While surfers are surfing, skaters are skating, and tourists are touristing, officials are investigating a body found on the beach next to the Venice Graffiti Wall and Skatepark. Said to possibly be a homeless man in his 40's, LAPD recieved the call about the discovery around 3am Tuesday morning, and the investigation lasted till around 11am.

To our friends and neighbors from Pacific Palisades to Malibu to Altadena/Pasadena/Sierra Madre...

In the wake of the fires that changed our lives, we invite you to join us for a special evening at the Santa Monica Pier dedicated exclusively to the survivors.

This night is about us—a time for unity, joy, and celebrating the unbreakable spirit of our community, as we come together to heal and reconnect.

📍 Santa Monica Pier
Tuesday May 6, 2025
5pm-10pm
7:30-8:30 Esteemed Leaders & Hero's Awards
*This event is exclusively for fire victims. Please be mindful this private gathering is intended for neighbors to connect with one another.

This evening has one purpose: to reconnect.

🎤MC Jimmy Dunne

❤️ Handprint Unity Wall
A creative station where guests dip their hands in paint and leave their handprints on a large banner, creating a visual representation of their unity and commitment to rebuilding.

❤️Pali Strong Time Capsule
Each attendee brings a small personal item, note, or memento (e.g., a photo, a written wish, a token of remembrance) to be placed inside a sealed time capsule that will be permanently stored in the Palisades. This capsule will serve as a testament to the strength and unity of those who lived through this moment in history.

❤️Filiming Histories booth
Step into the Filming Histories Booth to share your personal experience of the Palisades fires. This is a space to record your story—whether it’s a moment of loss, resilience, or hope—for future generations to remember. Your voice becomes part of a collective archive, ensuring our community’s history is never forgotten.

❤️Tiles for future placement on DT Palisades wall
Leave your mark on the Palisades by contributing a personalized tile to be placed on the future downtown wall. Each tile tells a story—honoring resilience, remembering the past, and celebrating our community’s strength. Be part of this lasting tribute that will stand for generations to come. (Palisades residents only please)

Throughout the evening, there will be special booths and interactive spaces designed to stir your heart, honor our shared journey, and celebrate the strength of our community. From symbolic keepsakes to collaborative art and storytelling, each experience has been carefully curated to help us reconnect, reflect, and contribute to something lasting. Get ready for moments you’ll carry with you long after the night ends.

For more info and to register, Click Here

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

Construction at Beach Parking Lot 1N started and parking remains available for all visitors.

Construction started early March at Beach Parking Lot 1N in preparation for the upcoming Santa Monica Pier Bridge Replacement, set to start in late 2025. This project involves relocating electrical equipment located underneath the bridge to a permanent location in the Beach Parking Lot 1N. The move will ensure uninterrupted electrical connection for businesses on the pier during construction.

The 85-year-old bridge, built in 1939, has served as the only access point for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic from Colorado Ave to the Pier. The city contracted Doty Bros. Equipment Company for the project. Their responsibilities include setting up staging areas, installing fencing, and potholing existing utility structures within Beach Parking Lot 1N, where new power equipment will be stored. The Beach Parking Lot 1N, where the new electrical infrastructure will be housed. This portion of the project is expected to be completed by September 2025.

The Santa Monica Pier Bridge Replacement Project aims to make the bridge more accessible for cars and pedestrians, and plans to make seismic safety upgrades for earthquake protection. New railing, lighting, and expanded sidewalks are new features that will be introduced to the bridge to make it more accessible for visitors. This $29 million project includes the removal, rehabilitation, and reinstallation of the historic Santa Monica Pier sign. The target finish date is set ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, in anticipation of hundreds of thousands of additional visitors in the city.

Parking remains available during construction at Beach Parking Lot 1N for all visitors.

For additional questions regarding Beach Parking Lot 1N construction or the Pier Replacement Project, contact Santa Monica City Senior Civil Engineer Jason Hoang at 310-351-7913

Join Black Surfers Collective as we celebrate Nick Gabaldón Day on Saturday, June 7, 2025, from 9 AM – 1 PM.

Nick’s fearless passion for surfing paved the way for many, and this event honors his legacy by celebrating diversity in surfing and bringing the community together for a day of stories, surf, and shared experiences.

🌊 Surf Lessons: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Register in advance to secure a spot)
🏄 Location: Bay Street, Santa Monica, 2000 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90405

📢 Special Event at Heal the Bay Aquarium (1 PM – 4 PM)
After the beach, enjoy free admission to Heal the Bay Aquarium under the Santa Monica Pier, featuring:
🎤 Celebrity Guest Story Time
🎨 Special Art Activities
🎬 Documentary Screenings

Don’t miss this incredible day of surf, history, and community! Register now to secure your spot.

