Friday, December 29, 2017

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WHAT’S UP WESTSIDE ..................PAGE 2 MEDICAL POT PROGNOSIS ..........PAGE 3 PERSONAL FINANCES IN 2018 ..PAGE 4 EFFICIENT FOOD BANK ..............PAGE 7 MYSTERY PHOTO ............................PAGE 9

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Santa Monica Daily Press

San Diego Choir Director hopes Santa Monica musicians catch her tune KATE CAGLE Daily Press Staff Writer

Jazz musician Steph Johnson is looking back on a year filled with cathartic experiences.

Ever since she started hosting band rehearsals for musical members of San Diego’s homeless community in 2016, she’s watched how melody can make over a life. In fact, over the past year she’s helped 22 people get into housing through the group. For those who remain on the streets, a few hours of music with their friends carries them through rough nights.

While other non-profits rally to get the homeless things: tents, hot meals and gently used clothing – Johnson is helping her band find their voices through the power of music.

“Really, people need community and friendship,” she said on a chilly December morning outside the Santa Monica Public Library where local homeless residents were attending a resource fair. A dozen members of her choir, Voices of Our City, had awoken at 6 a.m. and made the journey north hoping to inspire others to lift their voices and find fellowship. The group represented just a fraction of the fifty or so singers who usually show up to Johnson’s jam sessions.

They compose just a tiny fraction of a regional crisis.

“It’s unfortunate that this man-

Food, showers, tents: Does the help help the homeless?

AMY TAXIN AND GEOFF MULVIHILL Associated Press

Kate Cagle

PERFORMANCE: Steph Johnson would like to expand her homeless choir program to Santa Monica.

SEE MUSIC PAGE 5

Southern California’s winter feels a lot like summer Southern California is a week into winter but it’s feeling a lot like summer.

High pressure and weak offshore flow is keeping temperatures warm — as much as 12 to 18

smdp.com

degrees above normal.

The National Weather Service says that means there will be 80degree readings in the valleys and interior coastal sections through Friday and near-shore tempera-

tures will be in the 70s.

The warmth has been accompanied by extreme dryness — just .01 inch of rain in downtown Los Angeles this month — but there’s a chance for relief.

Two forecast models show rain in the middle of next week. The weather service says the models have been inconsistent recently but the fact they both now agree offers some hope for a bit of rain.

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Mohammed Aly does not see why he shouldn’t try to ease the lives of Orange County’s homeless.

But the authorities — and many of his neighbors — disagree.

Aly, a 28-year-old lawyer and activist, has been arrested three times as he campaigned on behalf of street people. Recently, he was denied permission to install portable toilets on a dried-up riverbed, site of an encampment of roughly 400 homeless.

“It is a question of basic empathy,” he said.

But his detractors are engaged in a debate up and down the West Coast as the region struggles to cope with a rising tide of homelessness. They say Aly and other well-meaning residents who provide the homeless with tents, toilets and hot meals are enabling them to remain unsheltered.

And they note, nuisances like trash and unsanitary conditions fester and aberrant behavior continues.

In California, the San Diego County community of El Cajon passed a measure that curtails feeding the homeless, citing health concerns. Los Angeles city officials have closed and re-opened restrooms for those on Skid Row amid similar controversies.

The issue is hotly debated in Orange County. In the seaside SEE HELP PAGE 5

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What’s Up

Westside OUT AND ABOUT IN SANTA MONICA

Friday, December 29 Guest House open

2400 Main Street Santa Monica, CA

Free tours of the Marion Davies Guest House begin at 11 a.m., 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. No reservations needed.

Annenberg Community Beach House, 415 PCH.

Saturday, December 30 Design in 3D: Open Lab Explore 3D printing possibilities at the Library. Prepare your own threedimensional plastic objects for 3D printing. Staff will be available to help with basic troubleshooting. Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd. 11 a.m.

– 1 p.m.

Pico Farmer’s Market

415 PCH.

Sunday, December 31 Santa Monica Certified Farmers Market The Main Street market hosts a variety activities including bands, a biweekly cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts, a face painter, a balloon animal designer as well as seasonal California grown fruits, vegetables, nuts, meats and cheeses. 2640 Main St. @ Ocean Park, 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Monday, January 1 HAPPY NEW YEAR

Tuesday, January 2

Fresh seasonal produce sold direct by California’s farmers. Parking for the market is available in the lot along Pico Blvd., at meters along Pico Blvd. or adjacent to Virginia Park in the parking lot on north/east corner of Pico and Cloverfield. 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Website Building I: Basic HTML

Downtown Farmers Market

Ocean Park Film Series: Some Like it Hot (1959)

The Saturday Downtown Farmers Market, also known as the Organic Market, opened in May 1991. With the passage of the California Organic Foods Act of 1990, consumers were eager for more organic produce and another market for weekend shopping. The Organic Market boasts the largest percentage of Certified Organic growers of the City’s four markets. 2nd @ Arizona Avenue, 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Guest House open Free tours of the Marion Davies Guest House begin at 11 a.m., 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. No reservations needed.

Annenberg Community Beach House,

This hands-on workshop teaches you how to create a basic website using HTML5. No prior coding experience required. Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., 6 – 8 p.m.

Film historian Elaina Archer screens and discusses this film, starring Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, who play two male musicians who witness a mob hit then flee the state in an allfemale band disguised as women.

(Film runtime: 121 min.) Ocean Park Branch Library, 2601 Main St, 6 – 8:30 p.m.

Drum and Dance with Rhythm Child!

