From Santa Monica Close Up:

"Santa Monica Police Officers apprehended an individual at Palisades Park on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, after he was observed riding a bicycle on the sidewalk, a violation of local ordinance 3.12.540. The arrest took a turn when law enforcement officials allegedly uncovered drug paraphernalia in his possession, as detailed under Health & Safety Code § 11364.

The initial encounter between the suspect and law enforcement centered on his violation of Santa Monica's traffic regulations, which expressly prohibit bicycle riding on sidewalks, including the Third Street (Beach) Promenade. Under the provisions of ordinance 3.12.540, the act of bicycling on public sidewalks and within public parking structures is deemed unlawful. Those found contravening this ordinance may face legal repercussions, classified as a misdemeanor, potentially incurring a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, a jail term of up to six months, or a combination thereof. Alternatively, they could be charged with an infraction, subject to a fine ranging from one hundred to two hundred fifty dollars.

The situation escalated as officers discovered the individual allegedly carrying drug paraphernalia in the form of a smoking pipe. The possession of drug paraphernalia falls under California Penal Code 11364 H&S, which specifically prohibits such items. Consequently, the man was placed under arrest on suspicion of possessing drug paraphernalia and the initial sidewalk biking violation.

Following his arrest, the suspect was promptly placed in handcuffs and transported to the Santa Monica Jail for processing. The combined charges of possessing drug paraphernalia and the violation of bicycling regulations highlight the comprehensive nature of the law enforcement response to the incident.

As the legal proceedings unfold, the case serves as a reminder of the enforcement of Santa Monica's stringent traffic regulations and California's regulations pertaining to drug-related paraphernalia. The incident underscores the importance of adhering to local ordinances and state laws to ensure the safety and well-being of the community."

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

"Venice Beach, California, the craziest beach in the world. Every day is different, never the same. You will always find something new happening. Artist, performers at its best, best skaters and surfers in the world. While I was there, I thought it was appropriate to match up scenes from the famous Barbie movie, which was partly filmed in Venice, there’s so much to see."

If you would like to support German in Venice with some gas money or you want to buy him a coffee, you are welcome to donate to his paypal account: https://paypal.me/germaninvenice

A dead body was found near the Venice Pier on Wednesday morning.

The body was in front of the unoccupied restuarant next to Bay Market on Washington Blvd just east of the pier parking lot.

Word on the scene was that this was another drug overdose.

The LAPD Public Information Officer seems to not do his job (especially when it involves drugs or homeless people), so more information on this may never be avaliable.

From Santa Monica Close Up:

"In a swift and coordinated effort, Los Angeles County Lifeguards and Santa Monica Police Harbor Patrol Officers collaborated to rescue a man who jumped off the Santa Monica Pier on Tuesday, August 8, 2023. The man, described as an inexperienced swimmer, was brought to safety by the combined response of these first responders.

Following the rescue, law enforcement officers took custody of the man on the shoreline. He was subsequently apprehended, arrested, issued a citation, and released on-site, underscoring the gravity of his actions and the legal implications they entail.

Leaping or diving from the Santa Monica Pier is explicitly prohibited under Municipal Code 10.08.620 Diving—Municipal Pier, constituting a misdemeanor offense. The code explicitly states that individuals should refrain from participating in such activities from any part of the Santa Monica Municipal Pier except in cases of imminent danger requiring the preservation of life."

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The Santa Monica Police Officer Association is hosting its 2nd annual classic car show on the Santa Monica Pier. Chemical Guys and Liquid Death , are helping out with their sponsorship; along with others. Also, the one and only CHIP FOOSE and MITCH LANZINI will be attending and picking a vehicles for a prizes. There will be great raffle prizes, including a 50/50 raffle, food and beverages for purchase, and entertainment will be provided. A beer garden will be available.

The event is free for those who want to attend without classic cars or motorcycles.

