Money might be able to buy you a house in Malibu, but it can't (well...shouldn't) buy you out of legal contracts. Coastal resident Lisette Ackerberg learned this the hard way, reports the Sacramento Bee. Ackerberg reportedly wanted access to the beach near her property closed off to the public. more ›

A ban on smoking on residential balconies and porches in Santa Monica goes into effect today, reports the Argonaut. Part of tightened local laws regarding second-hand smoke, Ordinance 2318, adopted last month, bans people from lighting up on "all private balconies, patios, porches, and decks within [a] 25-foot radius [around all doors, windows, and vents] and also covers areas on neighboring properties" also within 25 feet of doors, windows, and vents. more ›

Wearing a symbol of your crime on your chest for all to see is at least as old a punishment as Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter, and this old school-style discipline is making a comeback. more ›

Councilman Bill Rosendahl played to the cycling community last week when he announced that he was convening a Community Forum to address issues raised in the aftermath of the Mandeville Canyon "road rage" incident of July 4th. more ›