PACIFIC PALISADES—Developer Rick Caruso announced that Palisades Village will officially reopen on Saturday, August 15, after being closed since January 2025 as a result of the Palisades Fire. The outdoor shopping center was closed for 19 months, marking the end of one of the community’s best-known gathering places being unavailable to residents.

The center itself survived the blaze because it had a private fire department, private water tanks, and fire-retardant materials.

While buildings in the shopping center survived, the site required extensive repairs and environmental remediation to remove contaminants left behind by smoke, ash, and fire debris. Crews worked to tear the buildings down to the studs in order to treat the wood and rebuild the walls. Caruso indicated the process cost more than $100 million in repairs and environmental remediation before Palisades Village could safely reopen to the public.

Caruso framed the reopening as a symbolic win for the broader Pacific Palisades community, which is still in the early stages of rebuilding. In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Caruso said, “The stores are going to be open, the restaurants are going to be open, and this community is back, and it will be growing.”

Caruso indicated the reopening will bring back many longtime local businesses alongside new tenants. The center is about 99 percent leased, with roughly one-third of tenants new to the property. The Village, which first opened in 2018, is set to reopen on Saturday, August 15, with events starting at 10 a.m. and a “big surprise” planned for later in the evening, as Caruso described.

By Milan Manesh

WESTWOOD—Beginning on July 16, and continuing through August 6, the Westwood Village Theater, operated by The American Cinematheque (AC), will screen a special three-week run of Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” featuring three shows daily, in dual-projector 70mm film for audiences. The theater is located at 961 Broxton Ave. Los Angeles, CA, 90024.

The Westwood Village Theater is currently undergoing a soft-opening this summer, with a planned closure in the fall to prepare for its $25-million restoration and grand reopening in 2027. The restoration process will add a restaurant, bar, gallery, and shared space for filmmakers to host premiere events, according to the Los Angeles Times.

According to reports from The Hollywood Reporter, the three-week screening of Nolan’s “The Odyssey” has been orchestrated by Universal Pictures, The American Cinematheque, and the Village Directors Circle to fundraise for the Westwood Village Theaters’ renovation and restoration efforts.

As seen on the American Cinematheque Instagram, with the anticipated release of film, the Westwood Village Theater will show the film on dual restored Norelco 70mm projectors, restored by Ben Tucker, Chief Projectionist at AC, and Paul Smith, CEO of D-Mation INC, which will complement Nolan’s trademark analog film technique and bring a seamless look of The Odyssey onto 70mm film.

Megan Hanson

GRIFFITH PARK—This July, silent disco hits Griffith Park, as Kristen Smith, the dance captain and organizer of Dance Quest, a silent disco hiking event held at the Old Los Angeles Zoo, takes hikers on a 1.5-mile loop around the park with a curated and private playlist.

According to the Dance Quest Instagram, Smith began the silent disco hike to bring the community together through music, dancing, and light exercise, all while exploring the Griffith Park trails. All ages are welcome, but Dance Quest recommends the participation by hikers over the age of 6.

On the Eventbrite website, the disco is listed as an easy-to-medium-level hike that includes fun nature facts and a curated playlist spanning decades for hikers to dance to, listen to, or both as they are guided by Smith.

Also included in Eventbrite are the Dance Quest dates, times, themed hikes, and ticket purchasing. With July bringing a variety of silent disco opportunities, such as Saturday, July 18, at 9 a.m., Tuesday, July 21, at 7 p.m., and Tuesday, July 28, at 7 p.m. the Halloween in July themed hike takes place.

Meet Dance Quest at Spring Canyon, 5400 Griffith Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027. Eventbrite asks to input the location into Google Maps rather than Apple Maps, as Apple Maps will take hikes to the wrong location.

For more information, visit dancequest_silentdisco on Instagram

 

By Megan Hanson

WESTWOOD—On July 8, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced that Jeffrey Ying, 39, of Fremont, near San Francisco Bay, was sentenced to 366 days of home confinement for stealing rare copies of historical Chinese manuscripts from the University of California, Los Angeles library. The value of the manuscripts is $216,000.

Ying was arrested in August 2025. He pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of theft of a major artwork for stealing a manuscript that was made in the 17th century during China’s Qing dynasty.

