Category: Opinion

By Tim Tunks A drive down Main Street in Santa Monica looks a lot better now that the sad, beat-up cement K-rails lining the roadway have a fresh coat of blue paint and some long-awaited ‘Art Elves’ are sitting in the bike lanes applying their colorful thematic decoration to several of them. But I’m afraid it will take a lot more than fresh paint to prevent disastrous business losses from which many won’t recover. All outdoor dining is now shut down until four days before Christmas at the earliest. The still-functioning eateries have perfected their takeout operations, so with a...

LAPD Wives Support Black Lives is a platform for wives and families of LAPD officers By Lisa Pamphilon I am the mother of a biracial young adult. The genesis of LAPD Wives Support Black Lives surfaced out of concern for my family, my husband and the societal stigma that police officers face because of police violence. I have faith that there are many police officers within the Los Angeles Police Department that do have concerns and believe Black Lives Matter, but their voices are thwarted due to the lack of support from fellow officers for the police officers and...

Finding solutions for staying connected during the holidays By Marcel Gemme As the holidays approach, many of us already know what we’re doing for Thanksgiving. Or better yet, what we’re not doing. Since COVID-19 hit, life has been different. One of the most noticeable ways is in the lack of closeness with others. Often, these are loved ones like our parents and grandparents. When this whole thing began, the sacrifices were sudden. But so was the panic, so it felt warranted. Sadly, despite hospitalizations and deaths rising, that sense of urgency is gone for many. Record-breaking day after record-breaking day,...

The plan for Ballona is the only means to accomplish all goals set for Ballona By Dr. David W. Kay Contrary to allegations made in Opinion (Nov. 11 Argonaut, “Gov. Newsom Shouldn’t Bulldoze LA’s Ballona Wetlands”), the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s plan for Ballona is the only means to accomplish all of the goals set for Ballona after 20 years and counting of expert studies, exhaustive stakeholder engagement and public dialogue. Any other choice falls short and is settling for half a loaf. The opponents brand bulldozers as villains, conveniently omitting that large-scale earthmoving has been the...