S A N TA M O N I C A
REFLECTING THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY
smmirror.com
February 12 – February 18, 2021 Volume LXXV, Issue 80
INSIDE FPCC RULES ON CONFLICT OF INTEREST PAGE 4
Santa Monica Teen Dies From Fentanyl Overdose After Contacted by Dealer on Snapchat Mother says to “please watch your kids” after tragic incident By Sam Catanzaro
“Please watch your kids,” says the Santa Monica mother of a 16-year-old who recently died from a fentanyl overdose after a drug dealer contacted her son–a straight-A student getting ready for college–via Snapchat. On Sunday, February 7, a 16-year-old boy died from a fentanyl overdose in his Santa Monica home. According to the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD), around 4:24 p.m. officers and paramedics responded to the house on the 1700 block of Yale Street to find the teenager unconscious and not breathing. “Despite paramedic’s efforts, the minor was pronounced a short time after,” said SMPD Lieutenant Rudy Flores. Flores noted”a preliminary investigation leads us to believe prescription drug use may have been involved,” a statement confirmed by the boy’s mother. “My beautiful boy is gone. 16 years old. Sheltering at home. A drug dealer connected with him on Snapchat and gave him fentanyl laced Xanax or Percocet (toxicology will tell) and he overdosed in his room,” said Dr. Laura Berman, mother of 16-year-old Samuel Berman Chapman. “We watched him so closely. Straight A student. Getting ready for college. Experimentation gone bad. He got the drugs delivered to the house.” Dr. Berman, a leading relationship expert
Photo: Sam Catanzaro
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and sex therapist, is advising parents to monitor their childrens’ social media activity to prevent such tragedies. “They do this because it hooks people even more and is good for business but it causes overdose and the kids don’t know what they are taking. My heart is completely shattered and I am not sure how to keep breathing. I
post this now only so that not one more kid dies,” Dr. Berman said. “Please watch your kids and WATCH SNAPCHAT especially. That’s how they get them.” A Snap Spokesperson, when reached for comment, said the company was “heartbroken” by the passing of the boy and is working with law enforcement. “Our deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of Samuel Berman Chapman and we are heartbroken by his passing,” the spokesperson said. “We are committed to working together with law enforcement in this case and in all instances where Snapchat is used for illegal purposes. We have zero-tolerance for using Snapchat to buy or sell illegal drugs. Using Snapchat for illegal purposes is firmly against our community guidelines and we enforce against these violations. We are constantly improving our technological capabilities to detect drug-related activity so that we can intervene proactively.”
Photo: Courtesy Dr. Laura Berman
Dr. Laura Berman and her son Samuel Berman Chapman who recently died from an overdose.
Dealer on Snapchat, see page 9
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FPCC Rules Councilmember Has No Financial Conflict of Interest Surrounding Voting Rights Case
California’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPCC) has ruled that a Santa Monica lawmaker does not have a financial conflict of interest surrounding a voting rights case brought against the city by his wife, but did not weigh-in on whether he had a common law conflict. The case, filed by plaintiffs Pico Neighborhood Association, Maria Loya and Advocates for Malibu Public Schools, alleges that Santa Monica’s at-large election system dilutes Latino voting power in violation of the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) and discriminates against Latino voters in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the California Constitution.
financial conflict). In the end, Council voted 4-2 with one abstention to exclude de la Torre from participation in any closed session or confidential conversation concerning the CRVA lawsuit and voting on any decisions relating to the case. During the meeting, Cardona said that the City was at the time awaiting guidance from California’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPCC) on the matter. Cardona noted, however, the agency would likely not advise on Common Law conflicts “unless they were to break from their past practice.” A week after the council’s decision, the FPCC responded to the city’s request for guidance. Citing California’s Political Reform Act and Government Code section 1090, the agency opined that neither of these statues “prohibits Councilmember de la Torre from participating in governmental decisions relating to the City’s pending litigation, including a potential settlement agreement, where his spouse is a named plaintiff.” The commission did not, however, weigh in on whether de la Torre has a common law conflict on interest. “Please note that we are only providing advice under the Act and Section 1090, not under other general conflict of interest prohibitions such as common law conflict of interest,” the FPCC wrote. At the January 26 City Council, this was a
Photo: Sam Catanzaro
Oscar del la Torre speaking at a 2018 rally outside City Hall protesting the City’s decision to appeal in a voting right’s case.
