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WEEKEND EDITION

12.30.17 - 12.31.17 Volume 17 Issue 42

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Ring CEO steps in to help tenant facing eviction over device

File photo

DOORBELL: A smart doorbell from the local company Ring created a conflict for one tenant this year.

This story was first printed in June. It’s reprinted here as part of our Year End coverage.

KATE CAGLE Daily Press Staff Writer

A Santa Monica tenant facing an eviction threat after installing a Ring doorbell on her front door will be allowed to stay in her home and keep the device, thanks to an intervention by the CEO of Ring himself.

Ring is a Santa Monica-based home surveillance company lead by Jamie Siminoff. Shortly after the Santa Monica Daily Press published a story about a single mom receiving an eviction notice for installing a Ring camera, Siminoff gave Jessica Katz a call.

“I’ve never seen a company where the CEO picks up the phone and offers to pay the bills,” Katz said, recollecting the phone call where Siminoff offered to provide her with an attor-

ney and anything else she might need to work out a solution with her landlord.

“He said: ‘she may be bigger than you but we’re bigger than her.’”

Katz had installed a doorbell on the front door of her rent-controlled apartment on Marguerita Avenue when she broke her back a few years ago so she could hear the door when she was upstairs with her two young daughters.

Recently, Katz replaced the electronic bell with a Ring device, which provides a live video stream to her phone and allows her to communicate with anyone at the door even when she is away from home.

Katz thought the Ring was necessary because the keypad to the apartment complex had been broken for years and the doors were kept unlocked all day and all night. However, on May 31 she received a letter from attorney SEE RING PAGE 5

Today begins the annual “Best Of” coverage. Stories in today’s paper were among the top ten most read stories online at www.smdp.com. Columns were chosen by their authors. In addition, 24 Mystery Photos from 2017 are reprinted on Page 2. The Mystery Revealed photos will appear in Monday’s paper alongside additional Best Of stories.

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Bird scooters flying around town This story was first printed in September.

It’s reprinted here as part of our Year End coverage.

MATTHEW HALL Daily Press Editor

To travel “as the crow flies” means taking a direct route free of obstacles and the new Santa Monica company Bird wants to bring that ease of travel to street level with a fleet of rentable electric scooters.

The company launched in September and Founder Travis VanderZanden said he moved his family to Santa Monica to start the company because it is an ideal location to launch a transit company.

“We do think Santa Monica is a great city, I live here now, we’re headquartered here, we think it’s a great place to experiment with new

innovative environmentally friendly transportation,” he said.

“We know the city has parking and traffic problems like the rest of LA. We feel like it’s a great city for all of those reasons and we feel Bird can have a big impact on traffic and parking.”

The company’s model is similar to a bikeshare or carshare program.

Scooters are dispersed throughout Downtown and users can reserve/unlock one using a smartphone app. Each ride costs $1 plus 15 cents per minute. At the conclusion of a ride, the user can leave the scooter at their destination and lock the scooter using the app.

Accounts are prepaid using a credit card.

VanderZanden avoids calling his “Birds” scooters due to the connection to a children’s toy. He SEE BIRD PAGE 4

In solidarity with Samohi Standing Rock, Freshman dies City moves after jumping forward to cut from third-floor ties with Wells balcony This story was first printed in March. It’s Fargo reprinted here as part of our Year End coverage.

This story was first printed in February.

It’s reprinted here as part of our Year End coverage.

KATE CAGLE Daily Press Staff Writer

In a show of support to activists protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline, the Santa Monica City Council moved forward with plans to end the City’s banking relationship with Wells Fargo bank.

The City currently has $1 billion in annual transactions with SEE PIPE PAGE 4

KATE CAGLE Daily Press Staff Writer

A freshman at Santa Monica High School died Monday from major brain trauma after jumping from a third floor balcony after trying the drug LSD. Samohi’s principal Dr. Antonio Shelton confirmed the death of 15year-old Andre Zuczek Monday in a letter provided to parents. Zuczek is the third student at Samohi who SEE SAMOHI PAGE 3

Local 2

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MYSTERIOUS YEAR: The photos republished here are taken from this year’s Mystery Photo contest. The locations of each photo will be published in the paper of Monday, January 1.