Enjoy quality family time at the library during winter break and welcome 2018 with a bang! Ages 3 to 11.

Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd, 2:30 – 3:15 p.m.

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Local FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2017

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Legal weed hurts prognosis for California medical pot market JOHN ROGERS Associated Press

When Elias Zaldivar was an 18-year-old college freshman and decided he was in the market for marijuana, he knew just how to get it, and it didn’t involve canvassing the corridors of his campus in search of that stoned-out dude who sold pot from his dorm room. Instead, he went straight to a doctor.

On a busy Hollywood street, Zaldivar quickly located a clinic specializing in medicinal pot referrals. He video-conferenced with a doctor from the waiting room and, following their 10-minute chat, a receptionist handed him an official-looking letter with an embossed gold seal that allowed him to buy medical marijuana at any California dispensary.

Zaldivar, now a 21-year-old mixed martial arts coach, has renewed his medical marijuana recommendation each year since, always using the same health claim. He still chuckles while recalling what he explained to the doctor to get him to issue him that first prescription: “I told him I had anxiety.”

In the two decades since California became the first state to allow cannabis for medicinal use, it’s been an open secret that pretty much anyone who wants marijuana at just about any time can find a doctor who will recommend it for almost any reason.

Technically, the doctor doesn’t provide a prescription but a “letter of recommendation,” because it’s illegal for a physician to prescribe a substance banned by the federal government, no matter what state law says.

Once that recommendation is secured, a person can also apply for a state-issued medical marijuana card that, although not required, is more convenient to carry to a dispensary and, in the eyes of some holders, gets them taken more seriously as people who need pot to stay healthy.

Although some doctors who take the examination process seriously charge far more, the fees at most of the in-and-out-thedoor-in-10-minutes places is about $40.

Now, with recreational marijuana set to become legal Monday in California for anyone 21 and over, some people will be tossing their state-issued cards.

Revenue from the sale of medical marijuana is expected to drop from an estimated $2 billion in 2016 to about $1.4 billion next year, according to a study published this year by the University of California Agricultural Issues Center. At the same time, according to the study, the legal sale of recreational marijuana should bring in more than $5 billion as recreational pot captures about 62 percent of sales, while the black market retains about 30 percent.

Already Zaldivar and others say they see the market forces at work. In the months leading up to legal recreational pot sales, they’ve noticed many of the heavily guarded medical dispensaries they frequent are letting them stroll in without their state-issued IDs. “As they’ve gotten closer and closer to

being legalized, they are not even asking for the recommendation letters anymore,” said 22-year-old Adam Salcido, who works for a company that helps put on popular events like Hempfest and Cannabis Cup. He got his medical marijuana card to treat stomach problems he said he’s suffered since childhood, and plans to keep it for now.

Like Salcido, many people do use marijuana to treat serious medical problems.

“Some physicians, like myself, who see mostly very ill patients — such as those with epilepsy, cancer and other serious conditions — will likely not see a drop-off as we are involved in managing the cannabis treatment, not only providing a letter for access,” said Dr. Bonni Goldstein, a pediatrician who began treating both children and adults with cannabis 10 years ago after she saw its medical benefits.

One age group caught between medical and recreational marijuana are those 18 to 20. Medical is legal for anyone 18 and older, so some in that range are likely to continue providing fictitious health conditions so they can get a state medical card and “legally” buy pot.

There also could be a financial incentive for some to seek a medical card even if they don’t have a health problem because medical marijuana will be taxed at a lower rate than recreational marijuana. However, for a casual user, the cost and effort needed to get the card probably won’t be worth the savings.

But as the movement away from dispensaries continues, and as some dispensaries simply morph into full-service pot stores, selling things like candy bars, cannabisinfused wine, pre-rolled joints for the onthe-go crowd, and munchies for the stoned set, some physicians say it’s likely to put the squeeze on those pot doctors who have grown accustomed to just skyping their patient-physician consultations and emailing their prescriptions, er, recommendations.

“You really have physicians following two paths here. On one path are those physicians who continue to practice quality medicine, and on the other are those who just see this as a way of making a lot of money,” said Dr. David Bearman, who has been prescribing medicinal marijuana almost since California legalized it in 1996.

He was inspired in part to co-found the American Academy of Cannabinoid Medicine to separate doctors like himself from the guy he saw put a girl in a bikini outside his clinic with a sign announcing medical marijuana cards were available there for only $39.99.

“This is why the legalization of cannabis for recreational use is so important,” said Goldstein, who like Bearman consults with patients face-to-face for an hour or more and only after they’ve provided medical records proving they have a serious condition she believes cannabis can help alleviate.

“Let the medical patients be medical,” she added, “and let the recreational users use it recreationally.”

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What to expect for your personal finances in 2018 SARAH SKIDMORE SELL AP Personal Finance Writer

No one wants to be caught off-guard when it comes to their finances. So The Associated Press asked several experts to share their opinion on what will happen with some key issues in 2018 that will directly impact your personal financial well-being.

Here’s a look at their forecasts: Q. WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT FROM GAS PRICES?

A. Gas prices are still quite low, historically speaking, and were fairly steady in 2017.

But 2018 may be a bit more rocky, according to Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis at the Oil Price Information Service.

Kloza estimates the average price for regular gasoline will end 2017 around $2.39 a gallon. A typical family might consume 90 gallons of regular gas each month, so their cost in 2017 has been around $215 per month.

Overall, Kloza expects the average price nationwide to rise to around $2.45 for 2018.

That’s still well below the more than $3 a gallon that Americans faced from 2011 to 2014.

