CHP officers tried to stop speeding BMW, which fled at speeds over 115 MPH. CHP helicopter took over the pursuit & followed the white BMW down Kanan. Officers eventually found the BMW in Malibu and it fled again, hitting a truck & flipping over into a porta-potty. The driver, an 18 yr old Malibu resident, was arrested.

Los Angeles police officers responded around 11:15 a.m. to the 1800 block of Ocean Front Walk in Venice, where a man described as homeless had allegedly assaulted a 7-year-old boy, according to LAPD spokesman David Cuellar.

This is the second child that 23-year-old homeless man, Ahsante Lamar Morgan, has assaulted. He was wanted by Santa Monica Police for sucker punching a 6 year old girl on Main Street in Santa Monica. SMPD detectives are now working with LAPD to present our consolidated cases to the LA County District Attorney, aiming for a swift filing of felony child abuse charges. Detectives with the Santa Monica Police Department are expected to take the lead in the case, according to the LAPD.

As of Thursday, March 14, Topanga Canyon Blvd. is still closed in both directions from Pacific Coast Highway to Grand View Dr. Due to slides. The road will remain closed until further notice.



For more info on road closures & conditions, Click Here.

Update as of 10 a.m. March 14, Pacific Coast Highway at Porto Marina Way in Pacific Palisades is reduced to one lane on the Northbound side due to a mud/rock slide. A geologist was on site examining the slide. Caltrans said they must allow the slope to dry more before taking further action.



For more info on road closures & conditions, Click Here.

A 6 year old girl was sucker punched in the face by a homeless man on Sunday. She was walking with her her parents down Main Street in Santa Monica when the assault happened. The Santa Monica Police has finally issued a statement regarding this horrible event:

We have received several media requests related to an incident that occurred at about 7pm on Sunday, March 10th, in Santa Monica. A male (not confirmed as homeless) was sitting on a bus bench at Main Street and Marine Avenue acting erratically. A 6-year-old child and her parents were walking northbound on Main Street behind the bench when the suspect spun around and struck the child causing her to fall to the ground. Thankfully, the child was not seriously injured. The suspect, described as a male, Black, approx. 6-01, 30-35 years old, wearing a black jacket and blue jeans, fled the location northbound on Main Street and out of sight. He was not apprehended.

“An incident like this one is an affront to public safety and will not be tolerated. Even more so that a child was involved. Any crime committed in Santa Monica is a crime too many; our department stands strong in the face of anyone who chooses to victimize those who are in this city. Our detectives are working hard to uncover more details of the incident and identify and apprehend the suspect.

We appreciate our partnership with our community, relying on our residents, business owners and visitors to provide us with information about criminal behavior. We continue our specialized uniformed deployments on Main Street and in our Downtown area. Our goal is to be proactive and present, providing safety and security to our residents and visitors.

In addition, we are deploying our Homeless Liaison Program Team of police officers and a mental health clinician to provide much needed resources to those experiencing homelessness. Our efforts, combined with the Therapeutic Transport Team and the Salvation Army, provide us a platform to redouble our efforts to connect individuals with treatment and shelter.” -Chief Rámon Batista

We encourage anyone with information related to this individual or incident to contact Detective Diaz and Daniel.Diaz@santamonica.gov, Detective Sergeant Goodwin at Chad.Goodwin@santamonica.gov, or the Watch Commander (24 hours) at 310-458-8427.

Even though the SMPD stated the suspect is not homeless, witnesses have reported he is.

The infamous Bentley Driving Theives that have been hitting all the surf spots arrested.

Detectives have discovered evidence that there are more victims than previously reported and thus are requesting any information on additional victims, including outside of the City of Los Angeles.

This crew was targeting cars at surf spots, as well as burglarizing homes in the area. At the surf spots, they located hidden key fobs and used key fob amplifiers to open vehicles and remove victims' property. They used sophisticated methods to unlock and access victims' phones. Then used victims' info to make purchases at luxury stores and to send money to additonal suspects through money transfer service applications.

If you have any information regarding these suspects, or any information on additional victims, please contact West Los Angeles Autos Detective Hernandez at 323-369-3156 or email at 39277@lapd.online

Below is the original Heads Up story we posted about these guys:



According to witnesses, the group consist of up to 3 males. They also broken into at least one known vehicle at Sunset Point on Saturday, Mason Brown's Surf Report gave an update about that with some photos:

"Surveillance video of the robbers who broke into Guy's car yesterday!



They eventually pulled into the lot right next to Guy's car and broke in (possibly using a fob scanner). Guy saw them just as they were finishing and they peeled out."



Their worst crime... those shorts!!!



Keep an eye out for them!

UPDATE: apparently, this video is from today... they came back to steal again. Hopefully they were unsuccessful! But Guy confirms that those are the culprits!"

As soon as we posted Mason's info to our Instagram Stories on Sunday afternoon, we recieved many messages about the same group:









Mo In The Morning posted a heads up about these guys aand recieved numerious comments about them:









TUESDAY, January 23 UPDATES:











THURSDAY, January 25 UPDATES:



We will keep updating with new information if we can any.