Local WEEKEND EDITION, DECEMBER 30-31, 2017

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What’s Up

Westside OUT AND ABOUT IN SANTA MONICA

Saturday, December 30

or adjacent to Virginia Park in the parking lot on north/east corner of Pico and Cloverfield. 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

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.

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Pico Farmer’s Market 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.

Downtown Farmers Market The Saturday Downtown Farmers 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.

For help submitting an event, contact us at

FROM PAGE 1

has died this year.

“Andre and a few friends got together on Saturday and tried the drug, acid. Things went badly very quickly as Andre had what is thought to be a ‘bad trip,’ and fell from a third floor apartment,” the family said in a statement included in the letter.

Zuczek’s mother wanted the community to know what happened so other parents may be spared from losing a child to drug use.

“We encourage you to talk about Andre with your kids, friends, your family and whoever else provides you support. In sharing, please be aware that hearsay and gossip can be very hurtful and can add more sorrow to the grief we are all feeling at this time,” the statement said.

Police officers received a radio call for suspicious activity at the Belmar Apartments on 1725 Ocean Avenue around 3:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 18. A caller said several

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teenagers were acting erratically and were possibly on drugs, according to Lt. Saul Rodriguez with the Santa Monica Police Department.

When officers got to the building, they noticed Zuczek standing on the balcony of an upper level unit. Within moments, the teenager jumped off the balcony and fell to the ground level, according to Rodriguez.

Zuczek was unresponsive upon impact.

Santa Monica Fire Department paramedics treated the teen and took him to the hospital where he remained in critical condition until dying Monday.

Paramedics treated a second teenager at the scene for minor injuries.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends right now,” Gail Pinsker, SMMUSD public relations officer said.

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District has made counselors available at Samohi Monday for any students and staff in need of support. kate@smdp.com

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Sears to close in April This story was first printed in January. It’s reprinted here as part of our Year End coverage

MATTHEW HALL Daily Press Editor

The Sears store at 302 Colorado Blvd. will close in April of this year. The closure follows the sale of the location to a real estate investment company in 2015 and no definitive plans have been announced for a replacement business.

Sears has been announcing waves of store closures in the past few months but the Santa Monica store is not on any of those lists because it isn’t owned by the Sears corporation.

In July of 2015, Sears created a new independent, publicly traded real estate investment trust named Seritage. The new company took control of 235 Sears/Kmart stores and joint ventures with several mall operators including Simon Property Group, General Growth Properties and the Santa Monica based Macerich Company.

Under the terms of the $2.7 billion deal, 224 stores were leased back to Sears but Seritage has the right to end some of those leases and find new uses for the property.

Seritage recently exercised that right for the Santa Monica location.

“Under this agreement, Seritage contractually has the right to recapture all of the space occupied by the Sears store and the Sears Auto Center,” said Howard Riefs Director, Corporate Communications for Sears Holdings “Seritage informed us that they will be exercising that right and hence the store and Sears Auto Center will close in mid-April. Until then, they will remain open for customers. The store will begin its liquidation sale on January 27.”

The Sears property sits at a nexus of various development projects, goals and jurisdictions. The property is bordered by the freeway, 4th Street, Colorado Blvd. and Main Street. It is across the street from Santa Monica Place and the downtown Expo sta-

tion is nearby. The Sears parking lot connects to the Expo station via a small tunnel underneath 4th St. but the connection has been fenced off for several years.

Any future development plans would have to adhere to several layers of regulation.

Several documents are in the works governing development on or near the site including the long gestating Downtown Community Plan, Local Coastal Plan and Civic Center Plan.

The building opened to the public in 1947 was declared a landmark on Dec. 13 of 2004. As a landmark, any work on the site would have to maintain the historic nature of the building. The building is also part of the Coastal Zone and the California Coastal Commission could also exercise authority of development at the site.

Seritage gave an informal presentation to the Landmarks Commission in 2016 covering broad possibilities for adaptive reuse at the site. Officials described a re-energized building with creative office and retail uses that would comply with all City and National guidelines regarding preservation of historic buildings.

Seritage issued a statement to the Daily Press regarding plans for the site.

