Pico Youth & Family Center (PYFC) presents the 6th Annual Santa Monica Classic Car Show on the Santa Monica Pier. Lowride for a Cause!

Saturday, August 29th from 10am to 4pm.

Lowride for a Cause. All proceeds will benefit youth services and after-school programming for underserved youth in Santa Monica and Los Angeles County.

Last year, more than 5,000 people attended this family-friendly event. The event is free for all spectators and guests on foot. This year, over 200 classic cars of various makes and models, some dating back to 1930’s will be on display.

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The spookiest surf contest in the land will re-emerge from the ashes once more, and victory will be glorious! Stay tuned for details but save the date! Saturday, October 24 is the day for a truly creepy competition!

Bay Street Boards
3216 Santa Monica Blvd,
Santa Monica, CA 90404

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City of Malibu’s PCH Speed Safety System: Education & Outreach Phase Begins

The City of Malibu is nearing completion of construction of its PCH Speed Safety System and is launching the public education and outreach phase.

The system uses lidar and cameras to detect vehicles traveling at least 11 MPH over the posted speed limit.

Late September 2026: A 60-day warning period begins. Motorists who exceed the threshold will receive warnings only

Late November 2026: Enforcement begins, with qualifying violations resulting in civil penalties. No license points or insurance penalties will apply.

The system is designed to reduce dangerous speeding, prevent crashes and save lives. It will only record when a speed violation is detected, and strong privacy protections apply

The City of Malibu Fire Safety Liaisons monitored a small brush fire that started Monday, 8/17, about 9:20 PM on Yerba Buena Rd., about 5 miles north of Pacific Coast Highway, just west of the Malibu City limits.

Ventura County Fire Department responded with two fixed-wing water-dropping aircraft and quickly stopped forward progress at about 2 acres. The cause is under investigation.

While there was no threat to Malibu, the City continuously monitors fires in our surrounding area and will follow up with emergency alerts and messaging on the City website and social media if a fire becomes a threat to Malibu, helping residents stay informed and ready

Small fires are a powerful reminder to get started on emergency planning, including evacuation routes, reunification locations, emergency supplies and essential documents. Monitor for fire weather, fire starts and evacuation information through emergency alerts and local news coverage so you are ready to act.

Opening day of the redesigned Original Venice Beach Skate Park. Local Venice Skateboarding legends show up for the ribbon cutting.

The Skatepark Foudation rebuilt the poorly designed original skate park and this is opening day.

The Malibu City Council unanimously approved a declaration of local emergency on August 10 after Live Fuel Moisture (LFM) levels in the Santa Monica Mountains fell below 65%, the threshold the Council has set for hazardous fire conditions. The declaration allows the City, all of which is within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, to act more quickly to remove homeless encampments to reduce the risk of fires associated with unpermitted camping.

“Declaring a local emergency provides an important proactive measure to reduce wildfire risk and protects lives and homes in Malibu as fire conditions worsen as we move towards the peak fire season,” said Mayor Bruce Silverstein. “This emergency declaration enables the City to act swiftly in reducing wildfire risks while continuing our balanced approach that protects both public safety and vulnerable community members.”

LFM is the percentage of water in living plants and is one of the key wildfire threat indicators. The Los Angeles County Fire Department takes fuel samples every two weeks. When the percentage of moisture reaches 60 percent, the fuels will burn as if they are dead, meaning fires will grow rapidly and pose a greater risk to lives, property and the environment. The City declares its local emergency when the Live Fuel Moisture reaches 65%. This most recent fuel sample came in at 63% from the previous reading of 67%.

The declaration allows the City to expedite the removal of homeless encampments in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. During normal conditions, state law requires a more extensive noticing process, while under the emergency declaration, removals can be completed within a day. These measures are part of the City’s comprehensive, balanced approach that combines compassionate outreach and housing placement with enforcement to protect public safety, public health, and the environment.

Malibu’s approach has yielded measurable results. The 2026 Homeless Count shows Malibu’s unhoused population has declined to 27 individuals and 16 total dwellings (tents, cars, RVs, vans, makeshift shelters), the lowest number since the City started tracking in 2016, down from 46 in 2025, 69 in 2024, 71 in 2023, 81 in 2022, and 157 in 2021. The City’s Homeless Outreach Team, operated by The People Concern, continues to successfully connect individuals with permanent housing, interim placements, and family reunification services.

The City also proactively removes encampments year-round to address wildfire, public safety, public health, and environmental concerns. Working alongside the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Malibu cleared 44 encampments in 2025, 44 in 2024, and 29 in 2023.

The declaration will remain in effect for the duration of the hazardous fire season until: the City has received at least two inches of rain; LFM is at least 80%; and there have been no Fire Weather Watches or Red Flag Warnings in the previous two weeks and there are none in the extended forecast for Malibu.

Malibu City Council Decides Not to Proceed with PCH Quick-Build Roundabouts at Proposed Location

At its August 10 meeting, the Malibu City Council directed staff to place the Pacific Coast Highway Quick-Build Roundabouts Project on hold and remove it from the City’s Capital Improvement Program.

The proposed project called for single-lane roundabouts at El Matador Beach Road and Encinal Canyon Road as a traffic-calming and safety measure on PCH.

Before making its decision, the Council reviewed updated traffic and wildfire evacuation analysis, along with simulations examining traffic flow, cyclists, pedestrians, emergency vehicles and access to nearby properties. The wildfire evacuation assessment found that the proposed roundabouts would have a minimal impact on overall evacuation performance, with an estimated 1.4% increase in evacuation clearance time under the modeled PSPS scenario.

The City is actively coordinating with Metro to reimburse the eligible design expenses that occurred on the project to date. The remaining Measure M funding allocated specifically for the roundabouts would be returned to Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath’s Office for consideration for other regional transportation priorities.

The City remains focused on improving safety on PCH and is moving forward with other safety measures, including the PCH Speed Safety System.

On August 14, 2026, the Santa Monica Police Department will conduct a driving under the influence (DUI) Checkpoint from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. at an undisclosed location.

DUI checkpoint locations are determined based on data showing incidents of impaired driving-related crashes. The primary purpose of DUI checkpoints is to promote public safety by taking suspected impaired drivers off the road.

Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk. Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improve traffic safety.

SMPD reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.

Drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Los Angeles County Lifeguards had the privilege of being recognized by Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath for the tremendous commitment, courage, and teamwork demonstrated by our personnel during an exceptionally busy stretch from July 24–28.



During that time, Los Angeles County Lifeguards performed nearly 2,000 ocean rescues along the Los Angeles County coastline, demonstrating the skill, professionalism, and dedication required when our beaches and ocean conditions are at their busiest.
Photos: Doug Morrison, LACoFD Photographer