Feb. 15: Dodgers Pitch in for Beach Cleanup

Hello there. Hope your Valentine's Day was a sweet one.

We also hope you loved the stories we posted on Santa Monica Patch. We broke out two new family-friendly features: a guide to cheap activities and events, and a list of local shopping bargains. Additionally, we wrote about a merger between Santa Monica-based digital-media company Outcast and two other organizations.

Be careful not to get wet this morning. While the rain wasn't forecasted to begin until Wednesday, it got an early start, as you can see.

Here are more details on today's weather, followed by the rest of The SM AM Report.

Weather Forecast

• light showers
• high temperature: 63 degrees
• low temperature: 51 degrees
• sunrise: 6:39 a.m.
• sunset: 5:38 p.m.

The Main Event

• beach cleanups happen regularly, but today's is extra-special: Past and present Dodgers baseball players including Fernando Valenzuela, Matt Kemp and Rafael Furcal are "pitching" in for the effort. Participants will meet just north of the and be eligible to win free Dodgers tickets and other items too; unfortunately, space is no longer available.

The Runner-Up

• Ceramic sculptures and large digital photos revolving around cultural identity will be displayed at starting today, as part of "Debbie Han: The Eye of Perception." The exhibit, which will be up at the Pete & Susan Barrett Art Gallery, runs through Mar. 19. An is slated for Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m. Gallery hours are from noon to 5 p.m. during the week, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Other Happenings

• Check out this irresistible pitch line: "Play with food, and eat it, too!" That's what is in store for "Food Buddies," a Teen Council-presented event featuring food demonstrations and other activities. Kids in grades four through seven are welcome to join the fun, which lasts from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Children's Activity Room at the .
• Meanwhile, over at the , a screening of the 2009 documentary Which Way Home will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The movie follows child migrants as they trek through Mexico to the U.S.—without their parents.
• The is hosting some entertainment of its own: "," part of the library's family night. The storytelling and crafts event goes from 7 to 8 p.m.

Last but Not Least

• As last week, Santa Monica businesses will be trying to siphon some business away from the Pacific Palisades, which hosts the Northern Trust Open starting today. The golf tournament ends Sunday.

(Go here for more events happening today.)

This Day in Santa Monica History

• On Feb. 15, 2004, Veterans for Peace’s temporary war memorial—known as Arlington West—was first built on , roughly 11 months after the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Did you take a great pic of SM in the early morning? Want to see it in The SM AM Report? Drop a note to Kurt.Orzeck@patch.com.