Expect northbound Pacific Coast Highway to be reduced to one lane between Topanga Canyon Blvd. & Big Rock Drive from 9 p.m. Tuesday 11/26 to 6 a.m. Wednesday 11/27 to place conduit for utility lines.

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

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

Registrstion for the 31st Annual Venice Surf-A-Thon is open. The contest will be held on Saturday, December 14th at the Venice Pier.

To register, Click Here

Stay tuned for more updates.

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

On September 22, 2024, at approximately 12:30 a.m., officers responded to a report of an assault on a woman in the 1400 block of Alley 5. Upon arrival, officers located the victim, a 25-year-old woman who was new to the area and experiencing homelessness. She sustained severe injuries, including facial trauma and signs consistent with strangulation.

According to a witness, the unprovoked attack involved the suspect repeatedly kicking and punching the woman as she lay on the ground. The incident was captured on surveillance footage, which also showed the suspect fleeing the scene. Despite extensive investigative efforts, initial attempts to identify the suspect through the video were unsuccessful. In response, detectives released the surveillance footage to the public, seeking assistance in identifying the individual involved.

On November 3, 2024, detectives received a tip that led to the identification of the suspect, Oscar Benn, a 27-year-old resident of Altadena. On November 14, 2024, detectives successfully apprehended Benn near the VA facility in West Los Angeles. He was subsequently booked and charged by the Los Angeles County District Attorney for attempted murder under Penal Code 664/187(a) PC. Benn is currently in the custody of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Benn has a criminal history, including prior arrests for aggravated assault and burglary.

This arrest highlights the critical role of community partnership in ensuring public safety. The Police Department would like to thank the public for their assistance, which was instrumental in bringing this suspect into custody.

For additional information, please contact Det. Sean Baker (Sean.Baker@santamonica.gov) at (310) 458-8932, Sgt. Chad Goodwin (Chad.Goodwin@santamonica.gov) at (310) 458-8931, or the Watch Commander 24 hours a day at (310) 458-8427.

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:

November 22, 2024

BEACH AREA WARNINGS:

· Windward storm drain at Venice Beach

100 yards up and down the coast from the storm drain.

· Big Rock Beach in Malibu

100 yards up and down the coast from the public access steps.

· Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro

The entire swim area.

· Mothers Beach in Marina Del Rey

The entire swim area.

· Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica

100 yards up and down the coast from the pier.·

Marie Canyon Storm Drain at Puerco Beach 100 yards up and down the coast from the public access steps.

· Topanga Canyon Beach

100 yards up and down the coast from the lagoon.

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.

Scenes from Saturday's Board Swap at Bay Street Boards hosted by Fahrenheit/Celsius.

From Santa Monica Close Up:

"On Sunday, November 24, 2024, Santa Monica Police Community Service Officers quickly responded to a fire at the Santa Monica Beach parking lot. Using fire extinguishers, the officers managed to control the flames before Santa Monica Fire Department personnel arrived to fully extinguish the fire by dousing it with water.

The fire reportedly originated from a cooking setup involving charcoal briquettes, used by a homeless individual preparing breakfast. Several burnt pans were found at the scene, and the fire appeared to have grown out of control.

Police detained an individual for further investigation. No injuries were reported, and the incident remains under review."

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.

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

"This is an update video about the Venice Beach cleanup. Every Friday, LAPD, Parks & Recreation, and Park Rangers are checking on the restrooms in Venice Beach. Often times the restrooms are occupied by homeless staying overnight. No Homeless is allowed to camp on Venice beach"

At 2:15PM on Frida, a 3.8-magnitude earthquake hit north of Malibu.