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Bill calling for speed cameras on PCH in Malibu headed for governor’s desk – NBC Los Angeles

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Bill calling for speed cameras on PCH in Malibu headed for governor’s desk – NBC Los Angeles


Ten months after four Pepperdine University students were fatally struck in a crash caused by an allegedly speeding driver on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, a state Senate bill calling for speed cameras in five locations along PCH cleared its final hurdle in the Legislature on Friday and was headed for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.

Senate Bill 1297, authored by Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica, and co-authored by Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin, D Thousand Oaks, was approved by a 54-6 vote in the Assembly on Thursday before returning to the Senate on Friday, when it got final legislative approval in a 36-4 vote. Assemblywoman Laura Friedman, D-Glendale, and Sen. Henry Stern, D-Los Angeles, also sponsored the measure.

The bill would authorize the installation of five speed-camera systems along a 21-mile stretch of PCH in the Malibu area.

According to a statement from the city of Malibu, “These systems will be strategically placed in areas identified as having the highest incidence of speed-related collisions and fatalities. The goal is to deter speeding, reduce traffic accidents, and save lives in a community deeply affected by these issues.”

In a statement Friday, Allen said, “The Legislature’s passage of SB 1297 brings us one step closer to making the Pacific Coast Highway safer for everyone.”

“The introduction of speed cameras will play a crucial role in curbing reckless driving and protecting both residents and visitors,” Allen added. “I am hopeful that Governor Newsom will recognize the importance of this legislation and sign it into law on behalf of drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians along this stretch of highway.”

The bill was introduced in February, some four months after the deaths of the four Pepperdine students — Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams.

The students, who were all 20 or 21 years old, were killed on the night of Oct. 17, 2023, when a driver who was allegedly speeding west on PCH slammed into several parked cars on the north shoulder of the roadway. Sheriff’s officials said those parked cars struck the four women, killing them at the scene.

Pepperdine University held a memorial in honor of the four students who were killed in a violent crash in Malibu. Macy Jenkins reports for the NBC4 News on Oct. 22, 2023.

The driver, Fraser Michael Bohm, 22, was charged with four counts of murder and four counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

The tragedy prompted widespread calls for increased safety along the stretch of PCH, with an emphasis on slowing down speeders. Measures have also included infrastructure improvements, enhanced enforcement and community outreach.

“The approval of SB 1297 is just one more piece of the puzzle to save lives along one of the most dangerous stretches of highway in California,” Irwin said in a statement Friday.

“This legislation builds on our efforts that led to Caltrans to spend over $4 million on road safety improvements along PCH over the past year.”

Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart called the possibility of adding speed cameras to the stretch of PCH “a critical step forward in our ongoing efforts to make Malibu safer for everyone who travels along the Pacific Coast Highway.”

“The loss of the four Pepperdine students was a devastating reminder of the dangers posed by speeding,” Stewart said in a statement Friday. “Now, I urge Governor Newsom to sign SB 1297 into law so we can start implementing these vital safety measures”



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How to add California driver’s license to iPhone, Apple Watch – NBC Los Angeles

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How to add California driver’s license to iPhone, Apple Watch – NBC Los Angeles


California driver’s license holders can now add their state ID to Apple Wallet on their IPhone and Apple Watch, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday.

The digital IDs will be accepted at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) check points, including Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco Airport, as well as select businesses. 

“With this new integration, we’re working to better serve the people of California in the 21st Century,” Newsom said in a statement.

Here’s how to add your ID to Apple Wallet

  1. Go to Apple Wallet
  2. Click the + button on the top right-hand corner
  3. Under the “Add to Wallet” section, tap “Driver’s License or State ID” to select “California mDL Pilot.
  4. Scan the front and back sides of your California ID
  5. Scan your face
  6. Take a picture
  7. Wait for verification from the California DMV.

But there’s a catch

The mobile driver’s license (mDL) pilot program is currently only limited to 1.5 million participants. 

