Join The Bay Foundation at the last Earth Month event of 2025 at the Malibu Living Shoreline project. Engage with dune ecology and make a positive impact by removing invasive plants. Your participation will contribute to the restoration effort, fostering increased biodiversity and enhancing coastal resilience. We look forward to seeing you at the Point Dume/Westward Beach Dunes!

Saturday, 04/26/2025, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AMbr /> Pt. Dume State Beach / Westward Beach

For more info, Click Here.

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

The Santa Monica Fire Department this week launched a new K-9 Peer Support Program, an initiative designed to support the mental health and wellbeing of firefighters and other Santa Monica city employees and community members.

The program’s first K-9 team member, an English Labrador named Roger, is a certified support K-9 trained in providing comfort and companionship. Working alongside a designated peer support team handler, Roger will visit fire stations, attend debriefings after critical incidents, attend community events to interact with the public and be available to firefighters and city employees in need of emotional support.

Through Roger’s efforts, the program aims to provide comfort, reduce stress and promote emotional resilience for Santa Monica Fire Department, or SMFD, personnel as well as the broader community.

“We are thrilled to introduce this program as a proactive step in supporting the mental wellness of our firefighters and city employees,” Fire Chief Matthew Hallock said. “The presence of a therapy dog has been proven to lower stress levels, improve morale and encourage open conversations about mental health. We believe this initiative will make a meaningful impact on our team.”

Firefighters face high levels of stress due to the intense and often traumatic nature of their work. Recognizing the need for enhanced mental health support, SMFD has integrated the K-9 Peer Support Program as part of its commitment and dedication to prioritizing a healthy and supportive work environment.

SMFD joins a growing number of agencies across the nation in bringing on a K-9 support program to prioritize mental health for first responders. In Southern California, that list includes Redondo Beach Fire, Orange County Fire Authority, Huntington Beach Fire, Westminster Police Department, Newport Beach Fire and Torrance Fire.

The Santa Monica Fire Department extends its gratitude to the city staff, community partners and mental health professionals who have helped bring this program to life. The department remains committed to exploring innovative ways to enhance the well-being of its personnel and aligns with national best practices for firefighter mental health and wellness.

After almost 3 months, this video shows the current conditioins of the beach, creek, parking lot and general area around Topanga State Beach.

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

The Venice Ale House, the casual gastropub located on the boardwalk in Venice Beach featuring organic American fare & craft beers with boardwalk-side seating and ocean view, is leaving.

It was announced via theit social media on Sunday, "The ship has just about sailed, and what a journey it’s been. Fifteen years filled with unforgettable moments and friendships that will last a lifetime. Come join us tomorrow from 4–7pm as we close this chapter and set sail on a new journey. Let’s raise a glass to the memories, the friendships, and the adventures we’ve had! This one’s for the legacy Tom’s built—and the continued voyage ahead."

On Wednesday night, Venice Beach regular, Zachary "Turdle" Melton, 29, was fatally shot when he tried to intervene in an arguement between a woman and a man known in the area as "Prince Thomas" at the Dog Park at 1243 Pacific Avenue in Venice Beach.

According to witnesses, the shooter, who was said to be known registered sex offender named Tyrone "Prince Thomas" Jones, fled in a grey Maserati, which was found a few blocks away.

A search by polie at the time came up empty, but when the car was found, the registration listed a nearby apartment buulding. SWAT searched tha apartment at 26 Westminster Avenue, just a block from the dog park, on Thursday morning. The suspect was nowhere to be found and is still at large.

Friends of Zachary have been posting to social media. The girl who is pregnant with his child shared this::

The alleged shooter being sought by @LAPDPacific for the fatal shooting in Venice is a registered sex offender with an identical twin … why no BOLO pic.twitter.com/d6zosDOthE

— Michele McPhee (@MicheleMcPhee) April 4, 2025

Hop on down to the Main Street Farmers Market for Easter fun! Meet the bunny and join our egg hunt.

