News Briefs

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PCH sewer work will affect traffic

The City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works began construction on the Coastal Interceptor Relief Sewer along Pacific Coast Highway in the Pacific Palisades March 7 and will continue intermittently until the end of 2012, according to a press release from the Department of Public Works.

This week, up to two southbound lanes of Pacific Coast Highway will be closed until March 11 between Entrada Drive and the Annenberg Community Beach House from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Typical work hours will be from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. with two southbound lanes open during the day and one at night.

The 4,500-foot wastewater pipe will run along the existing Coastal Interceptor Sewer and is designed to provide increased flow capacity.

“As a coastal city, the ocean is a unique and precious resource for Los Angeles,” said Enrique Zaldivar, general manager for the Department of Sanitation responsible for development, operation and maintenance of the city’s wastewater and storm water system. “It is one of our largest draws and assets. Therefore, we Angelenos are taking every measure to protect it, and that is exactly what this project will do.”

Khankhanian’s pre-trial conference postponed

A pre-trial conference was postponed to March 21 for Sina Khankhanian, the 27-year-old man charged with murder for fatally striking 13-year-old Emily Shane with his car on Pacific Coast Highway in April last year.

Bradley Brunon, Khankhanian’s attorney, said the conference was postponed because the defense was still gathering evidence.

Shane died on April 3 last year, when Khankhanian drove his car off Pacific Coast Highway, hitting her as she was walking home from a friend’s house.

Khankhanian is charged with one count of murder and for use of a deadly weapon, the car that struck Shane.

Authorities, in a Sheriff’s report on the incident, indicated they believed Khankhanian did not intentionally hit Shane, but was trying to kill himself by driving his car off the road and into a power pole. If convicted, he faces a possible maximum penalty of life with the possibility of parole. He is being held on $3 million bail.

Prosecutors have said they expect a trial to begin sometime in the summer or fall.

Local school celebrates newspapers

Students at Juan Cabrillo Elementary are learning the basics of journalism during their celebration of newspapers in education this week. Participants of the school’s newspaper club write and publish The Cabrillo Breeze, introducing them to a range of topics and skills. The students are learning how to write stories, conduct interviews, edit and take photographs, along with acquiring useful communication, technology, creativity and interpersonal skills in addition to adhering to the responsibility of deadlines.

“The students enjoy the process,” Principal Barry Yates said. “[They] experience the thrill of seeing their hard work in published form for a real audience – the school community.”

Dolphin Award winners to be honored

The Malibu Times Citizens of the Year Dolphin Award winners will be honored March 19 during a breakfast celebration at the Malibu West Swim Club.

Each year, The Malibu Times asks the community to help choose locals worthy of recognition for their contributions to Malibu. This year’s winners are Shelby Basso, Zare and Seda Baghdasarian, Rod Bergen, Steve and Debra Cole, Dick Van Dyke, Violet Miehle, Justine Petretti, Robyn Ross and Ray Singer. Biographies on all the winners are published this week on B1.

Daylight saving Sunday

Daylight saving time begins Sunday, March 13 at 2 a.m. Residents of most U.S. states, Arizona and Hawaii excluded, set their clocks one hour forward in the spring and one hour back in the fall.