WEST HOLLYWOOD—On March 19, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department West Hollywood Station announced it will be conducting a traffic safety operation next week.

According to the post on the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station page, the operation will occur on Monday, March 23, starting at 4 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. The operation is intended to protect bicyclists and pedestrians.

Deputies conducting this operation will stop West Hollywood drivers who fail to stop or yield at stop signs or stoplights, make illegal turns, speed, or failing to stop for pedestrians or bicyclists.

 

By Daniel Diquinzio

BEVERLY HILLS—On Wednesday, March 18, the Beverly Hills Police Department informed Canyon News via email that they are alerting residents and business owners to a serious financial scam involving IRS tax payment checks that are stolen from the mail and fraudulently altered.

The BHPD has identified multiple incidents impacting Beverly Hills residents and businesses, consistent with similar cases reported throughout the United States, in which large IRS tax payments, often ranging from $100,000 to $500,000, were mailed through the United States Postal Service (USPS) but never reached the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In these instances, the IRS payment checks were intercepted from the mail, altered, and deposited into the suspect’s bank account.

Victims often do not discover the crime until several months later, when they receive notice from the IRS that their tax payment was never received. By that time, the altered check has already cleared, the funds have been withdrawn in cash, and the suspect account has been closed.

Due to delays in discovery, bank surveillance footage and other investigative leads are often no longer available, making the prosecution of these crimes unlikely. It is vital to understand that once these funds are withdrawn, the loss is usually permanent. If you fall victim to this scam, law enforcement and financial institutions are typically unable to recover the stolen funds.

The BHPD strongly encourages residents and businesses to submit IRS tax payments electronically whenever possible by visiting the official IRS website at irs.gov. Electronic payment is the most secure way to ensure tax payments are received by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

If a physical check must be mailed, residents should regularly review their bank statements and examine the deposited check image in their banking portal to confirm it was processed by the intended recipient, the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Reviewing the cleared check image in a timely manner may be the only opportunity to detect suspicious activity before funds are withdrawn.

The BHPD is asking residents and businesses to take immediate precautions and report any suspected mail theft or check fraud. Police reports can be filed with BHPD at the station or by calling the non-emergency line at 310-550-4951 to request an officer to respond to you.

For concerns related to mail theft within the postal system, reports may also be submitted to the USPS Office of Inspector General at hotlineform.uspsoig.gov.

 

By Danny Jones

BEVERLY HILLS—On Wednesday, March 18, Lt. Kevin Orth, Public Information Officer with the Beverly Hills Police Department provided Canyon News results of a DUI Checkpoint the police department conducted on St. Patrick’s Day on Tuesday.

A DUI checkpoint was held at North Santa Monica Boulevard and Crescent Drive from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

A total of 1580 vehicles passed through the checkpoint, and 316 were screened. Officers conducted one Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST), but the driver was not arrested for driving under the influence. Three drivers were cited for driving without a driver’s license.

DUI checkpoint locations are determined based on reported incidents of impaired driving-related crashes. The primary purpose of DUI checkpoints is to promote public safety by taking suspected impaired drivers off the roads.

Funding for this checkpoint was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

 

By Danny Jones

BEVERLY HILLS—On Wednesday, March 18, 2026, the city of Beverly Hills announced that Single-Use Plastics Ordinance requires food facilities and certain retail businesses to discontinue using single-use plastic food ware and polystyrene, including straws, utensils, and containers.

On March 18, 2024, the Beverly Hills City Council adopted an ordinance prohibiting the distribution of single-use plastic and expanded polystyrene (e.g., Styrofoam) food ware AND the sale of expanded polystyrene products. The ordinance will reduce plastic waste by requiring food facilities that provide disposable food ware items, such as cutlery, takeout containers, and straws, to use compostable or recyclable products.

ALLOWED

-Only compostable, unlined aluminum food ware or CRV beverage containers may be used.

NOT ALLOWED

-Expanded polystyrene (foam)
-Petroleum-based plastics and bioplastics (such as PLA)
-Wax-coated or plastic-lined materials

The new requirement is part of Beverly Hills’ effort to reduce plastic waste and support a more sustainable community. Businesses should ensure they are using compliant alternatives.

For more details about ordinance requirements and the waiver application for undue hardship, visit beverlyhills.org/plasticandfoam or call our askBH Hotline at (310) 285-1000.

 

By Danny Jones

SANTA MONICA—On March 17, officers from the Santa Monica Police Department received a call from an anonymous caller threatening Santa Monica High School.

According to a statement released by the Santa Monica Police Department on its Facebook page, the department received these calls around 11:10 a.m. Police officers informed administrators of Santa Monica High School of the threat, and the school implemented a temporary shelter-in-place order.

The Santa Monica Police Department, along with School Resource Officers, conducted a search of the high school and found the threat was not credible.

The shelter-in-place order ended around noon, after which school operations resumed. There were no reports of any injuries. Officers from the SMPD remained on the school campus and is continuing the investigation into the source of the calls.

