𝗕𝗔𝗬𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗦 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗: Traci Park and Families Celebrate Venice Beach Rebuild

VENICE, CA — Saturday, October 25, 2025 — Councilwoman Traci Park joined residents, city staff, and families on Saturday morning for a ceremonial groundbreaking at Venice Beach, celebrating the start of construction on a new children’s playground near the Windward Avenue Police Substation. The new play space replaces the former Windward Plaza Children’s Playground, which was removed by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks in late 2024 after officials cited structural deterioration. The demolition caught some residents by surprise, prompting concerns over safety communication and the loss of a popular family gathering spot. Saturday’s groundbreaking marked the long-awaited beginning of its replacement — a Baywatch-themed playground designed in partnership with the Department of Recreation and Parks. Renderings displayed at the site show a bright, ocean-inspired design featuring a red lifeguard rescue boat, turquoise sailboat slide, surfboard climbing walls, and a pink octopus sculpture surrounded by blue wave-patterned play surfacing. “My team and I have worked very, very hard with the community and Rec and Parks to put together a design,” Park said. “We expect to have this park finished by the spring.” Families joined Park and her staff in shoveling the first mounds of sand, celebrating the project’s launch and the return of a long-missed playground to the heart of Venice Beach.

𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦: Santa Monica Police Join Dodgers Fans at Promenade World Series Pep Rally

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Thursday, October 23, 2025 — Downtown Santa Monica transformed into a sea of Dodger blue Thursday evening as hundreds of fans filled the 1300 block of the Third Street Promenade for the city’s first-ever “Catch the Blue Wave” Pep Rally — a high-spirited celebration cheering on the Los Angeles Dodgers as they head to the World Series. The event, hosted by Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. and the City of Santa Monica, brought together community members, first responders, and baseball legends in a show of civic pride and hometown energy. Former Dodgers Adrián González, Eric Karros, and Steve Garvey signed autographs, posed for selfies, and chatted with fans young and old — each representing a different chapter in the Dodgers’ storied history. Adding to the festive atmosphere, members of the Santa Monica Police Department and Santa Monica Fire Department joined in the celebration, proudly wearing blue Dodgers baseball caps. Officers and firefighters mingled with the crowd, taking photos with attendees and showing support for the team alongside the fans they serve. The Dodgers Bobble mascot was also a crowd favorite — dancing, posing for photos, and bringing smiles to fans throughout the evening. Children eagerly lined up for pictures, while families waved Dodger towels and joined in chants that echoed across the Promenade. At the heart of the rally stood an eight-foot-tall, 200-pound baseball, rolled into place earlier that day by Downtown Santa Monica crews. The massive baseball became a living monument to fan enthusiasm — covered in signatures, team slogans, and heartfelt messages wishing the Dodgers good luck in the World Series. Mayor Lana Negrete opened the rally by welcoming fans and thanking the Dodgers organization for inspiring unity across Los Angeles County. The event also featured live music, giveaways, a 360° photo booth, and a beer garden activation by Quickserve Entertainment. As twilight fell, the Santa Monica Pier illuminated in Dodger blue, symbolizing the city’s solidarity with the team’s championship run. The night ended with a final chorus of “Let’s Go Dodgers!” — a perfect close to an evening that blended nostalgia, community, and hope for another title in Los Angeles.

𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗩𝗘: Crews Roll 8-Foot Dodgers Baseball Down Promenade Ahead of Pep Rally

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Thursday, October 23, 2025 — Downtown Santa Monica crews were spotted rolling an eight-foot-tall, 200-pound baseball down the Third Street Promenade this afternoon, setting the stage for tonight’s “Catch the Blue Wave” Pep Rally in support of the Los Angeles Dodgers heading to the World Series. The oversized baseball, part of the official Dodgers Ball installation, will serve as a centerpiece for fans to sign and snap photos with during the two-hour celebration. The rally, hosted by Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. and the City of Santa Monica, runs from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on the 1300 block of the Promenade. Former Dodgers players Adrian Gonzalez, Eric Karros, and Steve Garvey are scheduled to make special appearances, signing autographs and taking photos with fans. The event will also feature the Dodgers Bobble mascot, live entertainment, giveaways, and a 360° fan photo booth to capture the “Blue Wave” spirit. The celebration marks the first time the Promenade has hosted a Dodgers-themed pep rally, transforming the heart of Santa Monica into a sea of blue ahead of the World Series opener.

𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗧 𝗖𝗟𝗢𝗖𝗞 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗪𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡: 2,000 Drones Light Up Santa Monica Sky in WNBA–Tissot Celebration

SANTA MONICA — Monday, October 20, 2025 — The skies above Santa Monica Beach illuminated in a dazzling display Monday night as 2,000 drones took flight in celebration of the new WNBA Shot Clock by Swiss watchmaker Tissot.

The choreographed drone show, produced by Sky Elements Drone Shows, transformed the night sky into a digital canvas above the Santa Monica Pier, featuring vivid animations and synchronized formations that paid tribute to basketball’s iconic countdown timer.

Tissot, the official timekeeper of the NBA since 2015 and the official watch of the WNBA, unveiled its latest precision innovation in partnership with the league. The event drew spectators along the beach and pier, many capturing the light show on phones as the drones formed symbols of the NBA and Tissot logos high above the Pacific.

The shot clock—introduced to the NBA in 1954 to curb stalling tactics and boost scoring—has become a defining feature of modern basketball. Today, the 24-second timer governs gameplay across professional and amateur leagues worldwide, serving as both a strategic element and a visual centerpiece of the sport.

