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ALERT | Flash Flood Warning Issued for Malibu and Los Angeles Area: Dangerous Conditions Expected

The Malibu Times
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ALERT | Flash Flood Warning Issued for Malibu and Los Angeles Area: Dangerous Conditions Expected

The National Weather Service in Los Angeles/Oxnard has issued a Flash Flood Warning, effective from 11:48 a.m., including the Malibu area. The warning is in effect until 7:45 p.m. Sunday.

At 11:48 a.m. PDT, Doppler radar and rain gauge reports indicated heavy rain across the warned area. Rainfall rates ranging from 0.5 to 1 inch per hour are anticipated, with the possibility of additional rainfall amounts reaching 1 to 3 inches in the warned region. Heavier rainfall accompanied by embedded thunderstorms is predicted for the afternoon and evening, potentially bringing local rates up to 1.5 inches per hour. Flash flooding is currently occurring or expected imminently.

The impending hazard is characterized by dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding. The primary information source for this warning is radar data. The impact is expected to encompass various areas, including creeks, streams, and typically dry arroyos, with a high likelihood of significant flooding. Urban roadways, particularly in low-lying regions, will experience substantial flooding, and caution is advised for crossings with low water levels. The mountains and canyons could see notable rock and mudslide activity, and there’s a potential for debris flows in recently burned areas.

Locations at risk of flash flooding include Long Beach, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Malibu, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Universal City, Downtown Los Angeles, Griffith Park, Culver City, Inglewood, Burbank, North Hollywood, Venice, Santa Monica, Van Nuys, Encino, Manhattan Beach, Alhambra, and Hermosa Beach.

Residents and travelers in the warned areas are urged to exercise extreme caution, remain informed through reliable sources, and follow any evacuation orders or safety advisories issued by local authorities. Additionally, the National Weather Service advises the following precautions:

  • Turn around, and don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be aware of your surroundings, and do not drive on flooded roads.
  • In hilly terrain, there are hundreds of low water crossings, which are potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to cross flooded roads. Find an alternate route.

Taking these precautions seriously could save lives and prevent dangerous situations. Stay vigilant, stay informed, and prioritize safety during this flash flood warning.

Resources:

Live updates can be listened to on Radio Malibu at FM 99.1 KBUU radiomalibu.net. 

Dear Editor: Olivia Newton-John kindness and joyful spirit

Letter to the Editor
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Dear Editor: Olivia Newton-John kindness and joyful spirit

Dear Editor, 

I took a photo of Olivia Newton-John and Elton John in 1976, 46 years ago when Olivia was 27.

I was hired to photograph ABBA’s concert and their backstage party. While I was loading my camera, I spotted Olivia walking in with Elton and asked if I could grab a quick pic. They said, of course, you can, and started mugging for the camera! I took as many shots as I could before they said thanks and wandered off into a sea of other photographers.

Living in Malibu for eight years, I would pass her house on PCH many times and always think about her amazing talent and the kindness she showed me that night.

The printed image of the two negative frames is my artful expression of how they posed for me, and how I ultimately remembered the best image and her joyful spirit.

Steve Goldman, Malibu 

Technical Information: This photograph was taken on tri-X film pushed to ASA 800 with a Nikon F2A camera F-16 at a 60th of a second and developed and printed in my darkroom. I was 21 years old.

Community Shoutout: Mr. Carrier’s MHS Creative Writing class

The Malibu Times
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Community Shoutout: Mr. Carrier’s MHS Creative Writing class

We just completed an epic poetry workshop with Mr. Carrier’s MHS Creative Writing class. It was a full-circle moment for us, as we did our first workshop with these kiddos when they were in fifth grade! They are now Seniors and flying off into the world. It was a spectacular moment full of tears, laughs and earth-shaking poetry. Photos courtesy Jolynn Regan.

Calendar for the week of April 25

Samantha Bravo
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Calendar for the week of April 25

THURS, APRIL 25

SECOND ANNUAL NORTH SANTA MONICA BAY STATE OF THE WATERSHED 2024

Join the North Santa Monica Bay State of the Watershed 2024 on Thursday, April 25, from 1 to 4 p.m. at City of Malibu, 23825 Stuart Ranch Road, Malibu. Hybrid option: Registered guests will receive a Zoom link from Eventbrite the day of the event. Link to register here: www.eventbrite.com/e/north-santa-monica-bay-state-of-the-watershed-2024-tickets-861204083597?aff=ebdsoporgprofile.

