Artist Silvia Sanchez and the Quintana family install a Dia de los Muertos altar at the Santa Monica Pier Carousel on Sunday, October 31, 2021. The inaugural Dia de los Muertos celebration at the Santa Monica Pier will be on display through November 1st in the historic Carousel building. Together with @pyfcsantamonica , the joint event of reflection features an artistic altar dedicated to the lives of friends and family who have played an important role in the Santa Monica Pier Community, Cabeza de Vaca Ballet Folklorico dance performance, and an incredible lineup of speakers. The exhibit includes an art installation called "Letters of Life," where members of the community are asked to share their favorite Pier memories and anecdotes of family and friends who have passed. These memories will decorate the space via a digital murals that surround the historic Carousel, and will be displayed over the course of the celebration. October 30-31st, 11AM-7PM | November 1st, 11AM-6PM | "Letter's of Life" art installation October 31st, 11AM-7PM | November 1st, 11AM-6PM | Artistic Altar November 1st, 5PM-6PM | Program Celebration

Ian Bowen, dressed as Huell Howser for Halloween, gives us a tour of the Santa Monica Pier on Sunday, October 31, 2021.

Unpermitted street vendors breach security by rushing the secured entrance with more than a dozen food carts at the Santa Monica Pier on Saturday, October 30, 2021. Santa Monica Police Officers, with Santa Monica Code Enforcement Officers, Santa Monica Firefighters and a jailer were able to push the vendors off the pier and regain control. No citations were issues and no one was arrested. Allied Universal Private Security Guards guarded all Pier entrances to try and prevent unpermitted street vendors from entering the pier. The Santa Monica Pier has a worldwide identity. The City wants to preserve our decades old wooden Pier so it can be enjoyed for years to come. Because each unpermitted butane/propane cook-cart is a potential fire hazard for the Pier, the City’s Code Enforcement, the County Health Department, and the City’s Police Department periodically conduct educational and enforcement campaigns to help keep the Pier safe. This safety focus calls to eliminate all unpermitted carts, while addressing improper hot grease and trash disposal, and unsanitary food service conditions on and immediately adjacent to the Pier. A new emergency ordinance passed on August 24, 2021, which prohibits dumping of commercial trash in public receptacles, disposing of liquid waste in public spaces and in storm drains or on any street, sidewalk, bike path, public parking lot, public park, the beach, the Santa Monica Pier, or any public receptacle citywide, and the use of unpermitted combustible fuels on and around the Santa Monica Pier. Street vending is restricted on the Santa Monica Pier. All vendors need a City of Santa Monica business license and vending permit to sell any items in the City, and vendors selling food must also obtain and display a Los Angeles County Department of Public Health permit. As part of the City’s program, sidewalk vending is restricted in certain congested, high-traffic areas to protect public safety. This includes on and around the Pier, where all vending is prohibited except the City’s existing licensed vendor cart program, and the beach, Third Street Promenade, and Palisades Park, where stationary vending is not permitted. A new ordinance passed on August 24, 2021, prohibits any person from using any combustible fuel (including propane, butane, any other liquid gas, kerosene, steno, charcoal or wood) on the Pier (including the Pier Bridge) or within 25 feet of the Pier, for any purpose involving the fuel’s combustion including heating, lighting, or cooking without a permit from the Fire Marshal. Violations of the new ordinance may be handled as infractions, misdemeanors, or through issuance of administrative citations, in addition, combustible fuels used in violation of the new ordinance will be subject to impound by the Fire Marshal.

Highlights from the Heinz Halloween Pop-Up at Santa Monica Place on Friday, October 29, 2021. America’s Favorite Ketchup returns with HEINZ Tomato Blood Ketchup, new HEINZ Tomato Blood Costume Kit and first-ever HEINZ Halloween Store at the Santa Monica Place. For years, condiment lovers have used HEINZ Ketchup to add deliciously convincing “blood” to their Halloween celebrations. This Halloween, HEINZ is bringing the magic to the spookiest night of the year by unleashing HEINZ Tomato Blood Ketchup at national grocery stores, opening the first-ever HEINZ Halloween Store, and making it easy to design the perfect costume with the new HEINZ Tomato Blood Costume Kit. HEINZ is giving fans the full Halloween experience by opening its first-ever pop-up HEINZ Halloween Store. Los Angeles-area fans are invited to visit the store at Santa Monica Place where they can purchase HEINZ Halloween merch and start creating their costume using HEINZ Tomato Blood Ketchup at the store’s interactive “drip stations.” Fans can bring the Halloween spirit home with the new HEINZ Tomato Blood Costume Kit, which includes everything you need to change your look from day to fright, including HEINZ Tomato Blood Ketchup, face paint, tattoos, vampire fangs, applicators and more. Kits are on sale for $19.99 at HeinzHalloween.com, while supplies last. “There are few nights more magical than Halloween and for years HEINZ has helped people make memories by helping them transform into the spookiest versions of themselves,” said Ashleigh Gibson, Brand Director, HEINZ. “We believe that if you have HEINZ, you have a costume! This Halloween is no different and we’re looking forward to seeing the deliciously spooky looks people come up with using HEINZ Tomato Blood Ketchup.” Halloween fans across the country can join in on the delicious fun by sharing their costumes on social using #HeinzHalloween and tagging HEINZ on Instagram (@heinz) and Twitter (@HeinzTweets). POP UP HOURS SATURDAY, 10/30 - 10AM-8PM PST SUNDAY, 10/31 - 11AM-7PM PST