A member of the Marine Mammal Care Center rescues a lost sea lion pup from underneath the Santa Monica Pier.

Join us at Tower 20 in Santa Monica from 10am-12pm! We will be connecting with our environmentally-minded community to collect trash from our beloved California shorelines. All cleanup equipment is provided- including gloves, grabbers, reusable trash bags, sunscreen, and a water refill station- just remember to bring a reusable water bottle!



Sun, Mar 24, 2024
10:00AM-12:00PM PDT
Santa Monica, CA 90405 (sign up to see exact location)

For more info, Click Here.

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

Celebrate the Easter season at Third Street Promenade with fun, games, and FREE photos with the Easter Bunny!

On Sunday, March 24th from 12-4PM, celebrate the Easter season at Third Street Promenade!



There will be fun activities for all ages including:
📸 Photos with the Easter Bunny (pets welcome!)
🎪 Live Childrens’ music + entertainment
🎨 Arts & crafts + games
🎈 Balloon twisters + face painters
🐣 First 200 kids get a free surprise treat!

Photos with the Easter Bunny will be first-come, first-served.



Event will be on the 1200 Block of Third Street Promenade (between Arizona & Wilshire)



For more info, Click Here.

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

As of 9:30 am, March 12. the two southbound lanes of Pacific Coast Hioghway at Big Rock in Malibu are open and the northbound traffic is using the median. K-rail barriers have been put in place as the rock slide still remains active with rocks and dirt falling onto the northbound lanes of the road.

Proceed with caution, watch for workers and work vehicles in the road.



For more info on road closures & conditions, Click Here.

The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) will conduct a Bike & Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operation with focused enforcement efforts on primary collision factors involving motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists.

The Police Department identifies locations where pedestrian and bike collisions are prevalent, along with the violations that led to those collisions. Traffic officers will be on duty patrolling areas where bike and pedestrian traffic and collisions occur in an effort to lower deaths and injuries. Officers will be looking for violations committed by drivers, bike riders and pedestrians alike that can lead to life changing injuries. These violations include speeding, making illegal turns, failing to yield or provide right of way to bicyclists or pedestrians, or failing to stop for signs and signals.

These extra enforcement efforts will take place on Thursday, March 14th and Friday, March 15th, 2024 between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

“We all have places to be and not everyone gets there by car. Bicyclists and pedestrians have the same rights to the road but face even more risk without the protections vehicles have. We should all be looking out for one another.”

Pedestrians

· Be predictable. Use crosswalks, when available.

· Take notice of approaching vehicles and practice due care.

· Do not walk or run into the path of a vehicle. At 30 mph, a driver needs at least 90 feet to stop.

· Be visible. Make it easy for drivers to see you – wear light colors, reflective material and carry a flashlight, particularly at dawn, dusk or at night.

· Be extra careful crossing streets or entering crosswalks at night when it is harder to see, or when crossing busier streets with more lanes and higher speed limits.

Drivers

· Follow the speed limit and slow down at intersections. Be prepared to stop for pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks.

· Avoid blocking crosswalks while waiting to make a right-hand turn.

· Never drive impaired.

Bicyclists

· Obey traffic laws, use hand signals, use lights at night (front white light and rear red reflector), and wear a helmet.

· Bicyclists must travel in the same direction of traffic and have the same requirements as any slow-moving vehicle.

· Avoid the door zone: do not ride too closely to parked cars.

· If there’s a bike lane, use it, unless making a left turn, passing, or approaching a place where a right turn is allowed.

· Yield to pedestrians. Bicyclists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians within marked crosswalks or within unmarked crosswalks at intersections. 

🚧Topanga Cyn Blvd 🚧 Remains closed between Pafic Coast Highway and Town of Topanga. Both lanes are blocked by a rock slide. Duration of closure is unknown. Caltrans estimates the closure will last inton next week.

Marine and Surf Hazards through Friday. High Surf Advisories in effect for the Central Coast with breakers of 10-16 feet. Elevated surf of 4-7 feet for west facing beaches of LA/Ventura counties.

Danny Slant interviews Penmar Park Venice neighbor Tina, whose car was recently stolen from her driveway, and then Tina with her friend Mikey, tracked down her stolen car, it was parked two blocks away at the Encampment in Penmar Park - Rose Ave. They waited to see who would come along and two homeless people , a Caucasian male and Caucasian female - both homeless living in a van and tent next to Penmar Park, walked up to the car and then got inside to go drive off again. Tina and her friend held them for the police, but the man got away. LAPD took the female into custody, but she was released less than 6 hours later, and then quickly returned back in the homeless encampment in the park. Tina notices other belongings in the car, and found Identification from another Venice resident less than 1/2 mile away, that other resident had her car broken into , and they used Tina's stolen car as the get away vehicle. That woman has $15,000 worth of professional camera equipment stolen. The homeless suspects sold that camera equipment at the gas station in Venice , some patron getting gas bought it off them for only $200 , please people if there is merchandise being sold for about 5% of what it's actually worth by people in masks at a gas station, you know it's stolen, stop buying it off them. Then a person in Fresno California came across the stolen cameras and got them back to the lady in Venice. BUT we are still trying to find the stolen home movies from Tina , they were in a bag in the back of her car, they are 8 mm millimeter home movies from the 60's and 70's and she was going to have them professionally transferred over to digital format. If anybody in Venice or anywhere else locates these 8mm home movies, please get in touch with Danny Slant, so I can return them to Tina.