Like every year, prices will vary greatly by region and season.

A word of warning though — hurricanes or recessions could disrupt even the best estimates.

Q. WHAT WILL THE JOB MARKET LOOK LIKE IN 2018?

A. The current strength in the job market should carry into 2018. This is particularly

true if you are in a high-demand field like health care, technology or e-commerce, said Andrew Chamberlain, chief economist at jobsite Glassdoor.

“Today’s labor market is probably the tightest in a generation so that puts workers in a strong bargaining position with employers,” said Chamberlain.

Companies in high-demand fields should offer pay raises and other incentives to help attract and retain workers. Those not in high-demand fields may see some improvements in workplace conditions too.

Experts like Chamberlain are warning job-holders not to get lulled into complacency by the unusually long U.S. economic expansion. As economists say: times are good until they aren’t. Chamberlain said this is a good time to prepare for an inevitable downturn by socking away money in savings, polishing your resume and keeping your list of work accomplishments handy.

Q. WHAT ABOUT TAX CHANGES?

A. This is the big question mark for many.

The tax overhaul bill, which passed Congress Wednesday and is awaiting the signature of President Donald Trump, would take effect in 2018.

You may see changes almost immediately in your withholdings from your paycheck.

The IRS said earlier this month that it is closely monitoring the bill and expects to issue initial withholding guidance in January, which would allow taxpayers to begin seeing the benefits of the change as early as February.

However, other big changes from the overhaul — such as a lower tax rate or elimination of some deductions — won’t be fully evident until you complete your taxes in the spring of 2019.

Generally speaking, the legislation reduces levies on the wealthiest Americans, while making more modest tax reductions for most others. The tax cuts for individuals are temporary, expiring in 2026. And while it doubles the standard deduction used by most Americans, that will also end in eight years.

Q. WILL WAGES GO UP NEXT YEAR?

A. In short: most likely.

Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said that the tight labor market is expected to remain tight. That means companies will be hard pressed to find and retain workers, and in turn, will likely raise pay.

Unemployment in the U.S. is already at a 17-year low of 4.1 percent and the economy is growing at a good clip, over 3 percent at last measure. But Shepherdson and other economists think this growth period is near its end, which is typically when the best gains come for workers.

He describes next year as the “sweet spot” for individuals to get raises that leave them feeling better off.

The only thing that could throw off this lower unemployment trend — which drives the wage growth — is if significant numbers of workers who’ve been on the sidelines try to rejoin the workforce.

“That is possible, but it’s very low (risk),” he said. “If we were going to see a big surge we would have seen it by now.”

Q. HOW IS THE HOUSING MARKET SHAPING UP FOR 2018?

A. This year’s turbulent politics, natural disasters and more should play out in the housing market in 2018, said Ralph McLaughlin, chief economist for housing website Trulia.

There will be less enthusiasm for home buying and more enthusiasm for selling, he said. That will help ease two major headwinds in the current market: low inventory and high prices.

However, there will be lower demand for homes prone to natural disasters, following this year’s string of hurricanes, wildfires and floods.

There will also be a geographic reaction to the tax plan. The shrunken deduction for home interest and property taxes could dampen enthusiasm for homes in expensive and high-tax areas such as parts of the Northeast and much of the West. However, a major increase in the standard deduction should help boost demand in the Midwest and South, where few mortgages and property tax bills are large enough to warrant itemized deductions.

Trulia expects prices to rise across the county at a slower rate as the market starts to come into more balance. And for renters, the rate of rent will increase further but at a more modest pace thanks to new construction.

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Containment reaches 91 percent around huge California fire Firefighters are close to completing containment lines around the remnants of the huge and costly wildfire that scorched two Southern California counties this month.

Officials say the so-called Thomas Fire is 91 percent contained Thursday, with remaining active heat sources well inside the perimeter of the 440-square-mile burn area in coastal Ventura and Santa Barbara counties northwest of Los Angeles.

The fire erupted Dec. 4 and quickly became a wind-driven inferno, destroying 1,063 structures and damaging 280 others.

By late this month, firefighting costs topped $174 million as the wildfire became California’s largest on record.

The Los Angeles Times reports that only halfway through the state’s current fiscal year, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has already spent $699 million battling wildland blazes, including October’s Northern California firestorms.

CARPINTERIA

Santa Barbara County marijuana farm burglarized

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ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

SANTA BARBARA

The Santa Monica Daily Press publishes Monday - Saturday with a circulation of 10,000 on weekdays and 11,000 on the weekend. The Daily Press is adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in the County of Los Angeles and covers news relevant to the City of Santa Monica. The Daily Press is a member of the California Newspaper Publisher’s Association, the National Newspaper Association and the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce. The paper you’re reading this on is composed of 100% post consumer content and the ink used to print these words is soy based.

We are proud recipients of multiple honors for outstanding news coverage from the California Newspaper Publishers Association as well as a Santa Monica Sustainable Quality Award.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff ’s Department says a report of trespassing and vandalism at an orchard outside Carpinteria led to discovery of a burglary at a neighboring marijuana farm this week.

Deputies found that the orchard had been accessed to cut a hole in the fence around the adjoining property.

The department says the investigation led to a local motel and discovery of drug paraphernalia, methamphetamine, more than 50 pounds (22 kilograms) of marijuana and marijuana plants, burglary tools and other items identified as property of the burglarized farm.

A man and woman were arrested.

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FROM PAGE 1

made disaster doesn’t get the same attention that something like a fire would,” Johnson said before taking the stage at the main library branch. With a live band and warmed up voices, the group performed uplifting soul classics.

