Santa Monica Mirror: Mar 01 - Mar 07, 2024

Fiery Crash Shuts Down Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu Near Nicholas Canyon

Collision and Vehicle Fire Leads

to Helicopter

Evacuation of Injured Driver

A two-car traffic accident resulted in the destruction of both vehicles, leading to the closure of a section of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) in Malibu on Tuesday afternoon. The incident unfolded in the 34300 block of the highway, prompting the closure of all lanes around 1:20 p.m., as announced on the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station Facebook. The scene was cleared, and PCH was reopened by 2:57 p.m. Upon arrival at the scene around 12:10 p.m., Los Angeles County Fire reported that at least one of the vehicles involved was engulfed in flames. The severity of the crash led to the closure of PCH lanes, causing disruption in the area.

Emergency responders, including the Los Angeles County Fire, swiftly intervened. One person, whose current condition remains

Blue Bus Seeks Input on How to Improve Service

Through Brighter Blue, Big Blue Bus Aims to Develop a Strategic Plan for Implementing System Enhancements Over Five Years

Santa Monica is changing the Big Blue Bus system, collaborating with community partners to enhance accessibility and reliability of transportation. As part of the Brighter Blue service planning initiative, the city invites community input at two public workshops in March.

Through Brighter Blue, Big Blue Bus aims to develop a strategic plan for implementing system enhancements over the next five years, considering factors such as the impact of COVID-19 on travel patterns, changes in the region and operating environment, and the ongoing transition to a zero-emission fleet.

Community members can provide feedback at two workshops, one virtual on Wednesday, March 6 (6-8 p.m.), and the other in-person on Thursday, March 7 (5:30-7:30 p.m.) at the Santa Monica Main Library.

To attend a workshop, registration is available at brighterbluebbb.com. Those unable to attend can contribute via an online survey at sur-vey.typeform.com/ brighterblue. Accessible transportation options, including specific Big Blue Bus routes and parking details, are provided for community members attending the inperson workshop at the Santa Monica Main Library.

unknown, was airlifted to the hospital via helicopter for medical attention.

The temporary shutdown, initiated near Nicholas Canyon in western Malibu, was a

result of the collision, vehicle fire, and the helicopter evacuation of an injured driver.

Sweet Lady Jane Sparks Hope of Return – Popular Bakery Hints at Reopening Across LA

After Abrupt Closures, Beloved Bakery Hints at a Comeback, Leaving Fans Intrigued

Sweet Lady Jane, a Los Angeles cake bakery institution, shocked cake lovers on January 1 when the bakery abruptly closed all locations and laid off staff without any warning. When we reported on the closure, we noted that the post on the bakery’s social media read that they had made the tough decision to close the bakery after 35 years because “sales are not enough to continue doing business in the state of California, allowing us to service our lease obligations and pay our treasured employees a living wage without passing those costs directly on to you.”

Almost two weeks later, we reported that news broke via the Los Angeles Times that the company had been accused of wage theft by its employees in a class action lawsuit for nearly seven months after blaming the state of California’s policies for the closure.

Sweet Lady Jane had made no mention of this class action lawsuit in their farewell post.

Two days ago, on February 24, Sweet Lady Jane’s social media came back to life, teasing an announcement of some kind. The post read, “Is this thing on? We have some good news to share, but we aren’t quite ready to let the cake out of the box.”

On February 25, a second message appeared on the bakery’s Instagram page which said, “Have you been craving a slice of Triple Berry Cake? Dark chocolate sea salt brownie? What about a curried chicken sandwich? Soup? Same here... We think it’s time for a reunion, don’t you?”

Three hours ago, another message was posted to Sweet Lady Jane’s social media accounts, which seems to confirm a reopening of some kind. The post read, “Can you taste it? Get ready: Encino, Calabassas (sic), Beverly Hills, Larchmont, Santa Monica, and West Hollywood.

Comments on the posts seemed wary and suspicious, while some welcomed the bakery back with open arms. No other information is known as of now, and we are attempting to reach out to confirm these posts. We will update readers as soon as we receive a response.

