Caltrans To Install Stoplight For New Crosswalk At Neptune’s Net

Caltrans says it will install a red light for pedestrians to activate at Neptunes Net.

“This marked crosswalk on PCH is another step forward towards improving safety and in pedestrian accessibility along State roadways,” said District 7 Director Gloria Roberts. 

The $1.5 million project will install a marked crosswalk with pedestrian hybrid beacon signals  in front of County Line Beach.  There will also be flashing warning beacons 800 feet ahead of the crosswalk both on eastbound and westbound PCH.

The state goal is to ensure pedestrians can safely cross PCH, but the speed limit will stay 55.

That section of PCH in Malibu is inside Ventura County … not under city of Malibu control.

Caltrans says it cannot reduce the speed limit there… its hands are tied by the state radar trap law … which prevents the use of radar to enforce speed limits that are lower than the 85th percentile speed of traffic. 

But city officials complain publicly … there are other ways Caltrans can legally reduce the speed limits in heavily congested areas.

Business districts … housing …. parks and other unusual … non-highway conditions can also trigger lower speed limits than the 85th percentile … under state law. 

But Caltrans officials have consistently refused to implement lower speed limits in similar circumstances … such as the Malibu business district where the speed limit is 45 … instead of 25 as allowed by state law in business areas. 

KBUU News yesterday  asked Caltrans District 7 headquarters in Los Angeles to respond to that … but in past public meetings … their answer has always been … “we just don’t do that.”

Silverstein Criticizes State Ethics Watchdog For Not Upholding His View Of Ethics

Four city officials were cleared of anonymous ethics complaints by state ethics investigators last week.

But Mayor Bruce Silverstein attacked the four officials for unethical conduct at last night’s city council meeting anyway.

The State Fair Political Practices Commission said that four Malibu city officials did not break any laws … or commit any unethical acts … in their actions on the city council and planning commission. 

We reported that last week.

Last night … council member Marianne Riggins said the commission cleared her and her appointed Planning Commissioner …. Skylr Peake.

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“I am thankful that the (state) commission did evaluate this and they did find that really there’s no merit to it. 

“I am very very happy with my appointment to the planning commission I think that he is done an outstanding job.”

That would be Skylar Peak she refers to. 

The other people who were investigated were former councilman Paul Grisanti and former planning commissioner Dennis Smith.

They were not there to speak last night. 

But councilman Doug Stewart said they were all cleared of any hint of wrongdoing. 

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“They have cleared council member Grisanti and council member Riggins and the two commissioners. 

“The (state) commission found that there was no basis whatsoever for the complaints that were filed.”

That apparently set off Malibu Mayor Bruce Silverstein. 

He said that … it was clear from the language of the commission’s findings … that the four civicc leaders were not exonerated.

Merely … he says the state ethics experts simply said they could not find any evidence of a crime. 

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“I have never once said, and do not believe that any of our commissioners have directly profited from any project that they were asked to opine on or decide on.

“I believe that they have a strong financial interest to approve development because they make money throughout Malibu on development.”

Silverstein last night also attacked what he calls the appearance of unethical conduct by longtime city council member and planning commissioner Jeff Jennings … 

Silverstein says Jennings voted for projects done by the same architect working to rebuild his house after the Woolsey Fire … and Silverstein said architects can easily give a discount to a city official in exchange for favors. 

But Silverstein says he does not imply … that is what actually happened with the five city officials. 

That … he said … us beyond the point. 

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“The issue is not whether anyone is doing anything improper. 

“The issue is whether there’s a conflict when someone votes on a matter in which they they stand to profit indirectly from the decisions they make.

“And if the law hasn’t caught up to that yet, it’s a shame.”

Supporters of the other side point out that Silverstein is a homeowner in Malibu … 

And therefore … it could be argued that he stands to profit indirectly every time he votes against a house project … even for as perfectly valid reason … because it could increase the value of every other house in Malibu.