THURS, APRIL 25

MALIBU FOUNDATION GROUNDBREAKING EVENT AT SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Join the Malibu Foundation on Thursday, April 25, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Santa Monica College in celebration of its groundbreaking initiative to address biodiversity loss by planting the first microforest at a community college in the country. Please RSVP of your attendance at info@themalibufoundation.org.

FRI, APRIL 26-APRIL 28

MHS THEATRE: ‘MEAN GIRLS’

Come out and support Malibu High School theatre’s next play, “Mean Girls.” The play runs from Thursday, April 26, through Sunday, April 28. Tickets are on sale now. Visit artsangelsmhs on Instagram for more info. The link to purchase tickets is in their bio. 

FRI, APRIL 26

CHARMLEE WILDERNESS PARK NIGHT HIKE

Discover the night-time magic of Charmlee Wilderness Park on Friday, April 26, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. During the 90-minute hike, participants will learn about the nocturnal surroundings of the Santa Monica Mountains. Participants should feel comfortable walking on uneven terrain. Bring water, a headlamp or flashlight, appropriate shoes, and dress in layers. Reservations are required for this free event. The hike will be canceled in case of rain. For more information, visit the outdoor recreation webpage malibucity.org/1090/Outdoor-Recreation.  

SAT, APRIL 27

THE RIPPLE EFFECT: A GENERATIVE POETRY WORKSHOP

When things ripple, they emanate from a center and move outwards. Ripples are an unfolding interaction. In terms of poetry, poems “ripple out” from us and join the ripple of existing and yet-to-be-penned poems which creates a dialogue that continuously overlaps. Join us for a generative, poetry writing workshop where we will sit in the “ripple” of each other’s energies, read, and discuss poems to stimulate our imaginations, and write original poems from prompts provided in the workshop. This workshop is for everyone, regardless of ability level. Participants should bring a pen and a notepad! Led by Malibu Poet Laureate Nathan Hassall. The next workshop is on Saturday, April 27, from 2 to 4 p.m.

SUN, APRIL 28

MALIBU DEMOCRATIC CLUB TO HOST HIKE AND LUNCH 

On Sunday, April 28, the Malibu Democratic Club is hosting a hike and lunch event. The hike begins at 10 a.m. at Charmlee Wilderness Park, 2577 Encinal Canyon Road. They will meet in the Charmlee Wilderness Park parking lot at 9:45 a.m., then gather for lunch at noon at Malibu Brewing Company, 30745 Pacific Coast Highway. (Each person is responsible for their own tab). You can attend one or both activities. RSVP required at https://tinyurl.com/3eaeavw2. For more info go to Info@MalibuDemocraticClub.org. 

TUES, APRIL 30

COASTAL VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT WORKSHOP (VIRTUAL)

Join the City of Malibu at the upcoming public workshop on Tuesday, April 30, at 3 p.m., on Zoom to provide your feedback and discuss the next steps on the Coastal Vulnerability Assessment and projected impacts of sea level rise. Visit the virtual link to access the meeting. The recording of the first virtual workshop presenting technical results is available at Virtual Workshop Recording. Access the draft Coastal Vulnerability Assessment report, interactive GIS map, and additional information on our Malibu Coastal webpage (malibucity.org/859/Coastal). For inquiries, call (310) 456-2489, ext. 390, or email mbuilding@malibucity.org.

SUN, MAY 5

“CAPTURING LIGHT” MEET THE ARTIST 

Blazing Star Arts Fused Glass will present a solo show and sale benefitting the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area from May 2 to June 30. The show, “Capturing Light — Fused Glass Art Nature,” features specially created, handmade fine art and functional art wares by the Western National Parks and Recreation Areas. Meet the artists on Sunday, May 5, for the Artists Reception, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Santa Monica Mountains Interagency Visitor Center at King Gillette Ranch, 26876 Mulholland Highway, Calabasas.

