The Malibu Times • January 13, 2022

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The Malibu Times The Malibu Times NEWS PA PER • MAGAZ I NE • O NL I NE

NEW S PAPER • MAGAZINE •ONLINE Malibu’s Award-Winning Community Paper Since 1946

NO. LV

THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022

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City Welcomes New Interim Assistant City Manager Public urges City to release the investigative report regarding Council Member Bruce Silverstein

Frustrations grow over slow permitting

By SAMANTHA BRAVO Of The Malibu Times

During the City Council Regular meeting on Monday, Jan. 10, affordable housing, an update on the city’s maintenance and repairs, and the announcement of the new Interim Assistant City Manager was introduced. The public also urged the city to release the investigation report against Council Member Bruce Silverstein. One of the public speakers, Georgia Goldfarb, requested the city to release the report and move forward. “We had paid for the investigation, and we would like to know the outcome,” Goldfarb said. “Since council members, Silverstein said all communications are in writing, and no action was taken against him, as I understand this, I assume that he was exonerated; however, I think it is important that we clear the air on the interactions and the conversations and not hide the proverbial smoke in the air.” Alivia Jolly said she hopes she will receive support from the city council to enforce reducing the use of gas power leaf blowers and encourage additional patrols when they are being used.

Malibu’s Building Officer details hurdles in rebuilding process Los Angeles County Waterworks District 29 and SoCal Gas repair a water-main leak and a gas leak at 25328 Malibu Road caused by a landslide at 25330 Malibu Rd. around 10 p.m. on Thursday, January 7. A crew from SoCal Gas arrived after midnight and gained control of the blowing gas from a damaged gas meter and riser, no evacuations or other emergency actions were necessary. Water service was temporarily interrupted to 27 customers and three fire hydrants, and gas service was interrupted for two customers. All effected customers were directly notified. Malibu Road was reduced to one lane alternating for both directions from PCH to Puerco Canyon. Service was restored the same day. Photos by Julie Ellerton/TMT

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“I Have a Dream.” Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.

By JUDY ABEL Special to The Malibu Times

The question has been asked many times by those frustrated with the rebuild process after the Woolsey Fire: why are so few families back in their once burned-out Malibu homes? Of 488 homes completely destroyed in the 2018s massive blaze, only 63 have been rebuilt. Of 18 apartments, 12 are habitable—four ADU’s (additional dwelling units are complete). 152 homes are currently under construction. “I wish I had a more-simple answer for you. It’s a lot of variables,” Yolanda Bundy, the City of Malibu’s Environmental Sustainability Director/Building Official, said. Bundy, who was hired by Malibu more than two years ago after shepherding the rebuilds in Ventura after the Thomas Fire in 2017, spoke to the Rotary Club of Malibu by Zoom last Wednesday with empathy and explanations. Clearing the parcels of hazardous materials and debris was the first hurdle. That took roughly a year. 59 homeowners received temporary trailer permits to stay on their land once it was cleared. 150 partially damaged homes received repair permits. CONTINUED ON PAGE A8

INSIDE t h i s w e e k ’ s pa p e r

Santa Monica College building. Photos by Julie Ellerton/TMT

‘Santa Monica College—Malibu Satellite Campus’ and Sheriff ’s substation complex enters final stretch Construction scheduled for completion in October, classes begin January 2023 By JIMY TALLAL Special to The Malibu Times

Since the official groundbreaking in September 2018, the construction project to build the Malibu Campus building of Santa Monica College (SMC) plus Sheriff ’s substation has contended with a weeks-long Woolsey Fire evacuation and power outage, the pandemic, supply chain issues,

and engineering problems created by the shallow water table. It’s probably 20 months behind the original schedule due to those unforeseen events. At long last, though, the light is at the end of the tunnel—as anyone driving past the construction site on Civic Center Way can now see. An official annual update on what’s happening with the local SMC campus was given on Dec. 8 at the Malibu Public Facilities Authority meeting. Facilities Director Charlie Yen said the current activities on the construction site include CONTINUED ON PAGE A8

By HAYLEY MATTSON Of The Malibu Times

“I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed, ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’ I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today!” Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered the iconic “I Have a Dream” speech to a crowd of thousands at the March on Washington, Aug. 28, 1963. King’s most important work apCONTINUED ON PAGE A8

Malibu Search and Rescue Makes Harrowing Rescue Two helicopters, five rescues in the first six days of 2022 PAGE B1 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2 News Briefs . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . A6 Malibu Life . . . . . . . . . . . B1 Legal Notices . . . . . . . . . . B3 Business Svs. & Directory . . B5 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . B6 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B8


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