MALIBU—The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station posted on its Facebook page that they are gladly accepting donations for an amazing cause.

Donations can be dropped off through March 8 via the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station lobby located at 27050 Agoura Road, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The food drive supports Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force families at 29 Palms Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, Fort Irwin, and Los Angeles Air Force Base.

Requested donation items include:
• Canned goods
• Dry goods (rice, pasta, beans, etc.)
• Baby food, formula, and baby supplies
• Hygiene products
• Boxed meals and cereals
• Household cleaning products
• Snacks

Important guidelines:
• No expired items
• No clothing will be accepted

“Our military families should never have to worry about putting food on the table. This effort provides direct support to those who serve and their loved ones. Thank you for standing with them” said the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station in a Facebook post.

 

By Danny Jones

MALIBU—On Sunday, February 15, the Malibu Search and Rescue Team announced on its Facebook page that an 18-year-old female suffered an ankle injury on the Escondido Falls Trail in Malibu.

A joint effort by the Malibu Search and Rescue Team as well as the Los Angeles County Fire Department and #mrca led to a successful evacuation of the injured woman via the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station. No additional details about the incident have been disclosed to the public.

 

By Danny Jones

MALIBU—On Saturday, February 14, the city of Malibu posted on its Facebook page that Los Angeles County issued an Evacuation Warning for the Palisades Fire burn scar areas, effective Sunday, February 15 starting at 9 p.m. due to potential mud & debris flows from forecasted moderate-to-heavy rains starting late night Sunday. Heaviest rain expected Sunday night through Monday night, with lighter rain expected through Thursday.

Residents in the burn scar area should GET SET for possible evacuations. Prepare loved ones, pets, and essential supplies. Those needing extra time to evacuate should consider leaving early. This is for Evacuation Zone MAL-C111, from Topanga Beach Drive westward to Carbon Beach Terrace). Topanga Canyon Boulevard will be closed from PCH to Grand View Drive starting Sunday, February 15 at 10 p.m.

Be prepared for mudslides, debris flows, rocks, and water on all roads, downed trees. Stay off the road if possible. Be prepared for power and traffic signal outages. Under CA law, come to a complete stop at any malfunctioning traffic signal. Watch for crews and work vehicles. Check on vulnerable neighbors. Never approach downed powerlines – call 911.

Dangerous beach and ocean conditions – hazards include beach erosion, heavy surf, rip currents, storm debris in the water.

Sandbags are available at the following locations:
• All LA County Fire Stations have sandbags (some have sand)
• Camp 13, 1252 Encinal Cyn Rd – sand & bags
• Fire Station 70, 3970 Carbon Cyn Rd – sand & bags
• Zuma Beach Main Entrance, 3000 PCH – sand & bags
• Malibu Library, 23519 Civic Center Way – filled sandbags through Apr 15 (staff will load your vehicle 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. before/during storms)
• Do not remove sand from beaches.

For updates visit the following:

-See NWS weather info: https://www.weather.gov/lox/
-Sandbag locator: https://dpw.lacounty.gov/dsg/sandbags/
-Evacuation maps: http://Protect.Genasys.com
-LA County alerts: https://ready.lacounty.gov/emergency-notifications/
-Road conditions: https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/

 

By Danny Jones

HOLLYWOOD HILLS—On Friday, February 13, the Los Angeles Fire Department battled a structure fire at 1:53 p.m. located at 1253 N. Las Palmas Avenue.

The two-story apartment building with smoke showing upon fire department arrival. Firefighters quickly extinguished a small fire in the wall of one unit, then worked extensively to ensure no further spread.

Knockdown was completed within 25 minutes by first-arriving companies, who remained on scene for overhaul of the damage. No injuries reported and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

 

By Danny Jones

SANTA MONICA—Last week, it was announced by the National Park Service that parts of the Los Angeles County coastline are being considered as a possible national park. The NPS launched the Los Angeles Coastal Area Special Resource Study, which will conduct research about proposed sites and then brief the United States Congress on its findings.

The area currently being studied for inclusion in the national park system spans from Will Rogers State Beach, near Pacific Palisades, to Torrance Beach, as well as parts of the San Pedro coastline.  In addition, per the same report on Friday, February 13, beaches in Venice and Santa Monica were being evaluated for possible inclusion in the national park.

The National Park Service is holding a virtual meeting on March 11 at 6 p.m. Public comments can be submitted online until April 6.