central topic of contention during a nearly twohour debate. Mayor Sue Himmelrich at the meeting compared the situation to the football game in explaining why she believed de la Torre should be excluded from the discussions. “It’s like a football game,” Himmelich said. “If I am going into a huddle to my last charge towards the goal line, I am not inviting the coach for the other team into my strategy session about the play I am about to call. It just not make sense. Similarly, I would never be asking Maria Loya or PNA to attend their sessions with their lawyer Mr. [Kevin] Shenkman to
Oscar, see page 7
DIGITAL ARCHIVING • VIDEO • PHOTO • SLIDE • FILM
424-255-8994 BUSINESS
By Sam Catanzaro
In a 2019 ruling, the Los Angeles Superior Court Judge ordered that all future elections for seats on the Santa Monica City Council be based on a seven-district map drawn by an expert for the plaintiffs, including a 30 percent Latino district. The City then appealed this decision. In July 2020, the California 2nd District Court of Appeal ruled in favor of the city saying that Latinos, who account for 14 percent of Santa Monica’s electorate, lack the numbers to win an election in the 30 percent Latino district ordered by the county. After the Appeals Court rejected a petition for a hearing, the plaintiffs filed their case with the California Supreme Court. On October 21 the Supreme Court took up the case, depublishing the Appellate Court ruling. The court has granted the City an extension until March 22 to file its answer brief on the appeal’s merits. At the January 26 Santa Monica City Council meeting, lawmakers voted on whether Councilmember Oscar de la Torre can participate in discussions and decisions relating to the case. De la Torre’s wife is plaintiff Maria Loya and until November 2020 he served on the Pico Neighborhood Association’s board. Santa Monica Interim City Attorney George Cardona, in a staff report, recommended that the Council decide de la Torre has a Common Law conflict of interest (as opposed to a
LOCAL
State commission rules Councilmember Oscar de la Torre does not have a financial conflict of interest in voting rights case
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February 12 – February 18, 2021
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February 12 – February 18, 2021
OPINION
The Promenade – Leaving the Past to Reimagine its Future SMa.r.t. Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow
PART I
This week the City Council started discussing the next move for the Santa Monica Promenade, our beleaguered and onetime downtown city jewel. Beset by collapsing sales, contagious vacancies, safety and sanitation issues, the onetime city jewel has lost its luster. In its current status report, the city notes that nearly 40% of The Promenade’s storefronts are vacant, with over 60% of these vacancies (24% of total vacancies) predating the onset of Covid-19. The picture is arguably no better at the southern anchor of Santa Monica Place (SM Place). The departure of Bloomingdales will expand the current 11% floorspace vacancy rate to over 30%. But this is a movie we have seen before. We are in the second decline cycle for The Promenade (originally known as the Santa Monica Mall). Primarily due to the City’s reactionary downtown business strategy, the business cycles of SM Place and The Promenade have been fortuitously counter-cyclical since 1965. Now, for the first time, downtown Santa Monica is experiencing simultaneous declines at both the Promenade and SM Place. However, this problem creates new opportunities. Pre-Promenade Prior to closing off 3rd Street in 1965 to automobile traffic, the area’s shops were an integral part of the resident com-munity’s daily routine. The former Barnes and Noble on 3rd and Wilshire was a Ralphs grocery market while the former GAP building was the first home of Busy Bee Hardware. Promenade 1.0 Launched in 1965, the first Promenade decline started in the 1970s. The opening of Santa Monica Place in 1980 was a key initiative to revitalize the downtown shopping area. However, the SM Place plan did not integrate the Promenade, accelerating its decline. A rebound plan was launched in 1984 with a strategy to create a new entertainmentcentric destination to harness the interest of a broad range of clientele built around broad cuisine choice and the magnet of anchor movie theaters sur-rounded by design esthetics of dinosaur topiaries, kiosks, new lights etc. The strategy set it apart from Santa Monica Place and made it a complimentary destination. Promenade 2.0
Photo: Sam Catanzaro
“The Promenade’s product offerings and overall experience have not provided a compelling daily utility value to residents. Moreover, the product offerings and pricing related to these externally generated tourist and visitor traffic segments has disconnected the residents’ sense of belonging to the Promenade specifically and downtown generally,” writes SMa.r.t in their latest Column.
