Coroner Names Crash Victim As Malibu Man

A 60-year-old man … an artist from Malibu… is the man who died on Pacific Coast Highway two days ago.

The LA county corners office says Derek Schimming is the person who was killed when his car crashed on PCH near Paradise Cove Rd., Tuesday afternoon.

No information about him was released… But a man with that unusual name has an address in Las Flores Canyon… According to public records.

And the Malibu Arts Association says it was Schimming … a member of its board of directors … who died. 

Derek Schimming was an abstract expressionist … the son of an architect/artist father and art gallery owner mother. 

Schimming has several shows in Malibu for his unique and vivid works … with multiple details and depth which draws in the viewer and allows them to discover different subtle nuances with each viewing.

That’s how the Malibu Art Assiociairton put it. 

Shimming was apparently behind the wheel of a car, headed towards the civic center when he slumped at the wheel and accidentally steered into oncoming traffic.

A work van hit the sedan head.on.

The driver of the van suffered minor injuries and was hospitalized.

Chef step is at the time sheriffs deputies at the time told KU news that it was an apparent heart attack or other seizure.

A coroners investigation will determine the exact cause of death.

Your Chance To Ask For Park, Swimming Pool, Or Open Space On City Land Is Next Week

The first public comment meeting on what to do about Malibu’s plots of public land … now sitting vacant … will be next week.

Five vacant lots have been purchased … or otherwise acquired … over the past two decades.

Some people would be very happy, leaving open space alone… Some people would be very happy with the ocean views that are afforded looking over the public space from their homes.

But others point to a crying need for additional playing fields… A swimming pool… And other municipal functions that most cities offer.

For 33 years now… The city of Malibu has been a city… But has constructed exactly 0 playing fields where kids or adults can play games.

And plans to build playing fields next to the existing fields at Bluffs Park got shot down when people across the highway objected.

Past city councils have purchased land with the implied promise that parks would be built. But no overall master plan has been drawn up…

The current city Council has launched what they call a robust outreach and engagement program to collect community feedback.

We’re talking about five vacant lots… the Chili Cook-Off site is the largest … at the on Civic Center Way next tot he new college campus. 

Also … the Triangle lot … now being used as a construction yard at Webb Way and PCH.

Also at the civic Center … two acres tucked up behind the new gigantic mall about to open at Cross Creek Ranch.

Also … the old Christmas Tree lot near Heathercliff on Point Dume.

There is also a plot of land off Trancas Canyon Road.

The city has posted a video further explaining the issue … link to city video,

The first community meeting to give your opinion is next Tuesday at 6 to 7 … it will be at city hall and telecast over Zoom,  Link to Zoom meeting here..

School District Is Spending Money To Continue Tests For PCBs At School Project

The Santa Monica Malibu school board spending nearly $625,000 to make sure that the air at the construction site on Morningview Drive does not have carcinogenic PCB’s spreading.

Those was a major flap 10 years ago… When small amounts of PCB was found in the floor tile and soil beneath parts of the old high school… Which were eventually torn down

There is no evidence of any PCB contamination right now at the construction site… Or at the high school and middle school buildings next-door.

But to make sure that… The school district staff is recommending another 24 thousand dollars be spent to test the air and surfaces at the middle and high school.

The school board meeting is at 5:30 tonight at the school district’;s headquarters building … on Fourth Street in Santa Monica. 

Judge Rules There Is Evidence Of Involuntary Manslaughter In Westlake Demonstration Alleged Killing

There is sufficient evidence against a pro-Palestinian demonstrator … to take him to trial for the death of a pro Israel demonstrator struck at a demonstration in Thousand Oaks.

The charges are involuntary manslaughter and battery with serious bodily injury.

Loay Alnaji .. age 50 … was in a tense standoff with Paul Kessler … on a street corner in Westlake Village last November 6.

Evidence shows that Alnaji hit Kessler with the megaphone when the pro-israel demonstrator got in the other man’s face with a cellphone. 

Reporter Lance Orozco from KCLU in Thousand Oaks says there was a two-day preliminary hearing … featuring 18 witnesses … 

Alnaji’s attorney said it was Kessler’s pre-existing medical condition that caused him to fall.

But the prosecutor argued that the law on involuntary manslaughter only requires Alnaji’s role to have been substantial.

New Rules About Outdoor Balcony Inspections At Multifamily Dwellings

This calendar note … today at noon the new law about inspecting outdoor balconies and stairways will be explained to the Malibu public.

Building official Yolanda Bundy and her staff will host a town hall to explain how the new program will be enforced in Malibu,

They call it the Exterior Elevated Elements Program … that’s E-3 to the public. 

By January 1, 2025, E3s of multi-family buildings with three or more dwelling units must be inspected by a California-licensed architect, or California-licensed civil or structural engineer. 

E3s include balconies, exterior walkways, decks, exterior stairs and landings, and guards and associated handrails.

City staff at the Town Hall meeting to discuss the E3 Program. … today from noon to 1. 

How Much Will Your Electric Rates Go Up? Most Malibu Residents Will See Bigger Bills

California’s Public Utilities Commission has approved a change in your electric rates … and it has been surprisingly hard to find out what exactly that means.

What it means is … prepare for a much larger bill.

Unless you use a lot of electricity … your bill is going to go up … a lot. 

The state legislature and the CPC figure that it’s not fair to simply charge electricity users for the amount of electricity they consume.

They say it would be more fair to charge a flat rate for connecting to the grid… And then charging a reduced rate for each kilowatt used.

Rates per kilowatt hour consumed will go down between 8 to 10 percent … but there will be a new $24.75 per month flat fee to connect to the electric grid. 

An analysis by the Los Angeles Times finds that areas with cool weather … and l.opw electric consumption … you won’t break even on the $24.15 fee unless your current bill is about 242 dollars a month. 

That’s on a 10 percent rate cut … but the rates may only go dopewn 8% … they are not sure about that yet.

If rates go down by 8%, you won’t break even on the flat fee unless your average monthly bill is $302 a month.

Surfrider Beach Imagined As Possible 2028 Olympic Longboarding Venue

There is word today that the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles may include longboard surfing.

Of course… The big question is… Where?

Venice?

Santamonica. next to the giant beach volleyball stadium that’s about to be built next to the pier?

Maybe trestles? 

We don’t know.

One surfing magazine… that’s generally reliable… Says the international Olympic committee is considering a proposal for longboard surfing to be added to the 2028 games in Los Angeles.

The LA organizing committee … LA 28 … confirms the proposal. 

But this same surfing magazine, imagines the Olympic long boarding contest to be held at … wait for it … Malibu.

No decisions will be made until after the summer games in Paris… This summer.

The 2024 Olympic surfing venue is in Tahiti… Not exactly an easy commute from Paris but good enough for the Olympic organizers.

The international surfing association is proposing to add long boarding to the already approved short boarding event at the LA 2028 games.

We’ll know surfing’s exact Olympic fate in about a year. 

When reached for comment, both LA 2028 and the IOC were careful not to show their cards.

I“For LA28, the discipline program was approved by the IOC Executive Board on 13 October 2023, while the program of events and athlete quotas will be finalized after Paris 2024,” an IOC spokesperson told me via email.

LA28 was at least able to acknowledge that longboard had, in fact, been put forward, but not much more than that.

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