Santa Monica Mirror February 19, 2021

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S A N TA M O N I C A

REFLECTING THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY

smmirror.com

INSIDE

ARMED SUSPECTS ARRESTED IN SANTA MONICA AFTER CAR AND FOOT PURSUIT

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February 19 – February 25, 2021 Volume LXXVI, Issue 81

Poll Finds Santa Monicans Think City is on Wrong Track Local anti-union watchdog group Eyes on 11 releases survey results By Sam Catanzaro

The decay we feel in Santa Monica has been years in the making,” says a councilmember in response to a recent survey in which 85 percent of respondents thought the city was on the wrong track overall. The survey, conducted by local anti-union watchdog group Eyes on 11, was a text message poll sent to around 1,000 Santa Monicans between February 10-15, with a response rate of 20 percent. Eyes on 11 say it sent the poll to “a group of civically engaged Santa Monica residents who had previously opted in to receive more information on education efforts surrounding crime and safety in their city.” Of those who responded, 85 percent stated that overall they think Santa Monica is on the wrong track. In addition, only 13 percent of

respondents said they believe the new City Council is doing an excellent or satisfactory job. “It is always interesting to see new datapoints but what this poll tells me, an eternal optimist, is that there is immense opportunity before us to rebuild our economy and to solve the challenges of housing, homelessness, public safety for all, and beyond. We encourage the community to provide comment on Tuesday for the homelessness study session and take the Community Priorities survey, which will inform City Council’s discussions at its March 13 session. We on the Council care about the perspective of our community and invite everyone to be part of creative solutions and recovery,” said Santa Monica Mayor Sue Himmelrich when reached for comment. Councilmember Phil Brock–elected in November as part of a slate of challengers who campaigned to shake up the status quo– says that change will not come overnight. “I’m not sure that residents recognize that the effort to restore and rebirth Santa Monica is a massive job. The ‘newly elected council members’ have been in office for approximately 2.5 months. The decay we feel

Santa Monica City Hall.

in Santa Monica has been years in the making.

Photo: Sam Catanzaro

Poll Feb, see page 11

DUI Suspect Released From Jail on $100K Bond After Crashing Into Santa Monica Urth Cafe 21-year-old Piper Pollard of Pacific Palisades released from custody early Saturday after last week

By Sam Catanzaro A 21-year-old Pacific Palisades DUI suspect was released from jail on a $100,000 bond after crashing her BMW into the outdoor dining area of a Santa Monica Urth Cafe. According to the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD), the incident occurred outside Urth Cafe on the 2300 block of Main Street in Santa Monica Friday around 8 p.m. when a BMW sedan crashed into the al fresco

Photos: CItizen App/Santa Monica Police Department.

Piper Pollard (right), a DUI suspect following crashing her car (left) into the outdoor dining area of a Santa Monica Urth Cafe.

dining area. Police say a heavy K=rail was knocked into the dining area sending tables and chairs flying. According to the SMPD, a few diners suffered minor injuries while one person was transported to a local hospital with “moderate” injuries. Piper Pollard, a 21-year-old Pacific Palisades resident, was booked for a felony DUI in

connection to the incident, according to police. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Pollard was released on a $100,000 bond early Saturday morning. She is expected to appear in court on February 17. The Urth Caffe has since repaired the barriers and reopened its outdoor dining area.


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