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CROSSROADS WINS CIF AND STATE REGIONALS
REFLECTING THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY smmirror.com
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Jun 18 – Jun 24, 2021 Volume XCIII, Issue 98
Santa Monica City Council Approves Main Street Weekend Closures Summer pilot program given green light By Sam Catanzaro
Santa Monica lawmakers last week approved a pilot program to close a stretch of Main Street to traffic on select weekends throughout the summer. On Tuesday, June 8, Santa Monica City Council extended a handful pandemic-era changes related to outdoor business operations ahead of the June 15 reopening of California’s economy. Among the actions taken include the direction to City staff to move forward with a pilot program to open a 1½ block-long portion of Main Street to pedestrians with expanded outdoor business operations during three to four weekends, once per month on Saturdays
and Sundays. The first weekend closure is anticipated in mid-July or August. The hours have yet to be determined for the first weekend. Around a dozen parking spaces will be lost to the program, according to the City. The program, which was pushed for by the Main Street Business Improvement Association and Ocean Park Association, can be altered or halted altogether if it does not work out. “I do understand that people are concerned about it but I also believe that it is important to try this. I think that Main Street until three weeks ago was a barren desert. Or a month ago. Stores were empty. You couldn’t go in. I think this will activate it,” said Santa Monica Mayor Sue Himmelrich during the meeting. “If we don’t as a council start being more adventurous and more enterprising and finding new
Main Street, see page 10
Photo: Sam Catanzaro
A portion of Main Street in Santa Monica that will be included in a street closure pilot program this summer.
Santa Monica College Cancels Fireworks Show, Main Street Parade Also Off
Firework shows in Marina del Rey and Pacific Palisades back this year By Sam Catanzaro
Santa Monica College (SMC) has officially canceled its annual Celebrate America fireworks show. In addition, an annual Fourth of July parade on Main Street is a no-go as well. On June 17, SMC announced that the event– normally slated for the weekend before the
Fourth of July–would not be happening for the second year in a row. SMC Event Producer and Associate Dean of Facilities Programming Linda Sullivan cited ongoing uncertainty about COVID-19 safety measures for large-scale non-ticketed events and planning logistics as the main factors behind the decision. The event is normally free and unticketed. “In addition to COVID-19 concerns — we also have no direction on how to check spectators or participants for vaccination status,” said Sullivan. “While ‘Celebrate America’ is not possible this year, we at SMC look forward to future occasions where we can once again interact safely with our community!” SMC’s classes remain mostly online
throughout Summer 2021, the college noted as well in the announcement. In addition the SMC fireworks show being a no-go this year, the annual Santa Monica 4th of July Parade that normally takes place on Main Street has been called off as well for the second year in a row, according to city officials. The Westside will not be without fireworks on the Fourth of July, however, as there are two local shows planned in Marina del Rey and Pacific Palisades respectively. The Marina del Rey show will start at 9 p.m. and last 10 minutes with synchronized music played over loudspeakers at either Burton Chace Park or Fisherman’s Village. In addition, the show can be viewed from the water via charters from City Cruises. Visit visitmarinadelrey.com/ events/july-4-fireworks-marina-del-rey for more information. The Pacific Palisades display will also take place at 9 p.m. at Palisades Charter High School. Attendance is limited and advance-purchased tickets, available after June 20, will be required for entry. Visit palisades4th.com/fireworks/ for more information.
Photo: Morgan Genser
The 2019 Celebrate America fireworks display.
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