S A N TA M O N I C A
REFLECTING THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY smmirror.com
May 21 – May 27, 2021 Volume LXXXIX, Issue 94
INSIDE SANTA MONICA LANDLORD AGREES TO RESOLVE TENANT HARASSMENT CLAIMS RELATED TO DISPLACING TENANTS FOR DISCRETIONARY WORK
PAGE 2
Santa Monica Public Library Reopens for In-Person Service Soon June 1 reopening for Santa Monica Public Library Main Library By Sam Catanzaro
The Santa Monica Public Library’s main branch is set to reopen while an automated self-service model is coming to the Ocean Park branch. The City of Santa Monica announced last weekend that on Tuesday, June 1, 2021, the Santa Monica Public Library Main Library at 601 Santa Monica Boulevard, will reopen for limited in-person service. Services include in-person browsing of the first-floor, checking out items, holds pick-up, public computer use (30 minutes per person), printing and “brief” in-person interaction with staff. According to the City, “library spaces were reconfigured to provide safe and welcoming
environments while aligning the Library with the best practices of public libraries throughout California and the rest of the country.” In addition, the Ocean Park branch library’s collection will soon be available to the public. This spring the Santa Monica Public Library was selected to participate in a grant provided by the California State Library in partnership with Bibliotheca, LLC. The grant will allow for new technology to be installed at the Ocean Park Branch Library to expand access to the library collection to Santa Monicans through a self-service model. The program comes as the City is facing a budget deficit brought on a pandemic-related revenue loss and unfunded pension liabilities. As part of over $200 million in budget cuts last year, the public library system lost $4.5 million in funding, 65 members of the library staff lost their jobs under the cuts while the Fairview and Ocean Park branches were SMPL Reopening, see page 4
The Santa Monica Public Library Main Library.
Photo: Sam Catanzaro
LAFD Release Identity of Palisades Fire Arson Suspect Arson investigators say 48-year-old transient set fire that has burned over 1K acres By Sam Catanzaro
Officials have released the identity of a homeless man who was arrested for starting the Palisades Fire after a police helicopter spotted him igniting additional blazes the next morning on a steep hillside near the already burning vegetation. According to the Los Angeles Fire
Department (LAFD), the fire was reported Friday at 10:02 p.m. at 1807 N Michael Lane in Pacific Palisades in the area near the Trailer Canyon. “When the first responding engines from the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) arrived, crews encountered multiple, separate, slowmoving fires in steep and remote terrain with thick understory dry and dead vegetation,” the LAFD said. “Immediately, the Department launched an all-out attack – deploying dozens of engines, aircraft, bulldozers, water tenders, and more than 100 firefighters.” The fire, dubbed the Palisades Fire, is at 72 percent containment and is burning around 1,158 acres as of Thursday morning. The Los Angeles County Fire Department Saturday evening issued mandatory evacuation
The Palisades Fire burns over the weekend.
orders for Zone 4 and Zone 6 in Topanga. These orders were lifted Monday afternoon. On Tuesday afternoon an evacuation warning was lifted for parts of Pacific Palisades while
Photo: LAFD (Flickr)
also Topanga Canyon Boulevard reopened to the public. Fire, see page 5
25% OFF
EVERYTHING IN STORE VALID THROUGH 08.01.2021