How a speeding ticket can be worse than killing someone with your car in California
By Robert Lewis and Lauren Hepler, CalMatters Allison Lyman stands at a table honoring her son Connor, who was killed in a traffic collision before the start of a candlelight…
House purchase prompts protests at School District
The Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District is considering the purchase of a single family home adjacent to Franklin Elementary School and while the school would like to incorporate the…
A DEVELOPING STORY – EPISODE 6: THE CRYSTAL BALL
Episode Notes As California’s current high-speed rail fiasco attests, big and ambitious public projects are hard. California’s biggest project of all is housing development. Will it suffer the same fate?…
Santa Monica Approves Partnership for Major Events Leading to 2028 Olympics
The Santa Monica City Council unanimously approved agreements Tuesday to transform the city’s beachfront into a hub for major entertainment events over the next three years, capitalizing on a wave…
A DEVELOPING STORY – EPISODE 5: THREE PROJECTS
Episode Notes Santa Monica, like much of Los Angeles County, is a city dominated by neighborhoods of low-density, single-family homes. But low density has played a role in California’s housing…
Newsletter: Dec 18, 2025
Yesterday afternoon we launched our new SMDP.com website and newsletter! Please pardon the dust and glitches. More to come.. FIRST UP House purchase prompts protests at School District The Santa…
Rob Reiner’s son Nick appears in court on 2 counts of murder in killing of his parents
Rob Reiner’s son Nick Reiner made his first court appearance Wednesday in Los Angeles on two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of his parents. The 32-year-old did not…
Christmas Week Food and Events
SMDP’s Weekly Guide to Food & Entertainment Goings-On In & Around Town includes Sandy Candy Cane Lane at the Pier, Christmas restaurant offerings, and much more! Country Christmas at The…
John Adams Middle School Student Receives ACSA Regional Award
John Adams Middle School student Andrew Lee has been selected as the Association of California School Administrators Region 14 honoree for the 2025-26 Every Student Succeeding Award. The distinction celebrates…
Keep the airport open
As a retired Real Estate professional with four decades of experience on the Westside in Lending, Appraisals, and Property Management, I am 100% in agreement with the December 15 letter…