Man Charged With Attempted Murder After Witnesses Stop Strangling At Zuma 5

Murder Attempted murder charges have been filed against a man who attacked his female companion on Zuma Beach two Sundays ago.

Sheriff’s Sgt Chris Soderlund says the attack happened in broad daylight.

STRANGLE 71349 

“Two homeless individuals – one male one female – were on the sand near Tower 5.

“An argument ensued which turned physical.

“The male started strangling the female repeatedly on the sand.

“Two bystanders interceded and stopped the assault.

“The suspect walked away, 

“Deputies responded swiftly and located him in the parking lot at Zuma Beach.

“They were able to take him to custody.”

Sergeant Soderlund says the district attorney has already filed attempted murder charges against the man… Whose name was not released. 

MHS Class President Apologies To City After A Few Classmates Ran Amuck

The Malibu high school senior class president has offered a public apology to the Malibu community after last month’s senior prank that ended in nasty vandalism.

Ella Stabile spoke at the Malibu city council meeting last night.

APOLOGY 111 ELLA STABILE 71351 

“I would first like to apologize on behalf of the students at Malibu that are against the actions that took place earlier this month at the school.”

The senior class president said it was a small group of pupils – not the majority of Malibu High kids …. that vandalized the school three weeks ago as a senior prank.

DISRESPECT ELLA STABILE 71352

“The senior pranks have been a tradition at Malibu high for many years … with examples being stacking tables are a 30 foot inflatable rubber duck over all this tradition is meant to be lighthearted prank as a senior final goodbye.

“Contrary what is being told … the act of vandalism were lead and executed by a portion of the student body, that is not associated with the rest of the students students and staff were shocked by the incident and upset the damage and disrespect done.”

Incoming student body president Ella Stabile told the city council last night that students participated in cleaning up the campus vandalism … And that consequences have been meet out by the school district.

Malibu Mayor Urges Caltrans To Discourage Bicycles on PCH, Instead Of Painting Bike Lanes

Malibu’s mayor last night told Caltrans … the state should be discouraging bicycle use on Pacific Coast Highway … not painting bike lanes. 

Other city council members last night assailed the repaving project that Caltrans wants to start 

It was two years ago that four Pepperdine students were killed on the road … and after a community outcry in favor of safety measures … three city council members last night sharply criticized some of the plans for sidewalks and bike lanes. 

Caltrans has come up with a plan to install sidewalks along some parts of PCH … and stripe in a bike lane wherever there is enough room across the pavement. 

At last night’s city council meeting … opposition from elected leaders. 

Mayor Marianne Riggins. 

RIGGINS OPPOSES 71353

“We still seem to be getting this … this mantra from the state of California that we need bike lanes in our city … 

“And we’re battling against how dangerous our roadway is.

“And now there’s an additional thing where we’re going to have a bike lane and it’s gonna go away then it’s gonna be another segment. 

“There’s gonna be parking … parking may be there … may be not there. 

“It just seems like we’re inviting additional conflict between all these different users where we should – I think – be discouraging bike use.”

Caltrans officials have explained over and over again that squeezing in bike lanes thru the congested eastern part of Malibu would mean taking out either one side … or both sides … of parking … or eliminating the center median.  

And that may happen anyway ….under state states master transportation safety plan ..  which is still being formulated. 

Council member Bruce Silverstein last night accused Caltrans of misreading a new state law …  about bike lanes. 

Silverstein says the law only requires bike lanes where feasible.

And he says they may not be feasible in Malibu.

Council members were also unhappy that Caltrans is concentrating right now on the repaving and pedestrian/bicycle improvements … and not on the bigger issue of shoring up the highway.

The recent fires took out houses and wooden shoreline protection that held the road up … next to the coastal cliffs … for a hundred years.

Silverstein criticized the state for failing to come up with a plan to stabilize PCH in eastern Malibu … where hundreds of burned out properties are suffering coastal erosion right under the pavement. 

IMMINENT FAILURE 71355

SILVERSTEIN: “Why are you continuing to go down the road of repairing the surface?

“Below the surface needs to be repaired first. 

“Because it’s not gonna matter how well the surface operates at the surface isn’t there?

ENGINEER NANCY TENG: “I understand your question and you concern, but we have our geotech take out there after the fire they are doing that and analysis and investigation. 

“I just don’t have the information to share with you with the imminent failure is going to come through … I don’t think so .”

That was Nancy Teng …. The Caltrans project manager for the pavement project coming next year. 

Marianne Riggins also said the state is prioritizing the wrong thing. 

SHORING RIGGINS2 

“Much of that road is in danger of failing.

“So it would seem logical that the attention should be placed much to saving the saving the roadway … before you worry about doing maintenance on the roadway.”

State engineers have in the past explained that the geotechnical studies about saving the highway are still underway … and that the pavement repair is urgent to prevent more serious damage.

City council members also wanted more details about 37 streetlights on the coast road … proposed by the state in western Malibu.

It was not clear if those were replacement streetlights .. or new ones … in an area where residents treasure their dark skies. 