Reopening in 1989 as the renamed the Santa Monica Promenade, it became a vibrant and successful outdoor pedestrian mall and planners flocked to see what the secret sauce was that Santa Monica had deployed. The Bayside District Corporation (later DTSM) choreographed regular business-enhancing events and it had free or inexpensive parking structures nearby. Combined with the ambiance of its charming intact historical intact façades (W.T Grant, J.C. Penney), it felt like an authentic main street. Note: Historical buildings sell authenticity and can create value which must remain an integral part of any new design. While there may not have been any single reason for its success in the early years of the newly revamped corridor, its opening coincided with a constellation of positive developments (for Santa Monica). Local outdoor competition in the form of Westwood Village unexpectedly collapsed in the early 90s. Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, which started the ritzy wave on the shore, opened in 1989. Shutters opened in 1993 followed later by Casa del Mar and Le Merigot Santa Monica Beach Hotel, both debuting around 2000. Citywide tourist visitors numbered 3M in 2000
and grew by 6% annually. By 2018 the citywide tourist visits had increased 180% to 8.4M annually. City-wide tourist spend in 2016 was $1.87 billion with the Promenade accounting for approximately 10% of the total. But trouble was brewing. The success of the Promenade coincided with the onset of slow decline of Santa Monica Place. In 2010, SM Place was relaunched as an openair mall featuring an open-air courtyard, upscale shops and a top floor food court. The relaunch also formally included the mall as an “integrated component” of the Promenade. Traffic strains persisted, and the Arc Light theater was retrofitted to SM Place, opening on November 15, 2015. The Promenade now had direct competition for a movie destination attraction within a couple city blocks. This business ecosystem reached its apogee around 2015. A 2018 study by DTSM found that business spend (not traffic) was driven by a triad of distinct customer segments: Regional visitors from across Greater Los Angeles (45%), Tourists (41% of spend), with Residents (14%) bringing up the rear. But lasting success was elusive. Sales at the Promenade declined 10% between
2015 and 2018, from $484 million to $435 million. The Promenade had become so successful that rents soared, eventually choking out the original small local and family run businesses that had provided so much charm and diversity. Meanwhile, accelerating trends in online shopping, streaming video services and food-delivery apps challenged traditional business models in each area. Eventually even big businesses such as Borders (2009), Barnes and Noble (2017), Banana Republic (2019) and Gap (2019) succumbed. Parallel Declines Unlike prior business cycle declines, both SM Place and the Promenade are in parallel declines, primarily driven by their convergent business models and consumer segments. Not only are the business models of destination anchor tenants (movies and large box retail) in both locations simultaneously under severe strain by fundamental consumer trend changes, one of the two most profitable consumer traffic flows, tourists, has all but evaporated. Adding to the challenges of a collapse in business fundamentals is the significantly increased adjacent high-quality competition
SMa.r.t, see page 11
February 12 – February 18, 2021
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OPINION: Councilmember Davis on Miramar Recusal By Gleam Davis, City Councilmember Prior to any receiving any inquiry from any member of the public, I timely sought an opinion regarding whether I had a potential conflict of interest regarding the Miramar development agreement that was set for hearing on September 29, 2020. Upon receiving a preliminary opinion from the FPPC that I had a potential conflict, I followed the FPPC’s direction and recused myself from the September 29 hearing regarding the Miramar and the second
Oscar, from page 4 discuss what their strategy is going to be on this case where they are opponents. And we cannot look at this like the litigation is identical to the issue of district elections. They are separate issues. We can discuss district elections, what they should look like, whether we should have them, whether we need other charter reform with Oscar de la Torre in the room, you know at the table, and discussing all of that.” In response to these points, de la Torre argued at the meeting that his connection to the case is no different than other Councilmembers
reading of the development agreement ordinance regarding the Miramar. About a month after the Miramar hearings, I received a final opinion from the FPPC that was substantially similar to its preliminary decision. I immediately provided a copy of the FPPC’s Final Order to the Interim City Attorney. As the Miramar hearings were completed and I had recused myself from those hearings, I saw no reason to take any further action. As there seems to be some confusion
Gleam OpEd, see page 9
