Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Santa Monica Says Business Permits Are Moving Faster Amid Economic Slump

Coming up on the Santa Monica Patch calendar: Santa Monica Pier Celebrates 50 Years Of Dogtown And The Z-Boys With Special Locals' Night…

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Coffee in hand, Santa Monica? We've got the latest town updates for you. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • Santa Monica speeds permits and cuts fees to revive struggling businesses
  • When you can grab one last dinner at Tar & Roses.
  • How SMPD's traffic team earned top honors during wildfire chaos.

Also on today's calendar: Santa Monica Pier Celebrates 50 Years Of Dogtown And The Z-Boys With Special Locals' Night Drive-In and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: What do you call somebody who crosses the ocean twice and doesn't take a bath? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Sunday: Some rain in the morning, with a high of 71 and low of 61 degrees.
  • Monday: A couple of showers, temps: high: 69, low: 58.
  • Tuesday: Mostly sunny and nice, with a high of 72 and low of 60 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Santa Monica Says Business Permits Are Moving Faster Amid Economic Slump (patch.com) — Santa Monica officials report that business permits are being processed much faster, with new self-certification options, sharply reduced restaurant fees, and a $3 million fund targeting areas like the Third Street Promenade. While the city touts award recognition and full police staffing downtown, a recent RAND study shows Santa Monica still lags peers in taxable sales, vacancies, and visitor recovery, leaving the broader economic rebound uncertain.
   

2. Tar & Roses set to close in Santa Monica after 15 years on Santa Monica Boulevard (smmirror.com) — Santa Monica diners have just two weeks left to visit Tar & Roses on Santa Monica Boulevard before its final dinner service on Saturday, Oct. 24, ending a 15-year run. The neighborhood favorite, known for its wood‑fired menu and special-occasion memories, is inviting regulars and old friends to share a last meal, raise a glass, and say goodbye.
   

3. SMPD's Traffic Services Unit Receives Excellence Reward (canyon-news.com) — Santa Monica's Police Department Traffic Services Unit has been honored countywide for its crucial work during the 2025 Pacific Palisades Fire, including crafting the city's brush fire evacuation plan. Officers managed freeway and coastal closures, protected evacuation routes, and ensured emergency and utility crews could reach affected areas until the National Guard took over.
   

4. A CT native wants you to give up your smartphone. She's not kidding (courant.com) — Students at Santa Monica High School are part of a growing "Luddite Club" movement that encourages teens to give up smartphones and reconnect with real-world experiences. The article profiles Connecticut native August Lamm, whose anti-smartphone activism, zines, and in-person events are inspiring chapters from Santa Monica to Sweden to trade constant scrolling for books, letters, and face-to-face community.
   

📸 Around Santa Monica

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Santa Monica mirror Columnist Charles Andrews endorses me for Santa Monica City Council! —Phil Brock Read on Patch
  • Creating a robust, safe, and diverse commercial environment scaled properly to SM is essential! —Phil Brock Read on Patch
  • Popsicles broke the heat of the barn —Michael Ashcraft Read on Patch
  • How do local housing policies actually function in Santa Monica? —Phil Brock Read on Patch
  • Nothing is cuter than having a doggy playdate with someone's foster pup!
    This little adorable guy is Dean and he is 6 months old! (Nextdoor Santa Monica Center)
  • Heads up for latest banking scam!!
    "Bank of America" called me . Stated that they had possible 2 fraudulent charges in my zelle account. - accessed by my phone number but they had… (Nextdoor Santa Monica Beach-Wilmont)
  • Brookdale Senior Living posted a job opening for Wellness Director LVN in Santa Monica. Apply here.
  • SPECTRUM posted a job opening for Retail Sales Specialist (Bilingual Spanish) in Santa Monica. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Santa Monica here.

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: "What do you call somebody who crosses the ocean twice and doesn't take a bath?" — A dirty double crosser ! (Thank you Theresia F. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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