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Eileen S. Kinloch 1945-2024

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Eileen Sheridan Kinloch, born on Christmas day in 1945 in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, was the youngest child of four to Martin and Nancy Sheridan (née Colleran). Following her college years, Eileen met and fell in love with her late husband, James Paul Kinloch, while both were working at Hornblower & Weeks in New York City.

The couple decided to embark on a new chapter on the West Coast, settling in the tranquil beach town of Malibu, California, during the 1970s. They tied the knot in 1972 and started a family, welcoming their three children: Scott, Stephanie, and Kristina.

Eileen was a pillar of strength and love as a devoted wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, and friend. Her passion for travel took her around the globe to be with cherished loved ones. Her eye for interior design and passion for photography was evident in the beauty of her homes. 

Later in life, she fulfilled a lifelong dream by becoming a part-time resident of New York City, reigniting her connection with her East Coast roots.  Eileen treasured her visits to the city, delving into hidden restaurants, attending Broadway shows, strolling through Central Park, and exploring museums.

Eileen’s radiant smile and beauty could brighten any room, and her generosity and eagerness to help others will be greatly missed by her three children, ten grandchildren, one brother, and numerous nieces and nephews. Eileen leaves behind a legacy of love and kindness that will forever be cherished by those who knew her.

Eileen’s life will be celebrated at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills on Saturday, the 19 of October, at 10:30 am PST. Click Here

Magnitude 4.7 Earthquake Rattles Malibu Thursday morning; no tsunami expected

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An earthquake centered in the Malibu area with a preliminary magnitude of 4.7 rattled parts of Southern California early Thursday morning.

The quake struck at 7:28 a.m. with an epicenter 4.3 miles north of Malibu, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was nearly 7 miles deep.

As of 7:35 a.m., there were no reports of injuries or damages. No additional details were immediately made available. No tsunami expected from earthquake.


LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said she spoke to Malibu leaders after the earthquake and said LA County Public Works and LA County Fire Department are surveying the area and said there was no significant damage. To report issues, call 211.

For more information visit: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/ci40731623/map

SMMUSD Superintendent Antonio Shelton relased a statement the morning of the earthquake.

“Dear Malibu Families, Staff and Community Members, 

As you are aware, Malibu was the epicenter of an earthquake at 7:28 am that was felt throughout the Los Angeles area and beyond. It’s now being reported as a 4.3 magnitude. We are hearing reports of small aftershocks.

Our staff who were on campus preparing for school checked our campuses thoroughly and reported no damage. Further facilities team review is in progress. 

School is in session today. We understand some of our students and staff may be a bit unsettled. Our site leadership is there to support. Parents, please let us know if your student needs additional attention from this experience.

As we have done annually, we will be participating in the Great Shakeout Drill on 10.17.24 at 10:17 am and encourage families to use this day to update their own emergency supplies and plans.

We are thankful that there is no damage or injuries reported to the community at this time. Stay safe, take care of yourself and each other.”

Pepperdine University shared a statement on X formally known as Twitter, about the earthquake.

“The shaking from the initial earthquake was felt on the University’s Southern California campuses, and in particular at Malibu and Calabasas,” the post says. “At this time, the University has not received reports of any injuries or damage as a result of the earthquake. Utility service continues at all University campuses, and there are no reported impacts to campus routes.”

Three other earthquakes jolted Malibu on Monday morning. Two 1.4 magnitude earthquakes occurred an hour apart and a 3.6 magnitude earthquake occurred at 4:24 a.m. no damage has been reported thus far.

2028 Malibu Olympic hopeful places third in world regatta

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Sailor Grant Janov and team are big winners at Melges 24 World Championship 

World-class sailor Grant Janov of Malibu is celebrating a big win at the 2024 Melges 24 World Championship. Janov, part of a five-man crew, came in third overall in the regatta that featured teams from across the globe. The event held in San Francisco from Aug. 20-24, featured 30 teams for a series of 12 races over five days. Teams flew in from as far away as Croatia, Germany, and Italy to compete in the fast-boat regatta. 

The Melges 24 is a 24-foot long, high-performance sport boat. According to Janov, “It’s got a lighter hull, bigger sail plan, and is a slightly faster boat than the average professional racing boat that we see in the U.S.” All the Melges boats must meet dimension and weight requirements. Sails and masts are measured, “so they know we’re all racing in one design sailing, so all the boats are the same.” 

