On September 26, 2026, Santa Monica Police Department officers responded to a residence in the 3100 block of Pico Boulevard to conduct a welfare check.

Officers entered the residence and located two deceased adults, one male and one female.

SMPD detectives have determined that the deaths of two adults found inside a residence in the 3100 block of Pico Boulevard were the result of a murder-suicide involving a married couple.

The investigation indicates that the husband fatally shot his wife before taking his own life. Investigators determined the incident occurred at approximately 6:42 a.m. on September 26. A firearm was recovered at the scene.

No other individuals are believed to have been involved. This was an isolated incident, and there is no ongoing threat to the public.

The identities of the deceased are being withheld pending formal identification and notification of next of kin by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner.

Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Watch Commander, available 24 hours a day, at 310-458-8427.

The Moomat Ahiko Way on- and off-ramps providing access to and from Pacific Coast Highway are expected to fully close for approximately two months starting as early as Monday, Sept. 28. This work is part of the Santa Monica Pier Bridge Replacement Project and will include demolition activities of the final portion of the old Pier bridge followed by construction of the new bridge columns. This will be the largest portion of the bridge demolished since the start of the project. Crews will use the closed ramps to ensure motorists’ safety and to stage necessary equipment to perform these activities.

Motorists traveling southbound on PCH will be directed to either exit at the California Incline or continue on eastbound I-10 to Lincoln Boulevard. Motorists wanting to access PCH from Ocean Avenue should continue northbound to the California Incline.

The Santa Monica Pier will remain open throughout the closure, including all restaurants, shops, attractions, businesses and amenities. Visitors can continue to access the Pier by following posted signage directing to alternate routes and parking facilities.

Visitors are encouraged to plan ahead and allow extra time while traveling to and from the Pier during the temporary closure.

The Santa Monica Pier Bridge Replacement Project will replace the nearly 87-year-old bridge that serves as the primary vehicle access to the Pier. The project will improve safety, accessibility and the long-term reliability of this important connection while maintaining access to the Pier throughout construction whenever possible.

Researchers from UCLA Samueli School of Engineering’s Coastal Flood Lab, in partnership with The Bay Foundation, will release a temporary, nontoxic pink dye into the ocean on Tuesday, Sept. 29, to better understand water circulation around the breakwater and the Santa Monica Pier.

Weather permitting, the dye release will take place at approximately 11 a.m. Three additional dye releases are planned throughout October.

The dye is a harmless, EPA-approved fluorescent tracer dye that will allow researchers to track the water’s movements and wave-driven circulation. Researchers will monitor the bright pink plume with drones, a camera mounted on the pier mast, a remote-controlled survey boat that measures dye concentration, and instruments placed on the seafloor.

The researchers conducted four similar dye releases last fall as part of the ongoing study to better understand how the breakwater shapes currents, water quality, and the shoreline.

The experiment builds on years-long efforts by the city of Santa Monica and its partners to address ocean water quality beneath the Pier.

Members of the public may be able to see the pink dye from the Pier and/or shore for a couple of hours following the release.

10 blocks. Art, music, shopping, family fun & more. Join us on Montana Avenue as we celebrate 100 years of Route 66!

The Montana Avenue Art Walk returns to Santa Monica on Saturday, October 3, 2026, for a special celebration of 100 Years of Route 66.

As one of Santa Monica’s official Route 66 Centennial celebrations, this year’s Art Walk will transform 10 blocks of Montana Avenue, from 7th Street to 17th Street, into a vibrant, walkable celebration of art, music, culture, community, and the iconic Mother Road.

Find out about more upcoming local events, Click Here

Pier Play returns to the Santa Monica Pier for an expanded 2-Day Immersive Experience.

An expanded, 2-day multi-genre dance music experience

Oceanside stage with sunset views

Limited capacity for a more intentional environment

Interactive and immersive playground

21+

October 3rd from 2:30pm to 10:30pm

October 4th from 2:30pm to 10:30pm

For more info, and to buy tickets, Click Here

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Be aware of hazardous beach conditions at Point Dume State Beach, starting about at the end of Westward Beach Road, due to ongoing severe beach erosion and exposed pilings, concrete and steel in the sand and the water, and steep sand cliffs, leaving little or no sandy area to walk except during low tide. The road into the Point Dume State Beach parking lot remains closed, however the beach is not closed.



Be cautious walking or swimming in that area, stay clear of exposed structures and debris, follow posted closures, and check in with Lifeguards on conditions.

