New photo gallery online at malibutimes.com
The Malibu Times has a new photo galley at its Web site, www.malibutimes.com, where people can submit their own photos.
If anyone has any news tips or any information regarding the fires, please contact Jonathan Friedman at jf@malibutimes.com, or Laura Tate at malibunews@malibutimes.com.
The offices of The Malibu Times have remained open throughout the fire. They will continue to remain open. The phone number is 310.456. 5507.
Valuable emergency tool
Susan Nissman, deputy to Los Angeles County Supervisor, Zev Yaroslavsky, was stationed in Malibu’s firefighter staging area Tuesday monitoring the fire situation. She praised the amazing work done by fire fighters throughout the area.
Nissman, a Topanga Resident, noted that the Topanga community has its own emergency book, the Topanga Disaster Survival Guide, a useful tool distributed to all residents and designed to help them prepare for and respond to disasters such as fire, flood, earthquake and other extreme emergencies. She offered to assist Malibu in creating such a guide. Important content relevant to all mountain/seaside residents can be found on www.topangadisasterguide.org
Malibu Courthouse closed
Judge Lawrence Mira reported that no cases are being processed at the Malibu Courthouse at this time. The court system is dealing with it day by day as conditions permit. He noted that while the court handles both civil and criminal matters it does not handle custody matters.
Cable in Malibu
Charter Communications crews were in Malibu early Tuesday to begin the restoration of fiber-optic lines destroyed on Sunday by the Malibu fires. Approximately 4,000 feet of fiber were burned near a critical crossing of Pacific Coast Highway, disrupting cable, Internet and telephone service for approximately 90 percent of Charter’s customers in the community
Unable to begin restoring damaged cable until Edison utility crews completed their work, Charter crews placed two new utility poles Monday evening and early Tuesday morning to complete a stretch of eight utility poles destroyed or burned so the new fiber optic lines could be placed.
With poles in place, Charter crews are now installing wire strand to support the new cable. Charter expected that work would be completed around noon Tuesday when they will begin the labor-intensive job of splicing fiber to restore Charter services.
Services will return gradually; first telephone and Internet service followed closely by off-air broadcast signals and then digital cable channels. Charter expects that customers will start to have service restored Tuesday evening.
However, as service comes back on, Charter advises that there may be “pockets” of customers who remain out of service due to fire damage not evident until the majority of service is restored. If customers continue to experience service-related interruptions after this time, they should call Charter Customer Service at 866.499.8080.
Relief available for Realtors affected by fires
The California Association of Realtors stands ready to assist Realtors who have been impacted by the wildfires through its Disaster Relief Fund. The association established the fund in the wake of the 2003 California wildfires. Grants provided by the fund are used to help Realtors, their staff, and association members and their staff, who have incurred substantial losses due to wildfires and other disasters by distributing grants of $1,000 to $5,000. If you are a Realtor who has been impacted by the wildfires, you may make an application to request a grant from the C.A.R. Disaster Relief Fund by calling Elizabeth de Carteret at 213.739.8308 or e-mail to: elizabethd@car.org
More information about the C.A.R. Disaster Relief Fund can be found under REALTORS Care in the About C.A.R. section of C.A.R. online at www.car.org www.car.org.
To assist Realtors and their clients with some of the many legal questions which may arise, C.A.R.’s Legal Department has released a Legal Q&A titled “Firestorms: Basic Real Estate Legal Issues.” This information is available under Legal Q&As in the Legal section of C.A.R. online at www.car.org
SMC Personnel Commission seeking public input
The Santa Monica College Personnel Commission is seeking public input on its nomination of Dolores Press to fill an upcoming vacancy on the five-member commission.
Under state law, four personnel commissioners-two appointed by the college and two appointed by the union that represents the classified (non-teaching) employees-are charged with the responsibility of appointing the fifth commissioner when that vacancy occurs. Those four commissioners-Joy Abbott, Joseph Metoyer Jr., Karen Bancroft and Deborah Jansen-nominated Press, the incumbent commissioner whose three-year term expires Dec. 1, for another term.
Members of the public are asked to attend the Nov. 14 meeting of the Personnel Commission to comment on Press’ nomination. The commission meets at 12 p.m. in Room 111 of the SMC Business Building, located at 1900 Pico Blvd.
The Personnel Commission is the public body responsible for the administration of the college’s Merit System, a civil service system for classified employees.
An appointee to the commission is required to be a registered voter and resident of the Santa Monica Community College District.