“We look forward to advancing an adaptive reuse plan that creates a first-class, mixed-use commercial development that will add value to the local community while honoring the original building’s legacy by retaining its historic character,” it said. “In October, we presented the adaptive reuse plan to the City of Santa Monica’s Landmarks Commission as part of a process to protect and reposition the historic building. We are excited to work in partnership with the City, the Landmarks Commission and other governmental agencies to advance this proposal expeditiously in order to give new life to this important Santa Monica landmark, while at the same time respecting its rich cultural and architectural past.” editor@smdp.com

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BIRD FROM PAGE 1

prefers to describe them as short-range electric vehicles and he recommends riders treat them as they would a bicycle, riding in the protected bike lanes when available and obeying any rules that would apply to a bicycle.

The Birds have a range of about 15 miles and depending on the weight of the user, can travel at up to 15 mph.

He said the response to the initial rollout has been overwhelmingly positive and despite the Bird’s relatively small size, theft hasn’t been problem. Each scooter has a GPS unit and is connected to the internet so the company can track any Bird that is potentially stolen. An electric lock restricts wheel movement and triggers an alarm if it is moved without being unlocked. If the electronics are tampered with, the Bird loses power and the wheel locks engage rendering it useless.

VanderZanden said the he sees Bird coexisting with systems like Santa Monica’s Breeze bikes or the Zipcar model because his vehicles meet a slightly different need such as someone that wants to travel a small distance without incurring the physical exercise of a bike.

“The transportation space is large and complex and we’re all looking for solutions to the transportation problems,” he said.

The system currently runs afoul of the city’s rules regarding use of the public right of way but the company is hoping to work with officials to allow its scooters to be left on sidewalks.

Francie Stefan, Santa Monica’s Mobility

PIPE FROM PAGE 1

the bank, including deposits and payments, according to spokeswoman Constance Farrell. Santa Monica’s investment portfolio includes $4.6 million in Wells Fargo bonds.

During a midnight discussion and a lengthy public comment period, Mayor Ted Winterer reminded supporters of the divestment that applause is forbidden at City Council meetings, so when five out of seven members voted to move forward with the motion a wave of jazz hands shot up into the air – a vigorous sign of approval from attendees who pushed for the motion into the early morning hours.

“I’ve been to Standing Rock twice. I was on the frontline every time. It made me very angry to see my people treated in such a manner,” said Walter Ruiz, also known as Graywolf. Ruiz was one of 25 activists who spoke to support cutting ties with Wells Fargo. He runs the Chumash Indian Museum in Thousand Oaks.

“I’ve always heard that Santa Monica was a very progressive city but I didn’t realize how progressive. I am surprised.”

With the passage of the motion, staff in the City’s finance department will look into removing funds from Wells Fargo and issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) to other banks. A new RFP is scheduled for spring 2018 but may be expedited, according to City Manager Rick Cole.

Wells Fargo is one of 17 banks providing credit to Energy Transfer Partners in order to build the pipeline, according to financial

Manager said the transportation ecosystem should be as diverse as the biological ecosystem and the dominance of cars is like overplanting a single species.

“The most healthy way is to offer a diversity of options that coexist for the long term,” she said. “That provide options for needs today and provide flexibility for when needs change.”

Stefan said a 2016 study of transit use by Santa Monica residents showed 53 percent of trips were less than three miles and 18 percent were less than one mile. While walking is a readily available option for the shortest trips, she said there are other kinds of trips that could utilize some kind of short range vehicle.

“We’re always looking for other systems that would meet enough user needs to be necessary to add to the diversity of transportation options,” she said.

VanderZanden is a former Uber employee and said he has always had a passion for transit going back to his mother’s job as a bus driver. For him, the Birds are a tool for reducing congestion and while there’s nothing to stop tourists from taking them on a joyride, he said the vast majority of usage so far has been by locals making short-range commutes.

“Our goal as a company is to help move people around cities with last mile transportation,” he said. “We think it’s the most efficient way to do it and reduce traffic and parking problems.”

For more information, visit birdapp.com.

The Bird app is available for iPhone via the appstore (Bird – Enjoy the Ride) editor@smdp.com

documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other creditors include Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Compass, HSBC, Citibank and Morgan Stanley among others.

Native Americans who live on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation say the pipeline threatens their sacred lands and water supply. Protesters from across the country have traveled to the reservation to help keep the Army Corp of Engineers from beginning construction. They have also focused on the creditors behind the pipeline.

So far two other West Coast cities, Seattle and Davis, have moved to cut ties with Wells Fargo.

