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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2007
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Malibu fire 70 percent contained BY THOMAS WATKINS Associated Press Writer
YO, SANTA!
Morgan Genser news@smdp.com A young girl climbs on Santa's lap to run down her holiday gift wish list as her parents look at the Third Street Promenade on Sunday.
COMMUNITYPROFILES MICHAEL CHASE WALKER
A writer writes on BY GABRIELLE HARRADINE Special to the Daily Press
The writers’ strike is in its fourth week and there’s no end in sight, only a small glimmer of hope with the agreement for both groups to get back to the bargaining table today. That makes for hard times for the screen and TV writers belonging to the Writers Guild of America (WGA), and not just financially. According to the WGA’s strike rules, members are not allowed to write anything for the consumption of those belonging to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers while the strike continues. With all the stress, uncertainty and
time spent picketing it’s unlikely that writers can focus enough to write anyway. Considering that fact, life might be better as a non-union writer these days, where there are no rules to follow and no studios to picket. Michael Chase Walker happens to be one of those. He’s a resident of Santa Monica, and a freelance screenwriter who’s not in the WGA. Every weekday for the past two weeks, Walker has continued to enjoy his morning writing sessions, unlike his peers who belong to the guild. The twist is that Walker was eligible to join WGA, but never did. “I just didn’t have the joiner mentality,” said Walker. “And at that time I didn’t see
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myself as a writer.” This fact doesn’t really come as a surprise when you consider the range of things that Walker had done, which included founding an animation studio in Peoria, producing “The Last Unicorn” and working as the Head of Creative Affairs for Rankin Bass Productions. Walker started his journey into film while studying Sanskrit in India. He and George Harrison, of The Beatles, started screening Bollywood films in downtown Bombay because there was a lack of access to the films at that time. The excitement and emotions SEE CP PAGE 7
MALIBU Fire crews hoped mild temperatures and gentle winds Sunday would help them solidify gains against the sprawling wildfire that destroyed dozens of homes in this upscale coastal community. Hot, powerful winds that fanned the blaze across 4,720 acres starting early Saturday were not expected Sunday, Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Ron Haralson said. The fire was about 40 percent contained, with few flames visible to the three water-dropping helicopters deployed over the fire zone, Haralson said. “Winds have subsided considerably and we’re making good headway,” he said. Forty-nine homes were destroyed Saturday by the fast-moving wildfire pushed by Santa Ana winds. Twenty-seven other homes were damaged and 10,000 to 14,000 people were evacuated. The seaside enclave had been recovering from last month’s 4,565-acre Canyon Fire that destroyed six homes, two businesses and a church when the winds began whipping up again overnight Saturday. Some residents whose property made it through last month’s fire unscathed weren’t so lucky this time. “This time I lost,” said a soot-covered Glen Sunyich, who watched his stucco and tile house he built in 1990 slowly burn to the ground. “It means that I didn’t build it well enough.” Hundreds of firefighters and equipment from throughout the state had been positioned in Southern California for most of the week because of the predicted Santa Ana winds. Residents said they have grown accustomed to the potential fire danger when the strong gusts blow. “Waking up at 4 in the morning with the smell of smoke in your nose and the wind beating at the windows is something that we learn to live with here, but it always comes as something of a shock,” Mayor Jeff Jennings said. All of the homes were destroyed in the fire’s initial Saturday morning surge before the winds slowed and firefighters gained a foothold.