Skateboarding Hall of Fame will be signing mhis book, 1000 Skateboards at Rip City Skates in Santa Monica - Sunday June 25 from 1-4PM. Come through and buy a copy, get your existing copy signed, and meet the author at one of the most legendary skateshops on the planet.

Congratulations to Rip City Skates on being inducted into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame.

Jim, Bill, Chris, Earl and all the others have been a staple in the skate community since 1978 providing a place for the Skaters of the World to get quality Skateboards with good service and fair prices for decades. It is especially hard to do in the “high rent district” of Santa Monica, CA. Ask anyone that has ever owned a Skate Shop how hard that is to accomplish for over 4 decades. If you have never been to visit their shop make it a must see. You’ll enjoy their mini museum of history that covers the walls and ceiling.

Today, at 10:25 AM, we received a call of shots fired in the 2600 block of 29th Street. Officers located one victim who has been transported to a local hospital. His condition remains unknown. The suspect or suspects are outstanding. Detectives are on scene and investigating. All… pic.twitter.com/ODV0kNG469

— Santa Monica Police (@SantaMonicaPD) January 25, 2024

Today, at 10:25 AM, Santa Monica Police received a call of shots fired in the 2600 block of 29th Street. Officers located one victim who has been transported to a local hospital.

Unfortunately, around 2:00 PM, the victim involved in the recent incident on 29th and Ocean Park succumbed to his injuries at a local area hospital. The investigation into this matter is ongoing. The suspect or suspects are outstanding.

Elevated to high surf will affect many west-NW facing beaches through Friday afternoon. Be aware that strong rip currents will be common, and stay off rocks and jetties near the water's edge.

From Santa Monica Close Up:

"In a recent development along the vibrant Venice Beach Boardwalk, local figure Venice Healer Daisy, encountered a regulatory challenge. On Wednesday, January 24, 2024, a team of 10 Los Angeles Police Officers, two Park Rangers, and the Chief of the Los Angeles Park Rangers approached Daisy with an important message regarding her three tiny homes. These homes, created as a compassionate response to homelessness, faced scrutiny under city ordinances related to street performers and vendors."

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

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The first winter swell of the year hits Topanga and over 150 surfers are there to battle for waves, along with the cast of "Surf II"..

Courtesy of SIMA

The Surf Industry Members Association has released their Diversity in Surfing Report, shedding light on the transformative changes occurring in the world of surfing.

The sport, culture, and lifestyle of surfing are now more diverse than ever, and recent data from ActionWatch and the SFIA Participation Study underscores the positive impact of concerted diversity efforts.

Key Takeaways:


- Changing Demographics: African American/Black, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Island surfers now constitute nearly 40% of the total surfing population in the United States.
- Female Participation: Females make up 40% of the total surfing population, highlighting a more inclusive and balanced representation in the sport.
- Surge in Diversity: Non-Caucasian surfing ethnicities are experiencing higher participation growth than Caucasian surfers, with African American/Black surfers leading in growth over the past 3-5 years.
- Promising Trends: Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Island surfers are making impressive strides, with Hispanic surfers showing notable growth and an equal or greater percentage of “Core Surfers” compared to Caucasians.
- Caucasian Surfer Decline: The percentage of Caucasian/White surfers has decreased from 65% in 2022 to 61%, indicating a decline in favor of a more diverse participant base.
- Hispanic Representation Increase: Hispanic representation among surfers has risen from 17.2% in 2022 to nearly 20%, reflecting a growing acceptance and engagement within the surfing community.
- Rise of African American/Black Surfers: African American/Black surfers have seen a rapid increase from 8.7% to 11% of the surfing population, highlighting the effectiveness of efforts to engage and support this demographic.
- Asian/Pacific Islander Engagement: Asian/Pacific Island surfers have experienced a substantial increase, rising from 7.6% to 8%, signifying greater visibility and inclusivity initiatives.

This data underscores the positive impact of diversity initiatives, making surfing more representative of the broader population. The surfing community is flourishing as a result, with increased participation and a richer blend of cultures and perspectives.

Mike, aka German in Venice, vlogs about daily life in Venice Beach, and the nearby communities.

"Homeless person got arrested in Venice Beach. You got to see it to believe it."

If you would like to support German in Venice with some gas money or you want to buy him a coffee, you are welcome to donate to his paypal account: https://paypal.me/germaninvenice

The The Vintage Surfboard Collector Club is curating its next vintage surf swap on Feb. 24, 10am-3pm, hosted by Boardriders Malibu.

New club members (sellers) are always welcomed to set up shop and sell vintage sleds for $40 for all of ‘24 vintage surf events. Boardriders Malibu
18820 Pacific Coast Hwy
Malibu, Ca 80265
310 - 359 - 8274


Check out photos from a previous swap event: Topanga Vintage Surf Swap

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