The motion for Santa Monica to change banks came from Councilmembers Tony Vazquez and Terry O’Day. “If you’re paying any attention to national media today or in fact global, you know one of the most symbolic fights for our future is happening at Standing Rock over the Dakota Access Pipeline,” O’Day said. “It is a fight over sovereignty and respect for native people. It is a fight over the respect of humanity and the future of humanity.”

The City Council received more than thirty emails in support of the motion and just one in opposition. All five Councilmembers who were present for the vote supported the motion. Councilmember Pam O’Conner went home before the vote and Councilmember Sue Himmelrich recused herself because both she and her husband have represented Wells Fargo as attorneys. kate@smdp.com

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RING FROM PAGE 1

Duane Hall, who represents the landlord American Career Investments, stating that the doorbell was an “alteration to the Premises … This is strictly prohibited.”

The letter warned Katz to remove the bell or face eviction. Two weeks later, Katz found having her own representation made all the difference.

“Tenants shouldn’t allow landlords to bully them by making absurd arguments that certain provisions override you ability to be safe and secure in your home,” said the attorney hired by Ring, Sam Yebri. Yebri sent a five-page letter to the landlord warning them to back off from the eviction threat or risk going to court. “If this matter results in litigation, we are confident that Ms. Katz and her young children would be sympathetic to any jury in Santa Monica,” reads the June 14 letter in part.

5

Yebri says California law protects stipulates leases can only by terminated for “material, substantial, or total” breaches of contract – not a small screw or two in the front door of a unit. In the letter, Yebri called the eviction notice harassment.

“Within hours of receiving our letter they began taking steps to secure the building,” Yebri said. “They started locking the doors and there was a repair person working on the security panel.” “I know the neighbors are bit frustrated because now they have to carry keys,” Katz said. “I feel so much safer and they feel so much safer and the girls feel so much better about this.”

Katz hasn’t heard anything more from her landlord. She says now that the security panel has been fixed, her little daughters can play in the courtyard outside her unit. After seven years of living in the building, Katz is looking forward to many more raising her family just a block away from Palisades Park. kate@smdp.com

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Laughing Matters Jack Neworth

Send comments to editor@smdp.com

This column was first printed in January. It’s reprinted here as part of our Year End coverage

Days of Whine and Ruses Ever since the election I’ve had a re-occurring nightmare. Because of global warming, waves pound my 3rd floor apartment. Even worse, a series of atomic bombs causes nuclear ash to fill the air.

(Meanwhile, I have books overdue at the library.)

I desperately try to escape along with my neighbor, who, in real life, voted for Trump. As we struggle to save our lives, he says, “I’ll never forgive Hillary’s emails.” I resist my urge to drown him on the spot. (All is not lost, however, as, given the apocalyptic circumstances, the library waives the late fees.)

Speaking of nightmares, today is the Inauguration of the most unqualified, undeserving, grandiose, ignorant and narcissistic president of my lifetime. Entering office, Trump has a 37% approval rating, the lowest in history. Clinton, George W. and Obama had ratings above 60%. (However, the KKK and Nazi Party are thrilled with Trump’s election.)

Personally, I won’t watch a second of the Inauguration. I’d sooner tune to the Weather Channel. I don’t care for the Weather Channel but the odds of seeing Trump are remote.

Hopefully.

Hillary won the popular vote by almost 3,000,000 (More than all but 9 presidents.) And this election was interfered with by a foreign power for the first time since 1790. Therefore, my response to Trump’s sudden call for unity is two-fold: You are not my president and release your tax returns and we can talk “unity.”

Trump promised his returns when Obama released his birth certificate. Obama did so in 2011 but in 2017 Trump is still using the “audit excuse.” I’m convinced the audit was just a ruse, as his whole life has been a series of ruses.

As Marco Rubio labeled him, we have a con artist in the White House and no idea of his dealings with Russia and other foreign powers. The American people have the right to know about the person whose fingers (no matter how small) are near the nuclear button.

During the campaign, Trump insulted, among others: John McCain, POW’s, the Pope, immigrants, the disabled, a Gold Star family, women whose genitals he bragged about grabbing, civil rights legend John Lewis and Meryl Streep.

But there’s one person The Donald never criticizes, Vladimir Putin. Russia’s brutal dictator routinely jails or even kills political opponents and journalists. He’s also responsible for the slaughter of thousands at Aleppo. And yet, Trump aka, “Putin’s Puppet,” loves the guy.