 

By Daniel Diquinzio

MALIBU—Some Malibu residents felt tremors on Tuesday, March 17 at approximately 7:30 p.m. A light earthquake with a 2.4 magnitude occurred in the North Pacific Ocean near Catalina Island. According to the Volcano Discover website, Malibu had two quakes with a magnitude above 2.4 in the past 24 hours. There were 23 other quakes in the last seven days with a magnitude of less than two. Those earthquakes are the ones people don’t normally feel. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reports the same earthquake at a magnitude of 2.5 on the on the Richter scale at 22:27:10 (UTC-05:00), located at 33.767°N; 118.736°W The earthquake had a depth of 0.1 km. Another earthquake with a 2.6 magnitude (M 2.6-22km) was reported on the same day Northeast of the other in Ardo, California. Its depth was -0.7 km Approximately 2 hours earlier, an earthquake with a 3.0 magnitude was reported in Ferndale California with a depth of 10.0 km. USGS estimates approximately 10,000 earthquakes occur in Southern California annually, the majority of which cannot be felt. According to the California Department of Conservation (CDOC), California experiences a couple of earthquakes annually capable of causing moderate damage to structures. Those would have a magnitude of 5.5 or higher. Preparation is the key, “especially if you live on or near an active fault line. Unfortunately, some of the most populated cities in California are extremely likely to experience earthquakes. San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego are all included in the ‘high hazard’ earthquake areas that cover large portions of the state,” states the CDOC.    

MALIBU—On Monday, March 16, the National Weather Service, which is located in Los Angeles and Oxnard, issued a heat advisory for the Los Angeles area, including Malibu and Santa Monica, this week.

Per the statement released on the city of Malibu’s Facebook page, temperatures will range between 85 and 95 degrees. The heat advisory will last until Friday at 8 p.m. Temperatures in the Santa Monica Mountains and other mountainous areas will be hotter than on the Malibu coast. Heat in mountainous areas will be even worse at night, as temperatures will rise after the sun sets.

Locations of cooling centers in Los Angeles can be found at https://ready.lacounty.gov/heat/.

Also, more information about the heat advisory and heat-related safety information can be found on the following website.

 

By Daniel Diquinzio

MALIBU—On Monday, March 16, the city of Malibu posted on its Facebook page that dangerous beach conditions are expected now through Wednesday, March 18 in the evening, as a Beach Hazards Statement from the National Weather Service remains in effect for the Malibu Coast due to elevated surf creating dangerous rip currents and breaking waves.

These conditions increase the risk of ocean drowning. Rip currents can quickly pull swimmers and surfers out to sea, and powerful waves can wash people off beaches and rocks or even capsize small boats near shore.

Officials advise staying out of the water due to hazardous conditions or remaining close to occupied lifeguard towers.

 

By Danny Jones

BEVERLY HILLS—On Monday, March 16, the city of Beverly Hills posted on its Facebook page that it is holding a student poster art contest about water conservation.

The contest is in partnership with the Metropolitan Water District. This year’s posters should depict the theme: “Being Water Wise is…” and showcase their interpretation of what being water wise means. The importance of quality, clean, and reliable water sources and supplies have become clearer within the past couple years.

The city of Beverly Hills notes that climate change is leading to more frequent droughts and stressing California’s water supplies and environment. Students are invited to create artwork to depict various ways to promote water awareness, water efficiency, and conservation.

Submission is due by Thursday, April 30, 2026 by 5 p.m. To explore more about the art contest visit www.beverlyhills.org/waterconservation.

 

By Danny Jones

SANTA MONICA—On Monday, March 16, Lt. Lewis Gilmour with the Santa Monica Police Department informed Canyon News via email that a suspect has been arrested for a shooting that transpired on the Santa Monica Pier.

On Sunday, March 15, at approximately 9 p.m., officers responded to reports of gunfire on the Santa Monica Pier following a large fight involving multiple individuals.

During the incident, one individual sustained a gunshot wound to the arm and was taken
to a local hospital. Officers responded quickly to the scene and provided initial medical
aid to the victim before paramedics arrived. The department maintains a regular patrol
presence on the Santa Monica Pier, allowing officers to respond rapidly when incidents
occur.

A second individual, who suffered a graze wound, sought medical treatment at a
local hospital. Detectives later determined that the second injured individual was the
suspected shooter.

The suspect, Jaysawn Williams, 18, of Rialto, was taken into custody after receiving
medical treatment and transported to the Santa Monica Jail. He was booked on
charges of assault with a firearm (PC 245(a)(2)) and grossly negligent discharge of a
firearm (PC 246.3(a)).

Officers remain committed to maintaining a visible presence in high-traffic areas
such as the Santa Monica Pier to ensure the safety of residents and visitors. The Santa Monica Pier has reopened and normal operations have resumed.

Anyone with details related to the incident is asked to contact 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.