TUES, MAY 7

SMC TO HOST A FREE INFORMATION SESSION ON CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Santa Monica College will host a friendly, to-the-point information session about its High School Concurrent Enrollment Program (HSCE) on Tuesday, May 7, from 4 to 5 p.m. in Room 202, the Lecture Hall, at the SMC Malibu Campus, 23555 Civic Center Way, Malibu. The campus is easy to access with parking readily available.

The session includes a free webinar that explains how the HSCE program offers students in grades 9-12 the opportunity to take college-level classes — for free — and graduate from high school with college credits. SMC staff will be available at the Malibu event to answer questions about the program and explain how to sign up for classes that will be offered during the summer session. For questions please contact the Malibu campus at malibu@smc.edu or at (310) 434-8600.

FRI, MAY 10

STATE OF THE CITY

On Friday, May 10, Malibu Mayor Steve Uhring will deliver the State of the City address, reflecting on the city’s highlights, challenges, and achievements from the past year and looking toward the year ahead. This highly anticipated event, hosted by the Malibu – Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce, will take place at the new Santa Monica College (SMC) Malibu Campus at 10 a.m. The SMC Malibu Campus is located at 23555 Civic Center Way, adjacent to the Malibu Library. The event is free to attend, but space is limited, and RSVPs are required. The presentations will be followed by a public reception.

WED., MAY 14

‘1 IN 5’ APPAREL SHOWCASE  

Community members can join Third Space Malibu in its “1 in 5 Apparel Showcase” from 5 to 7 p.m. on May 14 and support the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu teens for their meaningful product launch around youth suicide prevention. Light bites and refreshments will be served to those who attend. This is an open invite to the community; no RSVP is required. RSVP at https://thirdspacemalibu.org/pages/workshops?event-id=27613.

TUES., MAY 21

‘SIP & SHOP’ AND MEET THE MAKERS AT THIRD SPACE

Community members can come to Third Space Malibu from 5 to 7 p.m. on May 21 to enjoy complimentary champagne and shop for local, handmade, and sustainable products while getting to know local creatives and the story behind their brands. RSVP at https://thirdspacemalibu.org/pages/workshops?event-id=26634.

ONGOING

FARMERS MARKET

The Malibu Farmers Market returns to the Library Plaza on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., located at 23555 Civic Center Way, adjacent to the library. For updates, follow up on instagram @malibufarmersmarket.

WEEDING DAY AT POINT DUME NATURE PRESERVE

Get your hands dirty and feel good doing your part! This event held every second Wednesday of the month is to remove invasive plant species by hand-pulling. Bring gardening gloves, water, a hat, and sunscreen! Parking available at Point Dume Entrance (Limited two-hour free parking), Westward Beach County Parking Lot (hourly rate), and Westward Beach Road (free).

‘JEWELRY-MAKING EXPERIENCE’ AT THIRD SPACE MALIBU

The community is invited to join Third Space Malibu’s Kidd’s Jewelry Heist “Jewelry-Making Experience” every Sunday throughout May from 12 to 5 p.m. Those who attend can create their own necklaces, bracelets, keychains, and earrings during an hour-long session with the help of a mentor. Participants can take home two unique pieces of jewelry each. If interested, please RSVP at thirdspacemalibu.org/pages/workshops. 

BRIDGE GROUP

If you have never played bridge, here is your chance to learn! Beginners and experienced players are welcome to play with this relaxed bridge group every Friday at the Malibu Senior Center from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. A friendly and welcoming long-standing group welcomes all levels of players. Led by volunteer Vin Joshi.

KNITTING

Join the City of Malibu’s Community Service Department and Sheila Rosenthal for a knitting workshop that takes place on Mondays and Fridays at 10:30 a.m. This program is a welcoming gathering space for fiber artists that fosters community through open stitch. Make a scarf, hat, blanket, or homemade gift. No experience necessary. Please bring size eight needles and one skein of yarn. This is an ongoing, drop-in program. Instructed by Sheila Rosenthal.  

RELAXING THROUGH COLORING

The art of coloring activates different areas of the brain, using logic, forming colors, and creativity. Join this free, unstructured program. Instructed by Judy Merrick. Complimentary program. Visit malibucity.org for dates and times. 