Penmar Park Venice California it's been a hot spot of many homeless RV and tent campers who have tried to make a permanent place to camp in their tents , RVs and vehicles. Since the City of LA doesn't have a comprehensive plan for addressing RV dwellers , other than usually ignoring all their infractions and letting them just sit for months at a time. Keep informing your local councilperson that you want a comprehensive plan for the entire city of Los Angeles - No RV parking on city streets and No Camping in Public spaces

Saturday, March 9, Topanga Canyon Blvd - State Route 27 is *closed* in both directions between Pacific Coast Hwy & Grand View Dr. for slide removal. Duration of closure is unknown.



For more info on road closures & conditions, Click Here.

From Santa Monica Close Up:

"A collision at the intersection of Pacific Avenue and Windward Avenue drew the response of Los Angeles firefighters and police officers on Friday, following reports of a man, appearing to be homeless and in a wheelchair with a cast on his foot, being hit by a truck. The incident sparked confusion and differing accounts from those involved.

The driver of the truck involved in the incident claimed he did not see the man prior to the collision. However, a witness at the scene suggested that the collision may have been intentional on the part of the individual in the wheelchair, alleging that he purposely maneuvered into the path of the truck.

Following the incident, the truck driver stopped to check on the man's well-being, at which point, according to the driver, the man in the wheelchair requested the purchase of a beer. The truck driver declined the request and instead opted to call emergency services. Responding firefighters arrived at the scene shortly thereafter, but the man in the wheelchair refused any medical services offered and proceeded to leave the area under his own power.

Firefighters then vacated the scene upon the arrival of the police, relaying the details of the encounter. The police initiated an investigation into the incident. The truck driver further mentioned that an individual associated with a nearby business claimed that the man in the wheelchair has been involved in similar incidents previously.

Authorities are currently investigating the matter to ascertain the specifics of the incident and to determine the appropriate course of action. The situation remains under review, and further details will be released as they become available."



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.

On Friday, March 1st, the Santa Monica Police Department Traffic Enforcement Unit conducted an Office of Traffic Safety grant-funded Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operation focusing on primary collision factors involving motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. The operation took place at various locations throughout the city that have been identified as being prevalent in pedestrian and bike involved collisions, as well as in traffic violations that can lead to death or serious injury.

March 8, 2024

An Ocean Water Quality Rain Advisory has been declared for all Los Angeles County beaches. The advisory will be in effect at least until 3:00 pm, Saturday, March 9, 2024. This advisory may be extended depending on further rainfall.

Malibu City Council advances Permanent Skate Park 3/5 approving settlement agreement w/neighboring property owner. The City is committed to providing excellent sports/recreation facilities for our youth & recognizes importance of skating in Malibu culture.

The Malibu City Council took decisive action towards the long-awaited Permanent Skate Park for its residents. In a 3-2 vote, the Council approved a settlement agreement with the neighboring property owner, who previously threatened litigation, clearing the way for the much-anticipated project.

The City is committed to providing excellent sports and recreation facilities and programs as part of a thriving, health community, and skating has always been an important part of the Malibu culture.

The City Council scheduled a Special meeting on March 4, 2024, to continue discussion on the matter from the February 26 regular meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to share the proposed settlement offer with the community and get feedback on it before making a decision.

Highlights of the proposed settlement agreement include:

- Allowing the neighboring property owner to install landscaping at its own cost to improve the park and prevent graffiti along the perimeter wall of the Skate Park.
- Shifting a portion of the Skate Park 10 feet further away from The Case project homes and lowering one of the above-ground elements.
- Allowing The Case project to lease a portion of the area adjacent to the Temporary Skate Park lot for parking for $5,627 per month until construction begins on the Permanent Skate Park.
- Assigning responsibility to The Case project for all costs related to the changes made to the Permanent Skate Park and requiring a deposit of $150,000 with the City to cover any additional design and construction costs.

On November 30, 2023, the Planning Commission approved the Coastal Development Permit (CDP) for the Permanent Skate Park, and the decision was appealed by the owner of the neighboring property, where “The Case” home development project is under construction. After filing this appeal, the owner of the neighboring property approached the City, and the City and the property owner have since been negotiating over a settlement to avoid a potential lawsuit by the property owner.

In 2019, the City Council directed staff to begin the design concept for a permanent skate park and authorized the installation of a temporary skate park in the meantime. The action is a testament to the City’s recognition of the community’s longstanding desire and the pressing need for recreational spaces that cater to the diverse interests of the community. The 12,500 square-foot Permanent Skatepark will be built at Malibu Bluffs Park, providing a valuable sports and recreation resource and safe community gathering place for Malibu's youth.

Malibu Task Force issued 74 citations for speeding 2/26 - 3/3. The City signed a contract to bring CHP patrols back to Malibu as part of our effort to address PCH safety.