Click it or ticket
A national campaign by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s department in conjunction with the Office of Traffic Safety has initiated a campaign to get everyone to buckle up. The weeks of May 16 through June 5 have been selected as the national mobilization period for the entire United States. The objective is to increase seat belt usage. The Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station will be enforcing this directive via extra patrols and stationary traffic enforcement actions at all hours. The extra patrols will be in the contract areas of Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills and Malibu.
State agency resists sale of Malibu’s MTV beach house
An 11-acre, state-owned Malibu property called the “MTV” house was bought in 1978 for $1.6 million. Now, many state legislators believe the property should be sold, to the tune of at least $11 million, to help balance the enormous state budget deficit, according to a report in the Los Angeles Business Journal.
Progress is slow, legislators have been previously reluctant to sell off prized parcels in their districts. Under state law, state agencies cannot sell surplus properties without approval of the Legislature, and without offering it to other state agencies or local governments. The house made its first appearance on the screen in an episode of “MTV Beach House” one summer, and has been used for the film “Castaway” starring Tom Hanks and in the TV series “Melrose Place.” It now serves as an office for the department of State Parks.
Lyme disease awareness week
The week of May 4 through May 10 has been proclaimed as “Lyme Disease Awareness Week” by the City of Malibu. Lyme disease is a bacteria transmitted by western black-legged ticks, and is most prevalent along costal regions. Lyme disease mimics many other diseases and can be prevented at its early stages with various antibiotics.
Hang ten for charity
The Children’s Lifesaving Foundation encourages the support of Malibu residents to donate for a good cause. A small donation can help the program serve the 2,200 at-risk children who attend camp in the Malibu-Santa Monica Mountains this summer. Donations can be mailed to: The Children’s Lifesaving Foundation, 31239 1/4 Bailard Rd., Malibu, Ca. 90265. More information can be obtained at www.childrenslifesaving.org.
Road repair in Santa Monica Mountains
Public Works will be realigning the intersection of Hume Road and Briarbluff drive in the Santa Monica Mountains, according to a press release from the county. Construction is expected to be completed by May 22. Presently, Hume Road is closed from Briarbluff Drive to Rambla Pacifico.
Once the Briarbluff/Hume realignment is complete, Las Flores Canyon Road will be shut down from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily for construction of a temporary wall. The wall is expected to be complete by June 11.
David Geffen a hotel owner
It was confirmed in a report by the Los Angeles Business Journal that media mogul David Geffen did purchase the 47-room Malibu Inn for an estimated $29 million. Sources close to the deal say that Geffen plans to renovate the 16-year old property to remake it into a high-end hotel.
Looking for a president
Malibu city councilperson Sharon Barovsky is one of 16 members appointed to the Santa Monica College President Search Committee. The committee, whose first meeting will be May 24, is charged with assisting in the recruitment of a new president and recommending three to five candidates to the board for final selection. SMC is looking for a successor to Dr. Piedad F. Robertson, who retired on Jan. 31.
Teacher of the year
Sen. Sheila Kuehl has named Carmen Mancini, chair of the Language Immersion Program at John Adams Middle School of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, Teacher of the Year. Mancini will be the 23rd State Senate Teacher of the Year. Mancini was selected by students as the advisor to the Adelante Club, which offers mentorship to disadvantaged students who want to prepare for a university education. She was recognized for her efforts by the SMMUSD Council PTA with an Outstanding Service Award earlier this year.
-Xiomara Rios, Kevin Connelly
Big bump on PCH
to be shaved
The “big bump” on northbound Pacific Coast Highway is going to get shaved.
California Department of Transportation officials have hired a contractor to grind the pavement down where an underground landslide has buckled the roadway up three feet in the air. The emergency repair is intended to repair the jagged pavement and severe bump on the curving section of Highway 1 between Topanga Beach and Big Rock.
Local geologists have criticized the state agency for not addressing the pavement failure and stabilizing the apparent hill collapse that is causing it.
Caltrans officials were unable to provide details about the road project or its cost. They did say that work will be done at night to avoid disrupting traffic flows.
But city of Malibu engineer Yugal Lall, who has talked to Caltrans engineers, said decades of repaving the highway have left the road surface with multiple layers of asphalt that now total 23 inches thick. Lall said Caltrans plans to use heavy grinding equipment to shave off the bump and its approaches, reducing the top of the bump by more than a foot in height. A new layer of smooth pavement will then be applied atop the ground -out area, Lall said.
-Hans Laetz