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Burt’s Eye View: No Heavy Lifting

Burt Ross
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Burt’s Eye View: No Heavy Lifting

By Burt Ross 

I recently had a medical procedure, and my doctor strongly advised me to stop any and all heavy lifting. It instantly occurred to me that my doctor didn’t have a clue who his patient was, or he would never have suggested that I cease heavy lifting. Understand that to cease doing something, you have to have first done it. It’s a bit like finding your hat when you have been wearing it all along and, therefore was never lost.

The simple fact is I ceased doing heavy lifting at my birth. I have nothing against heavy lifting so long as it is done by others. The chances of my doing heavy lifting after my medical procedure, of course, were nil. To be perfectly honest, I am not especially fond of light lifting either.

My doctor also advised me against any strenuous activity. He needn’t have warned me since that box was already checked. I am as opposed to strenuous activity as I am to heavy lifting. You see, it is the word “strenuous” that I am not a fan of. Strenuous suggests strain, and I see no value in straining myself.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that I don’t particularly care for any kind of exercise unless you consider transporting food from the plate to the mouth as exercise. I know there are those who proudly calculate every step they walk, go to the gym each day, run marathons, and so forth, but I believe all this exercise is vastly overrated.

I actually knew a man who died on the treadmill. That will never happen to me. How many times do people collapse after running a marathon? You won’t see me collapse after taking a nap or lying in the hammock.

Malibu Pier closure sparks concerns among local business owners

The Malibu Times
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Malibu Pier closure sparks concerns among local business owners

More than two months after a powerful windstorm battered the California coast, the end of the Malibu Pier remains closed to the public, leaving local business owners frustrated and concerned. The closure, enforced by California State Parks, follows preliminary structural concerns identified after the Jan. 7 storm.

At a press conference last week, Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart and other city officials were taken aback by the prolonged closure, with little clarity on when the end of the pier might reopen. State Parks officials explained that the closure is a precautionary measure to allow for a thorough structural assessment. The rest of the pier remains open to visitors, but two businesses at the far end — the Malibu Farm Pier Café and the Surfshop/Souvenir Shop — have been forced to shut their doors indefinitely.

“We were hoping to get back to business as usual, but every day we remain closed, it gets harder,” said Maren Oetke, manager of the Ranch at the Pier as the souvenir store at the end of the pier, at the press conference. “We rely on foot traffic, and this is devastating for us.”

State Parks confirmed that the assessment, expected in the coming months, will determine whether repairs are needed or if the end of the pier can safely reopen. The same storm that prompted the closure also caused the collapse of part of the Santa Cruz Pier, leading State Parks to impose similar restrictions on piers across the state.

For now, visitors can still enjoy most of the Malibu Pier, including the Malibu Farm Restaurant and beach rentals. Fishing is also permitted in open areas. State Parks urges the public to stay updated on the situation by checking the Malibu Lagoon State Beach webpage and its social media channels.

Local officials and business owners hope for swift action, as the prolonged uncertainty threatens livelihoods and the vibrant tourism economy that Malibu relies on. In the meantime, Oetke and other business owners wait anxiously for news on when they can reopen their doors.

Note: Correction made at 10:40 a.m. on April 6 Ranch at the Pier as the souvenir store at the end of Malibu Pier.

Curiosity takes center stage at OLM Science Fair

Barbara Burke
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Curiosity takes center stage at OLM Science Fair

Young scientists plan and prepare projects, proving that hands-on learning makes science fun

“The science fair is fun when you’re a kid because you get to learn about something you’re interested in,” said Dusty Friesen Peak, a fourth-grader at Our Lady of Malibu School.

“The students planned and prepared more than 40 science projects in biology, biochemistry, botany, chemistry, physics, zoology, medicine and health, engineering, environmental studies, animal behavior, and social sciences for the Annual OLM Science Fair,” said OLM Principal Elisa Zimmerman. “Hypothesis centered around centrifugal force, magnetism, and the study of bacteria were among the innovative science experiments at this fair.”

Candy Wallace, OLM’s Science Fair coordinator, watched judges view projects and explained, “There are really two purposes for the Science Fair: to teach the scientific method and to instill confidence in the students as they explain their efforts in trying to prove their hypothesis.” 

Little Georgia Mitnick, a kindergartner, learned a lot — a whole lot! “The plant without sun died,” she reported. “Plants need water and sun to live.”

Dusty’s and Georgia’s words delighted the two faculty members who coordinated the science fair curricula, Helen Litz, the Elementary STEM teacher at the school, and Dr. Larken Cumberland. Litz explained, “The science fair gave students a fun opportunity to investigate a topic of their choice more thoroughly than we’d normally get to in class, while reinforcing the scientific method.”

The subjects students explored were quite varied, Litz noted. “Topics ranged from the more fun, such as cookie making, making paper airplanes and catapults, to the more complex, like boiling point elevation, conductivity, and ocean lead levels near the Palisades and Franklin fires,” she said. “The students got experts in their chosen topic, then had to make a poster and present their findings, really giving them a chance to practice how we share information and really reinforcing the scientific method through their hands-on exploration.”

