On January 13th at about 6:45 AM Santa Monica Police Department officers responded to the intersection of Ocean Ave and California Ave in response to a call of a hit-and-run of a department employee. Northbound California toward Pacific Coast Highway is closed to vehicular traffic and only accessible by emergency vehicles. According to witnesses, two National Guard vehicles were traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of Ocean Avenue heading down California Ave toward Pacific Coast Highway. Witnesses saw a dark green Toyota Highlander follow the National Guard vehicles on the wrong side of the road and attempt to gain access to evacuation areas in violation of the shutdown.

A SMPD Traffic Services Officer (TSO) approached the Toyota and signaled it needed to stop. The TSO approached the vehicle and attempted to explain to the driver he was not authorized to pass through the checkpoint. The driver of the vehicle did not follow the order and instead continued through the barrier, driving over the TSO’s foot as he left. Officers monitoring the broadcast of the vehicle description utilized the department’s network of Flock cameras to locate the vehicle in the 2200 Block of Pico Boulevard. The officers conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle and confirmed through statements from the passenger it was the striking vehicle in the hit-and-run. The driver was identified as Walter William Larkins IV (DOB: 02-13-1987).



Larkins, a resident of Malibu, was arrested for Felony Hit and Run (hit-and-run resulting in injury to a person) and several additional violations of vehicle code.

The TSO was transported to a local hospital to receive treatment for a soft tissue injury.

The incident remains under investigation. Anyone who may have information related to this incident is encouraged to contact Investigator Raleigh at Evan.Raleigh@santamonica.gov, our non-emergency dispatch line at 310-458-8491, or the Watch Commander 24 hours a day at 310-458-8427.

For more news and updates on the Palisades Fire, Click Here.

"When I was out there in the Malibu area, I saw a gentleman that looked like a firefighter. And I asked him if he was okay because he was sitting down. I didn't realize we had him in handcuffs," Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Sheriff Robert Luna told reporters during Sunday's press conference. "We are turning him over to LAPD because he was dressed like a fireman, and he was not. He just got caught burglarizing a home. So those are issues that our front line deputies and police officers are dealing with."

The arrest was made during the day on Pacific Coast Highway in Pacificc Palisades (not Malibu). The suspect and his partner were travelling westbound on Pacific Coast Highway on a scooter and a moped when they came up on a check point set up next to the Getty Villa at 17985 Pacific Coast Highway. The check point was manned by LAPD officers, Santa Clarita LASD deputies, and the National Guard.



Eric Fox/Fox First On Scene Photography was on the scene and got these photos. "Saw these two individuals riding up PCH on their moped and scooter. The one was wearing a CDF fire jacket, fire boots and jeans. The last time I checked, they don’t issue mopeds as response vehicles, and the name CDF was changed to Cal Fire in 2007."

One of the two was dressed in fire boots, jeans, and a yellow fire jacket emblazoned with Cal Fire’s old acronym CDF, which stood for California Department of Forestry and Fire.





No information has been provided on the alleged looters’ identities or if they were caught with any stolen property.

For more news and updates on the Palisades Fire, Click Here.

Please Click Here the High-Res Zoomable Map of Pacific Palisades that was updated on 1/11/2025

For more news and updates on the Palisades Fire, Click Here.

Travelling down Pacific Coast Highway from Topanga to Santa Monica looking at all the damage done by the Palisades Fire as it still burns. Police were evacuating the area. There were a lot of people that rode all kinds of things over here to see the destruction.

For more news and updates on the Palisades Fire, Click Here.

Tour into Topanga Beach area to view all the destruction done by the Palisades Fire. This video is a walk through the area to view what it looks like now..

For more news and updates on the Palisades Fire, Click Here.

For more news and updates on the Palisades Fire, Click Here.

The Palisades Fire jumped over PCH and several beach structures got fire at Will Rogers Beach.

For more news and updates on the Palisades Fire, Click Here.

Over 140 surfers were out in the line up at Sunset Point on Sunday morning as the first big swell of the season hit.

Held on Saturday, December 14th, 2024, at the Venice Beach Pier. Here are the results:

Boys 18U
1 Tristan Baldwin
2 Danny Okeefe
3 Drake Bakunin



Girls 18U
1 Rose Bakunin
2 Coral Venice



Open Men
1 Cole Sweeney
2 Andy Schwartze
3 Romulo Cortez



Open Women
1 Leah Miller
2 Nicole Brait
3 Crystal Arrias



Men's 50+
1 Norman Antonio
2 Steve Siegrist
3 Stan Chiu



Open Longboard Men
1 Steve Siegrist
2 Norman Antonio
3 Nathan Antonio



Body Surfing
1 Adrien Deloffre
2 Todd Francis
3 Edward Sweeney



Foamie Expression Session
1 Alex Statman
2 Seamus Mcmullan
3 Nathan Antonio



These are just a few of the 400+ photos from the contest from Six12 Media, the link to the complete gallery is down below.











You can find more photos from the contest, all full size and in high-resolution, in this photo gallery:

2024 Venice Surf-A-Thon Photo Gallery

Franklin Fire burns multiple homes within hours of ignition.

For more on the Franklin Fire, Click Here.

