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WHAT’S UP WESTSIDE ..................PAGE 2 SPECIAL SMMUSD MEETING ........PAGE 3 GARDENING OPPORTUNITIES ....PAGE 4 CRIME WATCH ..................................PAGE 8 MYSTERY PHOTO ............................PAGE 9
WEEKEND EDITION
06.16.18 - 06.17.18 Volume 17 Issue 180
@smdailypress
School district looks to head in healthier direction ANGEL CARRERAS Daily Press Staff Writer
At an average age of 58, the kitchen equipment in many Santa Monica schools is almost old enough to collect social security and school officials have decided that early retirement might be best for everyone involved. The Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District agreed to move forward on a revision to its food and nutrition program at a June 14 board meeting, allocating money to improve Malibu HS and Samohi kitchens as well as offering more food and food purchasing options for students. The presentation, led by Food and Nutrition Services director Richard Marchini, demonstrated a
school district exploring improvement options for its students amidst challenges. Challenges include low participation rate, some dissatisfaction with food offerings, outdated kitchen equipment (an average age of 58 years old) or non-functioning equipment, and accessibility issues such as long lines and short lunch periods, and budget concerns. The district budgets a certain amount ($3.4 million this year) for food service based on participation rates of students from all school sites. The district receives food funding from the state program as well as meal reimbursement from the National School Lunch Program. The more students who participate
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Santa Monica Daily Press
smdp.com
Candle maker sparks inspiration inside expanded West Elm
SEE SMMUSD PAGE 7
Thieves target Priuses for catalytic converters Kate Cagle
KATE CAGLE Daily Press Staff Writer
A free Santa Monica Police Department event to etch license plate numbers onto catalytic converters was fully booked within hours this week, with forty residents quickly reserving spots to have their converters distinctly marked to discourage thieves. The SMPD marked each converter with the driver’s license plate number and a coat of neon paint, which could help lead to an arrest if the parts show up at a chop shop outside of town. “For whatever reason, Priuses were the flavor of the month,� said Sgt. Roberto Villegas, of the rash of recent thefts. Villegas said the thieves hit Santa Monica neighborhoods, targeting cars parked overnight on the street. The converters contain small amounts of valuable metals like
platinum, palladium and rhodium and can sell for as much as $640 on the black market. In the past, trucks and sport utility vehicles were the prime targets for thieves. Recently, mechanics at Santa Monica Motors say they’ve had a few customers come in needing new catalytic converters because of theft. Service Advisor Josh Godbold says it’s a bigger problem in his neighborhood in Echo Park, where thieves typically target Honda Elements. “I would say every Honda Element within a mile radius of me has had its catalytic converter stolen,� Godbold said. “You can hear them in the morning because it creates a hole in the exhaust and the cars sound like a Harley Davidson.� Godbold says Priuses and Elements are targets because it is easier for thieves to physically get
POP IN: Entrepreneurs experiment with retail stores on the top floor of West Elm.
KATE CAGLE Daily Press Staff Writer
Evolyn Brooks almost always has something cooking on the stove. Walking into her brand new shop on Fourth Street, wandering customers are hit with the sweet aromas of grapefruit, lavender, lemongrass or jasmine depending on the concoction brewing on her portable Black and Decker burners. Nearby, delicate cups hold seashells, dried petals and pennies. About a dozen glass containers hold wicks. The identical vessels will soon hold custom wax creations and a connection to something bigger. “It’s not just about candles,� Brooks said as she stirred a pot of hot wax. “It’s about intention and goal setting and moving past obstacles.� The new home of In My Solitude LA will feature weekly workshops for friends, couples and groups hoping to delve a little deeper into
SEE WEST ELM PAGE 6
SEE THIEVES PAGE 6
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