Some readers might be thinking, “Wait a minute! I didn’t do such projects until junior high — I wasn’t doing them in kindergarten or even in fourth grade!” To that, Litz stated, “Often the scientific method isn’t presented until students are a little older, so it was really cool to see even our kindergartners really understanding the process of our class experiment, proving that plants need water and sunshine.”

Georgia’s older sister, Michelle Mitnick, a fourth-grader, enjoyed the science report process because she could research the amount of lead in ocean water after the Palisades Fire. She took samples of ocean water in front of La Costa Beach in Malibu and in an area that was not within the burn scar and then compared the amount of lead present in water samples in and out of the burn area. 

“It was Michelle’s first time putting together this type of presentation and she had to write the question she was exploring, develop a hypothesis, discuss the materials that she would need to conduct her experiment, collect data, explain the procedure she used to study her hypothesis, and then explain her conclusion which discussed the results of her testing and whether her hypothesis was correct or not and why,” Michelle’s mother, Jennifer Mitnick explained, noting that the hands-on learning process taught her daughters a lot.

“I researched the effects of lead on people and too much lead can lower our IQ and can cause kidney damage,” Michelle explained. “I liked the hands-on learning process and also that we got to go somewhere for the project.”

For all her hard work, Michelle won first place for her grade. But, more importantly, as Dusty said, all the students learned that the science fair — and by extension science itself — is fun when you’re a kid because you get to learn about something you’re interested in.

2025 first place winner in the fourth grade level of the our lady of Malibu science fair
Our Lady of Malibu School fourth-grader Michelle Mitnic won first place for her grade at the OLM Science Fair with her report researching the amount of lead in ocean water after the Palisades Fire.
2025 OLM Science Fair OLM5
[Our Lady of Malibu student Caleb So displays his project on rock candy crystals during the OLM Science Fair.
2025 OLM Science Fair OLM6
2025 OLM Science Fair OLM1

The Brown Act: A Well-Intentioned Law That Gets in the Way of Good Governance

The Malibu Times
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The Brown Act: A Well-Intentioned Law That Gets in the Way of Good Governance

By Haylynn Conrad 

I’m all for government transparency. The people of Malibu deserve to know how decisions are made, who’s influencing them, and why certain policies move forward. But transparency shouldn’t come at the expense of actually getting things done. Unfortunately, the Ralph M. Brown Act — California’s open meetings law — makes it a lot harder for local officials like me to do the job we were elected to do. I had no idea until recently anything about this Brown Act. I actually asked everyone, including the governor of this state, if he would suspend it, and I got a clear “no.” But he also said if I want, I can write legislation to change it for the future — thanks, I’ll add that to my to-do list.

The Brown Act was designed to prevent backroom deals and ensure public participation in government. Okay, both of those things are great, right?

But in that it also prohibits a majority of city council members from discussing city business outside of advanced publicly noticed meetings, even informally. That sounds reasonable, in theory. In practice, it creates unnecessary roadblocks that make collaboration almost impossible.

I’m a born collaborator and brainstormer. I love listening and learning. At the Malibu elementary school I opened 10 years ago (and recently closed due to fires), we taught the kids the importance of communication, critical thinking, and iteration. Our favorite was the lessons on the gifts of failure, but if we can’t communicate together, we just fail and don’t have the opportunity to iterate that into success. This is a problem with the government. It is the least creative experience I’ve ever had. I just finished the book ABUNDANCE by Ezra Klein and it just highlighted the dysfunction of systems that had good intention once but can cause more harm then good.

Think about it: With a law like the Brown Act, how are we supposed to tackle a complicated issue — say, making PCH safer — if we can’t even brainstorm with more than one colleague at a time? We’re expected to make informed decisions on policies that affect thousands of people, yet we can’t legally deliberate outside of a public meeting, where time is limited, and conversations often become more about optics than actual problem-solving. There’s an audience, we are on a podium, under stage lights with a microphone with a limited time to offer solutions and we do this for a few hours every two weeks. We have to stick to someone else’s agenda. This is not process it’s theater. No wonder not much gets done. I have personally attempted to agendize my own topics and I have sent them into the city manager and they have not seen the light of day.

The Brown Act law treats even the most casual conversations as a potential violation. If I dare text two fellow council members about a policy concern, or if we run into each other at a community event and talk about city matters, that could be considered an illegal “serial meeting.” The result? The kind of real, back-and-forth discussions that lead to better ideas and stronger policies just don’t happen. Instead, we’re forced into rigid, scripted discussions in public meetings, where transparency is prioritized over effective governance. I can’t tag or like or comment on other council members posts. It’s a violation if more than two council comment on mine. I have no idea what my council members are up to, and we can be doing redundant efforts.

I love transparency and I’m all for it but this is at the expense of meaningful results for the city we love. We do a lot of talking at the podium but not a lot of implementation. There’s weeks between meetings and I get more done meeting with the residents of Malibu daily then I do in the few hours we meet every other Monday in City Hall. That’s not my fellow councils fault but I believe it’s the process.

