News Briefs

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City seeks bids for Charmlee Nature Center

The city of Malibu has issued a request for proposals to construct a new nature center at Charmlee Wilderness Park. The project at the city-owned park is being funded by a $100,000 grant from the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. Officials have said in the past that this project is not affiliated with the SMMC and the city’s plan to enhance local parks, including Charmlee, with overnight camping facilities and other amenities.

According to the document issued by the city, “The Nature Center will be a modern 3,000- to 5,000-square-foot facility with customary indoor exhibits and displays along with connectivity to outdoor interpretive trails. The trails will be used for outdoor education and interpretation of the historic Chumash site and its surroundings. The indoor exhibits and displays will be both interactive and static in nature.”

Bids for the project are due by Sept. 20.

The parks-enhancement project must receive approval from both the City Council and the California Coastal Commission. It is expected to be reviewed by the Planning Commission later this month.

Great white resident leaves Malibu

The great white shark being held in the pen off the Malibu coast for three weeks was transferred on Aug. 28 to a new home at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. According to the aquarium’s Web site, the young shark will remain at the one million-gallon exhibit “as long as he’s in good health and hasn’t grown too large for us to return [him] safely to the wild.” In addition to being available for public view, the shark will provide an opportunity for scientists to study and learn more about the large fish, according to aquarium officials.

The shark was placed in the Malibu pen after being accidentally caught by a sea bass fisherman three miles off the Ventura coast.

Poodle mixes get their day

A celebration takes place in Malibu on Saturday for labradoodle and goldendoodle owners and prospective owners, and their pets. The seventh annual Southern California Labradoodle Romp begins at 1 p.m. and will include an afternoon of food, wine and music at a private local residence. The nonprofit event is a fundraiser for various charities. More information can be obtained by e-mailing Doodleromp@verizon.net.

Malibu beaches included in Coastal Cleanup Day

More than 10,000 people are expected to gather at Los Angeles county beaches on Sept. 15 for a big cleaning. The same thing will occur at beaches around the world, in 91 countries, as part of Coastal Cleanup Day.

The environmental effort takes place from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and all Malibu’s beaches will be included in the program. More information on volunteering and cleanup sites can be obtained at www.healthebay.org

Celebration on Malibu Road

The annual Malibu Road Association Beach Party will take place on Sept. 16 at the Field of Dreams Beach, located at 24712 Malibu Road. The festivities will include a gourmet dinner catered by Monrose, drinks, and a raffle and silent auction for items including meals at Malibu restaurants and a resort condo.

Tickets for the event are $45 for adults prepaid, and $55 after Sept. 10. Tickets for children under 12 are $20, and children under six can attend for free. For more information, call 310.317.1040.

Applications sought for program awarding young artists

Southern California high school performers, artists and photographers can apply for the 20th annual Music Center Spotlight Awards. The program is one of the nation’s most acclaimed performing and visual arts education programs for teens, offering training in the arts and awarding more than $100,000 in scholarships annually to finalists, semi-finalists and participants who receive honorable mentions.

The Music Center Spotlight Awards program is free and open to all students who attend high school in Southern California. Applications and information are available at www.musiccenter.org or by calling 213.972.3300. Performing Arts applications must be received online or postmarked no later than Oct. 2. Visual Arts applications must be received online or postmarked by no later than Dec. 1.

-Jonathan Friedman