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Tuesday night the Santa Monica City Council has given the green light for a new video surveillance system at the 3rd Street Promenade and the Santa Monica Pier. City officials say they decided on the plan after suspicious people took pictures of some of the facilities there. "Some men were videotaping in a manner that was inconsistent with tourist photography. They were photographing access roads and security structures," said Chief James Butts with the Santa Monica Police Department. The system will go online as soon as the cameras and recording system are installed.

The city of Santa Monica, Calif., is in trouble with environmentalists for the way they eradicated their squirrel population: An unannounced, weekend fumigation of the animals' burrows under Palisades Park. City officials had debated the rodent overpopulation issue for more than a year, trying to find a solution which involved neither poison nor pain, reports KCBS-TV's Jennifer Sabih.

Santa Monica - A radio host and Hollywood music consultant was released on $1 million bail after being arrested at a nightclub for investigation of drugging and attempting to kidnap a 14-year-old girl, police said Sunday. Chris Douridas, a KCRW-FM disk jockey, was arrested Jan. 6 outside a Santa Monica nightclub after witnesses reportedly saw him put a substance in the unidentified girl's drink and carry her out of the club, said Santa Monica police Sergeant Jay Trisler. The girl became ill and was treated at a local hospital before being released, Trisler said. It was unclear why she was...

Reports of a second quake in Santa Monica

Santa Monica Police Chief James T. Butts Jr. met with reporters this week and declared a potential homeland security threat. Police received a call last month from a citizen who had taken photos of "Middle Eastern individuals" as they shot video of the Santa Monica Pier and surrounding area in a manner that authorities said was "inconsistent with tourist documentary." ... (Councilman Herb Katz) said the three photos Butts showed the council during the closed session meeting left him with concerns. "There were three people taking pictures on a pier that's a tourist attraction," he said. "They were going under...

SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- Three individuals who were seen videotaping the Santa Monica pier in a suspicious manner have been identified and were seen videotaping in other communities, police said Thursday. The investigation began on July 22, when a member of the public who had taken still photographs of the three contacted the Santa Monica Police Department, according to Santa Monica Police Lt. Frank Fabrega. The individuals have been identified, Fabrega said. Police offered no other details other than to say that the department will take additional steps to increase police visibility throughout the city, including the pier and the...

SANTA MONICA — Santa Monica police say about 2000 people have been evacuated from the Santa Monica Place mall after a report of a suspicious package. Lieutenant Frank Fabrega says the unidentified package was found in the Robinsons-May department store in the mall at about 4:30 pm.Monday. Fabrega says a bomb squad was called to investigate. Some streets in the area were closed to traffic.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday dismissed the jeers and catcalls directed at him during a college commencement speech earlier this week, saying the protesters were inspired by unions who oppose his November special election. Schwarzenegger said he thought most of the 600 graduates at Santa Monica College were attentive and respectful Tuesday. "So these were all union people that were organizing this demonstration," he said on Fox's "The O'Reilly Factor." "It was not the students that were protesting. The students had great respect and they enjoyed my speech."

Schwarzenegger college speech draws boos in Calif. Wed Jun 15, 2005 12:41 AM ET By Gina Keating and Jim Christie SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Reuters) - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger faced down booing, jeering protesters on Tuesday as he delivered a commencement address at his alma mater, where tuition has risen as a result of his budget cuts. Only a handful of graduates and faculty stood and turned their backs to the stage, but spectators in the bleachers at Santa Monica Community College's stadium kept up a steady and distracting patter of chants and whistles as Schwarzenegger, dressed in a black...

WONDERFUL NEWS! The forces of Darkness which had threatened to DISRUPT the graduation ceremonies and PREVENT Governor Schwarzenegger from delivering the commencement address atSANTA MONICA COLLEGE next Tuesday (6/14) and prevent the People of California from voting in a Special Election this November have FAILED, and their rally plans are now self-destructing. :o) Meanwhile, the "GOOD Guys" (that would be US!)are getting STRONGER every day! Please JOIN US at 4 pm, near at 16th and Pico, and help promote our POSITIVE message: "SUPPORT ARNOLD:LET THE PEOPLE VOTE!" Here is the CURRENT schedule of events, which is subject to chaange:4:00...

Years before making "The Terminator," Arnold Schwarzenegger was a young Austrian bodybuilder hitting the books at Santa Monica College, hungry to become a success. But the celebrity governor's plan to return to his alma mater next week to deliver a commencement address is turning into something less than a homecoming celebration. A faculty group declared that Schwarzenegger "threatened academic freedom." The Board of Trustees was asked to rescind the invitation. And protests that could attract hundreds of people from on and off campus are being organized around the governor's scheduled appearance on June 14.

