Santa Monica Mirror: Oct 06 - Oct 12, 2023

Homophobic Comments Lead to Termination of Downtown Security Contract

Two Months Ago, City Council Approved DTMS’ Contract for Additional Security

By Zach Armstrong

Concerns over homophobic comments have led to the termination of a $1.7 million private security service contract for Santa Monica’s downtown area.

Private security firm Covered 6 terminated its agreement with Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. after anti-LGBT statements from an alleged employee of the Moorpark, CA-based safety firm came to light, a source told Santa Monica Mirror.

About two months ago, the City Council approved a proposal by DTSM to contract Covered 6 for additional security and clean

up services downtown in the form of a yearlong pilot program. The funding was set to come mainly through reductions to DTSM’s ambassador services with the rest coming from DTSM’s budget toward supplemental private security services.

The decision came months after the DTSM Board of Directors appointed an Ad Hoc Committee to recommend changes to its budget for enhanced safety. On May 3, the committee recommended allocating as much as $1.7 million from its budget toward supplemental private security services.

In July, Santa Monica Mirror asked readers if they approved of the private contract with Covered 6. Our results were as follows:

Yes, it is what is needed to keep the local community safe – 58.67% Yes, but preferably that money wouldn’t have gone to a private contract – 10.67% No, upgraded security is the last thing we need – 5.33% No, that money should have been spent on the City hiring officers themselves –25.33%

$10K of Pickleball Equipment Destroyed in Memorial Park Arson

Thanks to an Outpour of Donations and Support, Storage Bins Should Be Set Up by the End of Next Week

By Zach Armstrong

An investigation is underway after a potential arson incident led to the loss of approximately $10,000 in Pickleball equipment at Memorial Park.

Around 1 a.m. on Sept. 25, a fire was set to a shed adjacent to the park’s tennis courts. The shed was owned by Santa Monica Pickleball Club, a nonprofit that aims to allow anyone to play pickleball cost-free by providing paddles, nets, balls and barriers which were stored in

the burned structure. Memorial Park is the exclusive location for the nonprofit’s storage, which it pays a permit to the city for.

Lynn Soodik, President of SMPC, says she saw eight batteries wrapped in copper and copper wire within the rubble when she arrived at the scene. She also said authorities have video footage of the incident but that she’s “not at liberty” to disclose its details.

“There’s a lot of people have motives but I

don’t think anyone I now would be deranged or evil enough to do it,” said Soodik. “There’s people that don’t like us for various reasons, but we also get love letters about the sport.”

Thanks to an outpour of donations and support, Soodik says storage bins housing equipment should be set up on the court by the end of next week.

The nonprofit has approximately 1,800 members, many of whom Soodik says offered

to donate a piece of equipment even though they don’t have much money. Luckily, they didn’t need to. The Santa Monica Pickleball Center held a fundraiser that raised 2,200 dollars, Selkirk Pickleball Paddles donated 12 nets and 20 paddles and pickleball equipment companies Picklepop and Pickletown are working with the nonprofit to set up a fundraiser for Monday night at Picklepop location.

Rebranded Breakfast Burrito Specialist Still Eyes 2023 Santa Monica Opening

Earlier This Year, It Was Reported the Restaurant Will Expand in a Different Time Frame Than Initially Expected

By Zach Armstrong

DTLA’s Wake & Late, a popular California spot known for breakfast burritos loaded with carne asada, tater tots, and smoked pastrami, is still planning a new Santa Monica location before the end of the year according to its website.

“Opening 2023” is still the timeframe the

bakery describes for its 411 Santa Monica Blvd. location at the time of this writing. Earlier this year, What Now Los Angeles reported the restaurant is expanding in a different time frame than initially expected with Co-owner Ben Richtere telling the outlet the date was bumped to summer of 2023. Now, summer has passed but 2023 is still the aim.

It was also reported that the business rebranded as Sundays the Bakery, though its website still calls itself Wake & Late as does its official Instagram page. In addition to its known hearty breakfast burritos, the bakery added items such as chocolate rugelach, sourdough bagels, croissants and breakfast sandwiches.

Global Surfing Association to Leave Santa Monica, Lists Main Street Office Space

The Association’s New Location Is Set to Be Ready by November

By Zach Armstrong

The office headquarters of professional surfing association World Surf League, located in Santa Monica at 145 – 147 Bay St. & 1920 Main St., is on the market for just over $14 million according to a listing from Beitler Commercial Realty.

