Anthony Francisco Jones, 29, appeared in court on Wednesday morning for a pre-trial hearing. He was charged with two counts of forcible rape and one count each of sexual penetration by use of force, mayhem, torture, attempted murder and sodomy by use of force, according to Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón.

Other than that, the DA, the LAPD, Traci Park, etc...no one will release any other info on this person. They even refuse to release his mugshot.

Jones is being held on $3.25 million bail. His preliminary hearing was pushed to June 11.

On Tuesday morning, a lifeless body was discovered on the beach in Santa Monica south of the Pier by Tower 22. Witness stated it was a homeless man, who appeared to be white or Hispanic, with tattoos on his chest and shoulders. He was found with his bicycle and some belongs.

Pacific Coast Highway was closed in both directions from Paradise Cove to Winding Way on Tuesday afternoon due to a fatal car accident.

According to Sgt. James Arens, one driver was transported to a nearby hospital to be evaluated. The other driver was pronounced deceased when paramedics arrived. The incident is still under investigation

May 13, 2024

BEACH AREA WARNINGS:

Topanga Canyon Beach in Malibu

100 yards up and down the coast from the lagoon.

· Escondido Creek at Escondido State Beach

The entire swim area.

· Redondo Beach Pier in Redondo Beach

100 yards up and down the coast from the pier.

· Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro

The entire swim area.

· Mothers Beach in Marina Del Rey

The entire swim area.

· Malibu Lagoon at Surfrider Beach

100 yards up and down the coast from the public restrooms.

· Santa Monica Canyon Creek at Will Rogers State Beach. Near Will Rogers Tower 18

100 yards up and down the coast from the creek.

· Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica

100 yards up and down the coast from the pier.

These warnings have been issued due to bacterial levels exceeding health standards when last tested.

BEACH AREAS NOW CLEARED:

Warnings have been lifted for the following beach areas where recent sample results identified water quality levels within State standards:

· Pico-Kenter storm drain at Santa Monica Beach. Santa Monica South Tower 20

Use the map below to obtain the current water quality status of your favorite beach location. Use your mouse wheel to zoom into a particular location. Click on the marker to identify the sampling location. This map is updated as conditions change.

On the morning of Monday, May 13, 2024, a notable confrontation occurred on the Venice Beach Boardwalk between Daisy the Venice Healer and Kenny, a local regulator. The argument quickly intensified as Daisy voiced her concerns regarding the behavior of a man named Elijah, labeling him as overly violent. She urged Kenny to intervene, but her pleas were met with staunch opposition and counter-accusations.

Kenny rebuffed Daisy's appeals, accusing her of causing disruptions and questioning her sincerity and motives. He shared his feelings of being misunderstood and unfairly judged by others in their community. As the disagreement continued, both parties blamed each other for a lack of support and respect. Daisy advocated for resolving issues through love and understanding, contrasting sharply with Kenny’s criticisms of her associations with individuals he considered negatively influential.

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.

According to city records, a dead body was found floating off the Ballona Creek Jetty in Marina Del Rey on Saturday, May 4th. The body appeared to be a Hispanic or White male and possibly homeless. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

He has brown hair, brown eyes, an unkempt beard/mustache, and all natural straight teeth. Weight is 174lb, and 69in tall.

He has tattoos that consist of a sacred heart with tribal design on his right upper arm, on his left upper arm is a portrait of a man and a boy with "Charon", and on his upper back is a rose with a banner.

No other information avialble at this time.

Expect one lane to be blocked in either direction of northbound & southbound Pacific Coast Highway by a moving closure between Sunset Blvd & Topanga Cyn Blvd & southbound PCH between Corral Canyon Rd & Puerco Cyn Rd for drainage upgrades Monday 5/13-Friday 5/17 from 9pm to 5am.

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

Early Friday morning, during the weekly homeless encampment clean up of ,the Venice Beach restrooms, a woman was removed from one of the restroom stalls. Angered by this she became hostile, and when social workers tried to offer her assistance, she pulled out a large knife and threatened them and others in the area.

After the standoff with LAPD, she was overheard blaming Daisy the Venice Healer for being removed from the restrooms.

May 10, 2024

Beach Closure and Ocean Water Use Warning for Los Angeles County Beaches

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health cautions residents who are planning to visit the below Los Angeles County beaches to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters:

BEACH AREAS CLOSED:

The following sites continue to remain closed due to a recent sewage discharge:

· Dockweiler State Beach from Ballona Creek to one mile South

· Venice Beach from Ballona Creek to one mile North

BEACH AREA WARNINGS:

· Escondido Creek at Escondido State Beach

The entire swim area

· Malibu Lagoon at Surfrider Beach

100 yards up and down the coast from the public restrooms.

· Santa Monica Canyon Creek at Will Rogers State Beach. Near Will Rogers Tower 18

100 yards up and down the coast from the creek

· Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica

100 yards up and down the coast from the pier

· Pico-Kenter storm drain at Santa Monica Beach. Santa Monica South Tower 20

100 yards up and down the coast from the storm drain

· Mothers Beach in Marina Del Rey

The entire swim area

· Redondo Beach Pier in Redondo Beach

100 yards up and down the coast from the pier

· Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro

The entire swim area

These warnings have been issued due to bacterial levels exceeding health standards when last tested.

BEACH AREAS NOW CLEARED:

Warnings have been lifted for the following beach areas where recent sample results identified water quality levels within State standards:

· Latigo Shore Drive in Malibu

· Herondo Street Storm Drain in Hermosa Beach. Near Hermosa Tower TK

Use the map below to obtain the current water quality status of your favorite beach location. Use your mouse wheel to zoom into a particular location. Click on the marker to identify the sampling location. This map is updated as conditions change.

May 9, 2024

Public Health has UPDATED an ocean water closure due to the release of approximately 14,400 gallons of untreated sewage:

• Dockweiler State Beach from Ballona Creek to one mile South

• Venice Beach from Ballona Creek to one mile North.

Public Health officials are advising residents or visitors planning to visit Los Angeles County beaches to avoid contact with ocean water and wet sand in the areas noted above. The sewage discharge began on May 8th and was stopped at 12:09 p.m. on May 9th, resulting in an estimated 14,400 gallons of sewage entering Ballona Creek.

The Department of Public Health will conduct water sampling beginning on May 10th, and the closures will remain in effect until Public Health receives two sampling results indicating that bacterial levels meet health standards.

Use the map below to obtain the current water quality status of your favorite beach location. Use your mouse wheel to zoom into a particular location. Click on the marker to identify the sampling location. This map is updated as conditions change.

Happening annually on Memorial Day weekend, Topanga Days is a 3-day music festival with artisans, food, beverages, a fun zone for kids and family games that raises funds for the Topanga Community Center, a 501c3 nonprofit.

This year’s musical lineup features Grammy award winning artist, Fantastic Negrito, on Saturday, May 25th at 5:30 p.m., the catchy, synth pop sounds and dynamic stage presence of 80s Rock icons, Missing Persons, on Sunday, May 26th at 5:30 p.m., and the genre defying psychedelic folk sounds of musical savant, Jonathan Wilson, on Monday, May 27th at 5:45 p.m. In addition to the headliners, the diverse, crowd-pleasing Main Stage outdoor lineup includes, Krooked Kings, Nosotros, Venice, Deb Ryder, The FBR, Will Worden, Kummerspeck, Wynchester, Tristan Lake Leabu, Low Coast, Electric Magic, and The Dirty Lowdown.



For more info, Click Here.

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

A Mexican court has heard chilling details of the events that prosecutors allege followed the deaths of Perth brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend, as a man faces charges relating to their disappearance.

According to Australian News, Jesús Gerardo, also known as "El Kekas", appeared before a court in the Mexican city of Ensenada this morning, where his last name had been suppressed according to local laws.

The judge read out the state's case, in which Jesús's then-girlfriend, 23-year-old Ari Gisell has turned prosecution witness.

The prosecution alleged Ari, whose last name had also been suppressed, told authorities her then-partner had admitted to killing the three men.

The court heard she told investigators her then-romantic partner had arrived at her house on Sunday and told her "I fucked up three gringos".

The court heard she said, "what do you mean?" to which he replied, "I killed them".

Prosecutors alleged he then gave her a mobile phone and said "look what I got you", before taking her outside to show her the new tyres on her car that had been allegedly stolen from the trio's vehicle.

Charges against Jesús have not yet been upgraded to murder, but that is expected to happen in coming days.

When Ari had turned on the stolen mobile phone, she attracted the attention of Mexican authorities. Ari was arrested in relation to the trio's disappearance, along with Jesús's brother, Cristian Alejandro.

Upon her arrest, the court heard she told investigators she wanted to assist the investigation because she had a four-year-old daughter who she needed to care for.

She alleges Jesús has a history of domestic violence and had been physically and mentally abusing her.

She has been charged with drug possession after being found with methamphetamine.

Jesús is yet to enter a plea and has been remanded in custody until his next court hearing, which is scheduled to take place on November 8.

The Mexican police version of events in the murders of three surfers appears shady to those knowledgeable about the area and local corruption.