SMMUSD Appoints New Asst. Superintendent of Education Services

Dr. Williamson

Will Assume Her Role on March

8, Bringing 17 Years of Education Experience

In a special board meeting on Feb. 27, the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education approved the appointment of Dr. Stacy Williamson as the new Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services.

Dr. Williamson will assume her role on March 8, bringing 17 years of education experience, including two years as the Director of Research, Evaluation, and Assessment at SMMUSD.

Dr. Williamson’s educational journey includes diverse roles in the Palmdale and Newhall School Districts, such as elementary school principal, assistant principal, district learning support teacher,

and more. In her current position, she coordinates the district-wide assessment program, presents annual reports to the school board, and collaborates with principals and teachers to analyze school data.

Holder of a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies, a master’s degree in education, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Cal State Northridge, Dr. Williamson’s commitment to academic excellence is evident. She replaces Dr. Jacqueline Mora, honoring her legacy, and Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton expressed gratitude to the educational services team for their dedication during the transition.

Cher Drops Price of Her Seven-Bedroom Malibu Mansion by $10M

The legendary singer bought the parcel for $2.95 million over 30 years ago

By Zach Armstrong

Music icon Cher has chopped $10 million off the asking price of her Malibu mansion; a 13,000-square-foot cliffside property which has been on market since 2022, according to a post from Realtor.com.

Originally listed at $85 million, the seven-bedroom, nine-bath abode is now set at a price of $75 million.

The home’s style is described as “Mediterranean.” A gated, arched entrance leads to a private courtyard, while indoor amenities include floor-to-ceiling windows, diamond-coffered ceilings, an arched stove alcove and hand-wrought bronze doors. A tennis court and infinity-edge pool are found outside. Each bedroom comes with a

private outdoor space including the primary suite which features its own meditation room.

The legendary singer bought the parcel for $2.95 million over 30 years ago. It was formally constructed in 1999. Cher is an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award winner known for hits such as “If I Could Turn Back Time” and “Believe”.

For more information, go to https://www. realtor.com/news/celebrity-real-estate/ cher-lowers-the-price-of-her-malibucalifornia-mansion-to-75m/.

Five Saving Historic Santa Monica

SMa.r.t.

Our beloved City is surrounded by many threats, from sea level rise to homelessness, to housing affordability, to cancerous overdevelopment, to crime, to the four apocalyptic collapses: water supply, school population, municipal finances, and mobility (add in your own favorite threat here). It can feel hopeless as to how a citizen can get any leverage to solve these intractable interactive problems, many of which are national or even global in scale. This perceived lack of agency naturally leads to citizen anger, cynicism, paranoia, and depression. Who wouldn’t be depressed by that litany of problems? The continuous drip of those feelings erodes the body politic so that as nice as the City looks on the outside, it is really suffering on the inside.

Fortunately our tiny City, of about 92,000 residents, already has five major local organizations actively working to preserve its character and improve its interior and exterior quality of life. In one way or another they are planning for our City’s future by mining the best from its past. Essentially a City that does not know its past is not ready for its future.

Unless we understand how we got to this point, how our ancestors surmounted significant problems (wars, economic depressions, etc. ) in the past, we are ill prepared to face the challenges of tomorrow which include the intractable problems (racism, misogyny to name just a few) of today. A city that suffers from Alzheimers (erasure of its past) is already doomed because it has lost its historically developed problem solving DNA. It has become a zombie city, repetitively stumbling around with inadequate old solutions to new or existing problems.

The five voluntary organizations listed below are just a sample of local organizations preserving something essential for our City’s future. There are, of course, many other organizations, larger (eg. Sierra Club, SMRR) and smaller (eg. SMCLC, SMa.r.t.) including individuals, that are doing similar or parallel problem solving things and thereby preparing us to face the even larger problems which we know are headed our way:

HEAL THE BAY: https://healthebay.org/ (CEO Tracy Quinn). We are here because of the beach. Tourists come for our beach. Our streets are numbered from the beach. Our road signs all have a yellow stripe representing the beach. Our largest hotels are on the beach. Our visitors arriving down Wilshire are greeted by a blue wave sculpture and the Pier is our Eiffel Tower (our pier is actually about 50% longer than the Tower is tall). Santa Monica has always been about the beach.