Johnson’s choir, which will be featured in a PBS Documentary next year, started in 2016 when she and some fellow musicians brought meals to the homeless. When she told them she sang and played guitar, she met people who wanted to sing too. She decided to create a safe place for them to do just that.

A few months later, after getting some local press, they held their first concert. The choir members, used to being stepped over, ignored and walked passed, were stunned

“I don’t want to be seen as a bad guy — ‘OK, look at this heartless dude,’” he said. “I don’t feel safe. I don’t feel like my kids are safe.”

Toni Nelson, who co-founded a neighborhood group, is also critical of the meals.

She has joined with housing advocates to try to raise money to house the homeless with ties to the community, figuring if about a third of the city’s residents chip in $68 they can cover much of the need for a year.

So far, dozens have signed up to give. But they still have a long way to go.

Robert Marbut, a consultant on homelessness, believes it’s misguided to provide housing or other services without heavy incentives for recipients to be in treatment programs for mental health problems, addiction or other issues.

“Anytime you give out services without treatment,” Marbut said, “that’s enabling, period. ... You’ve got to serve the food in a place where mental health is being provided.”

People say they ended up at the riverbed encampment for different reasons ranging from drug addiction to a lost job.

Many nearby residents said their neighborhoods have suffered since the camp has grown. Hypodermic needles have been found in the park and shopping carts rattle on otherwise quiet streets.

Anaheim officials said any aid should be part of a broader effort to help people find a way out of the riverbed. “The goal shouldn’t be to make it slightly more comfortable there to live that way but rather, how can we get those folks to a better place?” said city spokesman Mike Lyster.

Orange County has shelter beds but they largely fill up. And many homeless said they don’t like a shelter curfew or rules barring pets and prefer their privacy, even outdoors.

County authorities say they want to clear the riverbed and have provided those living there with showers and case management services to help those who want it.

Larry Ford, a 53-year-old veteran, said he appreciates the assistance but food and showers don’t tether him to the string of tents.

“Look at this,” he said, pointing to garbage by his feet. “What is this enabling here?”

Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

when 350 people showed up to hear them sing. At first, the choir members were nervous looking out into the crowd. Eventually nerves turned into pure joy.

“This whole beautiful exchange happened where they realized people were there for them,” Johnson said. “They stood taller.

They were so grateful.”

More than eighteen months after the choir began, Johnson is hoping to inspire other musicians to reach out in their own communities by lending some time, expertise and practice space. Johnson believes music is the best way to bring rhythm and harmony to those experiencing the turmoil of living on the street.

“I think people want to do something and they want to help and they just don’t know how,” Johnson said.

Kate@smdp.com

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enclave of Dana Point, neighbors fear a nightly meal is drawing homeless to a state beach where teens play beach volleyball and families picnic and surf. And on the riverbed 30 miles north, a van fitted with shower stalls pulls up to help those living in the trash-strewn encampment, which neighbors worry is becoming more entrenched in an area where they once jogged and biked.

“There’s no doubt that giving them stuff there prevents them from a desire to move,” said Shaun Dove, a 46-year-old soon-to-be retired policeman who lives less than a mile away.

The number of homeless living in Orange County has climbed 8 percent over the last two years. In the United States, homelessness rose slightly in the last year to nearly 554,000, pushed up largely by increases on the West Coast, federal data shows. The increase is driven by soaring housing costs, as well as a drug crisis and need for mental health services.

Advocates say the homeless have become more visible as police have cracked down on rules barring camping, driving people to spots like the riverbed, which is county property.

Everybody knows the solution is more housing; there aren’t enough beds available in a county with a median home price near $700,000.

In Dana Point, the nightly meals began more than two decades ago at local churches but were moved to the beach parking lot after a late night stabbing between two homeless residents.

The homeless say as much as they appreciate the hot meals, the food isn’t keeping them on the streets.

“It doesn’t help me tomorrow. It doesn’t,” said a 55-year-old man who refused to give his name. “But it helps me today.”

Volunteers say the homeless are drawn to beaches because of the open space and access to water and restrooms and that feeding people can build trust and lead them to additional services.

But Brian Brandt, a 55-year-old lawyer, doesn’t let his six children go down to the beach alone after seeing volatile outbursts among the homeless and frequent police calls.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2017

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Cases could open door to pension cuts for California workers JONATHAN J. COOPER Associated Press

For decades in California, a sacrosanct rule has governed public employees’ pensions: Benefits promised can never be taken.

But cases before the state Supreme Court threaten to reverse that premise and open the door to benefit cuts for workers.

The lawsuits have enormous implications for California cities, counties, schools, fire districts and other local bodies facing a sharp rise in their pension costs.

The ballooning expenses are an issue that Gov. Jerry Brown will face in his final year in office despite his earlier efforts to reform the state’s pension systems and pay down massive unfunded liabilities.

His office has taken the unusual step of arguing one case itself, pushing aside Attorney General Xavier Becerra and making a forceful pitch for the Legislature’s right to limit benefits.

At issue is the “California Rule,” which dates to court rulings beginning in 1947. It says workers enter a contract with their employer on their first day of work, entitling them to retirement benefits that can never be diminished unless replaced with similar benefits.

It gives workers security that their retire-

ment will be safe and predictable after a career in public service. But it also ties lawmakers’ hands in responding to exploding pension costs.

It’s widely accepted that retirement benefits linked to work already performed cannot be touched. But the California Rule is controversial because it prohibits even prospective changes for work the employee has not yet done.

