Surfrider beach tops list of dirtiest beaches
The environmental group, Natural Resources Defense Council, has named Malibu’s Surfrider Beach as the dirtiest beach in Los Angeles County. According to the Los Angeles Times, Surfrider was closed or had posted advisories on a record 137 days last year.
Los Angeles County has set a record for closures and postings for the second year in a row, according to the Los Angeles Times. Increased closures are blamed partially on the large amount of rainfall last season, which caused more polluted runoff to flow into the ocean.
Local singer helps children with cancer
The City of Hope Cancer center has been awarded $50,000 by the Britney Spears Foundation. The money will be used to fund an innovative music and art therapy program for children with cancer. City of Hope Chief Executive Officer James S. Miser said the organization is committed to exploring the latest therapies and techniques to improve the quality of life of its young patients.
Britney Spears, a Malibu resident, said in a press release that she is proud to support the hospital’s effort to enrich the lives of children who are going through a difficult experience.
Council committee to address shark holding pen issue
The City Council at its meeting last week voted to place Councilmember Pamela Conley Ulich and Mayor Pro Tem Ken Kearsley on a subcommittee that will meet with representatives from the Monterey Bay Aquarium about a shark holding pen anchored off Point Dume.
The two councilmembers are on the opposite end of the shark pen issue. Conley Ulich has expressed concern about its location, and has requested that it be moved. The city sent a letter at Conley Ulich’s request to the Monterey Bay Aquarium last month asking that the pen be moved to a less populated area. Kearsley told The Malibu Times last month that he was opposed to the letter being sent, and said he did not believe the pen needed to be moved.
Farmers’ Market might open Sunday
The Malibu Farmers’ Market is expected to open on Sunday. It was supposed to have opened in May, but last summer it was discovered by city officials that the Civic Center property on which the market takes place is not zoned for commercial use. A proposed temporary-use permit was given this week to the Cornucopia Foundation, which runs the market. If the foundation agrees with the terms, then the market can take place. Foundation head Debra Bianco said she planned to agree to the terms, although she had not officially notified the city as of press time Tuesday afternoon.
The Planning Commission is expected to vote in early September on a proposal for a permanent solution from a City Council subcommittee. The vote will serve as a recommendation for the full City Council, which will vote on the issue in late September or early October.