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WHAT’S UP WESTSIDE ..................PAGE 2 PIER DIRECTOR DEPARTURE ......PAGE 3 EARTH TALK ....................................PAGE 4 KNOW BEFORE YOU GO ..............PAGE 5 MYSTERY REVEALED ....................PAGE 9
MONDAY
08.07.17 Volume 16 Issue 229
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Santa Monica Daily Press
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Concerts, Conservatives, Controversy BY SARAH A. SPITZ Special to Santa Monica Daily Press
In the heated and polarized political climate we live in, what began as a modest protest via open letter by four local musicians has become something of a “cause célèbre” for conservative cultural critics. On August 1, an Op-Ed by radio talk show host Dennis Prager written for Townhall.com—which defines itself as the leading conservative and political opinion website—asks, “Can a Conservative Conduct an Orchestra?” The piece has since been reproduced in the widely-read National Review and influential RedState.com and is being picked up by other conservative commentators, repeating Prager’s contention that “the illiberal left” is trying to “boycott” him. The com-
ments fields of these sites are exploding with rage and vitriol. Prager was invited to be a guest conductor at the first-ever, paidticket fundraiser for Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra on August 16 at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Renowned for his love of classical music, he has guest conducted the Glendale Symphony and even the L.A. Philharmonic. Like most of the orchestra’s volunteer musicians, Prager offered his services for free. But a small group of players— who knew nothing about Prager and were stunned once they discovered his views—objected to the invitation and penned an open letter encouraging musicians and audience members to consider Prager’s “bigoted ideas” when deciding whether to perform or SEE MUSIC PAGE 6
Free Nights at the Santa Monica History Museum BY KATIE OSAKI Daily Press Intern
Photos by Arati Desai
INTERNATIONAL TRIP Two Santa Monica AYSO teams traveled to Chengdu, China on July 22. After a 30-hour adventure, they arrived midmorning July 24 for an action-packed, three-day soccer tournament. The soccer was competitive and both Region 20 teams made a good showing. In 90° heat and over 70% humidity, they fought until the end of each game, never giving up. Every match ended with a gift and cultural exchange not to be soon forgotten. They also had an incredible cultural experience making Chinese masks, sipping tea, practicing calligraphy, and painting; they saw the Leshan Giant Buddha, the largest Buddha sculpture in the world, and toured the Panda Reserve, the old city of Chengdu and the Wenshu Monastery. The delicious, authentic Sichuan lunches and dinners have been a new experience for everyone. One player said, “some of the food is good, some is great, and some is not.” The trip finishes with a four-day tour of Beijing, to see the Great Wall, Summer Palace, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and more!
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The Santa Monica History Museum is offering free evening entry twice a week through Labor Day to accommodate busy locals who can’t visit during business hours. Officials said the free nights are part of their ongoing mission to open the city’s history to anyone and everyone. “We believe that history is for everyone,” said Development and Museum Manager, Ashley Jackson. “And if there’s a way to make sure it’s accessible for all, we want to take advantage of that opportunity.” Even though the museum has had free admission days in the past, the museum hopes that by making the museum more accessible they
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will be able to educate a wider range of visitors than ever before. “The museum still holds free admission days once a month in addition to special admission days throughout the year,” Jackson said. “Our attendance has consistently shown that these days bring in more visitors and we are seeing more young adults and families than before.” The museum began life in 1975 as the Santa Monica Historical Society whose self-described mission was to “collect and preserve the history, art and culture of the Santa Monica Bay Area and to be the guardian/caretaker of the history.” In the following years, the Santa Monica Historical Society earned a reputation as an archival work SEE MUSEUM PAGE 7
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