Mike, aka German in Venice, vlogs about daily life in Venice Beach, and the nearby communities.

"Crime has increased the past three years in Santa Monica. There are lots of homeless people hanging out in the local parks and beaches. I walked around on third street promenade, and I had to find out that lots of stores are out of business. Even in the streets around third Street the city is definitely dying. How can Santa Monica be saved?"

This is the second of 2 sharks caught by a fisherman on on Thursday. This was in Pacific Palisades, near tower 12.

Contrary to the initial online reports, this is not a" Great White that was beached" incident, the shark was caught. The fsherman who caught it said it is a Mako Shark.

Heated confrontations occurred between the fishermen and people on the beach about this after the first shark was seen dragged onto the sand. The fisherman stating he is doimg nothing illegal.

A lifeguard came down and did a report. Found nothing wrong.

The second Shark was then caught at approximately 8:30 PM by the same fisherman.

A person from the Department of Fish And Wildlife was spotted at the scene soon after. Last we know of, he left after taking down information from the fisherman.

From Santa Monica Close Up:

"Santa Monica Police officers responded to an incident at Palisades Park, near the Santa Monica Pier, on Friday, July 12, 2024. Witnesses reported that a homeless man allegedly attacked a woman, prompting another man to intervene and protect her. A scuffle ensued, leading to a prompt police response.

Upon arrival, officers detained the two men involved while conducting their investigation. Santa Monica paramedics were called to the scene to assess the individuals, but no one required transportation to the hospital.

Police officers arrested one of the men, although this arrest was potentially related to an outstanding warrant rather than the incident itself. Due to conflicting reports from witnesses, a police sergeant stated that a report would be filed and presented to the District Attorney to determine if any charges will be pursued at a later date.

The swift response by the Santa Monica Police Department highlights their commitment to maintaining safety and order in the community. The incident drew the attention of park-goers and nearby residents, underlining the ongoing challenges related to public safety and homelessness in the area."

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.

From Santa Monica Close Up:

": A potentially dangerous encounter was defused by Los Angeles Police Officers during a homeless encampment cleanup operation in Venice Beach on Thursday. Officers successfully deescalated a tense situation when they drew their tasers in response to a homeless man who brandished a knife. The incident occurred on Main Street as part of a scheduled cleanup effort.

The man, visibly agitated, eventually complied with officers' commands to put away the knife and departed from the scene without further conflict. No arrest was made, as the potential victim was an armed police officer and there were concerns that the District Attorney might not pursue charges. After resolving the situation, officers continued with the cleanup operation, which included towing an inoperable vehicle with out-of-state plates."

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.

From Santa Monica Close Up:

"Venice Healer Daisy was released from jail after a week, thanks to the support of family, friends, and the community. On Wednesday, July 10, 2024, the couple made an announcement at Venice Beach to express their gratitude and outline their future plans."

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.

From Santa Monica Close Up:

"On Tuesday, July 9, 2024, Santa Monica Police Officers, while on patrol, identified an individual matching the description of a man on parole at Santa Monica Beach. The officers stopped the man and subsequently arrested him."

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.

This just released interview with Daisy the Venice Healer was recorded prior to her hospitalization and her arrest last week.

Click Here for more Stories about Venice Healer Daisy

The 4th of July Fireworks Show held on the 6th of July on the beach in Santa Monica.

Tony Alva, Los Angeles, CA, skateboarder, surfer, entrepreneur, musician, artist and pioneer of vertical skateboarding and one of the original members of the Dogtown and Z-Boyz.

Transworld Skateboarding Magazine ranked him eighth in its list of the "30 Most Influential skateboarders" of all time.

Tony Alva was born September 2, 1957, in Santa Monica, California, to Dutch and Mexican-American parents. He first began surfing and skateboarding around 1967 at the age of 10. Influenced by the new, aggressive Hawaiian and Australian surfing style, Alva brought a radically new and powerful free form surf style to skateboarding.

Alva's style was revolutionary and stood in stark contrast with the traditional 60's style of the era. His skill, style and charisma has set him apart for decades, to this day.

Experience the Queen Of The Point 2024, an all-ladies longboard surfing competition at First Point Malibu in Malibu, CA, on June 29-30, 2024. This event features 130 competitors across 10 divisions, with over 60 finalists, showcasing the best in female longboarding. Watch live as surfers take on the waves in a celebration of skill, community, and competition.

Archive footage of Santa Monica shot by an American filmmaker while traveling to California in the 1984.

This archive footage contains historical stock footage of View of Santa Monica Pier, Traffic signal view in street with cars, View of Pacific Sands Motel, Flamingo west Motel, Ocean ave side street, Group of people view walking through footpath, Shopping malls, Flying view of United States Flag, Holiday inn and more

From Santa Monica Close Up:

"Venice Beach launched its "Last Thursday" summer concert series on Thursday, June 27, 2024, with a performance by Southern California legends Horny Toad. The event, held at the Dudley Avenue pergolas on the north end of the Venice boardwalk, began at 6:30 p.m. and featured the band's eclectic mix of punk, ska, funk, metal, and fusion music against the backdrop of a stunning sunset."

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.

ATTN: Skaters! Don't miss the Ghost Jam Skate Experience at Pier 360 on June 29-30 from 10am-5pm! Enjoy open skate sessions, guided lessons, trick contests, and more.

For more info, Click Here.

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

This Venice tradition to herald the beginning of summer dates back to the 1910s, with the arrival of King Neptune in an outrigger canoe and the coronation of Queen Venetia, with a royal procession along Ocean Front Walk

A man who was sleeping on grass gets picked up and slammed to the ground by an angry man. The sleeping man had at least one empty alcohol bottle next to him and that may be the reason the angry guy assaulted him. They appear to know each other as well. Prior to this, he was seen talking to the police on the beach about missing money.

Today is one of the rare random days LAPD and Animal Control are patrolling Venice Beach issuing tickets to people who have their dogs on the sand.

One officer is overheard saying they have gotten numerous complaints about people not picking up after their dogs, dogs being off leash, running at people and attacking them and stuff like that.

This week we head over to the West LA Courthouse AKA the Santa Monica Courthouse with Chris Roberts and Zach Doelling to talk about some of the skate history that has gone down, as well as do some skating ourselves, well mostly Zach. We go over the out ledge, the stairs, the ledges, and of course the stage!

Unapologetically herself. This is Lizzie Armanto.

From the Cove in Santa Monica to the pages of Vogue, Lizzie continues to be one of the most influential and inspirational female skaters in the world. Mixing style and elegance - there's no one out here doing it like she is.

We're really witnesses of the greatness that is Lizzie.

Venice beach skatepark in the mornings is the best time to skate. All the morning locals are super nice and friendly.