If your license is expired or suspended, your mDL will be rejected.

Other factors that could impact your mDL applications are:

  • Wearing headwear
  • Not using plain background
  • Lack of consistent lighting
  • Other faces in the frame
  • Wearing sunglasses

More tips can be found here.

Last month, the state announced the DMV addition of Google Wallet as an option to hold driver’s licenses and identification cards. 



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New LA City Council president begins leadership role – NBC Los Angeles

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New LA City Council president begins leadership role – NBC Los Angeles


Los Angeles City Council President Paul Krekorian will hand over the position Friday to Council President Pro Tem Marqueece Harris-Dawson in a leadership shakeup for the 15-member panel.

First elected to in 2015, the 54-year-old Harris-Dawson represents Council District 8, where he won his first election with 62-percent of the vote in an area that includes Baldwin Hills, Chesterfield Square, Crenshaw, Jefferson Park and other communities.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Harris-Dawson won his bid for the top council post in May and vowed to focus on the city’s homeless crisis. The chair of the city’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee co-authored Prop HHH, which was a $1.2 million bond measure to provide permanent supportive housing.

The council voted 14-0 to name Harris-Dawson as Krekorian’s successor as president.

As president, Harris-Dawson will preside as chair over council meetings, have the power to assign council committees and handle parliamentary duties such as ruling motions in or out of order. He was elected president pro tempore to replace Curren Price, who stepped down after he was charged in June 2023 with embezzlement, perjury and conflict of interest.

Harris-Dawson is expected to serve as president through mid-December. Following November’s election and once new council members assume their offices, another election will be held to elect a council president for a new term.

Krekorian received an ovation Thursday at his final meeting as council president. The Council District 2 representative will leave the body in December due to term limits. Councilman Bob Blumenfield unveiled plans to rename two sites in honor of Krekorian — the Victory Valley Child Care Center at 6451 Saint Clair Ave., and the Valley Plaza Sports Fields at 6980 Whitsett Ave. in North Hollywood.

Krekorian, whose district includes east San Fernando Valley neighborhoods, was first elected to the council in late 2009. He was elected council president in the wake of a leaked audio recording of colleagues, including then-President Nury Martinez, that shook City Hall.

Martinez resigned in 2022 after being heard in a recorded racially charged conversation with two other council members and a county labor official discussing the council’s redistricting process. The recorded conversation included racist comments about a colleague’s young Black adopted son.

Krekorian stepped into the council presidency during the tumultuous time at City Hall.

“I couldn’t do the work for the next 79 days and I couldn’t do the work as council president, and I couldn’t have done the work as an Assembly member or anything else without the support, guidance and love that I’ve received from my wife, Tamar, for the last quarter of the century almost,” Krekorian said.

He also thanked his staff.

“To all my staff, I hope you noticed that a number of members of this council specifically recognized you and that’s because you do extraordinary work — not only for me, our constituents, but for the entire city of Los Angeles,” Krekorian said.





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Find Riverside County Airport Fire recovery assistance – NBC Los Angeles

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Find Riverside County Airport Fire recovery assistance – NBC Los Angeles


Residents impacted by the Airport Fire in Riverside County can visit a local assistance center in Lake Elsinore.

Residents seeking assistance with food, health care support and more are welcomed to visit the one-stop resource center located at the Lake Community Center. The center will be open from noon to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

The Riverside County Department of Public Social Services, Public Health, Housing & Workforce Solutions and other local agencies will be joined by representatives from the California Office of Emergency Services and several nonprofit organizations to provide information on how to get financial, medical and related aid.

Residents seeking help also can click here.

On Tuesday, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved an emergency declaration, enabling the county to seek state and federal allocations for infrastructure repairs or improvements and general recovery of expenses stemming from the blaze.

As of Thursday, the Airport Fire was 41% contained at more than 23,500 acres in Orange and Riverside counties.

For information about Orange County recovery resources, click here.



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