MALIBU—On August 20, the city of Malibu announced that it is inviting the community to attend a public workshop to learn about, and give input on, the Caltrans safety improvement project on Pacific Coast Highway between Las Flores Canyon Road and Carbon Canyon Road Wednesday, September 16, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Malibu City Hall.

The project will evaluate potential improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and motorists to address safety concerns, improve crossings and enhance corridor operations along this highly traveled segment of PCH.

Potential Improvements Include:

-Intersection upgrades
-Signal modifications
-Pedestrian crossing improvements
-Bicycle facility enhancements

Project initiation is expected Spring 2026. There will be community meetings and feedback from summer through the end of 2026. Details for environmental and design phases are to be determined. Input will help inform project development and ensure potential solutions reflect the needs and priorities of Malibu.

The project builds on previous planning, community input and coordination with local and regional partners. Concepts are preliminary and will be refined through the environmental and design phases. To share input via email visit: pchsegment_@publicinput.com.

By Danny Jones

WOODLAND HILLS—On Friday, August 21, the Los Angeles City Council voted against a housing development, and Woodland Hills Country Club due to the presence of mountain lions. The acreage is owned by Arrimus Capital. They own the entire 93-acre facility and were planning to develop the other 20-acres into single family homes, apartments, and some rent-controlled facilities.

Photo Credit: Pricilla du Preez

The housing project was expected to have 175 lots for sale for three-story single-family homes, a four-story, 189 apartment building, and 34 rent-controlled apartments. The Woodland Hills community shared their enthusiasm for the project on their social media pages referencing the job opportunities. Others commented on sharing the beauty of living in Woodland Hills with others. This does not include the money Woodland Hills Country Club would bring in with a new golf course on site.

Los Angeles City councilmember (District 3 2013-Present), Bob Blumenfield spoke out against the project, indicating that the property to be developed is a habitat for mountain lions.

On July 10, Blumenfield made an announcement to an SCNG publication, Daily News, stating his plans to run for the U.S. Senate in 2028.

In a newsletter dated August 20, Blumenfield wrote about the City Council voting against the development. The full text may be read on the Los Angeles City’s government webpage.

“Great news! Today, there was a big announcement from our City Planning Department about the Woodland Hills Country Club. Due to a plethora of documentation from neighbors and a lot of biological and ecological research provided by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and other biological experts, the Planning Department just determined the Woodland Hills Country Club site is ‘wildlife habitat’ for the endangered Mountain Lion.

With concerns including the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, I tried many different ways to secure a discretionary process; not to stop any development, but to make sure that the project would not endanger the health and safety of our community.

While we made sure City Planning did a thorough review of the project application for ministerial approval, we all feared that the Department was on the verge of possibly approving the process ministerially.

Being in a high fire severity zone wasn’t enough to get discretionary review and pointing out that the project is not actually on a commercial corridor (the intended area that is subject to the expedited process under State law) wasn’t enough. However, determining that the project is proposed on endangered species habitat is enough.

Planning was tasked with figuring this out based on available evidence, scientific input and court precedents, and fortunately they determined the site to be Mountain Lion habitat.

It is a huge step to tap the brakes and put the juggernaut proposal (almost 400 units packed into a third of the site) in a high fire zone on a discretionary path. In the eyes of the city, the proposal submitted by the developer does not qualify for AB 2011 ministerial processing.”

By Sharon

BEVERLY HILLS—On August 10, the city of Beverly Hills announced that Max Subin had been sworn at Beverly Hills City Hall as the new Beverly Hills Police Chief.

Chief Subin joined the BHPD in 1999 and served as a police officer for 27 years. His earliest assignments were in the department’s Patrol Division, before later serving in the Detective Bureau. He later led the Community Relations Unit and served as the Detective Bureau Commander. In 2021, he was promoted to Captain. On June 27, he was named the new Chief of the Beverly Hills Police Department.

BEVERLY HILLS—The city of Beverly Hills is hosting a Wildlife Workshop on Thursday, August 13. Any residents who have questions about coyotes being spotted in their neighborhood can join the interactive workshop.

The event will take place from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. The online Zoom link will be provided after registration. Specialists will share information on how residents can keep their pets safe.

Join Rebecca Dmytryk, President & CEO of Humane Wildlife Control Inc. and a nationally recognized expert on coyote behavior and intervention, alongside Sam Ramirez, CEO of Humane Pest Control Inc., who specializes in wildlife exclusion, prevention, and poison-free rodent control.

The workshop is designed to be interactive and practical. Residents should come with questions about their property, their neighborhood, recent coyote encounters, or any other coyote-related concerns they have.

The city of Beverly Hills notes on their website that coyotes are a natural part of the urban ecosystem. Contrary to popular belief, they are not limited to hillsides or “wild’ areas. It is normal to see coyotes in their neighborhood, but there are steps to take to reduce the likelihood of a coyote interaction and to appropriately react when you see a coyote. For more details visit: https://www.beverlyhills.org/1459/Coyote-Resources.

By Danny Jones

WEST HOLLYWOOD—On Tuesday, August 11, the city of West Hollywood announced its co-sponsorship of the fourth-annual Los Angeles Kids Book Festival, which will take place in West Hollywood Park, located at 647 N. San Vicente Boulevard, on Sunday, August 23, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The free event aims to celebrate children’s literature, foster a love for reading, and provide a platform for both young readers and rising authors to engage with the magical world of books and meet authors and illustrators.

The city co-sponsored and hosted the Los Angeles Kids Book Festival since 2023. The keystone event from the nonprofit ABC Foundation (American Born Chinese Foundation) offers families and young readers an immersive experience that celebrates storytelling and reading.

The event will feature a wide range of activities catering to children of all ages, including special appearances, performances, guest book readings by renowned authors, engaging arts activities, and an epic foam party. Local authors and illustrators will be present to share insights, inspirations, and stories. For schedule details, visit: lakidsbookfestival.com/2026-schedule.

Parking at the city’s five-story parking structure, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard, is expected to be impacted, as a result of the event. Attendees are asked to carpool, use public transportation by planning their trip with the Metro Trip Planner, or consider rideshare services. Paid public parking is also available at the Pacific Design Center, located at 8687 Melrose Avenue.

For announcements about the Los Angeles Kids Book Festival by visiting www.lakidsbookfestival.com. For media inquiries, or additional information contact the Los Angeles Kids Book Festival at info@lakidsbookfestival.com.

By Danny Jones

SANTA MONICA—As students return to classrooms and families settle back into the school-year routine, the Santa Monica Police Department is reminding everyone to slow down, stay alert and help make the trip to and from school a safe one.

The start of the school year brings increased vehicle, bicycle, e-bike and pedestrian traffic around Santa Monica schools, particularly during morning drop-off and afternoon dismissal. Drivers should plan for additional traffic, allow extra time and remain especially attentive near campuses, crosswalks and bike lanes.

“Getting students safely to school is a responsibility we all share,” said Santa Monica Police Chief Darrick Jacob. “Slow down. Put the phone away. Pay attention to what is happening around you. A few extra seconds of patience can make a meaningful difference when children are walking, biking and riding through our neighborhoods.”

E-bikes are increasingly part of how students travel around Santa Monica. They can be a convenient way to get to school, but speed, traffic and inexperience can create serious risks.

SMPD is asking parents and guardians to understand what their child is riding before allowing them on public streets. Some vehicles marketed as e-bikes are actually high-powered electric motorcycles or off-highway vehicles and may not be legal for a child to operate on public roadways.

Students riding e-bikes should:

• Wear a properly fitted helmet every ride.

• Obey stop signs, traffic signals and other rules of the road.

• Ride with the flow of traffic and use bike lanes where appropriate.

• Slow down around pedestrians, intersections, driveways and school entrances.

• Keep phones put away and avoid anything that limits the ability to hear or see surrounding traffic.

• Never ride recklessly, weave through vehicles or rely on drivers to see you.

