TMZ is reporting that actor Nick Nolte's Malibu home suffered $1 million in structural damage and a half million in content damage after a fire reported at 11:34 a.m. this morning. From TMZ: "When firefighters arrived, the Malibu house was burning and Nolte was trying to put the blaze out himself. We're told the fire started in a bedroom -- some sort of electrical malfunction. Nolte suffered smoke inhalation and abrasions. He's still at the......

When a Yes on Prop 8 TV ad advocating for the elimination gay marriage was launched on Monday, eyebrows raised and surely some alumni and student emotions flared when they saw a law professor identified as someone from Pepperdine University in Malibu. In the ad, professor Richard Peterson said that people could be sued over personal beliefs, churches could lose their tax exemption and gay marriage would be taught in public schools. But the school,......

27-year-old Brian Franks, who is one of the five men accused of starting last year's Carral Canyon fire in Malibu that burned 53 homes, admitted Wednesday that he and his friends accidentally started the blaze. "As part of his plea deal, Franks agreed to testify against the other defendants," the Associated Press reported. And here's to hoping no one decides to accidentally start another fire this year.......

Photo by pointnshoot via Flickr It was in July when musician John Mayer, Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes), Eric Roberts, the Screen Actors Guild and others told their paparazzi horror stories to a regional paparazzi taskforce led by City Councilmember and former LAPD Officer Dennis Zine at City Hall. On Thursday, they will meet again in Malibu. This time they'll have three main objectives: to adopt and make public a “Citizen’s Guide” for dealing with the......

A brush fire broke out around 3:00 p.m. today in off Kanan Dume Rd. before the first tunnel, reported KCAL9 TV news. The cause of the small acre or so fire is unknown, but it appeared to be under control with an expected containment by 4:00 p.m.......

Two Malibu men were charged yesterday with misdemeanor battery after the June 21 scuffle at Little Dume Beach between Paparazzi and local surfers who were protecting actor Matthew McConaughey from being photographed or approached. Both Skylar Martin Peak, 24, and Philip John Hildebrand, 30 are scheduled to be arraigned at the Malibu courthouse on Oct. 14. Richid Altmbareckouhammou from a French news agency "was allegedly thrown into the water by the two men," according to......

Three times a week, Kim Sill goes out into public and stands up for what she believes in. On Tuesdays and Sundays, she and a group of animal lovers protest outside Pets of Bel Air. On Saturdays, it's off to Malibu to protest Pet Headquarters. Even though Sill and her fellow protesters are peaceful, police are still called at least once a week by customers or shop owners, she says. Their goal is to get......

A small brush fire that began early last night is under investigation for the possibility of murder and arson. The fire near the Pacific Coast Highway and Topanga Canyon was first reported at 6:27 p.m. and burned three to four acres before being knocked down at 7:08 p.m., according to LA County Fire over the phone. Firefighters noticed a vehicle in the fire and upon further investigation, found a dead body inside. Calls made to......

The paparazzi's extreme Britney coverage is costly to taxpayers | Photo by pointnshoot via Flickr As Councilman Dennis Zine's paparazzi motion (what we like to call the Britney Spears law) fumbles around in a City Council committee, he's also convening a regional task force on the issue, which will have a public hearing tomorrow morning to "hear testimony from key stakeholders to develop proposals to consider in the legislative process," according to a statement......

Styrofoam food containers will be banned in city buildings, at LAX, and at city-sponsored events beginning next July and plastic bags will be ordered pulled from store checkout counters July 1, 2010, in accordance with a ban approved today by LA City Council. The decision comes just weeks after a similar measure in Manhattan Beach passed despite the threat of a lawsuit. Malibu banned plastic bags in May and the debate stalled on the issue......

On October 28, 1966, commuters between Malibu and the Valley were surprised by the image of a large, running depiction of a naked woman. Sixty feet tall, painted in pink house paint, she was quickly dubbed The Pink Lady. At first, there was much speculation as to the artist and the purpose of such an image. Due to the subject matter, it was assumed to be a man. It turned out that this mysterious image......

In a scathing review published today in the LA Times, restaurant critic Leslie Brenner takes on a seafood institution known mostly for it's foil animal-shaped doggie bags and it's Pacific Ocean views, and tries to figure out why Gladstone's in Malibu has earned the title of Southern California's top-grossing restaurant. At what is ostensibly a commercialized mini-chain offering very standard seafood fare (and, in the opinion of Brenner's server on one visit, even some sub-standard......

A firefighter continue to clear brush from the path of the gap fire on Sunday July 6, 2008 (AP Photo/ LA Times, Spencer Weiner) With another spike in temperatures on its way, firefighters may not have as much help as they did this weekend with the cooler weather with its moist air currents. 100+ degree weather will take over starting today in the San Fernando Valley. Up north in Santa Barbara County near Goleta,......