In December 2024, he borrowed rare manuscripts from the library, and days later returned a copy he made instead of the original. Each time, Ying would also travel to China several days later.  During this period, he used the name Austin Chen, Jason Wang and Alan Fujimori.

In 2025, university librarians noticed rare manuscripts were missing.  Their search revealed that the texts had been reserved by Alan Fujimori, due to their value, the texts were not included in those placed in regular circulation and were checked out by him.

An investigation by the UCLA Police Department commenced where authorities searched Ying’s hotel room in Brentwood, and discovered asset tags, pre-made labels used by libraries for inventory and checkout. They also found blank manuscripts and paperwork that resembled the books Ying checked out of the library.

After Ying was arrested, he was in possession of an ID bearing the name Austin Chen, along with two library cards, one bearing that name and the other bearing the name Jason Wang. The FBI’s Art Crime Team also conducted an investigation, and no further information has been released to the public.

By Daniel Diquinzio

BEVERLY HILLS—Around 11:30 a.m. on June 30, officers with the Beverly Hills Police Department responded to reports of vandalism by three elderly women near Gregory Way and La Cienega. According to NBC 4 Los Angeles, the three women are 75, 65, and 60 years old.

Another officer spotted the women and reported them.  After the responding officer arrived at the scene, they found the women posting political signs on traffic utility boxes owned by the city of Beverly Hills and using glue from a bucket to secure them.

The BHPD issued them a citation for vandalism defined by Title 5, Chapter 9 of the Beverly Hills Municipal Code and by Section 594 PC of the California Penal Code as occurring when someone either defaces property with material or graffiti or damages or destroys property.

The women were cited because removing the glue from the boxes would be difficult. They were released by police but had to pay a fine of less than $400.

By Daniel Diquinzio

MALIBU—On July 8, the city of Malibu announced its inclusion in California’s 2026 Fire Risk Reduction Community List (FRRCL), awarded by the Board of Forestry & Fire Protection of the state of California.

Malibu was recognized for its dedication to reducing wildfire risk, and creating safer environments for wildlife, residents, and vegetation through its fire planning and prevention strategies. This list, which includes 41 other committed California cities, took effect on July 1, 2026, and will remain active until July 1, 2028.

To showcase the dedication Malibu has taken in protecting its community against wildfires, Malibu presented its After-Action Review (AAR), specific to Malibu’s wildfire operations, to the Malibu City Council on March 9, 2026, and to the Public Safety Commission Meeting on April 1, 2026.

Malibu’s AAR consists of 10 major focus categories, all of which provide recommendations to improve emergency response and operations. As listed in Malibu’s AAR, the 10 major focus categories are:

Preparedness, ECO & Incident Management, Government & Policy, Operational Coordination, Communication, Community Evacuation, Emergency Public Information, Technology, Emergency Purchasing Process, and Workforce & Staff Sustainability.

Malibu has already begun implementing the strategies presented in their AAR as early as June. On June 27, 2026, the city announced the Merlin Circuit Undergrounding, which is covered in the Communication category of the AAR.

As stated in the cities announcement, with FRRCL recognition comes its own set of advantages and priorities from organizations such as CAL FIRE, including access to fire prevention grants, state funds, and potential lower insurance costs for Malibu homeowners.

To read Malibu’s AAR, visit https://malibucity.org/DocumentCenter/View/37295/FINAL_-PUBLIC_Malibu-AAR_-2526

To read Malibu’s Merlin Circuit Undergrounding, visit https://www.malibucity.org/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/2104

To read more on FRRCL, visit https://bof.fire.ca.gov/projects-and-programs/fire-risk-reduction-community-list/

By Megan Hanson

GRIFFITH PARK—Two baby raccoons were spotted wandering into Dodger Stadium during the baseball game on Tuesday, July 7 against the Colorado Rockies. They were seen roaming underneath the outfield wall padding and along the warning track. Broadcasters acknowledged the furry critters on air and told viewers that help was on the way.

The two raccoons, one brown and one gray, went viral on social media. Multiple posts and clips spread quickly across platforms including TikTok, Instagram and X. Fans joked online about wanting to adopt the raccoons, despite it being illegal to do so.

Officials gave no explanation for how the animals got onto the field. The incident occurred during the same game in which Shohei Ohtani hit his 300th career home run. The Dodgers lost the game 4 to 3, falling behind after Colorado scored three runs in the eighth inning.