Each team has five crew members. Janov, at only 21, was the youngest on his boat, by at least 12 years. He served as one of two sail trimmers, working on the spinnaker, the biggest sail on the boat. “It’s the lightest material so it’s very baggy. That’s what we use to go down wind,” explained the recent UCLA graduate and former Malibu High School student. The crew also includes a driver, a tactician, and another person to organize and help with sails. 

The Melges Worlds started at the San Francisco Yacht Club. Each of the 12 races takes about an hour in the rough waters of the San Francisco Bay. 

“San Francisco is one of the harshest places to sail. It’s cold, it’s very windy,” Janov commented. “The equipment gets beat up very quickly. We tore a lot of sails. We broke a lot of wires.  There’s a lot of work required to just get out on the water and to be able to finish races even if it’s for only a couple of hours a day.”

The sailors must make two laps around buoys before the finish. 

“It’s like wheel-to-wheel racing,” Janov said. “We all race against each other. Sailing is a low-point score system so at the end of 12 races whoever has the lowest points wins the regatta.”

Janov’s boat actually started off the regatta with “quite a bit of bad luck.” In one race, their boat had to start three minutes behind the rest of the fleet due to a call back to the starting line. 

“We were properly in last place but were able to pass 17 boats in that race to finish 13th,” he said. “That was definitelya highlight even though it was an unfortunate circumstance in starting. But climbing up a couple of spots every day was really cool, not something that’s common in a world championship. We only got third by the last race of the entire regatta. We were tied for third and we started the last two races sitting in fifth place, so, we were very happy to get that because the odds of winning were pretty low, all things considered.”

The young sailor and his two brothers, Ryan and Jordan, have been sailing competitively since they were very young boys. Jankov was asked onto this Melges crew by his coach William McBride, who served as tactician. It takes a confident sailor to crew with an older, more experienced team. “It was a great opportunity,” he said.

Janov’s latest sailing achievement is just part of his training in his campaign for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Grant and his 18-year-old brother Jordan are campaigning for the Olympics in the double-handed skiff, called the 49er. The brothers are currently in Santa Cruz “where it’s windy doing a training block. It’s a good place to get some foundations going.” 

The sailing portion of the 2028 Olympics will happen in Long Beach, where the Janov brothers have “grown up sailing” both since the age of 12. Sailing on waters practically in their own backyard could come in handy for the pair as they set their sights on the 2028 Games.

Melges 1
Sailor Grant Janov and team are big winners at Melges 24 World Championship 

Planning Commissioner Kraig Hill questions fire department approval of applications

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City Attorney reminds the commission to move the meeting along to prevent rushing through items

After last month’s heated meeting, the Planning Commission met last week on Tuesday at the Council Chambers at City Hall and spent over one hour on the first item on the agenda. An application for a new single-family residence, lot merger, and associated development continued from the Aug. 19 meeting. 

The project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act, and consider Coastal Development Permit No. 19-014 for the construction of a 5,510 new two-story, single-family residence with a 2,006-square-foot subterranean garage and storage, swimming pool, spa, retaining walls, driveway, landscaping, hardscaping, and grading, and installation of a new onsite wastewater treatment system.

The proposed project involves the demolition of an existing remnant foundation for a previously approved residence and retaining walls and construction of a new two-story, single-family residence and other associated development on two parcels with a combined lot area of 4.35 acres (Attachment 2 – Project Plans). The project will be constructed in two phases. First, the existing remnant foundations will be removed from the site and will be followed by remedial grading to reconstruct the slope after foundations are removed. Second, the construction of the single-family residence and associated would take place.

On Jan. 12, 1989, the California Coastal Commission (CCC) approved CDP No. 5-88-833 for construction of a 6,600-square-foot single-family dwelling, courtyard, garage, onsite wastewater treatment system, and 2,500 cubic yards of grading. The site was subsequently graded, retaining walls were installed, and the foundation was partially completed; however, construction of the proposed residence was never completed and remnants of the construction remain onsite.

On Nov. 23, 2000, the City Council on appeal approved Plot Plan Review (PPR) for construction of a two-story, 8,154-square-foot, single-family residence with an attached garage, a 1,325-square-foot basement, and a swimming pool;including VAR No. 99-018 for a reduction to the minimum and cumulative side yard setbacks and SPR No. 99-037 for height in excess of 18 feet not to exceed 28 feet in height. A lawsuit and subsequent settlement between the applicant and the City followed.