On Sunday, Sunday, April 20, celebrate the Easter season at Third Street Promenade!

Join the Main Street, Santa Monica Easter Egg Hunt at the California Heritage Museum, happening during the Farmers Market! Hunt for colorful eggs and snap photos with the Easter Bunny.

Don't forget to bring your basket to collect all the eggs you find! This event is perfect for kids of all ages, so come on down and enjoy the Easter festivities with us. We can't wait to see you there!

Foe more info and to RSVP to this event, Click Here for the Event Calendar.

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

Sunday, April 13 · 10am - 12pm

We are seeking people who are passionate about keeping our California beaches clean, and have FUN 🤩 while doing it! We welcome volunteers of all ages to earn Community Service Hours, while learning the importance of why we should "Be Nice to VeNice" by keeping it trash-free!What better way to participate in community service while having fun or just be a part of an event that makes our beaches better for residents, visitors and marine life.

WE WILL BE RAFFLING AWESOME PRIZES!! So be sure to challenge yourself/group by competing in our monthly themed contests and Scavenger Hunt created by our very own CEO, Makayla C.

On the day of the event, all volunteers will be required to individually sign in and complete a waiver.

Suggested groups by age of volunteers:

Elementary School: Partnered with accompanying adult(s)Middle School: Partnered in groups of at least 3High School: Partnered in groups of 2

We meet at 📍 Venice Beach: Near Lifeguard Tower#19

Our meet up station will be across the bike path at a RED or BLUE pop-up tent with check in table, banner and 2 feather flags with our logo. Use the address for North Venice Blvd.

Parking Lot for meet up location:

2100 Ocean Front Walk

Venice, CA 90291

For more info, Click Here

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

This is a beach cleanup at Santa Monica State Beach, hosted by The Persaud Foundation. Register today & get litter out of our oceans!

This event is hosted by The Persaud Foundation. This is a Beach Cleanup, lasting from 11:30 AM, to 2:50 PM. We will be meeting in the front section of Big Deans Ocean Cafe. We will provide Scoopers, gloves, & Trash Bags. Our Organizer will be wearing a bright orange turtleneck, which will be very easily recognizable. Participants are encouraged to bring close toed shoes, a sunhat, & a waterbottle. For more information on the order of events, please consult the Agenda.

Saturday, April 12 · 11:30am - 2:50pm
Santa Monica State Beach

For more info, Click Here.

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

This Earth Day, let’s come together to give back to our land, clean our shores, and nurture our spirits with a restorative Sound Bath.

Join Mayra for a Beach Clean Up + a Sound Healing Session afterwards on April 19th.

"I'd love for you to join me in making a difference and giving back to our beaches. As we all know, they're full of rubbish, damaging our ecosystem. Let's collectively help clean our beaches and save the animals and our environment for future generations to come. So they to can enjoy the beach like we currently do. It's on April 19th, Lifeguard Tower #26 in Santa Monica. The beach cleanup will begin at 11 am, so please arrive on time, if you're hoping to participate in the beach cleanup. Followed by guided breathwork and sound healing meditation that will begin at noon."

Mayra also partnered with Project Pop Drop to collect items for the homeless that will be delivering to a homeless shelter on the last Saturday of the month (each month is a different shelter and details will be available at the cleanup for those who want to attend that event as well). Collecting of non- perishable foods and new toiletries, new socks, new underwear, new clothing etc.

"Afterward, stay and hang out in the community. Connect with like-minded individuals, socialize, and enjoy the SoCal sun. All you need to bring is a yoga mat, a beach umbrella for shade, and some snacks. After the cleanup, we'll relax enjoy a cup of sun tea followed by guided breathwork and sound bath meditation, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose."

Saturday, April 19 · 11am - 12:30pm
Santa Monica Beach Tower 26
2600 Ocean Front Walk, Santa Monica, CA 90405

For more info, Click Here.

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

Looking for a 2025 summer camp? If your kids love the beach, join us Sun, April 27 for an Aloha Beach Camp Open House. This is a FREE event!