When the Tongva Indians fished along our shores, harvested the plants and animals of the chaparral, and captured the migratory

birds of what is now Marina Del Rey, there was no pollution problem in our bay and beaches. The human impact was definitely present but relatively minor and reversible.

Two centuries later, a metropolis of ten million people parachuted in and is spewing all its trash, sewage and detritus (including rusting DDT barrels) into the waters we fish, surf and bathe. What could possibly go wrong?

So 38 years ago Heal the Bay stepped up and started issuing report cards for beach pollution, organizing beach clean ups which now gather upwards of 22,000 lb. of trash per event and eventually they started managing a small public aquarium at the foot of the Pier among other aquatic initiatives. They have also expanded their portfolio to include inland watersheds that are often the source of the pollution that dumps into our bay. Finally they have become, through, no fault of their own, on the front lines of sea level rise which has become a major issue for the entire City: can a beach city survive without its beach?

MUSEUM OF FLYING (https://www. museumofflying.org (Director of Operations Steve Benesch, $50 membership). Moving from the water to the air, the Museum of Flying was started 45 years ago from the memorabilia of Douglas Aircraft’s founder Donald Douglas Sr. Ten years later they opened a superb new facility on the north side of the runway that included actual aircraft and runway access. Because of financial constraints, in 2008 the museum moved back to the south side of the runway in a smaller facility where it is today, headlined by the DC3 monument (see photo above: the plane that taught America to fly).

Apart from its massive role in aircraft production during WW2 and birthing the jet passenger era with the DC-8, Douglas played an incredibly beneficial role in Santa Monica’s history by providing solid employment for generations of workers, engineers, fabricators and specialists many of whom lived in Sunset Park. Its presence helped our tourist dependent (and vulnerable) City survive the ravages of the great 1930s depression and the periodic recessions till 1963 when Douglas’s planes became too big for our short runway (The City Council refused to allow extending the runway).

The important lesson here is that Douglas Aircraft, for our City, was the equivalent of getting say Facebook or Amazon to locate their headquarters in your city. Aviation was the pinnacle of technology between 1920 and 1970: the manufacturing equivalent of AI or super computers for today. At this time we have not yet replaced their economic equivalent but it reminds us to keep looking for those recession resistant industries to buffer our City from the inevitable roller coaster of a tourist dependent economy.

Should the airport be closed sometime after 2029, apart from the 5% hole in the City’s budget, and the loss of tax revenues from the approximate annual $360mil regionally generated by airport-related business, there will still be seven traces left (if you know where to look) of Douglas’s heroic era: Douglas Park, the landmarked

beacon at the east end of the runway, the landmarked navigation rose at the west end of the runway, the airplane in the City Hall mural, the Aero cinema, Douglas’s home on Woodacres Road, and of course the Museum of Flying. That museum tells the story of when Santa Monica was on the cutting edge of a key industry, and reminds us to keep looking for today’s version.

CALIFORNIA HERITAGE MUSEM https://californiaheritagemuseum.org/ (Toby Smith Executive Director, $35 membership). But life is not all just the environment or technology, preserving heritage and culture is equally valuable for a successful City. This is where the Heritage Museum performs a valuable and unique service in Santa Monica but also statewide. Their collection and shows of art works, paintings, posters, ceramics, photographs, sculptures, assemblages and memorabilia reflects the cosmos of our artists’s concerns and their visions.

Located in an approximately 140-yearold landmarked Victorian building that was moved to its current location in 1977, this museum is part of a historic complex that includes a restaurant (The Victorian) and, on Sundays, the farmer’s market. Visiting the CHM is a perfect Sunday afternoon excursion.

