🔷 Public Safety and Pier Updates

🔷 National Night Out on Main Street
Thank you to everyone who joined us Tuesday evening. We gathered at 5:30 PM for a family-friendly night of free food, games, music, and hands-on demos with SMPD equipment. Many of you met our City Manager, City Council, and staff. This year's theme was SPORTS, and your team pride set the tone for a positive, collaborative night.

🔷 Safe & Clean + Pier coordination
On my Safe & Clean call with the Pier team, I shared four updates:

1. Pier Bridge replacement: The $29 million construction contract is slated for September award, with construction targeted to begin in 2026.

2. Night beach closures: My push to close beaches at night for safety has gained traction; the Coastal Commission has acknowledged the public-safety concerns and we're moving in the right direction.

3. Pier Substation visibility: We're working to increase police presence at and around the substation to deter crime and improve response.

4. 2026 music event: We're in early talks to bring a major festival-style concert to the Pier in 2026 and grow it into an iconic annual community tradition.

🎉 Community, Small Business, and City Spirit

🎉 Chez Jay Turns 66
We celebrated the 66th birthday of this Route 66 landmark. Chez Jay is part of our city's soul—quirky charm, famous peanuts, and decades of stories. Thank you to Chef Memo and Mike for keeping the magic alive. Supporting legacy businesses sustains our character and local jobs.

💪 DMN8 Day Community Fitness
I stopped by DMN8 Day to cheer on residents getting active together. Our parks are where health and community meet—thank you to the organizers for bringing people out to move and connect.

🌱 Markets, Families, and Resources

🌱 National Farmers Market Week
This week, both of our City-run markets were vibrant reminders of how food can anchor a community.

At the Downtown Santa Monica Market on Third Street Promenade (Wednesday, 8:30 AM–1 PM), familiar faces mixed with first-time visitors as chefs, families, and neighbors browsed seasonal produce, artisanal goods, and fresh flowers.

At Virginia Avenue Park (Saturday, 8:30 AM–1 PM), the market took on a distinctly neighborhood feel, with children enjoying free backpacks, hands-on activities, and rock climbing, while parents connected with resource providers like the Community Resource Center LA. The mix of local farmers, small businesses, and community services turned the market into more than a shopping trip—it became a hub for connection, wellness, and mutual support.

Thank you for showing up to sustain the growers, makers, and service providers who invest in Santa Monica week after week. Each purchase and conversation strengthens the economic and social fabric of our city.

🛡️ How to Plug In

🛡️ Public safety feedback: Share what you're seeing around the Pier, the Promenade, and neighborhood corridors so we can target enforcement and services where they're most needed.

🫶 Support local: Visit legacy spots like Chez Jay and shop our markets; every purchase helps workers and keeps dollars in Santa Monica.