Son of MLK Jr. sells Malibu home
Dexter Scott King, the second son of assassinated civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., sold his ocean-view Malibu house on Mar. 17 for $1.99 million, according to the Los Angeles Times. It had been listed at $2,595,000.
The 4,705-square-foot architectural home has four bedrooms and three and one half bathrooms. King lived in the home for several years, but it had been most recently used as a rental.
The property sits on 2.7 wooded acres and has views from nearly every room. It is gated and has an open floor plan with high ceilings and bamboo floors throughout. There are fireplaces in the den and master bedroom suite, and the kitchen is equipped with stainless-steel appliances. There is a yoga room/office, multilevel decks, a spa and a two-car garage. The property is a short drive from the ocean.
Forty-eight year old King is chairman of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolence and Social Change in Atlanta, and is also the author of “Growing Up King: An Intimate Memoir.”
Rick Dunlap and Brett Kozma, both of Coldwell Banker’s Malibu Colony office, were the listing agents, and J.D. Songstad of Re/Max Marquee Partners in Santa Monica represented the buyer, according to the Multiple Listing Service.
‘Stairway of the Stars’ to showcase school district musical talent
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District will present the 60th Annual “Stairway of the Stars” at the Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica on March 26 and 27 at 7:30 p.m. This event spotlights the talents of the district’s music students, teachers and curriculum.
This year, 26 bands, orchestras and choirs will perform. The guest conductor will be Dr. Tony Mazzaferro, who is completing his 11th year as principal conductor of the Claremont Winds and served as the principle tuba player in the Symphonic Band and Symphony Orchestra. He was also the assistant conductor for both the Symphonic and Concert Bands.
The 2009 Stairway Honor Award recipient is the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation. The Education Foundation continues to support numerous programs in the SMMUSD that help all students reach their greatest potential in music and all the arts, in addition to the other disciplines of education. Through its “For The Arts” endowment, the Ed Foundation provides annual funding for dance and drama instruction at the middle and high schools in Santa Monica and Malibu.
This year, the ensembles that will perform at Stairway of the Stars are the all-district elementary honor orchestra, choir and band, the high school jazz ensemble, as well as the middle and high school orchestras, choirs and bands. Some of the musical selections will include “Pineapple Poll,” “He’ll Make a Way” and “Cruisin’ For a Bluesin.”
More information can be obtained by visiting www.smmusd.org/vapa/stairway/strwyAdvApp08.pdf.
Council to hold special meeting for continued agenda items
The Malibu City Council will conduct a special meeting at City Hall this Thursday at 10 a.m. to discuss a number of continued agenda items from its last regular meeting on March 9.
The special meeting agenda items include the final design approval and the authorization to seek construction bids and construction management proposals for Legacy Park; the possible appointment of an ex-officio member to the Public Safety Commission; a step toward the possible implementation of a clean water initiative; a decision regarding a resolution supporting the implementation of the Marine Life Protection Act; and the city’s partnership with Malibu Foundation for Youth and Families for its leadership summit on April 30.
The council voted to approve Legacy Park’s final revised environmental impact report during its March 9 meeting. City staff recommend that council members direct them to review the plans and design elements of Legacy Park and incorporate any changes into the final plans, advertise the project for bid, return to the council to award a construction contract for the building of the park and prepare a request for proposals for construction management services.
The council will also consider appointing Malibu resident Graeme Clifford, an ex officio member, to the Public Safety Commission. Clifford has worked in film and television for more than 35 years as a film editor and director. He recently directed the play “Rabbit Hole” at Malibu Stage Company.
Councilmember Pamela Conley Ulich’s request to consider a clean water initiative will also be considered Thursday.
In order to address water quality issues currently facing the city, especially in regard to storm water runoff, Conley Ulich has expressed interest in placing a ballot initiative to request voter approval for funding required to implement the city’s clean water program.
If the council decides to proceed with a ballot initiative, a special election is estimated to cost approximately $75,000. Conley Ulich is asking the council for consensus in moving forward with the initiative and for input regarding potential language to be included in the ballot item.
The council would also need to determine the appropriate scheduling of the ballot initiative.
Conley Ulich is also requesting that the council adopt a resolution to support the implementation of the Marine Life Protection Act to provide improved protection for the diversity and abundance of ocean habitats through a network of marine protected areas.
In November 2004, city council adopted a resolution endorsing the implementation of the MLPA in Southern California as soon as possible. Conley Ulich is requesting that the council adopt the resolution to reaffirm the city’s commitment to support the goals and implementation of the MLPA.
Lastly, at the request of Mayor Pro Tem Sharon Barovsky, the council will discuss partnering with the Malibu Foundation for Youth and Families for its “Power of Possibility” leadership summit scheduled for April 30. The partnership approval will include the allocation of $10,000 from the city’s nondesignated general fund reserve to help cover the cost of the event.
Lights out for climate change awareness
The World Wildlife Fund is sponsoring “Earth Hour,” an annual event in which communities turn out their lights for one hour to increase awareness of climate change. The city of Los Angeles is participating this year on March 28 at 8:30 p.m. More information can be obtained by visiting www.earthhourus.org.
Malibu resident aids with ground breaking of Family Shelter
On March 12, Upward Bound House, a community-based, social services agency headquartered in Santa Monica, officially broke ground on a new emergency Family Shelter on the site of the Sunbay Motel on West Washington Boulevard in Culver City. Family Shelter will provide 18 units of emergency housing for children and their families, plus two units for on-site staff. The facility will serve approximately 210 children and their parents each year, becoming a significant resource in the region’s effort to place vulnerable children in safe, dignified housing. Family Shelter was funded by city, county, and state grants as well as donations from private foundations, corporations and individuals.
-Olivia Damavandi