Hello Santa Monica! Here's our latest buzz. Let's get into it. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Passacaglia Chamber Music Concert: Cello & Piano and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: How do billboards talk? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Santa Monica Says Business Permits Are Moving Faster Amid Economic Slump (patch.com) — Santa Monica is touting faster business permitting, fee reductions, and new financial incentives as it tries to revive a local economy still lagging behind neighboring cities. From microgrants and outdoor dining breaks to a $3 million economic fund and full police staffing downtown, officials hope streamlined processes and safety improvements will attract more businesses and visitors, especially around the Third Street Promenade.
2. Santa Monica Man Accused Of UCLA Student Kidnapping, Rape Found Dead: Report (patch.com) — Santa Monica residents are learning that a 26-year-old local man, previously accused in high-profile kidnapping and sexual assault cases in Westwood and Culver City, was found dead by suicide at his family's San Vicente Boulevard home. Authorities report no foul play, and his attorney stresses that the serious allegations tied to the Santa Monica man had not been proven in court at the time of his death.
3. Santa Monica Council Candidate Spotlight: Lana Negrete (patch.com) — Santa Monica voters get a close look at council candidate and former mayor Lana Negrete, who lays out detailed positions on homelessness, housing mandates, the airport's 2028 closure, and downtown recovery. She emphasizes shifting resources toward mental health and permanent housing, creating a large public park at the airport site, revitalizing Third Street Promenade with business incentives, and balancing bike-friendly streets with emergency access and commuter needs.
4. Santa Monica's deterioration could be the opportunity of a lifetime now (latination.com) — Santa Monica is grappling with an 11% citywide retail vacancy rate and especially severe empty storefronts around Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica Place, pressuring city finances. Local leaders are responding with a $3 million downtown investment, new entertainment zones, stepped-up policing, and efforts to attract tenants and visitors, while still managing fallout from a massive legal settlement and shifting tourism patterns.
5. Nevada Steps Up With Illinois and Other States in Leading US Tourism Revenue Through Record Visitor Spending in 2026 (travelandtourworld.com) — Santa Monica is projecting a strong tourism year, with hotel revenue expected to top $400 million in 2026 and occupancy rising as more visitors choose local beachfront stays, restaurants, and attractions. While the piece compares several major U.S. destinations, it highlights how Santa Monica's growing visitor spending and improving hotel demand may buck weaker statewide and national international-arrival trends, supporting local jobs and businesses.
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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: "How do billboards talk?" — Sign language (Thank you Ellen S. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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