Santa Monica Classic Adjusts Amid Heatwave, Draws Thousands to Scenic 5K See Page 8
Man Found Fatally Stabbed Near Santa Monica Park, Suspect Still at Large
Search for Suspect After Man Found
Dead in Alley Near Reed Park
Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) officers are searching for a suspect after a man was discovered dead in an alley near a park in Santa Monica. While there have been social media reports of a second body, that is untrue per the Santa Monica Police Department spokesperson Erika Aklufi. There was an overdose at Bergamont Station on Thursday, but it is unrelated to the stabbing near Reed Park.
According to the Santa Monica Police Department, the man was discovered around 6:30 a.m. dead from an apparent stab wound in the alley near the 1100 block of 6th Street, close to Wilshire Boulevard, which is only a block away from Christine Emerson Reed Park. SMPD believes the man was homeless.
In a social media press statement SMPD stated, “At this time, no suspect is in custody, and we are seeking the community’s assistance in identifying and locating the individual(s) responsible. If you have any information that may assist in this investigation, please contact us at 310-458-8491.”
Big Blue Bus Gets a Boost in Safety Measures
SB 1417 Is Part of a Series of Initiatives Aimed at Bolstering Rider Confidence
A new law signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom is set to enhance the safety and security of Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus service, as detailed in a recent City blog post.
Senate Bill 1417, sponsored by the City of Santa Monica in partnership with Senator Ben Allen, will allow the city’s Department of Transportation to issue prohibition orders to individuals consistently violating Big Blue Bus policies. The measure, which takes effect in January 2025, will permit bans ranging from 30 days to a year for
offenses that compromise the safety and comfort of riders and employees.
SB 1417 is part of a series of initiatives aimed at bolstering rider confidence. In March 2024, the Big Blue Bus launched its Transit Safety Officer Program, which deployed unarmed safety officers to high-traffic routes and select bus stops. The officers, easily identifiable by their black uniforms, assist riders with fare navigation, address safety concerns, and enforce the Code of Conduct.
“The use of prohibition orders gives us another tool to improve the safety and security of our customers and operators,” said Anuj Gupta, Director of the Santa Monica Department of Transportation.
“This is part of our broader customer experience plan aimed at enhancing Big Blue Bus safety, convenience, and attractiveness.”
The legislation includes safeguards to ensure that individuals facing prohibition orders can still access
In a statement, police assured the community that they are maintaining a strong presence in the area as the investigation continues.
“We recognize that our community has recently been impacted by several violent crimes and understand the heightened concern these incidents
cause. We want to reassure the community that the safety and wellbeing of our residents remain our highest priorities. Our team is working diligently to identify the suspect(s), and a strong police presence will remain in the area as the investigation continues.”
essential services, such as work, medical appointments, and educational institutions. An advisory committee will
be established to ensure the enforcement is handled compassionately, with personnel receiving proper training.
Man Arrested for Assaults at Trader Joe’s and Santa Monica Beach
The man became agitated when a store employee asked him to leave
A 31-year-old homeless man was arrested late Wednesday night after allegedly assaulting a woman on Barnard Way and being linked to a separate assault at a Santa Monica Trader Joe’s the day before.
Around 11:45 p.m. on Aug. 28, an individual riding along Barnard Way was flagged down by a woman bleeding from cuts on her face and head. The woman told officers that a man, described as wearing a distinctive orange shirt, had punched her multiple times, struck her with a bottle, and attempted to shove sand in her mouth.
Officers responded to the scene, and while some arranged medical transport, others searched the area near the 2600 block of Ocean Front Walk for the suspect.
Police located the suspect, Mario Alejandri, nearby. He was positively identified by the victim and arrested on
suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. During the investigation, detectives recognized Alejandri as the suspect in another assault that took place the day before at Trader Joe’s on Broadway.
In that incident, which occurred around 7:45 p.m. on Aug. 27, Alejandri reportedly became agitated when a store employee, who recognized him from previous shoplifting incidents, asked him to leave.
Alejandri allegedly struck the employee in the face, threw two potted plants at them, and attempted to hurl a sign before being blocked by closing doors. The employee was not seriously injured, and the incident was captured on the store’s surveillance footage, helping detectives link Alejandri to both assaults.
Alejandri, who is on probation for a prior battery conviction, has an extensive criminal record, including arrests for battery, assault with a deadly weapon, vandalism, petty theft, and possession of methamphetamine.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed three felony assault with a deadly weapon charges against Alejandri on Sept. 3 — two counts for the beach attack and one for the Trader Joe’s assault.