participating in areas that they are passionate about. “I care deeply about voting rights of minorities in Santa Monica and California more generally. Just like Sue, everyone knows that you care deeply about affordable housing. Just like Kevin, everyone knows that you care about environmental issues. My wife Maria and the entire Pico Neighborhood Association board also care deeply about minority voting rights in Santa Monica. That is why in late 2015, they raised the illegality of Santa Monica’s at-large Council elections to the City Council here and the City Attorney,” de la Torre said. This is the second instance in recent months
that the FPCC has gotten involved in Santa Monica politics. In an October 16 letter, FPCC General Counsel Dave Bainbridge advised Councilmember Gleam Davis that she has a financial conflict of interest in decisions relating to the Miramar Hotel redevelopment project. Davis is married to John Prindle, a high ranking employee with Dell Technologies and Dell’s CEO Michael Dell owns the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows through his investment firm MSD Capital. According to Davis, her family did not stand to benefit financially from the Council’s approval of the Miramar expansion but still opted to recuse herself before the September 29 meeting in which
City Council approved the 502,157-square-foot redevelopment proposal with a 4-2 vote. “The [State’s Political Reform] Act would prohibit you from taking part in decisions concerning the Fairmont Miramar Hotel because it is owned by Ocean Avenue LLC, an entity which is otherwise related to a business that is a source of income to you,” Bainbridge wrote. While Davis did participate in numerous decisions relating to the Miramar expansion before her September recusal, Bainbridge noted that “nothing in this advice letter should be construed to advise about any conduct that has already taken place.”
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February 12 – February 18, 2021
Art of Recovery Projects Connect the Community and Brighten Santa Monica Streets
Rose River Memorial Project installation at Building Bridges Art Exchange, Bergamot Station Arts Center
The City of Santa Monica’s Cultural Affairs Division’s next round of Art of Recovery projects will be implemented throughout Santa Monica in the coming weeks and months. A variety of projects by Los Angeles-based artists will be unveiled and will focus on celebrating Black History Month, commemorating lives lost to COVID-19, fostering connection and sharing the experiences of physical distancing over the last year, and giving life to imagined written choreographies from inside the walls of the California Rehabilitation Center. Art of Recovery was launched in November of 2020 by Cultural Affairs as part of the City of Santa Monica’s Economic Recovery Task Force to harness the power of the arts in the City’s economic, community, and health recovery efforts by funding artistic works and creative projects that strengthen and connect Santa Monica. This month, in partnership with Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM), public art
installations created by local Black artists will celebrate Black History Month by honoring the Black experience and contributions made by African-Americans and those of African descent on Third Street Promenade. Three art installations by A Brilliant Dummy, SHpLinton, and Mira Gandy will highlight the history, diversity, achievements, and creativity of Santa Monica’s Black community and will be on view from Wednesday, February 10 to Monday, March 12, 2021. Bergamot Station Arts Center features the art installation Rose River Memorial, a project initiated by Building Bridges Art Exchange in collaboration with other Bergamot businesses. The art project was conceived of by renowned experiential artist Marcus Lutyens. This exhibition is a collective memorial composed of felt roses made by community members. Each rose honors and acknowledges someone from the Westside of Los Angeles lost to COVID-19. Currently the exhibition is indoors only, but come March,
the exhibition will also be featured outdoors in the parking lot. The Bergamot Station Arts Center installation will become part of a national installation, planned for 2022, which will commemorate all of the American lives lost. The installation is free and open to the public by appointment. Community members are invited to contribute to the art piece by picking up a free rose making kit and making roses that will be added to the installation. To make an appointment or to collect a rose making kit, visit Building Bridges Art Exchange Rose River Memorial website. In multiple locations across the City, interactive prompts can be found painted on walkways, including the Pier and Virginia Avenue Park, with a call for creative responses via a Pass-it-On Instagram challenge. “What’s 6 Feet?”, a project by Marni Gittleman, ideator and creative consultant specializing in community engagement, is a community resiliency and recovery campaign to honor, show and share experiences of 6 feet apart, foster connection and stop the spread of COVID-19. All are invited to participate by picking a prompt, replying to it (e.g. with words, pictures, measurements, art), taking a photo of the response, then
SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case No. 21SMCP00031 Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles 1725 Main St. | Santa Monica, CA 90401 Petition of: Valeria Austin, by and through Valeria Austin for change of name. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME To all interested persons: Valeria Austin Petitioner: filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Valeria Austin to Valerie Austin The court orders that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that 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: 03/26/21 | 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: FEB., 5, 2021 Judge Lawrence Cho Published: 02/05/2021, 02/12/2021, 02/19/2021, and 02/26/2021
SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case No. 21SMCP00019 Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles 1725 Main St. | Santa Monica, CA 90401 Petition of: Bryn Nelson Derkac, by and through Grant Nelson Derkac and Rebecca Emily Nelson for change of name. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME To all interested persons: Bryn Nelson Derkac Petitioner: filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Bryn Nelson Derkac to Bryn Nelson-Derkac The court orders that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that 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: 03/05/2021 | 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: January 29, 2020 Judge Lawrence Cho Published: 01/29/2021, 02/05/2021, 02/12/2021, and 02/19/2021
SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case No. 20SMCP00440 Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles 1725 Main St. | Santa Monica, CA 90401 Petition of: Kathleen Roxanne Moroney, by and through Kathleen Roxanne Moroney for change of name. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME To all interested persons: Kathleen Roxanne Moroney Petitioner: filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Kathleen Roxanne Moroney to Kat Roxanne Moroney The court orders that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that 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: 03/05/2021 | 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: JAN. 12, 2021 Judge Lawrence Cho Published: 01/22/2021, 01/29/2021, 02/05/2021, and 02/12/2021
Third Street Promenade Black History Month art by Shplinton.
Community artist and creator of What’s 6 feet, Marni Gittleman applying the graphics
submitting it by Direct Message (DM) to @whats6feetInstagram. Participants may even see their words/art applied to 6’ apart floor stickers. Find the prompts and more details @whats6feet on Instagram. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT
FILE NUMBER: 2021 032904 ORIGINAL FILING This statement was filed with the County Clerk of LOS ANGELES ON 02/08/2021. The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as 1. Oak and Stone Mobile Notary. The full name of registrant(s) is/are: Oak and Stone Mobile Notary, 1741 Penmar Ave., Venice, Ca. 90291. This business is conducted by An Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 02/08/2021. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime). Signed Alexandra Runnels. This Statement was filed with the County Clerk of LOS ANGELES County on Feb. 08, 2021. NOTICE: IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920, WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE). SANTA MONICA MIRROR to publish 02/12/2021, 02/19/2021, 02/26/2021, and 03/05/2021
SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case No. 21SMCP00041 Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles 1725 Main St. | Santa Monica, CA 90401 Petition of: Karey Ann Richard, by and through Karey Ann Richard for change of name. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME To all interested persons: Karey Anne Richard Petitioner: filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Karey Ann Richard to Karey Anne Richard The court orders that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that 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: 04/09/21 | 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: Feb., 12, 2021 Judge Lawrence Cho Published: 02/12/2021, 02/19/21, 02/26/2021, and 03/05/2021
February 12 – February 18, 2021
Dealer on Snapchat, from page 1 When asked if the company, which is
based on Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa
Monica, is providing the SMPD with
the info surrounding the suspect, the spokesperson said on background that Snap
Gleam OpEd, from page 7 about it, here is the relevant timeline of the issue: In April, 2012, when the Miramar float up was first heard by council, my husband was not an employee of Dell Technologies or any of its subsidiaries. After the first Miramar hearing, in the summer of 2012, my husband began a new job with Sonicwall. After my husband joined Sonicwall, Sonicwall was purchased by Dell Technologies. Thus, he never was hired directly by Dell Technolgies but became indirectly employed by Dell through his job at Sonicwall. Between 2012 and 2020, the Council was not asked to make any decisions regarding the Miramar project. As a result, there was
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is actively assisting the Santa Monica police department with their investigation to help them track down the perpetrator. SMPD Lt. Flores, when asked if the department is working with Snap as part of its investigation, said “detectives are in the process of reviewing all the evidence and will obtain the required records by way of a
Search Warrant when necessary.” In the wake of Sam’s death, Dr. Berman has created a Facebook group for any parent who has lost a child to drug addiction or overdose “I have been inundated with stories heartbreakingly similar to mine and felt this a time we need to come together to support