STRETCH AND STRENGTH

Participants will focus on increasing flexibility, balance, circulation, and muscle tone while learning to relax through breathing techniques. Bring yoga blocks and a mat. Instructed by Marsha Cooper. $5 per class. Visit malibucity.org for dates and times. 

First-time player leads Malibu to top of the league

McKenzie Jackson
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First-time player leads Malibu to top of the league

Malibu defeated Northview 10-8 at home in the opening round of the postseason

Malibu High senior Amar Taha had only played tennis sparingly before this spring. 

“I’ve played a couple times with my brother, a couple of times with my friends,” he said, “but nothing too much.”

However at the urging of friends, the 17-year-old, who is a striker and defender on the Malibu Sharks soccer team, decided to grab a racket and give it a swing on the tennis court as a member of the Sharks boys tennis team.

“I wanted to try something new,” he said. “I decided to give this a shot. The past couple of years the team has been really good, so that was a motivating factor.”

05 Tennis photos by Joyce Stickney
04 Tennis photos by Joyce Stickney
03 Tennis photos by Joyce Stickney
02 Tennis photos by Joyce Stickney
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Head coach Joyce Stickney (far left) and the Malibu High boys tennis team is getting ready for the Citrus Coast League Championships next week and start the CIF playoffs after that. Photos by Joyce Stickney

Malibu has been Citrus Coast League title contenders the past few seasons. Taha’s addition to the squad had them atop the four-team league standings entering the final week of the regular season on Monday. He is the Sharks’ No. 1 singles player and has the wins to prove it. Taha said it hasn’t been easy though.

“I’m not an experienced player,” he said. “I do enough. I’m a consistent player. I don’t make a lot of mistakes. That allows me to stay in games. I have been fortunate to find a way to win games because of that consistency.”

Sharks head coach Joyce Stickney said Taha has been a stellar surprise for the team. 

“At first, I thought he was coming out to enjoy the camaraderie, enjoy the sport,” Stickney recalled. “Then, I find out he is a player that uses strategy and smarts. He is also competitive. He will look at the scores of the other teams and figure out who is ahead by how many points. He is someone paying attention to how we can be better. He has improved so quickly, so immensely.”

Taha improved his record to 8-1 in Malibu’s 10-8 victory over Hueneme on April 11. The win gave the Sharks an 8-1 record in the Citrus Coast League. They played Carpinteria for the league title on Tuesday. The group hosts Nordoff on Thursday. The Sharks play in the league tournament at Hueneme High School in Oxnard on April 22 and 24. 

Taha said Malibu is a confident squad.

“After we got off to a good 3-0 start, we all realized the potential this team has and that we can make a run and win the entire league,” he recalled. “That is our goal. That is what we are going to try and do.” 

Stickney said the team is a delight to coach. 

“They have really been able to turn it on for the matches,” she said. 

The 13-member team includes seniors Grant Pernice, Joseph Chu, Solel Marques, Stephen Smith, Vince Carcano, Micah Fong, and Neko Marazzi. Sophomores Ore Porat and Topher Hilling are also on the roster with freshmen Pendle Livesey, Levi Borress, and Noah Levin. Marques and Fong are the team captains. 

Stickney said the freshman, who only played the sport for fun previously, have also been competitive boost for Malibu. 

“This has also presented an opportunity for our seniors to mentor the younger people,” she said. “We have really strong leadership. Our top players are all seniors.” 

Fong said it is important for the seniors to be leaders.

“This year’s freshman class is very promising for future seasons, and by mentoring them we give them the right outlook on the sport and allow them to foster their interest in it,” he said. “By the time these freshman are seniors, I bet the team will look great.” 

Stickney recalled instances where a senior Shark put his arm around a younger teammate’s shoulder to encourage him after a tough match. At team dinners, the coach stated, seniors always bring freshmen into their conversations. 

“They aren’t cliquey,” Stickney said. 

The team aspect of tennis factored into Malibu’s victory over Carpinteria earlier this season. At the end of the nine singles and nine doubles sets, the contest was tied 9-9. However, the Sharks were given the victory because their players won more games over their Carpinteria opponents. 

The triumph exemplified how the Sharks are a team, Stickney remembered. 

“Every game you win might be the deciding factor,” she said. “Even if you lose the match, if you win as many games as possible, that might help your team win.”

Taha stated that Carpinteria is Malibu’s toughest competition.