Off the Hook Seafood Fest Returning to SM Pier After 5-Year Hiatus
General admission tickets start at $75
Following a five-year hiatus, the Off the Hook Seafood Festival is set to return to the Santa Monica Pier on Sunday, Oct. 13.
The festival, which benefits the environmental nonprofit Heal the Bay, celebrates National Seafood Month by offering seafood tastings from some of the city’s top chefs and restaurants.
The event will take place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., with VIP ticket holders granted early entry at 3 p.m. Attendees will enjoy a variety of experiences, including beer gardens, wine tastings, live music, oyster shucking competitions, and games, all with the Pacific Ocean as the backdrop.
Notable chefs and restaurants participating in the event include Govind Armstrong from The Lobster, Raphael Lunetta’s Marelle, Sushi Roku, FIG, BOA, Ocean Prime Beverly Hills, and many others. The festival aims to be environmentally friendly, with a commitment to being free of single-use plastics.
General admission tickets start at $75, while VIP tickets, which include early entry, exclusive seafood tastings, curated cocktails, and a free ride on the Pacific Park Ferris Wheel, begin at $150.
Heal the Bay, the nonprofit benefitting from the festival, works to protect the Santa Monica Bay through science, advocacy, and community action.
For more information, go to https:// offthehookseafoodfest.com/.
Ten New Commandments
SMa.r.t.
Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow
Starting last week, the elementary school students of Louisiana will all face mandatory postings of the biblical Ten Commandments in all their classrooms. Apart from the probable illegality, of abandoning the founding principle of the separation of Church and State (guaranteed by the First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”), the misguided legislators of that state were correct in wanting to shape the adults of the future when they are young and malleable.
In that same week, your City had a heat wave in the high nineties, just ten miles away our neighbor, Woodland Hills, hit 119 degrees, while Phoenix has already had 100 days over 100 degrees and simultaneously, the Midwest is being crushed by a relentless heat wave. These heat waves, with their attendant power outages, are the new normal that today’s elementary students will face in the immediate future. While no one can individually control the weather, the individual decisions of millions of people can collectively mitigate or accelerate the impacts of global warming. The power
of individual choices and decisions, when done collectively is a lesson all young people should have as part of their education.
So we should start early by providing them ecological habits to mitigate the global warming train wreck that is bearing down on us all. One area where any individual can make an effective choice to mitigate global warming is in the selection of different modes of transportation. About 40% of global warming is caused by burning fossil fuels
for transportation, so SMa.r.t. (Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow) would propose that today’s elementary school students be exposed early to the Ten Urban Mobility Commandments:
1. If you can walk use your shoes (or a walking bus: http://www.walkingschoolbus.org).
2. If you do not have time to walk use a skateboard or its electric cousin.
3. If your path is too hilly, or you are too old, or have other constraints precluding a skateboard, use an electric scooter.
4. If it’s too far to scooter, use a bicycle (the most efficient form of human transportation ) or its electric cousin.
5, If it’s too far or unsafe to bike, use a motorcycle or motor scooter.
6. If it’s too far or unsafe to use a motorcycle, use the metro.
7. If the metro does not go where you need to go or feels unsafe, use the bus.
8. If the bus is not timely or doesn’t go by your destination use a self-driving taxi or its cousins like Uber or Lyft.
9. If you have to use a private car be sure it’s all electric.
10. If you absolutely need a car and can’t afford an all-electric car or all the power for recharging it comes from fossil fuels, use a hybrid car.
We can certainly debate the countless trade off’s in the positioning of these choices along an eco-cost gradient. Is a self-driving taxi better than an Uber-driven “taxi”? Is the weight of the taxi driver a variable that exceeds the weight and efficiency of the selfdriving mechanisms? What is the eco cost (including parking) of a car that’s used 10% of the time versus one that is continuously in service? What are the safety trade-offs of micro-mobility devices (skateboards, scooters, biles, etc)? How do we value time of travel for the different options? We could do countless iterations and refinements which would be a valuable exercise for everyone. But the point is, that there is a gradient of eco impacts of the transportation you
select and that everyone, young and old, understands this gradient intuitively if not scientifically.
This is not a critique unique to the private car only, since in all scenarios, a car in some form (probably a glorified golf cart), will still be needed in the ecological urban mobility mix of the future, particularly as other transit options will take time to become more abundant and efficient. The reason is that car ownership gives you access to many more jobs in a timely manner, is often essential for moving seniors or raising children, and is one of the predictors of an individual’s ability to overcome homelessness. But the type and size of your car is a choice that everyone can view through an ecological lens. The point is that the car should not be the automatic default or only choice for your mobility.
