Take Me Out ...Take Me Out To The Park To The Ball Game
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. LVI
THURSDAY, MAY 12, 2022
malibutimes.com • $.50 • WEEKLY
Unexpected change made at the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station Jennifer Seetoo earns promotion to captain By JUDY ABEL Special to The Malibu Times
Best Buddies attendees dance and sing along with artist Brandy at the gala on Sunday, May 8. Photo by Julie Ellerton/TMT
Celebrity-attended Malibu gala fundraiser celebrates moms Inclusivity is the message of Best Buddies By JUDY ABEL Special to The Malibu Times
A long line of cars waiting for valets on Pacific Coast Highway signaled a return to pre-pandemic life in Malibu — springtime fundraisers are back. The nonprofit
Best Buddies’ Celebrating Mothers event was the perfect gala to usher in the season. At the gorgeous La Villa Contenta estate, 350 people gathered to raise money for Best Buddies International founded by the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver and her son Anthony. Eunice Shriver, who also founded Special Olympics, fought for the rights
and acceptance of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). That’s a mission for Best Buddies that provides friendship, social activities and integrated employment and leadership development for people with IDD. Actress Vivica A. Fox, who emceed the star-studded event, spoke of “lending a hand” to those
who are often ignored or neglected even though they have many talents and gifts to offer. One of those talents was Best Buddies Ambassador Marlana VanHoose, who wowed the supporters in attendance with her powerful singing voice and talent playing keyboards. VanHoose has cerebral palsy, is blind and was CONTINUED ON PAGE A7
In an unforeseen move, Lt. Jennifer Seetoo has been promoted to captain of the Lost Hills Sheriff ’s Station. The well-regarded 22-year veteran had filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department claiming sexual harassment and gender discrimination at the department after she was denied an earlier promotion in 2019. Seetoo was given what’s known as “freeway therapy” when she was transferred from the Lost Hills station near her Agoura Hills home to the West Hollywood station. Seetoo was well-liked in the Malibu community and highly visible at nearby events. She originally arrived at the Lost Hills station on Nov. 4, 2018. Her first week on the job was tumultuous as she was promoted to acting captain the very next day after Josh Thai took a medical leave. In the next few days she would lead the station through two major disasters: The Borderline shooting in nearby Thousand Oaks on Nov. 7, 2018, and then the very next day, the Woolsey Fire broke out. Evacuations from the fire lasted a week; repopulation and recovery took even longer. In
Local schools ranked in 2022 U.S. News best schools list Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Schools remain in the top 6 percent in the U.S. By TRISHA ANAS Special to The Malibu Times
Malibu High School has been ranked 1,170th out of around 18,000 public schools in the nation by the U.S. News and World Report, while Santa Monica High School ranked 829th. In the rankings for California, Malibu placed at 176, while Santa Monica was at 108. One of three schools in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, MHS, along with Santa Monica High School, experienced
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INSIDE
a decrease, dropping from their 999th national rank last year. Santa Monica dropped from 708. According to the U.S. News, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company determined rankings and percentages by weighing scores across six indicators of the school’s quality in coordination with the global nonprofit social science reThe Malibu City Council met in person on Monday, May 9, after meeting virtually since early 2020. Photo by Samantha Bravo/TMT search firm, RTI International. These factors included college readiness, reading and math proficiency, reading and math performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum breadth and graduation rates. The overall scores are measured based City Council settles with Heathercliff Lot as the temporary day-use impound on how well each school did on a yard for the summer national percentile basis. By SAMANTHA BRAVO The website reports that because anticipated. The last in-person City Council meeting Of The Malibu Times most schools were closed beginwas on March 9, 2020. The meeting was attended by ning in March 2020, the U.S. DeAfter over two years of virtual meetings, the Malibu members of the public; however, the council voted on partment of Education granted City Council met on Monday for the long-awaited April 26 to return via Zoom starting May 23, 2022. CONTINUED ON PAGE A8 in-person City Council meeting the community has CONTINUED ON PAGE A8
supplies with restricted outdoor watering to just one day a week. The sweeping new restriction to begin June 1 is in response to the By JUDY ABEL state’s severe drought and one of Special to The Malibu Times the driest years on record. In an unprecedented move, the Even though MWD supplies Metropolitan Water District has water to Los Angeles County mandated affiliated agencies it Public Works Waterworks District
2019, she was named by State Sen. Henry Stern as his district’s Woman of the Year. In her short time as the Malibu liaison at the Lost Hills Station, Seetoo came to the position after the previous liaison, Lt. James Royal also filed a lawsuit against the department. Royal claimed mistreatment by sheriff ’s officials after he was vocal with his concerns about multiple reports of gunfire at Malibu Creek State Park. Royal says the LASD ignored his concerns that a potential gunman was on the loose in the Santa Monica Mountains near the park, where there were reports of burglaries and shootings. Eventually, the crimes were tied to the murder of Tristan Beaudette, who was shot while camping with
this week
City Council holds first in-person meeting since March 2020, but will go virtual again
Malibu spared from Los Angeles County's unprecedented water restrictions City not included in district cutbacks, for now
JENNIFER SEETOO
29, Malibu’s water retailer, most of that water does not come from the State Water Project, which is currently at a critically low level. Cities that depend on that source are being targeted for the huge cutback. Malibu for now has been spared, but that could change as other water resources from the
Colorado River and Northern California are also drying up. Currently, Malibu’s restrictions include no outdoor watering during and 48 hours after a rain, no hosing off of sidewalks, no sprinkler runoff and only using shut-off nozzles when washing a car. Recirculated water in fountains is en-
couraged, as well as drinking water only by request at restaurants, and no potable water for landscaping at new properties. To keep water usage in check, District 29 uses a three-tiered billing system with rates rising as consumption does. CONTINUED ON PAGE A5
Paddle out memorial held for Malibu surf iconJohnny Fain | B1
Opinion . . . . . . . . . . A2 News Briefs . . . . . . . . A3 • Malibu High School sees springtime COVID cases Calendar . . . . . . . . . . A4 Local News . . . . . . A5, A6 • Public Safety panel prepares for summer Real Estate . . . . . . A7, A8 Malibu Life . . . . . . . . B1 • LA-based artist debuts first solo exhibition in Malibu
Malibu People . . . . . . B2 • For the LA Phil, it's summertime, and the living is spellbinding
Community . . . . . . . . B3 • Malibu High's 'You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown' Business & Directory . . B6 Business & Directory . . B6 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . B7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . B8