The Cove Skate Park's staff has been laid off, because of the City Of Santa Monica's "budget cuts". A petition has been started to bring back the park's experienced administrators, Rick Boisdeau and Brian Adams.

We understand the seriousness of the budget shortage and still we are asking that the Santa Monica City Council reconsider their decision to lay off highly experienced administrators of the Cove, notably Rick Boisdeau and Brian Adams. If the skate-park is re-opened with reduced hours and inexperienced staff it will create a safety risk as well as a serious blow to the community. Fees are currently very affordable and if increased could perhaps prevent these damaging cuts. Attendance at the park has steadily increased in the past year. As parents, coaches and skaters we are concerned that with shortened hours and inexperienced staff, once re-opened the skate park will lack the safety and enjoyment it has been known for.

It is impossible to overstate the value that Rick and Brian bring to the Cove. From a risk management perspective, they are highly experienced, competent, and knowledgeable about the sport of skating and can maintain safety through peak hours with high numbers of kids and adults at completely different skill levels. When beginners and intermediate skaters swamp the park area, crashes and injuries become more likely. For the safety of local and visiting skaters, it is important to maintain the excellent staffing from which we have benefited to date.

From a community perspective, Rick and Brian have made the park into an extraordinary place, a second home for many of us - it is no coincidence that attendance has increased under their watch. Rick has been instrumental in the success of the Cove Girls program, a twice-monthly girls-only skate session that has positively impacted the lives of so many girls. Brian, who outside the Cove is a teacher trained in Special Ed, teaches the kids to play chess and is always reading books, though typically his desk is busy with kids who want to chat with him. Rick and Brian both model sportsmanship, fairness, patience, and leadership. Our kids learn so much from them, in fact we all do - they are truly beloved.

Skating was once a rogue activity with origins here in LA; it is now an Olympic sport and recognized as one of the healthiest ways to develop resilience and brain activity. A recent article by Chris Lawton is one study among many outlining how skate parks contribute to the revitalization of urban space and provide important social and cultural benefits. For these benefits to be realized it is vital to maintain the sense of community, respect for the sport and each other that has flourished thanks to Rick Boisdeau and Brian Adams.

Please consider the impact to the safety, health and well-being of our community and sign this petition to help bring them back.

Today, Santa Monica Extends the Local Emergency to June 30 and Requires Face Coverings for Outdoor Activities (except water activities). here's the city's press release:

“Today, Interim City Manager and Director of Emergency Services Lane Dilg issued a fourteenth supplement to Santa Monica’s local emergency, extending the declaration of local emergency and all associated orders to June 30, 2020. The supplement also requires cloth face coverings for all permitted outdoor activities, except water activities. Children under two and individuals who have breathing difficulties, are unable to remove a cloth face covering without assistance, or have a disability that prevent the use of a cloth face covering are exempted from this requirement, but must comply with all other social/physical distancing requirements. This aligns with Los Angeles County’s revised Safer at Home Health Officer Order and a similar order from the City of Los Angeles issued yesterday.“

Here are additional updates Santa Monica residents should know:

Tennis courts are allowed to reopen for singles play. This weekend, the tennis courts at Reed Park will be available to residents with additional openings in the weeks ahead. All parks will be open, including Palisades Park, for safe outdoor recreation. Street sweeping will resume in neighborhoods beginning June 1 and will continue on a monthly schedule, beginning the first full week of every month. Follow posted street signs.

Physical distancing remains a requirement along with cloth face coverings whenever you are outside your home. Please comply with physical distancing requirements posted by businesses and recreational facilities.


For more of our coverage of the Coronavirus lockdown, closures, and how our local surf community and businesses are doing, CLICK HERE

All the Beaches Are Closed banners and signs starting to be removed and these new Beach Rules signs are being put up.

LA Beaches & Harbors have been placing them at most beaches. They are the same image they posted to their social media accounts when they announced the beaches would reopen.