An authoritarian who quotes Mussolini, Trump submissively lavishes praise on Putin, the former head of the KBG. On a government pension, Putin became Russia’s wealthiest person. He must be incredibly thrifty.

But the tip off of a Trump ruse with Putin came at the 2016 GOP convention. The GOP platform has always been harsh about Russian aggression. But this year, a plank advocating lethal defensive weapons for Ukraine to help resist Russian incursions, mysteriously disappeared. Feigning innocence, Trump stammered, “I don’t know anything about it.” You could almost see his nose growing.

Obviously there was a quid pro quo that likely included Russia releasing anti-Hillary Wikileaks. Add to that FBI director James Comey’s reopening the investigation of Clinton’s private email server 11 days before the election, and, voila, we have President Trump. (I get ill just saying it.)

Much like Trump University, The Donald’s entire campaign has been one giant ruse, starting with his “Make America Great Again.” In 1980 Ronald Reagan’s slogan was “Let’s Make America Great Again. Trump merely dropped the “let’s,” and, like so many dictators in history, uttered “I, alone, am the only one who can fix this.”

The list of Trump ruses is endless, including his many bankruptcies in which he stiffed small businesses. Also seemingly endless is Trump’s whining like a spoiled child, including impulsive and juvenile 3-AM tweets. What sane person does that?

Anyone who disagrees with thin-skinned Trump is subject to his contempt. Like all fascists, Trump demeans the press. His first post election press conference was an embarrassment to democracy. He blatantly refused to take questions from certain news organizations while favoring those friendly to him. As Trump might tweet, “Sad.” More whining. For five years Trump led the birther movement which labeled Obama an illegitimate president. But when Congressman John Lewis says Trump is “not legitimate,” The Donald has a hissy fit.

I fear Trump won’t just be a bad president, he’ll be dangerous. So what to do? Whereas Trump quotes Mussolini, I prefer Eleanor Roosevelt, “Rather than curse the darkness, light a candle.” Or Florynce Kennedy, the daughter of a black Pullman porter and a co-founder of NOW. “Don’t agonize, organize!”

As for me, until I get my fighting spirit back, I’ll be watching the Weather Channel as we are in for a series of storms. I worry they’ll be nothing compared to the storms the ego-maniacal Trump will cause.

Is Trump mentally ill? Click here: Jack can be reached at: jnsmdp@aol.com

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS4Lw2yMmuA&t=243s

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7

What’s the Point?

David Pisarra

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This column was first printed in July. It’s reprinted here as part of our Year End coverage

Aero Theater Protested For Movie With “Rape Scene” Santa Monica’s arthouse theater, the Aero was the scene of a late Sunday protest due to its screening the classic Bernardo Bertolucci film, Last Tango In Paris. Moviegoers were treated to an initially silent protest by Emma Julia Jacobs who identified herself as a survivor, while wearing a torn t-shirt over her mouth as a form of silent protest. She was joined by a man, who refused to give his name. They were holding signs decrying the movie, and a “system” that allows for the exploitation of artists, actors and women. Later in the night Matthew Currie Holmes, an actor/director with credits from Queer as Folk to Wrong Turn 2, joined in support of the anti-Bertolucci protesters.

I had stumbled upon this activist awareness when I, and about 40-60 others decided to attend the movies. Earlier in the day I was looking at what was available in town, and the choices for me were slim. I was down to Lady Macbeth at the Landmark or Last Tango at the Aero. It was a tough choice, I’d seen neither, and both looked excellent and so I asked on Facebook if I should go to the theater with the real butter on the popcorn. Little did I know how much butter would be a theme for the night.

The background is this: it’s 1972 or 1973, Bertolucci is making a film with Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider. The story is about a widower and a young woman meeting for liaisons.

They have an unusual relationship. He is in some ways mourning the loss of his wife to suicide, and the Schneider character, at 20, is engaged to a budding filmmaker. They are not named in the movie, so I will use their last names here to discuss their characters, not the actual people.

The power dynamics of this relationship between Brando and Schneider are intense and erotic, there is an undercurrent throughout the movie of his penchant for violence and anger, which is oddly erotic. But hey, it’s Brando. The woman in the film cannot seem to get herself free from an obsession with Brando. She is portrayed as submitting to him and his wants on more than one occasion, yet they seem to also be her wants.

