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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. XXXI
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2025
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First Thanksgiving feast remembered
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors excludes City of Malibu fire victims from fee waivers
In our annual tradition, we look back at the Pilgrims’ first feast in America
A vote Nov. 25 could give Malibu fire victims equity
By JODY STUMP Special to The Malibu Times
The first Thanksgiving was meant to be a simple recreation of a traditional English harvest festival, celebrated on Sept. 29 in the Pilgrims’ homeland. But the colonists got more than they hoped for that first feast. The year 1621 had been a challenging one for the colonists. That winter, more than half the colony had died of influenza and, in the summer, un-Christian-like squabbles over sharing crops had destroyed whatever communal harmony had survived. In the fall, Plymouth Colony Governor William Bradford privatized and subdivided the cornfields. Then, he negotiated a peace treaty with the local Native Americans who had taught them to grow the life-saving grain. And, he invited Wampanoag Chief Massasoit to dinner. CONTINUED ON PAGE A5
By JUDY ABEL Special to The Malibu Times
Malibu Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce’s Maryam Zar performs the honors, with the help of Malibu Mayor Marianne Riggins (far left) and City Councilmember Doug Stewart (right) at the ribbon-cutting for Brian Goldberg’s (behind Zar in blue shirt) new Malibu General Store. Photos by Brian Goldberg and Parker Davis
Reimagining Eastern Malibu’s commercial sector Malibuites, city council and mayor celebrate opening of the Malibu General Store By BARBARA BURKE Special to The Malibu Times
“Step into our curated world of craftsmanship, artistry, and coastal sophistication,” Brian Goldberg said as he welcomed guests to a ribbon-cutting celebrating the opening of the Malibu General Store located at the old A&B Hardware location in Eastern Malibu at 24249 Pacific Coast Highway. “Our store brings together an
exclusive selection of local artists, fine jewelry designers, apparel brands, bespoke furniture, and distinctive home and lifestyle pieces, each chosen for its quality, authenticity, and timeless appeal.” Neverminding the rain, approximately 50 people attended the event sponsored by the City of Malibu. Attendees thoroughly enjoyed looking at all the vendors’ merchandise. Malibu General Store features local brands, including Candace Kelly Resort, Heather Gardner Jewelry, Beryll,
House of Malibu, and Pistol & Lucy. Other featured merchants include Organic Research Group, Habitat Home & Garden, Watchet Lane, The Fabric Merchant, Harden, Greg Moulin Limited Editions, and Wilkin & May. Kjirsten Fouts Art and Eamon Harrington Art are also on show. “For the holidays we’ll have Christmas trees from the Malibu High School Christmas Tree CONTINUED ON PAGE A7
A decade in the making: Malibu’s path to its own school district moves forward Key separation agreements go before SMMUSD and Malibu City Council in early December By HAYLEY MATTSON Publisher, Editor in Chief
After more than a decade of advocacy, negotiations, and legal battles, the long-sought separation of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) into two independent districts is finally within reach. In the coming weeks, both the SMMUSD Board of Education and the Malibu City Council will vote on three cornerstone agree-
Malibu Council OKs controversial $50 million PCH safety project, denies Malibu Township Council appeal After an emotional, hours-long hearing, the City Council voted 3–1 to uphold Caltrans’ coastal permit for sweeping Pacific Coast Highway upgrades By HAYLEY MATTSON Publisher, Editor in Chief
In a tense and emotionally charged session on Monday, Nov. 25, the Malibu City Council voted to approve a controversial Caltrans safety improvement project for Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), denying an appeal from the Malibu
Township Council (MTC) that sought modifications to protect environmental interests and community aesthetics. The decision — made after hours of public testimony, disclosures, and pointed questioning — greenlights more than $50 million in upgrades aimed at curbing the highway’s deadly CONTINUED ON PAGE A8
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this week
ments that would formally pave the way for the creation of the Malibu Unified School District (MUSD) and the Santa Monica Unified School District (SMUSD). The votes, scheduled for Dec. 1 and Dec. 8, respectively, represent the most significant milestone since Malibu voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure in 2018 calling for separation feasibility studies and, ultimately, local control of their schools. The movement to detach Malibu from the 140-year-old joint district began in earnest in the early 2010s, when Malibu parents and residents (From left) Boys & Girls Club Malibu VP of Philanthropy Molly Scott, Colcanyon Estate Wines co-owner John Freeman, and BCGM Board grew increasingly frustrated with Member Lauren Rae Levy are all part of the philanthrophic partnership between the winery and BCGM. Photo by Sidney Paiva what they described as inequitable CONTINUED ON PAGE A6
In the weeks and now months following the catastrophic Palisades Fire that decimated more than 700 homes in Malibu — wiping out scores of family homes from along Pacific Coast Highway through Big Rock, Las Flores, and beyond — Malibu’s representative on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Lindsey Horvath, could be heard touting her commitment to helping fire victims rebuild swiftly. She has used the phrase “unprecedented urgency” when talking about getting families back to their homes. In a four-month milestone update, the supervisor reflected on “our shared commitment to rebuild stronger, safer, and more equitably,” adding, “now it’s our responsibility to make sure government keeps
A perfect pairing: Malibu Vineyard bounces back Freeman was discussing Colcanyon’s collaboraMalibu’s Colcanyon Estate Wines tion with the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu. John donates net proceeds from wine sales Freeman, co-owner of Colcanyon, shared that the to the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu vineyard burned in 2018 as a result of the Woolsey By BARBARA BURKE Special to The Malibu Times
It’s been a long time coming, but Malibu’s Colcanyon Estate Wines is back in business, and its vintners are supporting Malibu as it recovers from the Woolsey and other fires by donating proceeds of wine sales to the Boys & Girls Club Malibu. “Our personal experience with the Woolsey Fire was an incredibly difficult time, and we understand how devastating it can be for families and small businesses,” said Donna Freeman, co-owner of Colcanyon Estate Wines. “Our wines are 100% Malibu estate-grown, and it only feels right that the fruits of our vines give back to the community that has given us so much.”
Fire, and that 2025 was his first year back at it. He noted that Colcanyon’s kind donations are intended to provide long-term, steady financial support of BCGM’s work. BGCM’s Disaster Recovery Services, operated in partnership with the Malibu Community Long Term Recovery Group (MCLTRG), provide longterm recovery assistance for survivors of the Palisades and Franklin fires. Through its Disaster Recovery Center and Care Coordination Team, the Club offers personalized recovery planning, connects families with the latest available support and resources, and advocates to increase financial resources for the community. The program also delivers crisis counseling, trauma-informed case management, CONTINUED ON PAGE A7
Generations collide in Malibu High’s Annual Water Polo Showdown |B1
Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . .A2 • Shop and dine local on Small Business Saturday to support Malibu’s recovery News Briefs . . . . . . . . . A3 • First home completed post Palisades Fire Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . A4 • NOV 28: MEF Student-Led Holiday Tree Lot Opens Community . . . . . . . . . A7 • Small Business Saturday Real Estate . . . . . . . . . .A8 • Law firm takes first legal step toward wrongful death suit in tragic death of 8-year-old at King Gillette Ranch Malibu Life . . . . . . . . . B1 • Malibu sixth-grader takes center stage in Westside Ballet’s largest-ever ‘Nutcracker’ People . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2 • Malibu Seen: Sunday Rainy Sunday: Part Two Community . . . . . . . . . B3 Legals . . . . . . . . . . . . .B4 Business & Directory . . .B7 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . B7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . B10 • Marlow captures MVP as Malibu High volleyball shines in Citrus Coast League