June 12, 2014 | www.MalibuTimes.com 25 Cents | No. 24Malibu’s Award Winning Community Paper | Since 1946

Malibu mothers’ group Le Leche

League celebrates its second anniversary.

Malibu Life: B1

View. View. View. Off the Grid in Malibu! $2,995,000

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Local dad Leslie Gilliams

competes on Chef Gordon Ramsey’s

‘MasterChef.’Malibu Life: B1

CrossFit Malibu hosts fundraiser to replace stolen MHS gym equip-ment. Photos, B4

Michel Shane offers words of wisdom to MHS Class of 2014. Opinion, A4

Tunnel construction begins this month on Kanan Dume Road and Malibu Canyon tunnels. News Briefs, A3

I N S I D E

Calendar A2Classified B11-13Crossword B3Dining & Entertainment A8Opinion A4Real Estate A10-14Business Directories B9-13Legal Notices B5-7

Keillor visits Malibu

Julie Ellerton / TMTAuthor and radio host Garrison Keillor signs his book “The Keillor Reading” for actor Dick Van Dyke and wife Arlene. Keillor spoke at Diesel in Malibu on Saturday evening. See more photos from the event on page A9.

See Council, page A7

See Graduation 2014, page A10

Class of 2014: ‘We are free!’Thirteen valedictorians share Malibu High’s academic honors at the 2014 ceremony.By Nancy SagonaSpecial to Malibu Times

Graduates shared the brilliance of the sun last Friday as Malibu High School

(MHS) sent off the class of 2014 in per-fect Malibu style.

Clad in black and teal robes, 182 seniors beamed with optimism during a ceremony on the MHS Athletic Field, hoping to be the generation that changes the current.

“In spite of murky waters and fierce

currents ahead of us, let us not forget one thing. We are Sharks!” said graduating senior Nicholas Ficeto.

Senior Class President Nathaniel Gruendemann said, “Congratulations seniors, we are free!”

Some belted out Steely Dan’s popu-lar hit song “My Old School,” singing

“I’m never going back to my old school.” However, the general message from grad-uates, teachers and parents was for the graduates to do what makes them happy.

This year, MHS had not one, but 13 valedictorians. To be honored as a class valedictorian, a student must have earned

Julie Ellerton / TMTMalibu High School’s Class of 2014 tosses its caps in the air at the end of Friday’s graduation ceremony. For more photos, see pages A10-11.

Beach BasicsA look at the weekend beach totals:Visitors - 178,350Rescues - 28Citations issued - 668

Council orders reports on Reiner initiativeCity officials believe proposal to regulate chain stores and development would affect economics, environment, planning and social aspects of the city. By Emily SawickiStaff Writer

June will be a long month for proponents of the “Your Malibu, Your Decision” ballot initiative.

Councilmembers on Monday ordered city staff to prepare impact reports on the proposal, which would put restrictions on so-called “formula retail establishments.” They also postponed a discussion on whether to allow the initiative onto this year’s November bal-lot or delay it until the April 2016 election.

“My feeling is that this is something that’s going to affect every single citizen in Malibu, and I think everyone deserves to know

Malibu voter participation slips Local participation in the county and state primary hovers just below 20 percent; Kuehl and Shriver to face off in November.

By Melissa CaskeyManaging Editor

The numbers are in, and local voter participation is on the decline.

Last week’s primaries gar-nered just 19.8 percent turnout among eligible Malibu voters — 10 percent less than the last non-presidential primary and nearly 60 percent less than the 2012 presi-dential election.

Stil l , Malibu’s par ticipa-tion rate was higher than the LA County average, which saw about 13 percent voter turnout across the board. Statewide, California averaged 18 percent turnout.

Of Malibu’s 9,097 eligible reg-istered voters, a combined 1,799 voters (19.8 percent) submitted ballots in person last Tuesday or in the mail (see numeric breakdown

See Elections, page A7 See Cheech, page A12

See Common core, page A5

New school curriculum worries parentsMalibu Middle School parents raise concerns that new common core curriculum puts barrier between gifted students and advanced math courses.

By Emily SawickiStaff Writer

Changes to Malibu High School curriculum, the effect of new, stringent national standards for primary and secondary educa-tion, are causing concern amongst the parents of some of Malibu’s academically advanced students.

According to some Malibu par-ents, the new common core could

place a major hurdle between their high-achieving children and the highest level of learning in math, namely AP Calculus CD, which is taken every year by a small number

of students in the district.The group of Malibu parents,

which has reportedly grown to be over 50 strong, has arranged

Cheech’s Chicano art missionActor Cheech Marin speaks in Malibu on his appreciation of Chicano art. By Jimy TallalSpecial to The Malibu Times

Cheech Marin — best known

as half of the comedic Cheech and Chong stoner duo — shared his love of art with more than 100 people at Malibu City Hall last Wednesday during his presenta-tion, “Chicano Art – Perspectives

Julie Ellerton / TMT

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