“Lots of people in the pension community are paying attention to these cases and are really interested in what the California Supreme Court is going to do here,” said Amy Monahan, a University of Minnesota professor who studies pension law.

Pension systems around the country are facing unprecedented pressures from generous benefits, severe losses during the Great Recession, mostly anemic investment earnings since, and retirees living for longer.

California’s two major pension funds, which have more than $570 billion in assets between them, have enough money to pay for only about two-thirds of their anticipated costs.

As a result, both the California Public Employees Retirement System and the State Teachers Retirement System will collect billions of additional dollars from state and local governments, putting pressure on

those budgets.

The pending cases stem from a Brownbacked 2012 pension reform law that sought to rein in costs and end practices viewed as abuses of the system. One of those eliminated benefits was a right to buy up to five years of credit when retirement benefits are calculated, so a person who worked 20 years would get a monthly check as if he’d worked 25 years.

Brown, in a brief filed in November, argued benefits have been too generous.

“For years, self-interested parties, overly generous promises whose true costs were often shrouded by flawed actuarial analyses, and failures of public leadership had caused unsustainable public pension liabilities,” his office wrote. A ruling is expected before Brown leaves office in January 2019.

The 2012 law also limited the types of income that can be used to calculate pension benefits in an attempt to limit “pension spiking,” or driving up final salaries to increase payments in retirement.

A group of Marin County employees sued separately over the changes, arguing the benefits couldn’t be altered. The California Court of Appeal in San Francisco disagreed in a ruling that strikes at the heart of the California Rule.

“While a public employee does have a

‘vested right’ to a pension, that right is only to a ‘reasonable’ pension — not an immutable entitlement to the most optimal formula of calculating the pension,” Judge James A. Richman wrote. The case is now pending at the Supreme Court.

Dave Low, chairman of Californians for Retirement Security, a union coalition, said the Supreme Court upholding the lowercourt ruling would be a “major setback” for public employees.

“If they base their decision on precedent, I don’t think that there’s much for the public employees to worry about,” Low said. “The key will be if the Supreme Court decides to break away from decades of precedent and dozens of decisions.”

Twelve states observe a variation of the California Rule, said Greg Mennis, director of the Public Sector Retirement Systems project at Pew Charitable Trusts. One of them, Colorado, has walked it back a bit, he said, requiring “clear and unmistakable intent to form a contract before pensions will be contractually protected.”

A change to California’s interpretation of its rule would not automatically change legal precedents in other states, but it could provide a spark for lawmakers to test changes that they previously considered unfeasible, said Monahan, the Minnesota law professor.

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DAILY POLICE LOG

The Santa Monica Police Department Responded To 307 Calls For Service On Dec. 27.

HERE IS A SAMPLING OF THOSE CALLS CHOSEN BY THE SANTA MONICA DAILY PRESS STAFF. Encampment 300 block Santa Monica Pier 12:35 a.m.

Encampment 1400 block 2nd 12:39 a.m.

Encampment 200 block Santa Monica Pier 1:14 a.m.

Burglary investigation 200 block Montana 3:40 a.m.

Traffic collision Foxtail / San Vicente 8:13 a.m.

Vehicle parked in alley 1500 block 6th 8:37 a.m.

Petty theft 200 block Santa Monica 8:39 a.m.

Lewd activity Centinela / Santa Monica 8:40 a.m.

Encampment 1600 block the beach 9 a.m.

Vandalism 2000 block 11th 9:04 a.m.

Vandalism 1900 block 10th 9:16 a.m.

Auto burglary 15th / Wilshire 9:26 a.m.

Theft recyclables 900 block 3rd 9:34 a.m.

Person with a gun Main / Strand 9:47 a.m.

Grand theft 1000 block 20th 10:11 a.m.

Burglary 1900 block Cloverfield 10:12 a.m.

Traffic collision 400 block Pacific Coast Hwy 10:17 a.m.

Traffic collision 900 block 21st 11:04 a.m.

Petty theft 900 block 17th 11:09 a.m.

Burglary 2200 block Cloverfield 11:11 a.m.

Petty theft 600 block Broadway 11:12 a.m.

Assault 1300 block 2nd 11:15 a.m.

Burglary 200 block Wilshire 11:27 a.m.

Petty theft 1200 block 3rd Street Prom 11:28 a.m.

Burglary 100 block Ocean Park 11:50 a.m.

Defrauding innkeeper 1500 block Lincoln 11:51 a.m.

Burglary 1100 block 17th 12:22 p.m.

Petty theft 1300 block 2nd 12:24 p.m.

Battery Ocean / Arizona 12:36 p.m.

Person down Yale / Wilshire 12:43 p.m.

Vehicle parked in alley 1400 block 26th 12:50 p.m.

Vehicle parked in alley 1800 block Dorchester 12:51 p.m.

Auto burglary 700 block 16th 12:53 p.m.

Vehicle parked in alley 1300 block 17th 12:55 p.m.

Petty theft 1300 block Stanford 12:57 p.m.

Traffic collision Ocean / Pico 1:43 p.m.

Traffic collision Moomat Ahiko / Ocean 2:15 p.m.

Burglary 1700 block Hill 2:21 p.m.

Traffic collision 500 block Interstate 10 2:31 p.m.

Assault w/deadly weapon 3rd / Washington 2:31 p.m.

Vandalism 12th / Pico 2:42 p.m.

Encampment 1300 block 14th 3:44 p.m.

Battery 2400 block Kansas 4:04 p.m.

Speeding 20th / Pearl 4:17 p.m.