And here’s the kicker: Malibu, like the vast majority of cities in California, operates under the same weak council-strong manager (I’m not making it up — that’s what I learned the term is) form of government.

That means that to my surprise that the city council isn’t actually responsible for running day-to-day operations—we set policy, but it’s the city manager who implements it. The Brown Act makes collaboration among council members difficult, yet at the same time, we’re expected to work through a single administrator to get anything done. So not only are we restricted from openly deliberating with each other, but we also have limited authority over execution. It’s literally out of our hands after we vote.  That’s a recipe for slow, reactive government rather than proactive, innovative leadership. I see that as an end result of the current system in California. We are all a result of this type of clumsy leadership.

Malibu isn’t alone in this. Out of California’s 482 incorporated cities, approximately 97% operate under the council-manager system. In this structure, the city council provides direction, while a professional city manager, appointed by the council, handles daily operations, staff, budgeting, and administration. This model is meant to bring efficiency and expertise to local government while keeping politics out of day-to-day operations…if you are lucky. Once the council votes, it’s out of our hands and into the managers.

Meanwhile, only five cities — Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fresno — operate under a strong mayor system, where the mayor is the city’s chief executive, directly overseeing departments and playing a dominant role in policy implementation. Unlike in council-manager cities, where the mayor is largely a ceremonial figure with one vote on the council, strong mayor cities centralize executive power in a single elected official. Being mayor in these city manager cities like Malibu is like a participation prize.

This widespread reliance on the council-manager model underscores just how important it is for council members to be able to work effectively with each other and with their appointed administrators. Yet laws like the Brown Act make that harder, limiting how elected officials can communicate and collaborate—ultimately hindering the very efficiency this system was designed to promote.

Let’s be honest — this doesn’t lead to better decision-making. Instead of working through ideas in advance and refining them before they go public, council members often come to meetings unprepared to have meaningful debates. Discussions feel like performances, where people read off prepared talking points instead of engaging in real, dynamic problem-solving. Heck, I have been known to read speeches here and there. I feel uncomfortable as my personality thrives in a group think tank with ideas and pathways that illuminate innovation and then implementation. That’s where my energy is. The city council meetings feel very forced and bizarre to me.

The meetings seem like they would be the means to the end after we have learned, debated, discussed, and weighed options at length about the various issues. Then we vote and move on, but what you see is actually us, for the first time, the council has been allowed to sit together to discuss these matters in front of an audience. I don’t think the city residents understand that, as I didn’t. It’s not intuitive, it’s inhibiting and cumbersome.

We need to find a balance. Transparency shouldn’t mean dysfunction. The Brown Act needs reform so that council members can collaborate without fear of violating the law. Other states have figured this out—they have open meeting laws that protect the public’s right to know while still allowing officials to do their jobs. California should follow their lead and update the Brown Act to allow for small-group discussions or work sessions without violating the spirit of open government. Luckily and, recently, we voted on a series of weekly working meetings where the council can meet and discuss urgent Malibu issues like exploring sewers, implementing new technologies to our permitting process, fire safety measures.  Without meetings more often to discuss these issues freely, how will we understand them, let alone vote on them responsibly? These are very serious decisions that will shape the future of Malibu, and having just a few limited discussions together isn’t advantageous for anyone.

People don’t elect us to sit in silos, afraid to talk to one another. They elect us to lead, to tackle tough issues, and to make thoughtful decisions. But when the very laws meant to protect democracy end up paralyzing it, it’s time for change. The Brown Act needs to evolve so we can govern the way Malibu — and every city in California — deserves.

Haylynn Conrad is a current Malibu City Council member; you can reach her at hconrad@malibucity.com. 

Malibu Rebuild: Rising from the ashes Part 3

Benjamin Marcus
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Malibu Rebuild: Rising from the ashes Part 3

Debris Removal by the numbers — after the most destructive wildfire in recent history

The misleadingly named Broad Fire was Nov. 6, and while it was nasty, brutish, and short and destroyed at least three beloved homes on Malibu Road, the Broad Fire was a weenie roast compared to the Franklin Fire, which began on Dec. 9 and wasn’t officially contained until nine days later: 4,035 acres burned. Seven structures destroyed and nine others damaged. As Dante’s Inferno end-of-the-worldish as the Franklin Fire was in the middle of Malibu, it was a flicked match compared to the Palisades Fire, which began on Jan. 7 and wasn’t fully contained until Jan. 31: Approximately 23,448 acres burned, 6,837 structures destroyed, 1,017 damaged, 12 confirmed fatalities and four injuries. And now here we are, five months later, brushing off the ashes and figuring out how to put it all back together again — again.

These numbers and quotes were gathered from Matt Myerhoff at the City of Malibu, Erin Jimenez and Col. Sawser from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Googling and Chat GPT, and a “60 Minutes” segment on the Palisades and Altadena fires on Sunday, March 30.

Debris Removal 3 Graphic for Phaase Two from USACE website 3 30 2025

Frequently Asked Questions 

What will be the procedure and penalty for property owners who neither opt in nor opt out of USACE Debris Removal? 

