Van, evading landslide, flips over
A Malibu Patrol officer and another person helped rescue two victims trapped in an overturned van Tuesday on Pacific Coast Highway between Sunset Boulevard and Porto Marina, according to Malibu resident Ann Payne.
The van flipped over around 12 p.m. after swerving to avoid a miniature landslide on Pacific Coast Highway, Payne said. She called 9-1-1 and while on the phone with the operator, Payne said Scott Wagenseller of Malibu Patrol arrived on the scene before an emergency crew arrived, and, with the help of another person, helped the victims out of the van, helped set the van upright, and got it out of the way.
The Malibu Times was unable to contact Malibu Patrol for verification.
Capitol Weekly, L.A. Times join forces
The Los Angeles Times has joined forces with the Sacramento-based Capitol Weekly-owned by The Malibu Times publishers Arnold and Karen York- to produce a blog about California politics for the upcoming November elections.
The blog is called “California Politics.” The primary writer for the blog is Capitol Weekly editor Anthony York, and contributing reporters include Shane Goldmacher of the Los Angeles Times. The blog can be found at
www.latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics or www.capitolweekly.net/californiapolitics.
PUC meeting cancelled
A pre-hearing conference scheduled to take place Tuesday of last week in San Francisco by the state Public Utilities Commission was cancelled.
The meeting, mentioned in last week’s issue of The Malibu Times, was part of the PUC’s ongoing investigation to determine whether five telecommunications companies caused the October 2007 Malibu Canyon Fire.
Southern California Edison, Verizon Wireless LLC, Sprint Communications Company, NextG Networks of California, and AT&T Communications of California Inc. are under scrutiny by the PUC for allegedly violating regulations on how much equipment could be safely installed on their jointly owned wooden utility poles prior to the Malibu Canyon Fire.
The Oct. 21, 2007 fire, according to recent reports by the Los Angeles County Fire Department and field investigations by PUC staff, was started when three top-heavy, electric-wire utility poles snapped due to alleged exceeded weight restrictions.
In pre-hearing conference statements, all five telecommunications companies have denied violations of construction, operation maintenance or inspection requirements.
CLU receives $5 million for stadium
Part-time Malibu resident William Rolland has donated nearly $5 million for a new football stadium at California Lutheran University, the school announced in a press release Tuesday.
His donation is the largest single gift in the history of the university. It is the second major gift from a donor who is not affiliated with CLU as either an alumnus or member of the Lutheran Church.
The money will be used in the construction of a first-class $8 million stadium. The more than 3,000-seat facility will include locker rooms, coaching offices, meeting rooms, a press box, VIP lounge and clock tower. The stadium will also house an art gallery where Rolland’s extensive collection of bronze statuary and other works will be exhibited.
Construction will begin this summer with the installation of artificial turf and should conclude in time for the opening of the 2011 football season.
CLU, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, has used Mount Clef Stadium since 1963. A new stadium has long been a dream at CLU. The university can’t host playoff games because Mount Clef Stadium does not meet NCAA criteria.
Rolland, who played football in the Army, spent four decades as a real estate developer in Ventura County and was a founding resident of Westlake Village.
Samohi musicians inducted to national orchestra
Santa Monica High School students Emily Wong and Matthew Van Pelt, concertmaster and principal violist of the Santa Monica High School Symphony Orchestra, respectively, were recently accepted to the 2010 National High School Honor Orchestra.
The American String Teachers Association, in partnership with the National School Orchestra Association, competitively selects the most talented young musicians from school orchestras in each state to create the National High School Honors Orchestra. This prestigious ensemble meets biennially and performs in a national showcase. NSOA convened from Feb. 18 through Feb. 20 in Santa Clara.
By Olivia Damavandi