By Milan Manesh

BEVERLY HILLS—The Union 76 Gas Station on the corner of Crescent Drive and Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills, is expected to transition into Maggie’s Refuel, a high-end luxury gas-station founded by Alex Canter and set to open its doors later this year.

As seen on Maggie’s Refuel website, the gas station labels itself as “the first nice gas station,” with founder Alex Canter promoting that promise to future customers through the company’s social media platforms. Maggie’s Refuel is set to feature a coffee bar, specialty snacks, soft-serve ice cream, Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations, craft beer and fine wines, and locally sourced pastries from Beverly Hills bakeries.

CEO and Founder Alex Canter is also known for his association with the Los Angeles restaurant, Canter’s Deli, and is the co-founder of Nextbite. With this next business venture, Canter is looking to bring a luxury-style experience to Beverly Hills by reimagining gas-station culture. Maggie’s Refuel is looking to take gas-station convenience and elevate it into a luxury experience for all customers.

According to Finally Offline, Maggie’s Refuel has raised $2 million in pre-seed funding through capital firms Matchstick Ventures, Mucker Capital, and Everywhere Ventures. In addition to the funding, Jim Keyes, the former president and CEO of 7-Eleven, and Walter Robb, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, are listed as two of the five advisors on the Maggie’s Refuel advisory board.

There is no exact opening date yet, but Alex Canter and Maggie’s Refuel Inc. have advertised a 2026 opening.

For more information on Maggie’s Refuel, visit https://maggiesrefuel.com/about/ page.

By Megan Hanson

PACIFIC PALISADES—The Home Gallery, a Malibu-based manufacturer of high-end factory-built homes, has built and installed the first factory-built home in Pacific Palisades following the January 2025 Palisades Fire. The home includes a 1,700-square-foot main residence and a 600-square-foot ADU. It was built in sections and assembled on site, similar to pieces of a puzzle coming together.

Trace McGuire, Vice President of Sales for The Home Gallery informed the Santa Monica Daily Press, that the factory-built portions took about 15 days to construct, but an additional 3 months of on-site work were required before the clients got the keys. The Home Gallery manufactures its homes at facilities in Riverside and Perris, California.

Factory-built homes can be constructed much quicker and cheaply than conventional homes while retaining a clean, modern look. These types of solutions are becoming increasingly popular among Palisades homeowners struggling to rebuild for various reasons. They have been stuck navigating insurance claims, facing permitting delays, and dealing with rising construction costs, which have created a massive bottleneck in the number of homes being rebuilt.

McGuire informed the SMPD that permitting has finally started moving, with the company expecting three or four new homes to land in the Palisades within the next month.

By Milan Manesh

MALIBU—On July 4, Gene Simmons, co-founder of the 70s rock band Kiss, gave a patriotic message during his concert in Milwaukee, WI. The Gene Simmons Band is a solo band that features a group of rotating, skilled musicians. Simmons took a moment to speak to fellow immigrants. In his profanity-laced style of speaking, Simmons called the United States, “The greatest effing country on the planet. I myself am an immigrant, but a legal one. You wait in line, you respect the country, you respect the laws, and you become a citizen of the United States of America…And if you don’t like America, please go back to where you effing came from. Politicians talk the talk, but veterans put their lives out there. All gave some, some gave all. Don’t forget.” Over 2,000 miles away in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, Jack Peterson, a train conductor at a historical attraction, lost his job after giving a similar message to passengers he welcomed them to the railway. Footage of the conductor’s message was recorded and made into a TikTok video with 530K views by the time he was fired. “To the very, very few Americans in here, Happy Independence Day. To the rest of you, welcome to the greatest country on the face of the planet, and if you disagree, you can leave,” Peterson stated. Passengers took offense to the conductor’s message and told him to “shut up.” Others posted comments on social media, accusing Peterson of racism and xenophobia. Incline Railroad fired Peterson. A GoFundMe for Peterson after he lost his job. Simmons is an immigrant from Israel. His mother was originally from Hungary. She survived concentration camps during the Holocaust and came to the United States with a young, Gene.  Simmons speaks about how his mother persevered when they immigrated to the U.S. legally as depicted on his website. He and his wife, Sharon Tweed, now live in Malibu. By Sharon