S A N TA M O N I C A
INSIDE
Source of Washed Up Needles in Venice Unknown
REFLECTING THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY smmirror.com
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November 15 – 21, 2019 Volume XXII, Issue 17
Weaving Through LA Traffic on ‘Motorcycle’ Santa Monica-based Split cutting through traffic on a three-wheeled motorcycle By Keldine Hull California is the only state to allow motorcyclists to “lane split” and a new company founded in Santa Monica is taking advantage of this by offering a ridesharing service where passengers ride on the back of a three-wheeled motorcycle weaving through LA traffic. David Masoulf, co-founder of Split Rides LLC, created the service known as “Split” to address the frustration he felt when trying to get to and from Santa Monica from Downtown Los Angeles. “You don’t want to go 10 miles on a Lime bike or scooter. Whenever I get in the back of an Uber, the car always gets stuck in traffic,” Masoulf explained. “And so there really wasn’t a
fast way to get around at all. We were basically asking the question, ‘how do we get a fast way to get across town that’s also safe and affordable?’” A Split ride from Santa Monica to Downtown at 6 p.m. on a Tuesday, November 12 cost $22 while a shared Lyft ride cost $30 and a normal Lyft cost $42 at the same time. According to Masoulf, safety is one of the top priorities when hiring drivers. “We have better drivers than Lyft or Uber, and a lot of that comes down to how you actually choose the drivers,” Masoulf explained. “First of all, all the drivers are over 25 years old. Even though the vehicles themselves don’t require a motorcycle license, we require a motorcycle license. They have to an in-person interview.” Masoulf added that drivers must have clean records, with no accidents within the last five years or DUI’s. “On top of that, they have to complete a driving test,” Masoulf continued. “We have to see how they actually handle the vehicles. There’s a lot of things we’re doing with vetting the driv-
WEAVE, see page 7
A Split motorcycle on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica.
Photo: Sam Catanzaro
Samohi Students Win International Environmental Competition Team Marine takes first place in Bow Seat Marine Debris Creative Advocacy Competition By Chad Winthrop Team Marine, a student-run environmental research and advocacy organization at Santa Monica High School (Samohi) recently won first place in the international Bow Seat Marine Debris Creative Advocacy Competition, bringing home $5,000. “Our team learned so many critical skills and lessons during this year-long project and we are so excited to continue and broaden our activism efforts. We look forward to working with new and existing partners in the future,” Anastasia Shakh-
idzhanova, co-captain of Team Marine, said. “We are so grateful to Bow Seat for their ongoing support of youth and the plastic-free movement. Their programs consistently bring light to the plastic pollution problem, an environmental issue that is often overlooked.” The students involved were Shakhidzhanova, Siri Storstein-Norgaard, Ansel Garcia-Langley, Isabel Homberg Reissmeier, Nikita Bahadur, Jay Cho, Kian Taheri, Lilly Chertock, Catherine Todd, Karina Wisen and Daniel Thurmond. “So stoked for this crew of eco-warriors. It’s another youth win for ecosystems and the planet. Now, for the adults to join the movement” Team Marine advisor and Samohi science teacher Benjamin Kay said. Bow Seat launched this annual competition in 2016 with support from a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program. Team Marine’s
campaign consisted of a multifaceted approach targeting three local stakeholders: Samohi students, their district’s board of education and Santa Monica community members. “This project taught me that creativity is the best way to get individuals to rethink their habits and become guardians of our planet,” Isabel Homberg Reissmeier, co-captain of Team Marine, said. Team Marine launched their project in response to the copious amount of single-use plastics they found in their local storm drain that empties into the Santa Monica Bay, recognizing that the solution must come from both individuals and governing bodies. However, plastic pollution and climate crises continue and Team Marine urges governments to continue adopting progressive environmental legislation. During the 2017-2018 school year, Team Ma-
STUDENTS, see page 17
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