Santa Monica has also put up their own sign:





For more of our coverage of the Coronavirus lockdown, closures, and how our local surf community and businesses are doing, CLICK HERE

Skateboarding, surfing, and dirt biking in Santa Monica, CA, captured by a pre-teen David Markey on 8mm film in 1976/ '77.

The dawning of the Dogtown era; Road Rider 4's, Bennett Trucks, Logan Earth Ski's, 2 colored Vans. Shot at Bay Street, Kenter Elementary, McKinley Elementary, Harvard Street, and the former vacant lots of Santa Monica. Skaters include Paul Hoffman and Paul Cullen.

The fence Santa Monica erected to keep people off the bike path has been defeated, with an epic result.

For more of our coverage of the Coronavirus lockdown, closures, and how our local surf community and businesses are doing, CLICK HERE

As we first reported via our Instagram Story, a bunch of people showed up today (Saturday, May 9th) at the entrance to the Santa Monica Pier to protest. Adults of all ages, a lot of kids, held signs and waved flags. And some girls who were there twerking for the cause.

Most were protesting California's quarantine closures, some were protesting the vaccine companies. And about three were there to sell hats and masks.

The lady on the bullhorn running the circus made it known to all that she is from San Diego and she is a big protester who is facing jail time down there.

For more of our coverage of the Coronavirus lockdown, closures, and how our local surf community and businesses are doing, CLICK HERE

As we reported already, select businesses are permitted to reopen on 5/8/20 and trailheads and golf courses can reopen 5/9/20.

Santa Monica officially announced that some of their closures, including the beach area, Santa Monica Pier, and Palisades Park remain in effect.
Source: @santamonicacity

For more of our coverage of the Coronavirus lockdown, closures, and how our local surf community and businesses are doing, CLICK HERE

L.A. County Director of Public Health Dr. Barbara Ferrer said at a news conference on Tuesday that L.A. County beaches, which have been closed since March 27, will reopen “soon.” She kept very vague about the reopening of the beaches. The existing health officer order closing the beaches expires on May 15.

Ferrer said her department has been “working hard” with the mayors of beach cities and L.A. County Beaches and Harbors.

“I think we’ll have a plan that will have our beaches reopen safe,” she said. Noting that the county’s beach city mayors have been working with beaches and harbors staff and have “created some documents that we are reviewing at the public health department. These are consensus documents and we think they look great.”

Ferrer said those documents “will give us the ability to have a road map for safely reopening county beaches here in L.A. County.” But Ferrer refuses to mention any timeline for the reopening L.A. County beaches.

San Diego was able to reopen their beaches. Orange County and Ventura were able to as well. Those beaches reopened with health guidelines in place, but looks like this Ferrer lady needs more time to come up with her own guidelines for LA beaches.



For more of our coverage of the Coronavirus lockdown, closures, and how our local surf community and businesses are doing, CLICK HERE

Due to warm weather this weekend, parking restrictions will be in place along Bay St between Ocean Front Walk and Neilson Way. and on Ocean Blvd. between Bay St. and Hollister Ave. starting Friday, April 24 through Sunday, April 27.

Vehicles with a displayed residential parking permit from within a two block radius can park at the bagged meters and will not be cited or towed.

Source: The official Twitter for the City of Santa Monica,

For more of our coverage of the Coronavirus lockdown, closures, and how our local surf community and businesses are doing, CLICK HERE

This year's They Will Surf Again Santa Monica has been postponed, LIfe Rolls On announced it this morning:

Out of an abundance of caution and concern, we are postponing They Will Surf Again. The health and well being of our entire LROhana is of the utmost importance to us. And because many members of our “family” live with disabilities that already tax their immunity, we are committed to not creating circumstances that contribute to greater stress on the immune system.

Of course, we will continue to closely follow local guidelines and will issue updates as they become available.

Stay safe and love life. Because life loves you.



For more of our coverage of the Coronavirus lockdown, closures, and how our local surf community and businesses are doing, CLICK HERE

To help slow down the spread of COVID-19, Jacks Surfboards' doors are temporarily closed, but you can set up an appointment to shop while social distancing at any of their retail locations, which includes the Santa Monica store! Just email jacksmarketing57@gmail.com for more info.





