From Santa Monica Close Up:

"On Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 28, 2024, the Lost Angels Organization hosted its 12th annual block party on Rose Avenue in Venice, providing vital support and holiday cheer to the homeless community. The event, held between Hampton Drive and Main Street, transformed the area into a haven of generosity and community connection.

Founder Tina Marie Wright expressed her passion for giving back during the event. "Hi guys, my name is Tina Wright. I'm the founder of Los Angeles Nonprofit Organization. This is our 12th year doing our event in Venice Beach. We give back to a less fortunate community, the homeless. We mainly give out hot, warm plates of Thanksgiving and Christmas food, brand-new shoes, and toiletries."

Tina's sister Linda, who plays a key role in organizing the event, elaborated on the program's thoughtful structure. "We have a hot food station where participants get to pick their warm dishes, brand-new fitted shoes, and we also pair them up with a volunteer in a buddy system. The volunteers guide them throughout the event, ensuring they feel cared for, loved, and reminded that the community is here for them."

Attendees enjoyed a traditional Thanksgiving feast with all the fixings, while also receiving clothing, shoes, and essential toiletries. Volunteers embodied the organization's motto, "No one ever gets left behind," as they worked tirelessly to create an atmosphere of kindness and hope."

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.

"When I came to Venice Beach today, I could not believe my eyes within 20 minutes the whole Venice beach was covered in mist or fog. It looked really scary and eerie. You don’t see this too often, but it gives you an opportunity to take some really cool pictures."

"About half of Venice Electric Light Parade goes through Santa Monica. If you want to join us, we leave from Windward Plaza in Venice at sunset every Sunday. We ride up the Marvin Braude Bike Trail to the SM Pier, then we make our way back along the beach, down Main Street, jog over to Abbot Kinney, Venice Sign, Venice Pier, then a little dance break at the end on Washington Street.

Join in anywhere along the route. I’m usually there on my yellow bike with disco balls and multi-colored LED lights. Lots of fun people and community building focused on bike safety and sober riding.

Come hang out with us!" - Mandy Zelinka

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.