This is Malibu’s Only Local Daily News … the Friday edition … I’m Hans Laetz reporting. 

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Support for KBUU Radio comes from Rancho del Cielo.

For 8 years … Rancho del Cielo has been a partner to public radio in the Malibu.

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Encinal Cyn Rd Reopened After Big Water Line Break Washes Out Pavement

Major Water Line Fail In Los Virgenes District Closes Encinal Cyn Rd

AFTERNOON UPDATE:   A canyon road  washed out … as a water pipe has failed.

One lane traffic was restored at midday … but Encinal Canyon Road had been closed north of the city limits all morning. 

A flood was called in to county fire at 7:15 this morning … from the 3200 block of Encinal Canyon Road. 

This is about a half mile north of the city limit … about 2-1/2 miles north of Pacific Coast Highway.

Water supplies in the city of Malibu were not affected. 

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Support for Radio Malibu KBUU comes from the Mark and Grether Real Estate Group.

Combining the talents of Tony Mark and Russell Grether…

The Mark and Grether Group offers concierge-level service… personalized attention… to buyers and sellers… landlords and tenants … here in Malibu.

The Mark and Grether Group… a top producing team with 35 years of experience… and over $1 billion worth of real estate sold in least… from Malibu’s coastline to the canyons.

 

Movie About Deadly PCH Debuts In Santa Barbara, Producer Wants Wide And Free Screenings

“21 Miles In Malibu” had its premiere last night at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.
Producer Michel Shane and director Vic Davis exhibited their film to about 150 people at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.

The Santa Barbara audience was … safe to say … shocked.   And then horrified.

Several in  the crowd said the routinely drive through Malibu … and had no idea.

More than 12 people killed in Malibu over the decade since Michel and his wife Ellen Shane lost their youngest daughter to a homicidal jerk … driving recklessly on PCH while high and feeling sorry for his poor love life.

In Santa Barbara last night … Michel Shane said … almost nothing has changed on Malibu’s Main Street.

NEWSCART A73942 SHANE 1111

“Government changes… politics change… and everyone makes promises: ‘make America great’ … ‘America’s going to get better’ …. ‘America’s going to duo this … and yet we continue down the same road.

“Living in Malibu (it’s) unlike up here (in Santa Barbara) … our main street … is PCH.

“If your highway is a main street and you are used to living on it … it just becomes a country road … so a lot of people go out and do stuff on it.”

The movie concentrates on people … people killed on PCH.

Halfway through the project … Shane brought bin director Vic Davis to help complete the film.

In Santa Barbara last night … Davis said he had never seen a story like this.

NEWSCART A73941 VIC DAVIS

“This was a film that took us many years to create.

“Michelle has been working on this for 10 years and I’ve been working on it for about four years.

“It’s our life and it takes so many years and I’ve never seen a project that meant so much to us for so many reasons.

“I’m just honored you let me tell you a story..”

The story is of the on-again … off-again public concern about Pacific Coast Highway.

It includes interviews with firefighters … people who work on the highway and witness people dying.

And it pointer finger at Caltrans … which refused to let anyone to be interviewed for the movie.

Michel Shane says there is plenty of blame to spread around.

The question is … why have there not been any major safety improvements to a road …designed to connect Oxnard and Santa Monica at up to 65 miles an hour … that has morphed into a city’s main street.

Malibu’s main street.

Michel Shane. 

NEWSCART 73943 SHANE 222 

“I think the problem is … is everyone thinks it is everyone else’s problem.

“Which is truly mind boggling.
“I was just like everyone else until this affected me. 

“And then I could sit back and watch what is going on …or trying to make change… 

“And being a filmmaker … I felt that the only way to make change was to bring visual images out and shock people into saying ‘I’m not gonna take it anymore … I’m going to do something’.”

Shane says he wants to show the movie in Malibu … at Bluffs Park … for the local community.

He wants to run it on a PBS station.

Shane says he doesn’t care about revenue or ratings for this show … hew wants to spread the message wide.

Filmmaker Michel Shane … was speaking at the premier of his movie … “21 Mies In Malibu” … last night at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.

The film has one more showing at the Santa Barbara festival … tomorrow at 7:40 at the Fiesta 5 Theater … State Street … Santa Barbara.

Tickets are available at the box office..

 

AFTERNOON UPDATE:  Water Restrictions Will Be Ordered For Malibu Tuesday Into Wednesday

Water crews will try againTuesday and Wednesday to connect Malibu’s new pipe into the regional water delivery system.

