From Santa Monica Close Up:

"According to Santa Monica Police Department Public Information Officer Lieutenant Flores. at approximately 1:17 PM on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, SMPD Officers responded to assist Los Angeles County Lifeguards regarding an attempted child abduction in the 2400 block of the beach. When officers arrived, they discover a female who attempted to grab and walk away with a 4 year old boy. The boy’s mother was able to regain control of him. Officers took custody of the suspect and transported her to the jail where she will be booked for attempted kidnapping and juvenile annoying. The boy suffered no physical injuries. "

Santa Monica Close Up is a photo blog by Santa Monica based Photojournalist/Press photographer Fabian Lewkowicz. Fabian is the former staff photographer for the Santa Monica Daily Observer Press, Santa Monica Mirror, Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Corsair.

Support Santa Monica Closeup/Fabian Lewkowicz with Venmo or PayPal to help earn money to make these videos:

https://venmo.com/u/santamonicacloseup

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Join us for our second public cleanup of the year at Tower 20, Santa Monica from 1pm-3pm! We will be keeping our coastlines clean with a team of committed volunteers just like you for an afternoon of fun and sun. Select OBX cast members are expected to be in attendance.

Sun, Feb 19, 2023
1:00PM-3:00PM PST

For more info and to register, Click Here

Powerful winter storm leaves Topanga Beach flooded while tree branches, bamboo, and pieces of wood wash up onto the sand.

Project Save Our Surf returns to Tower 26 to clean the beach. Buckets, gloves and light snacks will be provided.

Come join Project Save Our Surf for a fun afternoon of music and refreshments cleaning the beach. Buckets and gloves will also be provided for the cleanup. Connect with others in Los Angeles working to support our environment.

Sat, February 11, 2023,
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM PST

Santa Monica Beach Tower 26
2559 Ocean Front Walk
Santa Monica, CA 90405

For more info and to register, Click Here

Gale force winds and large steep seas expected over the coastal waters through Monday morning. High surf on west-facing beaches can be expected tonight through Monday night.

Fire Saturday morning damaged a single-story commercial building in Malibu, authorities said.

Firefighters dispatched at 4:14 a.m. to the 21000 block of Pacific Coast Highway had the blaze out at 4:43 a.m., according to a Los Angeles County Fire Department dispatcher.

Later that morning, Chad Marshall posted via Instagram that it was the Brothers Marshall Surf Shop and Cultural Center that had caught fire.



“Everyone is safe, and although the store suffered some damage and we lost a lot of product, it is all replaceable and we will be back up and running soon," Chad Marshall said on Sunday. " The bummer was we lost a majority of the amazing product we had just made for our Morning of the Earth collaboration. Although the store is closed for a bit, you can still support us by pre-ordering the Morning of the Earth merch on our website and pick up any of our products that suit your fancy. A lot of people have asked how they can help, and this is definitely how, my friends! ”

In January 2023, the LA County Department of Beaches and Harbors and California State Parks cleared homeless encampments in the Surfrider Beach and Malibu Creek areas of the City. The teams addressed the issue in a service-oriented approach, offering homeless outreach services to the people in the encampments prior to clearing the area. Six full stake bed truckloads of material and 16 shopping carts were removed the sites.

From Santa Monica Close Up:

"City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works sanitation workers in white hazardous materials suits, with Action Environmental Services, Inc., clean-up homeless encampments at Venice Beach restrooms on Friday, February 3, 2023. Park Rangers were onsite during the cleanup. The Venice Beach clean-ups are conducted every Friday."

Click Here for more Stories about Venice Healer Daisy

Santa Monica Close Up is a photo blog by Santa Monica based Photojournalist/Press photographer Fabian Lewkowicz. Fabian is the former staff photographer for the Santa Monica Daily Observer Press, Santa Monica Mirror, Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Corsair.

Support Santa Monica Closeup/Fabian Lewkowicz with Venmo or PayPal to help earn money to make these videos:

https://venmo.com/u/santamonicacloseup

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/fabianlewkowicz

Free admission to Santa Monica History Museum this Sunday, February 5th.

