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THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2026
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Members of the East Malibu Neighborhood Alliance came together for their inaugural meeting on Jan. 18 at Malibu BUngalows. Pictured from left are Lara Weiss, Diane Weiss, Lynn Bealer, Paul Grisanti, and Pablo Capra. Photo by Doreen Neff
East Malibu Alliance takes action on Las Flores Creek, graffiti, and local business support Newly formed group brings residents, businesses, and former city leaders together to address issues By BARBARA BURKE Special to The Malibu Times
The newly formed East Malibu Neighborhood Alliance, a group of local businesses and residents working together to improve their community, held its inaugural meeting at Malibu BUngalows on Sunday, just trying to move forward in the Jan. 18. Traditional Hawaiian most positive way that we can. It “Neighbors reconnected, shared kahu blesses Malibu’s was very special.” stories from the past year, and disbeloved restaurant before Kahu Kawika Viloria, has a long cussed current topics with possible history with Duke’s as a performer imminent reopening of traditional Hawaiian music at By JUDY ABEL the restaurant whose origins startSpecial to The Malibu Times ed in Hawaii and that was named A traditional Hawaiian custom for the legendary waterman Duke from across the Pacific was celeKahanamoku, five-time Olympic brated at Duke’s Malibu last week medalist in swimming and “father — a ceremonial blessing at an ausof modern surfing.” Residents decry potential picious time for Malibu’s beloved Duke’s staff, now about 30 since family restaurant. the restaurant has been closed, loss of iconic coastal It’s been more than a year since management, and executives from vistas as commissioners the Palisades Fire and the closure partner restaurants in Hawaii flew weigh a scaled-back of the popular gathering spot, one in especially for the moving cereof the biggest employers in Malibu. mony and lunch gathering. “They Weintraub Project But as Duke’s is readying to reopen all came up,” Chavez said, “so, it By BARBARA BURKE after the tragic fire where the parkwas just nice to have extended Special to The Malibu Times ing lot served as a staging area for family here and just celebrate this Tension between the public’s first responders and then last Febspecial day.” Chavez treats his team ruary’s avalanche of mud flooded as “ohana,” the Hawaiian word for right to preserve and enjoy iconthe community establishment so extended family, mentioning, “We ic bluewater and coastal corridor dear to locals’ and visitors’ hearts, had, obviously Gidget and her hus- views and the right of landownthe restaurant took a meaningful band Marvin, our local contractors, er Richard Weintraub to build a step at the brink of its imminent and everyone that was here just cel- one-story, single family residence reopening. ebrating, and then we served lunch on his land overlooking Malibu’s coastline made for a contentious In traditional Hawaiian custom, to all of them afterwards.” when a new home or business is Chavez praised the work of the Malibu Planning Commission about to open, a spiritual leader, contractors and first responders meeting on Jan. 20. Upset resiknown as a kahu will bless the who have been working tirelessly dents implored the commission space, “expelling the bad energy to get the restaurant back in shape. to deny Weintraub’s project appliand bringing in good energy and It was inundated with 4 feet cation, noting that the bluewater aloha into the building,” according of mud that wiped out kitchen view and coastal vista corridors to Jimmy Chavez, Duke’s’ general Kawika Viloria, a kahu (spiritual leader), blows a conch shell as part of the ceremonial equipment, furniture, and exotic encompassing Latigo Shores, manager and partner, who added, blessing to reopen Duke’s Malibu restaurant. The restaurant is close to reopening after being koa wood that’s a key feature in Paradise Cove and Point Dume CONTINUED ON PAGE A6 is priceless and of enormous value “as we get closer to reopening we’re damaged in the Palisades Fire last year. Photos courtesy of Duke’s Malibu to Malibu, while Weintraub seeks approval to build a home on the land and made some concessions to appease the concerns of both Jan. 27 the president issued an executive orneeded to rebuild. However, on close reading California’s wildfire recovery der purporting to fast-track the rebuilding of the executive order, it appears Trump’s residents and commissioners. faces legal hurdles and skepticism Weintraub’s first request was to of homes destroyed in the recent Los An- directives may prove largely illusory. over whether it will meaningfully geles wildfires by directing federal agencies In what appears to be Trump’s latest salvo merge two Assessor parcel numto “preempt” state and local permitting re- aimed toward Gov. Gavin Newsom, the bers and a lot merger to consolaccelerate reconstruction quirements. “American families and small order seeks to eliminate those “unnecessary, idate two existing parcels into By JUDY ABEL businesses affected by the wildfires have duplicative, or obstructive” local regulations one, located in the Rural ResiSpecial to The Malibu Times been forced to continue living in a night- that have slowed reconstruction in fire- dential, Two-Acre zoning district President Donald Trump is criticizing mare of delay, uncertainty, and bureaucratic ravaged communities such as Pacific at 25200 Pacific Coast Highway. California’s slow rebuilding recovery rate malaise,” he said, accusing local governments Palisades and Altadena. Under the directive, He also applied to construct a new after last January’s destructive wildfires. On of approving only a fraction of the permits CONTINUED ON PAGE A6 CONTINUED ON PAGE A5 The entire team at Duke’s Malibu gathered last week for the ceremonial blessing of the restaurant’s upcoming reopening.
Hawaiian blessings at Duke’s Malibu restaurant
Malibu Planning Commission spars over bluewater views
President Trump issues executive order to ‘preempt’ permitting for fire rebuilds
solutions,” attendee Pablo Capra said. “We discussed the graffiti on La Costa Beach’s ruined walls and the volume of rising sediment under the Las Flores Canyon bridge caused by the last hard rains.” Community engagement is central to the Alliance’s mission, and the group will have free monthly gatherings to discuss helping to restore East Malibu. One initiative is to remove the storm debris at Las CONTINUED ON PAGE A5
INSIDE
this week
Sharks celebrate seniors with a blowout win |B1
Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . A2 • The Malibu Association of REALTORS® reflects on 2025 News Briefs . . . . . . . . . A3 • Malibu rent stabilization panel advances new rules Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . A4 • City of Malibu Ribbon Cutting: PCH Signal Synchronization Project Malibu Life . . . . . . . . . B1 • Embracing the beach vibe: Aviator Nation People . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2 • Malibu Scene: Dora’s Aura Community . . . . . . . . . B3 • Bank of America donates $1 million to rebuild Palisades-Malibu YMCA one year after wildfires Legals . . . . . . . . . . . . .B4 Business & Directory . . .B6 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . B6 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . .B8 • Pepperdine women’s tennis sweeps WCC honors, falls in thriller to Clemson