“They are a great team,” he said. “They are the one team we have to beat and get over the hump to win a title.” 

Taha is an example of the tough competitiveness Malibu has displayed on the court all season. 

“He has had some really tough games with really long points,” Stickney said. “It was Ramadan, so he has been fasting, and you would never know it. He never complains. Even if the game goes into a tiebreaker, he stays strong.” 

The CIF Southern Section playoffs follow the Citrus Coast League Championships. Last spring, the Sharks advanced to the second round of the Division Championships, where they lost to the Schurr Spartans 13-5. Malibu defeated Northview 10-8 at home in the opening round of the postseason.

Taha said this season has been special.

“I try to give it my all in everything I do, but mainly for the guys around me,” he said. “I just wanted to do my part and try to win games. We have a great group of guys.” 

Marques expects he and his teammates to win the Sharks’ first Citrus Coast League crown since 2016.

“It will be extremely exciting considering we have almost never won it before,” he said. “The tennis team is very successful and strong this year.”

Malibu Best Shot: Dedicated to Rosie the Dog

The Malibu Times
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Malibu Best Shot: Dedicated to Rosie the Dog

Colony resident Marshall Coben took this photo of a rainbow on Saturday, April 13, at Colony Beach in Malibu. Marshall wants to dedicate this image to Rosie Coben, their family dog who walked that beach every day for many years. Rosie will soon be crossing the Rainbow Bridge and his family would love to see a tribute in The Malibu Times.

LA Times reporter engages audience at Climate Calling Conference

The Malibu Times
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LA Times reporter engages audience at Climate Calling Conference

Students, community members enjoy instructive, insightful conversation with environmental reporter Rosanna Xia 

By Barbara Burke

Special to The Malibu Times

Malibuites of all ages thoroughly enjoyed joining Pepperdine students at the university’s 8th Annual Climate Calling Conference showcasing a special Earth Month Malibu Library Speaker Series on April 11 that featured Los Angeles Times environmental reporter Rosanna Xia, who discussed her explorations, discoveries, and writing about climate change in coastal California.

Xia, a brilliant, experienced journalist who is blessed with the enviable and invaluable ability to distill difficult scientific concepts into comprehensible terms for readers, discussed her career at the newspaper, her observations of diverse climatic changes along California’s 1,200-mile coast line, her recent award-winning nonfiction work, “California Against the Sea: Visions for Our Vanishing Coastline” (Heyday Books), and her perceptions about mankind’s precarious, but not impotent, position concerning complicated options for responding to and dealing with mother ocean’s encroaching on valuable land and infrastructure along California’s coast.

“We can’t solve the climate crisis if we don’t know the problems of the past,” Xia matter-of-factly stated, noting that her writing often delves into the history of how indigenous peoples grappled with and accommodated the realities attributable to a changing coastline. She then commented that “knowledge is the beginning of action and action is the end result of knowledge.” 

Xia exhaustively researches all applicable historical records, relevant data, scholarship, and experts’ debates before penning a piece. Ever attentive to demographics, scientific facts, and studies, and after exhaustively interviewing experts and stakeholders involved in various coastal communities’ grappling with how to respond to and adapt to sea level rise, she writes about innumerable permutations regarding what options are available to individuals and groups of people in general, and to governmental policy makers in particular. 

Heyday Books

Xia was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2020 for explanatory reporting, and her book has been anthologized in the Best American Science and Nature Writing series. Readers may enjoy reading an excerpt that the Los Angeles Times published, and the book review by Science, which ably captures the work’s range, themes, and tone. The book also recently won the Golden Poppy Award for nonfiction, which is an award voted on by more than 230 independent bookstores and booksellers in California, and the California Book Awards just named it a finalist for the nonfiction category — the winners of each category will be announced next month. 

In her presentation at Pepperdine, as well as in her news writings and book, Xia considers what the future holds for California’s coast and its inhabitants, comprehensively evaluating humanity’s seemingly innumerable potential reactions to climatic changes. In doing so, she hovers delicately but deliberately at the complex intersections of climatic realities, response opportunities, and potential solutions.