Join Aloha Beach Camp on Sunday, April 27 for the first summer camp Open House of the 2025 season. Aloha Beach Camp Open Houses are fun for the whole family and a great way to see where camp takes place all summer, learn about the program and meet in person.

Meet the camp directors and staff
Get all your questions answered
Take a bus ride
Pick-up free brochures and other information
Win FREE DAYS OF CAMP and other goodies in exciting raffles and drawings
This is an in-person event!



Sunday, April 27 · 1:30 - 3:30pm
Zuma Beach, Lifeguard Tower 7
30100 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, CA 90265

For more info, Click Here.

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

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.

We have also partnered with Project Pop Drop to collect items for the homeless that we will be delivering to a homeless shelter on the last Saturday of the month (each month is a different shelter and details will be available at the cleanup for those who want to attend that event as well). We are collecting non- perishable foods and new toiletries, new socks, new underwear, new clothing etc.

Saturday, April 12 · 11am - 1pm
Santa Monica Beach Tower 26
2559 Ocean Front Walk Santa Monica, CA 90405

For more info, Click Here.

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

After almost 3 months, homes on the beach in Malibu are finally being fully cleared of all fire debris.

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

Celebrate the Easter season at Third Street Promenade with fun, games, and FREE photos with the Easter Bunny!

On Sunday, April 6th from 12-4PM, celebrate the Easter season at Third Street Promenade!

This event is FREE and for ALL AGES!

There will be fun activities for all ages including:
Photos with the Easter Bunny (pets welcome!)
Live Childrens’ music + entertainment
Arts & crafts + games
Balloon twisters + face painters

Photos with the Easter Bunny will be first-come, first-served. There will be a (2) picture limit per group with the Easter Bunny.
There will be no egg hunt, rather Easter Eggs will be handed out .

Event will be on the 1200 Block of Third Street Promenade (between Arizona & Wilshire)

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

If you passed by the intersection of Main Street and Pico Boulevard this morning, you may have noticed some exciting activity taking place just outside the southwest corner of the shuttered Civic Auditorium.

Early this morning, a pair of mobile buildings were delivered to the parking lot. These trailers will soon house SaMo Bridge, a new city diversion program set to launch this month.

The SaMo Bridge program will join STEP Court and the Alternatives to Incarceration Pre-Filing Diversion Program as the latest tool to help the city intercept individuals experiencing homelessness or behavioral health issues before they enter the criminal justice system – and offer a different path.

The program is a key component of the city’s innovative strategy to address homelessness by focusing on sustainable solutions with lasting impacts.

When Santa Monica Police Department, or SMPD, personnel contact an individual who has committed a low-level crime – such as violating the city’s camping ordinance – they can now offer the person two choices: go to jail or go to the SaMo Bridge “respite hub.”

If the person chooses jail, they are usually either cited or booked and then released, with an obligation to appear in court in 30 days. But in the intervening month, they may pick up more offenses or have to wait to be connected with resources.

The idea is that the 24/7 respite hub is a more attractive option, with the goal of getting people off the street and connected to services. It also offers SMPD a new and much-needed resource to refer people to after hours.

At the respite hub, the individual can have a snack, take a shower and temporarily rest in a safe place. This environment makes it more likely the individual will be receptive to meeting with an onsite case manager to help find long-term solutions to the issues that brought them into contact with law enforcement.

Exodus Recovery Inc., the city’s nonprofit partner for existing diversion programs, will provide SaMo Bridge’s onsite, around-the-clock case management services.

Case managers will work with participants to create a 90-day care plan focused on housing and treatment. For participants who complete the 90-day plan, the City Attorney’s Office will not file the misdemeanor criminal case for which they were picked up, providing significant motivation to follow through with the program.

The SaMo Bridge respite hub will consist of two mobile trailers, one for Exodus staff and one for time-limited use by participants. The space has capacity to host three to four individuals at any given time.