On Feb. 3, 2009, the Planning Commission approved CDP. The project was deemed complete prior to the enactment of the Hillside Ordinance and subsequently, the hillside residential development standards did not apply. The approval granted the owner a 20,000-square-foot development area because the Local Implementation Plan (LIP) permits combined the development of each lot when merging lots. The Planning Commission approved six-time extensions for the project. On Feb. 3, 2018, the sixth and last time extension granted for CDP 06-069 expired.

While commissioners were trying to give their input, Chair John Mazza was reminding commissioners they have to be recognized to speak.

Commissioner Kraig Hill was questioning if the fire department has seen the application and asked if they haveapproved it.

“I’m confident in the Fire Department’s approval that this fits,” Commissioner Skylar Peak said. “I just don’t see how ifthe fire department is OK with this and they already signed off on this, why this is becoming an issue, I’m bewildered at that.”

Interim Planning Director Maureen Tamuri said if the fire department has any issues with pathways or trees, they will review and request substitutions that they deem problematic. 

The applicant said they are comfortable with making adjustments and make their trees native and fire resistant.

There was a point in the meeting where the mic was turned off, and speakers at home were unable to hear what the commission was saying. 

Assistant City Attorney Kellan Martz reminded the commission about timing and not to rush at the end of the meeting.

“Because we do rush at the end, I just want to make sure that if we do continue some items, we should be mindful of that,” Martz said. “We spend a lot of time on the first (item) and we rush through the last ones.”

“That’s what the chairman is for,” Mazza said. “And at 9:30 p.m. we decide what we’re going to do.”

“I’m just giving a reminder; I’m not telling you what to do,” Martz responded. 

“We’re here to do a job, we have a lot of applicants here, I feel like were running the clock on this meeting and as the city attorney said, I think we should wrap this up as we can,” Vice Chair Drew Leonard said.

“Point taken,” Mazza said. 

After an hour of questions in regards to ESHA and wildlife concerns, landscaping, pathways, and the retaining wall, the commission approved Coastal Development Permit No. 19-014.

After a break, the commission moved on to Coastal Development Permit No. 21-057 and Demolition Permit No. 21-026; an application for a remodel and 917-square-foot addition to an existing single-family residence with attached garage, remodel of an existing detached garage/studio and associated site development. The commission approved the item, with Hill abstaining. 

The commissions approved the last item on the agenda, Coastal Development Permit No. 21-064, Site Plan Review No. 21-035, and Demolition Permit No. 24-035. An application for the remodel and addition to an existing single-family residence and accessory structures, and demolition of an existing horse stable. 

The next Planning Commission meeting is on Monday, Sept. 16. 

Letter to The Editor: Ride to the Flags

Dear Editor,

The last city council meeting discussed the Ride to the Flags event at Pepperdine and Bluffs Park. The idea behind the event is worthy, but I question the wisdom of bringing hundreds of motorcycles to Malibu and Bluffs Park along PCH, considering the speeding, reckless driving, and deaths on PCH by vehicles of all types, plus, in this case, the unacceptable roar of motorcycles residents suffer daily.

Lois Lyons, Malibu

Letter to The Editor: Acknowledging the City of Malibu’s Department of Public Safety and the People Concern

Dear Editor, 

I would like to acknowledge and express my appreciation for the collaborative efforts of the City of Malibu‘s Department of Public Safety’s Luis Flores, The People Concern’s outreach workers, Jimmy Gallardo, and William Alvarado, as well as Housing Coordinator Tiffany Stuart, COG Outreach Worker Gabriel Graham, Lost Hills Sherriff’s Deputy Frank Espinosa, and Malibu CART’s (Community Assistance Resource Team) dedicated volunteers for the amazing work they did on Tuesday, Aug. 27, in helping a group of unhoused individuals divest of unnecessary belongings, return supermarket shopping carts and ultimately move along from in front of the library on Civic Center Way.

As we know, there is no one reason for homelessness. And there is no one way to address the many years of fear, trauma, hurt, disappointment, frustration, and distrust — a myriad of unknowns. These folks were out in the open for their own protection. Creating a family. Taking turns to protect each other’s belongings. One gentleman, indeed a gentle man, said he would be “going home” on Tuesday, after an older, fragile woman he had taken under his wing leaves for shelter on Monday. 

All had been forewarned that they would need to move from these premises, but still, the change is unnerving and unknown. And each and every person was given the time to be heard, to be helped, to be assisted with patience and compassion. They were treated with humanity. 

