Pepperdine University’s School of Law held its first major symposium for the fall 2006 term, titled “The Rookie Year of the Roberts Court & a Look Ahead.” The panelists, who were prominent law professors from various universities, gave their assessments of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decisions and the impact of newly appointed Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito on those decisions.
The symposium was held at the School of Law’s Odell McConnell Law Center and was taped for the C-SPAN’s “America & the Courts,” which airs Saturdays at 4 p.m. The broadcast date for “The Rookie Year” program has not yet been announced.
Pepperdine remembers 9/11
In remembrance of the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Pepperdine University is inviting the Malibu community to share in a day of reflection and prayer at the Heroes Garden on the Drescher Graduate Campus. The Heroes Garden was dedicated in 2003 as a lasting tribute to the firefighters, police officers, port authority employees and rescue workers who lost their lives in the attacks, along with the passengers on United Flight 93 who fought back against the terrorists.
Although the garden will be closed from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. for a private ceremony, people are welcome to visit throughout the day. The garden closes at sunset.
At 2 p.m., Deena Burnett, widow of Flight 93 hero and Pepperdine alumnus Tom Burnett, will be on campus to sign her new book, “Fighting Back: Living Life Beyond Ourselves,” which was co-authored by Anthony Giombetti. In the book, Burnett tells the story of how she fought back to find purpose and joy in her life after her husband was killed. The book signing, which is open to the public, will take place outside the Sandbar Cyber Café from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Local academic achievement up, according to state scores
Academic achievement at Malibu’s public schools has risen this past school year, according to the State Department of Education’s Academic Performance Index, or API, scores that were released this week.
The API measures the academic performance and growth of schools, with scores ranging from 200 to 1000, and the state target being 800. The API score summarizes the results of various indicators including the California Standards Tests, the CAT/6 norm-referenced test and the California High School Exit Exam.
Point Dume Marine Science Elementary School scored a 926, up from the previous year’s 921; Webster Elementary scored a 917, up from 901; Juan Cabrillo earned an 853, up from 843 and Malibu High rose three points from the previous year to an 834.
The district as a whole scored 817, an 11-point increase.
City looks for consultant on Chili Cook-Off site development
Last week, the city of Malibu issued a request for proposals, or RFP, from consultant firms interested in assisting the city with the development of the Chili Cook-Off site and transforming it into the proposed Malibu Legacy Park. According to the cover letter of the RFP, written by Public Works Director Robert Brager, the city wants to create a project “linking various water quality and public access elements in the Malibu Civic Center planning area.”
Brager further wrote, “Malibu proposes to construct vegetated storm water detention basins, intermittent wetlands and riparian habitat on 15 acres of recently acquired vacant land… The primary objective is to improve water quality in Malibu Creek, Malibu Lagoon, Surfrider Beach and to protect and restore natural resources.”
When the city campaigned to raise money for the purchase of the Chili Cook-Off site from the Malibu Bay Co., it promoted the idea of including the land stretching along Pacific Coast Highway between Webb Way and Cross Creek Road as part of a sophisticated wastewater/storm water treatment program.
Brager wrote that proposals are due by Oct. 6 and interviews are tentatively scheduled for the week of Oct. 16.
New traffic signal for Winter Canyon/Civic Center Way
The city of Malibu will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday on the corner of Winter Canyon Road and Civic Center Way to celebrate the installation of a new traffic signal at the intersection.
Installation of the traffic signal was one of the recommendations from the city’s Civic Center Way Task Force, which was formed in September 2003 to investigate solutions to the pedestrian and vehicular safety issues after the City Council’s pilot program to block off access to Civic Center Way from Malibu Canyon Road was met with hostility from many in the community.
-Jonathan Friedman