The contractor has completed the repair work and the final pavement restoration on the Westward Beach Road shoulder repair project. City staff and the contractor are working on additional striping. The expected completion date is January 26.
Shoulder repair project on Westward Beach Road near completion
Man accused in grisly Malibu Lagoon barrel murder charged with second killing
The suspect accused in the gruesome murder of Javonnta Murphy, whose body was found in a barrel in the Malibu Lagoon last summer, is now charged with a second murder. Police say Joshua Lee Simmons, charged with fatally shooting Murphy, 32, an aspiring rapper/musician, then dumping his body stuffed in a 55-gallon drum in the Malibu Lagoon, also is responsible for another murder last year.
Simmons was charged this week in the fatal shooting of 50-year-old Anthony Soloc in Inglewood last January. Simmons has been in custody since his arrest in October tied to Murphy’s murder that happened in late July. Maintenance workers and then lifeguards discovered the barrel floating in the lagoon days later. Upon opening the barrel, they made the gruesome discovery of Murphy’s body.
An alleged accomplice in that case, Dennis Eugene Vance, was released on a $50,000 bond.
The following incidents were reported between Dec. 11 to Dec. 15
12/11
Vehicle theft
A laptop was stolen from a vehicle parked inside Pepperdine University. The victim said when they returned to the vehicle they noticed it was ransacked, and their laptop worth $1,300 and iPad worth $699 was stolen. The victim said their headphones worth $240 were also stolen from their vehicle. There was no sign of forced entry, and the victim said he was unsure if he locked the vehicle. There were no security cameras available for evidence.
12/13
Burglary
A designer coat worth $1,879 was stolen from a retail store on Cross Creek. The suspects were described as a male with gray hair, approximately 60 years old, and a female with gray hair, also approximately 60 years old. One of the suspects tried on the designer coat, replaced their own jacket they were wearing on the hanger and walked out of the store without paying.
12/15
Burglary
A vehicle parked near Leo Carrillo State Beach was broken into and ransacked. The victim hid the keys and upon return, noticed the keys his wallet and cellphone were stolen from the vehicle. The victim then received a notification of a $9,000 purchase made at a Nordstrom in Woodland Hills with his credit cards. There were no security cameras available for evidence.
12/15
Vehicle Burglary
A vehicle parked near Nicolas Beach was broken into and ransacked. The victim had the keys on top of the passenger wheel and upon return, the key was missing and their cellphone and wallet were taken.There were no security cameras or witnesses available for evidence.
12/17
Burglary
A vehicle parked at the Dukes restaurant parking lot was broken into and ransacked. The victim said their backpack that contained their personal belongings was taken. The victim had an AirTag tracking device and located the backpack near the Marriott Hotel in Woodland Hills.
CHP Conducts Special Traffic Enforcement Operation in Malibu
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) carried out a targeted traffic enforcement operation in Malibu on Saturday, January 13, aimed at promoting road safety and addressing traffic violations. The operation involved the deployment of four dedicated officers who diligently enforced traffic laws throughout the day.
During the operation, a total of 78 citations were issued to individuals violating various traffic regulations. The CHP officers focused on addressing a range of offenses to enhance public safety and reduce the risk of accidents on Malibu’s roadways. The citations encompassed a variety of violations, including speeding, reckless driving, and failure to obey traffic signals.
The results were as follows:
63 speeding citations
6 seatbelt citations
2 unsafe turn citations
1 stop sign violation
1 cellphone violation
5 equipment violations
=78 total citations
“The dedicated and proactive work of the CHP and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officers has significantly contributed to the enhancement of public safety on PCH, but the urgency of the situation is underscored by the alarming number of accidents and traffic violations we continue to see. There have been eleven (11) accidents since that tragic day on October 17th, with one additional fatality. This trend is deeply concerning and demands immediate attention. I call on residents, businesses, and visitors to our city to exercise caution, obey traffic laws, and remain vigilant when driving this stretch of the highway,” said Mayor Uhring.
Our law enforcement partners remain committed to ensuring the safety of all road users and will continue to conduct proactive enforcement operations to deter unsafe driving practices. Authorities encourage motorists to adhere to posted speed limits, follow traffic rules, and prioritize safety while driving. Increased enforcement efforts, such as the operation conducted on January 13, serve as a reminder that traffic violations will not be tolerated, and consequences will be enforced to maintain public safety.
The City of Malibu is actively working with Caltrans to implement crucial safety infrastructure improvements and remains dedicated to fostering a safe and secure environment for all road users in Malibu.
For more information about the City’s efforts to improve safety on PCH, visitwww.MalibuCity.org/PCHSafety.