Parents should know how the vehicle is legally classified, where it can be operated, what safety equipment is required and whether their child is legally permitted to operate it. For detailed information, visit: www.santamonica.gov – Know Before Your Ride – E-Bike Safety Information.

Students should use sidewalks and designated crossings whenever possible, make eye contact with drivers before crossing and avoid stepping into the roadway from between parked vehicles. Students should always follow the instructions of crossing guards and wait until they are directed to cross.

Bicyclists should ride predictably, follow traffic signals, use hand signals when turning and remain visible to drivers. Students traveling independently should also know their route before leaving home and avoid distractions while crossing streets.

The SMPD is asking everyone traveling near a school to exercise patience and remember that children may not always recognize traffic hazards as quickly as adults do.

By Danny Jones

BEVERLY HILLS—On August 7, residents near Baldwin Hills, Beverly Hills, and West Hollywood lost internet service after vandals reportedly cut over 1,400 fiber-optic lines affecting thousands of internet users in the area. Reports indicate that the cause was a criminal act of vandalism, and that the internet lines were deliberately and intentionally severed. According to reports, thousands of Spectrum customers lost service in what has been referred to by Spectrum as a “criminal attack.” Photographs captured in the Baldwin Hills neighborhood depict cables that were ripped out of the ground and sliced in half. This cyber attack occurred one day prior to an instance that occurred on Verizon’s network, that similarly caused mass interruptions of Verizon’s cell phone and internet customers. Spectrum sent out work crews to splice the damaged lines and are offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest of the guilty parties responsible for these acts. Reports indicate that Verizon has approximately eight million Verizon customers. Additionally, there are five million Spectrum customers in California as well. By Sharon

SANTA MONICA—On August 9, at approximately 3 a.m., the Santa Monica Fire Department and officers with the Santa Monica Police Department responded to a call of a structure fire at 533 Lincoln Boulevard.  When responders arrived at the scene, the home was fully engulfed in flames.

“Crews did pull both victims out, almost simultaneously. We were able to provide Advanced Life Safety (ALS) support. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in reviving the patients. We have investigators on scene right now, along with our Santa Monica Police Department, that are coming out to investigate the fire a little bit further,” said SMFD Battalion Chief James Altman in a statement.

The couple was identified as Anthony “Tony” who was 92, and his wife, Helen of 70 years, who was also 92, were pronounced dead at the scene. A caregiver stayed with the couple who lived at the home for decades.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

By Sharon

MALIBU—On Monday, August 10, the city of Malibu posted that Caltrans will be completing road work that will run through August 16. Motorists should expect delays and changing traffic patterns. Slow down, watch for workers and work vehicles, and remember fines may be doubled in construction zones.

PCH Speed Limits
• 35 mph from Temescal Canyon Road to Sunset Boulevard
• 25 mph from Sunset Boulevard to Carbon Beach Terrace

Planned Closures

• Just north of Big Rock Dr: 9 p.m.–6 a.m. nightly starting Friday, August 7, including weekends. PCH reduced to two lanes for less than 0.5 miles.
• Big Rock Dr: SCE work Sun, Aug 9, 9 p.m.–6 a.m. Northbound PCH reduced to one lane for about one mile.
• Las Flores Canyon Road to Sunset Blvd: Weekdays, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. as needed for creek cleanup, drainage and slope repairs. Rambla Pacifico right-turn lane closed.
• Pena Road to Tuna Canyon Road: 9 a.m.–3 p.m. as needed. Southbound PCH reduced to one lane.
• PCH & Topanga Canyon Blvd: Verizon work Mon, 9 p.m.–5 a.m. Northbound PCH reduced to one lane where crews are working.

• PCH & Topanga Canyon Blvd: SCE shoulder work Tues, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. No lane closures.

Topanga Canyon Boulevard• 15 mph through the Caltrans work zone.
• Mon–Fri nights, 10 p.m.–6 a.m.: One-lane traffic between Entrada Drive and PCH for guardrail work.

Check traffic conditions BEFORE getting on the road: https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov.

By Danny Jones