In the controversial scene, Brando uses butter as a personal lubricant on Schneider as he engages in sex, what her thoughts are is actually unknown. The scene is controversial due to how it came about. As the story goes, Brando and Bertolucci were conferring prior to film-

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OpinionCommentary 8

WEEKEND EDITION, DECEMBER 30-31, 2017

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Curious City Charles Andrews

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Bauer’s spirit will live on This story was first printed in January. It’s reprinted here as part of our Year End coverage GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Everybody knew Bill Bauer. And maybe nobody did.

He was complex but not contradictory. Mysterious (probably by intention) but not aloof.

Most knew him only through his weekly column on local politics in this newspaper.

It seemed surprising, but charming, that when people shared memories at his memorial service on the Pier last November, it was as though everyone there knew a different Bill Bauer. He seemed to have revealed only parts of himself with even his closest, longtime friends.

But everyone knew two things, that Bill loved Santa Monica and wanted the best for the city and its residents (even though you may not have agreed with his viewpoint on achieving that), and that he was devoted to his “My Write” column. He wrote it every week for nearly 16 years, since the beginning of the Santa Monica Daily Press, more than 750 columns.

Take my word: that is a Herculean feat of journalism.

Here’s something more specific that I knew about Bill, from getting together frequently the last couple of years over drinks or coffee (he preferred the Virginia Park Farmer’s Market on Saturdays -- had lots of friends there): Bill loved the written word, and especially journalism. We often lamented together the decline of journalism, but when we did, I would remind him of my experience mentoring the newspaper class at Samohi and how impressed I was with the knowledge and dedication I saw from many of the students there.

TO HONOR BILL BAUER

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I had been pondering how best to remember my friend and colleague and keep his generous spirit alive, when my fellow columnist Jack Neworth (“Laughing Matters,” “Snide World of Sports”), in a phone conversation a few weeks ago, blurted out, there should be a journalism scholarship in his name, and I shot back, absolutely, that’s perfect!

Sooner than I imagined, it’s a reality. After a short round of meetings (where everyone was very enthusiastic about the idea), we now have the Bill Bauer Journalism Scholarship (BBJS), to be awarded to a Santa Monica high school student planning to pursue journalism. We may be able to award the first one this May. It is fittingly under the auspices of the Police Athletic League, because Bill gave so much volunteer time to our SMDP and had many good friends there. I greatly acknowledge and thank PAL Director Eula Fritz, who gave the final nod, and board director Neil Carrey, who established the Chris Carrey Education Fund (in honor of his son) through which this scholarship will be administered and awarded, and has pledged to be an energetic fundraiser for the BBJS. This would not be possible without them.

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PAL is also a fitting partner because SMDP Publisher Rob Schwenker, who got this ball rolling, is also on the board of directors there, and was the one who suggested going this route. The Daily Press is sponsoring this fitting memorial, and thanks also go to Editor-inChief Matt Hall for being part of that sponsorship and support, and for backing the idea from the get go. Both of them said, during his illness and after his passing, that “Bill was family.”

Before it was even official, we collected $600 in pledges. You can donate on the PAL website, through Paypal, or send a check to the address there, noting that it is for the “Bill Bauer Journalism Scholarship.”

I know Bill would be dang well pleased this is happening.

WHAT WOULD NOT PLEASE BILL

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The new City Services Building, as currently proposed.

Of course it’s dishonest to speak for the dead and I won’t, I can only speak for myself. And myself is in the awkward position, once again, of addressing something that may have taken unexpected turns between the time I wrote this and the time you read it, with a big fat long City Council meeting in between. But here’s a little background for those of you, many of you probably, just hearing about all this. I’ll try to keep it simple. But like anything SM, it defies simplicity.

Building an annex to City Hall has become a necessity, for a number of reasons. It’s a smart investment to house in our own building the overflow from City Hall, including some 240 staff already overflowed into Downtown office space, paying rent.

Mayor Ted Winterer claims that at the end of the bond period to finance it, the City will be ahead $6M, and then save $10M/year for the next 70 years. Hundreds of millions of dollars! However, since he says the bonding period is 30 years, those figures are based on the building still being used in 100 years -- imagine the problems with lighting, heat, plumbing etc. in a City building from 1917. That may be running the numbers a bit too far into the future.