TUESDAY, June 14 - 4 pm to 7 pm - on 16th, near Pico Blvd. x SUPPORT THE GRADUATES! - - - PROTECT THEIR EVENT! HELP US TO DEFEND SANTA MONICA COLLEGE GRADUATION CEREMONY from DISRUPTION by A.N.S.W.E.R.'s protest against GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER SMC (Class of 1974) alumnus - SPEAKING at Graduation, and against the PEOPLE of California -- VOTING in the November SPECIAL ELECTION. Please JOIN US -- on TUESDAY (6/14) -- from 4 pm to 7 pm, ---> on 16th Street, south of Pico Blvd., in Santa Monica. <--- Help us counter "A.N.S.W.E.R." with QUESTIONS. Calm down...

. Posted on Sun, Jun. 05, 2005 For governor, criticism drowns out adoring screams By Tom Chorneau ASSOCIATED PRESSSACRAMENTO - During California's recall campaign and through much of his first year in office, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's public appearances had the feel of a Hollywood premiere, marked by packs of adoring fans clamoring to see the megastar-turned-political phenom. Typical of the adulation was a rally at the state Capitol on the last day of the 2003 recall campaign, when Schwarzenegger stood beside Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider and faked playing guitar before hundreds of screaming supporters. These days, Schwarzenegger's public reception...

Corsair - News Issue: 5/25/05 Gov.'s Grad Speech DebatedBy Candis Welch Students and faculty members of Santa Monica College gathered Thursday in a heated debate on whether California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is a good choice for the 2005 Commencement speaker. Schwarzenegger, an SMC alumnus, will speak at this year's graduation on June 14. This has elicited a strong reaction from both sides of the issue, and some are concerned that activists are planning to disrupt graduation. Tempers flared as each side strongly debated the issue in LA 115. Media Credit: Marie-noel Jauffret At Santa Monica College last thursday, Tom...

Greetings all! My name is Tom Oster and I am the president of Santa Monica College Republicans. This year, we have been fortunate enough to get Governor Schwarzenegger to come to speak at our graduation commencement on June 14th. At the moment, however, Gov. Schwarzenegger is, as most of you probably know, being relentlessly pursued and hounded throughout the state by far-left groups, unions and other assorted characters. Faculty and staff on our campus, leftist on-campus groups and outside organizations are coordinating to protest and disrupt our graduation. We mean to oppose them and stand in support of our own...

LOS ANGELES Soka University of America has sold its 588-acre land in the Santa Monica Mountains to the state for 35 (m) million dollars. The land is expected to become public park land consisting of nature trails. It also will house the headquarters for the Santa Monica State Recreation Area and a national park visitors' center. The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy will own and oversee most of the land once it's turned over to the state in three years. Under terms of the deal, the university will lease the land until current students graduate. Joseph Edmiston, conservancy executive director, says...

Cell Phone Virus Strikes Santa MonicaBy Olin Ericksen Staff WriterFebruary 23 -- Santa Monica has become the U.S. port of entry for the first virus capable of spreading over mobile phone networks, according to security experts. The so-called Cabir virus, developed in a test-tube type setting months ago, infected a pair of wireless phones on display at a Santa Monica retail shop, it was announced over the weekend by F-Secure, a virus protection company. Now the virus may be on the loose in Santa Monica, since anyone with a phone that uses "Bluetooth" frequency and a Symbian operating platform, may...

Ok, tonight I was at Barnes&Nobles with a couple of my classmates. We were sitting in the coffee shop reading Unte Reader with all the other Leftists (kidding!) Anyways, this guy walks in, and immediately my spidey sense starts to tingle. He kinda walks around the coffee shop and looks around a bit and then leaves - I was of course eyeing him the whole time. About 5 minutes later him comes in again. This time he draws out of his pants pocket a small white plastic spray bottle and starts spraying it around the room - trying to be...

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) - Bobby Shriver took office Tuesday as a Santa Monica city councilman, carrying on his famous family's political legacy. Shriver, the nephew of President John F. Kennedy and brother of Maria Shriver, wife of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, said during a swearing in ceremony he would focus on helping the homeless during his term. "It feels good," he said afterward. "But I still have a responsibility. I'm very determined to do what I told the people I would do." The 50-year-old lawyer said he wants to establish a sobering facility in the city as well as a...

LOS ANGELES, CA – The liars at MTV are using the airwaves to brainwash America’s youth. As a result, the California College Republicans (CCR) scheduled a protest of MTV to confront MTV/Rock the Vote for using the draft to scare young voters. We now see why they chose the fear factor: to elect the Democrat nominee for President to office. MTV/Rock the Vote called CCR Chairman Michael P. Davidson to deny any association with Rock the Vote’s draft scare tactics. When asked who the person calling was, they would not give a name. The number from which they called (212-846-2609)...