Fortunately, we do not have to wait for elementary school children to become adults before this gradient can be put to use, Today, you can test yourself and see for yourself how far up these eco Commandments you can get by your own personal transportation choices. You may find you have more transportation choices of increasing positive impact than you realized. Remember the actual choices you model today, will have much more impact on the children nearby, than any list of Commandments on their classroom wall.
By Mario Fonda-Bonardi AIA
S.M.a.r.t Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow
Thane Roberts, Architect, Mario Fonda-Bonardi 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
see
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Santa Monica Classic Adjusts Amid Heatwave, Draws Thousands to Scenic 5K
Race Organizers
Modify Start Time to Ensure Safety During Extreme Heat
Amid a scorching Southern California heatwave, the 19th annual Santa Monica Classic took place on Sunday with safety as a top priority. To avoid the hottest part of the day, race organizers moved the start time up to 7 a.m. and made significant changes to the race format.
Originally scheduled to feature both 5K and 10K races, the event was streamlined, with both distances merging into a single 5K course. The 10K was modified to two loops on the 5K route. Despite the changes, more than 7,000 participants, including past champions and first-time runners, embraced the adjustments.
Among them was last year’s 10K women’s champion, Elizabeth BenIshai, who opted for the 5K this year and took home the win with a time of
“I understand,” said Ben-Ishai, who resides in Pasadena. “Safety first. You can still come out here and have a great day. I appreciated the hard decisions organizers had to make.”
Ingrid Walters of Santa Monica finished second in the women’s race with a time of 18:50, while Andi Aguilar of Aliso Viejo claimed third in 19:25.
In the men’s race, Johnny Hogue of Los Angeles clinched victory in 15 minutes and 10 seconds. Originally from West Virginia, Hogue joked about his sensitivity to Southern California’s weather after two years of living in Los Angeles.
“It’s funny—two years in L.A. and suddenly I’m a baby about the humidity,” Hogue quipped. “But honestly, it’s an incredible course. The ocean breeze, the crowd support—it was worth every step.”
Despite the heat-driven adjustments, the Santa Monica Classic maintained its reputation as a world-class race. Participants were met with misting stations, multiple water stops, and iced towels at the finish line. Runners enjoyed scenic views of palm-tree-lined streets, the Pacific Ocean, and the iconic
Reflecting on the race, Ben-Ishai called it a quintessential Southern California experience.
“Scenic views of the beach and always good competition against other runners. The fans line the course, cheering for you. Seeing the ocean is very inspiring and helps you push to the max,” she said.
Hogue echoed her sentiments. “I’m looking at the beach thinking, this is incredible. To be able to run along the beach, feel the breeze, see all the people along the coast. If you haven’t done this race, it’s a great one to come to,” he added. “The crowd was great— definitely lived up to expectations.”
Santa Monica High School Principal Addresses Incident at Football Game
Pepper Spray
Altercation Was Isolated and Unrelated to the School
The Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District sent out a statement regarding the incident on Friday night at the school’s football game against Torrance. The Santa Monica Police Department’s press representative confirmed that the incident took place with a call coming in to officers at 8:44 pm and that the reporting party was school security.
All the parties to the fight were juveniles and were separated prior to the arrival of officers. The juvenile who was pepper sprayed was treated at the scene and released. The suspect with the pepper spray was issued a citation to juvenile court for misdemeanor battery and released to their parent.
According to the letter, which seeks to reassure the community that the incident was not related to the school, can be read below in full.
Dear Samohi Families,
It is unfortunate that I have to inform you that towards the end of the football game last night there was a verbal altercation that occurred near one of the campus entrances. The Santa Monica Police Department was called because one of the young adults who does not attend Samohi dispensed pepper spray.
This was an isolated incident between people who know each other and did not have any impact on the larger community attending the football game.
As we move forward as a community, the Samohi administrative team is committed to safety on campus. It is important that your students do not encourage, promote, or record for fun, conflicts that occur during or after school, on campus or off campus. Please remind them if they see something to inform a trusted adult, call 911, or anonymously report to www.WeTip. com.
Sincerely,
Marae Cruce Principal
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Santa Monica History Museum’s Annual Event Returns with Top Chefs and Performances
Gala 2024: A Night of Storytelling, Comedy, and Cuisine for a Cause
The Santa Monica History Museum’s annual Gala returns on September 29, featuring an evening of storytelling, comedy, and top-notch cuisine. Held at the historic Santa Bay Woman’s Club, the event will raise funds for the museum’s initiatives.
