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.

"The use of force by law enforcement personnel is a matter of critical concern, both to the public and to the law enforcement community. Every day, officers are involved in rapidly evolving interactions with members of the public and, when warranted, use reasonable force in carrying out their duties. This is especially true with respect to officers safeguarding the community and themselves from attacks and overcoming resistance while engaged in the performance of law enforcement duties. Officers and their supervisors are responsible for understanding their authority and its limitations and appreciating the serious consequences of every use of force.

Current California law requires police departments to release video and audio recordings of a critical incident within 45 days of the occurrence.

The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) understands that building and maintaining trust between the police department and the community requires openness and transparency in all matters, especially the use of deadly force by a police officer. On October 5, 2024, a Santa Monica police officer was involved in a fatal Officer Involved Shooting (OIS) with an armed subject in front of the police station. To abide by state law and, most importantly, to ensure our community is engaged, the SMPD has created a Critical Incident Community Debriefing Video (CIV) to provide insight into and context for the OIS."

From Santa Monica Close Up:

"Venice Beach saw a coordinated enforcement effort on Wednesday, November 20, 2027, as Los Angeles Animal Control officers, accompanied by LAPD officers, issued citations to individuals violating pet-related ordinances. Violations included unlicensed animals, dogs off-leash, and bringing dogs onto the beach, all prohibited under city and state laws."

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 September 6th, 2024, Santa Monica Police Department Homeless Liaison Program (HLP) officers received a radio call of a person lying on the ground in the 1100 Block of Alley 6. When officers arrived, they discovered a deceased male in his 30s with one stab wound to the upper chest area. Two detectives were designated as the handling investigators and several other from the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) responded to assist. As a team, CID gathered evidence, video footage, and witness statements throughout the day.

After an extensive and thorough investigation, detectives determined the suspect to be a security guard (photo above) who worked in a building adjacent to the incident. Detectives presented the case to an LA County Deputy District Attorney who believed there was enough evidence to file the murder charge. An arrest warrant was issued for Gaston who was subsequently taken into custody on November 7th at the Santa Monica police station. During his interrogation, Gaston admitted to the murder as well as a previous assault in July. Gaston remains in the custody of the LA County Sheriff’s Department pending trial.

Anyone with information about this individual or incident is encouraged to contact Detective Kayondo at lawrence.kayondo@santamonica.gov, Sergeant Lozano at alfonso.lozano@santamonica.gov, or the Watch Commander 24 hours a day at 310-458-8427.

On Sunday, November 17, 2024, at approximately 12:30 a.m., Police Department officers responded to the scene of a fatal traffic collision near the 1800 block of Lincoln Blvd. A bicyclist was traveling southbound on Lincoln Blvd when he was struck by a vehicle and subsequently struck again by a second vehicle. Both drivers remained at the scene and are cooperating with the investigation. Neither driver showed signs of impairment.

Tragically, the victim, a 41-year-old male believed to be homeless, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The incident remains under investigation. Anyone who may have information related to this incident is encouraged to contact Investigator Lewis at Lantz.Lewis@santamonica.gov or the Watch Commander 24 hours a day at 310-458-8427.

On Tuesday afternoon, SMPD officers responded to a report of suspicious activity on the high school campus. As a precaution, students were sheltering in place. It was determined to be a false alarm. Officers are conducting a thorough search to ensure everyone's safety.

"Last weekend, we said goodbye to one of our own, Michael “Newmie” Newman—an extraordinary individual in every sense. His legacy and impact will be deeply missed. Rest easy, Newmie." the Los Angeles County Fire Dept, Lifeguard Division posted to their social medai..

Los Angeles-born Michael Newman rose to fame in the '90s as mainstay TV lifeguard Mike "Newmie" Newman on the long-running series Baywatch, and was the only member of the hit cast who actually was a lifeguard. Newman was also a full-time firefighter and maintained his schedule at the firehouse while filming the show. When the series ended its run, he continued firefighting until he retired after 25 years.

On October 20, Mike passed away due to complications from heart issues. He was 68 years old and had lived with Parkinson’s disease for the past 18 years.