 

By Daniel Diquinzio

HOLLYWOOD HILLS—On February 11, a trailer full of puppets and props belonging to the multi-talented, creator, actor, writer, singer, comedian, and puppeteer, Jackie Smook were stolen. The puppets are “Dilly’s World,” puppets, and hold a value of approximately $40,000. “Just this past week, Dilly’s World props and puppets were stolen. They took the entire trailer of props for our show,” said Smook, founder of the Jackie Smook Company LLC. The puppets and props were intended for Dilly’s World Live! Performance coming to Dynasty Typewriter, 2511 Willshire Boulevard on Sunday, February 22 4-5:30 p.m. A GoFundMe was set up to help pay to replace the hand-crafted puppets, and “Rebuild Dilly’s World,” in time for the show. “Dilly and her not so ordinary friends confront and solve social emotional issues in her big whimsical world—With Special Guest Ben Katzman! Join us for Dilly’s World (with a live show element of course)! A whacky, wondrous world of puppets, color, design, hilarity and emotion. Dilly, a fun-willed and charming lead, will do her best to ask her friends for help (puppet and animation alike) as she tries to find her spark. She lost it and how will she ever finish this painting for the gallery, so Dilly town doesn’t get demolished? We will welcome you in with live music from an extremely talented band of Horns, guitars and bass, singing live with puppets. It’s a night you won’t want to miss. We are showing the world our plot and doing a live show, to give you an idea of what to expect from the season! This event is for kids, adults, and creatives. We will be doing a raffle to raise money for the season and will be doing a Q and A after the performance. We will also have merchandise, surprises, laughs and words to share, so come and be entertained and bring the whole family,” states the Dilly’s website. Tickets may be purchased on the website. Canyon News contacted the creator for comment but did not hear back before print.   By Sharon

TOPANGA CANYON—The California Transportation Department announced that it will close part of Topanga Canyon Boulevard due to the danger posed by an upcoming rainstorm.

According to a report issued by NBC4 Los Angeles, the area that will be closed will stretch from Pacific Coast Highway to Grand View Drive, and the closure will begin at 9 p.m. Tuesday and will continue until the California Transportation Department announces that this stretch of Topanga Canyon Boulevard has been reopened.

The reason for the closure is not just the danger the rain poses to travelers, but also the possibility that it could trigger debris and mudslides. The National Weather Service announced that this storm will bring about 0.5 to 1 inch of rain.

 

By Daniel Diquinzio

BEVERLY HILLS—The city of Beverly Hills announced on its Facebook page that it is hosting an informational meeting to discuss affordable housing opportunities in the community.

The meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 17 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Municipal Gallery at City Hall located at 455 N. Rexford Drive.

For details on attending virtually by Zoom, visit beverlyhills.org/affordablehousing. For further questions contact mailto:affordablehousing@beverlyhills.org or call our askBH Hotline at (310) 285-1000.

 

By Danny Jones

SANTA MONICA—The Santa Monica Police Department reported on Wednesday, February 11 they are investing a death after a welfare check.

The SMPD reported on February 7, at approximately 7:15 a.m., officers responded to a residential complex in the 1900 block of Ocean Avenue to conduct a welfare check. The request was made by a family member who had been unable to contact the occupants for several days.

Officers made entry into the unit with the assistance of building management after receiving no response and discovered two deceased individuals, one male and one female, both 54 years old. Both individuals were found with apparent gunshot wounds, and a firearm was located inside the residence. The individuals were in an advanced state of decomposition.

Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division are treating this incident as a suspected murder-suicide. Investigators have determined the individuals were known to one another, and there are no outstanding suspects. This appears to be an isolated incident.

There is no known ongoing threat to the public.

The identities of the deceased are being withheld pending official identification and notification of next of kin by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.

Anyone with details related to the incident is asked to contact the Detective Esteban Hernandez of the Santa Monica Police Department at esteban.hernandez@santamonica.gov or the Watch Commander 24 hours a day at 310-458-8427.

 

By Danny Jones

SANTA MONICA—The city of Santa Monica announced on Tuesday, February 10, that the Santa Monica Fire Department launched the new in-house Ambulance Operator Program on February 1. The program is part of the ongoing implementation of Santa Monica’s two-year strategic Realignment Plan.

The Ambulance Operator Program establishes a dedicated team focused on safely operating ambulances and supporting paramedic teams during emergency medical responses.

Prior to the new program, the SMFD would route all dispatch calls related to emergency medical services to a third party, private firm McCormick. Now, in addition to providing life-saving fire response and prevention, the Fire Department can provide these emergency medical services, using in-house personnel, vehicles, and equipment.

By bringing emergency medical services in house, the program aims to improve response efficiency throughout the community.

The Ambulance Operator Program is a critical part of the Realignment Plan’s budget stability strategy, as it is projected to generate approximately $7 million in new revenue with an annual operating cost of $2.8 million.

“The Ambulance Operator Program reflects our ongoing commitment to innovation, safety and high-quality service for the Santa Monica community,” said Fire Chief Matt Hallock. “By formalizing the ambulance operator role, we are strengthening our Emergency Medical Services system, supporting our personnel and improving outcomes for the patients we serve.”

The program allows firefighter-paramedics to focus on patient care while ensuring timely transportation to local medical facilities and continuing to meet the growing demand for emergency medical services. It is also designed to be a premier training ground, acting as the first step in a career pathway toward becoming a firefighter/paramedic. Ambulance operators receive specialized training in emergency vehicle operations, safety protocols, communications, and teamwork.

Santa Monica will continue to monitor performance metrics closely as the program expands, ensuring continued alignment with community needs and city priorities.

For more details about the Santa Monica Fire Department and emergency medical services, visit www.santamonica.gov/ambulance-program.

 

By Danny Jones