Santa Monica to take center stage with new annual music festival and big-name activations as FIFA World Cup, 2027 Super Bowl, LA28 Olympics/Paralympics come to LA: This City press release details many of the plans that include an annual beach festival, and major World Cup, Superbowl and Olympics activations. More details in this SMDP report and This SaMoMirror report.

Council Passes Ordinance to Allow for New Series of Digital Signs Downtown: Downtown Santa Monica will soon host a bold new wave of illuminating signage that is sure to alter the downtown fabric. On Tuesday evening, the council voted to amend the Municipal Code and approve a new ordinance establishing a digital display district, which would permit digital installations to be approved by development agreement, in specified locations along the Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica Place. More details here.

Caroline Tororsis’ First Speech as Mayor of Santa Monica: Here is the video and transcript of her comments moments after her swearing in ceremony. "We are at a turning point as a city, not a crisis, but a moment where the choices we make will determine what kind of city we become for future generations. I am stepping into this role with a clear agenda and a clear philosophy, because leadership, to me, is about clarity and honesty. It’s about naming the challenges in front of us, choosing a direction and staying accountable for delivering solutions. It’s about progress that you can see and feel every day and measure over time, and it is about taking responsibility for our financial future. We will right the fiscal ship so that the city can meet not just this moment, but the moment 10 and 20 years from now."

New Proposals for City World Cup/Olympics Events Shows 2023-2024 Council Got it Right by Rejecting Beach Volleyball: This SaMo Next write-up details some of the plans the city is exploring for the Olympics and states that "with the benefit of hindsight, the council clearly made the right call by rejecting LA28’s proposal and not saddling its successors with the Olympics."

City Earns $50 Million State Grant for Affordable Housing at Former Site of Parking Structure 3: The 4th Street project is a proposed mixed-use, mixed-income development at 1318 4th Street, just one block from the popular Third Street Promenade in Downtown Santa Monica. The development is being led by EAH Housing on a site previously used as a city parking structure. Under plans approved by the city, the building will rise six stories and include 122 residential apartments—a mix of studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. 30+% to 80% of the area median income (AMI) households will qualify; among those, 50 units will be reserved as permanent supportive housing for individuals who are unhoused or at risk of homelessness. More details here.

Santa Monica College #1 in UC Transfers for 35 Consecutive Years: Santa Monica College (SMC) has maintained a streak as the No.1 transfer college to the University of California (UC) system for 35 straight years, per 2024-2025 transfer data released by the UC Information Center. SMC sent 995 students to UC campuses in the prior academic year. More details here.

UCLA Studies Reveal Extent of Air Quality Damage From Los Angeles, California Wildfires: The studies, published by UCLA Fielding School of Public Health researchers, examined both the devastating January 2025 Los Angeles County fires and the major 2018 blazes across California, providing crucial insights into wildfire smoke exposure as fire seasons continue to lengthen across the western United States. More details here.

Celebrate the Holiday Season Responsibly - National “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Enforcement Campaign Begins: The holiday season can be dangerous for people on the roads. In December 2023 alone, 1,038 people were killed in the U.S. in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. From December 12 through New Year’s Day, the Santa Monica Police Department will have additional officers on patrol looking for drivers suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. The high-visibility enforcement effort is part of a national campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, with the goal of stopping suspected impaired drivers who put others at risk. More details here.