Hit and run 200 block Santa Monica Pier 4:23 p.m.

Burglary 1600 block Broadway 4:36 p.m.

Illegal weapon 200 block Santa Monica 4:39 p.m.

Burglary 2400 block Chelsea Pl 4:58 p.m.

Identity theft 2200 block Wilshire 5:16 p.m.

Strongarm robbery 4th / Colorado 5:40 p.m.

Burglary 2400 block Virginia 5:46 p.m.

Traffic collision 23rd / Oak 5:55 p.m.

Person with a gun Main / Ashland 6:33 p.m.

Vandalism Main / Hill 6:33 p.m.

Bomb threat 1200 block 3rd Street Prom 6:34 p.m.

Petty theft 100 block Wilshire 7:05 p.m.

Petty theft 2600 block Wilshire 7:08 p.m.

Auto burglary 200 block Santa Monica Pier 7:17 p.m.

Traffic collision Centinela / Pico 7:31 p.m.

Vandalism Neilson / Ocean Park 7:52 p.m.

Petty theft 300 block Santa Monica 8 p.m.

Identity theft 200 block Broadway 8:11 p.m.

Traffic collision 3rd / Washington 8:36 p.m.

Identity theft 200 block Broadway 8:39 p.m.

Grand theft 4th / Colorado 9:38 p.m.

Auto burglary 2400 block Chelsea Pl 9:59 p.m.

Stolen vehicle 1500 block 10th 10:18 p.m.

Fight 300 block Santa Monica Pier 10:21 p.m.

Domestic violence 1000 block Lincoln 11:27 p.m.

DAILY FIRE LOG

The Santa Monica Fire Department Responded To 37 Calls For Service On Dec. 27.

HERE IS A SAMPLING OF THOSE CALLS CHOSEN BY THE SANTA MONICA DAILY PRESS STAFF.

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Emergency Medical Service 1300 block 15th 1:01 a.m.

EMS 600 block Ocean 1:23 a.m.

EMS 900 block Pico 2:39 a.m.

Automatic alarm 1500 block 6th 3:45 a.m.

Automatic alarm 1500 block 6th 4:07 a.m.

EMS 1300 block Euclid 7:31 a.m.

EMS 1300 block 15th 7:41 a.m.

EMS 1400 block 16th 8:48 a.m.

EMS 2200 block Ocean Front Walk 9:08 a.m.

EMS 2800 block Washington 9:18 a.m.

EMS 3100 block Neilson 10:38 a.m.

EMS 1400 block 4th 10:39 a.m.

EMS 2400 block 3rd 10:54 a.m.

EMS 800 block Bay 11:13 a.m.

EMS 1500 block Pacific Coast Pier 11:14 a.m.

EMS 800 block 2nd 11:30 a.m.

Automatic alarm 1200 block 24th 11:58 a.m.

EMS 2400 block Wilshire 12:35 p.m.

EMS Yale / Wilshire 12:42 p.m.

EMS 1100 block 9th 12:49 p.m.

EMS 1600 block Ocean Front Walk 2:12 p.m.

EMS 3rd / Washington 2:34 p.m.

EMS 1100 block 7th 2:37 p.m.

EMS 3300 block Barnard 3:25 p.m.

EMS 1500 block 9th 3:26 p.m.

EMS 1400 block Ocean 3:32 p.m.

EMS 4th / Colorado 5:45 p.m.

EMS 2600 block Barnard 17:51:33 EMS 3rd / Washington 6:43 p.m.

EMS 400 block Colorado 7:09 p.m.

EMS 1600 block Appian 7:40 p.m.

EMS 500 block California 7:56 p.m.

EMS 1500 block 6th 8:07 p.m.

EMS 3rd / Washington 8:32 p.m.

EMS 1500 block Princeton 9:22 p.m.

EMS 800 block 2nd 10:35 p.m.

EMS 1300 block 17th 10:51 p.m.

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Puzzles & Stuff FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2017

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BY SCOTT LAFEE

Number Cruncher ■ A single Johnsonville original bratwurst sausage (112 grams) contains 270 calories, 198 from fat. It has 22 grams of total fat or 34 percent of the recommended total fat intake for a 2,000-calorie daily diet.

■ It also contains 60 milligrams of cholesterol (20 percent); 810 mg of sodium (34 percent); 2 grams of total carbohydrates (1 percent); 1 gram of sugar and 15 g of protein.

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Never Say Diet ■ The Major League Eating record for jellied cranberry sauce is 13.23 pounds in 8 minutes, held by Juliet Lee. Warning: Most of these records are held by professional eaters with apt nicknames; the rest by people who really should find something better to do.

SOLUTIONS TO YESTERDAY’S CROSSWORD

Sudoku Fill in the blank cells using numbers 1 to 9. Each number can appear only once in each row, column, and 3x3 block.

Use logic and process of elimination to solve the puzzle.

SOLUTIONS TO YESTERDAY’S SUDOKU

The first person who can correctly identify where this image was captured wins a prize.

Send answers to editor@smdp.com.

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Loads of TV shows were great in 2017; here are the 10 best FRAZIER MOORE AP Television Writer

So-called “Peak TV” remains the blessing and the curse for viewers in 2017, with the tally of scripted series now totaling some 500. Where to begin saluting all the great shows? Here are 10 to salute, recall fondly and, for viewers who missed any of them, catch up with: “American Gods” (Starz). A former convict is hired upon his release by a charismatic con man and finds himself in a hidden world where a battle brews between Old Gods and New Gods. The stated premise for this dazzling series makes no more sense than the series itself will for many viewers.

