Scoping meeting set for SMC satellite campus
Holiday weekend draws more than 230,000
The Memorial Day holiday weekend, commonly thought of as the start of summer, brought 231,500 beachgoers to Malibu. This year’s numbers far surpassed last year’s, when about 143,000 people visited local beaches.
The holiday weekend’s busiest day was Monday, when about 130,000 beachgoers came out to Malibu.
“[It was] the busiest day by far,” Lifeguard Captain Merrill Riley said.
The beach that saw the most activity during the weekend was Zuma Beach, with approximately 144,000 people visiting during the whole weekend, 90,000 of whom came on Monday alone.
Los Angeles County Lifeguards made 14 ocean rescues over the weekend. The number is fairly low, and is due in part to calm ocean conditions.
“The surf was small, the tide wasn’t pulling very hard, so the rips were minor,” Riley said.
Weekend weather was mostly sunny, with temperatures in the mid-60s and 70s.
The Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station received no reports of major incidents.
$10,000 stolen birds found in Apple Valley
An Apple Valley man has been arrested for allegedly trying to sell two exotic birds valued at $10,000 that were stolen from a Malibu Home, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s officials said. The suspect, Eddie Castillo, was arrested for possession of stolen property.
The bird owners tipped off authorities Friday when they noticed a posting on Craigslist advertising a male and female red-breasted cockatoo. Investigators then went to the suspect’s home, where they found the rare birds.
The victims were able to identify the birds through metal bands on the birds’ legs. They were then returned to their rightful owners.
The birds were stolen last week from the owners’ house in Malibu. It is not clear whether Castillo actually stole the birds, or if he was just trying to sell them.
The case is still under investigation. Anyone wishing to provide information about the case can call the Apple Valley Sheriff’s Station at 760.240.7400.
Drug charges against Wagner dropped
Drug charges against Malibu resident Courtney Wagner stemming from an April incident have been dropped. TMZ reports that the Los Angeles County District Attorney won’t be pursuing the case against the 38-year-old daughter of Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner because deputies did not have probable cause to search the home where the drugs were found.
On April 22, locals Wagner and Mathew Cox, 24, were arrested on drug and weapons charges after a gunshot was apparently fired at a residence in an unincorporated area of Malibu. Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station deputies responded to a report of possible gunfire on the 24400 block of Piuma Road at around 4:20 p.m. that day. When they arrived, deputies found Wagner and Cox at the home. As they investigated the reported incident, deputies “recovered several handguns and several baggies of what appeared to be narcotics at the location,” according to a sheriff’s department press release issued after the incident.
Wagner was arrested for suspected possession of narcotics and Cox was arrested for suspicion of discharging a firearm in a negligent manner.
Emergency response team completes search and rescue drill
The Malibu Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) participated in a search and rescue training drill to find a fictional resident with Alzheimer’s disease who wandered away from Serra Retreat Saturday morning. The team assembled at the Malibu Library parking lot, where the Malibu Emergency Operations trailer was up and running.
CERT members David Saul and Lester Saft, along with team leader Brad Davis, created the exercise. The Incident Commanders for the drill were CERT member Shifra Wylder and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Malibu Search and Rescue member Steve Sullivan.
The team members were split into four groups for the exercise. They then spread out and began questioning people on the street and in local stores. The first “break” came when a security guard at the Malibu Country Mart remembered seeing a man who fit the description. After some more searching, the “missing person” was found in Legacy Park and taken safely back to the library parking lot.
The CERT meets regularly at Malibu City Hall and trains to support the activities of the city’s Emergency Operations Center, as well as to be available to support the volunteer needs of associated agencies.
For more information, contact Emergency Services coordinator Brad Davis, at 310.456.2489 extension 260.
Scoping meeting scheduled for Crummer Site
A scoping meeting will take place Thurs., June 7 for the Crummer Site Subdivision at City Hall at 6:30 p.m. The 30-day public comment period is from May 10 until June 11.
According to the City of Malibu, the proposed Crummer Site consists of seven individual lots. Five of the lots would be developed with single family homes and “accessory structures.” Another lot would be developed with a private gated street, gatehouse, onsite wastewater treatment system and landscaping. A seventh lot would be dedicated to the city for recreational use. The proposed project’s dedication of land to the city would expand Malibu Bluffs Park by 1.74 acres to the east and northeast.
For more information about the project and scoping meeting, visit malibucity.org.
SCE installing “smart meters” in Malibu
Southern California Edison (SCE) will be installing “smart meters” in Malibu and surrounding areas starting in late May. Most of the meters, part of SCE’s “SmartConnect” Program, will be completed by September of this year.
“Edison ‘SmartConnect’ is SCE’s smart metering program, which was mandated by the California Public Utilities Commission,” a press release from the City of Malibu states. “Smart metering is intended to enable new programs and services that provide customers with the information they need to reduce their power usage.”
By the end of 2012, SCE plans to finish replacing about five million electric meters for residential and commercial customers. Corix Utilities will perform most of the meter installations.
Local customers will receive advance notice by mail when installations are scheduled for their area. Residential customers can opt-out of the electronic metering program by calling 800.810.2369.
SCE says the smart meters keep the electrical system reliable by pinpointing outage locations allowing for faster service restoration. The meters also allow SCE to remotely activate services.
For more information, visit sce.com/edisonsmartconnect.
City internship program applications due June 1
The City of Malibu is accepting applications for its summer Student Intern Program until June 1. Applicants must currently be enrolled in high school, undergraduate or graduate students. Interviews will take place the week of June 18 and interns will begin work June 25.
“The City of Malibu Student Intern Program exposes students to public service and promotes a career interest in local government,” a release from the city states. “At the same time, the city benefits from the skills and fresh perspective a student intern can bring.”
For more information, contact city clerk Lisa Pope at 310.456.2489 x228.
Calabasas and Agoura Hills offer reward in Mitrice Richardson case
The cities of Calabasas and Agoura Hills, working with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, are jointly offering a $15,000 reward in exchange for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for the death of Mitrice Richardson.
Richardon’s remains were found in Malibu Canyon in August 2010, nearly a year after her disappearance. Richardson was arrested Sept. 16, 2009 in Malibu after she could not pay her dining bill from a local restaurant and exhibited signs of acting strange. After being taken into custody for defrauding an innkeeper and for possession of marijuana in her car, Richardson was released after midnight from the remote Lost Hills station without a cell phone, purse or means of transportation. After leaving the station, Richardson was briefly sighted on the lawn of a nearby residence, and then was never seen again.
“Although years have passed since Ms. Richardson disappeared, we are hoping this reward will help trigger the public’s memory about the late September night and early morning hours,” Calabsas Mayor Mary Sue Maurer stated in a press release. “Perhaps someone saw her walking along the road or getting into a car. No detail is too small and should be reported to law enforcement working on the case.”
Rewards have previously been offered by the City of Malibu and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the release states.
Anyone with information about the case can contact the Los Angeles County Homicide Bureau at 323.890.5500 or Crime Stoppers at 800.222.8477.
Bieber accused of assaulting paparazzo in Calabasas
Pop singer Justin Bieber is accused of getting in a physical altercation with a paparazzo at The Commons in Calabasas Sunday afternoon. According to a press release from the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station, Bieber and his girlfriend, actress Selena Gomez, were at the center when the victim attempted to take a photo of Bieber, at which point the two became involved in a physical altercation. The victim called 911 and requested the sheriff’s department respond. Bieber left the scene prior to the deputies’ arrival.
The 30-year-old victim complained of pain in his upper torso and requested paramedics to assist him. He was transported to a hospital where he was treated and released.
The investigation is currently ongoing.