"A quick look back into the archives at our Topanga station. Originally constructed in 1934 at the north end of Topanga Bach the tower has been used by lifeguards for over 80 years. A good reminder of Topanga's rish history and the role lifeguarding has played in it." - Los Angeles County Fire Department, Lifeguard Division

The Venice Beach Games is a sun soaked celebration of sports and fitness in the world’s greatest beach front recreation center.

The entire park and its glorious amenities are full of organized activity put on by the fantastic groups of people playing here. It is a day where the public can join 25+ sports groups running free activities, clinics, contests, games, and tournaments. Our Fitness Village and Main Stage also facilitate guest interaction with the best in local gyms, group workouts, personal training, athletic brands, recovery, nutrition, and more.

The Venice Beach Games is Venice Beach’s premier summer sports festival. With thousands of participants and tens of thousands of spectators, it is not to be missed.

Date: Saturday, July 29, 2023.
Time: 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
Admission: Free
Who can participate: You can! And everyone else too!
Location: Venice Beach Recreation Center.
1800 Ocean Front Walk. Venice, California 90291

The 2023 event will included:
- Battle of the Bars presented by World Calisthenics Org.
- Calisthenics Reps competition by United Nation of Gains
- Skate park competition: snake run, big bowl, highest ollie by Skateparks Intl.
- Fitness Zone with local gyms hosting workouts and challenges including: Camp L.A., and Deuce
- Muscle Beach Stage group fitness classes with Fit Girl Club featuring Camp L.A.
- Martial Arts grappling area with wrestling by Mat Monsters
- Jiu Jitsu by Rey Diogo and Ocean Grown
- Sambo by Justin
- Boxing Classes by Box Union and Santa Monica Strikers
- Capoeira clinic and demo
- Soccer clinics and organized games by Venice Beach Football League
- Handball tournament by USA Handball
- Paddle tennis clinics and tournament by Street Paddle and Pop Paddle
- Pickle ball clinics and tournament by Venice Pickle Ball
- Beach volley ball games by Westside Volley Ball
- Basketball clinics and games and dunk contest by Venice Ball
- All Wheels Welcome Jam: Long board, flat land, scooter, blades, and more, competition, lessons, and open dance jam
- Roller Skating open dance and lessons with Venice Beach Skate Dance Assoc.
- Kids Zone with arts and crafts, featuring Sunny Side Chalkers
- Beach clean up contest by Venice Community Cleanups and Spogomi.
- Ping Pong with Venice Pong Club
- Teq Ball area with Legacy Teq Ball
- Vendor village and resource fair
- and more!

For more info, Click Here

From Santa Monica Close Up:

"In commemoration of National CPR Week, the Santa Monica Fire Department and Santa Monica Police Harbor Patrol Officers joined forces to provide vital training on Hands-Only CPR at the iconic Santa Monica Pier. This event took place on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, with the aim of equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills to save lives in emergency situations. "

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

From Santa Monica Close Up:

"Los Angeles Council Member Traci Park spearheads a joint effort with St. Joseph's Center, LAHSA, CIRCLE, and SHARE to conduct a comprehensive homeless encampment cleanup and beautification operation on Venice Boulevard between Pacific and Dell. Collaborating with the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works and Clean Harbors Environmental Inc., the initiative addresses the pervasive issue of homelessness in the area. Simultaneously, a beautification project is undertaken to enhance the visual appeal of the surroundings."

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

Construction activity is expected to begin on the City of Malibu’s Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) Traffic Signal Synchronization Project in June, marking a major milestone in the City’s most significant measure to date to improve traffic safety and mobility on PCH.

“PCH is one of California’s most scenic state highways whose beach access and coastal views draw of millions of visitors per year, but it is also Malibu’s Main Street,” said Mayor Bruce Silverstein. “PCH safety and mobility are one of the most important quality of life issues in our community, so I applaud the start of this project.”

The project, which is estimated to take more than one year to complete, will install communication lines between the existing traffic signals on PCH from Topanga Canyon Boulevard to John Tyler Drive to synchronize the signals to existing traffic conditions.