Built in 1913, a total of 17,687 square feet ecompasses both two-story buildings. Featured amenities include partitioned offices, a security system, a conferencing facility and air conditioning. “Ideally situated a block away from the Santa Monica Beach along major Main St in

Downtown Santa Monica, the property gives way to unmatched walkability and excellent access to transit, including the Metro Expo Line, Pacific Coast Highway and the 10 Freeway.” the listing states.

According to Surfer, the listing comes as WSL is set to relocate its headquarters to a newly renovated space in the South Bay area. The association’s forthcoming new location is set to be ready by the end of November.

WSL is a global organization established in 1976 with regional offices across North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and EMEA. It operates akin to the NFL, MLB or Premier League for surfers with more than 180 global tours and events for wavecatching athletes. According to Beachgrit, the association was purchased by billionaire Dirk Ziff in 2013 who rebranded it from the original title of Association of Surfing Professionals to WSL two years later.

According to the listing, Ronald Kassan and Arthur Minassian are the listing agents for the Main Street property.

City Awarded for Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project

The Initiative Is Designed to Capture Stormwater, Urban Runoff, and Wastewater for Reuse

The city of Santa Monica has been honored with the 2023 Helen Putnam Award for Excellence by the League of California Cities for its Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project.

SWIP, an innovative water recycling initiative, is designed to capture stormwater, urban runoff, and wastewater for reuse, thereby providing a sustainable water supply that satisfies approximately 10 percent of the city’s water demand. This accolade recognizes SWIP as

one of the ten exceptional city projects that have significantly contributed to enhancing the quality of life and improving service delivery within their respective communities.

Situated beneath the Civic Center parking lot in Santa Monica, SWIP stands as a pioneering project that offers a sustainable and drought-resilient water supply. It plays a pivotal role in the Sustainable Water Supply Program, which aims to bolster the city’s water resiliency by fortifying local water sources.

Comprising three essential components that collaborate to yield up to 1,680 acrefeet per year of high-quality purified water, SWIP includes an advanced water treatment facility, a 1.5 million-gallon stormwater harvesting tank, and enhancements to the Santa Monica urban runoff recycling facility.

City Manager David White expressed his pride in the Water Resources division’s diligent work in bringing SWIP to life. He noted, “Santa Monica continues to lead the way in innovation around sustainability, and the SWIP is a supreme example that

will benefit the community for years to come. The SWIP brings us that much closer to water self-sufficiency and also frees up water resources in the region, easing the burden on everyone. This is the kind of sustainable innovation that California needs, and we’re so excited to set this example.”

The League of California Cities, a nonprofit organization dedicated to safeguarding and expanding local control

for cities through education and advocacy, established the Helen Putnam Award for Excellence in 1982. This award recognizes California cities for their outstanding achievements that have led to lower costs or more efficient service delivery. Out of 142 submissions this year, ten cities were selected for their programs, with Santa Monica’s SWIP project prominently featured as a standout example.

Lebanese Art Collectors List Renovated Santa Monica Estate for $33 Million

Constructed in the Early 1980s by Peter Choate, the Dwelling Is Nestled Within a Gated Parcel of Over Half an Acre of Land.

Seven years after a Lebanese artcollecting couple acquired a sprawling Los Angeles estate for just over $16 million, the partners have opted to place their California architectural-style outpost in Santa Monica back on the market, this time with an asking price of $33 million, The Robb Report reported.

Originally constructed and conceived in the early 1980s by the late starchitect Peter Choate, the recently renovated dwelling is nestled within a gated parcel that spans over half an acre of land. The property encompasses six bedrooms and seven bathrooms, with nearly 9,300 square feet of sun-drenched living space. The interior boasts high vaulted ceilings, expansive skylights, and ample space to showcase cherished artwork. Floor-

to-ceiling glass walls seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor spaces, offering scenic views of the Riviera Country Club golf course and the Santa Monica Mountains, according to Robb Report.

Notable features include an open-concept

great room, with a living area featuring a striking book-matched stone fireplace that soars to the ceiling. The room also encompasses a dining space and multiple seating areas. The gourmet kitchen is equipped with marble countertops, a spacious

eat-in island, premium stainless steel appliances, and an adjoining breakfast nook. The expansive master retreat includes a walkin closet and a luxurious bathroom featuring dual vanities, a soothing soaking tub, and a sleek glass-enclosed shower.