No matter. The trippy, eye-popping visuals (along with brilliant acting) never gives the viewer time to feel confused.

“The Americans” (FX). For its fifth season, this thriller about Russian spies posing as 1980s-era all-American marrieds (Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys) took an illuminating look at the American Dream while gaining unsought relevance as the Cold War of that distant age is bestirring anew.

“Big Little Lies” (HBO). Money can’t buy happiness in the cushy seaside Northern California community where this miniseries unfolds. Every wife and mother has a beef with other locals while the men mostly misbehave. Then someone dies violently. It’s a gripping mystery and social dissection that puts women in the forefront, with an extraordinary cast including Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Reese Witherspoon and Shailene Woodley.

“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” (CW). This romantic-musical-comedy-drama never fails to find insight and humor in the plight

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Dec. 29)

of a smart, attractive young woman who also happens to be a bit loony in matters of love.

Co-created and starring the radiant Rachel Bloom, it is funny, poignant and supercharged with musical production numbers that would find a warm welcome on any Broadway stage (how DO they create and film those witty sequences week after week?).

“The Deuce” (HBO). In this ambitious drama series, the denizens of the Deuce (shorthand for Manhattan’s 42nd Street wasteland) trace intertwined narratives set against an exactingly re-created Big Apple of circa 1970s. The rich spectrum of characters (ranging from prostitutes and pushers to mobsters and dirty cops, and even a collegedropout-turned-barmaid) explore the modern evolution of pornography. David Simon (“The Wire”) is a writer-creator, and the spectacular cast includes Maggie Gyllenhaal

and James Franco. A remarkable, eye-opening flashback.

“Feud: Bette and Joan” (FX). Starring Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange as Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, two screen stars deemed over the hill by studio lords, “Bette and Joan” is set a half-century ago. But this sumptuous miniseries zeroes in on the ageism, sexism and misogyny afflicting Hollywood (and society overall) right now, as well as then.

“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu). Elisabeth Moss portrays one of the few remaining fertile women in the cruel futuristic dystopia of Gilead, a totalitarian society where human rights are trampled and this special caste of women is forced into sexual servitude in a desperate attempt to repopulate a ravaged world. A cautionary tale when the novel was

Heathcliff

Strange Brew

By PETER GALLAGHER

SEE TV PAGE 11

By JOHN DEERING

It’s like you and life are in a conversation. Sometimes it’s deep; sometimes it’s silly and totally off the rails. But it’s a conversation you love either way. You’ll be freed of a burden in the early part of your solar return. You’ll make an impression with your style. The relationships you nurture will reward you richly. Leo and Capricorn adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 6, 3, 33, 38 and 13.

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Usually clouds gather before the storm, so the aware person knows when to duck for cover or get out an umbrella, as the case may be. You’ll use the analogy in the realm of emotion today.

Tending to your inner self is as essential to your existence as feeding yourself. Right now it’s about paying greater attention to what you need, how you feel and, most importantly, what you have to give others.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) You know who gets angriest at the small things? Beings who are even smaller. But the small things can’t help what size they are, and the tiny beings can’t, either. So you’ll respect all and try not to judge things by scale.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21)

GEMINI (May 21-June 21)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

It can be daunting to meet people in a broad context, but as the context gets narrower, people feel safer. While it’s easier to relax around friends of friends than with the general public, today it will pay to search wider than that.

Mastering anger will be the advanced skill to work on. Danger and anger are only one letter apart. While it’s healthy to express your feelings, anger should only be let out in a safe context. Anger also defuses with a delay.

CANCER (June 22-July 22)

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

While a dog’s affection may not be conclusive evidence of a person’s fine character it does feel wonderful to be sloppily, enthusiastically and unconditionally appreciated. Dogs aren’t the only ones who will deliver thusly.

You’re wanted and needed in new places. A group of people you’re not too familiar with will readily accept you as one of their own. It will be a struggle not to over-commit your time.

There’s someone who’s been thinking of you. In fact, yours is the first face that pops to mind in the morning and the last one that comes in clear at night. What do you wish for this person?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Today features different people, going at different paces, with different tolerance levels and definitions of “high pressure.” You’ll be as content as you are patient.

Though it takes intelligence to know another person, it takes wisdom to know yourself.

Wisdom often comes from the pain that accompanies mistakes, but not today. Today it comes from listening better and better.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

The good fortune will come from getting out and interacting. Tonight you may find yourself communicating differently with someone as you begin to sense this person’s deepening affection.

There are questions that those who prefer the bliss of ignorance just shouldn’t ask. And anyway, you’re starting to get information through a kind of osmosis of feeling, so maybe asking is unnecessary.

Agnes

Dogs of C-Kennel

Zack Hill When the Moon Comes Down to Earth We all have flaws. And though most of us prefer our own shortcomings to those of others, our mistakes, once owned, do make us more compassionate toward the other imperfect humans. The Taurus moon brings us back down to earth, where we’re more likely to help instead of condemn each other for our failings.

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By TONY COCHRAN

By MICK & MASON MASTROIANNI & JOHNNY HART

By JOHN DEERING & JOHN NEWCOMBE

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2017

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TV FROM PAGE 10

published in 1985, this TV series adaptation gained even more urgency after last year’s presidential election. A stirring cautionary tale indeed!