For more info and to register, Click Here

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

On Saturday at 12:29 p.m. a high surf advisory was issued by the National Weather Service valid from 9 p.m. until Monday, May. 5 at 9 a.m. for Los Angeles County Beaches:

WHAT...Large breaking waves of 4 to 7 feet with dangerous rip currents. Surf highest across northwest and west facing beaches.

WHERE...Los Angeles County Beaches.

WHEN...From 9 PM Saturday evening to 9 AM PDT Monday.

IMPACTS...There is an increased risk for ocean drowning. Rip currents can pull swimmers and surfers out to sea. Large breaking waves can cause injury, wash people off beaches and rocks, and capsize small boats near shore.

Remain out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions, or stay near occupied lifeguard towers. Rock jetties can be deadly in such conditions, stay off the rocks. For more news and updates on the Palisades Fire, Click Here.

Another dead sea lion washes up on the beach at Bay Street, just south of the Santa Monica Pier. A crowd gathers as animal control and the beach maintenance crew load the sea lion onto the truck to remove it from the area.

No information was provided on the cause of death of this sea lion.

Officials say sea lions have been affect by Red Tides and Domoic Acid Toxicity.

The Marine Mammal Center states "Domoic acid is produced during certain harmful algal bloom events by a type of algae called Pseudo-nitzschia australis. This neurotoxin accumulates in small fish, like sardines and anchovies, which are then eaten by marine mammals like sea lions in large quantities.

Domoic acid attacks the brain and the heart causing seizures and heart failure. If left untreated, it usually causes permanent brain damage. The toxin will naturally flush from an animal’s system over time, but sea lions repeatedly exposed to the toxin will suffer longer-lasting and more serious effects."

Aztec Dancers, Grupo La Rosa Folklorico Dancers, Charro (Mexican Dancing Horses), Venice High School Band, Santa Monica Cheerleaders. Classic Cars/Lowriders, a Clown, and more in ths festival and historic parade down Lincoln Blvd in Venice Beach.

On-Campus Sexual Battery

On April 30, 2025, at approximately 11:30 a.m., while in the SMC Library (Main Campus), the suspect tapped the victim on the shoulder and asked for a kiss. When the victim attempted to leave, suspect grabbed victim’s groin area without consent. The suspect then left the area in an unknown direction. SMC Police personnel offered support/resources to the victim. The victim is an SMC student.

SUSPECT DESCRIPTION (as provided by victims and/or witnesses): Male, Unknown Race/Ethnicity, Black Hair, 18-25 yo, No further description provided. (See photo above).

This investigation is ongoing. If you have any information related to this incident, please contact the Santa Monica College Police Department at 310-434-4300 and refer to Report #: 25-82.

Topanga Canyon Boulevard (SR-27) remains closed to the general public for safety reasons between State Route 1 and Grand View Drive as extensive cleanup and repairs continue. Three crews have been working day and night in the emergency repair area.

While the closure remains in place, access has expanded to allow escorted school buses during designated times. Access is also permitted to law enforcement for public safety. Caltrans asks the public to heed the closure points and avoid the area for their safety as debris removal and repair work take place.

Caltrans and its partners continue to work on rebuilding and restoring the roadway by restoring retaining walls at three locations (postmiles 2.363, 2.52 and 2.712), the shoulder and a lane where the road was washed away. Caltrans is also installing debris flow barriers and larger culverts and clearing debris from nine locations where slides occurred. Through April, work will focus on a slide area near postmile 2.52 to install a new drainage system and culverts, as well as temporary paving to allow for one lane traffic through that location. Many of these improvements will help minimize the impacts of future debris/mudflows due to the extensive burn scars in the canyon.

Caltrans' contractor is making good progress on clearing storm debris. Debris removal from the February slides is nearing completion, with all 33,000 cubic yards of mud and debris cleared. To date, all dirt has tested clean. This material has been hauled out to farms in Somis and is also being used to replenish state park land impacted by the fire and storms. The storm that came in on April 26 brought down more debris, but that has been cleared.



The contractor is also conducting boring tests to determine how deep to drive the piles for the walls. Once they place K-rail and install the traffic signals for one-way traffic control, Caltrans can open the emergency repair section.

Extensive utility work continues with Southern California Edison undergrounding utility lines and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works rerouting a water main connection that was exposed when the road washed away.

Caltrans and its partners aim to partially reopen Topanga Canyon Boulevard with one-way traffic control within two months.

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