Malibu youth volleyballer wins national tournament championship
Izzy Von Watts’s club team, SoCal Legends, took home the SoCal Cup Winter Formal title last month
When Izzy Von Watts began playing volleyball over three years ago, he couldn’t step on the court. Instead, the youth dug his feet in the sand and took part in volleyball training and exercise sessions organized by Malibu High boys and girls volleyball head coach Derek Saenz.
The coach held practices at Zuma Beach from the late summer to the winter in 2020 to give Malibu High players and youths an athletic outlet during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which paused sports calendars across the globe. Izzy, an 11-year-old elementary school student then, was looking for a sporting pursuit. The beach volleyball sessions, he recalled, hooked him to the sport.
“I thought it was so fun,” Izzy, now 13, said. “A bunch of my friends from Malibu played so I just rolled with it.”
Saenz said the beach training sessions were an opportunity for Izzy to develop basic skills and be around his friends.
“It slowly turned into something they all became passionate about and something that kept them from the brunt of the negatives of the shutdown,” Saenz said.
Izzy has stepped from the sand to the court since then and blossomed. Last month, the seventh-grader helped his club volleyball team, SoCal Legends Volleyball Club in Chatsworth, serve and spike their way to a championship win at the SoCal Cup Winter Formal volleyball tournament at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Izzy, a student at Oaks Christian School, said winning the 13 Open division at the country’s biggest premier tournament for boys volleyball age groups 12U to 18U was great.
“We came together as a team,” he said. “At the end, it was stressful, but we came through. I had a fun time.”
The Winter Formal drew 600 club teams that included boys in age groups from 12U to 18U from across the country. There were 11 other division champions.
SoCal Legends defeated Mountain View Volleyball Club (MVVC) 26-24, 25-19 in the championship match. Izzy, a self-described gritty and aggressive outside hitter, registered a game-point kill to end the first set.
“I made a really big play,” he said.
Izzy’s 12-member squad began the three-day tournament on Dec. 8 with a 2-0 victory over Balboa Bay in pool play. They lost to COAST later that day. However, SoCal Legends then defeated MVVC in round one of the crossover bracket. They beat 949, COAST, and Academy of Volleyball in second round of pool play. SoCal Legends downed Balboa Bay and Bay to Bay in the gold bracket before beating MVVC again for the championship.
Saenz saw SoCal Legends win a match that they struggled in initially. The coach said Izzy was composed throughout.
“He stayed with his team and they ended up coming back to win it,” Saenz remembered. “Seeing him handle expectations was cool to see.”
Winning the title was full-circle moment for Izzy. Around a year before, he was cut from the SoCal Legends after tryouts. The teen was determined to make the team, so honed his volleyball skills and vertical leap and did plyometrics and weight training in preparation of tryouts later in 2023. Izzy also grew five inches to 5’4” in height. He was confident he would be selected for the Legends’ roster.
“I’m glad I didn’t make the team,” he said. “It gave me a lot of motivation to train more and play a lot more. I have courts near my house so I just went there every day and played a lot.”
Izzy didn’t play for one of Saenz’s Malibu Volleyball Club teams because a spot in his age group wasn’t available. The youth found out about SoCal Legends while at a volleyball tournament. Despite not playing for Saenz, Izzy still attends Malibu High matches and volleyball events and still has Saenz’s support.
“Izzy is super competitive,” he said. “I knew that from day one. Being able to see him mature and use more of his competitive nature in a way that helps him and helps his team play better is really cool to see.”
SoCal Legends is playing in a tournament this week. Izzy said the squad is missing a key player, so he hopes to step up his game.
Izzy has met a few Pepperdine, UCLA, and FIVB Volleyball Men’s Nations League (VNL) players since he began playing the sport. He hopes to one day reach similar volleyball heights.
“I want to make it to the VNL and play against a lot of countries and meet new people,” he said.
Discussion on Next Week’s City Council | Jan. 22
Ceremonial/Presentations:
- Presentation of City Tile to Kelsey Pettijohn for Seven Years of Service to the City of Malibu
New Business:
- Pacific Coast Highway Safety Review.
Consent Calendar/Previously Discussed Items:
- None.
New Items:
- Amendment to Professional Services Agreement with California Skateparks
- Hazard Tree Removal and Fuel Reduction Grant Acceptance
- Purchase of Beach Team Equipment
- Los Angeles County Measure R Transportation Funding Agreement Amendment
- Bluff’s Park South Walkway Repair Project
- Amendment to Professional Services Agreement with CJ Biomonitoring, LLC for Biological Review Consulting Services
- Investment Report for the Month Ending December 31, 2023.