Boarding For Breast Cancer is thrilled to announce the 17th Annual Skate The Coast October 23 + 24, 2026 in Santa Monica, CA.

Skate the Coast takes participants down a 19-mile route along the beautiful California coastline starting at the Santa Monica Pier and ending in Redondo Beach. This event is similar to Skate the Lake with a registration pre-party in Redondo Beach with live music, raffles, auctions, and sponsored beverages. Riders meet the next morning for the main event, while those looking for a smaller commitment can drop in at Dockweiler State Beach to join for the last leg of the route. Awards, food, prizes, and more will greet participants at our finish line at Dive N Surf!

B4BC welcomes anyone on wheels of all ages and abilities to join this push for prevention as we raise funds for B4BC's education, prevention and survivorship programs. Please help us reach our $75K goal by registering today! Registration includes an event tee shirt, goodie bag and prizes for top fundraisers!



THE DETAILS

OCTOBER 23 | REGISTRATION PARTY

FIRESTONE BREWERY VENICE | 3PM-8PM

Lets kick-off Skate The Coast with a registration party on October 23! Swing by to sign your waivers, get your event tee + goodie bag and stay for live music, cold drinks, raffles and auctions!

OCTOBER 24 | SKATE THE COAST

9AM-4PM

Skate-bike-roll 15 miles from the Santa Monica Pier to Dive N Surf in Redondo Beach with B4BC and friends! This is a collective push for prevention with three hydration stops along the way.

The morning will start at Dive N Surf in Redondo Beach where we'll load the shuttles to the Santa Monica Pier. From there we'll cruise down the coast to Arbor Venice, Marina Del Rey, Dockweiler State Beach, Hermosa Beach and finishing off at Dive N Surf for awards and celebrations. Our finish line party includes live music, food, adult beverages, raffle prizes and silent auction.



For more details and to register, Click Here ⁠

Taste top local dishes at Santa Monica Pier, plus craft drinks, yacht rock, oyster competitions & VIP experiences benefiting Heal the Bay.

OFF THE HOOK Seafood Festival RETURNS to the iconic Santa Monica Pier on Sunday, Oct. 11, to celebrate National Seafood Month, the 100-year Anniversary of Route 66, AND to raise funds for Heal the Bay!



Santa Monica's premier food festival showcases the city's best restaurants and chefs with their favorite underwater ingredients.

Attendees will enjoy:

Seafood tastings from 25+ restaurants
Craft beer (N/A option)
Boutique wine tastings (N/A option)
Spirits tastings
Live Yacht Rock Band ('70s & '80s soft rock)
Oyster shucking & slurping competitions, sponsored by Westside Oyster Club
Underwater-inspired photo ops
Artisan vendors
Sustainable Seafood VIP Lounge, sponsored by Santa Monica Seafood
And more underwater-inspired fun!

As always, OFF THE HOOK is committed to sustainability. The event is 100% free of single-use plastics and highlights innovation and education around ocean conservation because celebrating the sea means protecting it too.

A portion of sales will benefit Heal the Bay to help protect our coastline, restore our waterways, and keep our Santa Monica Bay clean! This year’s event will also support the Santa Monica Pier Corporation, to help fund their efforts to provide free community programming.

Live entertainment will be provided by The Windbreakers, bringing their '70s & '80s Yacht Rock Party to the Pier.

Click Here for more info and to get tickets.

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The Venice Afterburn is a yearly celebration of art and community in Venice Beach. As an official Burning Man Regional, it brings the playa spirit into the “default world,” blending it with the creative and colorful energy of Venice.

For two days, Windward Plaza transforms into a playground of magic full of art cars, installations, theme camps, music and comes alive with burners and locals alike.



Free before 6pm. Family-friendly during the day; after 6pm, the kids head home.

OCTOBER 10th & 11th, 2026 | 12PM-10PM
WINDWARD PLAZA, VENICE BEACH, CA

Free until 5:30 PM
$30 donation after 5:30 PM each day
18+ after 5:30 PM
NO Ins-Outs past 5:30 PM
LAST ENTRY 9PM

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Venice Healer Daisy is officialy running for Santa Monica City Council. A Santa Monica that builds systems rooted in care: meeting basic needs with dignity, strengthening community bonds, protecting our environment, and ensuring no person or neighborhood is left behind.