This is not a problem that we, in Malibu, can solve. Nor is it our responsibility to do so. But it is our responsibility, morally and socially to do something. “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matt. 25:40). I am proud and grateful to be working with such a wonderful, supportive group of people. 

The City of Malibu’s program with the unhoused and the working poor should be a template for other communities. The inclusion of street medicine offered by The Venice Family Clinic has made a dramatic difference in helping people achieve their goals. Our housing success rate far outstrips other communities with far greater resources. Thank you. All of you. 

Terry Davis, Malibu CART

Zuma Beach junior lifeguards win Taplin Relay Championship

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The lifeguard program at Zuma includes around 130 youths, ages 9-17, from Malibu and surrounding areas

A group of Zuma Beach junior lifeguards were around 150 yards out of first place during the paddleboard portion of LosAngeles County Junior Lifeguard Program’s Taplin Relay Championship at Dockweiler State Beach in Playa Del Rey on July 12.

The paddlers — six members of an 18-member bunch that begins with six runners and ends with six swimmers— closed the leading gap held by a group of junior lifeguards from El Segundo. Then, the Zuma swimmers took over. Once the first Zuma “A Team” swimmer hit the water, the comeback really began. 

Ryder Lippman, one of the Zuma swimmers, said he and the other swimmers trained hard for their moment in the Pacific Ocean.

“The other team in first was about two buoys ahead of us,” he recalled. “Our first guy went, and he caught up to them. We were a buoy and a half behind. I went and caught up, so we were like 100 feet behind. Our guys kept going and eventuallywe were beating them. We have a lot of really fast swimmers. We knew we could do it.” 

When the final Zuma swimmer exited the water, his squad was crowned the victors of the competition.

Lippman said winning the race was amazing.

“It was the best feeling for my life,” he said. “The entire team worked so hard to get there. To catch up and beat them in the swim — the whole team was so happy.” 

Craig Rond, a Zuma junior lifeguard instructor, said the victory was an achievement the teenagers worked hard for. Rond, who trained the “A Team” along with lifeguard Greg Bonann, said Zuma junior lifeguards had finished second in the race, which this summer included over 20 teams from 15 LA County beaches, the previous four Julys. The last time Zuma Beach won the event was in 2002. 

“It’s been over two decades in the making,” Rond said. “It was a long time coming. The kids left nothing in the water. They really gave it everything they had.” 

The Taplin begins with a soft sand sprint, where each of the six runners hand off a baton. The last runner tags the first paddler, who navigates a paddleboard through the surf around three buoys and back in through the waves, handing the board to the next paddler. The relay is complete when each of the six swimmers has raced through the waves and around the buoys, running back up the beach to tag their team member.

Rond said winning the competition was a major focus of the “A Team” junior lifeguards, ages 14 to 17, during the four-week junior lifeguard program at Zuma Beach, which began on June 17.

“We mentioned it every day,” he said. “Some days were more training-oriented days where we would swim them hard or paddle. Other days were just fun days like jumping off the Baywatch boat. It’s a balance of fun, training, and learning how to be a lifeguard.” 

The lifeguard program at Zuma includes around 130 youths, ages 9 to 17, from Malibu and surrounding areas.

The junior lifeguards learned ocean swimming and rescue techniques, CPR, surfing, and general fitness conditioning. The 75 youths that were trained by Bonann and Rond also learned about overcoming failure. The two senior lifeguards had multiple athletes and lifeguards talk to the group about how to deal with adversity. 

“Failure is okay if you used it [for] motivation,” Rond noted.

Lippman, a 16-year-old Malibu High student and junior lifeguard of eight years, said he and his friends talked about the Taplin daily.

“We said we were going to win it this year,” Lippman, also a water polo player, said. “We had like the Dream Team, so we knew we were going to win it. We were really confident throughout the whole time.”

Rond, also the swim team and water polo coach at Thousand Oaks High School, and Bonann selected the Zuma “A Team” out of the lifeguard trainees they guided this summer. They knew they had a potential Taplin-winning group when they beat a team from Will Rogers State Beach in a competition before the Taplin in Playa Del Rey. 

