Good morning Santa Monica! Your connection to what's happening around town is here. Take a sip of coffee and read on. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Chamber Music Palisades concert: Webern String Quartet and Flute and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: Why do Norway's navy ships all have barcodes? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Santa Monica City Council Candidate Spotlight: Phil Brock (patch.com) — Santa Monica voters get a close look at City Council candidate and former mayor Phil Brock, a lifelong resident who lays out detailed positions on homelessness, public safety, housing and the future of the airport, Civic Auditorium and Bergamot Station. He argues for treatment-first homelessness strategies, a large park at the airport site without new taxes, stronger downtown safety measures and low-rise growth that keeps Santa Monica distinct.
2. 85 Santa Monica Properties In Flood Zone As Kelvin Wave Approaches (patch.com) — Santa Monica officials are warning that 85 properties along northern Pacific Coast Highway sit in a 100-year flood zone as an El Niño–linked Kelvin wave nudges sea levels higher. Residents are urged to prepare now with sandbags, roof and drain maintenance, flood insurance checks and SMAlerts sign-ups as the city activates its storm-readiness plans for the coming 2026-27 winter.
3. Santa Monica's Economic Slump Worse Than Peer Cities, RAND Study Finds (patch.com) — Santa Monica is grappling with a far deeper and more prolonged economic slump than nearby cities, with taxable sales down nearly a third and iconic retail areas like Third Street Promenade facing high vacancies. A new RAND study finds tourism and inflation-adjusted hotel revenue still lag pre-pandemic levels, even as homelessness has slightly declined and serious crime remains heavily concentrated downtown. Researchers recommend targeted economic revitalization, focused outreach in crime and homelessness hotspots, and renewed efforts to activate vacant commercial spaces.
4. Eyes on the Street: Santa Monica's Newly Concrete-Curb-Protected Broadway Bikeway (streetsblog.org) — Santa Monica has finished its Broadway Safety Project, adding 1.6 miles of concrete-curb-protected bike lanes from 5th to 26th Street, plus upgraded crossings and signals. The new corridor, parallel to the E Line, now forms the county's longest continuous curb-protected bikeway and links several existing protected and unprotected bike routes around downtown.
5. The Victorian to Close After 20 Years on Main Street (smdp.com) — A beloved Main Street fixture, The Victorian, will close in a few weeks after 20 years as a Santa Monica restaurant, event space, and nightclub. Its final hurrah will be this year's Halloween weekend party, after which the city-owned Heritage Square property will shut its doors. Owners thanked generations of locals who celebrated, danced, and gathered there.
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Santa Monica PatchAM possible:
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
Ok Santa Monica! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "Why do Norway's navy ships all have barcodes?" — So when they come back to port they can just scan-da-navi-an! (Thank you Jessica C. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what's happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Santa Monica Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.