Monday Nights Working With The Beachhead Collective

By Krista Schwimmer
In the spring of 2008, I came home one day to find a phone message on my machine from a pleasant sounding woman named Della Franco.   Although I had not met her, I knew she was part of the Beachhead Collective.  She said she had really enjoyed one of my recent poetry [...]

Made for Each Other: The Story of a Town and a Newspaper

By Jim Smith
How is it possible for a newspaper to survive these days without massive advertising from big corporations? And while we’re at it, how is it possible for a Venice identity to survive nearly 85 years after it lost its legal standing as a city? There may be a connection.
The Free Venice Beachhead is [...]

Venice Quiz

The Beachhead sent a questionnaire to our loyal readers who are on our email list to tell us who they are and what they liked about Venice. Here are the aggregated results. If you would like to me on the list (2 or 3 messages a month), send an email to Beachhead@freevenice.org.
1. How long have [...]

Thank You Venetians – All Of You Who Have Served On The Beachhead Collective Through The Years!

Karl Abrams (2000s)
Larry Abrams (1980s)
Jean Allen (1970s)
Kathleen Alvarez (1980s)
Amelia Amerika (1980s)
Peter Armerding (1970s)
Barbara Avedon (1970s)
Shlomo Bachrach (1970s)
Glen Baker (1970s)
Lee Balan (1970s)
Kathy Ball (1980s)
Kathy Ball (1980s)
Hilda Bay (1990s)
Dora Bayrack (1960s)
Enman Bea (1970s)
C.V. Beck (2000s)
Cheryl Beauchamp (1980s)
Bob Beaulieu (1970s)
Joe Bertram III (1980s)
Hope Blacker (1980s)
Sandy Blixton (1980s)
Chuck Bloomquist (1970s, 00s)
Mimi Bogale (2000s)
Virginia Bohannan(1960s)
Shipford Branes (1980s)
Sharon Brannon (1970s)
Lynn Bronstein (1970s)
George Broatch (1970s)
Kandy Broatch(1970s)
Brent Bryak (1970s)
Fred Burkhart(1970s)
Linda Burdick (1970s)
Ron Butler (1970s)
Rex Butters (2000s)
Miramma Carson (1970s)
Ernest [...]

The Beachhead and Mayor Villaraigosa Honor Swami X at Beyond Baroque

By Karl Abrams
In an emotional ceremony at Venice’s Beyond Baroque on Sunday June 21, 83-year old Swami X, famed 1970’s and 80’s boardwalk comic, writer and muse, was presented with a Los Angeles City Council Resolution by Councilmember Bill Rosendahl and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa “proclaiming” the city-wide recognition of his life’s work. The award followed [...]

Beachhead Women Writers Rock Out at Beyond Baroque

By Krista Schwimmer
On March 8th, as part of the day long celebration of International Women’s Day, the Beachhead presented readings from past and current women writers of the Beachhead at Venice’s poetry haven, Beyond Baroque.
The event started at 7:30 pm with Suzanne Thompson leading the way as emcee. Suzanne immediately charmed the audience with a [...]

Correction – Big Bill’s

 Last month, the Beachhead ran a poem and a photo about long-time Venice business, Big Bill’s. Unfortunately, the photo turned out to be the welding shop next door. This time we’re pretty sure it is Bill Big and his auto repair shop.

40th Anniversary of the Free Venice Beachhead: A Night to Remember

By erica snowlake
 Doing it Justice. Not a new slogan by Nike. A sentiment describing how we honor the entity that is so dear to our seaside community, the little newsprint rag packing a wallop since its magical inception in 1968, a year time travelers queued up for, and, equally of sublime consequence, a paper worth [...]

A Beach Head Writes About The Beachhead

By Carol Fondiller
Frankly, I feel as if I’m viewing the decades of the Free Venice Beachhead’s existence on old celluloid film. Jumping and bumping with splats, cracks and flashes. Cutting through images that have been spliced together with cellophane tape being fed through the old moviola of my brain. 
Who was that guy with the Jesus [...]

From the 15th Anniversary Issue (Dec. 1983)

Dear Beachhead:
Congratulations for still hanging in here! I remember when I first held your baby-soft pages in those early days after your nativity, 15 years ago.
In that year we were fighting to keep the canals from becoming an extension of the Marina. It was the year of the Tet offensive in Vietnam; and in our [...]