Westside Current
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The Venice Current is an independent media organization that was founded on a mission to create a more informed public in the Venice community.
Our team is dedicated to digging deep into important issues, shining a light on abuses of power and betrayals of public trust by our city and neighborhood leaders. The Venice Current was founded by Jamie Paige with the belief that journalism is an important part of every community.
Our journalists are dedicated to exposing corruption, informing the public about complex issues, and using the power of journalism to create reform.
We also feel it’s important to cover different cultures that makes Venice the free- spirited, gritty, colorful community that so many of us have come to love. Source
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| Scope | Local |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Country | United States of America |
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Recent Articles
Search ArticlesFire Risks At Malibu Library Drive Broader RV Parking Enforcement Push
MALIBU — A proposed Malibu parking crackdown that began with fire-safety concerns at the Malibu Library and city parks is now headed back to the drawing board—with a much broader reach. The City Council voted unanimously Aug. 24 to postpone action on Ordinance 538 and direct city staff to rewrite it to cover public and private parking lots within Malibu that are open to the public. The proposal originally focused on the Malibu Library lot, Malibu Bluffs Park and Las Flores Park.
Digital Displays Begin Taking Shape Along Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade
SANTA MONICA — Construction has begun on Santa Monica’s controversial digital billboard program, which could put as many as 16 screens of up to 1,000 square feet around the Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica Place. Crews are installing frames and electrical equipment at prominent downtown intersections, according to the Santa Monica Daily Press.
Early Santa Monica SB 79 Proposal Calls for Five Townhomes, No Affordable Units
SANTA MONICA — California’s new transit-housing law has arrived in Santa Monica with a five-townhome proposal that includes no affordable units. The project would replace a 1949 single-family home on a corner lot just north of Interstate 10, less than half a mile from the Metro E Line’s Bergamot Station. It appears to be one of the city’s first development applications under Senate Bill 79, the Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act. SB 79 took effect July 1.
Suspect Held on $1.1 Million Bail in Sherman Oaks Pavilions Stabbing
VALLEY CURRENT — A Pavilions employee was stabbed in the back during a late-night trash run at a Sherman Oaks grocery store, and police arrested a local man the following day. The attack happened around 10:55 p.m. Tuesday in the parking lot of the Pavilions at 14845 Ventura Blvd., about five blocks west of Van Nuys Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The employee was taken to a hospital with stable vital signs.
Man Identified After Fatal Santa Monica Police Shooting in Palisades Park
SANTA MONICA — A domestic violence call in Santa Monica ended with a man dead after police said he charged officers with a knife. Michael Rodriguez, 44, was shot once Aug. 22 near Palisades Park and later died in a hospital from a gunshot wound to the chest, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office. The shooting happened at 12:49 p.m. in the 1400 block of Ocean Avenue, across from The Georgian Hotel and between Broadway and Santa Monica Boulevard.
Council Votes to Repeal 1936 Law Banning Ball Games in Public Spaces
LOS ANGELES — A 90-year-old city law that threatened people with jail for playing catch is headed for repeal. The City Council voted 14-0 Tuesday to repeal Municipal Code Section 56.16, which banned ball games and other sports on public streets, sidewalks and in public parks except in areas designated for those activities. Violators could face a fine of up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail. Councilman Bob Blumenfield’s office found the ordinance in August 2025 and began pushing for its repeal.
Malibu Could Face Greater Coastal Erosion Risk as Strong El Niño Builds
MALIBU — Malibu’s erosion problems could worsen this winter as a powerful El Niño develops in the Pacific, a UCLA climate scientist warned. Daniel Swain, a UCLA climate scientist affiliated with the National Center for Atmospheric Research and The Nature Conservancy, said forecasts indicate the event could intensify beyond the strongest previously observed El Niños. Ocean temperatures in the eastern tropical Pacific are already the highest recorded for this time of year, he said.
Rustic Canyon Marks 20 Years With Guest Chef Dinner Series
SANTA MONICA — Rustic Canyon, a significant player in shaping the Los Angeles dining scene, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this October with a guest chef dinner series taking diners through the local institution’s different eras. On any given night you may find families celebrating a milestone, an older couple enjoying a casual date night, a young friend group catching up over drinks.
Student Homelessness Surges 30% Across County, Study Finds
LOS ANGELES — County schools saw a 30% increase in student homelessness between the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years, according to UCLA research. An estimated 61,249 L.A. County K-12 students experienced homelessness in 2023-24, UCLA researchers found. Homeless students had higher rates of chronic absenteeism and lower achievement in math and English, according to the analysis.
Mar Vista Gardens Opens New Learning Center for Kids and Teens
MAR VISTA — Young people living at Mar Vista Gardens now have a new place to get homework help, work with mentors, and access STEM, art, and career-focused programs. A new youth learning center opened Friday inside the Del Rey public housing community, bringing tutoring, books, STEM kits, digital learning tools and other after-school resources directly to children and teens who live there.