New City Council’s first meeting on Monday
The 10th City Council will hear two appeals at its first regular meeting on Monday. Newly elected City Councilmember John Sibert will not be able to vote on either appeal since he voted on the applications as a planning commissioner.
One appeal is of an application for a two-story, 5,263-square-foot home with a 785-square-foot guesthouse and a 794-square-foot garage on Whitecap Way. The other appeal is of the Planning Commission’s approval to eliminate a condition requiring neighbor approval to build into the street right of way for a proposed home on Via Escondido.
Also on Monday, the city leaders will select members for the council subcommittees, ad hoc committees and appointments to non-city agencies with Malibu representatives. There will also be some international flavor at the meeting, with the council scheduled to consider a resolution in support of the Tibetan people in their struggle against Communist Chinese rule.
Beach party house ban goes into effect
Malibu’s celebrity beach party houses are getting attention again this week. But it’s not because of who is going to them. The city’s ordinance to ban the parties goes into effect on Thursday. The City Council approved the ordinance in March.
The law limits parties of 100 or more people or those with “any commercial component” to four per year. Last summer, at least three beachfront Malibu homes were rented out to companies that used them for celebrity bashes. The gatherings attracted a great deal of paparazzi and created traffic and noise nightmares for the local residents.
Corral Fire hearing delayed
A date for the preliminary hearing for the three city of Los Angeles residents charged with causing November’s Corral Fire was supposed to be set during a court appearance in Van Nuys on Monday. But the item was continued, and the preliminary hearing date will be set on June 10.
Alan Anderson, 22, William Thomas Coppock, 23, and Brian David Franks, 27, are charged with felony counts of recklessly causing a fire with great bodily injury and recklessly causing a fire to an inhabited structure. The District Attorney’s Office says the blaze was started “during and within an area of a state of emergency,” which would require a mandatory state prison sentence if the suspects were convicted. The three pleaded not guilty to all charges in December. The preliminary hearing will determine if there is enough evidence for a trial.
The other two suspects, Culver City residents Eric Matthew Ullman, 18, and Dean Allen Lavorante, 19 have been in court two times, but they have yet to make formal pleas. They face the same charges as the Los Angeles suspects.
Youth Commission applications due Friday
The city of Malibu is accepting applications for the 2008-09 Harry Barovsky Memorial Youth Commission until Monday at 4 p.m.
Applicants must be in grades seven through 12 and either live in or attend school in Malibu. The Youth Commission makes recommendations to the City Council on youth issues.
The application form can be found in the News Briefs section of the city’s Web site at www.ci.malibu.ca.us. For further information, call Recreation Supervisor Kristin Riesgo at 310.456.2489 ext. 350.
Film Festival features work by women
Malibu resident Michelle Maher, who won the best feature award at the Broad Humor Film Festival in 2006 for her movie “Garmento,” will return to this year’s festival with a mockumentary.
The festival will take place at the Electric Lodge Theater in Venice June 13-15. Submissions of comedy scripts and movies made by women are due by May 2. For more information, go to www.broadhumor.com.
Mountains Restoration Trust names acting directors
Local environmentalists Jo Kitz and Debbie Bruschaber have been named acting directors of the Mountains Restoration Trust. They replace former Executive Director Steve Harris, who resigned in March.
Public programs and restoration activities are held in the MRT’s 1,200-acre Cold Creek Preserve, at Headwaters Corner in Calabasas and at various other locations. The Trust offers weekend educational programs, special events and volunteer and community service opportunities. For information or to participate, go to www.mountainstrust.org or call 818.591.1701.
Poetry contest deadline this week
Submissions for the poetry contests for this year’s One Book, One City-Malibu event must be turned into Diesel, A Bookstore this week on Thursday.
There are two poetry contests, one for children ages 14 and younger and another for those 15 years and older. All forms of poetry may be submitted.
Diesel is located at 3890 Cross Creek Road. For more information about the contest, call 310.456.9961.
Streisand endows women’s heart program at Cedars-Sinai
Malibu resident Barbra Streisand recently created The Barbra Streisand Women’s Cardiovascular Research and Education Program at Cedars-Sinai with a $5 million donation. The gift brings to nearly $16 million the amount raised from her recent concert tours she has directed for charitable distribution in the areas of education, the environment, women’s health and other issues.
“Women need to be educated about female cardiovascular disease, and the medical community must be propelled toward change,” Streisand said in a press release. “Just like with breast cancer, the impetus must come from women themselves striving to become empowered to reduce their risks for heart disease.”
Streisand’s endowment will provide permanent funding for research and education at the Cedars-Sinai Women’s Heart Center.
Internship program offers work experience for teens
THE CLUB this summer is offering CareerLaunch, a 10-week internship program for Malibu High School students. The program is open to incoming 10th- through 12th-graders through partnerships with local Malibu businesses and those in surrounding areas.
The Job Readiness Training portion of the program covers resumé, cover letter and thank you letter writing; interviewing and public speaking skills. Interns will receive a $250 stipend upon completion of the 10-week program.
Applications are due May 2 and are available at THE CLUB, located behind Malibu High and at the Malibu High office. Job Readiness sessions begin May 19.
For more information, call 310.457.1400.
-Jonathan Friedman