Ordinances and Public Hearings:
- Exterior Elevated Elements (E3) Ordinance.
Old Business:
- None.
New Business:
- Reorganization of City Council Agenda Format for Regular City Council Meetings (Continued from January 8, 2024).
- School Safety Assessment
- Wireless Local Coastal Program Amendment Coastal Commission Staff Comments.
- Formula Retail Clearance Process.
Council Items:
- Designation of Voting Delegate and Alternate Voting Delegate(s) for the 2024 Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Annual Regional Conference and General Assembly.
To view the full City Council Agenda, visit malibucity.org/virtualmeetings.
City of Malibu holds Special City Council Meeting to review the Housing Element
The City of Malibu held a Special City Council meeting on Wednesday afternoon to review the City’s updated Draft Housing Element.
In response to the State Housing and Community Development (HCD) March 2022 letter, the City has revised the draft Housing Element and is now available for public review to allow public agencies and interested members of the public the opportunity to comment on the updated draft.
What is a housing element?
State Housing Element law requires that each City and County identify and analyze existing and projected housing needs within their jurisdictions, and prepare goals, policies, programs and quantified objectives to further the development, improvement, and preservation of housing.
The four major and required components of the Housing Element are the following:
- Housing Needs Assessment: An analysis of the City’s demographic, household and housing characteristics and related housing needs.
- Housing Constraints: A review of potential market, governmental, and infrastructure constraints to meeting the City’s identified housing needs.
- Housing Resources: An evaluation of residential sites and financial resources available to address the City’s housing goals.
- The Housing Plan: A plan for addressing the City’s identified housing needs, constraints, and resources through housing goals, policies and programs.
What is considered “affordable”?
By definition, housing is considered “affordable” when total housing cost, including utilities, is no more than 30 percent of a household’s gross income. State law describes five income categories, which are based on county median income.
The updated Draft Housing Element is available for review on the City’s website at Malibucity.org.
Written comments could be submitted to rmollica@malibucity.org. Please include “Housing Element” in the subject of your email. All comments will be provided to the City Council for its consideration.
To watch the meeting visit: https://www.youtube.com/live/bm4H7dKXhMc?feature=shared
Player of the Week: Sharks basketball’s Dylan Goosen
The playmaker scored 89 points over two games for Malibu High during New Year’s Classic at Panorama
Malibu High boys basketball player Dylan Goosen was in a high-scoring mood throughout the Sharks’ contest against Vaughn High on the final evening of the four-day New Year’s Classic basketball tournament at Panorama High School in Panorama City.
The junior guard received the ball near halfcourt and galloped toward the rim with a pair of White Tigers nipping at his blue Nikes when he suddenly dribbled the ball around his back — from one hand to the other — and found himself in the lane where he promptly scored a layup. On Malibu’s next possession, Goose swished a three-point shot from the right side of the court to give his squad a 26-15 advantage with under six minutes left in the second quarter. The playmaker gave Malibu a 31-21 lead when he finished a fast-break layup with three defenders attempting to stop him.
Goosen’s scoring barrage continued in the second half of the Jan. 6 contest. There was his scoop shot from outside the lane and textbook layup (off the backboard, of course) after he cut to the rim and received a pinpoint out of bounds pass from teammate Sawyer Keegan.
Goosen finished the contest with 41 points, six assists, and three steals to lead the Sharks to a 67-55 win, the squad’s first victory of the season. His offensive onslaught came three days after he rang up 48 points, five assists, and six steals in Malibu’s 80-70 loss to Sun Valley Magnet.
Goosen’s 89 points in two contests makes him The Malibu Times’ Athlete of the Week.
He said he’s never had this hot of a scoring hand on the basketball court before.
“It feels amazing,” Goosen said. “Hopefully, I can keep it going.”
The player, who describes himself as someone who can score from the perimeter to the paint, credited his teammates for his scoring outputs.
“Teammates have been helping me out,” he said. “Setting nice screens, making good passes. It was actually a team effort. I was just the one putting up the shots.”
First-year Malibu head coach David Goosen, Dylan’s father, said his son is a skilled player who makes smart decisions on the floor and knows how to score.
The younger Goosen is no stranger to producing standout basketball exploits. As a guard at Northridge Academy last season, he was named the MVP of the Valley League and around a year ago was named the Los Angeles Daily News Boys Athlete of the Week after swishing 14 three-pointers in consecutive games. He also dished out 17 assists and scored 60 overall points in the two contests.
Goosen transferred to Malibu to play for his father, so he had to sit out the Sharks’ first two games — both losses — last month because of transfer rules. He stepped on the court for the first time this season in Malibu’s opening game of the New Year’s Classic, a Jan. 2 loss to San Fernando High.