"I've lived the survival stress of homelessness and the long path of recovery. I've learned firsthand what it means when systems are built on scarcity instead of care—how loneliness multiplies suffering, how shame replaces dignity. But I've also experienced the healing power of community, the resilience in human connection, and what becomes possible when people are met with compassion instead of judgment."

"I'm running because I want to build a Santa Monica where fewer people have to survive the way I did. Where everyone belongs. Where our systems are designed to meet needs, reduce suffering, and lift people up with their dignity intact. That's what a caring city looks like."

Click Here for more Stories about Venice Healer Daisy

Sunday, Oct 11, 2026
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Historic Belmar Park
1840 4th Street
Santa Monica, California 90401

Historic Belmar Park in Santa Monica is more than just a green space; it's a poignant memorial to a vibrant African American community that thrived in the Belmar neighborhood from the late 19th century until the 1950s. The park serves as a reminder of the importance of community, offering a space for healing and education.

This public cultural activation will focus on the history of Belmar and Black Santa Monica, celebrating the contributions of Black residents and acknowledging the historic loss of land and homes in the area.

The day will include:

Conversations with award-winning journalist, radio host, and podcaster Sam Sanders DJ Sets by KCRW's Tyler "Boogie" Boudreaux

Live music from 2026 NPR Tiny Desk Winner Cure For Paranoia, and a performance by Songs with Strings and special guests

Interactive art-making celebrating Belmar History A "Give Someone Their Flowers" Bloom Bar Activation

Art and photo installation by interdisciplinary artist April Banks, Santa Monica Conservancy, and Quinn Research Center

Food vendors, along with a Wine Garden curated by Offhand Wine Bar

This community benefit was made possible by Ocean Way Festival, in partnership with the city of Santa Monica.

Find out about more upcoming local events, Click Here

Join the 2nd Annual FREE Longest Table Potluck Picnic in Pacific Palisades!

​You bring lunch, we provide the tables, chairs and facilities —Noon to 2pm, Sunday October 4th.

​Tell your friends too!! The Longest Table is a chance to enjoy connection and meaningful conversation with your Pacific Palisades friends and neighbors.

​This year’s event will have additional tents for shade. RSVP today!

Click Here for more info.

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The city said the swells from Hurricane Marie stripped away too much sand to safely hold the beach festival.

A body was spotted floating in Bollaona Creek at 8:44 a.m. Monday morning, near Lincoln and Culver boulevards, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The deceased person was not immediately identified, and the cause of death was under investigation.

“I went on a morning walk along this edge of the bike path and I thought I saw something floating, but I thought, ‘okay, it’s just in my mind.’ Then I went back in my house and I was looking across, and I saw it again,” said the witness who gave the name Kristen.

“I decided to walk and get a closer look. And yes, it was a gentleman in the water, and I don’t know how long he’d been there,” she added.

Bernhard Eugen Fritsch, 65, the founder and CEO of a Santa Monica-based tech company called StarClub Inc., was charged federally in Los Angeles in August 2017 for defrauding investors out of more than $20 million between 2014 and 2017 by lying to them about his company’s financial performance. Fritsch convinced victims to invest in his company’s application, known as StarSite, technology he claimed could help celebrities and social media influencers monetize their brand endorsements. He also claimed the app would deliver advertising content and share ad revenue with the celebrity poster.

While pitching to investors, Fritsch made several false and fraudulent claims, including that StarClub was on the verge of entering into commercial deals with or obtaining investments and buyout offers from major media companies, such as Disney; or that StarClub had earned $15 million in revenue in 2015; and that StarClub’s current investors included major media companies and a global investment banking firm. 

Rather than using investor money to build out StarClub’s technology, Fritsch used much of investors’ money to enrich himself and support his luxurious lifestyle, including by purchasing luxury cars such as a McLaren and a Rolls-Royce, by upgrading his yacht, and by renovating his Malibu mansion, located near Carbon Beach. The FBI seized the yacht, McLaren, and the Rolls-Royce.

One victim invested more than $20 million in StarClub over the course of two years, based on Fritsch’s false statements. This victim also introduced Fritsch to other victims who invested millions of additional funds in the company. Prosecutors estimate that Fritsch caused at least approximately $26.8 million in victim losses due to his scheme.

"Southern California is a target-rich environment for fraudsters—among them Bernhard Fritsch, who was convicted of ripping off investors of millions and fleeing the United States prior to his sentencing," said Patrick Grandy, the assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. "Regardless of how long it takes for Mr. Fritsch to serve his sentence, the FBI will unrelentingly seek his whereabouts and is offering a significant reward of up to $150,000 in exchange for information leading to his apprehension and conviction." 

