The Topanga Times News’ office is located exactly where these school children sat in neat rows at their desks in 1951, learning reading, writing, and arithmetic. The parents of some of these children attended school in the canyon’s original one room schoolhouse, which was decommissioned in 1924, exactly a hundred years ago. Join us as we head back in time and back to school! Photo courtesy of the Topanga Historical Society. Cover concept and design by Urs Baur.
September 22 is the fall equinox, the official end of summer. But for many, Labor Day marks the end of season. Schools are back in session, and all but the most determined vacationers are home again, but the weather hasn’t received the memo that the season is winding down. An Excessive Heat Warning was in effect for Topanga when TNT went to press. Temperatures are expected to cool down a bit by next week, but the heat, combined with sundowner winds, has raised fire fears. It’s a reminder that peak fire season is right around the corner. Now would be a good time to review emergency preparedness. Making sure horse trailers are sound and have working brakes, revisiting evacuation plans and emergency contact lists, making sure everyone in the household knows where to find important documents, essential medicines, and pet necessities like cat carriers, and packing—or repacking—a go bag couldn’t hurt. Now would be a good time, too, to finish brush clearance, and clean out rain gutters. All the signs suggest this is going to be a season of fire fear anxiety, but at least we can be prepared for it.
More wildlife crossings like the one that is being built over the 101 freeway at Liberty Canyon Central may be coming soon. California Wildlife Connected, a new public-private partnership initiative, will use the successful Liberty canyon project as a model for other wildlife crossings. The initiative was announced by Governor Gavin Newsom. It brings together the California Natural Resources Agency, Caltrans, the Wildlife Crossing Fund, and the National Wildlife Federation, in an effort to use the successful collaborative model developed during the planning, funding, and construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing at liberty Canyon and apply it to other places where wildlife connectivity is needed across the state.
“Wildlife crossings are more than just infrastructure; they are essential to our 30×30 commitment to conserve 30 percent of our lands and coastal waters by 2030,” Newsom stated. “These crossings serve as vital lifelines, connecting people to nature, and wildlife to its natural habitat–ensuring that our national treasures thrive for generations to come.”
Restoring connectivity is essential for the survival of species like the mountain lions of the Santa Monica Mountains, but it is equally essential to retain enough intact open space on either side of a wildlife crossing to support our wildlife, and to protect animals from threats like rodenticides and habitat fragmentation. The Topanga deer population recently faced an unexpected threat from hunters. The Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains recently reported that several individuals were observed hunting deer in Topanga State Park, where deer hunting has been illegal since the land became a state park. The hunters informed park officials they were there because an app erroneously identified the park as a legal hunting area. It isn’t. State Parks is investigating the issue. Anyone who observes hunting, trapping or any other illegal activity is encouraged to immediately call the California State Park’s dispatch at 951-443-2969.
Illegal bonfires have also been a problem at state beaches this summer, including Topanga. That’s also something that should be reported. No open flame is permitted at any local beach.
Roads are dangerous for humans as well as wildlife. Caltrans is hosting a series of meetings in Malibu to finally attempt to address the increasing number of fatalities on Pacific Coast Highway. Proposed safety measures include removing land-side parking to accommodate dedicated bike lanes, and adding traffic calming measures like traffic circles at several busy—and potentially deadly—intersections. Highway safety is expected to be a major talking point during the city council elections in Malibu this fall, where three incumbents and two new names are on the ballot, but it’s a tough problem to solve, because the main street is a state highway, and is not under local control, leaving decisions like changes to speed limits entirely up to the state agency.
We were saddened to learn of the death of Merrick Davidson, one of the original founders of the Topanga Messenger in 1976, and he was that paper’s first publisher. Merrick was a passionate advocate for the nature, art, beauty and free thinking that make Topanga such a special place. The Davidson family is asking for memories and photographs of Merrick. Anyone who would like to share can email [email protected].
Stay safe, be well.