Goosen was anxious to lace up his sneakers and compete.
“It was very tough,” he recalled about sitting out the two games. “I wanted to get on the floor. It feels really good to be playing now.”
Goosen hasn’t been the only anxious player on Malibu’s roster this season. The squad has five freshmen on its 10-man roster and no seniors. Nerves played a factor in some of their contests, especially since a lot of their opponents have rosters filled with older players, said Sharks freshman forward Morgan Donnelly.
“The first game, we weren’t used to varsity,” he said. “We have been getting a bit more used to varsity. I wasn’t feeling as confident as I usually do, but I realized I can play at this level.”
Malibu didn’t seem nervous against Vaughn. The squad served up a full court press on defense to force turnovers and pushed the ball up court as quickly as possible on offense.
Goosen scored 23 points in the first half, while Donnelly had eight. Freshman center Grayson Polatin also score two buckets for Malibu. Keegan, hit a couple of shots, including a three-pointer.
Goosen continued to lead Malibu’s offensive charge after halftime. He scored on a bevy of layups, runners, and foul shots. Donnelly also hit several shots as Malibu never relinquished the lead, even though the White Tigers staged a comeback.
Donnelly finished with 16 points, Keegan had seven, and Polatin scored four.
Coach Goosen said winning their first game of the season felt good.
“I’m believer in the kids have to experience a win in order to know how to win,” he said. “Hopefully, we can build on that.”
The coach continued: “The kids played really hard. When we did make mistakes, they did a good job of not hanging their heads.”
Winning, Keegan said, is awesome.
“This is what we have been waiting for,” he said. “We have been working really hard, each and every day.”
Malibu entered Tuesday’s game against Channel Islands with a 1-4 record. They hosted Valor Academy the next day and play at Carpinteria on Thursday. The Sharks host TEACH Tech Charter on Jan. 12 and East College Prep three days later. They host Hueneme on Jan. 16 and Community Charter the next day. Malibu hosts Magnolia Science Academy on Jan. 19 and Santa Paula two days later.
The older Goosen said Malibu wants to get better each game.
“We have done a good job with that,” he said. “We’ve grown. That is our overall goal. We can talk all we want about getting better and getting better, but at some point we have to learn what it takes to win.”
Keegan said Malibu will continue to play hard.
“We want to get a few more Ws on that record,” he said. “The sky is the limit.”
Pepperdine water polo standouts named All-Americans
The three Waves were amongst the 58 players from across the nation named to the Division I ACWPC team
A trio of Pepperdine Waves men’s water polo players were named Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches All-Americans late last month.
Graduate students Ryan Brosnan and Antonio Knez were named third-team All-Americans and sophomore Adam Csapo received honorable mention status.
The three Waves were amongst the 58 players from across the nation named Division I 2023 ACWPC All-Americans. The All-American honor is the highest award presented to a college player for their performance in the pool. Recipients receive commemorative certificates for receiving the recognition.
Knez, an All-American at Princeton before coming to Pepperdine, was standout goalie for the Waves this season. He finished the 2023 campaign with 294 saves, a .524 save percentage, and a 22-6 record. The goalkeeper had 37 steals and a 9.74 goals against average.
Brosnan, a diver, is a first-time All-American. Before becoming a Wave, he played at UC Santa Barbara. Brosnan had 104 points, a team-leading 47 assists, 23 assists, and 57 goals in 2023. His shooting percentage was .452.
The attacker Csapo was also an honorable mention All-American last season. He lead Pepperdine with 61 goals on a .430 shooting percentage and had 89 points. Csapo tallied 22 steals and 28 assists also.
The players also earned All-West Coast Conference recognition in early November. Knez was the WCC Player of the Year and Brosnan was the conference’s Newcomer of the Year. Knez and Brosnan were also All-WCC first team members and Csapo was named to the second team, along with senior center defender Nico Tierney. Waves head coach Terry Schroeder was named WCC Coach of the Year.
Pepperdine finished their 2023 season with a 25-6 record. The squad’s season ended with a 20-13 loss to Cal Baptist in the WCC Tournament.
‘Waiting for that miracle’: Malibu Farmers Market hopes to remain at Legacy Park
Vendors and shoppers alike share their appreciation for Debra Bianco’s dedication and leadership
As the future location of the Malibu Farmers Market continues to be a concern among vendors and residents, the market continues to provide residents with their weekly groceries at Legacy Park.
Despite the uncertainty, Debra Bianco, president and co-founder of the Cornucopia Foundation, said they’re still remaining hopeful for the market to continue operating at Legacy Park.