For more of our coverage of the Coronavirus lockdown, closures, and how our local surf community and businesses are doing, CLICK HERE

Update from Project Save Our Surf Beach regarding their April 11th beach clean up:

Our March cleanup is cancelled due to Coronavirus concerns. Please plan for our April cleanup pending further developments. Thank you for supporting and hope to see you on the beach soon!

For more of our coverage of the Coronavirus lockdown, closures, and how our local surf community and businesses are doing, CLICK HERE

For more of our coverage of the Coronavirus lockdown, closures, and how our local surf community and businesses are doing, CLICK HERE

UPDATED - LA Beaches & Harbors made this statement:

What does it mean when beaches are closed?

NO swimming
NO surfing
NO running
NO picnics
NO bicycling
NO volleyball


The LACoFD Lifeguard Division made this statement:

"Effective immediately, all Los Angeles County Beaches will be closed until at least April, 19th by the Order of the Public Health Officer.

The Los Angeles County Fire Departmental Lifeguard Division will continue to patrol the beaches to advise unknowing patrons of this new closure. All public piers, public beach parking lots, beach bike paths, and beach access points will be closed to reduce beach and bike path crowding and increase social distancing. We urge the public to #stayhome and practice #socialdistancing when conducting essential activities. Do your part to slow the spread of COVID-19. We’re all in this together. Stay home to save lives."

When asked if surfing was still allowed, they say to read their comment about clarification on the term beach, which is:

17.12.030 - Beach.
"Beach" means a public beach or shoreline area, inclusive of all appurtenant areas such as, by way of illustration and not by limitation, beach facilities, bicycle paths, promenades, service and emergency roads, parking lots, pedestrian stairways and access-ways, landscaping, slopes, jetties, creek beds, revetments, drains, and all navigable waters within one thousand feet from the public beach or shoreline area, bordering the Pacific Ocean owned, controlled, or managed by the County, in incorporated or unincorporated territory.
(Ord. 2012-0005 § 15, 2012: Ord. 9767

So it appears they are stating, without directly stating it, is that you are not allowed to surf in LA County till at least April 15th.

We will keep up on this as it develops.

For more of our coverage of the Coronavirus lockdown, closures, and how our local surf community and businesses are doing, CLICK HERE

“The crowds we saw at our beaches last weekend were unacceptable,” Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a written statement. “In order to save lives, beaches in LA County will be temporarily closed.”

The order goes into effect “immediately” and runs through April 19, 2020, according to the L.A. County Department of public health.

Officials said beaches will reopen when public health officials deem it safe.

“We cannot risk another sunny weekend with crowds at the beach spreading this virus,” Hahn said.

In less than a week, confirmed COVID-19 cases in L.A. County have more than tripled, climbing from 409 to 1,465 as of Friday, according to Barbara Ferrer, the director the L.A. County Department of Public Health.

“I ask that you help us by not going to out beaches and not going on our hiking trails at least for the next few weeks while we, again, try desperately to slow the spread of COVID-19,” Ferrer told residents in a news conference Thursday.

The public health order also applies to piers, promenades and beach bike paths and bathrooms across the county, officials said.

LACoFD Lifeguard Division add:
The Los Angeles County Lifeguards will continue to patrol the beaches to advise unknowing patrons of this new closure. All public piers, public beach parking lots, beach bike paths, and beach access points will also be closed to reduce beach and bike path crowding. We urge the public to stay home and practice social distancing when conducting essential activities. Do your part to slow the spread of COVID-19. We’re all in this together.

For more of our coverage of the Coronavirus lockdown, closures, and how our local surf community and businesses are doing, CLICK HERE

Here's an update to the Santa Monica Can Fine You $100 for NOT Social Distancing report that was posted a few days ago:

The Santa Monica Police made this statement, "We have received a few calls asking if SMPD personnel are ticketing for exercising outside or violating the Safer At Home orders. This is FALSE. Officers continue their regular patrols & encourage everyone to take social distancing and Stay At Home requirements seriously."

