Santa Monica Observer

05/30/2026

Cougar with 9 Lives Captured by Santa Monica Police North of Montana, After 8 Hour Pursuit

The Cat's surprisingly calm demeanor allowed him to run up and down the alley all day, evading police like a robbery suspect. But in the end a tranquilizer dart allowed him to be removed from populated, pricey parts of Santa Monica.

On Friday, May 29, 2026, a mountain lion — popularly known as a cougar — made a dramatic appearance in a quiet residential neighborhood north of Montana Avenue on 14th Street in Santa Monica. What began as an evasion saga, with the elusive big cat slipping through initial containment efforts, en...

05/29/2026

Mountain Lion Sighting Closes 700 Block of 14th Street in Santa Monica
"There's a mountain lion in my back yard! And it's gorgeous!" one local woman posted on Next Door.

Local residents reported seeing a mountain lion in a residential neighborhood North of Montana Avenue on 14th Street in Santa Monica on Friday. Santa Monica Police confirmed the Mountain lion sighting, as police animal control attempted to corner the big cat. They said there were no injuries and tha...

05/22/2026

So much sadness in just one year for Kat Timpf

05/18/2026

Kidnapping and chase starts in Santa Monica, ends in Vermont Knolls neighborhood.

LOS ANGELES - A suspect wanted in connection with a kidnapping investigation in Santa Monica was arrested early Monday morning, May 18, 2026, following a vehicle pursuit that ended with an officer-involved shooting in South Los Angeles, authorities said. No one was injured. According to the Santa Mo...

05/16/2026

In Half Square Mile of Santa Monica, 8 Bodies of Homeless People Have been Found in the last 4 Weeks
In this area is one of LA County's "HARM REDUCTION SITES," where free needles and crack pipes are handed out to addicts.

Santa Monica, CA - Local authorities have responded to multiple incidents involving deceased homeless individuals in a half mile square area of Santa Monica over recent weeks, highlighting persistent challenges with homelessness, substance abuse, and public safety in the coastal city. According to c...

05/16/2026

Decomposed Body Discovered in Homeless Encampment Under California Incline in Santa Monica. Derrick Townsend, who is running for Santa Monica City Council in the 2026 election, said he and his dog Frank discovered the remains while walking in the area. First hand account.

(May 16, 2026) - A decomposed body was found Saturday morning in a homeless encampment beneath the California Incline near Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), according to local resident and City Council candidate Derrick Townsend. Townsend, who is running for Santa Monica City Council in the 2026 election...

05/08/2026

Santa Monica High School on Lockdown Following Bomb Threat During AP Exams

No injuries reported and the principal has sent a message home to parents to explain lockdown to Samohi community.

Santa Monica, Calif. - Santa Monica High School (Samohi) was placed on lockdown Friday amid a bomb threat reported during Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to initial reports from students and local sources on social media. The incident occurred as students were taking exams on campus. School...

04/27/2026

Delaying Instrumental Music in SMMUSD: A Step Backward for Santa Monica Students

New VAPA plan forces 4th graders into mandatory choir only, cuts teaching positions, and raises questions about proper use of Measure R and Proposition 28 funds.

I am writing to bring your attention to a controversial new plan for the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) music program, set for deployment in Fall 2026. Proposed by the new VAPA Coordinator, Jim Wang, this plan threatens to significantly delay instrumental music education and ma...

04/26/2026

Cole Thomas Allen, 31, is a teacher at the C2 Education Center in Torrance CA. He was named "Teacher of the Month" in 2024, and also donated $25 to Kamala Harris that year. He charged the security at the White House Correspondent's Dinner, shooting one security agent who is stable at the hospital.

Social media has been flooded with speculation and early identifications of the shooter since the incident late Saturday night. Current Status (as of April 26-27, 2026)The shooter has been widely identified across news outlets and social platforms as Cole Tomas Allen (also referred to as Cole Thomas...

04/25/2026

The feline felon, which staff have informally nicknamed in internal records despite its unofficial status, sneaks into the tiger's habitat three or four times a week. Security cameras capture the moment it materializes beside the tray of raw meat just as the 650-pound tiger finishes eating and dozes off. The cat then helps itself calmly, as if doing the massive predator a favor by cleaning up leftovers.

Mexico City - For four months, caretakers at Mexico City's iconic Chapultepec Zoo have been locked in a losing battle against a tiny but audacious intruder: a 4kg orange domestic cat that has turned a Bengal tiger's enclosure into its personal all-you-can-eat buffet. The feline felon, which staff ha...