OPA BEACH CLEAN-UP THIS SUNDAY: The event is 10AM until noon, we meet at Tower 26, Ocean Park Blvd at the beach, supplies are provided and there will be a Heal The Bay speaker to coordinate the cleanup. Parents, students, families and neighbors are all welcome. Email Dave Tann with questions.
Other Upcoming OPA events:
- 8/5: National Night Out
- 10/18: Day of the Dog Main St.
Introducing the Ocean Park Book Club: Alexa Barrett and a team of neighbors are excited to launch a new monthly Book Club! Meeting are on the first Wednesday of each month from 6:00 – 8:00pm at the Ocean Park Library, located at 2601 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA. The first meeting is Wednesday, August 6 at 6:00pm. For their inaugural selection, they’re reading “The Thursday Murder Club” by Richard Osman. This cozy mystery follows four residents of a retirement village who meet weekly to investigate cold cases, but soon find themselves solving a real murder. Please RSVP here if you plan to attend.
OPA Membership Drive: If you enjoy this newsletter and all the events and community work OPA is leading (like last week’s 4th of July parade), please help our efforts by becoming a member or making a donation. Most memberships are $20/year but there is also a $10/year option. CLICK HERE TO JOIN OR DONATE.
Santa Monica Offers 3 City-Owned Properties to Developers: This Urbanize article details the properties and the process for Bergamont Station and a couple downtown properties where “officials hope for projects yielding roughly 1,000 affordable homes.”
Free Santa Monica Hazardous Waste Pickup: Open this link to find out what they will & won’t pick up and how to schedule a pick-up.
Third Street Promenade’s New Entertainment Zone Sees Smooth Start, Boosts Business: SMPD and Code Enforcement “have received no calls for service tied to the entertainment zone, including complaints related to noise or alcohol. Regular foot patrols have also noted no disturbances.” “Some merchants are reporting a noticeable uptick in sales since the launch,” a city spokesperson said. “It’s creating a more vibrant atmosphere while maintaining safety and order.” More details here.
Palisades Charter High School to Remain at Santa Monica Campus Through Fall Semester: Palisades Charter High School will begin the 2025-26 school year at its temporary Santa Monica location and remain there through at least Thanksgiving break, possibly through the end of the first semester, as restoration work continues on the fire-damaged Palisades campus. The decision affects approximately 2,500 students who have been attending classes at the “Pali South” campus in downtown Santa Monica’s former Sears building since April, following the devastating January 2025 Palisades Fire that destroyed much of the original campus. More details here.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU SIGN UP FOR FIRE DEPT’S COMMUNITY CONNECT PROGRAM: This secure system allows you to provide first responders with critical information regarding your residence or business. This information, which the homeowner or business owner inputs, allows first responders to make strategic and tactical decisions enroute should the need arise for us to respond in an emergency. Having information such as floor plans, pets, or specific medical needs will assist responders in those critical moments when every second matters.
Click here to learn more about the program and sign up for it so you can share the fire department the info that matters most to you (like your pet’s details, house members and emergency contacts, medical needs, etc.) to help them assist more effectively during an emergency.
Things To Do This Week:
- Blue Plate Oysterette Community Dinner Series (Monday 6 – 8pm): Join a gourmet dinner at sunset for $29. Enjoy a chef-curated meal, mingle with your Santa Monica neighbors, and soak in the sunset from our communal table. This month the featured dish will be Idaho Trout with a puttanesca sauce, greek salad, and roasted potatoes. @1355 Ocean Ave. More details here.
- Weekly Trivia Night @ Kavahana (Mondays and Wednesdays @ 6pm): Kavahana serves patrons delicious kava nectar drinks and 100% Kona coffee inspired by the Pacific Islands. Each week the space hosts Kavahana Trivia Night, covering a mix of general knowledge, pop culture, history, science and more. Participants can enter on their own or join teams in a fun environment meant to connect with the Santa Monica community and build new friendships. 306 Pico Blvd. More details here.
- The LA Law Library resource specialist holds their monthly Office Hours (Thursday 2-6pm): More details here.
- Library Celebrates Women of Marvel Comics with Author Event (Thursday 6-8 pm): The event features YALLWEST Book Festival co-founder and Santa Monica-based author Margaret Stohl, along with co-authors Judith Stephens and Jeanine Schaefer, presenting their new book “Super Visible: The Story of the Women of Marvel Comics.” @ Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd. More details here.
OPA & City Meetings:
- Architectural Review Board Meeting (Monday 7pm): More details here.
- Commission on Sustainability, Environmental Justice, and the Environment (Monday 7pm): More details here.
OPA Connects Meeting (Wednesday 12pm): Here is the Zoom link.