Free “Masters of Dance” Workshops and Classes Open by SMC

It Features a Lineup of Master Classes and Educational Workshops Led by Accomplished Dance Professionals

The Santa Monica College Dance Department kicks off its Fall 2023 Masters of Dance series, featuring a lineup of master classes and educational workshops led by accomplished dance professionals.

The series commences on October 5 with Ido Tadmor guiding a ballet technique class, focusing on core strengthening and transitions, followed by contemporary ballet phrase work.

The Masters of Dance workshops are open to the public, free of charge, and individuals can participate as active attendees or observers. Seating availability is limited and operates on a first-come, first-served basis.

The workshops will be conducted in Room CPC 304 at the SMC Core Performance Center (CPC), situated on the main SMC Campus at 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica.

The Fall 2023 Masters of Dance schedule is as follows:

• October 5 at 12:30 p.m.: Ido Tadmor: “Ballet and Contemporary Phrasework” — CPC 304 (main SMC Campus, 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica). Esteemed Israeli dancer Ido Tadmor leads a ballet technique class emphasizing core strengthening and transitions, followed by contemporary

ballet phrase work. Tadmor, renowned as a choreographer and judge in professional dance competitions, previously served as the Artistic Director of the Israeli National Ballet and performed as a principal dancer with acclaimed companies like Bat Dor Dance Company, Bat Sheva Dance Company, Scapino Ballet Rotterdam, and Lar Lubovitch Dance Company. He has collaborated with distinguished choreographers including Hans Van Mannen, Ohad Naharin, Alvin Ailey, Vladimir Vassiliev, and Robert North. This event is free and presented in partnership with the SMC Associates and SMC Dance Department.

• October 17 at 10:15 a.m.: Jillian Meyers: “Making and Moving for the Camera” — CPC 304 (main SMC Campus, 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica). Emmynominated choreographer and dancer Jillian Meyers leads a master class that explores the

tools and techniques crucial for capturing dance effectively with a camera, whether as a choreographer or dancer. Meyers has an extensive background in commercial, stage, film, and site-specific performance, having choreographed Hozier’s “Work Song” and danced on numerous Janet Jackson tours. She also served as an assistant choreographer for the award-winning film “La La Land” and recently contributed to the NBC series “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” as an episodic co-choreographer. Meyers embraces various artistic disciplines in her innovative project “The Seaweed Sisters.” This event is free and presented in partnership with the SMC Associates and SMC Dance Department.

• October 26 at 12:30 p.m.: Holly Johnston: “Responsive Body: Movement for Radical Joy + Body Liberation” — CPC 304 (main SMC Campus, 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica). Holly Johnston leads

an exploration of the Responsive Body’s approach to movement, emphasizing social bonding, sensational pleasure, and radical joy through the RB Movement Map, which energizes dance expressions. Johnston is the visionary behind Responsive Body, a social movement and body liberation practice. She has received recognition as a Choreographic Fellow at the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography (MANCC), an ODC/Dance Company Theater Artist in Residence, and a SCUBA National Touring Artist. Her podcast, “A Space To Be,” delves into topics spanning culture, politics, embodiment, creativity, history, and shared futures. Johnston also collaborates with Contra-Tiempo Activist Dance Theater, contributing as a human performance systems and production ecologist. This event is free and presented in partnership with the SMC Associates and SMC Dance Department.

City Will Pay 200 Local Residents to Rely on One Car

The Program Will Assist in the New One-Car Lifestyle With Other Benefits

By Zach Armstrong

To incentivize a future with less traffic jams and more sustainable transportation, the City of Santa Monica will pay local residents if they can depend on just one car.

The “One Car Challenge” pilot program, set to start in November, will pay 200 Santa Monicans with weekly stipends totaling $599 each. Participants must own at least two vehicles in their household and be 21 years of age or older. The program will assist in the new one-car lifestyle with benefits such as a $50 TAP card for Big Blue Bus rides and up to ten free rides on the Metro Bike Share program.

Applications must be made by Friday, Oct. 6 and can be made at lametro.trucash.com.

The incentivization is part of the $1.3-million Travel Rewards Research Pilot Project from LA Metro established in 2020. With partners such as the Harvard School of Business and the the Duke Center for Advanced Hindsight, the project aims to test effective ways to convince travelers to substitute driving with transit, ridesharing, walking, bicycling or telecommuting.

