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 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

Santa Anas Hit Rain Soaked Mountains

Peak winds gusts of 44 miles an hour hit Malibu overnight … as the rain-soggy mountains got raked by strong Santa Ana style winds.

The winds have not caused any power outages.

The National Weather Service predicts these winds will be gusting through Saturday … maybe into Sunday.

And Santa Anas will be poking around in the forecast for the next seven days. 

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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

Caltrans Says Massive PCH Construction Zone Starts Soon

Caltrans says crews will start major construction on Pacific Coast Highway … east of Big Rock … soon.

It will be a multiyear project … to build a gigantic vertical steel and concrete wall under the highway … next to the ocean … to prevent waves from damaging Malibu’s lifeline.

Caltrans said yesterday that work will start with the relocation of the natural gas supply main that supplies methane to Malibu. 

It has to be moved inland … away from the planned wall. 

Moving the gas pipes will take 40 days … Caltrans says.

What Caltrans doesn’t say is that after that … powerlines will have to be put underground.

Also … communications lines … 4 or 5 sets of communication lines.

Then comes the real work … an estimated 300 plus days of construction to build the wall. 

The digginging and pipeline welding will be done late at night … after 9 p-m and until 6 a-m.

During the day … the construction trenching will be covered with steel.

That will mean an uneven road surface … debris … and 24/7 noise 

We’ve asked Caltrans why the utilities work is all not being done at the same time. 

We’ve also asked them for details on the construction timeline … what is the date when the construction work will be estimated to be finished???

Caltrans was unable to provide answers on that.

And those issues are of real concern.

The state agency has a habit of spectacular errors on design and engineering … leading to prolonged construction periods that greatly impact PCH traffic and surrounding neighborhoods.

At Trancas … we’ve been telling you how the demolition of the old bridge and construction on a new one is now 18 months behind schedule … causing noise and disruption.

But that project is a minor inconvenience … compared to the noise and disruption that will come from the Big Rock wall installation.

At Big Rock … construction noise will be all night.

And even on days off … cars driving over the metal plates in the roadway will make loud noises all day and all night.

This phase of the project will last 40 days … Caltrans say.

What Caltrans doesn’t say it’s that additional phases are lined up after that. 

And it looks like that noise will be generated for much more than a year.

How much longer than a year?
Caltrans put out a press release that manages to avoid that issue.

We asked for details … they said they will get back to us. 

Up to 57 thousand vehicles each day use PCH at that location. 

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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.

Biden Brings $9 Billion In Food Relief Back To California

In news from up the coast … President Joe Biden traveled to Northern California on Thursday to survey the damage left by weeks of winter storms.

 and promised that the federal government would assist the state for the recovery effort, which officials estimate could cost several hundred million dollars.

Biden landed near Capitola … on  Monterey Bay … where the pier was nearly washed away.

Biden said 9 billion dollars in federal flood assistance is already on the way to California.

flood bidden 222

Not much storm damage in Malibu.

But with the food of federal disaster money coming in … the Malibu city government will be able to apply for reimbursement for cleanup costs.

Statewide … Caltrans will be able to do the same thing.

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Surprise!  Covid Threat Diminishes

Another surprise from the Covid viruses. 

Los Angeles County and Ventura County both officially entered the low COVID-19 community level,.

The counties have seen marked improvement in its pandemic metrics. 

The winter holidays are behind us and the much-feared double Covid wave … caused by travel and gatherings … did not arise.

A “very different January than expected,”… as one top health official told the L A Times.

At L A County Public Health … Barbara Ferrer says she thinks people wearing masks … even only in some places …  can play a pivotal role in tamping down transmission.

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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.

Great Wall Of Lincoln Rising Along Lincoln Blvd

One critic calls it the Great Wall of Lincoln.

The city of Santa Monica calls it the transformation of a car-oriented street into a livable community … with badly-needed housing,. 

Already … the line of auto repair shops and single story commercial along Lincoln Boulevard has partly disappeared … north of the freeway to Malibu.

And now … the Vons supermarket on Lincoln is closing.

It will be replaced by a three story condo complex … with underground parking … and a smaller Vons on the ground floor. 

A similar fate awaits the Gelsons market on Lincoln south of the freeway.

It is destined to become 521 apartment buildings …. With some of them earmarked as affordable units.

By providing affordable housing … the owners are able to completely sidestep Santa Monica’s zoning rules.

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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.

Malibu High Drum Line Played Concert With David Crosby In 2011

The death of David Crosby … yesterday … has deep Malibu connections

Dozens of Malibu residents shared personal recollections of David Crosby yesterday on social media.

The iconic rock star had lived in Malibu with other member sof the Birds 50 years ago.

He spent most of his life … living in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County.

Last year, he said he would no longer perform live, but will continue to record. But, he was booked to play at Santa Barbara’s Lobero Theater next month.

David Crosby passed away Thursday, as the result of a long illness.

 The singer-songwriter who was a part of two of the biggest bands of the 1960s: Crosby, Stills and Nash, and the Byrds.

His career spanned six decades. Crosby was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.

And he was a friend of the local school district.

Back 120 years ago … when music classes were in danger from lack of funding … Crosby headlined a benefit concert with Malibu and Santa Monica kids in Barnum Hall.

The Malibu Shark Drum Line accompanied Crosby … the Santa Monica High Orchestra and Choir….

NATSOT

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Music Video Innovator, Major Talent TV Director Bruce Gowers Dies

Malibu resident Bruce Gowers has died

Bruce Gowers was a director and producer with Emmy, Grammy, MTV and DGA awards.

In 1975, Gowers directed the groundbreaking “Bohemian Rhapsody” video.

That not only launched Queen into rock superstardom, but also providing a defining moment in what would become the video music business. 

Gowers would go on to direct massively popular videos for countless music icons including Prince, the Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson and John Mellencamp.

Born in Scotland … reared near London … Gowers started his career at the BBC and London Weekend Television network.

In the Seventies, met his wife Carol, on the Rod Stewart, “Tonight’s the Night” music video shoot.  Bruce would go on to direct and produce hundreds of major television events …  including The Primetime Emmy Awards, The Billboard Awards, The MTV Awards, and American Idol for eight seasons.

For the last 23 years, Bruce and Carol Rosenstein resided in Malibu.

Bruce Gowers died Sunday in Santa Monica from an acute respiratory infection. 

He was 82.

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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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