M A LIB U ’S AWA RD W INN IN G N E WSPA P E R S I N CE 1 94 6 VOL. LXXX • NO. XXXVI
THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2026
malibutimes.com • $.50 • WEEKLY
New documentary raises hard questions about the Palisades Fire
Storm runoff triggers boil water advisory, closes Neptune’s Net
Filmmaker asks ‘What happened on day two?’ By JUDY ABEL Special to The Malibu Times
In the midst of a series of blistering articles published in the Los Angeles Times revealing watered-down revisions to the Los Angeles Fire Department’s after-action report on the deadly Palisades Fire, it comes as no surprise that the City of Los Angeles is facing intense public scrutiny. Now, nearly a year after the cataclysmic Palisades Fire reshaped one of Los Angeles’ most historic neighborhoods and then continued to change the face of Malibu, wiping out more than 700 homes, a new independent documentary is reigniting a debate many residents say never truly ended: Why were so many homes lost after the fire’s first day — and why has there been so little transparency from the Los Angeles Fire Department about what happened next? The 22-minute film, “The Palisades Fire: They Gave Up,” was released on YouTube earlier this month by filmmaker Rob Montz, CEO of Good Kid Productions. Santa, legend has it, is unstoppable — braving rain, sleet, wind, and whatever else Mother Nature throws his way to deliver Christmas magic around the world. Malibuites, it seems, are CONTINUED ON PAGE A5
California American Water cites contamination linked to heavy rains as officials await follow-up test results By BARBARA BURKE Special to The Malibu Times
After the days-long rain and wind storms pummelled Malibu and nearby communities over the Christmas holiday weekend, residents in the Yerba Buena area and the owners of Neptune’s Net Restaurant were given boil water advisories on Dec. 26 and 27 because water testing samples demonstrated there was unhealthy amounts of E. coli and chloroform in the water supply. Due to heavy CONTINUED ON PAGE A6
INSIDE
this week
cut from the same cloth. Years of weathering wildfires, fierce winds, and mudslides have proven time and again that this community’s spirit is just as resilient. Read full article on B1
New laws coming to California in 2026 Consumer protections, housing, employment, health, education, safety, and even tortillas addressed By JUDY ABEL Special to The Malibu Times
Road signs and traffic cones block Topanga Canyon Road (aka State Route 27) in Malibu after heavy rains last week. Photo courtesy of Caltrans
Holiday storm pounds Malibu, prompting evacuations, flooding, closures and warnings Record rain and powerful winds over Christmas weekend cause mudslides, canyon road closures By BARBARA BURKE Special to The Malibu Times
A record-setting rain and wind storm disrupted Christmas and the latter part of Hanukkah in Malibu as the city experienced intense rainfall, some flooding, and mudslides on the burn scars caused by the Palisades Fire, and in the canyons
as well as very strong winds over the Christmas holiday weekend. Even as late as Christmas Eve, some residents visited the Malibu Library, Zuma Beach Main Entrance, and local fire stations to get sandbags to protect their properties from possible flooding and mudflows. Residents — most of whom are seasoned veterans who have experienced such post-fire
deluges — assiduously prepared for anything that Mother Nature could throw at them. They are familiar with winter rains resulting in mudslides, debris flows, and falling rocks on canyon roads and burn areas. Los Angeles County Public Works announced that Malibu Canyon Road was closed to regular traffic, CONTINUED ON PAGE A6
Californians will ring in 2026 under a wide-ranging slate of new state laws that affect daily life in both visible and subtle ways — from how food is delivered and tenants are protected, to insulin prices, labor enforcement, public safety, and even what qualifies as a reusable grocery bag. Passed during the 2025 legislative session, the laws reflect ongoing efforts to address affordability, consumer protections, housing shortages, and health disparities. One of the most notable changes is already taking place at grocery stores. California’s long-running effort to reduce plastic waste will take another step forward with Senate Bill 1053, which closes a loophole that allowed thicker plastic bags to be labeled CONTINUED ON PAGE A5
Malibu’s Santa Sleigh rolls on, rain or shine |B1
Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . .A2 • Malibu’s stewardship myth: What the city controls — and what It doesn’t News Briefs . . . . . . . . . A3 • One year later: How endangered plants and regulations fueled the devastating Palisades Blaze Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . A4 • DEC 26-JAN 11: City of Malibu Free Holiday Tree Recycling Real Estate . . . . . . . . . .A7 Malibu Life . . . . . . . . . B1 • Malibu swimmer breaks club record, sets sights on school mark People . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2 • Malibu Scene: Eastern Swing Legals . . . . . . . . . . . . .B4 Business & Directory . . .B6 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . B6 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . .B8 • Pepperdine falls in WCC openers: Women battle with Wazzu, men overpowered by Gonzaga