Latest News


On March 29, 2022, Lost Hills’ Sheriff deputies responded to a call for a possible assault that occurred overnight, in the parking lot of the at the Trancas Nursery on 30700 block of Pacific Coast Highway and discovered a deceased individual. As of today, personnel are working the event as an ongoing investigaion with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau, who have assumed control of the investigation.


The world-famous Santa Monica Pier will host a weekend full of World Tour and Open racing, as well as our City Paddle Festival with a $25,000 prize purse on offer.

Jun 24, 5:00 PM – Jun 27, 5:00 PM

Registration for all Pro-Am and Amateur races can be found HERE and all pre-qualified athletes will recieve entry information directly from the APP.

The US Open of SUP at Santa Monica Pier will be the most inclusive and high-profile SUP event to have taken place in the US for many years. The Event will bring together Professional Competition, with Amateur and Corporate participation, as well as youth and health and wellness enthusiasts all wrapped up into our City Paddle Festival and World Championship Tour stop.

As the US flagship stop of the APP World Championship Tour, the US Open of SUP will feature all the World’s very best Stand Up Paddle Racers as they kick off their 2022 campaign for the World Title and for the 25k prize purse at the iconic Pier.

The Sprint Racing in the surf will provide a dynamic sporting spectacle in a fast paced, elimination format that will see the top contenders competing round after round until the Final. This 300m course will provide the most spectacular racing imaginable, and the view from the Pier will be unparalleled in terms of sports entertainment. There will also be amateur, open sprint racing for all non-professional attendees.

The Pier-to-Pier Distance Race will provide an iconic and high- performance course for the World’s Best, leaving from Malibu Pier and finishing at Santa Monica Pier, a 16km/ 10-mile race. It will be particularly poignant given the significance of this stretch of coastline in history as the regular commute that California’s first Surfer of African American and Latino descent made from Santa Monica to surf up at the famed waves found in Malibu. There will also be a slightly shorter, 8km/ 5 miles distance race from Topanga to Santa Monica Pier for all non-professionals to compete in.

Whilst there will be non-stop competitive SUP action, our City Paddle Festival will provide plenty more opportunities to enjoy the water and the ‘So-Cal’ life. With SUP yoga, youth clinics, fun racing and relays, our City Paddle Festival will fully immerse you into the life of Stand Up Paddling and will provide plenty of entertainment in-between. There will be live music, entertainment and food and drinks for when you need to relax in between adventures or cheering on the pros.

Whether you're hanging with the family, competing on land or at sea or partying with your friends– the City Paddle Festival has got it all!

The Santa Monica City Paddle Festival will mark the launch of our global corporate challenge, the APP Nautical mile, which is an immersive team building experience, which takes place in the heart of Major Cities across the globe as an integrated element of the APP World Tour’s City Paddle Festivals.


It has been a little while since our last significant rainfall and storm drains are flowing today! An Ocean Water Quality Rain Advisory is now in effect through Thursday per LA Public Health. Beach users are advised to avoid water contact for at least 72 hours after significant rainfall.



Surf remains elevated to high from our storm today. Rip currents will be strong at area beaches until Tuesday afternoon when conditions will slowly improve. Check with a lifeguard or postpone your swim if unexperienced in dangerous ocean conditions.


Sunday, there was yet another overdose death at the Ramada Homeless Shelter on Washington Boulevard in Venice.


Sunday, March 27th: 2-3’ surf from new NW, old SSW swells. 4’ waves for standouts. Building S wind.
A modest new NW pulse tops out to end the weekend as the SSW swell on tap starts to wind down. A lot of knee-waist high surf to be found. Summer spots see similar size. Light S/SE wind in the morning for most zones, steadily building out of the S through the day, getting moderate for the afternoon.

Monday, March 28th: 3-5′ early, 6-10′ by midday as westerly swell slams coast.
Waist-head high surf is likely at Dawn Patrol but expect a quick rise in W/WNW swell (275-295) through the day. Thanks to the ‘west’ direction in this swell — along with storms close proximity — expect widespread head-high surf midday and into the afternoon. Good spots will easily hit overhead with standouts up around the double overhead mark. Unfortunately (or fortunately), expect a hefty dose of rain throughout the day — along with breezy S wind. There is potential for wind to go light/variable by the evening as the storm slides over the coast but overall conditions will be pretty jumbled/raw.

Originally published on Surfline


Thursday night, St. Monica Catholic Church suffered a burglary in which camera and audio equipment was pilfered. The thieves also attempted to breach the tabernacle, which was damaged. However, it held strong and the Blessed Sacrament remained intact. What an inspiring demonstration of the protective power of the Eucharist! You can read the full statement, including how the livestream schedule will be affected: stmonica.net/burglary


Venice Beach, Thursday 3/24/22 filmed by Cop Watch Venice

"Arson attempt at the Beach house apartments on the Venice Beach boardwalk. Arson investigators found remains of a mortar style firework and have opened an investigation. The residents reported hearing a loud explosion and seeing a fire on a balcony after. The resident was able to put the fire out and suffered injuries to his hands."

Cop Watch Venice follows LAPD pacific division on world famous Venice Beach, showing a point-of-view style cop watch and update on Venice's current conditions. We make edited shorts, full scenes and are working on a documentary about homelessness and city failures. Donate to Cop Watch Venice via Cop Watch Venice Paypal


From Santa Monica Close Up:

"Santa Monica Firefighters respond to a fire at the Santa Monica Pier on Sunday, March 20, 2022. The Santa Monica Pier Safety Task Force were the first to respond to the fire. Santa Monica Police Officer Madrid was able to put out the fire with an extinguisher before Santa Monica Firefighters arrived."

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