State of the City Event (TONIGHT/THURSDAY 4 – 7 pm): A Celebration of Resilience and Growth: Putting a new spin on the State of the City tradition, the evening will start with an opening reception inside the Miles Memorial Playhouse, offering light refreshments, city information displays and a chance to meet and connect with Mayor Lana Negrete and incoming City Manager Oliver Chi. The reception will be followed by live performances in the park, tours of the Playhouse, a beer garden by Santa Monica Brew Works, interactive city department booths across Reed Park including a prize wheel, a succulent giveaway, police officers on horseback, a fire truck and more. @ Christine Emerson Reed Park & Miles Memorial Playhouse (1133 7th St.) More details here. 

OPA July Monthly Meeting Recap: Here is the full recording, here are the minutes, and here are some highlights from the meeting (sorry, but we are mostly audio only this month…so think of it as a podcast):

• SMPD: Click here to see the discussion of recent police activity and thoughts on National Guard deployment.
  
• Lana Negrete (Mayor): Click here to hear her perspective on the City, her priorities and goals, and fielding questions on a variety of subjects.
  
• Tom Clemo (SaMo Fire Dept Deputy Chief ): Click here to hear his update on their Community Connect program, which is designed to allow 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 departmnet 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.
  
• Eli Gil (Abundance Santa Monica): Click here to hear his update that includes an overview of the Board and what the plans are for this year’s increase that is exptected to be voted on at the June 12 meeting. He also fields questions about if/how higher water rates may get accounted for. 
  
• Click here to hear the Board business, including upcoming calendar of events and some students efforts to keep the SMASH name legacy alive. Click here to learn more and sign onto the SMASH petition.

Free Range Humans Podcast Deep Dive on SMASH School: The podcast episode is titled “A School That Feels Like Family- Welcome to SMASH”. Here is an excerpt of the podcast episode description: “SMASH isn’t new — it’s been doing things differently for over 50 years, emphasizing multi-age classrooms, social-emotional learning, looping, and strong adult-child relationships. Jessica Rishe (principal) and Malika Boyer (6th grade teacher) share how the school cultivates trust, responsibility, and belonging across all grade levels — and why it still stands out even as others catch on to ideas like project-based learning and social-emotional learning. Highlights from the conversation include: how multi-age groupings shape student growth and leadership; the importance of a fully informed and integrated parent population; why respect goes much further than titles and first names; how SMASH builds a culture that encourages staff to stay…” You can listen to the podcast here.

Su Casa Coffee x Juneshine: A new café concept arrives at 2914 Main St. as local coffee brand Su Casa takes over JuneShine Santa Monica during the day, transforming the popular kombucha tasting room into a daytime gathering spot for all to enjoy. The café residency welcomes guests Wednesdays – Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., offering a low-key and relaxed environment serving expertly brewed Su Casa coffee by day and refreshing JuneShine hard kombuchas each evening. https://www.instagram.com/sucasacoffeeclub/ 

Metro Reports Crime Drop, Higher Rider Satisfaction: The drop in violent incidents—down to the lowest level since May 2019—coincided with more uniformed personnel and partnerships to address homelessness, mental health issues, and drug use. More details here. 

Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Operation Planned for Friday 5-8pm: More details here on the operation “focused on the most dangerous driver behaviors that put the safety of people biking or walking at risk.” 

The Blue Notebook – A Weekly SMPD Recap June 29 – July 5: Here is the weekly summary of SMPD activity.

Venice Beach Selected as Site of First U.S. Olympic Medal Event for LA28 Games: The first medal will be handed out in triathlon on July 15 along the coastline of Venice Beach. Swimming will bring the Olympics to a close with the final events being held on July 30 (Day 16) at SoFi Stadium, which will be branded as 2028 Stadium during the Games. More details here. 

New Indoor Golf Club Offering Simulators, Plus a Bar & Food Menu: Four Wood Golf, a new premium indoor golf venue on Pico Boulevard, has officially opened its doors, bringing a distinctly East Coast concept to the heart of Santa Monica. Billed as a modern indoor “clubhouse” with six high-end simulator bays, a full kitchen and a beer and wine bar, the venue aims to serve as much more than just a training space for golfers. More details here. 

On the Lighter Side: Ducklings Cross Wilshire at Chelsea, With a Little Help From Friends: “VCA workers brought a box and captured some of the wild ducklings with their bare hands. Miraculously, all seven ducklings made it across unscathed, earning cheers from onlookers.” More details here. 

Things To Do This Weekend: 

• State of the City Event (Thursday 4 – 7pm): A Celebration of Resilience and Growth: Putting a new spin on the State of the City tradition, the evening will start with an opening reception inside the Miles Memorial Playhouse, offering light refreshments, city information displays and a chance to meet and connect with Mayor Lana Negrete and incoming City Manager Oliver Chi. The reception will be followed by live performances in the park, tours of the Playhouse, a beer garden by Santa Monica Brew Works, interactive city department booths across Reed Park including a prize wheel, a succulent giveaway, police officers on horseback, a fire truck and more. @ Christine Emerson Reed Park & Miles Memorial Playhouse More details here. 
• Sunset Picnic at Annenberg Community Beach House (Thursday 5 – 8pm): Grab your picnic basket and your favorite people – or come solo and join a communal table – and enjoy a sunset evening at the beach. Vibe to musical duos and take in the glow of the summer sunset while enjoying complimentary s’mores and fun activities! Check out their calendar of events – including sunset swims, community picnics, youth/adult classes & more. @ 415 Pacific Coast Hwy. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/july-sunset-picnic-tickets-1412856324299 
• Santa Monica Music Festival: A new classical music festival will make its debut this summer in Santa Monica, offering four days of performances that blend contemporary compositions with beloved classics just steps from the Pacific Ocean. July 17-20, 1220 2nd St., First Presbyterian Church https://www.kco.la/events 
• SaMo Library Summer Film Series (Friday 1:30pm): The Greatest Showman: Enjoy this exuberant musical based on the life of legendary circus impresario P.T. Barnum, starring Hugh Jackman. Stick around after for a bit of Barnum and circus-themed trivia and discussion. @ Pico Branch Library 2201 Pico Blvd. More details here.  
• Summer Venice Beach Run (Saturday): The race is open to runners and walkers of all ages and abilities and is the the only race that starts and finishes out over the water on the iconic Venice Beach Pier  (3100 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA). Participants can sign up for the fast + flat 5K at 8:30a.m. or the Speedy 1 Miler at 10a.m. More details here. 
• Annual Pickle Me Silly at Ishihara Park Learning Garden (Saturday): They will demonstrate a quick and easy refrigerator Sweet Pickle, with attendees able taking supplies home to try making some easy pickles. Fun for people of all ages. Garden opens at 9 AM for exploration and community breakfast.  Pickling demonstration begins at 10a.m. 2909 Exposition Blvd. More details here.
• Main St. Farmers Market (Sunday 8:30am – 1:30pm): Join us this Sunday for a special early show with singer/songwriter Ryann Barnes at 9am and local favorite, Megan Ukoh 10am-1pm.  On the lawn we will have the Tutu School with mini dance lessons and the Westside Waldorf School with wool crafting for the kids.  Habits of Waste with sustainability tips and Providence St Johns with health information.  Lots of new vendors at the market including Brandon’s Ice Cream!  See you there!
  
• Talk & “Bingo” community get-together (Sunday, 1 – 3pm): This upcoming free community get-together is a chance to connect with neighbors, have relaxed conversations, and enjoy a lighthearted “Bingo” game as a refreshing break from the constant stream of bad news. Event details @ CIOP, 237 Hill St.