The Malibu Times columnist Pam Linn was injured when she was hit by a car on Aug. 16 in Woodland Hills.
Linn, who formerly worked as the editor of the Times, visited Malibu on Aug. 16 and on her way home to Lebec, stopped at the Whole Foods market in Woodland Hills. After she returned her shopping cart to the store, she was hit by a car in the parking lot when she was just a “few feet” from her car, she said. It sent me “flying through the air,” Linn said in an interview Tuesday, and she landed on her right hip.
Linn was taken to Kaiser Permanente hospital in Woodland Hills, where she underwent surgery to her hip on Aug. 17.
She is now back at home recuperating.
St. Aidan’s Church bids farewell to the Rev. Susan Klein
After 15 years of service, the Rev. Susan Klein will preach her final sermon at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church on Sept. 5. Klein has accepted a position as the fourth Rector at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Westwood near the UCLA campus. Klein preached her first sermon as Vicar of St. Aidan’s in January 1990.
St. Aidan’s has scheduled guest priests to preach until an interim priest is named. That person will serve until a new permanent priest is appointed, which St. Aidan’s said could take as long as a year.
A special Tuscan-styled farewell dinner, complete with a background of music and twinkling lights will take place on Sept. 5 for Klein, her family and guests and members of the church.
West Nile Virus claims seventh victim
State health officials announced this week that 62-year-old Walter Sheasby from Claremont became the fourth Los Angeles County resident and seventh Californian to die from the West Nile Virus. Sheasby died Aug. 19 in a Fontana hospital of encephalitis, the swelling of the brain that affects about one in 150 people infected with West Nile.
According to the state Department of Health Services, 249 Californians have been infected with West Nile as of Aug. 20. The virus is generally transmitted to humans and animals through a mosquito bite. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds. Health officials say people can reduce their risk of mosquito-borne diseases by taking the following precautions:
* Avoid spending time outside when mosquitoes are most active, especially at dawn and the first two hours after sunset.
* When outdoors, wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts.
* Apply insect repellant containing DEET according to label instructions.
* Make sure that doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or holes.
* Eliminate all sources of standing water, which can support mosquito breeding.
* Contact Vector Control at 1.800.975.4448 or 213.240.7786 if there is a significant mosquito problem where you live or work, especially if you know of abandoned swimming pools or spas.
Shark safety tips
The state Department of Fish and Game has issued information on how to avoid shark attacks after the recent attack that claimed the life of a man in Northern California.
It is recommended that divers who are spearfishing or doing abalone diving should try to stay in kelp-forested areas where sharks are less likely to be searching for food. Sharks tend to swim in open water areas, both shallow and deep. While using scuba gear is unlawful for abalone diving, it is legal for spearfishing and allows divers to stay close to the ocean’s bottom.
Another tip is to frequently transfer caught fish to a nearby boat or the shore. This practice is highly recommended as bleeding fish can attract sharks to the site.
Other recommendations include:
* Most importantly, don’t swim in or near areas frequented by sea lions, harbor seals, and elephant seals, near their rookeries, or near the mouths of rivers where the animals concentrate looking for fish.
* Minimize time spent on the surface. Wearing a wetsuit and fins, or lying on a surfboard, creates the silhouette of a seal from below. Shark attacks are often believed to be cases of mistaken identity, with surfing or swimming humans mistaken for marine mammals.
* Dive with a partner and stay alert to your surrounding environment.
* Avoid swimming during times of reduced sunlight, such as foggy mornings or dusk, which are ideal times to be mistaken for a seal.
For more information and maps on white sharks, go to www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/whiteshark.html.
Local park seeks volunteers
Volunteer positions are now available at the Charmlee Wilderness Park. Park officials say they are looking for people who love nature, want to learn about Malbu’s ecology and history, enjoy gardening or arts and crafts and enjoy working with kids. They are also looking for people who would like to help with newspaper publication. For more information, call 457.7247.
Local donates to county museum
Malibu homeowner Eli Broad donated $60 million for a new gallery at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. He also gave $50 million for a new building and an additional $10 for artwork. Broad’s donation was able to start the expansion plan that had long been on hiatus. In return, LACMA’s president and director, Andrea Rich, gave Broad the power to choose the architect and set up an independent board to oversee construction.
Pepperdine alumna excels at Olympics
Former Pepperdine women’s volleyball standout Nicole Sanderson represented Australia on its 2004 Olympic beach volleyball the team. Sanderson and her teammate, Natalie Cook, placed fourth, reaching the semifinals.
Sanderson played volleyball for Pepperdine from 1994 to 1997. She began playing beach volleyball in 1998. Sanderson was supposed to compete in the 2000 Games in Sydney, but an injury just before the Olympics prevented her from participating.
Janet leaves Malibu
Pop diva Janet Jackson is moving out of Malibu. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Grammy winner sold her Malibu home for about $9 million to hotel and nightspot designer Kelly Wearstler and her husband, Brad Korzen, a real estate investment executive.
Built in the 1960s, the 5,600-square-foot house contains fives bedrooms, 70 feet of beach frontage and panoramic views from the beachfront deck as well as a media room and gym. The master suite, overlooking the ocean, contains a fireplace and sitting room.