The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District will vote on the 2005-06 fiscal year budget at a special meeting on Friday.
Unlike most years, the district is not facing any major cuts. Public testimony will be taken before the board votes. To view the budget, go to www.smmusd.org.
The meeting begins at 4 p.m. and will take place at SMMUSD office building, located at 1651 16th St.
City interviews planning manager candidates
Environmental and Community Development Director Vic Peterson told the Planning Commission at Monday’s meeting that he and City Manager Katie Lichtig were interviewing applicants for the vacant planning manager position on Tuesday.
The names of the candidates were not revealed. The city has been without a planning head since Mike Teruya resigned in April due to an illness.
Lagoon restoration plan released
The California State Coastal Conservancy, Department of Parks and Recreation and Heal the Bay presented the Final Malibu Lagoon Restoration and Enhancement Plan at a meeting on Friday. The plan outlines how the various agencies will go about restoring the lagoon. A copy of the plan can be accessed at Heal the Bay’s Web site, www.healthebay.org
Computer virus warning
Virus-laden e-mails have recently been sent from what appears to be the city of Malibu’s Web site, according to the city. The e-mails are from senders such as administrator@ci.malibu.ca.us, webmaster@ci.malibu.ca.us, and service@ci.malibu.ca.us. The e-mails have attachments that often end with .zip.
According to the city, its Web site does not send e-mails with attachments and only sends e-mails pertaining to updated Web pages.
Westside Special Olympics volunteers needed
Westside Special Olympics is looking for volunteers for its programs that begin this month and next month. WSO provides year-round training and competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with mental retardation or closely related development disabilities.
Volunteers do not need to be an expert in the sport they wish to coach. They are expected, once they have made the commitment, to attend the two-hour weekly practices with the athletes. All new volunteers must attend a volunteer orientation. For more information, call 458.2201 ext. 2020 or send an e-mail to wsovolunteers@aol.com.
Philanthropist to speak to GOP women
On Thursday, the Malibu Republican Women, Federated will hear from a Southland woman who has worked inside Afghanistan for 28 years. Bonita Chamberlain, a San Diego native, spent much of the 1980s and 1990s working with local tribes in Afghanistan. Bombs from the Soviet invasion had exposed gemstones and minerals that were previously hidden.
“Nobody had a clue that there was that much there,” Chamberlain said. “The Russians knew about a lot of it because they had their geologists in that country for a number of years. But they never had control of the area.”
From 1983 to 1997, Chamberlain’s efforts were focused on mining and recovering the gems.
Three years ago, she started a jewelry-making project designed to return revenues directly to the Afghani families and their local area. Chamberlain says, so far, the proceeds have started a health care clinic, a primary school for girls, an orphanage and a primary school for boys where teachers are also trained.
“She will be here to bring us information,” said MRWF President Gerry Battey. “This is a political thing to a degree but she is interesting. This is to broaden people’s perspective of the world and our place in it.”
Chamberlain also trains Special Operation Forces being deployed from Ft. Bragg, N.C. to Afghanistan.
The meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Pepperdine University’s Villa Graziadio Executive Center. The cost ,including lunch, is $22. To RSVP, call 457.3530.