Xia is brilliantly and intuitively mindful that in the context of in the context of rising waters and changing coastlines, to some extent, humanity is precariously close to manifesting the potential risks underlying the tragedy of the commons theory, a principle that refers to a situation in which individuals with access to a public resource, also called a commons — in this instance, California’s coastline — act in their own best interest and, in doing so, risk ultimately depleting or destroying resources. The complicated conversations her article and book address concern interrelationships between politics and economics, science and emotions, and individual and collective choices. 

Her central thesis is perhaps best encapsulated by a simple, yet telling passage near the beginning in her book when she discusses visiting 20 different coastal towns along California’s diverse, extensive coastline and speaking with stakeholders in each location. 

“The more I listened, the more this book evolved. My own understanding of land, of permanence, of our duty to each other has expanded since I first considered our relationship with the shore. There exists more than one way to live with rising water, but our current understanding of what the coast should be has overshadowed the possibilities of what it could be.” 

A consummate bottom-liner, Xia notes that humanity is at an inflection point relative to coastal sea rise, and that we “are the first generation to feel the consequences of a warming planet and the last generation that can steer a different course.” The book, her Pepperdine presentation and her articles focus on explaining the dynamics involved with each climate change challenge and center on the potential and necessity for humans to focus on our capacity to change. 

Xia does not shy away from — rather she engages head-on with — complex possible solutions to addressing sea-level rise, such as managed retreat. In so doing, Xia posits that instead of being at war with and trying to manage coastal changes and climate change, Californians embrace such dynamics as “an opportunity to heal, to care for, and to love this one Earth that is ours.” Readers who assume that Xia is a Polyanna who unrealistically embraces an impossible-to-attain panacea risk missing her central brilliance — she points out that there are various possible solutions to the climate crisis. 

In doing so, she is comprehensive and visionary, as evidenced by the fact that she engaged her audience in brilliant colloquy after completing her presentation.  

Adults who long ago begrudgingly emerged from the inspiring incubator of academic colloquy delved into some of her recent articles. For instance, long-time non-violent environmental activist Malibuite Valerie Sklarevsky wanted to discuss Xie’s recent article discussing the dumping of radioactive material off the coast of coastal California decades ago,

www.latimes.com/california/newsletter/2024-02-21/ddt-wwii-munitions-and-radioactive-waste-l-a-s-ocean-dumping-reckoning-continues-essential-california.

“I’m an old lady now and for years, I’ve protested the dumping of nuclear waste off the shores of Southern California,” Sklarevsky stated, handing out a Malibu Times article from April 22, 1992, titled “Non-violent activist takes responsibility for protests” that recounted her various protestations against such environmental pollution. As if to say that her decades-long campaign against radioactive waste has been given voice anew, Sklarevsky stated she was heartened by the younger audience members being so attentive and engaged with Xia’s discussion concerning such investigations. 

Eager college students aspiring to be journalists or environmental scientists, or both, explored process and technique with Xia, asking her about her tone when addressing the climate change conundrum. 

“How much hope for the future should be incorporated into an article?” is a question Xia grapples with when writing her pieces.

“If I end an article implying that there is no hope to solve an issue, that leads to ‘nowism’ and passivity,” Xia said, noting that she strives to strike a realistic balance between climatic challenges and possible solutions. Ultimately, she observed that, “The climate crisis is also a crisis of culture,” a crisis we all need to address.

The conversation ended much too soon in many attendees’ minds. However, the narratives that Xia engendered and inspired will endure as attendees left very mindful of one of Xia’s concluding postulations: “We are running out of time, but we still have time to make a difference.”

Malibu BGCM ‘Youth of the Year’ winner wins at county, moves on to compete at the state level

Samantha Bravo
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Malibu BGCM ‘Youth of the Year’ winner wins at county, moves on to compete at the state level

Emily S. met with state legislators and advocated for Boys & Girls Clubs of Malibu this past week

On Saturday, Feb. 24, the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu (BGCM) hosted its annual Youth of the Year ceremony at its newly opened Third Space storefront in Malibu. Four outstanding youth representatives shared their personal stories of adversity and goals for the future.

The Youth of the Year honor recognizes an individual between the ages of 14 and 18 who demonstrates academic excellence and leadership skills while acting as a role model for other youth within the club.

After the speeches, the judges went to a separate room to rank the candidates and announce the winner.

