S A N TA M O N I C A
REFLECTING THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY smmirror.com
May 5 - May 11, 2023 Volume CXCII, Issue 193
INSIDE
Breadblok Shuts Down, Citing Financial Struggles During Pandemic PAGE 4
Santa Monica Taps Texas Firm To Prevent Future Child Abuse The city of Santa Monica is using the guidance and recommendation of an Arlington, TX-based firm to prevent future child abuse following a settlement to 124 people who allegedly suffered sexual abuse from a former city employee. “The City of Santa Monica has demonstrated our vigilance in protecting youth by implementing best practices and strict policies across City programs, including creating a Child Protection Committee and establishing a Child Protection Officer to oversee implementation of child abuse prevention measures, as recommended by Praesidium, Inc.” Delana G. Gbenekama, acting public information officer of Santa Monica, said in an email. Praesidium is an expert in abuse prevention that advises organizations on preventing sexual abuse of children. It serves as the Child Protection Officer and works in concert with the Child Protection Committee for Santa Monica. The CPC is a multi-department committee that includes representatives from city departments such as the city manager’s office, the city attorney’s office, the Santa Monica Public Library, and the community services, finance, human resources and police departments. Santa Monica has already taken actions based on recommendations from the CPO
and the CPC, such as hiring a new volunteer coordinator to monitor and oversee recruitment and training of volunteers across city programs, Gbenekama said. The move comes after Santa Monica agreed to pay almost $230 million over the actions of Eric Uller, who volunteered
with the Police Activities League. Uller allegedly abused young boys starting in the late 1980s. In 2018, he committed suicide before he stood trial. “My heart goes out to the victims who have experienced so much pain and heartbreak,” Mayor Gleam Davis previously said in a
news release. “The settlement is the City’s best effort to address the suffering of the victims in a responsible way, while also acknowledging that the harm done to the victims cannot be undone.”
A Fatal Crash Involving Two Vehicles on PCH Leaves One Dead and Several Injured A tragic collision occurred on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) on Saturday, April 29 at 3:10 p.m., resulting in one fatality and multiple injuries. According to Santa Monica Police Department spokesperson Office of the Chief of Police, Lieutenant Erika R. Aklufi, a Toyota Camry heading southbound and a Hyundai heading northbound were involved in the accident. The Camry crashed into the passenger side of the Hyundai as it was turning left into Beach Lot 4 North. All ten occupants of both vehicles were rushed to UCLA Westwood with varying degrees of injuries,
ranging from minor scrapes and bruises to broken bones. Sadly, one of the backseat passengers of the Hyundai sustained a major leg injury and later passed away at the hospital. The cause of the collision is still under investigation, and authorities are looking into whether drugs or alcohol played a role. The driver of the Toyota remains in critical but stable condition for a chest injury. The passenger from the Toyota and the occupants of the Hyundai were admitted overnight for non-life-threatening injuries.