INSIDE SCOOP
COMMENTARY
REAL ESTATE 101
HOAX MAY END IN PARTIAL VERDICT PAGE 3 TALKING TURKEYS PAGE 4 CREDIT SCORES GOOD AS GOLD PAGE 7
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2008
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Volume 7 Issue 322
Santa Monica Daily Press COOKING A SAFE BIRD SEE PAGE 3
Since 2001: A news odyssey
THE BOULEVARDS AND AVENUES ISSUE
Residents speak out regarding restriping BY MELODY HANATANI Daily Press Staff Writer
tique closed shop for a few hours last week and volunteered at the soup kitchen. “Interacting with the people was the best part for me because I felt like I put a smile on a few people’s faces,” Niktash said. “Working in retail, we’re friendly with people and we have customer service skills.” Niktash added that she plans to work at the soup kitchen at least once a month. Bread & Roses Cafe serves about 150 individuals every day. Va Lecia Adams, the executive director of St. Joseph Center, noted that the donations from Only Hearts comes at a critical time for the organization, which is dealing with more clients because of the current economic crisis. “We had a marked increase in the num-
VIRGINIA AVENUE PARK There were harsh words and frustrated sighs, an encouraging thought here and there, and a lot of tension throughout. When it comes to the reconfiguration of Ocean Park Boulevard, just about everyone has a strong opinion. Those feelings erupted during a meeting on Wednesday when residents were updated on the status of a highly-criticized pilot project that restriped one of the busiest neighborhood streets last year from four lanes to two in response to pedestrian safety concerns. The meeting was intended to give the community a chance to weigh in on the recent changes on the street — which included more parking spaces and the addition of bike lanes — and later help transportation management staff formulate recommendations for a permanent solution. City officials also plan to take into consideration an online survey that more than 500 people have already filled out. Nearly a year after Ocean Park Boulevard — from Lincoln Boulevard to 25th Street — was restriped, the new configuration remains a volatile issue. “I’ve been watching the traffic increase in front of my store,” said Elizabeth Seiji, who owns Edelweiss Flower Boutique. “I haven’t really seen any improvement as far as traffic.” City Hall instituted the changes on Ocean Park Boulevard after years of hearing complaints from residents about safety issues posed at certain intersections, including 16th and 18th Street where several pedestrians were struck in the past, calling for a traffic signal. After studying the issue and hosting a community meeting more than a year ago, city officials decided to remove a travel lane
SEE HUNGER PAGE 9
SEE OCEAN PARK PAGE 8
Brandon Wise brandonw@smdp.com
IT’S IN THE BAG: Laurie Newbound (left) buys a gift and a tote bag at the Only Hearts boutique on Montana Avenue Tuesday afternoon. The store will give 100 percent of the proceeds from the limited edition tote bags to the Food Bank of New York and St. Joseph Center in Venice.
Boutique joins fight against hunger BY MELODY HANATANI Daily Press Staff Writer
MONTANA AVENUE A local boutique is trying to bring some holiday cheer to the homeless population. As part of its 30th anniversary, Only Hearts, a business specializing in intimate apparel and sleepwear, will donate 5 percent of proceeds from sales this month to St. Joseph Center as part of its campaign to fight hunger during the holidays. The “I Heart Sharing” project takes place simultaneously at the company’s Santa Monica and two New York boutiques, applying proceeds from its East Coast stores to the Food Bank for New York City. “I’ve noticed in New York that we’re seeing more people on the streets,” said Helena Stuart, who founded the heart-themed
business in NYC. “We thought we’ve been so successful and lucky in the last 30 years … that we could give back.” As part of the campaign, Stuart commissioned NYC artist Megan Galante and Santa Monica artist Yas Niktash, who is also the local store manager, to design the boutiques’ windows, also using the artwork on a specially-made tote bag that was created for “I Heart Sharing.” All proceeds from the bag sales will be donated to the two charities. Stuart left it up to the individual store managers to choose a local nonprofit organization to be the beneficiary of the campaign. Niktash, who has been with the company for eight years, said she selected St. Joseph Center because it operates a soup kitchen — the Bread & Roses Cafe. Employees at the Santa Monica bou-
Gary Limjap
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