Car hits Malibu woman crossing PCH at Duke’s
A Malibu woman is in the hospital with several fractured bones and other injuries after she was hit by a vehicle last week on Tuesday night while crossing Pacific Coast Highway in front of Duke’s Malibu. Her injuries were not life threatening, said Sgt. Phil Brooks, the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station traffic head.
Brooks said 22-year-old Jessica McCormick crossed the highway at approximately 10:30 p.m. while driver Jason Towers, 28, had a green light. The Los Angeles resident’s Jeep Cherokee struck McCormick in the inner-westbound lane. Brooks said McCormick had been drinking “large quantities of adult beverages” at Duke’s, and friends had urged her not to go onto the highway.
“The preliminary investigation shows she [McCormick] is 100 percent at fault,” Brooks said. “The driver was not drinking or speeding.”
McCormick fractured her skull, pelvis and spinal cord. Brooks said there were other injuries as well.
McCormick graduated from Malibu High School in 2004.
Ed board hires consultant to get MHS field lights
At its meeting last month, the Board of Education voted to hire Culberston & Associates to represent the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District before the California Coastal Commission in its attempt to get lighting approved for Malibu High School’s athletic field. The lighting is being funded through Measure BB money.
A coastal development permit approved by the Coastal Commission in 2000 for the enhancement of the high school’s athletic facilities prohibited lighting. The staff report for last month’s school board meeting states that an amendment to the permit “may be required” to allow for lighting.
The board has a meeting on Thursday at the district office, located at 1651 16 St. in Santa Monica. The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. To access the agenda, go to www.smmusd.org.
City Council back in session
The City Council will meet on Monday after taking the second half of August off. Monday’s agenda includes a review of the Malibu Economic Services Study. Also, the council will consider whether to hire a consultant to facilitate the meetings of the View Protection Committee. Additionally, the council will vote on whether to support state Senate Bill 1420, which would require chain restaurants to provide nutritional information on menus.
The meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, which is located at 23815 Stuart Ranch Road. To access the agenda, go to www.ci.malibu.ca.us.
Teens confess to starting fire
Two 15-year-old boys confessed to starting last week’s fire near Malibu, according to the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station. Authorities said the boys told them the fire was started accidentally. The confessions regarding the fire started last week on Tuesday afternoon were made the next day. The boys were booked on suspicion of recklessly starting a fire, and released to their parents.
The fire started in Calabasas parkland at approximately 12 p.m. It burned nearly 80 acres before firefighters had it fully contained by 4:30 p.m. No injuries or structural damage was reported. Although Malibu officials remained on alert, the fire did not threaten this city.
Deadline approaching for ACT test registration
The next ACT test will be administered on Oct 25. Students who wish to take the college admission and placement exam must register by Sept. 19. Late registrations, with an additional fee, will be accepted until the final postmark deadline of Oct. 3. Students can register online at www.actstudent.org or pick up registration packets from high school counseling offices.
The cost is $31 for the traditional ACT and $46 for the ACT Plus Writing. Some colleges require or recommend the ACT’s optional Writing Test score, so students should find out the requirements of prospective colleges before registering for the exam. ACT scores are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the United States.
Additional information about registration for those with special needs can be found at www.actstudent.org. Students in need of financial assistance should visit their school counselor for qualification information and to apply for a fee waiver.
Emergency response training offered
The city of Malibu, in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, will offer training for the Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, in September and October. The free course headed by Emergency Services Coordinator Brad Davis teaches a variety of skills, with graduates becoming certified to be part of the official CERT effort during an emergency. The course will take place in seven sessions from Sept. 10 to Oct. 29 at City Hall.
Those interested in signing up can contact Davis at 310.456.2489 ext. 260 or by e-mail at bdavis@ci.malibu.ca.us.
SMC gets grant for water conservation PSAs
Santa Monica College recently received a $10,000 water conservation grant for student-created video public service announcements about how SMC’s international students save water in their home nations.
“This really illustrates that SMC has an innovative approach,” said Genevieve Bertone, SMC’s project manager for suitability. “We’re excited to reflect the global representation we have on our campus.”
The grant comes from the Southern California World Water Forum and awarded by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Bureau of Reclamation and the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County.
-Jonathan Friedman