Los Angeles County is no stranger to pollution-heavy traffic congestion, and this is just the latest effort from Santa Monica to help change that. As of last month, the City seeked to establish a grant-funded voucher program that would give up to $2,000 to low-income Santa Monica residents for an e-bike.

Beloved Roosevelt Elementary Teacher Kitty Donohoe Leaves a Legacy of Inspiration

Longtime Educator Remembered for 35 Years of Dedication to Roosevelt Community

By Gail Pinsker

The Santa Monica – Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) has announced that one of the district’s beloved teachers has passed. The press release states, “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Mary Catherine (Kitty) Donohoe, a cherished educator at Roosevelt Elementary who bravely fought a battle against cancer. Kitty dedicated her remarkable 35-year teaching career to Roosevelt, leaving an enduring impact on students, families, colleagues, and the entire Roosevelt community.

Kitty’s unwavering commitment to education led her to teach 2nd grade at Roosevelt Elementary in September 1988, where she continued to inspire young minds until her retirement in June 2023. Her retirement was celebrated at a school board meeting alongside other 2023 retirees, highlighting her exceptional contributions to education. A passage from the celebration reads:

“Mary Catherine, known as Kitty, was hired in September 1988 to teach 2nd grade at Roosevelt Elementary. Today, you will find her still at Roosevelt, currently teaching 2nd grade, retiring after 35 years with the District. She actually has been in SMMUSD even longer, as she did some of her student teaching at Franklin.

Kitty creates a positive and supportive community in her classroom. She is successful at reaching each student and fostering an environment where all students are comfortable taking risks. Kitty is especially skilled at teaching writing, and her writing lessons engage students in problem-solving and critical thinking. A life-long learner, she continually challenges herself.

She is also a gifted artist who brings a wide range of artistic talents to her classroom. Fun facts: Kitty recently had a children’s book published, “How to Ride a Dragonfly” – congratulations! Secondly, all those years ago, Kitty was offered, and almost accepted, a job with Culver City USD. She postponed responding just long enough to receive an offer from SMMUSD – and we are

grateful that she did!”

Kitty’s passing leaves an irreplaceable void in the Roosevelt school community and SMMUSD, where her absence will be deeply felt by all who had the privilege of knowing her. Our hearts go out to Kitty’s family, friends, and former students, whose lives she touched in profound ways. We mourn the loss of an extraordinary individual and offer our thoughts and prayers to her loved ones during this challenging time. A memorial service to honor Kitty will take place on November 11, 2023, at 11 a.m. at St. Monica’s Church, located at 725 California Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90403. A reception will follow the service.

For those wishing to send cards or notes of condolence to her husband, Homi Hormasji, please use the following address: Homi Hormasji, 1909 Pelham Avenue Unit 106, Los Angeles, CA 90025

Kitty’s enduring message to her fellow educators shared on her social media, serves as an inspirational reminder of her dedication: “To all of my educator friends, I paraphrase Christa McCauliffe‘I teach; I touch the future.’ Thank you, Roosevelt families and friends! Thank you, teachers- you touch the future!”

Beautiful Quartz Countertops Are Hurting Workers and Should Be Banned

Quartz countertops are super popular because they’re tough and can handle stains, scratches, and heat. But there’s a big problem: the people who make these countertops are getting sick and even dying from lung diseases when they’re still young.

Engineered quartz countertops are created by mixing crushed quartz stone with resin and dyes, giving them a stunning appearance that many people love. However, it’s crucial to know that these countertops have a lot more silica than countertops made from natural materials like granite or marble or even synthetic materials like plastic laminate or solid surfacing (made from minerals like marble mixed with acrylic, resins, and pigments).

The high silica content in quartz countertops can be extremely harmful to the health of those who work with them. Many of these workers are low-income immigrants who often don’t have health insurance. They are typically employed in small workshops in the Los Angeles area that may have poor working conditions and lack safety certifications. These slabs are in extremely widespread use, and it is time for Santa Monica to consider banning this product.

