-·
NEW FALL HOURS: 9-7 DAILY
Best lived in motion!
November 16-17 This Weekend!
HalfMarathon I Sk j Kids Run
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. XXIX
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2025
malibutimes.com • $.50 • WEEKLY
Fraser Bohm, who is facing charges in the traffic deaths of four Pepperdine students in 2023, departs the Los Angeles courthouse with attorney Alan Jackson after a pretrial hearing. Photo by American Crime Stories
Murder charges stand in fatal Pepperdine crash The remains of the ranch house at Will Rogers State Historical Park are shown after the Palisades Fire. The Rogers site was one of several discussed in the recent Zoom presentation “When Landmarks Fall.” Photo courtesy of Will Rogers Historical Park
Landmarks in Ruins: Palisades Fire scars historic Business Block, Will Rogers Estate, and more
Ten months after the January blaze, the community debates reconstruction, adaptive reuse, and preservation in ‘When Landmarks Fall’ hosted by Santa Monica Conservancy
Spanish Colonial Revival landmark — celebrating its centennial with fanfare — anchored the village’s heart, a bustling hub of shops, memories, and comThe charred skeleton of the Palisades Business munity gatherings. Today, it is one of countless hisBlock stands like a Roman ruin, its elegant arches toric treasures reduced to ash by the Palisades Fire, cracked but defiant. Just months ago, this 1924 the blaze that tore through Pacific Palisades By HAYLEY MATTSON Publisher, Editor in Cheif
and Malibu, claiming lives, homes, and irreplaceable pieces of Southern California’s cultural fabric. In a Zoom program titled “When Landmarks Fall,” aired on Nov. 2 experts and locals dissected the fire’s toll and charted paths forward. Hosted CONTINUED ON PAGE A5
Defense loses bid to have most serious charges dropped By JUDY ABEL Special to The Malibu Times
In an important pretrial hearing Monday, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge rejected a defense motion to dismiss murder charges against Fraser Michael Bohm, the young Malibu man accused in the deadly crash on Pacific Coast Highway that killed four Pepperdine seniors in 2023. Judge Thomas Rubinson ruled that there was sufficient evidence
Malibu City Council advances recovery, revenue, and rebuild efforts
presented of implied malice to proceed. Prosecutors contend Bohm was speeding as much as 59 mph over the posted 45 mph speed limit at the time of the fatal incident. Bohm’s new defense team, led by high-profile attorney Alan Jackson, claims he did not reach those excessive speeds and allege its client was being chased by a driver with a history of road rage and was then clipped by another car that sent his BMW careening into parked cars on PCH, which in turn crashed into the victims causing their deaths. Those victims: Deslyn Williams, Peyton CONTINUED ON PAGE A6
INSIDE
this week
Highlights include expanded consulting Waterworks District 29. The lengthy session also included encouraging rebuild statistics, a new fast-track generator services, water rate presentation, permitting process, the introduction of the new Chamber and post-fire progress update of Commerce CEO, and adoption of a three-year strategic By HAYLEY MATTSON Publisher, Editor in Cheif
The Malibu City Council on Monday tackled a full agenda centered on recovery, policy, and revenue, unanimously approving an expansion of consulting services with Cosma & Associates to identify new income streams from city assets, while also hearing the first general water rate increase proposal in 13 years from Los Angeles County
plan charting Malibu’s path beyond disaster recovery. The council began with a discussion on new revenue streams and approved the First Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with Cosma & Associates, originally hired in April 2025 to assist Malibu’s post-disaster recovery planning. The firm’s earlier report — a comprehensive economic impact and visitor analysis delivered in July — has already helped shape the city’s understanding of tourism patterns and infrastructure needs. CONTINUED ON PAGE A5
Malibu veterinarian Jennifer Conrad triumphs as California bans cruel cat declawing After two decades of tireless advocacy, her Paw Project helps pass AB 867, a major victory for animal welfare
Participants in last year’s Run Malibu event, run along the coast. This year’s event, will be held this weekend, Nov. 15 and 16. Photo courtesy of Run Malibu
Exciting weekend road race set to raise money to help Malibu recover Thousands of runners to ‘Run Malibu’ for fun, health, and community
By BARBARA BURKE Special to The Malibu Times
She’s a tireless, tenacious warrior. Malibu’s Jennifer Conrad, DVM, is celebrating California’s new law prohibiting domestic cat declawing, an inhumane procedure that unnecessarily amputates the animal’s toe bones, causing great suffering. Conrad’s organization, the Paw Project (pawproject.org), the world’s Dr. Jennifer Conrad, DVM, founder of the Paw Project, is shown with a tiger during an largest nonprofit dedicated solely to operation. Conrad has operated on many large cats to repair the damage done by declawing. CONTINUED ON PAGE A6
Sharks boys water polo squad falls in double-overtime heartbreaker |B1
Contributed photo
By JUDY ABEL Special to The Malibu Times
It’s autumn! Prime season for runners seeking crisp morning air and golden skies. This weekend’s Run Malibu Half Marathon, 5K, and Kids Dolphin Dash promises scenic courses designed for runners and walkers of all ages and an important opportunity to connect with the community in an effort to raise funds for the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu.
For the past decade, BGCM has partnered with Run Malibu to raise funds that directly benefit the community. This year’s fundraising aspect is more important than ever after the catastrophic Palisades Fire leveled hundreds of homes in Malibu and because BGCM’s biggest fundraiser of the year was cancelled. BGCM’s Molly Scott, vice president of philanthropy, explained that even without the Chili Cook-Off this year, the club’s philanthropic arm is still working to deliver impactful services to fire survivors and the community as a whole in its time of need. “Ninety-nine dollars of every CONTINUED ON PAGE A6
Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . A2 • Driving Change: Malibu’s preventable pandemic: Why we choose death over streetlights News Briefs . . . . . . . . . A3 • The New York Times investigates California insurance commissioner Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . A4 • Nov. 15-16: Run Malibu Half Marathon, 5K & Kids Dolphin Dash Real Estate . . . . . . . . . A6 Malibu Life . . . . . . . . . B1 • A living tribute to our veterans to be staged at Smothers Theater People . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2 • Malibu Seen: New kid in town Legals . . . . . . . . . . . . .B3 Business & Directory B5 Classifieds B5 Sports B8 • Pepperdine women’s soccer team seals WCC crown, NCAA spot on wild final day