Of course … there is no indication that Silverstein ever cashed in on that … either. 

Silverstein … as mayor .. made his comments after the other council members had already spoken on the topic. 

So they did not respond.

But earlier … council member Stewart gently criticized the attacks.

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“There’s a way of debating that, when you disagree (with someone) you discredit (that person). 

“Let me let that sink in for a minute: when you disagree you discredit.

“And it’s unfortunate. 

“You see it in debates and you see it in courtrooms perhaps you see it in political debates.

“That’s not the Malibu way. I hope.  

“And I hope we rise above that. 

“Disagreeing and discrediting shouldn’t run together.”

Bully In Pickup Truck Makes Young Driver Panic And Crash On PCH

Details have finally been released about the major crash on PCH at Westward Beach several weeks ago.

Traffic into Zuma Beach was blocked for three hours while sheriff’s deputies dealt with the serious crash … which left two smashed cars in the roadway.

Sheriffs deputies say a brand new driver … 16 … was waiting at the stop sign to turn left when some very important person in a pickup truck kept honking at her to move. 

Sgt Chris Soderlund.

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“As she was trying to make a left-hand turn out of Westwood Beach Road onto PCH to go westbound on PCH, there was an impatient motorist behind her, that was honking the horn at her.

“And she panicked and started to go out into the roadway, where she was struck by that blue truck.“

The teenager’s car was broadsided, totaled.  

The rolled car apparently rolled over.

Airbags and seatbelts prevented serious injury.

Soderlund said the inability for motorists to use the Zuma Beach underpass may have been a factor in causing this crash.

The city and county and state have been unable to come up with a way to reopen the underpass when it gets covered with rocks and sand by the creek.

The gravel has filled in the creekbed under the bridge … forcing creek water onto the roadway. 

Drunk Driver Busted By Cops After 911 Call

A visibly drunk woman was arrested earlier this month … driving down  PCH at Zuma Beach with strong odor of alcohol on her breath and dozens of bottles of vodka in her car. 

Soderlund says the woman was spotted acted drunkenly on Broad beach Road … and someone called 911 to get deputies to respond. 

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“They were able to locate her on PCH and Guernsey Avenue when they contact her they immediately smell the strong odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle and observe the symptoms of alcohol. 

“She ended up blowing point 14 which was almost twice legal limit.”

Soderlund showed the city council a picture of the 20 or so bottles of vodka impounded from the woman’s car.

Some empty … some not.

Council Members Ask Why AlertFM Is Not On The Air In Malibu

Malibu’s emergency response to the two recent major brushfires in Malibu shows that the city still needs an emergency way to wake people up and get them out of the area. 

That was the conclusion of city council members last night … as they reviewed how the city responded to the fire emergencies from the two fires a year ago. 

The city is going to test two sirens … put them on trailers and haul them around … to see if that is viable. 

But council members wanted to know … why Alert FM has not been hooked up.

KBUU and other radio stations are offering the city free use of their data channels being transmitted under their FM signals.

Special radios could be handed out that listen to the data channels … and wake uo with emergency messages when the city activates them.

Council member Hayklynn Conrad.

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“We still don’t have a citywide alert system … meaning like alert FM.

“We’ve been talking about it since I’ve been around and it’s really important that we kind of get that.”

Council member Doug Stewart said the LA County radio system … which uses National Weather Service radios …is 70 years old old … it transmits way too many false alarms and uses a clunky automated voice.

He didn’t mention that it goes off the air whenever the power is out.

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“We’re still relying upon everything from World War II and the Cold War, to sirens.

“Not only are the towers ugly, and not going to be welcome in any neighborhood … if you don;t like cell towers tour are certainly not going to like towers for sirens.

“But it’s necessary for us to have an alerting system that works. 

And the test has to be ‘can you wake everybody up at 2 o’clock at night without any power, without any cell service, and without any telephone service.”