SANTA MONICA HISTORY MUSEUM:

https://santamonicahistory.org (Rob Schwenker, Executive Director, Individual membership $75). Located in the north-east corner of the Santa Monica Main Public Library, it is an incredible collection of over 600,000 documents maps, photos, diaries, books, and memorabilia that document and preserve our City’s past. Just to make it clear that museums aren’t just about the musty past, SMHM is currently showing two exhibits that have direct relevance to the challenges of today. There is the current exhibit, in collaboration with the Santa Monica Conservancy, called “Unhoused: A history of Housing in Santa Monica” which speaks to the important issues of housing and the unhoused in our City. And also there is an exhibit, in collaboration with the Quinn Research Center, about Vernon Brunson a seminal black poet, playwright, organizer, and columnist for the California Eagle. This exhibit, among other things, speaks to the many missing and untold stories of minorities that exist hidden in our City.

Additionally the SMHM is buttressed on one hand by the used book store, and on the other hand the Public Library which has its own substantial collection of documents, photos, catalogues etc.. The used book store (also on the ground floor of the main library) is a book lover’s nirvana that sells old and used books, (many in excellent condition) whose proceeds go to buy new books for the Public Library. This excellent example of recycling, run by Friends of Santa Monica Library, is also a place where you can volunteer directly to help the City reopen its shuttered libraries which are really a financial casualty of “long covid”. The SMHM acts, in essence, as our own personal Smithsonian Society.

SANTA MONICA CONSERVANCY

https://smconservancy.org/ ( President Tom

Cleys, $45 membership) This 20+ year old organization is the newest of these preservation organizations with over 300 dues paying members. It is headquartered in a 1897 Landmarked Shotgun House that was moved to its current location in 2014. The Museum of Flying which has hopscotched the runway, the California Heritage Museum, and the SM Conservancy Shotgun House are all the beneficiaries of relocations: the Shotgun House in fact was moved 3 times before it found its permanent location across from the Landmarked Carnegie Ocean Park Library. In Santa Monica even the homes are homeless: they wander around.

The Conservancy runs three regular programs (the Downtown Walking Tours, the docenting at the Annenberg Beach House and at the Shotgun House). In addition they do a plethora of historic pod casts, salons, landmarking advocacy, educational programs and thematic walking tours. In a sense, to use a computer analogy, the SM History Museum preserves the software (memorabilia) while the SM Conservancy preserves the hardware (buildings). Because one of the key roles of the Conservancy is the preservation and rehabilitation of historic buildings, it will be involved in many upcoming challenging battles created by the buildout of our 9000 new units required by Sacramento by 2029. That buildout will inevitably involve ripping out a huge part of our urban fabric, threatening many historic resources.

None of these five organizations require the preservation of every single snowy plover, propellor, photo, postcard, or property. But enough have to survive to tell our story and someone needs to be there to actually tell the story. And that’s where you come in. These five organizations cover the environment, aviation, art, history, and architecture. Thus, they offer something of interest for everyone. If you are concerned about your City’s future, these five volunteer driven organizations are a perfect vehicle to participate in preserving the future authenticity of your City. If you are already a member of one, Thank you! But consider becoming a member of another: they are all working toward the same goal as we should all be.

By Mario Fonda-Bonardi, AIA

S.M.a.r.t Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow

Thane Roberts, Architect, Mario FondaBonardi AIA, Robert H. Taylor AIA, Architect, Dan Jansenson, Architect & Building and Fire-Life Safety Commission, Samuel Tolkin Architect & Planning Commissioner, Michael Jolly, AIR-CRE Marie Standing. Jack Hillbrand AIA

For previous articles, see www. santamonicaarch.wordpress.com/writing

Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow

Real Estate Giant Funds LAPD Union Fund to Sway L.A. City Council Election in March

Santa Monica Company

Responsible for LA’s Largest Mass Eviction Gives $400,000

Santa Monica-based Real estate investment trust company Douglas Emmett donated $400,000 to the Los Angeles Police Protective League. The police union is backing a committee that seeks to unseat progressive Councilwoman Nithya Raman, reported the Los Angeles Times.

Douglas Emmett’s contribution is part of a larger effort, with independent expenditures totaling at least $789,000, aimed at supporting Deputy City Attorney Ethan Weaver’s bid for the council. Raman, representing the 4th City Council district encompassing areas from Koreatown through the Hollywood Hills to North Hollywood, has faced criticism in political attack ads focusing on homelessness and

public safety.

