In Brief


Arnold to Venice: “Never heard of it”

Arnold Schwarzenegger is not very popular with Venetians. We gave him only 26 percent of the vote in the gubernatorial election in November.

Apparently, the feeling is mutual. In a Jan. 26 article in the L.A. Times (Bodybuilding governor feels the unforgiving weight of time), Schwarzenegger moved the location of the World Gym (in his mind) from Venice to Santa Monica. Is it possible that the now pudgy Guv forgot where he was for all those years when he trained with Joe Gold?

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More permits coming to the beach

Permits for artists and craftspeople have worked so well (not) on the Ocean Front Walk that they are now coming to the Graffiti Walls, where they are likely to inflame another segment of the beach community.

And the walls, at the site of the old Pavilion, will be getting a spiffy new name - the Venice Public Art Walls or the Venice Art Walls for short. Stash Maleski, curator of the walls, stated: “Painting on the walls will be by permit only and will only happen on weekends... This change has come about because of complaints by Venice area residents of increased vandalism attributed to the presence of the walls. In an effort to keep the walls here, and in an effort to work with the community to reduce illegal vandalism, the area will be governed by new rules and regulations.”

“In order to obtain a permit to paint on the four large walls, artists will have to have a sketch of what they plan to paint and have a crew of at least three people,” said Maleski. “The last paintings to go up on Sunday afternoon will run all week until the following Saturday. There will be no painting on the walls on weekdays.” Uh, sure.

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No more impersonal spying
on your email and phone calls.
Now a neighbor can do it!

Rep. Jane Harman (D-Venice) has been named Chair of the Homeland Security Committee’s Intelligence, Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment Subcommittee. The subcommittee has jurisdiction over domestic intelligence issues, information-sharing, threat and vulnerability assessments, and oversight of the Secret Service, among other issues.
“I’m delighted to be chairing a subcommittee that is so vital to securing the homeland.” said Harman.
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Rumor Central
The rumor about a drug store opening at the long-vacant Koo Koo Roo restaurant in the Clown Building at Main and Rose is true. Long’s Drugs has opened a store there, reversing a long trend for businesses that serve the residents to be replaced by those catering to tourists.
Another rumor about Cafe 50s, on Lincoln Blvd., losing their lease is not true, according to the owner. But it wouldn’t hurt to give this community oriented restaurant some more business.

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Got a tip, rumor, or hot news item? Send it to the Beachhead at Beachhead@freevenice.org or PO Box 2, Venice 90294.

Posted: Thu - February 1, 2007 at 04:11 PM          


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