"SMPD officers, while legally authorized to issues citations, they are not doing so."

@LAPDHQ made this statement via their twitter: "We’ve heard the rumors, so let’s put an end to them. No, the LAPD is not stopping or ticketing people for exercising outdoors. Spreading false rumors during this time does no good."



For more of our coverage of the Coronavirus lockdown, closures, and how our local surf community and businesses are doing, CLICK HERE

ZJ Boarding House will now offer private shopping:

OPEN BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
STARTING TOMORROW 3/26 from 10am - 3pm
Email TR to set up appointment tr@zjbh.com

While still following the rules and guidelines by the CDC to keep us safe, we will be setting up private shopping appointments. We will be practicing social distancing and encourage contactless payment only • $100 minimum purchase • 1 person per appointment only unless prior authorization is given • Shoot us a DM with any questions. •

ZJ Boarding House
2619 Main St. Santa Monica, CA
(310) • 392 • 5646
Store Hours:
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

For more of our coverage of the Coronavirus lockdown, closures, and how our local surf community and businesses are doing, CLICK HERE

The City of Santa Monica updated the Stay at Home Orders to include ticketing people who are not following them:
City officers are authorized to issue administrative citations to enforce emergency orders issued to date as follows:

Eighth Supplement to the Executive Order (Stay at Home / Safer at Home Orders) - for individuals: $100 for first violation, $250 for second violation within one year, $500 for third or subsequent violations within one year; for violations by businesses: $500 for first violation, $750 for second violation within one year, $1000 for third or subsequent violations within one year

“Our first priority is to remind and educate the public when they are not following our local orders,” said City Manager Rick Cole. “However, it’s important for people to know that our local orders include the ability to fine individuals and businesses that do not abide voluntarily.”

For more of our coverage of the Coronavirus lockdown, closures, and how our local surf community and businesses are doing, CLICK HERE

Santa Monica has just shut down all beach parking lots indefinitely. If you saw our Instagram Story today, we were there as they put the locks on the Ocean Park lot. According to the Santa Monica Police officer we spoke to, the beach is not closed, just the parking lots. The parking lots at Venice and Malibu are still open.

This happened at 12:00PM. A few hours later the city released this press notice:

The City of Santa Monica is taking additional measures to protect the health and safety of the Santa Monica community and our neighbors by closing the beach parking lots. This comes after one-and-a-half days of large numbers of beachgoers coming to the coastline amidst the Safer at Home statewide measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).  These measures are being taken in accordance with State and local health directives that prohibit gatherings and call for social distancing of non-household members.  

All residents and visitors are advised to avoid the beach, beach bike path, and Palisades Park today and in the days to come to protect themselves and others. As a beach city we know the draw to be outside and in nature is more powerful than ever, but to truly have an impact in our region and state, we must all remain at home and six feet from others when out for essential trips only.  

“Today is not the day to go to the beach. We know that it’s difficult to stay at home when the weather is so nice and being close to the beach is one of the primary reasons why we love to call Santa Monica home,” said City Manager Rick Cole. “Yet this is a time when we must take the guidelines from our health officials to heart. We urge our residents to avoid any public spaces where social distancing is a challenge.”

Parking lots at the beach are closed, effective immediately. Residents of Santa Monica who live in the area of the beach and who hold residential parking permits for the relevant lots will be permitted to park, as will essential personnel consistent with the Governor's Stay at Home and the County Department of Public Health's Safer at Home orders.

For more of our coverage of the Coronavirus lockdown, CLICK HERE

To help slow down the spread of COVID-19, Jacks Surfboards' doors are temporarily closed, but you can set up an appointment to shop while social distancing at any of their retail locations, which includes the Santa Monica store! Besides being the only customers in the store... you’ll get 20% OFF storewide (exclusions apply). Just email jacksmarketing57@gmail.com for more info.

Same saving applies to their online store. Shop JacksSurfboards.com and save 25% OFF SITEWIDE for a limited time with code SAVE25.



For more of our coverage of the Coronavirus lockdown, closures, and how our local surf community and businesses are doing, CLICK HERE