Fritsch was found guilty by a jury in Los Angeles in April 2025. While awaiting sentencing, he fled to Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico in June 2025, prior to a bond revocation hearing. A federal arrest warrant was issued for Fritsch in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles after he failed to appear for a post-conviction bond revocation hearing.

“Placing Fritsch on the Most Wanted Fraudsters list reflects our commitment to pursue those who attempt to outrun the law. Fleeing the United States will not shield him from justice,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “We will find him and he will answer for his conduct in a court of law.”

In September of 2025, Mexican law enforcement detained Fritsch, who was found with false identification, in violation of Mexico’s immigration laws. He was released from immigration custody and ordered to check in with the immigration court in Mexico every two weeks; instead, however, Fritsch fled to Munich, Germany, on October 6, 2025.

On October 20, 2025, Fritsch was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in federal prison, fined $35,000, and was later ordered to pay $26,806,901 in restitution.

In June 2026, Fritsch’s girlfriend, Lucinda Jane Weist Manera, 63, of Malibu, pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact for helping Fritsch hide from the FBI, hide in Mexico, and then flee to his native Germany to avoid incarceration.

The Most Wanted Fraudsters list was created and launched in June 2026 to generate public interest and assistance with information leading to the location and apprehension of fraud fugitives. A large reward of up to $150,000 is being offered in exchange for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of a member on the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list.

Since the inception of the list of the Most Wanted Fraudsters list, 15 fugitives have been added, to include the ones being announced today. Four fugitives have since been captured and, currently, there are 12 fugitives on the list.

LA County Fire Dept reports that beaches in Malibu are temporarily CLOSED due to lightning. Follow instructions from Lifeguards, Fire Dept and Sheriff's Dept personnel.

Santa Monica Pier's Locals’ Night is back! We’re kicking off the season on Thursday, September 17 with punk music, community fun, and Pier traditions—all free and open to everyone. From live performances to family activities, there’s something for every age to enjoy.

What to Expect:

🎶 Punk music from Someone else????, School of Rock Venice, Horny Toads, Implicit Bias

🎧 Sounds by DJ Cee Rock

💃 Live music by Son Mayor and salsa lessons at Salsa Way

🎨 Local vendors to shop and support

📷 Afterglow Exhibition opening

📚 Books & Cookies musical story time

🚗 Classic Car Show

Find out about more upcoming local events, Click Here

Santa Monica Police are investigating a report of shots fired at approximately 6 p.m. on September 4, 2026, in the 000 block of Bay Street. Preliminary information indicates the incident followed an argument between two individuals. No injuries were reported, and there is no indication of an ongoing threat to the community. The investigation remains active.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact SMPD at 310-458-8491.

On the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, the Santa Monica Fire Department invites the community to come together to remember the lives lost, honor the courage and sacrifice of first responders, and reflect on the resilience and strength of communities in the face of tragedy.

Each year, the Santa Monica Fire Department holds a Sept. 11 remembrance ceremony as part of the National Day of Service and Remembrance. This year, as the nation marks 25 years since the attacks of Sept. 11, the ceremony offers an especially meaningful opportunity to pause and remember those who lost their lives, including the 343 firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice while responding to the World Trade Center.

The Fire Department will host this year’s community remembrance ceremony at Fire Station 1, bringing together firefighters, city officials, community members and local public safety partners for a morning of reflection and remembrance.

WHEN: Friday, Sept. 11
TIME: 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
WHERE: Fire Station 1, 1337 7th St.

Community members are warmly invited to attend and stand in solidarity with Santa Monica’s firefighters and public safety community as we mark this significant anniversary. The ceremony will include moments of reflection and remembrance honoring the lives lost on Sept. 11 and recognizing the courage and selflessness of first responders who answered the call that day.

Fire Station 1 is also home to a steel artifact recovered from the World Trade Center site, which is on permanent display outside the Fire Department’s community room. The artifact serves as a tangible reminder of Sept. 11 and the lives, service, and sacrifice remembered on this anniversary. It is available for public viewing during normal business hours.

Twenty-five years later, the Santa Monica Fire Department continues to honor the legacy of Sept. 11 by remembering those who were lost, recognizing those who served, and reaffirming the importance of community, service, and resilience.

Find out about more upcoming local events, Click Here