"Against The Current," is a short film documenting the artistic process of the legendary Skateboarder and Filmmaker, Stacy Peralta. Made in conjunction with his art show debuting at CCC gallery this fall and directed by Dana Shaw, it’s not just a love letter to a life of skateboarding but a celebration of the spirit of creativity and commitment.

Stacy shares his various inspirations from childhood to present day, and the challenges and lessons learned while working to develop this new visual language in his iterations of these tools of joy from the past.

The work also explores his temporal and obsessive relationship to the skateboard collection that intrinsically holds the memories of those ephemeral halcyon days. As well as the decay and degradation that entropy and time have on our prized possessions, and even ourselves.

Registrstion for the 31st Annual Venice Surf-A-Thon is open. The contest will be held on Saturday, December 14th at the Venice Pier.

Divisions will be:
Boys 14U
Girls 14U
Boys 18U
Open Women
Open Men
Open Longboard Women
Open Longboard Men
Women 40ish
Men's 50+
Body Surfing
Body Boarding
Foamie Expression Session



Entry fee is $30 and that includes a contest t-shirt.

To register, Click Here

Stay tuned for more updates.

See photos from last year, Click Here

Find out about more upcoming local events, Click Here for the Event Calendar.

CAF and PlayLA hosted a series of adaptive surfing clinics in Venice Beach. Athletes with physical disabilities came together to catch waves, build confidence, and show that the ocean is for everyone.

"Today Danny Slant was walking up to the Smart & Final grocery store at the corner of Sunset Ave and Lincoln Blvd, and he witnessed the invesitgation and treatment of victim who was shot as part of a road rage agressive driving dispute between three cars loads of suspected gang members. Danny Slant took footage of the LAPD helicopter, Fox News Helicopter, LAFD paramedics and fire department, LAPD. Some of the friends and relatives of the victim were very aggressive and did not want to be interviewed. Danny interviewed eye witness , a young 20's man named Ryan. Who witnessed that the vehicles were driving erratically down Lincoln Blvd., proceeded to hit a homeless persons shopping cart, and then came into the parking lot, where they had a shoot out. The victim ran into the Valentino's Taco Truck catering restaurant in the outdoor parking lot shopping center that was formerly the Venice Fox Theatre. One of the suspects is still on foot, and police are canvassing the neighborhood looking for him. Definitely keeping it real here in the ol' Venice Beach neighborhood. Everybody please be safe, so we can go back to just riding our bicycles along our beautiful beaches and not have to worry about problems in our grocery store parking lots."

A great white shark breaches into the sky just a few hundred yards Sunset Point in Pacific Palisades. The guy in videos says it's Malibu, but we all know that is Sunset, miles away from Malibu.

New video from Real Skate Stories.

"oin us as we pay tribute to Shogo Kubo, celebrated as the most stylish skateboarder in history. This video features a compilation of his most impressive performances, alongside his 1977 Skateboarder Magazine "Who's Hot" interview that reveals the passion and dedication behind his craft. As a founding member of Dogtown Z-Boyz team, he is one of the greatest skateboarders of the 70's and 80's and was mentioned by Mark Gonzales as his second most influential skater ever. Experience the blend of skill and style that has made Kubo a beloved figure in the skateboarding world, inspiring countless fans and aspiring skaters alike, and cementing his legacy as perhaps the most stylish skateboarder ever."

The Santa Monica City Council will hold a study session Tuesday, Oct. 8, to discuss the proposed Games Agreement to host beach volleyball on Santa Monica State Beach, the birthplace of the modern sport, for the 2028 Summer Olympic Games.

The first of four formal agreements with the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, or LA28, the Games Agreement would secure Santa Monica as a venue city and provide a framework for future, more detailed, agreements.

The discussion is the result of more than a year of negotiations between Santa Monica city staff and LA28 and is an opportunity for the City Council and the public to weigh in on the proposed deal points and the potential costs and benefits of moving forward.

One huge concern is that the agreement prohibits public and private events from being hosted citywide unless approved by or in coordination with LA28. Which mean any type of event in the city must be approve by the Olympic committee. The current agreement does not state whether or not the Pier will be allowed to stay open

“Santa Monica is an iconic destination known worldwide. And as the birthplace of the modern sport of beach volleyball, there is no better place to host the competition for the 2028 Summer Olympics,” City Manager David White said. “The city team has worked hard to negotiate a deal that works for Santa Monica, and the study session is a critical opportunity for the City Council and the public to provide input on what’s best for our unique community.”

If the council gives direction to move forward, a finalized Games Agreement would come back for a final vote at a future meeting. Exact terms, conditions, costs, and operational details would be negotiated in three additional future agreements.

On Wednesday, September 18th, 2024 at approximately. 8:33 PM , Los Angeles County Fire units responded to a report of boat fire at 2201 Basin A in Marina Del Rey. The yacht is approximately 100 feet long. 2 passengers exited the boat without injuries. Reports say the fire was fueled by ammunition and fireworks that were being hauled on the yacht

Scenes from a crack'n day in Santa Methica's Palisades Park at the top of the Pier. From an one-armed women deliberately walking into traffic, to junkie checking for unlock cars, to a couple grooving to the music....

Billed as North America's Largest Pet Festival, Day of the Dog took place on Saturday at the Main Street, Santa Monica Block Party. Among all the pet festivities, there were also two separate car clubs having shows and vendors from all over.