A mandatory directive to conserve water in Malibu and Topanga Canyon will take effect Tuesday at 2 pm … and last until Wednesday midday.

Two weeks ago … workers spent the night cutting into the 70 year old pipeline to isolate a deteriorated section … under the landslides that happened 65 years ago under Pacific Palisades.

A new pipeline was laid along PCH there last year … the idea was … that new section of pipe was to be cut over.

But the worksite was muddy … and the connection did not get finished.

Huge traffic jams happened during the last closure … and can be expected next Tuesday and Wednesday.

City Bank Accounts Overflowing, But It May Not Be Invested Properly, Mayor Worries

Malibu city hall is flush with cash.

More than a year and a half’s worth of budget expenditures are in the bank.

And assistant city manager Joseph Toney told a city council subcommittee this week … an extra 7 million dollars 

NEWSCART A73940 FINANCE JOS TONEY

“The total projections are $7.2 million more than anticipated for the general fund revenue.

“Of course this is only a forecast we can’t be 100% certain but this is the way it is trending … and overall (we) are doing very well on revenue.”

So … with interest rates going up … why is the City of Malibu making less money in interest at the banks?

Some of the city’s borrowing … for things like Legacy Park .. have floating interest rates … and those costs are up.

But active cash management … investing money and paying off loans … could generate millions.

A Malibu city council subcommittee held its midyear financial review on Wednesday.

One obstacle here … the city does not have a full time treasurer … keeping track of interest rates and moving money around.

The city mayor …Bruce Silverstein … argues for beefing up the city’s investment management program.

At this week’s city council subcommittee meeting … Silverstein suggested that the city’s part-time treasurer may need to work more hours … to manage the city’s money.

NEWSCART A73939 FINANCE BS 

“If this is the job of the treasurer … in the first instance ….to help us make these decisions… And Ruthie I am hear you saying that your contract… I don’t disagree with this… you are a part-time city employee in essence. your contract does not provide you with enough hours to be doing this on a daily basis. 

“And yet …  we are talking about millions of dollars … 

“Why don’t we pay more money to make more money???”

The other member of the city council’s administration and finance subcommittee … Doug Stewart … agrees.

NEWSCART A73938 FINANCE DS. 

“Yeah … and I think Ruthie was brought on board at a time when her contract that set her hours were very appropriate.

“The world has changed in the last 12 months. 

“And I go back to my days as a corporate bankere… people didn’t have cash management people until interest rates got high … and now we do. 

“So I think it may be worth it for us to spend a little money to make a little money.”

Meanwhile … revenues for the city are up …with an unexpected 7 million dollars arriving in the past half year.

A surge in property tax revenues … a surprise of more than a million dollars .

A surge in temporary occupancy taxes … short term rental fees … more than a million there. 

Sales tax … a surprise two million dollar increase over projections there. 

Side note … the new sales use tax will add another two million dollars to next year’s budget.

Parking taxes … up 200 thousand dollars…. That’s revenue from increased beach lots.

400 thousand dollars in higher revenue from parking tickets … which are up 25 percent. 

2.8 million dollars  in salary savings …. Not necessarily a good thing.

Assistant city manager Joseph Toney says there are a lot of empty desks at city hall.

The city staff right now has a 20 percent vacancy rate.

A lot of money saved … but a lot of work not getting done.

And lots of other unexpected expenses.

But spending is up as well…

The city has cranked up spending on outside consultants …. hired to clear up the huge backlog of cases in the Planning Department.

Another 170 thousand dollars for sheriff’s services … greater than projected.

And those 17 little red boxes you see scattered around town … the ones optimistically stocked with fire maps inside them?

70 thousand dollars for those.

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Non-profits In Malibu Need To File For City Money By End Of March

The City of Malibu is now accepting applications for the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 General Fund Grant Program from local non-profit organizations to fund efforts that benefit residents of the community.

The application period closes Friday, March 31.

Arts and cultural activities, after-school programs for our children, and environmental initiatives, can be funded.

All submitted applications will be reviewed by a city council subcommittee … which will make recommendations to the City Council for award during the annual budget approval in June.

Original applications and all supporting materials must be received by 5 PM on Friday, March 31, 2023. 

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Support for KBUU Radio comes from Sea N Soul Surf, at Zuma Beach Plaza

A coffee barista … the locals’ place to find entry level surfboards for a grom … or a handshaped blade for a pro. 

Sea N Soul Surf… clothing, coffee and boards for the Malibu lifestyle … under Spruzzo’s …across from Zuma Beach.