Worker cleaning up the flooded Venice Boardwalk while a vendor nearby removes an angry homeless lady from the front of his business.

A man was foun d dead in his car in Venice Beach.

The man, who living in his car in Venice Blvd at the intersection of Abbot Kinney, was discovered around 8:43 p.m. on Wednesday.

LAFD released this statement:

"After obtaining a better view of the inside of the vehicle (despite condensation on the windows obstructing their view), firefighters discovered that the reported propane inside the vehicle was coming from small camping-style propane bottles. While the exact circumstances are unknown, it *appears* to have been an unhoused man (approx 70 years old) who was trying to stay warm in an enclosed space (propane-powered heat lamp) and, sadly, succumbed to accidental asphyxiation (oxygen displaced by leaking propane)."

The righthand lanes of northbound and southbound PCH will be closed from Big Rock Drive to Tuna Canyon Road weeknights, 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM, January 23 to approximately March 23 for Southern California Gas Company gas line repair work. The work is required to enable Caltrans to proceed with slope restoration work on the coastal side of PCH south of Big Rock Drive. Crews will replace and relocate two steel gas lines, requiring digging a trench that will be covered by a steel plate during the day. Some daytime work may be required. Residents and businesses near the work site may notice noise, vibrations and dust.

The City of Malibu reports that they busted up a local cars & coffee meet.

"An unpermitted “Zuma Cars & Coffee” auto event took place Sun, Jan 22 at Aviator Nation on PCH by the Malibu Pier. The event was not affiliated with the City. City Code enforcement issued a citation. Sheriff's Department was on site & issued 11 moving violation & 10 parking citations."

From Santa Monica Close Up:

"Los Angeles Police Officers issue advisals at the Ozone Ct. homeless encampment in Venice on Tuesday, January 31, 2023. Tents are not permitted between 6am and 9pm. Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) Section 41.18 makes it illegal to sit, lie or sleep in or upon any street, sidewalk or other public way."

Santa Monica Close Up is a photo blog by Santa Monica based Photojournalist/Press photographer Fabian Lewkowicz. Fabian is the former staff photographer for the Santa Monica Daily Observer Press, Santa Monica Mirror, Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Corsair.

Support Santa Monica Closeup/Fabian Lewkowicz with Venmo or PayPal to help earn money to make these videos:

https://venmo.com/u/santamonicacloseup

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/fabianlewkowicz

Polluted water sits in storm drain at Santa Monica Beach.

Interceptor 007 update: Early this month,, storms damaged Interceptor 007 tearing one of the barriers off. A temporary barrier (top photo) has been to ensure it will catch as much trash as possible during the rains expected in LA County this week. Meanwhile, a new permanent barrier (as seen in the bottom photo) is already on its way.

2 storm drains on the beach in Santa Monica after the storms on Christmas Day.

Eastbound and #1 westbound lanes of PCH were closed at El Matador Beach on Tuesday due to a traffic collision.

Join Surfrider LA on February 22nd for a special private screening event from 6:30PM-8:30PM of Wade in the Water at Patagonia Santa Monica highlighting Black Surfing and Aquatic Culture.

Event Details:
- Wednesday, 2/22/23 from 6:30PM-8:30PM (Film starts at 7:00 SHARP)
- DJ, Screening, and Q&A Panel
- Light Snacks and Drinks Provided
- Seats are first come first served; more standing room available

Film Description:
Wade in the Water: A Journey into Black Surfing and Aquatic Culture (2023) reclaims the 1,000-year-old tradition of Black surfing. Braiding historical accounts with modern-day testimonials, the film dismantles the racial barriers of conventional surf culture, delves into the overlooked history of Black surfing's legacy, and honors its current movement—inspiring the next generation of Black surfers. Purpose

Screening a documentary and hosting a Q+A panel that reclaims the 1,000-year-old tradition of Black surfing and aquatic culture—inspiring the next generation of Black surfers.

Wed, Feb 22, 2023
6:30PM-8:30PM PST

For more info and to register, Click Here