios, and plazas. Specifically, this ordinance seeks to make permanent the temporary zoning relief measures for private property introduced during the pandemic that allowed restaurant operators to utilize their parking spaces to facilitate outdoor dining.”

You can read more about the revised ordinance and find more information here.

Lottery Ticket Worth $240K Sold in Santa Monica Store

Metro Unveils Regional Connector Project for Enhanced Rail Travel To

Santa Monica

Rides Will Be Free All Weekend To Celebrate the Enhancement of the Light Rail System

Metro’s Regional Connector opens on June 16, and rides will be free on the train system in celebration of this event. Starting at noon, anyone will be able to ride from Azusa station to Long Beach and from Downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica without transferring to a bus line.

To celebrate this significant milestone, Metro is offering free rides from 3 a.m. Friday to 3 a.m. Monday on all Metro buses, trains, Metro Bike, and Metro Micro. Commuters are encouraged to take full advantage of this opportunity and explore the wide array of destinations across Los Angeles County accessible via Metro.

The Ticket Matched Five Numbers From Wednesday Night’s Drawing

A Powerball ticket worth $239,862 has been sold at M&A Tobacco, a tobacco store located in the 1800 block of Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica, NBC Los Angeles reported.

The ticket successfully matched five numbers from Wednesday night’s drawing but missed the Powerball number. This

drawing marks the 21st consecutive drawing without a ticket that matched all six numbers. Therefore, the jackpot for the upcoming Saturday drawing has increased to $308 million.

In other states, tickets that match five numbers but miss the Powerball number are valued at either $1 million or $2 million. However, California law mandates that major lottery game prizes be paid on a parimutuel basis. The winning numbers from Wednesday’s drawing were 16, 21, 29, 53, 66, and the Powerball number was 2. The initial jackpot for that drawing was $285 million.

The Regional Connector project has been eagerly anticipated, with several years of construction leading up to its completion. To address any queries surrounding the new light rail system, here are some key details:

What does the new light rail system entail?

The Connector seamlessly links the A, E, and L Lines, resulting in a consolidation of the lines into two:

• The new A Line, identified by the color blue on maps, will operate between Azusa and Long Beach.

• The new E Line, represented by the color gold, will run between East Los Angeles and Santa Monica.

Convenient transfers can be made between the A and E Lines at any of the five shared Downtown LA (DTLA) stations: Pico, 7th/ Metro, Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill (at 2nd and Hope), Historic Broadway (at 2nd and Broadway), and Little Tokyo/Arts District (at 1st and Alameda). Commuters can easily step off one train and board the next without the need to navigate to a different platform.

What is the frequency of train service?

The new A Line and E Line schedules can be accessed to plan your trips accordingly. Trains on both lines will operate at the following frequencies:

• Every 10 minutes during weekday peak hours.

• Every 12 minutes throughout the rest of the day and weekend daytime hours.

• Every 20 minutes during early mornings and late evenings.

How will this impact my commute?

Commuters traveling from Azusa and East LA

will no longer be required to transfer to the subway at Union Station to reach Downtown LA. This eliminates the time-consuming transfer, allowing passengers to stay on the A or E Line and travel directly to the heart of DTLA or beyond.

Similarly, passengers arriving in DTLA on the current A and E Lines will no longer need to transfer at 7th/Metro to access various destinations within DTLA.

Fewer transfers mean significant time savings, with some riders estimated to save up to 20 minutes per trip. Metro believes that reclaiming time for passengers will make public transit more appealing and practical.

It’s important to note that the B and D Lines will continue to operate, providing essential subway services for commuters traveling to DTLA and beyond. Transfers can be made between the A Line and the B/D Lines at 7th/ Metro or Union Station and between the E Line and B/D Lines at 7th/Metro.

The launch of the Regional Connector project marks a significant milestone in improving rail travel in Downtown LA. Metro encourages residents and visitors alike to experience the convenience and efficiency of the new light rail system, further cementing Los Angeles County’s commitment to accessible and sustainable transportation options.

SANTA MONICA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES Barry Snell, Chair; Dr. Margaret Quiñones-Perez, Vice Chair; Dr. Susan Aminoff; Dr. Nancy Greenstein; Dr. Tom Peters; Rob Rader; Dr. Sion Roy; Alyssa Arreola, Student Trustee; Kathryn E. Jeffery, Ph.D., Superintendent/President Santa Monica College | 1900 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90405 | smc.edu