The ability to enforce compliance is retained at the local municipality, the county, or the state.

Can the USACE go onto these properties without permission and clear them? 

In terms of bulk debris clearance, USACE must have a right of entry, verified by the city or county, in order to remove disaster-related debris.

Why have so many properties neither opted in nor opted out? 

If I had to speculate, some property owners may not be aware of the requirement, others could be located overseas or be difficult to contact, or some may be uncertain about the eligibility rules or the implications of opting in or out.

And can USACE say what the high and low cost of debris removals has been for the Palisades Fire? 

USACE is not charging homeowners for debris removal. It is difficult to provide an estimate of cost per house due to numerous variables that continue to evolve as this response effort progresses. Towards the end of this mission, in accordance with FEMA oversight, USACE will be able to release a more detailed account of expenditures.

And how is that cost determined? 

There is an existing contract in place as USACE executes this mission. As one would expect, there is fluctuation in cost factors as this mission continues to evolve.

City of Malibu Statement on failure to opt in/opt out

On April 1, Matt Myherhoff passed along this official statement from the City of Malibu: “The City Council will be discussing next steps at an upcoming council meeting. In the meantime, the city has been working closely with state, county, and federal officials to seek assistance in addressing these properties. The city has also formally petitioned the governor for support, which we hope will be forthcoming.

“If no assistance is received, several options remain available. For properties that do not opt into a solution and where conditions pose a public nuisance or environmental hazard, the city and other public agencies may impose penalties or take direct action to safeguard public health, safety, and the environment.

“A detailed report outlining the available options, including those with significant financial implications, will be presented to the council for consideration.”

How many traffic passes have been handed out? 

CALTRANS

Many are curious to know the number of resident and essential worker passes that had been handed out, and MarcBischoff from Caltrans responded:  “Caltrans is not involved in approving or distributing passes for access to the restricted portion of PCH.

“The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department is distributing burn area access passes for Malibu, Sunset Mesa, Topanga Canyon, and unincorporated LA County residents and contractors hired by residents in the burn area only. Those can be picked up from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Santa Monica College-Malibu Interpretive Center, 23555 Civic Center Way, Malibu, on Tuesdays and Thursdays or at Malibu City Hall, 23825 Stuart Ranch Road, Malibu, on Saturdays. More information and restrictions can be found at malibucity.org. Pacific Palisades and all Palisades Fire-impacted residents can pick up access passes at the Disaster Recovery Center at 10850 Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.”

LA County Sheriff’s Department 

A query about pass numbers to the LASD got this response from Chris Wax: “Unfortunately, we are unable to provide you with exact numbers regarding passes issued or the breakdown between essential, contractor, and residential passes. I can reaffirm, as Sgt. Soderlund indicated, that total passes issued are in the thousands (more likely tens of thousands based on residency in the burn scar areas and work being done). 

“The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department notes that eligibility for business passes will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis at the pass center. Eligible businesses may include brick-and-mortar businesses, caretakers, health care workers, grocery workers, babysitters, contractors, insurance adjusters, and damage mitigation companies. Applicants must apply in person. No vetting will be conducted over the phone or online.”

When will PCH be open to everyone? 

As for when PCH would be open to everyone, Bischoff from Caltrans said:  “No decisions have been made on a reopening timeline. State, county, and local transportation agencies are working with law enforcement, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the city of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County to open lanes as quickly and safely as practical. This is predicated on work of USACE and County Public Works being completed.”

What are the updates from the Malibu Rebuilds

As of last week, the Malibu Rebuilds Center had 12-31 people visiting daily with an average of 16. Of the four phases in rebuilding, there were 0 Building Plan Check Submittals, 0 Certificates of Occupancy filed or approved, 9: Architectural plan submittals. 6 Pending / 3 Approved and 123: Initial Rebuild Appointments/Site Verification. 

According to Matt Myerhoff of the City of Malibu: “Regarding the updated rebuild numbers, there has been a change upin the routine for reporting that out. It will be reported each week in the weekly Rebuild Newsletter which comes out on Thursdays.”

By the Numbers | Weekly Update 

1 – 4: Days to remove debris according to Commander Eric Swenson on 60 Minutes. “It takes an average of one to four days to do a standard-size house. If we have a house that’s pinned on the side of a mountain, those properties could take us six, eight to 10 days to do because we’re going to need some specialized equipment to get in there.”

2-3: Days to remove debris per property. From LA County Recovers: Phase 2 Debris Removal:  “The Army Corps of Engineers is aiming for debris to be safely removed in two-to-three days PER PROPERTY. This timeline can change depending on the size of the lot or parcel, the amount of debris, inclement weather, and other factors, so it may take longer to remove debris. Other factors include the size of the lot, the amount of hardscape, the degree of damage, the condition of the foundation and whether you want to remove or try to maintain the foundation. None of those specifics will be available to the Army Corps of Engineers until they get on site. It will not be possible to estimate how long it will take to clean up your property until the contractor assesses the site. And for the same reasons, we cannot accurately predict at this time how long the overall cleanup effort will take.”