In the past decade, doctors discovered that workers cutting and fabricating countertops from these materials often develop a serious lung disease called silicosis, sometimes referred to as “black lung” in the context of coal mining—an illness caused by breathing in tiny pieces of silica. Silicosis makes you cough a lot, get out of breath, feel tired, lose weight, and it scars your lungs. It may increase your risk of developing serious conditions such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and kidney disease. A large percentage of victims die from the illness. California—and Los Angeles County in particular—is the epicenter of this problem in the U.S. A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of California,

San Francisco, UCLA, and the California Department of Public Health revealed that between 2019 and 2022, 52 engineered stone workers in California were diagnosed with silicosis; 51 of them were Latino immigrants. Among these patients, 20 had advanced-stage silicosis, and tragically, 10 of them have passed away. The average age of these patients was 45, and they had worked in the stone industry for about 15 years. Most of these cases are concentrated in the Los Angeles area. But the problem is not confined to these individuals.

A co-author of the study warned that without intervention, we may witness hundreds if not thousands, more cases over the next decade because silicosis takes years to develop. Other experts are also sounding the alarm, saying that if we don’t act fast, we could see many more cases of silicosis in the coming years. They want better protection for workers, quicker diagnosis of the disease, strong safety measures in shops where countertop fabricators work, and maybe even an outright ban on quartz countertops.

The issue has been getting attention in the press, most recently last week in the Los Angeles Times, as well as LAist, Fast Company, and other publications. Cal/OSHA has taken notice. It recently began working on an emergency silica rule and launched a special enforcement program to address this problem. And the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has instructed the director of Public Health to prepare a report outlining options for banning the sale, fabrication, and installation of silica-based stone countertops in the county.

All of these measures, while noteworthy, will take a long time to produce real, effective, life-saving action. Reports, studies, and committees will do their thing, but in the meantime, demand for these countertops continues to grow, including in many new projects under construction in Santa Monica, and workers with few protections continue to get sick.

An example of such a worker is the case described in the recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine of Leobardo SeguraMeza, a Mexican immigrant who arrived in the

U.S. in 2012 and found work as a stone worker in Los Angeles. Despite taking precautions like wearing a mask and using tools to reduce dust exposure, he was diagnosed with silicosis at the age of 27 in February 2022. Since then, he has relied on an oxygen tank, can no longer provide for his wife and three children, and is on a waiting list for a lung transplant. He recently told the California OSH Safety Board that two of his former co-workers had died waiting for transplants and that he’s worried about running out of time before a lung transplant becomes available for him.

Santa Monica can do its part to help save the health and lives of these stone workers. Our city can take concrete steps to make sure these workers stay safe, and one key option is to ban high-silica materials in projects built within city limits. This would significantly reduce the health risks these workers face. The city can enact an emergency ordinance requiring planning officials to prohibit these materials when they approve building permits, force builders to certify that these materials are not being used, and require code-enforcement officials to visit construction sites to make sure the ban is carried out.

The city will encounter stiff opposition from industry supporters who fear job losses and economic problems if high-silica materials, such as quartz countertops, are banned. They have already argued that better safety measures and equipment can protect workers without the need for a ban. However, as Cal/OSHA has noted, most employers in this industry, and particularly small businesses, are unable or unwilling to use well-recognized engineering and work practices that could help reduce illness due to silicosis, a fact that was evident during a special program to help reduce this problem in 2019 and 2020, during which the agency observed widespread non-compliance with the rules.

New rules are coming both in L.A. County and the State of California. The process of passing those rules will take considerable time. But in the meantime, countertop workers with few resources and little health insurance continue to get sick and even die from the cutting, sawing, and sanding of these materials.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

FILE NUMBER: 2023 213660 ORIGINAL FILING This statement was filed with the County Clerk of LOS ANGELES ON 09/29/2023. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as 1. VONBERGE CRE. The full name of registrant(s) is/are:

Other, far less damaging countertop materials, just as beautiful and durable, are widely available. The city of Santa Monica has shown that it can act nimbly when the occasion calls for it.

The occasion is calling. The city must act now.

Daniel Jansenson, Architect, Building and Fire-Life Safety Commission, for S.M.art (Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow).

Thane Roberts, Architect, Robert H. Taylor AIA; Dan Jansenson, Architect, Building and Fire-Life Safety Commission; Samuel Tolkin Architect, Planning Commissioner; Mario Fonda-Bonardi, AIA; Michael Jolly, AIR CRE.

includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING:

Date: 10/13/23 | Time: 8:30AM | Dept: K

A copy of this ORDER to SHOW CAUSE shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: SANTA MONICA MIRROR | Dated: October 6, 2023

Judge Lawrence Cho Published: 09/15/23, 09/22/23, 09/29/23, and 10/6/23

Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow

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