The question involved is twofold: TOILETS, AND TROPHIES

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The plan as being pushed through is for a super sustainable state-of-the-art building that will pass the nearly impossible checklist to join the rare ranks of the Living Building Challenge. Problem is, David Gardner (citizen), who has filed suit to prevent this boondoggle from eating up any more money in planning and development, claims that of only 10 buildings in the world which have met this lofty standard, most of them had to get exceptions because… they didn’t meet the standards.

The reason why most fell short was the toilets. The plan requires composting toilets, a very expensive and environmentally iffy proposition in an urban area. A plans inspector working for the City for 30 years has notified, he says, our City Manager Rick Cole and our SEE BAUER PAGE 9

Puzzles & Stuff WEEKEND EDITION, DECEMBER 30-31, 2017

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Hypochondriac's guide

FROM PAGE 8

Planning Director David Martin, as long as a year ago, that they are illegal per both City and state regs. Further, he said, the sustainable design has many practical design drawbacks for everyday office work.

Did I mention the cost, as being proposed? Including the financing, about $130,000,000. (Some add another $11M.) Are you serious?

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Which local gal filled the venerable Troubadour Monday night and knocked it out of the park with intense vocals, very clever, really funny patter, and an amazing band?

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “There can be no higher law in journalism than to tell the truth and to shame the devil.” -Walter Lippmann Charles Andrews has lived in Santa Monica for 31 years and wouldn’t live anywhere else in the world. Really. Send love and/or rebuke to him at therealmrmusic@gmail.com.

SOLUTIONS TO YESTERDAY’S CROSSWORD

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SOLUTIONS TO YESTERDAY’S SUDOKU

■ First noted among 19th century French Canadian lumberjacks (and thus the name), "Jumping Frenchman of Maine disorder" is a rare neurological malady in which sufferers suddenly leap and scream in sudden fear at the slightest provocation.

■ The cause is unknown, but the condition is believed to be due to a hypersensitive, involuntary startle reflex.

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Medical History ■ This week in 1979, artificial blood was transfused for the first time in a patient by doctors at University of Minnesota Hospital.

The patient was a Jehovah's Witness, who had refused a transfusion of real blood due to his religious beliefs.

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

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WELL NEWS

BAUER

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Comics & Stuff 10

WEEKEND EDITION, DECEMBER 30-31, 2017

PROTEST FROM PAGE 7

ing, but did not inform Schneider of the specific direction the scene would take. During filming there had been a great deal of improvisation and the director wanted her “real” reactions to the action, so he kept her in the dark, and in later interviews regretted it.

Important to note is that Schneider herself has said that there was no actual rape occurring, by which I presume she means there was no intercourse. However, she has also said that she felt ‘like she was raped’ and was grateful the scene was done in one take.

The issue of directors manipulating actors to get the reactions they want on film is an age-old complaint of actors. Some directors are worse than others, some scenes are more assaulting than others. Hitchcock used cold water to shock Janet Leigh – does this qualify as a physical assault and should we be up in arms and protesting the cold shower treatment? On the other hand, Randall Miller pled

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guilty to involuntary manslaughter for the death of Sarah Jones based on a lack of safety, which is clearly a violation of any decent standard.

The protesters on Sunday were upset that the Aero Theatre did not make an announcement prior to the screening about the “rape” scene, and that they did not donate 50% of the proceeds to a rape crisis center. The theme of the theatre “profiting off the rape” was a recurring argument point and I think weakened their argument greatly. A revival house makes a pittance for screening older films and barely survives on “the kindness of strangers.”

Holmes was by far the most eloquent of the protesters, most of whom it appeared were there to support their friend, Ms. Jacobs.

The comments by Holmes were succinct and thought out, and then he veered into the land of pop-agro-speak with jingoistic tendencies.

As one of the unnamed counter-protesters described Schneider as a toxic personality, Holmes countered with the ‘slut shaming’ retort as a means to shut down the other man speaking, and it continued like this for sever-

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Dec. 30)

al minutes. I’m not sure where Holmes was coming from, or what his true position is. He makes films that seem to celebrate violence.

His IMDB profile has him holding an axe with a finger to his lips in the universal “keep quiet” sign which makes me question is he pro violence when it makes him money, and anti-violence when it involves women?