Malibu community members have consistently advocated for better safety and mobility conditions on PCH for decades. According to CalTrans, PCH at Malibu Canyon Road handles roughly 4,600 cars per hour, or approximately 40,500 vehicles per day during peak hours in the summer months. About 1,215,000 vehicles pass through Malibu on PCH every month during the summer.

During the past 10 years, Malibu has had more than 4,000 traffic collisions, 1,600 of which involved injuries and more than 100,000 traffic citations have been issued. Excessive speed is the most commonly cited violation every year. Speeding and improper turns are the most common contributing factor to collisions, both of which will be directly addressed by the Traffic Signal Synchronization Project. The system can also be used strategically to help keep emergency evacuations moving quickly and safely.

The $34.6 million project is fully funded through Measure R funds administered by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

The new traffic signals will be connected to the Caltrans Traffic Management Center, allowing Caltrans to control and operate the signals and the signal system remotely. New equipment will capture actual traffic data and send that information to the traffic signal controllers. The new traffic signal controller will contain state-of-the art software that can adjust the traffic signal timing to actual traffic volume conditions. This will help alleviate traffic congestion on PCH and reduce the response time to manually adjust the traffic signal timing.

The City’s contractor will be using the City’s triangular vacant parcel on Civic Center Way, PCH and Webb Way during pre-construction and construction for staging vehicles, employee and construction vehicle parking, a temporary construction office, and storage of materials and new traffic signal poles. Using this area will make the project faster and more efficient, and reduce vehicle traffic on PCH and Malibu Canyon. Per the City’s requests, the contractor will install a temporary fence and screening, and has committed to keep the location clean during construction.

The parcel has been used for staging on previous City projects, including the Civic Center Water Treatment Facility and the Civic Center Way Improvements Project. The Planning Department has verified that no additional permits will be required for this temporary construction staging area. The City will put out public messaging and traffic alerts so that motorists and neighbors know what to expect during the construction period.

Saturday, June 24 · 1 - 4pm
Charlie Beach
Meet along the sidewalk on Ocean Front Walk - near Volleyball Nets
Los Angeles, CA 90292

For more info, Click Here

This photo from Tuesday shows the coroner's tent set up on Speedway. This is the second dead person found on Venice Beach this week.

Remember 3 days ago, a dead body was found in the Rose Ave Public restrooms.

Get ready to witness an incredible feat of determination and resilience as our extraordinary Cyclists and Roadies conclude their remarkable 7-day journey from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

This year, we have an exciting surprise for you! We are proud to announce that the Finish Line and Finish Line Festival will take place in a new location, just south of the iconic Santa Monica Pier. This stunning location provides a breathtaking backdrop for the momentous occasion, and we can’t wait to share the experience with you.

Join us on Saturday, June 10th, from 10:30 AM – 4:00 PM as we come together to celebrate the strength and commitment of our incredible participants. Here’s what you can look forward to at the Finish Line Festival:

Vibrant Atmosphere: Immerse yourself in the electric energy of the event. Feel the excitement in the air as the Cyclists and Roadies cross the finish line, their faces beaming with pride and joy. Your presence and support will mean the world to them.

Live Entertainment: Stay for live performances and music to keep the party going!

Inspirational Stories: Hear firsthand accounts from Participants, Survivors, and those affected by HIV and AIDS. These powerful narratives will remind us why we continue the fight against HIV and AIDS and motivate us to make a difference.

Community Connection: Connect with fellow supporters, volunteers, and local Community Partners committed to the cause.

Food and Refreshments: Enjoy an array of culinary delights and quench your thirst with refreshing beverages available throughout the festival. Indulge in various food options while taking in the beautiful beach surroundings.

This is an event you won’t want to miss! Mark your calendar, rally your friends, and experience the AIDS/LifeCycle Finish Line Festival. Together, we will celebrate the triumphs of our participants and renew our commitment to supporting those affected by HIV and AIDS.

Getting There: The Finish Line Festival is located at 2030 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90405. Parking for the Finish Line Festival can be located at and Lot 5 South located at 2701 Barnard Way, Santa Monica CA 90405.

For more info, Click Here

The huge homeless encampments that were spread over the beach parking lot on Venice Blvd was cleared out on Wednesday morning.

Photos: @VeniceIntel