Another glimpse into the real-life troubling issues the beachside city of Santa Monica has on a daily basis. Some of these scenes may be disturbing or gross to some viewers, therefor viewer discretion is advised.

The Santa Monica City Council will hold a study session Tuesday, Oct. 8, to discuss the proposed Games Agreement to host beach volleyball on Santa Monica State Beach, the birthplace of the modern sport, for the 2028 Summer Olympic Games.

The first of four formal agreements with the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, or LA28, the Games Agreement would secure Santa Monica as a venue city and provide a framework for future, more detailed, agreements.

The discussion is the result of more than a year of negotiations between Santa Monica city staff and LA28 and is an opportunity for the City Council and the public to weigh in on the proposed deal points and the potential costs and benefits of moving forward.

One huge concern is that the agreement prohibits public and private events from being hosted citywide unless approved by or in coordination with LA28. Which mean any type of event in the city must be approve by the Olympic committee. The current agreement does not state whether or not the Pier will be allowed to stay open

“Santa Monica is an iconic destination known worldwide. And as the birthplace of the modern sport of beach volleyball, there is no better place to host the competition for the 2028 Summer Olympics,” City Manager David White said. “The city team has worked hard to negotiate a deal that works for Santa Monica, and the study session is a critical opportunity for the City Council and the public to provide input on what’s best for our unique community.”

If the council gives direction to move forward, a finalized Games Agreement would come back for a final vote at a future meeting. Exact terms, conditions, costs, and operational details would be negotiated in three additional future agreements.

A person freom Michigan was found guilty of murdering a man at the beach in Santa Monica

On November 2, 2022, Santa Monica Police Officers responded to Lot 1 North, the beach parking lot just north of the Pier, for a suspicious circumstances call. A parking attendant noticed a male subject lying motionless in the driver seat and possibly bleeding.

Officers located the vehicle in the west end of the parking lot, facing the beach. The individual inside the vehicle was clearly grievously injured in a knife attack and was confirmed deceased by responding firefighters. Initially, the victim was listed as a John Doe. Forensics Specialists responded to the scene, collecting hundreds of DNA swabs and latent fingerprints along with over a thousand photos. SMPD detectives quickly learned the victim was a resident of Dearborn, Michigan, who recently purchased the vehicle from a private party in Southern California.

Using evidence collected from the vehicle and other investigative tools, the murder suspect was identified as Dearborn resident Mohamed Abou-Arabi (DOB: 01/22/2000). The LA County District Attorney’s Office filed a single count of murder with an enhancement for utilizing a knife to commit the fatal attack. A warrant was then issued for Abou-Arabi’s arrest.

With crucial assistance from the Dearborn Police Department, SMPD was able to pinpoint Abou-Arabi’s movements from California back to Michigan following the attack. In January 2023, SMPD Detectives flew to Michigan and arrested Abou-Arabi for murder. He was booked into the Santa Monica Jail on January 18, 2023, and has been in the custody of LA County since that time.

At trial in September of 2024, Abou-Arabi was found guilty of First-Degree Murder. His sentencing will be in December.

Abou-Arabi has no prior arrests or convictions in California. He has two prior arrests for misdemeanor weapons offenses in Michigan. Abou-Arabi refused to provide a motive during the investigation and trial.

The Venice Afterburn is a daytime art and music festival in Venice Beach, California, and it's an official Regional Burning Man event. Artists are invited to bring their art cars, theme camps, burner bikes, interactive installations and other playa art for two days of magic by the beach. The event is FREE before 6:00pm and family friendly, and runs each day until 10pm. We strongly encourage to show up early, to ensure full engagement and participation.



The event will run from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. each day and is free to attend before 6:30 p.m. After that, a $10 entry fee applies, with no entry allowed after 9 p.m.

For more info, Click Here

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

3rd Annual Santa MoniCARES Volley-Ween Tournament and Fundraiser on Wednesday, October 30th, 2024. Enjoy games, entertainment, food, a friendly volleyball tournament and a Halloween costume contest at Perry’s Beach Cafe & Rentals. Register for just $35 to attend and/or play either on your own or with a volleyball team of 2, 4 or 6 players. All proceeds will go towards Santa MoniCARES and its charities.

For more info, Click Here

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

The VHM Film Festival returns on Sunday, October 20th, 7:00 PM, for our third annual night of films and fun in support of the museum!

Featuring a curated selection of shorts that highlight the people and places of Venice across eras.

Enjoy an Outdoor Screening under the stars & food from Zavela's Pizza and Davy Jones Liquor Locker!

Cost: Admission is $20P

For more info, Click Here

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

From Santa Monica Close Up:

"On Tuesday, October 1, 2024, Los Angeles Police officers, with the assistance of an overhead helicopter, pursued suspects in a stolen Cadillac Escalade through multiple neighborhoods, ending the chase in Santa Monica. The incident began in Pacific Palisades, near Sunset Avenue, when officers ran the plates of the SUV and discovered it had been reported stolen.

When police attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the suspects fled, prompting a high-speed pursuit that drew aerial support from an LAPD helicopter. The chase continued through several areas before concluding on Barnard Way in Santa Monica, where officers performed a PIT maneuver, forcing the SUV to a stop.

Two suspects exited the vehicle and fled on foot into nearby condominiums. Officers, aided by the helicopter, quickly located and arrested the suspects after a brief foot chase.

Following standard protocol, Santa Monica Fire Paramedics were called to the scene due to the collision caused by the PIT maneuver. Both suspects were transported to a hospital for evaluation before being booked.

LAPD noted that the stolen Cadillac is part of a recent string of black SUV thefts linked to home burglaries in the area. The vehicle was towed as part of the ongoing investigation."

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.

In Malibu, one northbound lane (#2 lane) on Pacific Coast Highway will be closed after 9PM Monday thru Friday nights till late October for cleanup work being done by Caltrans in the Big Rock area.

For more news, updates and traffic conditions on PCH and other local beachside roads, Click Here.

The Department of Beaches & Harbors presents Marina SPOOKTACULAR... Halloween by the Harbor! There’s fun and scares for all ages during this two-day festival.

Dates and Hours:
• Saturday, October 26 | 4:00–10:00 p.m.
• Sunday, October 27 | 4:00–10:00 p.m.

Location: Burton Chace Park – 13650 Mindanao Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292

Ages: Activities for all ages & scare levels!

Cost: Admission is FREE with RSVP

For more info, Click Here

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