2: Number of hours it can take a six-person team to extract one electric vehicle, according to “60 Minutes.”

2: Landfills in California certified to take hazardous materials, according to “60 Minutes.”

3: Days the barrels of lithium-ion batteries are submerged in a saltwater bath: “The saltwater gives any trapped energy a place to go, so they’re less likely to ignite. See those bubbles? That’s energy releasing from the batteries.”

6: As many as six drums filled with thousands of lithium-ion cells are needed to remove the hazardous waste from one electric vehicle, according to “60 Minutes.”

6: According to “60 Minutes”: “After the property is cleared, six inches of soil are removed in an effort to get rid of any contaminants that may have seeped into the ground.” 

8: Steps to Rebuilding Together according to MalibuRebuilds.org / Steps to Rebuilding Together

  1. Verify your property is in city limits and obtain property records
  2. Make a Rebuild Appointment at the Rebuild Center
  3. Select a Rebuild Option
  4. Select Building Design Professionals
  5. Site Verification
  6. Architectural Plan Submittal (Review and Approval)
  7. Building Plan Check
  8. Inspections

April 15: Extended deadline to opt in or opt out for debris removal with the USACE or privately.

17: “All that remaining debris from burned-down homes is headed to 17 landfills and recycling centers across California,” according to “60 Minutes.”

25: MPH speed limit between Chautauqua Boulevard in Pacific Palisades and Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu.

Feb. 25: Date the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  completed its Phase 1 hazardous materials removal mission 

28: Days it took the EPA to complete hazardous waste removal on 900 properties, according to 60 Minutes.

“60[:] Minutes” broadcast a segment on debris removal by the USACE on Sunday, March 30.

507: USACE debris removals signed off in Palisades/Malibu.

600: Number of EVs found by the EPA during Phase One, “Most of them in Lynn Mcyntire’s Palisades neighborhood” according to “60 Minutes.”

600: Miles to Knolls, Utah, where some of the hazardous waste is trucked to, and buried. “About half of California’shazardous waste is trucked hundreds of miles away and buried in nearby states, mainly Utah and Arizona which rely on more lenient federal waste standards,” according to “60 Minutes.”

750 – 1,470°F: Temperature of prehistoric fires burning naturally while modern wildfires can exceed 2,192°F, especially in urban areas where synthetic materials burn.

840–1,650°F: According to Chat GPT, these are the burn temperatures of California trees and shrubs.

Chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum) Is highly flammable, rich in oils, burns explosively in wildfires: 840–1,650°F 

Manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.) Highly flammable, rich in oils, burns explosively in wildfires: 750–1,650°F

Ceanothus (California Lilac) Waxy coating makes it highly flammable: 750–1,560°F 

Eucalyptus Oils cause intense combustion and fire spread: 570–1,470°F

Palm Trees (Washingtonia & Phoenix spp.) Fronds act as fire ladders, embers travel far: 570–1,300°F

Sagebrush (Artemisia californica) Aromatic oils contribute to rapid burning: 500–1,300°F

Pine Trees (Ponderosa, Jeffrey, Lodgepole, etc.) High resin content makes it ignite easily: 500–1,300°F

Valley Oak & Coast Live Oak More fire-resistant than softwoods but will still burn: 750–930°F 

Bristlecone Pine Dense but burns at high temperatures once ignited: 750–930°F

Redwood Fire-resistant bark and high moisture slow burning, but it can still sustain wildfires in extreme heat:  (600–930°F)

900: “More than 9,000 homeowners have opted for their (USACE) help. And as of last week, about 900 parcels had been cleared,” according to “60 Minutes,” referring to  the week of March 23-30 in Altadena, Palisades and Malibu.

2,500 – 2,800°F: Range of temperatures at which steel melts, depending on composition.

1,947°F: Melting point of gold.

1,832–2,192°F: Breakdown point of concrete, which decomposes before melting.

1,220.5°F: Melting point of aluminum.

621.5°F: Melting point of lead.

356.9°F: Melting point of lithium

3,129: Out of the 13,579 eligible parcels, 3,129 Rights of Energy (ROE) have been submitted to the Army Corps of Engineers.

$5,000: Amount that Palisades homeowner Lynn Mcintrye paid to have her somehow-still-standing, 1940s Palisades home independently tested for toxins. “The tests revealed arsenic in her home and lead levels 22 times higher than what the EPA considers safe,” according to “60 Minutes.” “Her insurance company says it will not cover the cost of cleaning it all up, because it does not constitute quote ‘a direct physical loss.’”

10,000: “Houses still standing in the burn zones,” according to “60 Minutes.”

$79,000: Cost to privately clear the fire debris from a 2,400-square-foot house in Big Rock. The Anonymous Homeowner said: “That is being paid for by California FAIR Plan because debris removal was an item I elected to have written into the policy. I have to say FAIR plan has really been more than fair. They paid for the debris removal and cut me a check for 80% of what I was covered for. The last 20% is still coming.”

