SCE Tells City It Will Be Digging Up PCH Into April

Southern California Edison has told the city this week … that it will be finished digging up Pacific Coast Highway in eastern Malibu in April.  

The power company is burying most of… but not all … of its power lines along the highway in the fire zone. 

Traffic has been snarled for months … and the pavement ripped to shreds … 

PCH in eastern Malibu is scheduled to be repaved starting in about a year.

In western Malibu … the state has plans to repave PCH from the Civic Center to the Vewnrtura county line. 

That is supposed to happen starting this summer. 

Malibu’s Traffic Synch Cable Is In And Working, Manager Says

Malibu’s traffic synchronization program is installed and working to tame the traffic on the eastern part of the city.

Acting city manager Rob Deboux told the city council last night … there signals are hooked up to the Caltrans computers.

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“Our first major project to address traffic safety on PCH … information about how that system is performing. 

City Council last night the signals are hooked into the Caltrans computers down in Glendale our first major project to address safety on PCH.

“I’m happy to say everything is perfectly with that project and we’re looking forward to get more information about how that system is performing .”

That’s a 17 million dollar installation …. fiber optics along PCH from John Tyler all the way down to Topanga Canyon Blvd.

Deputies Confirm Man Killed On PCH Was Homeless

Sheriff’s deputies have identified the man who was killed on POCH seven nights go as a transient … from Oregon.

And they say the darkness of western Malibu … no streetlights … was a contributing factor to the crash.

A woman driving a sedan … at the speed limit of 50 … suddenly encountered the man in the darkness … on PCH about a quarter mile east of Paradise Cove.

It happened at around 7:30 p.m. a week ago Monday …  on PCH near Winding Way West.

44-year-old Joshua Farmer was killed instantly.

And they say … the danger of the road is worsened by the lack of streetlights.

Several homeless men ,… at least three … have been killed on dark stretches of PCH in recent years. 

MRCA Finally Helping Direct traffic And Crowds At Ramirez Trailhead

At that exact same location … the daytime situation of an overcrowded traffic jam of parked cars on Pacific Coast Highway .. got some law enforcement attention over the past weekend.

The MRCA … the Mountains Resource and Conservation Authority … had rangers there issuing tickets and directing traffic away from the packed parking lot.

This is  at the trailhead to Ramirez Canyon … and its waterfall that has become a huge Internet selfie spot.

Sheriff’s Sgt Chris Soderlund told the city council … it was pleasant surprise to see the MRCA actually patrolling its own problem.

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“With the warm weather that we’ve had it’s been extremely busy there. 

“MRCA has actually stepped up and put additional rangers out there ,which is nice, because usually they leave it to us to do all their dirty work.

“So it’s been a pleasant surprise to have us partner with them there.”

The MRCA has its own police agency … but residents who live in the canyon say they have been overrun with too many people … too many parked cars  … too many for the hillside to handle. 

Crime Drops Again In Malibu

The crime rate in Malibu has dropped again … even below last year’s record setting low number.

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“In January of 2026, that were 17 part one crimes reported. 

“That compares with 23 and if you remember in Jan of 2025 we were in the midst of the Palisades Fire so it is striking that this year – when we had no disasters – the overall crime rate is down overall so that’s a 26.1 percent decrease year over year.

“So that is a good start to 2026.”

So why is crime dropping so much??  

Malibu’s patrol sergeant Chris Soderlund says it’s the continued drop in the number of homeless people … in Malibu.

But there is one worrisome trend … an increase in the amount of thefts of construction materials … in the fire areas.

City Looking Into Enforcing Noise Limits Against Bikers

Malibu had hundreds or thousands of very loud motorcycles being driven on PCH over the weekend.

Apparently there was some sort of Harley Davidson festival in Ventura … acting like a magnet for every hog in Los Angeles.

City council members say they got complaints. And lots of the,.…

And last night … they decided to ask the city staff to see what they could do to have cameras with microphones … to listen for loud vehicles and send out tickets.

Haylynn Conrad says Newport Beach is using automated cameras … with microphones … to send tickets to offenders.

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“There are programs in Newport Beach has the decibel (meter) on the light and then it’s an automatic thing. 

“You don’t need a human to sit there with their gun anymore doing a speed or noise. It’s a program that they implement in the traffic lights.”

