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

Support for KBUU Radio comes from Rancho del Cielo.

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

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City Manager Says LA County’s Camping Plan For Malibu Will Go Before Coastal Commission Feb 8

Malibu has a new county supervisor … and now we will see if campaign promises will be kept.

The controversial L-A County plan to establish camping in environmentally-sensitive areas of the mountains … in the brush right next to houses … is coming up before the Coastal Commission very soon.

City manager Steve McClary says it will be on the February 8th commission agenda … 

Side note … the Malibu camping ordinance has not officially been added to the agenda yet … that just may be a clerical error.

During the November election … both candidates for supervisor were hit by hard questions from Malibu voters … would they act to withdraw the Malibu camping plan??

Both said they would.

Here is Lindsay Horvath … when she was a hopeful … in a KBUU interview last July.

NEWSCART A73505 LINDSEY HORVATH

“I’ve held this opinion for a long time and have been working with community members on this issue. 

“I wish my opponent had been using his authority in Sacramento to do the same, but he’s taken this position now.

“But what we know the climate crisis is real. This issue is directly related to the impacts of the climate crisis in our neighborhoods and to peoples quality of life… 

“That’s a big concern… We need to make sure that we are listening to people and taking care of these quality of life issues.”

REPORTER: “Malibu residents feel that (incumbent Supervisor) Sheila Kuehl has been giving Joe Edmiston and the MRCA everything that they want. Now there is always going to be a conflict between Malibu and the MRCA… That’s baked into the pie. But what are your feelings about the MRCA and the way it has been treating Santa Monica Mountains residents?  [Editor’s Note: Kuehl has endorsed Horvath to replace her.]

HORVATH: “Well first … I want to make very clear that if people have questions for supervisor cue they should direct them to her. I am a different person and running my own race based on conversations that I am having with people in the community.

“On this issue, we need to make sure that everyone has a seat at the table, that we are preparing to listen to our residents.

“There might even be a possibility… and I would use my authority … to change the management of some of the jurisdiction of this area to the national Park service… And make sure that people have a seat at the table as to how we address issues in this area”

Not exactly a ringing voice of opposition.

But Horvath was able to convince many Malibu voters that she was stronger against camping in the local mountains than her opponent … Bob Hertzberg.

Regardless …iMalibu is just a tiny portion of the gigantic third district … and Horvath won,

She replaced Sheila Kuehl … who had been working for years with Joe Edmiston on his master plan of a trail along the brush-covered foothills above Malibu.

Some of that would be accessed via private property.

Much of it would be open to camping without oversight. 

Malibu residents have been frightened by the prospect of homeless persons setting up camps in those areas… like the one that apparently caught fire last Saturday … like the dozen plus similar fires that were caught and put out last year.

The Kuehl-Edmiston camping plan has already been approved by the Coastal Commission … they sent it back to the county with a few minor changes … Kuehl and her colleagues approved it … and now the Coastal Commission is expected to approve the county’s minor changes. 

The city expects that vote on Wednesday February 8th … where the commission meets on the computers. 

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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

45 Days Of Construction? Try 2 Years Of PCH Roadwork, With Many Days Of Lane Closures At Big Rock

Here comes the bad news … 40 days of nighttime construction are coming up on PCH east of Big Rock.

You might remember … last week Caltrans issued notice of a 40 days construction period to relocate the Southern California Gas main into Malibu,

That work will be done at night.

But the state agency did not explain … the gas pipe relocation is just the first small part of this massive project.

And now we have the details.

After the gas main is replaced … Southern California Edison must dig trenches across and along the highway, and then put put its overhead power lines underground.

That project will take 45 days of daytime work … including possible daytime lane closures.

52 thousand cars a day travel this stretch of PCH … and there is no real detour other than the 101 and 405 freeways, plus canyon roads.

An additional 55 nights of all-night work will also be required for the power line undergrounding project.

And then comes the third phase … putting the communications lines underground….

Mercifully … all four telecom companies will put their separate fiber cables in the same trench.  But each telecom company will need 7 to 10 days … and there are four companies.

Add that up … and we get at least 36 weeks for the utility location at Big Rock.

And after all that … comes the huge project: one year of work … as Caltrans contractors install a vertical steel wall under the curb line next to the ocean.

That is the big magilla … a construction project similar to what Caltrans is doing up near Point Mugu.

Huge drills will be set up along the ocean side of the highway … and all kinds of other large machinery.

That work will mostly be done at night … and will be covered up with metal plates during the heavy traffic daytime hours.

Bottom line … PCH will be snarled with major construction east of Big Rock for nearly two years.