One Day Per Week Restrictions Throttled Back In Ventura County

Emergency water use restrictions … and a mandatory cutback on outdoor water use … are no longer needed and about to end in the Thousand Oaks area.

But not yet … in the Las Virgenes Water District … in the mountains above Malibu.

That means lawns and trees and ornamental plants can again be watered soon … in Ventura County.

The board’s decision allows agencies that use its water in Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Moorpark, Oxnard, Oak Park and other nearby areas to start unwinding the one-day rule.

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Support for KBUU radio comes from Saguaro Technology.

Based in Malibu … Saguaro Technology offers software development and other engineering services across the entire product life cycle… and across several industries.

Life sciences, automation, robotics.

Saguaro Technology engineers work side-by-side with the client to extend engineering teams… to create and launch products faster… and more cost effectively.

Saguaro Technology can be reached at saguarotech.net

Big Storm May Hit California Next Week, Bigger Storms Behind That

A blizzard in the Malibu mountains???
No … but a lot of rain and maybe some snow at the highest Santa Monica Mountain peaks are possible up ahead.

This cold air mass is going to be with us … it was 32 in Santa Barbara yesterday morning … records are falling

A major weather pattern change developing in about 6 days.

Heavy snow accumulations above the 15 hundred foot elevation could cause significant problems in places that rarely see so much snow.

And hail/graupel showers are plausible just about anywhere.

He National Weather Service says drizzle may arrive Wednesday.

Rain arriving from the Pacific Thursday thru Saturday.

Maybe more than an inch of rain.

The long long long range forecasts are never reliable.

But it looks like Northern California … where we get our water … will see a huge storm in 7 to 10 days.

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Support for KBUU Radio comes from the Malibu Brewing Company.

Malibu Brewing Company is a locally owned craft brewery, proudly supporting our community, and local public radio. 

The tap room at Trancas Country Market is open…

And the Malibu Brewing Company is serving its Oktoberfest fest beer … a traditional lager with notes of toffee … moderate malt flavors and delicate hops.

A chef prepared menu to enjoy on the patio or inside.

Malibu Brewing Company Malibu California.

 

Silverstein Objects To KBUU Report About $800,000 Subsidy For Kanan Dume Camping, Funded By Hotel Conversion, Vows Radio Silence

BROADCAST WED FEB 15

POSTED FRI FEB 17

City councilman Bruce Silverstein objects to KBUU’s coverage of the Sea View Hotel.

This … as it appears the councilman is trying to campaign to get the city to reject the proposed development agreement for the Sea View Hotel … the proposed office conversion on PCH across from Nobu.

As KBUU has reported … the California Coastal Commission has extracted an 800 thousand dollar promise from hotel developer Norm Haynie … to fund a campground on Kanan Dume Road at the northern city limits. 

Silverstein says “… and we quote … “the City Council knew nothing about any funding for the MRCA camping project when the Sea VIew Hotel project was presented for approval.

“Indeed, it is not even clear whether the deal for the additional $800,000 had yet been proposed to Norm by the Coastal Commission at that time.”

Silverstein raises a fair point about that.

On another matter … Silverstein also objects to our report that he suggested that the Malibu Film Society show its movies at Malibu High School.

During the Monday council meeting … the councilman said the Film Society should move to the “auditorium” at the “school.”

Silverstein says he really meant by “school” was the new Santa Monica College … not the high school.

And what he meant by “auditorium” was the college’s lecture hall. 

Silverstein objected to KBUU’s reporter not understanding his comment … even though he claims others did.

Silverstein went on to write “these are just two examples of why I refuse to speak with you when you request an interview or a statement.”

Silverstein is the mayor of Malibu … exercizing his right not to speak to a person he represents.

Much like sheriff Alex Villanueva … who would not take questions from LA Times reporters he did not favor.

Or Donald Trump.

The radio station will continue to ask the mayor … elected to represent all of Malibu … questions when necessary.

It’s up to him to reply or not.

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Support for KBUU Radio comes from the Malibu Foundation.

The Malibu Foundation underwrote the KBUU solar panels and batteries at the transmitter … which keeps KBUU’s FM transmitting on 99.1 during storms and blackouts… 24 seven… on clean renewable Malibu sunshine.

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You can hear the news live every morning until 9:30 on KBUU.

FM 99.1 in western Malibu.  Also: streaming at www.radiomalibu.net

Between 10 and 2 … you can hear the newscast playback loop on KBU2. That’s on FM 99.1 HD2 in your car, or streaming at s7.viastreaming.net/6500

If humanly possible, the KBUU NewsScript is usually published at around midday at www.radiomalibu.net