one another,” Dr. Berman said. “Together,
no need for me to ask for an opinion as to whether or not I had a conflict and would need to recuse myself from participating in any hearing to approve the Miramar. From 2012 through the present, my husband’s employment with Sonicwall, or Dell Technologies, or one of its subsidiaries was fully disclosed on my annual Form 700 filed with the City. My husband does not know Michael Dell, and his compensation at Sonicwall or Dell Technologies was not and is not in any way affected by the City’s decision on the Miramar project. After the Planning Commission approved the Miramar project in 2020 and I knew that it would come before Council, I asked the Interim City Attorney for an opinion regarding the potential presence of a conflict. At that time, no member of the public ever had raised the issue of a
potential conflict with me. After I had asked the Interim City Attorney for his opinion regarding the conflict, I received an inquiry about a potential conflict from a member of the public and I told her that I already had asked for an opinion from the City Attorney and that I would abide by that decision. After that, I received several more inquiries as to whether I would recuse myself from the matter and I told everyone that I had asked for an opinion from the Interim City Attorney and would abide by his decision. As I said in my statement of recusal on the night of the hearing on the Miramar, the Interim City Attorney did not believe that I had a conflict but he did suggest that I ask the FPPC for an opinion. I did so and, prior to the hearing on the
Miramar, I received a preliminary opinion from the FPPC that I had a potential conflict. Based on that FPPC opinion, I recused myself from the initial hearing of the Miramar Development Agreement and from the second reading of the Development Agreement ordinance. About a month after the hearing, I received a final opinion stating that I had a conflict. I provided a copy of that opinion to the Interim City Attorney but, as it was consistent with the preliminary FPPC opinion and there were no further Miramar hearings scheduled, I didn’t see a need to publicize the final decision. Should any further items relating to the Miramar come before council, I will recuse myself from them consistent with the FPPC’s opinion.
we can find the strength and answer to make
a change. Let’s combine our voices to make a change.” More
information
here:
www.facebook.com/groups/ parentsunitedagainstdrugadditctiondeath/
Santa Monica Community Members: We want to hear from you! Share your Input on Community Priorities by February 28 santamonica.gov/priorities
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FILM REVIEW: BLISS
February 12 – February 18, 2021
Rated R 103 Minutes Released February 5th on Amazon Prime
BEHIND THE SCREEN
Commercial and Residential
By Kathryn Whitney Boole
Servicing Southern California since 1996
Do you find that when return home from travels to another place, you are able to more clearly see the day to day world that you live in? This is the underlying concept of Bliss, and certainly a theme that should play out beautifully in cinematic literature. In this film, director/writer Mike Cahill takes the concept and runs with it, in loops, circles, through different dimensions. The main thread of the movie keeps getting pulled out from under you like an unraveling sweater. You will tend to be as confused as the main character, “Greg Wittle,” who is played earnestly and thoughtfully by the always-fascinating Owen Wilson. The main reason to spend 103 minutes with this movie is to watch the performances of Wilson and of Salma Hayek, whose character, “Isabel,” is a tour guide of sorts, on this tangled deconstructed trip through layers of existence. Nesta Cooper as Wittle’s daughter is excellent as well. Deconstructed, the film has some exquisite scenes and wisps of great dialogue that rise out of nowhere and then are gobbled up by the ether. “I don’t know if it’s real. It has a feeling… the feeling’s real,” Greg muses. Wilson is at his best when he is allowed to show the vulnerability of his character. He is a tightrope walker on the thin line between comedy and tragedy. Wilson’s performance transcends the flatness of the movie in flashes. He brings the feeling to the film, but it’s not enough to pull the whole movie together. There is a scene toward the end of the film, a continuous long shot, where
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he walks silently through a homeless encampment and his face shows disbelief, fear, and the acknowledgment that he might be a part of this world. Had director Cahill used the emotional quality of this scene as a definitive style for the film, it might have worked. The relationship between Greg and Isabel seems strangely distant. There is a discernable disconnect between the two which I believe is deliberate. Greg is having trouble finding a commitment to being in this universe, and they are isolated from the worlds they inhabit. Therefore an emotional gap exists between the two. Since Cahill meant to leave the audience with a dilemma about which world was real,
Bliss, see page 11
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February 12 – February 18, 2021
