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The Malibu Times The Malibu Times NEWS PA PER • MAGAZ I NE • O NL I NE
NEW S PAPER • MAGAZINE •ONLINE Malibu’s Award-Winning Community Paper Since 1946
VOL. LXXV • NO. XL
THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022
malibutimes.com • $.50 • WEEKLY
Malibu braces for Tsunami
City Subcommittee to Prioritize Fire Rebuilds during Second Quarter By SAMANTHA BRAVO Of The Malibu Times
Malibu beaches closed Saturday to embrace impact of the possibility of gigantic waves after a volcano erupted Friday night near South Pacific nation of Tonga. Photo of Westward beach on the day the tsunami hit. By Julie Ellerton/TMT
Surfers manage to catch waves during tsunami advisory when area beaches cleared Saturday By JUDY ABEL Special to The Malibu Times
In an abundance of caution, southern California beaches were closed Saturday due to a rare tsunami advisory. The possibility of giant waves causing havoc was very real over the weekend when an underwater volcano erupted Friday night, Jan. 14, near the South Pacific nation of Tonga. Spectacular video of
the eruption taken from space satellites widely seen online shows the force of the massive oceanic explosion. Well-known Malibu surfer, Becker Malibu manager Mitch Taylor, was already at the beach when he received a text warning him of the tsunami advisory Saturday morning. Taylor, who surfs nearly every day, had surfed in Malibu ten years ago after the tsunami warning that occurred after the deadly tsunami in Indonesia. “Then, it was very minor. The water rose a couple of feet and then receded out. It wasn’t like we got a big wave or really at all. This was smaller than the one ten years ago.”
Police were stationed at Surfrider and other Malibu beaches as well as throughout Santa Monica and neighboring southern California surf spots. “They were trying to restrict parking,” Taylor said of law enforcement discouraging people from entering the water. “But you already had people that were out surfing,” he added. Police were also seen patrolling Pacific Coast Highway and low-lying areas Saturday morning, waiting for any water surges like the extra high waves that occurred in Pacifica, California, near San Francisco. In nearby Ventura Harbor, a harbor patrol boat capsized in a strong tidal surge. Santa Cruz Harbor also saw
flooding in a parking lot and streets Saturday. Taylor said he kept an eye out for telltale signs of an approaching tsunami when “the water all goes out almost like the tide’s going out really fast and then in minutes it comes back quite a bit higher than it originally was before it went out. Once it goes up high, it usually recedes again, and then every now and then, you’ll get two flushes of it.” Tsunami waves had been expected by 8 a.m. Saturday morning, but the advisory wasn’t lifted for roughly 12 hours for precaution. The National Weather Service said big waves could CONTINUED ON PAGE A4
Malibu Inn Motel African American art display opens at Pepperdine conditional use permit decisions Black history told through left underwater art and artifacts at powerful By SAMANTHA BRAVO Of The Malibu Times
During the Planning Commission Special Meeting, last week, restaurants and retail joint parking agreement and the Malibu Inn Motel project were on the agenda. Before the items were discussed, commissioner Dennis Smith began by announcing his recommendation to council member John Mazza to resign from commission. “There’s no reason in the world that he should be on the commission after insulting staff the way he did in the Jefferson Wagner affidavit,” Smith said. “There’s no reason for him to continue to be on the commission if he’s harboring those kinds of feelings about staff that he feels like it’s ok to insult them like that.” Smith’s camera froze before he was able to finish his comment. “The point being is that this isn’t going to work; you need to CONTINUED ON PAGE A5
exhibition at the Frederick R. Weisman Museum
On her last day as the City Assistant Manager, Lisa Soghor presented the second-quarter financial report and mid-year budget amendments during the first Administration and Finance Subcommittee meeting of 2022. “I know we went into this fiscal year, with still a lot of uncertaining about the economic impacts of COVID-19 pandemic,” Soghor said during last Wednesday’s meeting. “And how that was going to impact sales tax, and we’ve seen these surges come and go, we’re still in another surge.” Soghor said in the prior year; they had set aside $6.5 million in a designated reserve to help balance operating expenses because they were projecting revenues to not be not be enough to balance their regular general fund operating expenditures. “At the time of budget adoption, we were projecting that we would need to use roughly $3.8 million of that reserve; I am pleased to tell you that today, I am projecting that we have to use zero of that set-aside funds and have money enough to fund the additions that we’re talking about as part of the mid-year.” Soghor emphasized how much the pandemic impacted restaurants since most of their revenue comes specifically from restaurants. “That is our primary sales tax revenue source because we don’t have a lot of retail and big box stores; it really does come from the restaurants,” Soghor said. “That recovery is greater than anyone has ever predicted.” Soghor said they have a midyear amendment of $5.66 million increase in revenue projections from where they were. Soghor said the city’s numbers have increased beCONTINUED ON PAGE A5
INSIDE this week
By JUDY ABEL Special to The Malibu Times
An exhibition intended to inspire, enrich and educate is now on display at the Frederick R. Weisman Museum at Pepperdine University. “The Cultivators: Highlights from the Kinsey African American Art and History Collection” features breathtaking art and historic memorabilia that helps tell the stories of African American artists, inventors, activists, and others whose accomplishments were mostly untold until now. “The stories in this exhibition tell of struggle and perseverance, of subjugation and liberation and achievement against all odds,” said Andrea Gyorody, Interim Director of the Weisman Museum. “This is the first major exhibition of Black art and culture at the Weisman, and with the lasting mark I know it will leave, I’m confident it won’t be the last,” Gyorody added. The unparalleled collection amassed by Bernard and Shirley Kinsey not only showcases art, but also books and artifacts that highlight contributions made by African Americans that
Richard Harrison, owner of Malibu’s Villa Francesca reflects on legacy PAGE B1 Opinion . . . . . . . . . A2
News Briefs . . . . . . . A3 Real Estate . . . . . . . . A6 Malibu Life . . . . . . . B1
Bernard and Shirley Kinsey hold hands in front of an Ernie Barnes painting. Photo by Judy Abel
were overlooked for sometimes centuries. 80 pieces are on display covering 500 years from slavery to emancipation, to the Civil Rights Movement, and up to the present. Giving voice to those who are and were sup-
pressed is a Kinsey mission. His motto: “Leave the door open and keep the ladder down” is what Bernard Kinsey did while working his way up the corporate ladder. Called a “groundCONTINUED ON PAGE A4
Calendar . . . . . . . . . B3 Legal Notices . . . . . . B3 Business Svs. & Dir. . . B5 Classifieds . . . . . . . . B6 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . B8