Local Briefs

SM Named Drunkest City in State

Santa Monica has been named the 'Drunkest City in California' according to RoadSnacks.net

"It wasn't even close. It was Santa Monica by a landslide and then everyone else below," the site comments.

The site explains that "drunk related tweets"covered hashtags like: "#Drunk, #Party, #Beer, #Wine and #Cocktails.”

Santa Barbara followed Santa Monica as second drunkest city. Napa was third, Pasadena 4th, and the State Capitol Sacramento fifth. Newport Beach was 6th, followed by Oakland 7th. Livermore, San Mateo and El Cajon rounded out the top ten.

LAPD Investigates Body Found in Venice

10/10: LAPD Homicide detectives were called to the Venice Pier Saturday morning after a jogger noticed a man’s body nearby in the ocean water, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reported.

The body was found around 8:12 a.m. in the area of Ocean Front Walk and 30th Street.

“A jogger sees what appears to be a body tumbling in the ocean water in the 3000 block of Ocean Front Walk, Venice,” sheriff’s officials said in a news release.

The jogger called 911 and first responders pulled the body out of the water and onto the beach.

The man, whose name was not released, is described as being in his 30s. He may have been homeless, though detectives were not sure.

Detectives said it has not yet been determined how the man’s body got into the water or how long it was in ocean.

The cause of death will be determined by the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office due to the body being in “advance decomposition,” officials said.

No other information was released.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.

Homeless in Reed Park Multiply

Not long after the sun goes up, says FoxLA News, more and more blankets, backpacks, and sleeping bags come out a Christine Emerson Reed Park in Santa Monica.

"There is a group of homeless that come here," Brittany Lombari told a reporter, as she walked her dog nearby. "I feel like they think it's a safe place to be."

"It's gotten worse in the past year, year and a half," added Rubin Lopez, who works nearby.

Both said they don't fear for their safety, but Lopez admits a homeless man just tried breaking into his car last week.

"I said, "Dude, what are you doing in my car?'" Lopez said. "He said I'm cold, I'm just trying to get somewhere to stay." However, Lopez said the man was going through his glove compartment at the same time.

Other residents voice safety concerns after reports that a man exposed himself to a young boy in the park over the summer, and that two transients had sex in the bathroom just days ago.

"There are justifiable complaints," admitted a transient who didn't want to share his name. "There are justifiable complaints and some of these homeless people will tell you that."

However, he said most in the area, are law abiding. He said at the crux of the issue, there needs to be better understanding that not all homeless are the same.

"The community and us need to get together and talk," he said.

He also thinks part of the reason for the increase of transients in Santa Monica is due to the Metro Expo Line that transports from Los Angeles. But he added that he likes Santa Monica, and has no intentions of leaving.