The highlight of the evening is a performance from “Storyectomy: UnHoused,” a showcase of narratives from individuals impacted by homelessness. Participants have undergone six weeks of training to craft their stories, blending resilience and humor in their performances.
The event will also feature dishes from renowned Los Angeles chefs Susan Feniger, Dina Samson, Sandra Cordero, and Johanna Laut. These chefs will serve a divine selection of gastronomic bites. Food fans will have the unique opportunity to meet and mingle with these stars of the LA food scene.
• Chef Susan Feniger, a James Beard and Julia Child award winner, along with her long-time collaborator Chef Mary Sue Milliken is a celebrated icon of the LA food scene with acclaimed restaurants, CITY Café, CITY Restaurant, Border Grill, Ciudad, Pacha Mamas, BBQ Mexicana, SOCALO Santa Monica, and the new Alice B. in Palm Springs. Chef Feniger has starred in over 400 episodes of the Food Network’s Too Hot Tamales, coauthored six cookbooks, including Susan Feniger’s Street Food, and competed on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters. Chef Feniger brings unparalleled expertise and flair
to the evening.
• Restaurateur Dina Samson, co-founder/owner with Chef Steve Samson of Rossoblu, Superfine Playa, and Superfine Pizza. Dina also received the James Beard and Leadership and Resilience awards for her work as cofounder of Regarding Her Food and is a James Beard Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership fellow.
• Chef Sandra Cordero, of the celebrated Santa Monica-based Xuntos tapas bar, named by the Los Angeles Times as one of the Best Places to Eat and Drink in L.A. Chef Cordero is a James Beard WEL Fellow and co-founder of Regarding Her, a national nonprofit supporting women in hospitality. She is also Executive Chef and Owner of Gasolina café|market|wine bar.
• Chef Johanna Laut since opening in 2015 under the direction of Chef Bryant Ng, Cassia has earned accolades, including a James Beard semifinalist nomination for “Outstanding Restaurant” (2023) and “Best New Restaurant” (2016). Featured annually in the Los Angeles Times “101 Best Restaurants” list and the MICHELIN Guide California (20212023), Cassia has also received praise from the New York Times, Bon Appétit, GQ, and more.
Comedian Nicole Blaine, owner of The Crow Comedy Club, will host the event, with stand-up comic Brooklyn Jones and a performance by The Freedom Singers, who gained national recognition on “America’s Got Talent.”
This year’s honoree is the Community Corporation of Santa Monica, recognized for its 40 years of providing affordable housing in Los Angeles.
Tickets for the gala are available online, with proceeds supporting the Santa Monica History Museum.
Award-Winning Unique Eatery
Poltergeist to Close Its Doors at the End of September
Fans Have Until Sept. 29 to Experience Chef Diego Argoti’s Bold Creations
By Dolores Quintana
Two weeks after the PBS Socal web series Rebel Kitchens premiere, one of the featured restaurants, led by chef Diego Argoti, Poltergeist announced that the celebrated eatery would close at the end of the month. You have until September 29 to try some of Poltergeist’s favorite menu items, like the broccoli beef ravioli, duck leg bubble waffle, Thai Caesar salad, and a symphony of new specials that Argoti had hesitated to put on the menu, but has now chosen to go out with a blaze of glory: a chicken heart Waldorf salad, rad nah lasagna, crying tiger rib-eye, and a frog’s leg dish that had graced his street pasta pop up Estrano.
Poltergeist is located within Button Mash, an arcade that has been in
business since 2015 and that shuttered temporarily during the first years of the pandemic. The business has always had a bar for quick eats and a small restaurant space where a few different chefs had set up shop to keep hungry gamers and more adventurous diners fed. Chef Argoti’s Poltergeist has been making noise there since February 2023, earning a James Beard nomination for Argoti who was a semi-finalist for best chef, Esquire magazine awarded the restaurant as one of the United States’ best new restaurants, and a space on the coveted Los Angeles Times 101 Best Restaurants list. In keeping with the rebellious nature of the chef and his creation, Poltergeist came in at number 101.
It is a sad sign of the times that Button Mash and Poltergeist could not continue because the last night that I ate at the restaurant, Button Mash was packed with people. But rising rents are taking a toll even with successful businesses.
The news was announced jointly on Instagram and read, “Some sad and surprising news to share. We’ve reached the end of our lease and, after much consideration, we’ve made the difficult
decision to not renew it.
Our final day of business will be Sunday, September 29th.
We’ll most miss serving this community we’ve been a part of this past decade. We’re grateful to everyone who’s worked here and everyone who’s come through these doors over the years — from the early Starry Kitchen days to our current Poltergeist era.
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Photo by Ed Gandara