The Zuma “A Team” included runners Shafer Staab, Lukas Turjillo, Grayson Polatin, Caleb Lenway, Aspen Abernathy, and Tashen Way. The bunch’s paddlers were Nikau Webb, Bodie Addison, Rem Runyan, Nikolai Rainin, Kenyon Jones, and Marcelo Heinrich. The swimmers included Christian Couch, Costes Jensen, Benet Fujikake, Curren Mealife, Luca Bazerkanian, and Lippman. 

Rond described the group as “tremendous athletes.”​

“The kids really bought into the excitement and importance of the race,” he said. “We really instilled in them pride for their beach, pride in training, and pride in giving it your best shot. The kids really wanted to get it done.” 

Another Zuma relay group, composed of all girls, made up the beach’s “B Team,” which finished ninth in the race. Rond said an all-girls squad had never participated in the co-ed competition previously.

“They were really proud to be trailblazers,” he said. “An all-girls team finishing in the top half was pretty spectacular.”

There was also the “C Team,” a group of 12- to 13-year-olds, who won the Taplin in their category.

The all-girls group included runners Dilly Byford, Aria Magleby, Freyja Jacosben, Panarea Livesey, Bridgett Shanahan, and Joey Vasquez. The paddlers were Uma Frizen, Camille Gavin, Waylon Russel, Tuesday Gagha, Sofia Myers, and Harlow Muchmore. The swimmers were Billy McGinley, Ceylon Zappa, Abi Kearns, Christine Chung, Emerson Brady, and Reegan Terentieff. 

The “C Team” included runners Scarlett Dunn, Violette Keenan, Gemma Spraggins, Makenzie Cox, Fernanda Smith, and Abbie Ward. Nixon Riddick, London Runyan, Nico Paquette, Gibby Staab, Eli Van der Ryn, and Kieren Taylor were the paddlers. The swimmers were Zac Moore, Conrad Fox, Anthony Burch, Phoebe Heckler, Roman Fox, and Matt Williams. 

Rond noted how happy Zuma’s senior lifeguards are about a group of junior lifeguards claiming the Taplin championship. There is also excitement about possibility of another victory next summer. 

“We feel like our future is really bright,” Rond said.

Lippman enjoyed gaining the lifeguarding victory with his friends.

“I really love all my friends,” he said. “You never stop trying, no matter how tired you get. In a race, no matter how tired I get I know there is a going to be an end to the race, so I’ll have rest time then. I go 110 percent. I keep going until I pass out or I can’t and the race finishes.” 

Malibu Chili Cook-Off draws chili enthusiasts to Malibu

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5th Annual Johnny Strange Legacy mini-ramp skate competition entertained the crowd on Saturday

The 42nd annual Malibu Chili Cook-Off kicked off this Labor Day weekend with fiery flavors and family fun. The beloved event transformed Malibu into a culinary and entertainment hotspot and drew chili enthusiasts, local businesses, and thrill-seeking lovers from around Southern California. 

On Saturday, the event held the 5th annual Johnny Strange Legacy mini-ramp skate competition, where over $5,000 in cash prizes were awarded. Skaters in intermediate and advanced were able to show off their skills.

Professional skateboarder and filmmaker Vern Laird was on the mic at the skate competition and was giving out cash for tricks.

“The women skating was really good compared to the previous years. I feel like the women’s skating is always advancing because the amount of progression is very rapid and so that was pretty exciting for me to see personally,” Laird said. “It’s always sad when a skater passes, but it’s also great to honor him (Johnny Strange) this way and to help grow skateboarding here within the Malibu community. I know there’s a skate park here, but I know we can get a bigger and better one and grow skateboarding as a whole.” 

Laird also hopes competition inspires people to skate. 

“Just more exposure to how much fun we’re having here, hopefully inspires someone to pick up a skateboard,” he said.

On Sunday, winners of the 2024 Malibu Chili Cook-Off were announced for both the vegan and meat chili categories. Attendees tasted and voted for top honors in the meat and vegan categories for the People’s Choice Award.

Boys & Girls Club of Malibu Chief Executive Officer Kasey Earnest welcomed the judges and attendees to the competition. 

“Thank you all for being here to come here to celebrate chili for a cause! that’s what we’re really doing here, we’recelebrating the amazing chili bakers,” Earnest said. “One hundred percent of the proceeds go right back to the Boys & Girls Club; we’re raising money for our afterschool programs and, most importantly, our mental health services.”

Chili Preppers had a clean sweep, taking home first place in the meat and vegan category and People’s Choice. 