And about 45 days of that work will be done during daylight hours … requiring daytime lane closures on PCH .,..and daytime lane closures will result in major traffic jams.

We will keep you posted.

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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.

A special release for the winter season … Winter Warmer.

Aged in bourbon barrels for a year, this ale has warm winter spiced notes of clove, raisins and ginger.

Enjoy this limited release on draft while it lasts, or take home a few bottles.

On tap at the Malibu Brewing Company tasting room at Trancas Country Market.

Malibu Brewing Company, Malibu California.

Total of 600 Truckloads Of Boulders Destined To Save Point Dume Road

Heavy surf pounded Malibu over the weekend … as the lunar high tides reached their peak.

County Beaches And Harbors says the recent and ongoing high tides and storm surges have caused significant erosion at Zuma and Point Dume beaches.

County crews say they are using a rented D-8 bulldozer … bigger than the one they normally use … at Zuma “to protect the County’s maintenance and visitor-serving facilities on the beaches.”

The big bulldozer helps them “quickly rebuild and shore up the sand berms protecting County facilities and parking lots from flooding.”

The emergency rock wall along the Point Dume access road is substantial—

This winter … the county expects to place more than 600 truckloads of boulders to protect the beach’s infrastructure. 

The western bathroom at Point Dume has had its foundation exposed by the ocean waves.

A year and a half ago … the first problems surfaced down at Point Dume … and construction of the rock revetment was started. 

That held for a year . 

But the county says this winter’s heavy surf further threatened the road, so they are placing additional boulders to protect it. 

Beaches and Harbors has been working with the Coastal Commission to ensure we have all necessary permits for this work.

The closure of the parking lot along the western flank of Point Dume has put added parking pressure up on Birdview and Cliffside drives… In Malibu’s Point Dume neighborhood.

Residents have posted pictures of cars parked on the through traffic lane.

Malibu was able to put up no parking signs on streets above the point in exchange for paying California State Parks to run a city-subsidized shuttle to the point, the widely-ridiculed “Ghost Shuttle” that rarely had anyone on board. 

State Parks dropped the contract after 10 years, but Coastal Commission employees say the permit for the no parking signs on the bluff requires the city to provide public access via a shuttle.  An “enforcement letter” was sent by Coastal staff to the city several years ago, but the issue has not been resolved.

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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 Team Contacts 66 Homeless Persons In December, 5 Helped Into Housing

Malibu’s Homeless Outreach Team says they were in contact with 66 people experiencing homelessness in December.

Five of those persons were either relocated or placed into temporary housing. 

The Outreach Team consists of three workers and a housing navigator from The People Concern.

The team works with City Staff and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies. 

City manager Steve McClary says they seek out and talk to people experiencing homelessness.

This is an effort to prevent any public safety concerns, including fires related to homeless encampments, to help connect them to housing and other services, and for flood safety during heavy rain events.

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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.

55 MPH Santa Anas Rake Malibu Monday Morning, More Winds Likely Thursday

A wintertime Santa Ana blasted Malibu last night.

Sustained winds of 42 miles an hour … with guests to 55 … at several locations in the hills of eastern Malibu.

The winds arrived at about 4 … yesterday afternoon.

No reports of any overnight fires.

But Saturday … another fire broke out in Tuna Canyon.

That area … just outside the Malibu city limits at the eastern end of the city … has been the scene of numerous fires caused by homeless persons cooking or staying warm.

And that looks like a likely cause for the Saturday fire… Although no official cause has been given.

Pacific Coast Highway was closed for about an hour … as firefighters stretched hoses and crowded the pavement at the bottom of the steep canyon.

City Hall in Malibu says an uncooperative property owner of tuna canyon has refused to cooperate in fencing and clearing private property… In the county… just outside city limits. 

One acre burned.

It was just four weeks ago that the city of Malibu canceled the local state of emergency… Because the fire danger had passed with the arrival of heavy winter rains

So much for that theory.

Getting back to the weather … the high pressure system that caused all these winds in heading to Texas … so these Santa Anas will gradually decrease into this afternoon in most areas. 

But peak winds of 60 miles an hour are still possible this morning.  … at tomes and in places. Santa Ana winds will come and go this week … especially Thursday. 

But this dry weather pattern may be breaking down this weekend … dare we say rain is possible maybe Sunday.

The abnormally high astronomical tide will begin to subside Monday.

A building northwest swell will likely bring marginal high surf through this evening, with another chance of Advisory level surf on Wednesday for all west facing beaches. 

Weather for the Malibu …

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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