As of April 1, it has taken two days to remove 80% of the debris and The Anonymous Homeowner is pleased: “One of the guys who is clearing my property has been doing it for 40 years. He said in his experience.the Northridge earthquake, the L.A. Riot and the Palisades Fire are the three biggest messes he’s had to deal with.”

9 billion: With a B, pounds of debris that will be removed, according to “60 Minutes.” “I anticipate having all fire, ash anddebris removed by the one-year anniversary of this fire,” said Col. Eric Swenson, a commander for the Army Corps of Engineers.

Driving Change: Weaponizing Grief — 15 years after Emily

Michel Shane
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Driving Change: Weaponizing Grief — 15 years after Emily

By Michel Shane 

If you read this on Thursday, April 3, you’re witnessing my heart laid bare. Fifteen years ago today, my world imploded when Emily was stolen from us on PCH. Not taken — stolen. Because death on a preventable death trap isn’t natural; it’stheft. It robs families of futures, communities of promise, and parents of wholeness.

When your child dies, you’re gutted. Permanently. I created three hearts and watched them grow into the world, each carrying all of our love until one was violently ripped away. The question haunts me daily: How do you become whole when a piece of your soul has been torn from you? You don’t. You transform. You become a weapon aimed at preventing others from experiencing your pain. You weaponize your grief.

dolphin Emily Shane
Emily Shane.

We refused — immediately, fiercely — to let Emily become another nameless tragedy, just “that poor child killed on PCH.” While still reeling from those first devastating hours, we launched “Pass it Forward,” an act of defiance against darkness. This evolved into The Emily Shane Foundation, our SEA program mentoring struggling middle schoolers, and eventually pushed me to create the film “21 Miles in Malibu,” igniting our “Driving Change” division. All because we made one critical choice: light over consuming darkness.

Meanwhile, PCH continues its deadly legacy, though we now wonder what will become of the road after the fires. We know it will resurrect and continue — we can’t let it be from the past; it must be the future. A serpentine death trap disguised as a scenic drive. How many more memorials will line its shoulders before we demand meaningful change? How many more children must die before we stop accepting politicians’ empty promises and half-measures?

Caltrans is now painting bike lanes along this killer highway and expecting our gratitude. A PAINTED LINE on a HIGHWAY is beyond negligent — it’s criminal! Ask any child if a painted line will stop a distracted driver going 65 mph from killing a bicyclist. They’ll tell you what our officials can’t seem to grasp: lines don’t save lives. Proper infrastructure does. Malibu — our paradise of just 10,000 souls( or less) — ranks among America’s top 25 deadliest cities per capita for road fatalities. Read that again. Let it burn into your consciousness. Is this acceptable to you? Because it’s not to me, and it shouldn’t be to anyone who calls this community home.

And yet, the most obvious solution glitters daily before our eyes: the ocean. While we squeeze more cars, bikes, and pedestrians onto a single deadly strip of asphalt, the Pacific offers an untapped transportation corridor. Why aren’t we demanding water taxis, ferry services, and integrated electric shuttles like countless other coastal communities worldwide? Why can’t we demand our fair share of infrastructure funds to create safe alternatives for daily life and emergency evacuations?

What I find most maddening is the disconnect between what we say and do. We call ourselves a progressive, environmentally conscious community yet cling to outdated, carbon-spewing transportation models. We pride ourselves on innovation while accepting solutions from the 1950s. We claim to value every life while tolerating infrastructure that regularly claims them. This hypocrisy must end.

Every day that I drive past the spot where Emily died, I’m confronted by our collective failure. That sacred ground remains unchanged — still dangerous, still claiming victims, still tearing families apart. When I see tourists walking precariously along PCH edges or cyclists gambling with their lives in traffic, I don’t just see strangers. I see future Emilys. Future heartbreaks. Future funerals that don’t need to happen.

Our city pleads for visitors to use “alternative means,” while PCH is closed to visit us, without creating any alternatives!What exactly are tourists supposed to do? My flying car is still in the shop, and I suspect yours is too. We need action, not empty rhetoric — integrated water transit, parking plazas with frequent shuttles, and physically separated bike paths. I refuse to believe I’m the smartest person in this equation because if I am, we’re doomed. Why not run a pilot program this summer? We all know that even if PCH is operational, it will be one lane at 25 miles an hour for years; I feel the frustration just saying that.

Ask yourself: What if April 3 becomes YOUR day of loss? What if it’s your child, parent, or partner whose life is suddenly erased on PCH? Will you feel differently then about painted bike lanes and bureaucratic delays? Will you wish you had demanded more when you had the chance?

The time for grieving what we’ve lost must now fuel building what we need. We stand at a pivotal moment — we can either rebuild the same vulnerable systems on the same deadly foundations or create something transformative that honors our dead by protecting the living.

In the coming weeks, we’ll announce The Emily Shane Foundation’s major fundraiser. This year, your support isn’t just appreciated — it’s essential. We’re not just mentoring struggling students; we’re launching our new division dedicated to ensuring no more families experience the devastating loss of a loved one to road violence. Join us. Fight with us. Because if not you, then who?