One of the biggest complaints about the victim advocate community is that they go to extremes in the wrong places. This would have been a good protest about directors’ responsibility to their actors, but as soon as it becomes about ‘slut shaming’ ‘rape culture’ and they attack me as a viewer who ‘supports rapists’ – they lose me.

On the other side of the debate was Kansas Bowling, who was in support of the arts. She said, “The protesters’ claims against Bertolucci’s award winning film are purely speculative. Good art makes people question.

So called art that does not make people question is propaganda. Thank you to the Aero for projecting fine art films that make people think, even 45 years after a masterpiece is

made.”

Should the Aero have announced prior to screening that there was a “triggering” scene?

Not in my opinion. If you are an adult and you choose to go see a film that has a NC-17 rating, you know you’re going to see something intense. Deal with it. Know enough about the film to make an educated guess. If you are triggered easily, probably best to do more research rather than less.

Was Bertolucci a manipulative director?

Yes. Aren’t they all on some level? Where and how to draw the line is murky. Angry, attacking, protests like this don’t make it any clearer.

But hey, the film did spark a conversation, so there’s that.

Heathcliff

Strange Brew

By PETER GALLAGHER

David Pisarra is a Los Angeles Divorce and Child Custody Lawyer specializing in Father’s and Men’s Rights with the Santa Monica firm of Pisarra & Grist. He welcomes your questions and comments. He can be reached at dpisarra@pisarra.com or 310/664-9969.You can follow him on Twitter @davidpisarra

By JOHN DEERING

Your needs collide with those of another, and together you'll create impressive momentum in the next six weeks. January brings beauty you couldn't have planned if you'd tried. Friends will surprise you in March. Excellent publicity will help you expand your influence as well as your financial reach. Aries and Sagittarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 39, 4, 14, 47 and 28.

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

You want to help, but you also realize that people might need to take things as far as they can on their own first. You don't want to rob anyone of the chance at the kind of confidence that only autonomy can bring.

Casual conversation will lead you to realize that you have stories you haven't quite learned how to tell yet, but you're getting better and better at it.

In fact, you're downright entertaining tonight.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21) TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Shakespeare suggested, "Assume a virtue, if you have it not." Dare to enact the virtue you seek today and you just may wind up with it by the end of the day.

The people who make you want to put on your cool clothes, say your clever lines, behave as the best version of you -- those are the ones to keep around.

You're about to step up your game like crazy.

Agnes

By TONY COCHRAN

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) GEMINI (May 21-June 21) If you found out that the whole world was made for you, would that change the way you enjoyed it? Maybe it was; maybe it wasn't. But there are certainly pleasures around you that are not to be missed.

It won't pay to be too picky in matters of food or entertainment, but you can certainly afford to be picky in some matters this weekend -love, for one. You'll only be better off for being very selective in matters of romance.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) CANCER (June 22-July 22) You'll finish the job you started to the very best of your ability, impediments notwithstanding. Most of them will in fact back down (even the inanimate ones), as if they realize that you're coming forward regardless.

Before you do what you planned, consider that your day could go a few different ways. What if your favorite person was the one who was looking out for you? What would this person tell you to do?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) You're ready to follow advice, even though it may lead you far out of your way and take a great deal of effort. Well, you can't argue with success. And a proven success formula is something to adhere to as closely as possible.

Dogs of C-Kennel

By MICK & MASON MASTROIANNI & JOHNNY HART

You know free spirits, and you know people who have lived in the same place for decades if not a lifetime. You have something to learn from both these extremes now, as you experiment with your ideas about home.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) People who talk about what kind of person they are may as well be waving a red flag in your face.

Usually just about everyone is the opposite of what they proclaim, at least some of the time.

Life seems to be moving quickly, and it's why you will take many pictures. Also, your artistic eye is keen now, and you notice the pretty things, the unusual things and things that you're not likely to capture on any other day.

Zack Hill 2 Times the Lunar Energy The Gemini moon doubles up on the lunar energy to give us gusto in the last hours of the year. The twins are known to boost our interest in all things trendy, social and fun, so you can expect the end-of-the-year festivities to start early. The resolutions will be lighthearted, if they happen at all. Many are just looking for a party.

DO YOU HAVE COMMUNITY NEWS? Submit news releases to editor@smdp.com or by fax at (310) 576-9913 office (310)

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