Monday’s show not only celebrated the evolution of timekeeping in basketball but also highlighted the fusion of sports, technology, and artistry through aerial innovation.

𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗥𝗘𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗡: Union Members March from City Hall to Pier, Demand Rehire Rights for Rusty’s Workers

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Thursday, October 17, 2025 — Dozens of hospitality workers, community allies, and clergy rallied outside Santa Monica City Hall, calling on city leaders to pass a Right of Recall Ordinance aimed at reinstating laid-off employees from the former Rusty’s Surf Ranch on the Santa Monica Pier.

Organized by UNITE HERE Local 11, participants gathered on the City Hall steps dressed in red union T-shirts and holding picket signs that read “Rusty’s Workers Deserve a Homecoming.” The demonstration began at 4 p.m. with a petition delivery to city officials, including City Manager Oliver Chi, before the group marched through downtown Santa Monica toward the Pier.

By late afternoon, supporters picketed near the shuttered Rusty’s location as the city hosted its “Homecoming” festivities, urging officials to ensure that future businesses operating on public land give priority rehiring opportunities to former workers.

Organizers said the proposed ordinance would mirror similar Right of Recall measures already adopted in Los Angeles and Pasadena to protect hospitality workers from displacement following business closures.

UNITE HERE Local 11, which represents more than 32,000 hospitality workers across Southern California and Arizona, stated that Santa Monica’s “Homecoming” celebration would not be complete without welcoming back the longtime Rusty’s employees who helped define the Pier’s legacy.

Santa Monica Closeup documented the rally, march, and picket line as part of its ongoing coverage of community events, public demonstrations, and local government action across the Westside.

𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗞𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗦 𝗢𝗡 𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗘 𝟲𝟲: Ford Model A Drivers Conclude the Mother Road at the Santa Monica Pier

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Monday, October 13, 2025 — Eight vintage Ford Model A cars rolled onto the Santa Monica Pier, marking the completion of a three-week cross-country road trip along the historic Route 66 — known as “The Mother Road.” Spectators gathered along the Pier to admire the gleaming classics, snap photos and selfies, and chat with the proud drivers who had navigated the 2,448-mile route from Chicago to the Pacific.

The Ford Model A, produced between 1927 and 1931, represented the second major success for the Ford Motor Company following the legendary Model T. The vehicles featured an improved engine, modern controls, and a variety of body styles that helped usher in a new era of American automotive design.

The coast-to-coast convoy was chronicled in a dedicated travel blog, Route 66 Model A 2025, which documents the cars’ journey through eight states, showcasing small-town Americana, roadside diners, and iconic landmarks along the way.

𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗧: Bocce League Brings Life Back to the Palisades After Devastating Fire

PACIFIC PALISADES, CA — Thursday, October 9, 2025 — On a warm, sunlit afternoon, the courts at Veterans Gardens once again came alive as members of the Palisades Bocce Club gathered for a spirited evening of friendly competition and laughter. The sound of rolling bocce balls and cheers from teammates marked a moment of joy and renewal in a town still healing from the devastation of the Palisades Fire earlier this year.

The Palisades Fire, which ignited on January 7, 2025, rapidly expanded amid extreme drought and hurricane-force Santa Ana winds. The blaze scorched 23,448 acres, destroyed 6,837 structures, and displaced over 100,000 residents before firefighters finally contained it on January 31, 2025. The disaster left deep physical and emotional scars across the community — including the loss of much of the Palisades Village, once the heart of local life.

Nine months later, scenes like Thursday’s gathering at Veterans Gardens signal a return of the human spirit. With the sun setting behind the Santa Monica Mountains and the ocean breeze drifting inland, dozens of players — from their twenties to their seventies — competed, laughed, and reconnected in the park’s welcoming atmosphere.

“This has everything to do with creating belonging and creating community,” said Jimmy Dunne, co-founder of the Palisades Bocce Club. “When this town needs it more than ever, it’s about buddies getting together — the Sweet Peas, the Killer Peas, the Chai Rollers, the Sunset Patriots — they love to come out, play, and celebrate being Palisadians.”

Once a neglected section of Palisades Park, Veterans Gardens was reborn through community effort and local donations, transforming a barren patch of ground into a lush gathering space. Conceived by residents including Dunne and Bill McGregor, the Gardens symbolize the Palisades’ enduring commitment to unity and resilience.

Since its founding, nearly a thousand residents have participated in the bocce leagues, which now feature multiple divisions such as the Dolphin League on Tuesday mornings and the Sunset League on Wednesday evenings. The games have sparked friendships that stretch far beyond the courts — from neighborhood dinners to Palm Springs getaways.

“The beauty of it,” Dunne added, “is that many of these teams started as strangers. Now they’re cheering for each other, going out to eat, celebrating birthdays, and traveling together. That’s what belonging looks like.”

Beyond the competition, Veterans Gardens has become a central gathering place for the community — hosting picnics, family celebrations, and quiet afternoons under the shade of newly planted trees. Dunne calls it “a garden that is a mirror of who we were, who we are, and who we dream to become.”

For many in the Palisades, the revival of activity at Veterans Gardens represents more than just recreation. It’s a sign of renewal — proof that after tragedy, the bonds of community continue to grow stronger.

Residents interested in joining future bocce leagues or learning more about Veterans Gardens can visit www.veteransgardens.com.