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M A LIB U ’S AWA RD W IN NING N E WSPA P E R S I N CE 1 94 6 VOL. LXXX • NO. LII
THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2026
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Malibu to MRCA: Stop the spin over Escondido Falls lawsuit City officials push back on claims of restricted access, emphasizing safety, proper management, and public protection By BARBARA BURKE Special to The Malibu Times
Smoke and flames can be seen in the Santa Monica Mountains as Los Angeles County Fire Department in coordination with the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) conducts a prescribed burn on April 20. Contributed photo
Prescribed burn moves forward amid controversy and ongoing lawsuit Fuel reduction effort draws strong community support as tensions rise between Malibu and MRCA over land management By HAYLEY MATTSON Publisher, Editor in Chief
A scheduled prescribed burn in the Santa Monica Mountains moved forward Monday, April 20, after being delayed due to weather, bringing both visible smoke and renewed public debate to the Topanga and Malibu communities. The low-intensity pile burn, conducted by the Los Angeles County Fire Department in
coordination with the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA), took place along a ridge system west of Topanga Canyon Boulevard, targeting approximately 15 acres of previously cleared vegetation. The operation began in the morning hours, with crews igniting piles of dead brush that had been cut and staged over the past several months as part of a broader fuel reduction strategy. Officials say the goal of the project is
straightforward: reduce wildfire risk in one of the region’s most vulnerable corridors. The burn area stretches along a critical ridgeline connecting Topanga to surrounding canyon systems, where dense vegetation and steep terrain have historically contributed to rapid fire spread. “This effort supports community protection in the Santa Monica Mountains through targeted fuel management,” officials noted, CONTINUED ON PAGE A8
Responding to a complaint filed on April 14 by the City of Malibu to address life-threatening public safety issues affecting hikers to Escondido Falls, the Mountains Recreation Conservation Authority and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy have taken to social media, vociferously accusing the city of attempting to limit public access to Escondido Falls. The two agencies responded after the city filed a lawsuit having to do with concerns of hikers at Escondido Falls and pedestrians and vehicles on Pacific Coast Highway and roads leading to the falls. With the filing, the city seeks ownership of private streets, providing hiking trails access to the falls and asking the court to address parking issues, trail management and wildfire prevention measures. The city’s rapid-fire response to MRCA’s social media assertions maintains that MRCA is being disingenuous and grossly mischaracterizes the city’s complaint, the city’s intentions in filing suit, and its requested relief.
Pepperdine hit with $25 million lawsuit Student claims university is non-compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act By JUDY ABEL Special to The Malibu Times
An undergraduate student at Pepperdine University is accusing the institution of pervasive disability discrimination. Her Malibu attorney filed a $25 million lawsuit in federal court April 17 to call attention and make changes. Sarah Barber is currently a junior enrolled at Pepperdine and says she plans on graduating with a degree in biology, but the young woman says she was forced to change ma-
Planning Commission leadership shift divided on retail rules, ADU proposal Debates over retail limits and coastal development standards highlight broader tensions between local protections and evolving post-fire housing needs By HAYLEY MATTSON Publisher, Editor in Chief
The Malibu Planning Commission opened its April 20 regular meeting with a ceremonial leadership transition that underscored both continuity and subtle shifts in the body’s direction. Outgoing Chair Elizabeth Riddick presided over the reorganization, welcoming newly elected Chair Skylar Peak
and Vice Chair Marni Kamins. The vote for chair revealed a divided commission. Peak received support from several commissioners and seconds, while Commissioner John Mazza also garnered votes, including self-nominations. Peak ultimately prevailed. Kamins was then elected vice chair by consensus. Both Peak and Kamins took the oath of office, marking a transition CONTINUED ON PAGE A6
The city’s quiet title and declaratory relief action After months of attempting to settle the parties’ dispute short of litigation, and after a fatal pedestrian accident on Pacific Coast Highway in the area near Escondido Falls in February, the City of Malibu sued MRCA and the Conservancy in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The action seeks to “quiet title,” which means the city seeks ownership of public trails and trail easements within the city limits, including along Murphy Way and Winding Way. If such relief is granted, that would extinguish any ownership claim by MRCA or the Conservancy. The complaint also asks the court to fashion a remedy to ensure safer management of the area, which has been a point of extreme concern for the city, residents near Winding Way and Murphy Way, Malibuites, visitors and the motoring public. MRCA is a local government partnership created in 1985 between the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, which is a state agency and two local park districts — the Conejo Recreation and Park District and the Rancho CONTINUED ON PAGE A6
INSIDE
this week
jors and has faced a series of humiliations and discriminatory practices due to her disability that she claims Pepperdine is not accommodating. Barber was born with Type III Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a rare progressive disease, impacting her mobility, respiratory health, and long-term function. The college junior claims she disclosed her disability to the university before her acceptance. She had earlier toured the University of San Diego, another Christian college, which told her they were unable to accommodate her mobility challenges, but Barber says Pepperdine officials were not only aware of her limitations, but accepted her to the university and CONTINUED ON PAGE A5
As with most lawsuits, retorts and refutations are heated and hostile. Here are the details about the litigation and the parties’ social media wars.
Waves sweep USC to clinch MPSF share in emotional Firestone farewell |B1
Former Malibu Poet Laureate Nathan Hassall (right) is shown April 7 with one of his predecessors Ricardo Means Ybarra (left) and current Poet Laureate Charlotte Ward during the unveiling ceremony of Hassall’s poetry stone at Legacy Park. Photo by Rachael Kraft Hassall
New artwork etched in stone unveiled at Legacy Park Malibu’s latest poetry stone honors city’s youngest poet laureate By JUDY ABEL Special to The Malibu Times
A new permanent tribute to the literary arts has been unveiled in the heart of Malibu at Legacy Park. A one-ton basalt stone engraved with a poem by Nathan Hassall marks the culmination of his term as Malibu’s poet laureate. The British-born Hassall shared his passion for poetry across the community through teaching, leading discussions, and inspiring others during his tenure from 2023 to 2025 and places him among a
small but growing group of poets whose work has been permanently etched into the city’s landscape. Hassall’s poetry stone, engraved with his poem “In the Present,” was delivered on April 7, and carefully positioned beneath a holly tree using an excavator. The beautiful monument stands as a communal symbol and a personal milestone as well. Hassall, 35, is the youngest poet laureate in Malibu’s history to receive the honor. His stone is the fifth in the park, joining those of past laureates and contributing to what is becoming
a literary walk within the park. “They’ve etched the poem into it, and it just becomes part of the space.” The unveiling was modest, with a handful of people to witness its placement, but its significance runs deeper than the scale of the ceremony. Present were Hassall’s wife and creative partner, Rachael, along with fellow poets including past laureates and current Malibu Poet Laureate Charlotte Ward. For Hassall, the stone represents more than recognition; it’s a CONTINUED ON PAGE A7
Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . .A2 • Malibu’s budget reality vs. recovery News Briefs . . . . . . . . . A3 • Two injured after Porsche plunges off Malibu hillside Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . A4 • April 23: Wings Over Malibu Gala — Emily Shane Foundation Business . . . . . . . . . . . A5 • Surf ’s up! Surf Trip Supply opens with big crowds and bigger vision Malibu Life . . . . . . . . . B1 • Newman Legacy Sessions cultivate the next generation of musical talent People . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2 • Burt’s Eye View: What am I missing? Legals . . . . . . . . . . . . .B3 Business & Directory . . .B6 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . B6 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . .B8 • Pepperdine’s Ariana Markey headed to 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup