On January 23, 2026, about 8:30 a.m. pacific standard time, a 2024 Jaguar I-Pace sport utility vehicle, equipped with an automated driving system (ADS) and operated by Waymo LLC, struck a 9-year-old student pedestrian crossing midblock within a school zone in Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California.

The unoccupied vehicle had completed a passenger drop-off on eastbound Pearl Street at the stop sign in front of an elementary school, turned left onto 24th Street, and proceeded north (see figure). The crash occurred in a 25-mph speed limit school zone, approximately 40 feet north of the end of the adjacent 15-mph speed limit school zone. The weather was clear, the roadway was dry, and daylight conditions were present.

According to video evidence from a school surveillance camera and from cameras on the ADS-equipped vehicle, a queue of five vehicles had formed in the southbound lane of 24th Street at the stop-controlled intersection with Pearl Street. The student pedestrian exited the right rear door of the fifth vehicle in the queue. The pedestrian then moved toward the front of her vehicle and entered the roadway, crossing at a rapid pace between her vehicle and a Chevrolet Suburban sport utility vehicle stopped in front of her vehicle.

The ADS-equipped vehicle was traveling north on 24th Street at 17 mph. According to video evidence, the vehicle braked and collided with the student pedestrian near its front-right headlight assembly. Post-impact, the pedestrian fell, then walked to the east curb of 24th Street. The vehicle continued braking and came to rest within the northbound travel lane almost immediately.

After the collision, a Waymo remote assistance agent in Novi, Michigan, contacted 911 and later provided the vehicle with directions to move to the curb on 24th Street north of the crash site.The vehicle remained at that location until the Santa Monica Police Department arrived. As a result of the collision, the student pedestrian reported minor injuries and did not require medical transport.

Parties to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation include:

Santa Monica Police Department

Waymo LLC All aspects of the crash remain under investigation while the NTSB determines the probable cause, with the intent of issuing safety recommendations to prevent similar crashes.

The fifth annual Marina del Rey Dragon Boat Festival, a vibrant celebration of culture, community, and competition at Burton Chace Park on Saturday, March 7, 2026. Whether you're paddling in the races or cheering from the sidelines, there's fun for everyone. Dragon boat racing, a tradition with roots in ancient China dating back over 2,000 years, involves 40-foot boats adorned with dragon heads, tails, and scales. Teams of up to 20 paddlers are led by a drummer who keeps everyone in sync.

Saturday, March 7, 2026
Races: 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Opening Ceremony: 9 a.m.
Awards Ceremony: 3:30 p.m.

Dragon Boat Races: Competitive and recreational heats from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Live Entertainment: Enjoy live music and performances throughout the day.
Food & Crafts: Indulge in offerings from local food trucks and browse arts and crafts vendors.

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



For more info and to register, Click Here

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

Get ready to stroll through the Venice Street Fair where you can discover unique finds, cool local art, santa visit, music & dog adoptions!

Get ready for a fun-filled day of arts, crafts, music, and puppies

Explore unique local vendors, enjoy live performances, and savor tasty treats from food trucks. Bring your friends and family for a memorable day out in the vibrant Venice community.

Sunday, March 7, Open from 9.30am-4.30pm.

3rd street from Rose to Gjusta.

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

Catch the vibe at The Cigarette Surfboard Film Screening – surf, style, and epic waves on the big screen!

The Cigarette Surfboard Film Screening Presented by the California Coastal Commission Whale Tail Grant

Come hang out for an epic in-person event where we'll be screening The Cigarette Surfboard film! Watch as the surfboard made with10,000 cigarette butts collected from California beaches turns into a platform for change!

Wednesday, Mar 4 from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm

Location: UCLA
Hershey Hall
801 Hilgard Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90095

For more info and to register, Click Here

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

Join The Bay Foundation & Climate Action Santa Monica for a Picnic and Dune Restoration! Your participation will contribute to the restoration effort, increase biodiversity and enhance coastal resilience. We look forward to seeing you at the dunes!

March 7, 2026

8:30am - 11:30am

Dune Restoration led by TBF – 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM

Give back to the local environment through a hands-on habitat restoration.

BYO Picnic led by CASM– 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM

After the restoration event, join Climate Action Santa Monica for a BYO picnic

Location: Santa Monica Dunes, Santa Monica 90402

For more info and to register, Click Here

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

Join The Bay Foundation & Santa Monica Yoga for a Special Morning of Mindfulness and Dune Restoration! Your participation will contribute to the restoration effort, increase biodiversity and enhance coastal resilience. We look forward to seeing you at the dunes!

February 28, 2026

8:30am - 11:30am

Meditation – 8:30 AM

Begin the morning with a grounding meditation session led by Santa Monica Yoga.

Dune Restoration – 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM

After centering your mind, join The Bay Foundation in giving back to our local environment through a hands-on habitat restoration event.

Location: Santa Monica Dunes, Santa Monica 90402

For more info and to register, Click Here

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

Join The Bay Foundation by volunteering for the Malibu Living Shoreline project. Engage with dune ecology and make a positive impact by removing invasive plants. Your participation will contribute to the restoration effort, fostering increased biodiversity and enhancing coastal resilience. We look forward to seeing you at the Zuma Beach Dunes!

March 1, 2026

9:00am - 11:00am

The Malibu Living Shoreline Project (MLSP), The Bay Foundation restored approximately three acres of sandy beach and dune habitat at Zuma Beach and Point Dume Beach. This project provides multiple ecosystem benefits such as increased shoreline protection and habitat for native flowering plants and shorebirds. Thank you for your interest in volunteering with The Bay Foundation to remove invasive plants and protect the dunes at the beautiful Zuma Beach location.

For more info and to register, Click Here

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

Join The Bay Foundation & Climate Action Santa Monica for a Picnic and Dune Restoration! Your participation will contribute to the restoration effort, increase biodiversity and enhance coastal resilience. We look forward to seeing you at the dunes!

March 7, 2026

8:30am - 11:30am

Dune Restoration led by TBF – 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM

Give back to the local environment through a hands-on habitat restoration.

BYO Picnic led by CASM– 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM

After the restoration event, join Climate Action Santa Monica for a BYO picnic

Location: Santa Monica Dunes, Santa Monica 90402

For more info and to register, Click Here

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

Former WT pro cyclist Phil Gaimon claims to have received a leak of the LA28 Olympics Road Race course. And it looks like Pacific Coast Highway from Santa Monica to Leo Carillo may be shut down fully or partially for the event.

The leaked information says: Venice Beach > PCH > Mulholland Hwy > Rock Store Loops > Mulholland Hwy > Ventura Blvd > Hayvenhurst > Mulholland Dr > Hollywood > Griffith Park

The course will have cyclist leaving Venice Beach top Main Street then Ocean Ave in Santa Monica, down Entrada to PCH in the Palisades, taking PCH past Topanga into Malibu till they reach Leo Carillo, then up to Mulholland and into the Santa Monica Mountains

Ikea just announce the opening of a new location in Culver City.

IKEA U.S. says the location will be a 38,050-square-foot “city-center” store, a smaller-format concept. Much smaller than their traditional warehouse style location. Thisstyle will have about 3,000 items are available for immediate purchase, Roughly 600 small furniture items and wide selection of home accessories. The Ikea Cafe will also be included, serving classic menu favorites like Swedish meatballs, plant balls, cinnamon buns, and veggie dogs.

The new Ikea will be housed in the Helm Bakery Complex in the 40,000-square-foot portion of a lot formerly used by L.A. luxury furniture retailer HD Buttercup. The targeted opening date is sometime this year.

A 42 year old man was shot while sitting in his car around 2:45 p.m. on Saturday at Seventh Avenue and Broadway Street.

According to a Los Angeles Police Department spokesman, a woman drove up, got out of her vehicle, and argued with the man. She tnen shot him and got bacxk into her vehicle and drove away. The man was in stable condition as he was transported to the hospital.

The woman was taken into custody. No other details avaliable yet.

A man at the beach appears to standing barefoot in a huge puddle of blood, scaring several people. It ends up being watered down paint or food coloring, not real blood. He is doing a "performance piece", wanting to make people think it is real blood. He says it's a "social prank".

Police are called by people thinking he was injured. The officer tells him to clean it up, as it scaing people and can be considered vandalism.

Los Angeles Police Officers chase down a suspect in Venice ob Sunday afternoon. Two officers got injuried in the takedown of the fleeing man.

On February 11, 2026, at approximately 9:49 p.m., Santa Monica Police Department officers received a report of a street robbery that had just occurred near 2nd Streetand California Avenue.

According to preliminary information, multiple suspects armed with a knife took personal property from the victims before fleeing in a dark-colored vehicle.

Using SMART Center resources, officers located the vehicle traveling eastbound on the I-10 Freeway and transitioning to the southbound I-405. When officers attempted a traffic stop, the vehicle failed to yield and a pursuit was initiated.

The pursuit continued through multiple jurisdictions before the vehicle was located in the City of Inglewood with assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department Air Unit.

The suspects fled on foot, and five individuals were ultimately taken into custody with assistance from the Inglewood Police Department and LAPD Air Support.

There are no outstanding suspects related to this incident.

This remains an active investigation.

On February 7, 2026, at approximately 7:15 a.m., Santa Monica Police Department officers responded to a residential complex in the 1900 block of Ocean Avenue to conduct a welfare check. The request was made by a family member who had been unable to contact the occupants for several days.

Officers made entry into the unit with the assistance of building management after receiving no response and discovered two deceased individuals, one male and one female, both 54 years old. Both individuals were found with apparent gunshot wounds, and a firearm was located inside the residence. The individuals were in an advanced state of decomposition.

Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division are treating this incident as a suspected murder-suicide. Investigators have determined the individuals were known to one another, and there are no outstanding suspects. This appears to be an isolated incident.

There is no known ongoing threat to the public.

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

Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Detective Esteban Hernandez of the Santa Monica Police Department at esteban.hernandez@santamonica.gov or the Watch Commander 24 hours a day at 310-458-8427.

The Santa Monica City Council Tuesday approved the addition of a second unit to the Fire Department’s new Advanced Provider Unit Program, following the successful launch of the first unit in November 2025.

The Advanced Provider Unit, or APU, is a specialized Mobile Integrated Health resource designed to address complex medical and behavioral health calls and frequent 911 users in a way that supports both community well-being and system resiliency.

The APU initiative is part of the city’s two-year strategic Realignment Plan, building organizational capacity and delivering smarter, more coordinated public safety service.

“This is what modern public safety looks like,” Mayor Caroline Torosis said. “We’re meeting people where they are, delivering advanced care in the field, reducing strain on our ERs, and keeping ambulances ready for true emergencies. The data from the first three months is clear. It works. Expanding the APU means better outcomes for vulnerable residents and a more resilient system for everyone.”

Staffed by a firefighter-paramedic and a nurse practitioner, the APU combines advanced clinical capability with full integration into Fire Department operations and medical oversight. With this staffing model, the APU team can conduct advanced clinical assessments in the field, provide treatment in place when appropriate, coordinate follow-up care and service connections, and reduce unnecessary emergency department transports.

And by addressing calls that do not require a traditional emergency response, the APU reduces strain on frontline units and allows police officers, fire engines, and ambulances to remain available for truly time-critical incidents.

In just its first three months of operation, the city’s initial APU:

Responded to over 130 calls for service Provided Advanced Level of Care to over 60 patients, including advanced diagnostics, behavioral health screenings, and in home safety assessments

Successfully treated in place and discharged over 20 patients on scene, avoiding unnecessary hospital visits

Avoided the use of ambulances over 50 times, keeping units available for the next emergency

Successfully helped place two elderly, high-utilizer patients into long term care to better meet their complex medical needs.

