SAVE MONEY Supporting Santa Monica Buy Quality Used Instruments Support your community (310) 453-1928 1901 Santa Monica Blvd. in Santa Monica V www.santamonicamusic.com ote for Us! SaveTaxiTaxi.com THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2010 Volume 9 Issue 169 Santa Monica Daily Press BIG APPLE CONFUSION SEE PAGE 5 We have you covered THE DID WE MENTION WE’RE ON TWITTER? ISSUE Details emerge in Samohi weapons case Documents reveal arrested student had potential target, contradicting official stance BY NICK TABOREK gun, handcuffs, rope and black face masks to with a district-wide bulletin, he assured tion by the district and Santa Monica Police Daily Press Staff Writer school, district officials claimed the students them there had been “no evidence of a plan Department had determined there was no had posed no threat to campus safety. to incite violence.” public safety threat. SMMUSD HDQTRS When two Santa Monica On April 9, when Santa Monica-Malibu The students, who have since been “Campus safety is our top priority and if High School students were arrested in Unifed School District Superintendent Tim expelled from the district, had merely been February for allegedly bringing daggers, a BB Cuneo notified parents about the incident fascinated with ninjas, he said; an investiga- SEE INVESTIGATION PAGE 7 Budget proposal avoids major cuts BY NICK TABOREK Daily Press Staff Writer CITY HALL Facing a $13.2 million general fund deficit, City Hall officials have proposed a spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year that they say will close the budget gap with- out substantial cuts to services and without layoffs or furlough days for employees. The budget proposal, which the City Council began reviewing at a public hearing Wednesday night, contains $8.1 million in SEE BUDGET PAGE 9 HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS ROUNDUP New Roads slug way to CIF quarter finals BY DANIEL ARCHULETA Managing Editor Brandon Wise [email protected] A BIT BETTER: Heal the Bay’s annual report card cites progress, but Santa Monica Pier is still among the most polluted beaches in the state. VALLEY VILLAGE New Roads’ baseball team is in the zone at the right time. The Jaguars routed Valley Torah, 17-1, in Pier ranked fifth most polluted beach in state the second round of the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section Division 7 playoffs on Tuesday, setting up a BY REBECCA KHEEL Overall, Los Angeles County showed sig- Slightly beyond the Santa Monica Pier game with crosstown inter-divisional rival Special to the Daily Press nificant improvement in beach water qual- at the beach near Strand Street, the water Pacifica Christian on Friday. ity during the dry-weather period of the is considered part of Heal the Bay’s “I don’t like playing close games,” New SM BEACH The Santa Monica Pier year in Heal the Bay’s annual ranking. But a “honor roll,” meaning that it meets 100 Roads sophomore Anthony Carrillo said. remained ranked as the fifth most polluted future lack of funding for water quality percent of the requirements of water “We should be beating any team in this beach in California in Heal the Bay’s 2009-10 monitoring from the state could threaten quality standards, which a quarter of tournament.” Beach Report Card, though a replaced storm continued improvement, said Mark Gold, monitored beaches do. The confident outfielder, who is also drain has contributed to a slight improve- the executive director of Santa Monica- ment in the quality of the water there. based Heal the Bay. SEE REPORT CARD PAGE 8 SEE ROUNDUP PAGE 9 LIST WITH KRONOVET, BECOME A FAN AND START PACKING! of IZZY’S DELI 310-829-9303 on FACEBOOK th Robert Kronovet is a California Association of Realtors Director. 1433 Wilshire Boulevard, at 15 Street [email protected] 310-394-1131 | OPEN 24 HOURS DRE # 01128992 (310) 452-1051 1526 Ocean Park Blvd. Calendar BUY LOCAL 2 THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2010 We have you covered 8 REASONS TO SHOP AT READERS 5TH GENERATION FINE JEWELERS · WE BUILD “LOYAL” RELATIONSHIPS NOT “JUST” PATRONS. · WE TREAT YOU LIKE OUR GUEST · YOU’LL LOVE OUR UNIQUE “USA MADE” DESIGNS AND COLLECTIONS · WE’RE CUSTOM DESIGNERS OF FINE JEWELRY · WE’RE A FULL-SERVICE FINE JEWELRY AND WATCH ESTABLISHMENT · WE PROVIDE LIFETIME “COMPLIMENTARY” MAINTENANCE FOR YOUR PURCHASES WITH US · WE SUPPORT LOCAL CHARITY ORGANIZATIONS (VISIT OUR WEBSITE) Thursday, May 27, 2010 · FOR EVERY $100 SPENT IN OUR STORE APPROXIMATELY $45 11th Annual Asian/Pacific Islander Celebration Santa Monica College GOES BACK TO OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY 1900 Pico Blvd., 7 p.m. This year’s program features anthropologist Tricia Allen, an author, We’ve become the personal Jeweler of many. researcher and tattoo artist who has travelled the Pacific extensively documenting the arts and dances of the islands, with a focus on tattoo It’s time we become yours. and body art traditions. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call (310) 434-4303. Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm The legend of ‘Fletch’ Aero Theatre 331 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica • 2 Hours Free Parking (Behind Store) 1328 Montana Ave., 7:30 p.m. Celebrate the 25th anniversary of the classic comedy “Fletch.” 310.451.1349 • www.readersjewelers.com Eddie Guerboian When confronted by a rich man who wants a heavy deed done in exchange GOLDSMITH – DESIGNER for $50,000, Los Angeles journalist Fletch (Chevy Chase) finds himself at the center of a hot story and a hilarious mystery. It is playing as a double feature with another classic comedy, “Vacation.” Skate art California Heritage Museum 2612 Main St., 11 a.m. — 4 p.m. “SKATEBOARD: Evolution and Art in California” shows how the design of skateboards evolved from their birth pre-1950 to the present. The show is guest curated by the legendary Z-boy Nathan Pratt and is the first exhibition of the California skate movement to be shown where it was born, in “Dog Town.” General admission cost $3, students and seniors cost $2, and children under 12 and members are free. For more information, call (310) 392-8537. Friday, May 28, 2010 Wicked Wilde Shakespeare Festival Miles Memorial Playhouse 1130 Lincoln Blvd., Various times Streamlined, gender-bending versions of classic plays are the name of the game in a five-week summer theater festival from the Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company. Longtime fans of the company's all-female explorations of classic texts will be intrigued to discover this festivals inclusion of male actors - although not always in the roles one might expect. For more information, call (310) 453-5069. Comedy night Morgan-Wixson Theatre Pico Boulevard at 27th Street, 8 p.m. — 10 p.m. Acclaimed playwright Christopher Durang presents two one-act comedies, “The Actor's Nightmare,” a spoof, and “Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You,” a satire. Tickets cost $18 or $15 for students and seniors. For more information, call (310) 828-7519. For more information on any of the events listed, log on to smdp.com and click the “Events” tab for the given day’s calendar. CORRECTION An article in Wednesday’s edition, (”Bobby Shriver selected mayor,” pg. 1) should have stated that Santa Monica Councilman Terry O’Day failed to cast the decisive vote for mayor at a council meeting on May 11. We are made in Santa Monica They are made in Los Angeles Vote for local! SaveTaxiTaxi.com Inside Scoop Visit us online at smdp.com THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2010 3 Settlement reached in Lincoln Place dispute BY KEVIN HERRERA reached earlier this month after 18 months where the company demolished 99 units in Editor in Chief of negotiations. 2003. In a bow to community sentiment, “This is a great day for tenants, for preser- AIMCO and city officials agreed that the ROSE AVE A contentious legal battle involv- vationists, for Venice, and for anyone con- height of the new buildings cannot exceed ing a rent-controlled apartment complex in cerned with fairness and justice,” Rosendahl 30 feet and AIMCO waives any right to a Venice that was built after World War II to said.“This day has been a long time coming.” density bonus. house veterans unable to find affordable Under terms of the agreement, AIMCO, First Deputy Mayor Austin Beutner said the housing has finally come to an end with the will: allow 83 evicted households to return construction projects will create 600-800 jobs. Los Angeles City Council’s approval to a rehabilitated Lincoln Place at pre-evic- Nearly all of the apartments have been Wednesday of a settlement that will return tion rental rates; establish a multi-million vacant for years because of legal entangle- scores of evicted tenants to their homes. dollar fund to compensate former tenants ments. The settlement “represents the Councilman Bill Rosendahl, whose dis- not returning to Lincoln Place; and restore largest-ever restoration of rent stabilized trict includes the complex, said the council 696 vacant apartments to market as rent- housing in the city's rental market,” Brandon Wise [email protected] ratified the agreement with AIMCO Venezia, controlled units. Rosendahl said. VICTORY: The Los Angeles City Council owner of the 38-acre Lincoln Place apart- AIMCO may also construct up to 99 new Tenants sued AIMCO for allegedly violat- approved a settlement that will allow residents ments, located just south of Santa Monica rental units with a clubhouse and other to return to Venice’s Lincoln Place apartments. near Rose Avenue. The settlement was recreational facilities on vacant property SEE SETTLEMENT PAGE 7 New program to offer in-home services to seniors living alone BY REBECCA KHEEL homes. Special to the Daily Press As the idea for villages spread across the country, Robin Davidson, the human servic- DOWNTOWN Harold Weiss first started vol- es administrator for City Hall and member unteering at WISE & Healthy Aging 25 years of the governing council of the Santa ago.