KBUU and other Los Angeles FM stations serving Malibu have already installed Alert FM and are waiting for the city to do its part.

The company that owns the radio equipment is trying to sell the service to the city. 

But … so far … no deal.

At the council meeting last night … controversy came up when some city council members said they were told to get out of the city;’s emergency operations center during the fires.

Haylynn Conrad says one assistant city manager ..,. who no longer works for the city … kicked her out. 

The new city manager … Joe Irvin … said city council members should take classes from FEMA to learn their proper roles in emergency operations.

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“I don’t think learning what resources are out here is a bad thing. 

“But I would ask for the council to make sure you come into the training that Susan Duenas and me and her team will organize with an open mind and opportunity to listen .  take that role that we suggest you have seriously.

“And let’s work as a team … legislative and administrative … to protect the City of Malibu and respond appropriately to our residents.”

FEMA policy requires cities to keep their politicians out of emergency operations centers during hectic crises. 

The idea is to have policy set up by a city council before the disaster strikes … and then have trained professionals handle the policy implementation. 

City Moving Another $50,000 Towards Soccer Fields At Big Civic Center Lot

Malibu’s future soccer fields at Ioki Park took another step forward last night. 

This … despite the fact there is no money to build them.

The city council last night voted to spend another 50 thousand dollars on designing what they are calling Ioki Park … a series of green fields on the Chili Cookoff Site … at Civic Center and Stewart Ranch Road. 

Malibu’s substantial rainy day fund has evaporated in fire expenses that FEMA and the White House will not reimburse … in a political act. 

Council member Marianne Riggins Monday night said there is other government money out there … from federal and state sources.

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“We’re gonna need to have projects that are ready to go and not just conceptual.

“I understand … I am concerned with the realities of where our budget is after this last year.

“But I think there’s also things that we have to put in place so that we are eligible for the chance of grants or other funds that could be available.”

Malibu residents were promised that athletic fields would be installed at the big flat field on Civic Center Way when the city bought it 8 years ago.

Since then … there has been big talk but no grass.

Council members last night cautioned that there is no money for this now … but said Malibu’s budget should recover in the next few months.

Bonta Files His 65th Lawsuit Against Trump, This Time Over Nearby Oil Drilling

“I call BS” in the White House … says California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

Yesterday in Santa Barbara … Binta proclaimed the startup of a leaky oil platform 65 miles uo the coast from Malibu to be illegal.

Binta said he is suing the Trump administration over what he called the “illegal” restart of Sable Offshore Oil’s drilling platforms and pipelines just up the coast from Santa Barbara, 

It’s the Santa Ynez Unit … the three oil platforms and pipeline network that president Donald Trump ordered into production two weeks ago. 

The Santa Ynez Unit had been closed for the past 10 years.

A badly corroded pipeline sprung a leak in 2015.

It released an estimated 142,000 gallons of crude .…. some of which made it down to Malib. 

One week ago, Bonta filed an emergency lawsuit intending to block the federal order commanding Sable Offshore to refire its plant.

This marks the 65th case Bonta has filed against the Trump administration since last January.

Bonta says California has prevailed over Trump in 80 percent of those, 

Bonita says the president’s claim of an oil shortage in the US is not true … and the United States, he said, is now exporting more oil to other nations than ever. 

Correction: We Used Old Audio

And this correction … yesterday’s story about Malibu Elementary School was based on a one year old school board meeting. 

Somehow … Youtube had put the year old meeting up as last week’s meeting.

Other than that … it was a fine story.

Just old.

SpaceX Plans Sunset Rocket Launch Tonight

Chances are good for a sunset rocket launch visible from Malibu tonight.

SpaceX has a four hour launch window opening up just after 4 this afternoon. 

The FAA has closed the skies over Vandenberg Space Force Base.

SpaceX plans to launch a cluster of 25 Starlink Internet relays stations into low earth orbit.