Building on early success metrics, the APU expansion will facilitate a number of positive outcomes for the community, including:

Increased coverage during peak demand periods

Deployment seven days per week, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Improved response options for complex medical and behavioral health calls

Further reduced avoidable ambulance transports and emergency department utilization

Enhanced overall system resiliency across Fire, Police, and EMS operations

This weekend, at the iconic Venice Beach basketball courts where the energy of street basketball meets the heartbeat of Los Angeles culture – AT&T will debut AT&T Dunk District, a dynamic pop-up destination designed to bring fans closer to the game through creativity, connectivity and community

Dunk Bus: An activation-on-wheels featuring motorized hoops, NBA 2K gaming stations, and a digital postcard wall so visitors of all ages can capture their slam dunk moment and contribute to a collective fan story

ShaiT&T: A fashion-forward experience spotlighting Shai-Gilgeous Alexander and merchandise from local artists, including totes, phone cases, t-shirts, and skate decks. Limited edition tees designed by the brother of the 2025 NBA MVP, Thomasi Gilgeous-Alexander will also be available with the exclusive Shai x Masi t-shirt offered to AT&T customers.

Phone Case Customization Station: Fans can design personalized phone cases on-site – turning their devices into expressions of fandom and creativity.

Free Play Basketball Court: Open play and curated programming will welcome local students and athletes, reinforcing AT&T’s commitment to community engagement and the next generation of basketball fans.

XSET’s Hoops & Streams – Streaming stars Clix, Jesser, and Kris London will team up with NBA legends Chris Paul, Baron Davis, and Jason Terry for an XSET-produced IRL livestream experience featuring a 2v2 basketball competition at the AT&T Dunk District and an NBA 2K competition on the Dunk Bus.

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

As part of the Pier Bridge Replacement Project, construction crews will temporarily close the Moomat Ahiko Way off-ramp from southbound Pacific Coast Highway from Feb. 9 through Feb. 27 to construct the foundation for a temporary pedestrian bridge ahead of the pier bridge reconstruction.

The pedestrian bridge will ensure continued access to the Santa Monica Pier throughout the project.

Motorists traveling to the area are advised to allow for extra travel time and use alternate routes during the two-week off-ramp closure period. A map of suggested detours is available here.

Pier restaurants, shops and entertainment, as well as parking and visitor access will remain open and accessible throughout the Pier Bridge Replacement construction period, ensuring residents and visitors can continue to enjoy the Pier with minimal disruption.

The new temporary library is now open Tuesdays-Saturdays from 1-5pm in the parking lot at 861 Alma Real Drive, where you can explore the new space, browse the new collection, and see familiar faces from the library community.

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

SANTA MONICA BLOCK FEST VOL III [FREE MUSIC FESTIVAL] ALL THREE BLOCKS BABY | THIRD STREET PROMENADE

ALL THREE BLOCKS BABY | THIRD STREET PROMENADE

Sat, Feb 14 at 5:00 PM - 12:00 AM

III Stages. III Blocks. III Collectives. Our love letter to Santa Monica.

Santa Monica Block Fest returns for its biggest edition yet, transforming the Promenade into a FREE Music Festival across all III Blocks this Saturday Feb 14.

[1400 BLOCK: YAPPY STUDIOS STAGE | 5PM - 12AM]

LOCATION: Between Santa Monica Blvd & Broadway

LINEUP: Pedroz | BOMBAYS B2B Juush | Monción | CONRXD

HOUSE | TECH HOUSE | MINIMAL BASS HOUSE

[1300 BLOCK: PRODUCT PLUTO STAGE | 5PM - 12AM]

LOCATION: Between Arizona Ave & Santa Monica Blvd

LINEUP: Mungo Sound Machine | Max Coletto | David Strand | Ross

LIVE VINYL | HOUSE | GROOVE HOUSE

[1200 BLOCK: BEAT REPEAT STAGE | 8PM - 12AM]

LOCATION: Between Wilshire Blvd & Arizona Ave

LINEUP: Casmalia | Westside V | CJØY

HOUSE | TECH HOUSE | GROOVE HOUSE

EVENT FEATURES:

Free Entry

Three Custom Stages with Full Production

21+ Pop-up Bars

Open Container Policy throughout the EZSM zone

Stacked DJ Lineup Across All Three Blocks

VIP Private Lounges

Local Vendors

All Ages Welcome

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