Youth Climate Actavists from Extinction Rebellion, along with 9 other youth organizations, demonstrate for the immediate end to funding new fossil fuel projects during a Climate Holloween Parade at the Third Street Promenade on Friday, October 29, 2021. Extinction Rebellion is an international movement that uses non-violent civil disobedience to achieve radical change in order to minimize the risk of human extinction and to compel government action to avoid tipping points in the climate system, biodiversity loss, and the risk of social and ecological collapse. Extinction Rebellion Los Angeles (XRLA) is a local cell of this international movement which has over 400 independent cells on five continents. #fossilfreefuture

Santa Monica Police Department Homeless Liaison (HLP) Officers enforce public camping and offer outreach at a homeless encampment at Santa Monica Beach on Thursday, October 28, 2021. The Santa Monica Police Department recognizes that members of the homeless community are often in need of special protection and services. SMPD is committed to addressing homeless issues through the utilization of a nationally recognized homeless engagement model. The major components of the Homeless Liaison Program (HLP) model include; Relationship Building, Networking, Outreach, Education and Enforcement.

The City of Santa Monica Swears-in Ramon Batista as the new Santa Monica Police Chief at City Hall on Monday, October 18, 2021. Ramon Batista is Santa Monica's 18th Chief of Police and the first Latino Police Chief. Chief Batista, a 35-year law enforcement leader, comes to Santa Monica from Mesa, Arizona’s third-largest city, where he served as police chief. Before that time, he spent 30 years rising through the ranks of the Tucson Police Department, including two years as assistant chief of police. “Chief Batista is a tenured law enforcement professional who built strong community relationships in both of the communities he has served with outstanding performance,” said City Manager David White. “We are certain he will do the same here in Santa Monica where strong relationships underpin community safety, trust, and collaboration.” As chief of the Mesa Police Department, Batista oversaw a budget of $188 million and 760 sworn and over 450 professional staff. During his tenure, Mesa’s Part 1 Crimes were at an all-time low of 23 events per 1,000 residents. A proponent of 21st Century Policing initiatives and community resiliency, Chief Batista led the implementation of a mental health crisis 911 diversion program whereby suicide calls to police were directed to crisis counselors. The ability to embed mental health technicians in the 911 call center is a milestone that police departments across the country are seeking to emulate. In addition, Chief Batista led the way in strengthening police-community relationships and trust. He launched a strategic plan for the department, which included enhancing diversity across ranks, focusing on internal and external communication, and de-escalation techniques that led to safer engagement between the community and the officers. “It is a tremendous honor to be selected as the next chief of police for the City of Santa Monica and to lead the Santa Monica Police Department into the next era of public safety,” said Chief Ramon Batista. “The Santa Monica Police Department has a history of honorable public service, collaboration, outreach, and community safety. I look forward to being a part of the team and serving our residents alongside them.” Batista began his career in Tucson in 1986 and over his 31-year career there, he served in diverse roles from patrol supervisor, traffic division/solo motors, training academy commander, public information office director, patrol division commander, SWAT division commander, and chief of staff. He rose to the rank of captain in 2011 before becoming assistant chief, first for the patrol bureau (2014 – 2016) followed by the investigative bureau (2016 – 2017) where he had oversight of all detectives and major criminal investigations, the crime lab, and the evidence section. Key accomplishments included identifying smart enforcement strategies and a multi-disciplinary approach focused on alternatives to imprisonment for lower-level violations to reduce recidivism and the high cost of incarceration. Chief Batista is married, and he and his wife have two children and one grandchild. They enjoy running, hiking, and all activities related to their family. His start date is Monday, October 18, 2021 with an annual salary of $298,788.