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DECEMBER 20-21, 2014
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Volume 14 Issue 33
Santa Monica Daily Press We have you covered
THE LAST SHOPPING WEEKEND ISSUE
Field crowded to fill vacant Ed Board seat BY DAVID MARK SIMPSON Daily Press Staff Writer
SMMUSD HDQRTRS Eleven people have thrown their names in to be considered for the open Board of Education seat. The list of candidates, who have not yet been vetted for eligibility by the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School district, includes a recently-ousted board member, a local real estate attorney, a district attorney, Santa Monica High School’s former baseball coach, a PTA president, and the leader
of a Malibu organization focused on having PCBs removed from the schools. Earlier this month former Boardmember Ben Allen resigned with two years left on his term after being elected to the State Senate. The six remaining board members will select a seventh through a public appointment process. Thursday was the deadline for candidates to submit their applications to the district. Tom Larmore, an attorney and partner at Harding Larmore Kutcher & Kozal, filed
LA airport OKs $4B link from terminals to trains
his application on Thursday. He’s running, he says in his application, because he supports public education but sees the district losing students to private schools. “I want to assist in addressing significant issues pending before the District,” he said in his application, “such as the achievement gap, the ‘unification’ proposal from some in Malibu, and adoption and updating of the LCAP, as well as the constant issues that
LOS ANGELES Leaders at the Los Angeles International Airport have formally given the go-ahead to a $4 billion plan to build an “automated people mover” that would connect terminals to the region’s rail system. The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners unanimously voted Thursday to approve the project, which would take people around the nation’s third-
SEE BOARD PAGE 11
SEE LAX PAGE 12
Associated Press
High School students organize nonviolent protests BY AMANDA GORMAN Special to the Daily Press
DOWNTOWN Local high school students, disappointed by the recent lack of justice for the victims of police brutality Tamir Rice, Mike Brown, and Eric Garner, turned their disappointment into motivation by organizing a youth-based protest in the Santa Monica community. The movement began when students at SEE PROTEST PAGE 12
Fewer Santa Monica alcohol retailers willing to sell to minors BY SARAH BLANCH Special to the Daily Press
CITY WIDE Santa Monica stores scored well
A VISIT FROM SANTA
in a recent alcohol sting with nine out of ten retailers checking identification before making a sale. Of the ten communities targeted in the operation, Santa Monica had one of the lowest percentages of retailers who would sell without checking ID. The tri-county community effort dubbed
Matthew Hall matt@smdp.com Mr. and Mrs. Claus delivered gifts to 300 youth at the Police Activities League on Dec. 18. In addition to gifts, youth were able to participate in holiday crafts and mingle with Santa’s Helpers, local volunteers and members of the Santa Monica Police Department. See Page 7 for more photos.
SEE ALCOHOL PAGE 8
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