And they also took shots at some of the sidewalks proposed by the state … as contrary to Malibu’s mission statement of being a rural community.

Steve Uhring did not like a proposed sidewalk in front of the Pepperdine grass lawn.

UHRING SIDEWALKS 71356 

“I live near there and I don’t see any people walking up and down the PCH in that … so why they are going in … I mean really … I can see us doing a lot of work putting those sidewalks in … and I am not sure they are not improving anything or making anyone’s life any better … so that’s one man’s opinion.”

And Riggins questioned a sidewalk planned for PCH next to Latigo Beach .. a heavily-used street parking and beach access area where pedestrians are frequently observed walking in traffic lanes. 

Many of the answers sought by city council members were not available from the state engineers at the meeting.  For example, the state last night could not supply information about the number of crashes at various locations where sidewalks or T-intersections are planned to replace merge lanes.  

One problem may be that Caltrans has four simultaneous projects going on in Malibu at the same time:

• Immediate changes made after the four women were killed. 
• Emergency repairs after the January fire … the agency has said nothing about that. 
• There is the upcoming repaving project … with bike lanes and sidewalks … 
• And there is the longer term PCH master plan .. which may result in the elimination of parking lanes or the center median in eastern Malibu … to accommodate a continuous bike lane.

Caltrans keeps sending engineers out to Malibu who do not know what their fellow Caltrans project engineers are doing on other projects on the same stretch of PCH in Malibu.

What’s next??  The city council has elicited a promise that any major projects will need city council approval.   But the Caltrans District Manager in Los Angeles has the overall authority for redesigning the road. 

Arts Commission To Take Up Location Of Proposed Arts Center

The Malibu Arts Commission meets this morning at 9:30 and is scheduled to take a vote on a recommendation on where to build an arts center.

The final decision… of course … goes to the city council.

City council members and the arts commission are split on two emerging contenders.

When is to build one alternative is to build a new building on land offered by the new shopping center next to the library on Civic Center Way.

The other proposal is to remodel the city council chambers and put a movie theater in there… At least on a temporary basis.

A proposal  from one arts commission member for a Fourth of July light show on the Malibu pier… Is not on the agenda.

Arts commissioner Pamela Conley Ulich over the weekend announced that a “healing rainbow light show” would be installed on the pier July third fourth and fifth.

Turns out that may have been a bit premature.  No permits have been issued yet, but organizers said they are working on them,

The announced light show has not gone before the arts commission … or the city council. 

LAPD Chief Vows Videos Of Police Abuse In Protests Will Be Examined

In news from Los Angeles … LAPD chief Jim McDonnell says accusation of police brutality during what started as peaceful protests last week will be taken seriously. 

McDonnell said in a statement released Monday that the department would conduct a “comprehensive evaluation of each use-of-force incident.” 

The LA Times compiled a list of questionable LAPD tactics … horses trampling protesters … deliberate shots of rubber bullets into journalists …. batons clobbering people who had not done anything to justify that. 

McDonnell says the public also needs rot know the “dangerous, fluid and ultimately violent conditions LAPD officers encountered.” 

His statement said the protests have “most often been marked by peaceful expression,” he said that at times they have been “hijacked by violence, vandalism, and criminal aggression.”

Trump’s Troops Assigned To Guard LA Sent To Raid Coachella Valley Pot Farm

California National Guard troops that were federalized to deal with immigration protests raided a marijuana farm in the desert near Indio. … and to protect federal agents enforcing immigration laws on those pot farms.

More than 300 National Guard troops assisted the Drug Enforcement Agency in executing a federal search warrant Wednesday on suspected illegal marijuana farms in Thermal.

More than 70 workers were arrested for suspicion of lacking documentation, the spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times. 

More Details On SM Taxi Shootings Released

Santa Monica police say two teenagers are recovering after being shot in a Waymo late Sunday night.

The shooting was downtown … at 2nd Street and Broadway. 

Police say the shooter had earlier argued with the two teenagers ..  then walked up to the Waymo and shot thru the glass.

One victim was shot in the arm … the other in the torso … bother had stable life signs.

Police say the the shooting was a targeted and isolated incident that followed a verbal altercation earlier in the evening between the victims and the suspect.

City Of Santa Monica In Dire Financial Straight, City Says

The City of Santa Monica is in dire economic straights. 

New budget documents show that the coronavirus epidemic … plus the botched riot response by the police department in 2020 … have cost Santa Monica nearly 200 million dollars in lost tax revenue.. 

The City has paid $229.8 million to settle with 229 sex abuse plaintiffs who were sexually abused as children by a City employee over more than two decades.

The City is still facing another 174 sex claims.

And fighting a voting rights lawsuit filed by Malibu attorney Kevin Shenkman has cost the city 13 million dollars.

Sales tax, the hotel and B andB tax and parking revenues are all down or holding flat.

Vacancy rates of commercial buildings are much higher than historical rates.

Two new taxes measures approved by voters last November that are expected to generate a total of $9.7 million per year.