“We made an agreement with the county, the site map. Are we thrilled with that site map? No, it’s not our original footprint, but you have to take what you can, so we accepted it,” Bianco said. “Our paperwork with the county was handed in June [2023] and I did call the county on Thursday and they did ask me if I could send it again — only update it. They wanted to make sure all our documents [are] updated, that’s why we’re not there now; as far as we know, we need to get back their safe and we can keep our market going on. I have no idea what that might look like as of yet, but, good god, there’s always that miracle.”
During the Malibu City Council meeting on Jan. 8, the council directed the Malibu Farmers Market to return to the LA County/Santa Monica College property and said they will continue the discussion after the market returns.
At the meeting, the discussion was about receiving a sign-off from the county and the fire department.
“They [the county] have received a new site map layout that is currently under review, but as to any agreement, signing of the license is still under its current status and is not complete,” Deputy City Manager Alexis Brown said at the City Council meeting. “It’s my understanding that some of the documents are still pending. Some of the required documents [are] listed in the motion and that was approved by the county supervisors on Sept. 26, and until those items are provided by the current organizer, unfortunately, they do not have the permits and they will not able to operate on [the] county lot.”
Bianco said they are waiting for the county to get a signature from the fire department but said she received a message from the county last Thursday, Jan. 11.
“I just got a message from the county to take away more tents, so they think the clearance would be good for the fire department,” Bianco said.
“We don’t know until we get there,” Bianco said about the amount of vendors that will be allowed at the new location.
While the Cornucopia Foundation has continued to operate its market at Legacy Park while the parties negotiate the contours of the area that the market can operate in upon its return to SMC, the county stands ready to welcome the Farmers Market back to the SMC parking lot.
“We are excited to welcome the Malibu Farmers Market back to the Malibu Civic Center now that the beautiful Santa Monica Community College satellite campus is complete,” Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath said on Sept. 26, after the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed her motion addressing the Cornucopia Foundation, operator of the Malibu Farmers Market, returning to the county-owned SMC parking lot.
Since last year, dozens of vendors and customers have continued to support the market by sending letters and speaking during public comment at City Council meetings.
Ingrid Yael Jensen has been attending and performing at the Malibu Farmers Market for nearly seven years and loves the atmosphere the market provides.
“Malibu has a unique, diverse group of people who live here and they always inspire me to be who you are, and I want to stay at Legacy Park because it’s absolutely beautiful,” Jensen said. “I feel like it’s actually magical, I feel like all of the people that come here are much happier — they love it.”
Jensen said she’s impressed and inspired by everyone who has been advocating for the Farmers Market.
“I’ve never seen a stronger woman that I know,” Jensen said of Bianco. “She doesn’t give up, she is a pillar of strength, she’s also very inspiring and we wouldn’t be who we are at the Malibu Farmers Market [without her].”
Shade McCullough has been a vendor at the Malibu Farmers Market for four years and said the market at Legacy Park provides a more enjoyable atmosphere.
“We started around the time the Woolsey Fire started, and we’ve slowly started growing and expanding,” McCullough said. “What separates this market from any other market is, for one, the environment. At Legacy Park, it’s much more exciting and welcoming. I do a handful of markets throughout the week, and this is my favorite by far.”
McCullough said he noticed both the vendors and customers genuinely enjoy the market being at Legacy Park, “it’s a wonderful time.”
Vendor and owner of Hoyt Family Vineyards Carol Hoyt has had her wine on display at the market and expressed her support of the market to operate at Legacy Park.
“I really commend [Bianco] for her efforts in supporting the Farmers Market, it’s a nonprofit organization and she knows how important it is to everyone who comes here, it’s a tradition for people every Sunday,” she said. “You look around here, everyone’s here with their kids, it’s a great time to reconnect with family and friends.”
Former Public Works Commissioner James Palmer was shopping at the market and expressed his support for the market to continue operating at Legacy Park.
“I’ve been a supporter of the Malibu Farmers Market since day one since they did a parking at the Chili Cook-Off Site, but I believe this issue of whether the market should stay or go should be based on public opinion, not some clause that was written in an agreement that was created 30 years ago,” Palmer said. “This is best thing for the community. The location makes it super special, and I just can’t believe anyone would want to move it from this location to somewhere else, it’s really the ‘moving in the wrong direction.’ I hope the city can understand that this is best place, it’s a community event.”
Bianco expressed her appreciation for everyone who has shown their support.
“That’s what keeps me going, to have the support of all the residents and vendors,” she said. “When I come here, I get all the energy from Monday through Saturday.”
