S A N TA M O N I C A
REFLECTING THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY
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INSIDE SANTA MONICA POLICE SEEK SUSPECTS AFTER WOMAN STABBED IN SUNSET PARK ROBBERY
PAGE 5
March 19 – March 25, 2021 Volume LXXX, Issue 85
Santa Monica Lawmakers Withdraw Law That Would Have Restricted Certain Forms of Protest Contentious item pulled from agenda at last week’s Santa Monica City Council agenda By Sam Catanzaro
A contentious law that would have placed restrictions on certain forms of protesting in Santa Monica has been withdrawn. On December 15, 2020, Santa Monica City Councilmembers Phil Brock and Christine Parra directed staff to propose an amendment to the city code to “reduce prolonged noise from protest activities in residential neighborhoods while still upholding First Amendment rights.” The move was in part a response to a series of recurring protests in December targeted at the Santa Monica residence of County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl who was spotted eating at a restaurant hours after voting to ban outdoor dining. “These protests, which went on for several
weeks, involved nightly, hours-long uses of amplified sound in a residential neighborhood that appeared intended to and did unreasonably harass and disturb the privacy and tranquility of residents” reads a March 5 city report on the topic. Similar protests have also been held at the Santa Monica home of Assemblymember Richard Bloom. At the December 15 meeting, Councilmember Brock said limiting excessive noise during evening hours at targeted protests could be done while also protecting First Amendment rights. “What we are really trying to do is have an enhanced noise ordinance in the [residential] zones that allow families to have peace and quiet in their neighborhood. I want to make it very clear. I have absolutely nothing against protests and people should march, people should have placards and people who want to use their voices to express themselves on a street corner or in front of a house, they should be allowed to,” Brock said. “It’s about first amendment rights but it is also about the rights of people who live in a neighborhood.” At the December 15 City Council meeting, all seven members voted to direct staff
A June 4, 2020 protest over the killing of George Floyd on 11th Street near Arizona Avenue in Santa Monica.
draft a proposal. Many Councilmembers, however, expressed concern about infringing on First Amendment rights by enacting such
Photo: Ted Catanzaro
legislation.
Protest, see page 8
Santa Monica Implements ‘Hero Pay’ as Kroger Closes 3 LA Stores Following Similar Law Santa Monica City Council adopt ordinance giving grocery and drug retail workers an extra $5 an hour By Sam Catanzaro
Santa Monica lawmakers last week approved a “hero pay” giving grocery and drug retail workers an extra $5 an hour the day before Kroger announced it is closing three of its LA stores following the passage of similar legislation. On Wednesday, March 10 Santa Monica City Council adopted an ordinance requiring large grocery store chains and drug retailers to provide their essential workers an additional $5 an hour, citing increased health risks throughout the pandemic as these businesses
have remained open. “Hero pay is about boosting wages in light of the elevated health risks grocery store and drug store chain employees experience every time they report to work indoors, interacting with large numbers of people and when they return home to their families,” said Mayor Sue Himmelrich. “This is a much-deserved recognition of the sacrifices these vital essential personnel have endured for the last year.” Santa Monica’s hero pay ordinance is an urgency ordinance making it effective immediately with the following provisions: Applies to operators of retail grocery stores, retail drug stores, and large retail stores that are publicly traded or that employ 300 or more workers nationwide, and employ more than 10 employees per store; Requires retail grocery stores, retail drug stores, and large retail stores (85,000 square feet or more) that dedicate more than 10% of their floor space to grocery or drug sales to pay employees an extra $5 per hour in hero pay; Provides store operators with a credit against the required hero pay for voluntarily
Photo: Getty Images
Grocery story and drug retail workers in Santa Monica will be getting an extra $5 an hour
provided hazard pay; Establishes enforcement
mechanisms,
Grocery, see page 10