“Another year for a great cause!” Chili Preppers Master Chef Dan Morales said. “The Chili Preppers always do this for the community, 100 percent of the proceeds goes to the Boys & Girls Club, we just have a lot of fun. Come eat some chili, we’ll be back next year, we love it, thank you Malibu!”

Pickles N Peas took home second place and Irv’s Burger took home third place in the meat category.

Duke’s Malibu took home second and My Lair Kitchen took home third in the vegan category. 

Judges included Mel Nahas, Ryan Fey, Christopher Tompkins, Skylar Peak, Shelby Meade, Chris Stang, The Malibu Times, Randi Greenberg, Like a Friend Said, Duff Goldman, Marcel Vigneron, Amirah Kassem, Jet Tila, and Ricardo Zarate. 

The festival also featured food and entertainment, including an exclusive Town & Country Lounge with DJ sets from DJ Short Shorts and DJ Corey Biggs, a 21-plus experience with craft beers, local wines, and refreshing non-alcoholic options, and an all-new two-step and line dancing lesson offering. The festival included a junior carnival area featuring rides for ages 2-10. 

Families enjoyed Family Day on Monday, where the admission price was $20. Kiddos also enjoyed Bubble Hour, which was presented by Bubble Fairy. All proceeds from the event benefitted the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu(BGCM), including its year-round services and Wellness Center. For more information on the Boys & Girls Club visit bgcmalibu.org.

City, CERT to hold Malibu’s sixth annual safety and preparedness fair

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Sept. 15 event will provide wildfire insurance information, safety training, and earthquake simulator

Given that there have been some relatively significant earthquakes in Southern California in the past several weeks, disaster preparedness is top of mind for many Malibu residents.

There will be something for everyone interested in proactively preparing for disasters at the city of Malibu’s sixth annual safety and preparedness fair, an event that focuses on helping the community prepare for wildfires, earthquakes, and other disasters.  

The free event, coordinated by the city and the Community Emergency Response Team, is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 15, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the City Hall parking lot. Attendees will receive information concerning a broad assortment of public safety and disaster preparedness topics, including PCH safety, traffic safety, bicycle safety, animal safety, homelessness, and disaster preparedness. 

The fair’s highlights include 30-minute public safety training opportunities, vendors’ emergency preparedness supplies and services that are available, and how homeowners can mitigate wildfire hazards to apply for insurance.

At its booth, International Protective Service Global will highlight some of its newest technology that can help detect fires and other disasters early, thus saving residents precious time to prepare their properties and, if necessary, to evacuate. 

“Providing peace of mind in an ever-changing world with winds, fires, landslides, and other disasters, IPS Global offers aerial intelligence, including drones that can detect a fire or other disaster at their inception, aircraft to help fight fires and assist in victim recovery,” Aaron T. Jones, founder of IPS Global said. “We provide our clients the very best incutting-edge technology, drones, dogs and much more. Our agency is there to look after you and your family, rangingfrom property protection to personal protection and disaster support.”  

The safety fair will also showcase many other individual booths highlighting the offerings by various other vendors in the disaster preparedness space, as well as booths manned by representatives of Volunteers on Patrol, CERT, and the Los Angeles County Fire Department, among others.  

Find out what’s up with the Fire Brigade program

Some residents may be wondering what progress has been made with regard to the Community Brigade Pilot Program, a public and private sector collaboration for wildlife urban interface areas such as Malibu. Readers may recall that Malibu native Keegan Gibbs has spearheaded the pilot program in Malibu and beyond. The program has divided Malibu into regions, including Malibu West, Pt. Dume, Big Rock, Hidden Hills, Corral Canyon, Topanga Canyon, and County Line. 

“Keegan Gibbs, Los Angeles County Assistant Fire Chief Drew Smith, and I all spoke at the Natural Hazards Conference in Boulder last month and we were the keynote speakers for the International Association of Fire Chiefs Wildland Urban Interface conference recently,” said Brent Woodworth, chairman and CEO of the Los Angeles Emergency Preparedness Foundation. “The whole Fire Brigade program is moving ahead very successfully — we just conducted several interviews for possible volunteers on Aug. 16. Those who are interested in joining the brigade who pass the first round of interviews then proceed to an in-person interview with a fire captain and one of our team members. After that, we will choose the finalists, whereupon we will conduct background checks and provide training.” 

