Items on the Malibu ballot
There are a few political races on Tuesday’s ballot for Malibu residents other than the major statewide contests and the one for seats on the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District’s Board of Education.
Democrat Julia Brownley is up for reelection as representative of the 41st California Assembly District, which includes Malibu. If, as expected, she wins the contest in the heavily Democratic district, this will be her final two-year term due to term limits. Brownley was first elected to the post in 2006. Her opponents are Republican businessman Terry Rathbun and Green Party member Linda Piera-Avila, a Santa Monica resident who works as a physical therapist.
Democratic U.S. Congressman Henry Waxman, who ran unopposed in 2008, has three opponents this year attempting to dethrone him as the longtime representative of the 30th District, which includes Malibu. Due to significant Democratic population of the district, a loss by Waxman would be jaw-dropping to respected political observers. His opponents are Republican Charles E. Wilkerson, Libertarian Erich D. Miller and Peace and Freedom Party member Richard R. Castaldo.
There is also a competition for county assessor, in which there is no incumbent running. The competitors in the nonpartisan election are real estate broker and county assessment appeals board chairman John Y. Wong and Huntington Park mayor and deputy assessor John Noguez.
Patel extends lead in fundraising for SMMUSD race
Attorney Nimish Patel is far ahead of all his opponents in terms of raising money to win a seat on the Board of Education.
According to the latest campaign finance statement that covers through Oct. 16, he has collected $71,732. That is more than double the total garnered by the nearest competitor.
Coming in second was former Santa Monica Deputy City Attorney Laurie Lieberman, who has $31,481. Brentwood teacher Chris Bley has received $27,733.
The top earner among incumbents was Ralph Mechur with $9,201. Next on the list was incumbent Oscar de la Torre with $4,000 and current board President Barry Snell with $2,640.
Challengers Jake Wachtel and Patrick Cady have not filed any statements. One is not required from those who raise less than $1,000.
Things shake up at Latigo Cove
By Judy Devin /Special to The Malibu Times
At 10:21 a.m. last Thursday, the ground shook violently in Latigo Cove. It was a “big one.” The 300 residents from four homeowners’ associations were ready for this emergency; this was the Great California Shakeout. The earthquake was not real, but the preparation for it was.
Latigo Cove residents participated in this third annual drill-the nation’s largest-along with nearly 8 million other Californians from across the state, including 3.6 million in Los Angeles County. The purpose of the drill is to educate people about what to do in the case of an earthquake and encourage everyone to be prepared. Seismologists predict a “big one” somewhere along the San Andreas Fault within the next 30 years. Such an event could potentially kill more than 1,800 people, injure 50,000 more and cause more than $200 billion in damages.
In preparation for the drill, for the last six weeks Latigo Cove residents conducted an annual emergency preparedness refresher. This activity encouraged individuals and families to check their homes for hazards, update emergency and communication plans, replenish emergency supplies and review evacuation options. With the third anniversary of the 2007 Corral Fire just weeks away, Latigo Cove residents knew from experience the importance of emergency preparedness. In the 2007 conflagration, proactive community preparedness resulted in an orderly evacuation, little property damage and no major injuries.
As the simulated earthquake was announced on radio and TV, some participants found themselves not in their home, but at work. Margaret Barfield was working in the dean’s office at the law school at Pepperdine University when the simulated quake “struck.”
“I mentally used the recommended procedures of ‘drop, cover and hold on’” she said. “And imagined myself under my desk along with my computer’s hard drive.” She walked herself through what she would do during and after a quake, and knew Pepperdine’s well-trained Emergency Response Teams would be checking for injuries and damage and executing their disaster plan.
Randy Shipley, on site manager at the 105 unit Tivoli Cove condominium complex and one of Latigo Cove’s EP coordinators, said, “We have hundreds of people living in close proximity to one another. It is important that all residents-owners and renters-know what to do in an emergency so that no one inadvertently causes a problem for others by panicking or doing the wrong thing. Preparation for this drill helped us know the right things.” Shipley has prepared an emergency plan for the complex, educated his residents, guards and staff on emergency procedures, and coordinated efforts with other homeowners’ associations in the cove.
Latigo Shore Drive residents Janis Horn and Roger Ehrlich helped to ensure that the cove community has a well-stocked emergency operations and communications center that can serve as a central hub in case residents are cut off from help for a long period of time. “If Katrina and Haiti taught us anything, it is about the need to be self-sufficient if it becomes necessary,” Horn said.
Drill participant Leslie Schwarz, who takes care of cove dogs while their owners travel, observed that Latigo Cove residents have made their pet’s safety part of emergency plans. “They have microchips for identification, their own ‘Go Kits’ and ‘evacuation buddies’ in case their owners are not at home when an emergency occurs,” Schwarz said. She added, it was one thing for her to think, “drop, cover and hold on,” but quite another to visualize the confusion and potential trauma to pets who may not be able to quickly find safety as an earthquake occurs.