Santa Monica’s Tense Arrest and Campus Shifts | Venice Beach News

Venice Beach News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 9, 2026 · 1m

Santa Monica police safely subdued a man wielding a hatchet using a less-lethal launcher, avoiding gunfire—later transporting him to the hospital as the incident undergoes departmental review. Meanwhile, Santa Monica College stands to gain new state funding to tackle enrollment, inflation, and student support. A beloved local Montessori school is shutting down permanently this Friday, sparking backlash from parents upset by the sudden shift to a tech-driven, AI-focused model. On the city front, a major beauty brand opened its first West Coast boutique here, while Culver City debates a…