Bliss, from page 10 the elite environment should have been rendered in more detail. The bright sunlit world could have been more emphatic if the venue had more of a spacious, peaceful feeling. The Sci-Fi scenes were simplistic and childlike. The director could have used the power of cinema better to envelope his audience in the experience of both worlds with a consistent style. There is satire in the beginning, in that Greg works at a “help desk” company called Technical Difficulties, but that ironic theme is not carried through the story. The film’s visuals, sound and editing barely touched the visceral emotions we should be drowning in. It’s missing an extraordinary sound track and score. However Bliss has
SMa.r.t, from page 6 over the past 20 years. In 1990, there were four main competitors to the Promenade, none of which were in Santa Monica. By 2020, the Promenade had 24 competitors within a 20-minute drive, five (21%) of which were within Santa Monica. The most relevant competitors are in Santa Monica, or are Santa Monica adjacent: Main Street, Montana Avenue and Abbott Kinney. Two emerging competing Santa Monica locales that have the potential to augment the Promenade experience in a welldesigned revitalization plan: 2nd Street and 4th Street. Particularly relevant to the Promenade’s revitalization are the business elements present in the successful adjacent competitors: local resident support, unique dining, local boutiques, and historic preservation. Unlike Abbot Kinney, the Promenade boasts access to ample affordable off-site parking that also serves 2nd and 4th Streets. Changing Consumer Behavior – Decline of the Traditional Destination The key revitalization challenge facing the City is understanding the impact of fundamental technology and economicdriven changes in the behavior of the Promenade’s target resident, tourist and regional visitor consumers. Theatrical movies as a destination will continue to decline. New releases dayand-date with in-home streaming services will likely further drive the movie theater experience upscale. Amenities will compensate for the diminishing theatrical exclusivity of a new title release. More new releases will be consumed at home. Still, most of these tectonic shifts are still only vaguely understood. Unlike prior cycles, there are no obvious new urban destination models emerging. Managing the Ever-Changing Consumer Mix In this environment, a substantial commitment of capital to a a vaguely
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its merits. “I feel like Salma is the storm,” says Cahill. “And Owen is the life raft. He’s the surfer in the storm you want to hold on to, as it’s going through this crazy chaos.” Wilson believes that the meaning of the story “depends on who watches it.” He believes that his character teaches us “that you have to respect other people’s choices of reality,” that we’re not living in different dimensions but we all have different definitions of “reality,” of “ideology.” 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
understood new destination model, especially by a diverse storefront ownership and lessee base, carries heightened risks. The Tourist-driven model has relied on increasingly large volumes of essentially one-time consumers of leisure and luxury products spreading spending across their stay. Regional visitors have been usually concentrated to the weekends. Both groups have produced large concentrated spikes in the City’s population that has strained safety services and increase traffic and congestion. In essence, the city’s residents have subsidized these business models with the non-monetary tax of a decline in quality of life. In contrast, resident spending on the Promenade (at 14% of the total) has only been about 30% of either tourists (41% of the total) or regional visitors (45% of the total). It’s clear that the Promenade’s product offerings and overall experience have not provided a compelling daily utility value to residents. Moreover, the product offerings and pricing related to these externally generated tourist and visitor traffic segments has disconnected the residents’ sense of belonging to the Promenade specifically and downtown generally, which is part of the non-monetary tax on residents. Meanwhile, retailers of high-utility resident-centric products such as bookstores, hardware and grocery stores have abandoned either the city center, the city overall, or both, taking the resident shopping spend with them. Next week, we will explore alternatives and opportunities for the Promenade’s new future. By Marc L. Verville and Michael Jolly for SMa.r.t. (Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow) Thane Roberts, Architect, Robert H. Taylor AIA, Ron Goldman FAIA, Architect, Dan Jansenson, Architect, Building and FireLife Safety Commission, Samuel Tolkin Architect, Mario Fonda-Bonardi, AIA, Planning Commissioner, Marc L. Verville CPA (inactive), Michael Jolly, AIRCRE.
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February 12 – February 18, 2021
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Classes start February 16 smc.edu/spring
SANTA MONICA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES Rob Rader, Chair; Dr. Louise Jaffe, Vice Chair; Dr. Susan Aminoff; Dr. Nancy Greenstein; Dr. Margaret Quiñones-Perez; Dr. Sion Roy; Barry A. Snell; Joshua Elizondo, Student Trustee; Kathryn E. Jeffery, Ph.D., Superintendent/President Santa Monica College | 1900 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 | smc.edu