Mexican prosecutors said a trio of bandits targeted the victims’ truck so they could take its tires, then reacted with violence when confronted by the surfers, leading to their deaths and the bodies being hidden four miles away

“Basically, the reasoning of them being carjack victims gone wrong makes very little sense. These surfers were well traveled and would most likely know better than to try to fend off a truck jacking,” stated a source who does private security work in Mexico.

“My guess is they were mistakenly identified as a rival criminal organization and murdered. That being exposed would create an ongoing investigation that no cartel wants to deal with and would create a devastating impact on tourism in the area,” which is popular with surfers and visitors from the US, the source explained.

“The case is highly unusual, as presented by Mexican police, who say the supposed robbery was done by small-time criminals who ended up destroying the vehicle they were allegedly trying to steal,” he added.

“Given the deep and widespread corruption in the Mexican police, it’s hard to dismiss the possibility of a cover-up, potentially to shift blame away from a powerful drug cartel. This would certainly align with the Mexican government’s efforts to downplay the severity of cartel violence in Mexico.”

Join us for a day of celebration on Fire Service Day on May 11 at Fire Station 1! The Santa Monica Fire Department is excited to welcome the community into the heart of their firefighting operations.

Saturday, May 11
10 a.m. -1 p.m.
Fire Station 1, 1337 7th St.

For more info, Click Here.

On Tuesday, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Traci Park announced the launch of the area's first Coastal Care+ operation.

"Our care plus coastal team gives us added resources to ensure that hazardous material aren't flowing into our storm drains and poisoning our environmentally sensitive areas," Park said.

"The Coastal Care+ team, which will provide enhanced services across our coastal neighborhoods and free up resources for other parts of the Westside. We are also excited to announce our Vibrant Venice initiative, dedicated to preserving safe and healthy access to our city’s iconic landmark, Venice Beach."

Coastal Care+ programs help remove health and safety hazards and solid waste from homeless encampments.
"Residents and visitors often encounter restrooms that are in disrepair, lived in or have been vandalized. That's unacceptable which is why I'm introducing a motion today to fund restroom ambassadors and beautification services so that our restrooms here are safe," Park said.

Park said she's also introducing a motion with the goal of funding mental health beds and treatment for homeless individuals living on the street.

Punk’s not dead, it’s LIVE at Santa Monica Pier's Locals’ Night on May 16. Don’t miss Plow Posture, Cycotic Youth, and Strawbery Fuzz bringing the noise!

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

Please join the Black Surfers Collective, Heal the Bay, Surf Bus Foundation, Swim Up HIll, and Santa Monica Conservancy as we unite to celebrate Nick Gabaldón Day on June 1, 2024! Nick fearlessly pursued his passion for surfing, paving the way for countless others. This event serves as a celebration of diversity in surfing and an opportunity for the community to come together, share stories, and ride the waves in his honor. Let’s celebrate his legacy of resilience, determination, and love for the waves. Together, let’s keep his spirit alive!

Heal the Bay Aquarium under the Santa Monica Pier will be free for all visitors in honor of Nick on Saturday, June 1st so bring your friends and family out to enjoy. A celebrity guest reader will pop in for story time and special art activities will be offered, as well as screenings of documentaries exploring issues of race, coastal access, and following your passion against all odds.

To register, Click Here.

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

A fisherman catches a sand shark at the Venice Fishing Pier.

For the previous news update on this, Click Here

The 3 surfers were killed with gunshots to the head, Mexican authorities said on Sunday.

The victims’ relatives identified the bodies without need for genetic tests, the state attorney general’s office said in a statement.

“The attackers drove by [the travellers’ campsite] in their vehicle,” Andrade Ramírez, the state’s attorney general, said. “They approached, with the intention of stealing their vehicle and taking the tires and other parts to put them on the older-model pickup they were driving.

“Upon approaching and surprising the men, there was surely resistance and these people, the attackers, took out a firearm they had and took their lives.

“When what was meant to be a robbery had got out of control, they tried to dispose of the bodies by throwing them into a well.

“They were not attacked because they were tourists, the intent was to steal their vehicle.”

The attackers had burned the tents and covered the well with boards, she said.

When reporters asked if this was the cartel, “The investigation has only just begun,” Andrade Ramírez said.

The three Mexican nationals have been detained, only one of them has been charged with kidnapping.

As of this moment, he other two are only being held for possession of crystal meth.

“In fact, we are sure that more people took part in the attack,” she said.

At least one of the suspects was believed to have directly participated in the killings. In keeping with Mexican law, prosecutors identified him only by his first name, Jesús Gerardo, AKA “el Kekas”, a slang word that means quesadillas, or cheese tortillas.

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.