Participation in the program is by SMPD referral only, and no loitering or walk-ups will be permitted outside the trailers. The site will have a 24/7 security guard, staffed by Exodus, with additional video monitoring by SMPD.

SaMo Bridge is a three-year pilot program fully funded by a grant from the California Board of State and Community Corrections. While the concept of “respite hubs” is not new, this is the first program of its kind to serve Santa Monica, and joins a host of innovative, holistic strategies for addressing homelessness within the city.

On March 25, the Santa Monica City Council approved an interim zoning ordinance that allows for SaMo Bridge’s location next to the Civic Auditorium. If conversations about reactivating the Civic Auditorium proceed before the three-year pilot is up, the location of SaMo Bridge could change if needed.

Authored By
Jenna Grigsby-Taggart
Santa Monica Deputy City Attorney

The City of Malibu, Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath from LA County’s Third Supervisorial District, LA County’s Third Supervisorial District, LA County Sheriff’s Department, LA County Public Works, Caltrans and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for an important discussion on the impacts of the Palisades Fire on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), its progress and ongoing recovery efforts.

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

The landmark Santa Monica Civic Auditorium opened in 1958 as a public gathering place for cultural, educational, and community events. Designed by noted architect Welton Beckett, the classic Streamline Modern building is the architectural focal point for the southern sector of Santa Monica's Civic Center. Regular operation of the Civic Auditorium was suspended in June 2013, due to the loss of redevelopment funds needed to rehabilitate the facility.

The Santa Monica City Council Tuesday approved execution of an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement with development team Revitalization Partners Group, to renovate, operate and program the shuttered Civic Auditorium.

An Exclusive Negotiating Agreement, or ENA, provides a specified period during which involved parties can conduct due diligence to evaluate the feasibility of a project and negotiate terms for a final agreement, which in this case would be a Disposition and Development Agreement.

Under the ENA, the city agrees to negotiate solely with Revitalization Partners Group, or RPG, to determine the feasibility for redeveloping the Civic Auditorium site. The ENA also sets forth agreed upon timelines and performance schedules, creates financial responsibilities and outlines future discussions.

The term of the agreement is six months.

The next step includes the city coordinating with RPG to complete various site analyses to understand the feasibility of redevelopment and renovation. As part of the ENA, RPG will submit a cost recovery deposit of $250,000 to cover staff and consultant costs for analysis of the Civic project.

“As a city we are pursuing multiple strategies to bolster our economic recovery,” Director of Community Development Arminé Chaparyan said. “From streamlining permitting processes to advancing revitalization projects such as the Civic Auditorium, we’re focused on continuing to push forward initiatives that support our businesses and local economy.”

The process of selecting the development team kicked off in late 2023 when the City Council directed staff to seek Letters of Interest from entities with demonstrated financial capacity and extensive redevelopment experience. 

RPG was selected for the ENA based on their experience and financial resources to renovate, operate and program entertainment venues that have historical attributes. 

Here's surfing photos from Friday, April 28th, at the Venice Breakwater. This set of surf photos was shot by Six12 Media.                                                                

Here's some surfing photos from Friday, April 28th, at the Venice Breakwater.

This set of surf photos was shot by Six12 Media and brought to you by Hulu.

These are just a few of the 90+ photos from this session. If you were out there, you probably got some surfing shots, probably multiple photos, they will be in the complete photo gallery for this day, check them out, the link to the complete gallery is down below.










You can find 90+ more photos from this session, all full size and in high-resolution, in this photo gallery:

Venice Breakwater - Friday 3-28-2025 Photo Gallery


If you were out there, we probably got some cool surfing shots of you, go check them out!

Wanna see photos from previous days at this and other local surf spots from this photographer?
Click Surf Spot Galleries and look for the spot and then the date.

Touring the devastating damage from the Palisades Fire to all the homes on the hillside above the "Alphabet Streets" in the Pacific Palisades. These homes had beautiful views of the ocean, several are tagged as dangerous as they are in danger of falling onto the hilside.

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