Pre-register your car or motorcycle online for $45 or $50 at the door. When registering, please include the make, model, year, and color of your car or motorcycle. If you don't plan on entering your car or motorcycle into the show, but would like to donate to this event, you can do so by clicking "donate," at checkout. All proceeds will go to the SMPOA Survivor Fund.

There will be prizes for the following:

*Best Hotrod

*Best Paint Job

*Best Kustom

*Best In Show

*All cars/motorcycles registered for the car show must be in place by 8:00 am. Entrance will open at 7:00am. Entrance will be off the main Pier entrance ramp on Ocean Ave and Colorado Ave.

There will be event T-shirts for sale for $25.

This is a family event open to all. Please respect each other, the location, and no drama. We are not responsible for any lost/stolen items from your vehicle. Keep all valuables locked.

For more info and car show registration, Click Here

The moisture will bring a chance of rain to Southern California and is likely to drive up humidity levels across a large portion of the state, the National Weather Service said. There’s a chance for rain and a slight chance for thunderstorms in the southern part of the state, including across Los Angeles County and as far north as San Luis Obispo County and as far south as San Diego County.



Temperatures will lower each day through Wednesday, and then remain cooler than normal through the week. There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms through at least Thursday due to moisture from the remnants of Tropical Storm Eugene. Warmer and drier weather is expected to return over the weekend.



High Surf Risk starts on Saturday morning and lasts till Sunday morning.

The body of a naked man, who was identified as aspiring rapper from Los Angeles, Javonnta Murphy, was discovered on July 31 inside a 55-gallon barrel floating in the Malibu Lagoon..

Javonnta Murphy was found naked and sealed inside the large barrel. He was found with a gunshot wound in the head, according to a coroner’s report. “It didn’t look decomposed or like it had been there for a long time,” said LASD Lt. Hugo Raynaga

Javonnta is the brother of Jaquan Murphy who happened to be one of the 5 people arrested in for the home invasion robbery and murder rapper Pop Smoke in 2020.

On February 19, 2020, Pop Smoke, who's real name is Bashar Barakah Jackson, was staying in an AirBnB in the Hollywood Hills owned by The Real Housewives star Teddi Mellencamp. He was posting photos on Social Media showing himself by the house's infinity pool and by a range Rover. The rapper also posted a story on Instagram and Facebook of gifts he had received. One showed the house's full address on the packaging, giving out its location.

Investigators said the 5 suspects, ages 15, 17, 19, and 21, used that info and broke into the home through a second-story balcony around 4 a.m.

They burst into Jackson’s bedroom and confronted him in a shower, where the 15-year-old suspect pistol-whipped the rapper and shot him three times in the back. He was not alone in the home, but he was the only one who was shot.

The suspects fled the home with Jackson’s watch and other jewelry. The rapper was pronounced dead at the hospital. He was 20 years old.

The suspects are believed to be members of a South Los Angeles gang, LAPD said.

On May 2021, a 15-year-old, the youngest of the four intruders, allegedly admitted to killing Jackson over a diamond-studded Rolex during a recorded interview with a cellmate at a juvenile detention center. The 15-year-old told the cellmate that Jackson at first complied with their requests for jewelry but then tried to fight them, and a confrontation broke out in which Jackson was pistol-whipped and shot with a Beretta M92. The intruders made off with his Rolex, which they sold for $2,000.

Jaquan Murphy, the brother Javonnta, was later cleared of the charges. The other 4 suspects were charged with the murder.

L.A. County Sheriff's Department's investigators are currently looking into the possibility Javonnta's murder was a retaliation killing for Pop Smoke's murder.

No further details were released on the case as the investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department at 323-267-4800.

LA County Sheriff Dept is investigating skeletonized remains found by hikers in Malibu Canyon on Aug 7 nearby a destroyed vehicle which had been marked approx 1.5 yrs ago. Anyone with info is asked to call Crime Stoppers 800-222-TIPS