1760 Ocean Avenue Santa Monica, CA 90401 Parking | Kitchenettes | WiFi Available
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WHAT’S UP WESTSIDE ..................PAGE 2 RESTORATIVE JUSTICE ..................PAGE 3 LETTER TO THE EDITOR ..............PAGE 6 CRIME WATCH ..................................PAGE 8 MYSTERY PHOTO ............................PAGE 9
THURSDAY
06.28.18 Volume 17 Issue 190
@smdailypress
Noteworthy By Charles Andrews
GO TO MCCABE’S, GO TO THE LIBRARY!
For many years I hid my shame, that the film “The Harder They Come� was my introduction to reggae music and my passion for it. It’s widely known that KCRW’s Reggae Beat (originating from Santa Monica College, carried by 130 stations worldwide) DJ Roger Steffens, the world’s foremost authority on Bob Marley and probably on reggae music as a whole, got turned on to the magic of Marley with that 1973 album “Catch a Fire’.� His first guest on that radio show was Marley, and Steffens promptly took a short leave to join the Wailers’ tour. I moved to LA from NM in 1980, with a passion for reggae but not much background. No Internet then, folks. No record stores in Albuquerque carrying any reggae albums except that soundtrack. I had seen the film at a local art theater, Don Pancho’s, and it
Santa Monica Daily Press
smdp.com
Elections lawsuit headed toward trial KATE CAGLE Daily Press Staff Writer
Santa Monica Rocks, Plus Reggae
@smdailypress
The City of Santa Monica is gearing up for a showdown next month, as Malibu lawyer Kevin Shenkman prepares to take them to trial July 30 over City Council elections. Santa Monica is the first
California city to challenge Shenkman regarding the California Voting Rights Act since Palmdale was forced to change to district elections in 2015. The settlement in that case required the city to pay $4.5 million in attorney’s fees for the plaintiffs. Since the Palmdale decision, a
mere letter from Shenkman’s firm has led to election overhauls in about 40 cities, as municipalities seek to avoid a protracted and expensive legal battle. The lawsuits and letters are based on a 2001 state expansion of federal rules that make it easier for minority groups to prove their votes are
diluted in “at large� elections. “In 2016, Palmdale had its first district elections and elected its first Latino Democrat ever,� Shenkman said. “It’s amazing to see the level of development and improvement on that portion of SEE TRIAL PAGE 3
Parking study validates field construction at the Civic Center MATTHEW HALL Daily Press Editor
Parking, or a lack thereof, should not impede construction of a field at the Civic Center site according to a new study.
Plans to build a field in the Civic parking lot require approval from the Coastal Commission and the City Hall said the study had been required by the Commission as a condition for hearing the application. Walker Consultants
released their report this week concluding there are ample options for parking and/or alternate transit in the immediate area. “Walker’s analysis of the transportation options serving the Civic Center and broader Study Area,
including the current and future supply of parking, demonstrates sufficient parking and transportation resources within a reasonable walking distance of the Civic SEE STUDY PAGE 3
SEE MUSIC PAGE 5
Culture Watch By Sarah A. Spitz
Two Must-See Documentaries “THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS�
will blow your mind, while “Five Seasons: The Gardens of Piet Oudolf� will bring it down to earth and calm it. Both open tomorrow
NOW OPEN
Niko James
Mel’s Drive-In is now open for limited hours. The restaurant is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and anticipates moving to a 24-hour schedule when they hold a ribbon cutting in early July. Mel’s is located at 1670 Lincoln Blvd., at the corner of Lincoln and Olympic.
SEE CULTURE PAGE 6
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