To my beloved Emily: You live in every breath I take, every word I write, every change I demand. You showed us that even in unbearable pain, we could choose light. Your legacy isn’t just in memory — it’s in action, in the lives we save, the systems we change, and the future we create. Emily Shane Way isn’t just a street sign — it’s how we must live.

You can reach me at Michel@21milesroadrules.com

Pepperdine’s Quinonez at USA U20 soccer camp

McKenzie Jackson
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Pepperdine’s Quinonez at USA U20 soccer camp

After playing internationally with Mexico, dual citizen now training with U.S. National Team

When Julia Quinonez was a youth soccer player, she dreamed of donning the red, white, and blue, and taking to the pitch with Team USA. 

The Pepperdine sophomore women’s soccer player is doing so now. Quinonez, a forward, is one of 22 players from across the nation taking part in the U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team Training Camp in Riverside, Missouri, at the University of Kansas System Training Center. 

Quinonez, 20, said playing with other top soccer players in the March 31 to April 7 camp, months after winning the West Coast Conference crown with the Waves, is an amazing experience. 

“It feels really great to see the hard work me and my team have done pay off,” she said a few days before going to Missouri. “What we accomplished in the fall — winning WCC is crazy — but I’m so stoked, so excited.” 

Quinonez wants to improve and show off her soccer skills during the eight-day camp.

“I’m looking forward to growing in my techniques, my technical skills, my soccer IQ,” she said. “I want to see what their level of play is and bring it back here, execute on the pitch here at Pepperdine. I want to grow and learn. This is a high-level team. I’m excited to get to know them. Hopefully it will help me in the future.”

Waves head coach Tim Ward said he and his coaching staff are proud and excited for Quinonez. 

“Last year, Jules had a few opportunities to play with the Mexican U20 team, and in one of those games, she scored on the U.S. U20 team,” he said. “I’m thinking they didn’t forget that. And they are about to find out what we already know,Julia is both an amazing player and perhaps, more importantly, an amazing human being.”

Quinonez scored two goals and had two assists for Pepperdine during the 2024 season. She scored six goals — including one game winner — and registered three assists during her freshman season in 2023. Quinonez was named the West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year that year. 

Quinonez has improved her soccer skills during her two collegiate seasons. She is always a threat to make a play on offense or kick for a score. 

“My team has played a big part in that,” she said. “I think my finishing can be lethal at times. I’m dangerous with or without the ball. I want to always be on a defender’s blind side. I always want to help get my team the scoring chances we need.” 

A Torrance native, Quinonez played soccer, basketball, and baseball when she was kid. She committed to soccer when she was 8. The future Wave won several honors in high school soccer including Pioneer League MVP, Daily Breeze Player of the Year South Bay, and two All-Pioneer League first team honors. She also led her team to a league championship. Quinonez played soccer for the LA Galaxy Girls Academy DA U9-U14 and for Beach FC U15-U18/19 also.

The other players participating in the U.S. camp include defenders Hailey Baumann, Kennedy Bell, Ava Bramblett, Jordyn Bugg, Cameron Patton, Cameron Roller, Morgan Roy, and Kaelyn Wolfe. 

Midfielders Mia Bhuta, Shae Harvey, Reagan Kotschau, Emily Lenhard, Ashley Pennie, Megan Santa Cruz, and Taylor Suarez are also there. As are goalkeepers Caroline Birkel, Sonoma Kasica, and Adelyn Todd. 

The six other midfielders on the field with Quinonez are Emeri Adames, Katie Collins, Mia Oliaro, Olivia Thomas, and Amada Schlueter. 

Quinonez and Harvey, a Stanford standout, played club soccer together a few years ago. Now, they train together in the summer. 

Quinonez said Harvey is a talented soccer player. 

“Her technical skills are crazy,” Quinonez revealed. “She also has great instincts. Being able to play with more than one player like that at camp is awesome.”

Quinonez, an American and Mexican citizen, played on Mexico’s U20 Women’s National Team last summer. She scored a goal during one of the team’s friendlies against their U.S. counterparts in July. 

Quinonez said she cherished the experience. 

“That team is amazing,” Quinonez explained. “Their ability to have an amazing culture while traveling … I learned so much from Mexico that it has helped me here at Pepperdine. The people, the culture, the skills, it’s at a high level I love.”

She aimed to do her best with Team USA. 

“I want to do everything I can and remember to stay calm, alert, and in control,” Quinonez said. “I want to execute anything I need to when given the opportunity and trust the process.”

The Waves soccer player said playing with the American U20 squad is great.

 “Growing up, I always had dreams about being on the USA or Mexico’s national team,” Quinonez remembered. “It’sexciting that I have accomplished that. It is so surreal and an amazing feeling.” 