After a tough competition, the judges chose Malibu High School Senior Emily S. as the winner. 

Some of Emily’s passions are reading, writing, education, and social justice. Emily will be the first of her family to attend college right after graduation. 

In her speech, Emily bids farewell to her membership at BGCM as she transitions to attend a four-year university.

“Transitioning into college, I am focused on what truly matters to me — fighting against injustice, fostering curiosity, and investing in a brighter future,” Emily said. “My personal experiences of discrimination has taught me the importance of keeping an open mind and always standing up for what’s right.” 

After that event, Emily met with state legislators at the State Capitol in Sacramento and advocated for Boys & Girls Clubs on April 15.

“I am grateful for all of the support and guidance I have been provided by BGCM,” said Emily said in a press release. “My mentors at the club inspire me to continue chasing my dreams and overcoming barriers every day. I am proud to be representing Malibu and Los Angeles County.”

In addition to her Youth of the Year program achievements, Emily has been offered a full-ride scholarship to attend Northeastern University. She’ll travel to Boston on April 19 for Admitted Students Day, marking another exciting milestone.

01 Emily S Youth of the Year 1
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Emily S. poses with other members of the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu, and a big check for $1,000 that she won as the Los Angeles County Youth of the Year. Photos Courtesy of Boys & Girls Club of Malibu 

“My mentors at the club inspired me to continue chasing my dreams and overcoming barriers every day,” Emily said. 

Emily won $1,000 at the Los Angeles County final round on April 6 and now has the opportunity to pursue the state-level scholarship.

The Malibu Times will update the community on the competition on April 15, as we went to print the day of. 

Student shoutout: Malibu Elementary School Talent Show

The Malibu Times
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Student shoutout: Malibu Elementary School Talent Show

50 talented students from Malibu Elementary School took part rehearsing at lunch recess with acts included karate, rap, hip-hop, classical flute, singing, dance, electric guitar, and cello for this years talent show. Photos Courtesy of Zoe Langley.

Malibu Elementary School Talent Show 2
Malibu Elementary School Talent Show. Photos Courtesy of Zoe Langley.

Optimist Club of Malibu honors winners of essay contest

The Malibu Times
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Optimist Club of Malibu honors winners of essay contest

Malibu High junior Chloe Loquet wins first place, earns right to compete for $2,500 scholarship

Staff Report

The Optimist Club of Malibu just concluded the 2023-2024 Optimist International Essay Scholarship Competition with an Awards Ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 29. Eight students from Malibu High School entered the competition by submitting essays on the official topic “Optimism: How it Connects Us.” The Optimist International Essay Contest is divided into two levels of competition: Club (preliminary contest) and District (scholarship competition). The winner of the local club contest, in this case the Optimist Club of Malibu, advances to the District Scholarship Competition.

Optimist Club of Malibu 2024
(From left) Optimist Club of Malibu essay contest third-place winner Kylie Epstein, Malibu High English teacher Bonnie Thoreson, essay contest second-place winner Payton Pollack, essay contest first-place winner Chloe Loquet, and MHS Principal Patrick Miller pose for a photo at the Awards Ceremony. Photos courtesy Mona Kyle.

The essays were judged by a panel of three judges who were not acquainted with the contestants. The judges were:

Joshua Corrigan, screenwriter who graduated from MHS and earned his degree in dramatic writing from the NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

Theresa M. Flynn, professor of teaching of composition and director of the Writing Center at Pepperdine University 

Maire Mullins, professor of English and holds Blanche E. Seaver Chair of English Literature at Pepperdine University.

The top three scorers are all juniors at MHS:

Chloe Loquet – 1st Place ($300 cash prize)

Payton Pollack – 2nd Place ($200 cash prize)

Kylie Epstein – 3rd Place ($100 cash prize)

Chloe Loquet, as the first-place winner, earned the right to compete at the District level for a $2,500 college scholarship.  

Malibu Township Council honors Lucile Keller for over 50 years of exceptional community service

The Malibu Times
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Malibu Township Council honors Lucile Keller for over 50 years of exceptional community service

Keller known for her environmental advocacy and pushback on unnecessary development

Staff Report

“Tenacity and a relentless sense of purpose are crucial if residents want to retain Malibu’s rural lifestyle,” Lucile Keller said after being honored for a half-century of civic service.