It’s not the first time that the company has contributed to campaigns in local politics. In the highly contentious race for the CD 11 City Council District election in 2022, Douglass Emmett also contributed $400,000 to the campaign of Traci Park, who won the race over fellow candidate Erin Darling. The contribution was given to Park’s campaign in a similar manner through the Los Angeles Police Protective League.

The councilwoman opposed an ordinance preventing homeless encampments near schools and daycare centers and voted against substantial pay raises for the police.

The real estate investment trust is currently involved in efforts to evict hundreds of tenants from Barrington Plaza, a major apartment complex in West Los Angeles. The property is at the center of a tenant lawsuit regarding mass evictions.

President of the Police Protective League, Craig Lally, expressed concern over Raman’s policy positions, particularly regarding homeless encampments near schools, stating they are “out of touch” with voters, as quoted by the Los Angeles Times. Raman defended her record, citing

reductions in crime and homelessness in her district since taking office in 2020.

Weaver, Raman’s opponent, received support from the LAPD union and defended endorsements from various segments of the real estate industry, emphasizing his role in addressing the housing crisis.

Douglas Emmett’s press representative responded to a request for a comment with a statement that says, “From time to time, Douglas Emmett engages in public policy advocacy in support of our real estate business and the office and multifamily real estate sectors through ongoing and

constructive interactions with government officials, policymakers and stakeholder groups. Our advocacy activities are directed toward creating value for our stockholders and other stakeholders without regard to the personal political affiliations or views of any individual Douglas Emmett officer, employee, or board member. We comply with all laws governing political activity, including all lobbying registration and disclosure laws. While we are committed to transparency, we do not discuss the specific reasons for our contributions. Our full policy can be found here.

Tickets

Santa Monica College Unveils 2024 Spring Jazz Series Lineup Ocean Park Triplex Hits Market Again After 36 Years at $1.6M

for each concert are priced at $10 and can be purchased in advance

The Santa Monica College Music Department is set to enchant audiences with the 2024 Spring Jazz Series, featuring the Adam Schroeder Ensemble, Lao Tizer Quartet, and master percussionist Christian Moraga.

All concerts within this highly anticipated series will commence at 7 p.m. in the Music Hall at the SMC Performing Arts Center, located at 1310 11th Street (at Santa Monica Boulevard), Santa Monica.

The SMC Spring 2024 Jazz Series showcases the following performances:

• Friday, March 8: Adam Schroeder Ensemble - Join bass saxophonist Adam Schroeder and his talented ensemble for an exciting CD release event.

• Friday, April 19: Lao Tizer QuartetExperience the soulful performance with a deep groove presented by the smooth jazz

• Friday, May 10: Christian MoragaMaster percussionist Christian Moraga will captivate the audience with works featuring a variety of percussion rhythms and styles from around the world.

Tickets for each concert are priced at $10 (plus a modest service charge) and can be purchased in advance online at smc.edu/tickets or by calling 310-4343005 (Monday-Friday; limited hours).

Alternatively, tickets may be obtained at the SMC Events Box Office on the main SMC Campus (1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica) up to 1 hour before the performance start time, with seating available on a firstarrival basis.

For additional information, contact 310434-4323. Please note that all performances are subject to change or cancellation without notice

The property presents an enticing opportunity for owner-users or developers

For the first time in over 36 years, this triplex, constructed in 1923 and nestled in Santa Monica’s Ocean Park neighborhood, is now available for purchase. Situated

blocks from Main Street and the beach, this property presents an enticing opportunity for owner-users or developers.

Comprising three units and two individual one-car garages, the triplex features sideby-side studio/1 bath apartment units in the front and a standalone studio/1 bath apartment in the rear, all with individual electric meters.

For more information, go to https:// www.realtor.com/realestateandhomesdetail/2535-6th-St_Santa-Monica_ CA_90405_M13704-07149?from=srp-listcard

Lao Tizer Quartet.

Photo by Ed Gandara