Malibu Man Convicted in App Start-up Scam 

Judy Abel
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Malibu Man Convicted in App Start-up Scam 

A Malibu man faces up to 20 years in federal prison after being convicted of wire fraud and a scheme deceiving investors out of nearly $25 million.  63-year-old Bernhard Eugen Fritsch marketed  a tech platform centered on a start-up called StarClub. His pitch for an app, StarSite, he claimed was to help social media influencers better monetize their endorsements. However, the proposed StarSite never materialized as promised. Between 2014 and 2017, Fritsch falsely claimed that StarClub was on the verge of securing major deals and investments from large companies, including Disney—a claim prosecutors say was completely fabricated.

In addition to these misrepresentations, prosecutors stated Fritsch told investors that StarClub had generated $15 million in revenue in 2015, which was untrue. His scheme proved effective: one investor alone contributed over $20 million and introduced Fritsch to others who collectively added millions more. Rather than using the funds to develop the company as promised, Fritsch diverted large portions of the money to fund his extravagant lifestyle. Prosecutors revealed he spent investor funds on luxury vehicles—including a McLaren and a Rolls-Royce—upgrades to his yacht, and lavish renovations to his Malibu mansion near Carbon Beach.

Federal authorities have since seized the vehicles and yacht, which are now subject to forfeiture proceedings. Fritsch was convicted this week in Los Angeles on one count of wire fraud and acquitted on another. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

Malibu’s Best Shot: Malibu Lunar Eclipse blood moon

The Malibu Times
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Malibu’s Best Shot: Malibu Lunar Eclipse blood moon

The lunar eclipse blood moon from March 13, Malibu. Photo by Emily Scher

Submit your photo for a chance to be featured to editorial@malibutimes.com

Call fire fighter program celebrates 15 years of serving Malibu

Judy Abel
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Call fire fighter program celebrates 15 years of serving Malibu

Trained firefighter program paved the way for Malibu’s community brigades

A game changer for fighting fires locally, the call fire fighter program is celebrating 15 years of service to the Malibu community. The part-time and on-call firefighters marked their 15-year anniversary Saturday with a reunion with members and their training sergeant.

After the Corral Fire in 2007 took 53 homes, then Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman met with the community and listened to a lot of “anger and heartache” from local residents. Matt Haines and Paul Morra decided to take action. With the help of Freeman and the Los Angeles County Fire Department, they resurrected the call fire fighter program that had been in place in Catalina and the Antelope Valley, two communities, like Malibu, that were rural, remote communities that can be hard to reach. 

Corral Canyon Call Firefighters
Matt Haines, Chief Steven Swiatek, and Paul Morra were instrumental in forming the Corral Canyon call fire fighter program in 2007.

It took a few years, but when the call firefighter program was initiated finally in 2010, 40 residents applied. However, due to strict requirements with background, medical checks, and physical agility tests that number dropped to 10 call firefighters. The community raised funds to buy a fire engine, 271, and a firehouse that is expected to break ground later this year.

Morra, Haines and the initial cohort trained at the Los Angeles County Fire Academy in downtown LA that first summer, putting in about 80 hours. “We trained every weekend,” recalled Morra. “We all were career professionals elsewhere. Our training captain Steve Swiatek was one harda** of a drill sergeant, but you have to be in these situations because people get killed and so he didn’t treat us any differently than he would’ve with real firefighting candidates.”

Now Morra credits the call fire fighter program with paving the way for other Malibu volunteer firefighters.

“It helped blaze the path for the community brigades with Keegan Gibbs and others who helped create those brigades after the Woolsey Fire,” he said. “That success opened the door for future partnerships, like the community brigade with LA County fire so I believe that it absolutely is a game changer. Also, I think it encourages the neighborhood and the community as a whole to come together, to work together. Not everybody should stay behind in a fire, but those who are willing, those who are equipped to do so can save homes together. The brigades are a perfect example. I mean the work that they did during the Palisades Fire has to be commended. The amount of sacrifice that those guys and women went through to help save as many homes as they could. I’m really proud of the work that they were able to accomplish and ofcourse, the ongoing work the call firefighter program continues to do.”

Haines who is still a call firefighter explained academy training includes “everything from the basics of firefighting all the different types of fire, fire preparedness, safety measures, all the way through pumping operations ladders, and everything that’s involved. One thing that’s unique about our program is the typical fire department will train you as a firefighter, but with ours since we have our own engine in our community we are trained in all aspects of the fire department requirements for a firefighter, fire captain and a fire engineer because we have to know how to drive the engine, pump the engine, talk on the radio like a captain does, and make calls.” In the 15 years of the program, they’ve made countless calls in Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains. Haines and the group train every other weekend even though only 40 hours a year is required.

Corral Canyon Call Firefighters 2
The class of recruits for the Corral Canyon call fire fighter program are shown in 2010.

Swiatek, now Chief Swiatek commented, “It’s a very important program because the call firefighter program is designedto serve rural areas within the county of Los Angeles, where the population in those areas don’t mandate that a full-time fire station be constructed and especially in Corral Canyon where it’s so isolated with a very small population. It provides a quicker response time for a LA County firefighting unit to respond to whatever incident they’re responding to be it a brushfire, structure fire, or any other kind of special incident and so having the call firefighters in Corral Canyon is extremely important and extremely needed.”

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