At a Malibu Township Council (MTC) Valentine’s Day luncheon at Tramonto Restaurant, Keller received MTC’s top honor, a 12-inch crystal tower with a personal inscription.

“From working to safeguard the environment, to establishing the City of Malibu, and to prevent incompatible development, Lucile has made a remarkable difference in Malibu’s character,” MTC President Jo Drummond said during the presentation. “Along with her late husband, Walt, Lucile was crucial in coordinating local efforts for Malibu to become a city and in establishing and fighting for sound land-use policies that retain open space. She is a guiding light for us all.”

Keller became an MTC member in the mid-1960s and joined the Board of Directors in 1972. Over the years, her role changed from activist to archivist, as she not only became the MTC secretary, but also acquired a large library of organizational forms and records that will be useful to future historians.

Keller was among leaders of Malibu’s fourth fight for cityhood. She joined the 1980s effort that ended successfully when the state’s Local Area Formation Commission approved its Articles of Incorporation on March 28, 1991.

“I spent hundreds of hours a month at my kitchen table making difficult calls to people and asking them to donate money or time to help Malibu become a city, or asking them to do things for us,” she recalled. “But there were fun times, too. We printed T-shirts that we wore to L.A. County Board of Supervisors’ meetings. 

“On the front they said, ‘What is the difference between America and Malibu?’ The answer was on the back: ‘In America, you get to vote.’”

One of Keller’s most memorable challenges was working to keep the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company from building a hotel on El Matador Beach, she said. The company owned the entire stretch of dry beach and bluff at El Matador. Opposing such a formidable company was a challenge in terms of marshaling local help from resident experts as well as raising enough money to pay attorneys.

But, she said, she and a group of opponents “showed up at every hearing, and every meeting.” She said she learned that tenaciousness and persistence were important because it was impossible to tell where unexpected support might develop.

The turning point came when Metropolitan Life appeared at a meeting of the Regional Water Quality Control Board, where Malibu’s surfers turned out in large numbers. 

“It turned out that the chair of the RWQ Control Board had been a surfer in previous years,” she said. “He was worried that the El Matador surfers would hit their heads on a beach-side concrete building that would contain a sizeable sewage treatment plant required for the hotel.”

Once he opposed the plan, the hotel could not be built, and the land was given to the county.

During the MTC luncheon, board member Dru-Ann Jacobsen told stories of her own childhood in which her mother would send her “over to Lucile’s house,” where she said Keller gave her lessons by example.

“She taught me how to fight for what you believe in,” said Jacobsen. “She was very inspirational.”

Malibu Township Council, Inc. is a nonpartisan, nonprofit California corporation established in 1947. Its purpose is to promote, stimulate, and further community spirit, and to sponsor any project that may benefit any area within the City of Malibu, or the area designated as Malibu within LA County. MTC’s goal is to foster and promote the cultural development of Malibu and, in general, to build and uphold its character as a residential area.

Lucile Keller
Lucile Keller. Contributed photo.

EDITOR’S NOTE: While the Committee working to establish a City of Malibu was originally part of Malibu Township Council, the responsibilities of its members grew tremendously. So, it was decided that the MTC Committee would break away from MTC and establish a separate organization called the Malibu Committee for Incorporation.

Our Lady Of Malibu enjoys field trip to Paradise Cove

The Malibu Times
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Our Lady Of Malibu enjoys field trip to Paradise Cove


Children from Our Lady of Malibu Preschool, TK and Kindergarten classes, enjoyed an afternoon at the Paradise Cove tide pools during last week’s low tide. They have been learning about Marine Sciences through a weekly program, taught through song and art.
The children were thrilled to see the anemones, hermit crabs, rock crabs, sea hare, shells, and various seaweeds and other plants.
Each child received a beautiful laminated, fold out “Tide Pool Science Guide”, created and donated by Dawn Ericson, Manta Publications. These illustrated guides are amazing for the kids to have at home, so they can enjoy looking at the animals they saw, as well as the ones they didn’t see!
The Marine Sciences program will continue for several more weeks, at OLM, with topics such as local fish, pinnipeds (seals/sea lions) and whales! Photo courtesy Shari Latta.

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