Malibu is about to install automated speed detection cameras… Under a test program authority granted to seven California cities by the California legislation.

Those speed camera who’ll be installed by the start of summer.

But in its infinite wisdom… Sacramento has only given a few cities test authority for automated noise, detection cameras.

Malibu missed that bus.

Once again… It would take a new change in state law to allow Malibu to install noise detection devices.

Sheriff’s deputies can stand on the side of the road … and hold noise detecting devices… And crack down on loud vehicles.

But cracking down on hundreds of loud motorcycles at once…  well…. That sounds like a movie plot.

Silverstein Is Mayor, Unring Is Mayor Pro Tem, In Unanimous Votes

Malibu city council members rotated the office of mayor last night.

And this time … Bruce Silverstein was not passed over.

Bitter politics several years ago led to Silverstein only getting two votes …

But last night … no dissension … a unanimous 5 to nothing vote.

And it was also a unanimous vote to appoint councilman Steve Uhring as mayor pro tem … the guy who fills in for the mayor occasionally. 

Silverstein mentioned the past council disagreements … as he nominated Uhring.

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“Steve was a gentleman when we had our first term and he was twice nominated for mayor when I was being dissed by the former counsel, and the pro that he was he declined because it was out of order, and we defaulted to Paul.  So Steve I will nominate you for mayor pro tem.

RIGGINS: “I will second.”

UHRING: “So are there any other nominations?

“Steve, we elect you as mayor pro tem by acclamation.”

As for the departing mayor … Marianne Riggins .… she returns to her council seat.  Riggins worked for the city planning department for 17 years before retiring and running for office three years ago.

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“I’ve been so proud to represent the city both as a council member and as the mayor… This is an amazing pklace.  It has been my pleasure solve problems, brainstorm possible solutions help support our businesses that were so badly damage in the fire and the road closure.”

Riggins is no longer mayor … but still has 10 months left on her council term … and can run for re-election if she chooses. 

Malibu Skateboard Park is Open Weekends Now

And the city manager also had good news for skateboarders.

The city’s multimillion dollar skateboard park is now open on weekends.

It’s closed Monday they Friday … while contractors to continue to build the restrooms and other installations around the site … at Bluffs Park.

Mobile Home Rent Control Ordinance Coverage Comes Tomorrow

Residents of the city’s two mobile home parks packed the city council meeting last night … concerned about the city’s rent control ordinance.

We will have that story … tomorrow. 

Chris Frost Retires After 600 Or So Public Safety Commission Meetings

Two huge members o fate Malibu community are stepping back.

Chris Frost has served as a volunteer for 22 years as Public Safety Commission member,

Last night … councilman Doug Stewart honored that.

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“I think after that after last week’s meeting … that was his final public safety commission meeting after 22 years on the public safety commission. 

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“When the city was in its infancy … it let me tell you we did not have a public safety department.”

Chris was in effect the volunteer public safety director, and he was everywhere.

Frost estimates he has attended In addition to Frost … for brigade organizer Keegan Gibbs is also stepping down from the Public Safety Commission.

Commander Jennifer Seeto form the LA sheriff’s office last night praised the two … and remembered one particular night battling a brushfire. 

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“You guys have been the best partners…. 

“I I remember one time after Woolsey, we had a fire take off, and then we had a deputy involved shooting, and then we had a traffic collision and it’s like ‘you handle this fire’ and ‘you get the information on the collision’ and I’ll go to the deputy involved shooting. 

“You guys were my partners.” 

Seetoo is now a commander downtown … at the LA county sheriff’s headquarters. 

Trump Now Sitting On $20 Million In Malibu Disaster Reinbursements

And one last item of city council news. 

The amount of money that city of Malibu has been stiffed … by the federal government … is now estimated to be 20 million dollars.

That is the amount of money that the city has paid for disaster relief and recovery …. Money that in years past was reimbursed by the federal government.

The estimate had been 11 million dollars … but that was just for the latest fire.

Add in other disasters … fires and floods dating back to the Woolsey Fire of eight years ago … and the total is 20 million dollars. 

The Trump administration is punishing California … for opposing his immigration crackdown.

Trump is refusing to forward any requests from California from FEMA to Congress.