Man pleads not guilty to burglary at actress’ home
David Hesterbey, a 48-year-old transient suspected of breaking into the Malibu house of actress Jennifer Aniston, pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree burglary and felony petty theft on Monday in Van Nuys Superior Court.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office alleged that Hesterbey took a cab to the rented house last Thursday, went over a nine-foot fence and entered the home. One of Aniston’s employees confronted the man, the district attorney’s office alleged, and the man then fled when another employee came in. Aniston was not at home at the time.
Hesterbey, who has a prior burglary conviction in Santa Barbara County, faces up to six years in state prison if convicted.
Malibu man charged with manslaughter
Malibu resident Paul Azzi was charged with misdemeanor manslaughter on Monday in connection with the traffic death of Los Angeles resident Max Ganezer, according to the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station. Ganezer was killed in a car collision near the Malibu Pier on June 10. An arraignment hearing will take place later this month.
Environmental groups make ‘State of the Kelp’ report
The California Coastkeeper Alliance and Santa Monica Baykeeper updated the public Tuesday in Malibu on their effort to restore kelp beds off the Southern California coast from San Diego to Santa Barbara in the first “State of the Kelp” report.
From 2001 through 2004 project biologists and almost 200 volunteer SCUBA divers restored 10,500 square meters of kelp beds, including 4,500 square meters off Malibu. According to the report, thriving kelp canopies have formed in as little as eight months, and up to 100-fold increases in fish density and 20 percent increases in fish species diversity have been observed in the restored areas.
The Kelp Restoration Project began with a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and donations from the California Coastal Conservancy, Regional Water Boards, foundations, local businesses and private donors. Another grant of more than $212,155 was recently awarded to California Coastkeeper Alliance to continue the project. Also, the state Coastal Conservancy recently approved a matching grant for the Kelp Project of $200,000 from Proposition 40 bond funds.
The Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission and California Coastal Conservancy also have provided $750,000 for kelp restoration in Santa Monica Bay.
Community pool closed for maintenance
The Malibu Community Pool at Malibu High School will be closed for routine maintenance from Friday at 4 p.m. to Sept. 12. It will reopen for regular programming on Sept. 13.