“The Opposition with Jordan Klepper” (Comedy Central). Move over, Breitbart, Alex Jones and “Hannity.” Klepper is on the case. Adapting to the current media ethos with its ever harsher, ever more absurdist pitch, Klepper in effect hosts a supercharged version of “The Colbert Report,” whose time slot he inherited in September (and not a moment too soon) when he unveiled his fake rantcast. His nightly show captures the present moment as shrewdly as Colbert did on his bygone Comedy Central show. Like the voices he mocks, TV-Klepper is against all ideas and movements along with the conspiracies he sees lurking behind each of them. His show is bitterly funny and right on target at a time when everything is in ugly dispute, especially reality.

“Ozark” (Netflix). When not advising clients on their 401(k) plans, humdrum Chicago financial adviser Marty Byrde launders cash by the millions. But then he gets jammed up with the Mexican drug cartel he cleans that money for. So he and his family skedaddle to the Missouri Ozarks, a safer base of operations where he hopes to set things right before he, his wife and kids all end up dead. Jason Bateman heads this marvelously twisty, sometimes scary, often funny thriller as the Byrdes scramble to stay solvent, and alive.

“The Vietnam War” (PBS). It may seem odd to describe an 18-hour Ken Burns and Lynn Novick docuseries as a crash course, but this heartbreaking, insightful masterpiece moves quickly as it tracks every step of a disastrous military misadventure that still haunts the nation, and, judging from the country’s ongoing involvement in Iraq, seems to have taught the nation little. It’s an essential TV event for everyone who lived through the Vietnam era, and especially for those who have come along since.

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Furniture Pets Boats Jewelry Wanted Travel

Inaugural Polar Bear Swim End 2017 on a refreshing note by participating in the City of Santa Monica’s 1st Annual Polar Bear Swim. On Saturday, December 30, come to the historic Annenberg Community Beach House where you can take a dip or buoy swim in the cold Pacific, then warm up in the heated Beach House pool. Ocean swimmers will swim in groups out to the buoy.

In addition to the swim, there will be poolside activities, including s’mores, warm beverages, games and photos with our very own polar bear mascot. Creativity and costumes are encouraged! Bring your friends and family out for a great time.

Don’t forget your swimsuits and towels! The pool is heated. Registration is $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and adults 60+, and $4 for youth 1-17. Registration is now open at Annenbergbeachhouse.com.

Saturday, December 30, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Annenberg Community Beach House, 415 Pacific Coast Hwy, Santa Monica, CA 90402 For more information, visit Annenbergbeachhouse.com.

CONSTANCE FARRELL, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER

Furniture USED FOR STAGING Luxurious dark brown leather sectional. Like new. Reclining headrests L: 156 1/4” * W: 128 1/4” * H: 36 3/4”. $2000 (858) 213-9181 USED FOR STAGING Luxurious ivory chenille chaise used for staging. Like New. Dimensions: Dia. 60” x H 31. $1,250 (858) 213-9181

Ring in the New Year Safely. Let BBB do the driving Big Blue Bus wants you to start off the New Year safely by offering free bus rides on New Year’s Eve. Hop on any Big Blue Bus from 9 p.m. Sunday, December 31, 2017 until 1 a.m., Monday, January 1, 2018, and your ride is free.

Riders should plan ahead. Rides can enter their location and desired destination in Google trip planner (located on the BBB homepage) to find out where to catch the bus, and the time it leaves. It’s a good idea to plan your return trip ahead of time as not all buses have late night service. Remember to get to the bus stop 10 minutes before the bus is expected to arrive. If traveling before 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, be sure to have the $1.25 bus fare ready, Big Blue Bus paper or Token Transit pass, or TAP card preloaded with Stored Value or a valid Big Blue Bus pass.

Please note that not all BBB lines provide late-night service. Refer to schedules when planning your trip.

Transit Store & Customer Service Hours: Closed Saturday, December 30, 31 and January.

Please note: Customer Service phone lines and the Transit Store will resume normal hours of operation on Tuesday, January 2, 2018.

MODIFIED SERVICE FOR THE NEW YEAR’S HOLIDAY New Year’s Eve - Sunday, December 31: Regular Sunday service.

New Year’s Day - Monday, January 1: All BBB routes operate on a Sunday schedule.

Hilgard Terminal will be closed. Routes 1, 2, & 8 use Charles E. Young/P2 Hub instead.

Some Rapid 12 morning trips use Charles E. Young/P2 Hub, all others will continue to use Gateway Plaza. Route 17 will terminate at the VA Medical Center. Route 18 will terminate in Brentwood. Rapid 10 and Routes 16, 43 & 44 will not be in service.

UCLA Riders: Hilgard Terminal will be closed between 8pm on Saturday, December 23 and 7am on Tuesday, January 2. Routes 1, 2, 8, 17 & 18: All weekday trips (day and night) will use the Charles E. Young Dr./P2 Transit Hub. Hilgard Terminal will reopen on Tuesday, January 2.

Riding to UCLA — Customers can board/disembark on Westwood Bl. at Weyburn Ave., or on Charles E. Young Dr., between Westholme Ave. and Manning Ave. Please note the following stop closures: Westwood Blvd. at Le Conte Ave., Le Conte Ave. at Tiverton Dr. , Hilgard Ave. at Manning Ave., Hilgard Ave. at Westholme Ave. and Hilgard Terminal Riding to Santa Monica — Customers can board/disembark on Charles E. Young Dr., between Westholme Ave. and Manning Ave., or on Westwood Blvd. at Weyburn Ave. Please note the following stop closures: Hilgard Terminal, Hilgard Ave. at Westholme Ave., Hilgard Ave. at Manning Ave. and Le Conte Ave. at Tiverton Dr. SUBMITTED BY BIG BLUE BUS

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