LAEPF usually shares a booth at local disaster preparedness events with the Los Angeles 

Participants at the event will be able to experience what an earthquake might feel like in the fair’s earthquake simulator, an experience that brings a whole new meaning to the old adage, “Forewarned is forearmed” for sure! When one knowswhat he might experience during an earthquake, it’s easier to prepare.

Tiny tykes can touch-a-truck, an opportunity that is always popular with Malibu’s littlest residents. Youth who are elementary-aged and older will be able to learn about disaster preparedness as well.

Those in Malibu who are looking for volunteer opportunities can find several areas to pitch in, make a difference andhelp the entire community be safe and be prepared whenever a fire, earthquake, landslide, tsunami, or other event arises.

Residents who attend may wish to plan to come hungry as there will be food trucks available. If readers are interested in participating in the upcoming event, they should email saflores@malibucity.org

Woolsey Fire research project on display at Visitor Center

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Five years of research culminates in impressive imagery at Santa Monica Mountains Visitor Center

Five years of captivating images gathered by the Woolsey Fire Recovery Project will be on display at the Santa Monica Mountains Visitor Center from Aug. 1 to Sept. 22. 

Welcoming over 60 community members on Aug. 10, park partner staff hosted a presentation to educate the public about the project, what is being uncovered by the research, and how the habitat in the Santa Monica Mountains has recovered since the fire. The exhibit is being sponsored by the Santa Monica Mountains Fund.

The project began in 2019 as a major collaborative effort to study the fire’s impact and long-lasting effects on the ecosystem and its inhabitants. The project consists of over 180 designated sites, surveying unburned and burned areas in the Santa Monica Mountains, Santa Susana Mountains, and Simi Hills with wildlife camera traps. 

Scattered along remote locations to avoid human interaction with the wildlife, the cameras gather a series of photos triggered when an infrared beam detecting both motion and heat is tripped. The cameras provide researchers with the most authentic glimpse of wildlife in their habitat and are an opportunity to monitor rare species like black bears, spotted skunks, and American badgers.

The images on display at the Visitor Center are the public’s first glimpse at these images, completely raw and unedited. Typically not publicized, the photos are usually used to track times, locations, movements, and habits of rare and local species.

Santa Monica Mountains Fund Wildlife and Volunteer Program Technician Miroslava Munguia Ramos hosted the public presentation at the visitor center and has hiked, tended to, and monitored the cameras as a lead for the project.

“We didn’t stage anything, we didn’t use any fancy equipment, we let our research cameras do their thing. It’s a reallynice showcase of what our research looks like,” Munguia Ramos said. “This is what wildlife is up to when we’re not looking, in places we can’t typically get to. We’re getting a sneak peek of the wildlife without worrying about spooking or disturbing any of the wildlife.”

The project partnered the National Park Service, California State Parks, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, UCLA, Santa Monica Mountains Fund, and several private landowners to make the project possible. Ecologists, technicians, and volunteers have worked to gather and sort through over half a million photos across the study area.

Munguia Ramos said the exhibit is the result of a lot of careful planning, maintenance, and patience. She explained that cameras could be placed for periods of two to six months, but what is captured on those cameras will not be discovered until the end of that camera’s cycle.

“It’s a lot of work behind the scenes to figure out where, when, and how long cameras will be placed but when we go out into the field and we see it all come together it’s really neat to see it all connect,” Munguia Ramos said.

Munguia Ramos explained that although the project began to monitor and support research in the wake of the Woolsey Fire, the hope is that the cameras will continue to serve researchers studying the mountains, and will be a resource for researching and monitoring the effects of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing slated to open in 2026.

“We’re trying to stretch more into long-term monitoring, which directly supports other ongoing research looking at mountain lions, bobcats, deer, and quail and soon will see how species compositions will vary across different sites before and after the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing,” Munguia Ramos said.

Munguia Ramos was happy with the turnout on Aug. 10 and the overall interest and support for the project. She said the presentation was a crash course on the Woolsey Fire, and what the baseline is now for wildlife in the area.

“Following the presentation we had an extra 45 minutes afterwards chatting with folks answering questions on what camera traps we use, bits about the wildlife crossing over Liberty Canyon; it was nice, a solid mix of people interested in the science and how the research is impacted, it was a good time.” Munguia Ramos said.

The exhibit of research photos is on display between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, at the Santa Monica Mountains Visitor Center through Sept. 22. More information on research in the Santa Monica Mountains can be found by visiting www.nps.gov/samo or by following @santamonicamountainsnps on Instagram.

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