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Unbridled History 
February 6, 2026 0 27  
Year of the Horse 
Suzanne Guldimann, February 6, 2026 0  
All over the world, people will be celebrating the Lunar New Year on February 17, and welcoming the Year of the Fire Horse. One of the twelve Asian zodiac animals, the horse is a powerful presence that is said...
Deadly Mushrooms 
Suzanne Guldimann, January 23, 2026 1  
Foraging for mushrooms? Don’t die.  That’s the message from California Poison Control this winter. Thirty-five people have gotten sick so far this season after consuming death cap mushrooms they mistook for edible varieties. Three of the victims needed liver...
The Palisades Fire: One Year Later 
Suzanne Guldimann, January 9, 2026 0  
Life changed for everyone in Pacific Palisades, Topanga and Malibu on January 7 2025. A year after the Palisades Fire those who live or work in its shadow still aren’t used to the endless roadwork, the delays, the road...
Retrospective: Pacific Palisades-Paradise Lost 
Suzanne Guldimann, December 26, 2025 0  
Originally published in the February 21, 2025 issue of Topanga New Times The Palisades fire is named for the Palisades Highlands, where the blaze erupted on the morning of January 7, 2025. The conflagration rapidly spread throughout Pacific Palisades...
07 Feb 2026
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The Bear Truth 

Suzanne Guldimann, May 19, 2023 3 11 min read  
We have a new neighbor in the Santa Monica Mountains. On April 23, National Park Service biologists captured and radio-collared a 210-pound black bear in the western Santa Monica Mountains, south of the 101 Freeway. The bear, a young...
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Trail Hazards 

Suzanne Guldimann, March 5, 2021 0 7 min read  
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area trail advocate and builder Milt McAully often hiked in shorts, but pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and sturdy shoes with thick socks are recommended for those of us mere mortals who are vulnerable to...