Los Angeles County firefighters putting out the fire in Malibu on 4th of July (AP Photo/Gus Ruelas) Yesterday's wildfire in Malibu charred 25 acres before LA County Firefighters were able to full contain it at 8:14 p.m. The fire, which started at 3:27 p.m. in a mobile home park near Las Virgenes Street and Las Virgenes Canyon Road, was knocked down but had quickly spread to nearby brush, prompting more than 200 campers at......

Reports are coming in about firs in the Los Angeles area. At about 3:30, a fire broke out at mobile home near a state park in Malibu Creek State Park. While the home fire was knocked down, the fire has spread to hillside brush and has at least burned through 10 acres. Park visitors have been evacuated. Update: As of 6:43 p.m., the fire had burned 20 acres and was at 90% containment. "Hopefully within......

A fire ripped through an empty for-sale house this morning destroying it and damaging two neighboring others at 21110 Pacific Coast Hwy. prompting an entire closure of the highway (lanes reopened at 7:20 a.m.). The house was being sold for $1-million dollars, but six people were evacuated with no injuries from the two houses. No cause has been determined yet, but thankfully, this fire did not start off another wildfire.......

Last night, the Manhattan Beach City Council voted and passed a ban on plastic bags, according to the City Clerk's Office. A month ago, the city tried to pass the ordinance, but opposition claimed the city did not go through the correct environmental review processes. Nevertheless, one group said prior to last night's meeting they would probably still sue the city over the new law. The oceanside city joins Malibu and San Francisco in plastic......

After both San Francisco and Malibu successfully passed plastic bag bans in their respective cities, Manhattan Beach is taking up the issue tonight at their City Council meeting. The measure is similar in nature to Malibu's ordinance, but opponents, Save the Plastic Bag Coalition, say the city did not go through the correct process to initiate such a ban and threatens to sue. Another issue to them is that paper bags are not addressed, which......

Beverly Craveiro plays Cosme McMoon and Nathalie Blossom stars as Florence Foster Jenkins in "Glorious!" The Zuma Repertory Company will present the Los Angeles Premiere of “Glorious!”, Peter Quilter’s hit comedy at the Malibu Stage Company. “Glorious!” premiered at England’s Birmingham Repertory Theatre in September 2005, then transferred to the West End in November 2005 and ran for more than 200 performances. Nominated for the prestigious Laurence Olivier Award and the Theatregoers’ Choice Award......

New footage has been released of one of the weekend's brawls at Paradise Cove in Malibu, this one shot by a mother who was there with her son. This particular scene proves some of the beach goers were acting just as bad as the paparazzi. Funny Moment: Zuma Dogg being quickly dragged off screen at the beginning of this report. Previously: Surfers Vs. Paparazzi: How Malibu Wants Handle It......

Photo by Happy Birthday to Joe Shlabotnik! via Flickr Two brawls between surfers and paparazzi over the weekend are leading Malibu officials to look more closely into the law regarding 1st amendment rights. "The city of Malibu will do all it legally can to protect and preserve the natural beauty and tranquillity of our town," Malibu Mayor Pamela Conley Ulich said in a statement, per the LA Times. Last month, the Times reported that......

On Saturday, two paparazzi were reportedly injured when a group of surfers ousted them from Paradise Cove in Malibu. One paparazzo said his camera was tossed in the ocean and on the video you can hear someone make a slight death threat: "you're going to drown." It all started when Matthew McConaughey said he wished they would go away. The other surfers took it upon themselves to do so. The confusing part is that......

At least three paparazzi photographers were attacked in the Los Angeles area over the weekend in two separate incidents. On Friday evening as Britney Spears returned from a trip to Louisiana, a push-and-shove incident occurred between her body guard and a photographer outside an LAX terminal resulting in a minor abrasion to the paparazzo's face, but no charges were filed. On Saturday, two photographers were attacked by a group of surfers protecting Matthew McConaughey's wish......

Neptune's Net Seafood Restaurant in Malibu is a biker hang. But that doesn't mean you have to be one to enjoy crab and fried scallops (unless, Malingering, who took these photos, is living a secret life as a biker). Need more options? A little closer to home? Check here. Submit your Eye Nosh food 'porn' photos and mini-reviews to LAist via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr.......

Diesel, A Bookstore, one of the lesser known (but not for long) indie bookstores in Malibu has announced plans to bring indie lit to Brentwood by setting up shop in a 1,500 square foot space in Brentwood Country Mart. When Dutton's closed in late April, many in the bookish community wondered how they could possibly fill the void and get their local lit fix. Now, after a full Dutton's-less month, the announcement of Diesel's arrival......

Photo by ninjapoodles via Flickr On Monday night, Malibu took a big step for the environment: they forbid the distribution of both plastic and compostable carryout bags. It's the most aggressive plastic bag action to date for any Southland city, according to Heal The Bay. "Grocery stores, food vendors, restaurants, pharmacies and city facilities have six months to comply with the ordinance. Smaller sized retailers have one year until the measure is operative," the......

Restaurants and Institutions' released their list of the top 100 highest-grossing independent (non-chain) restaurants in the United States. Totaling $1.53 billion, all restaurants on the list at least grossed $11.3 million. The Los Angeles region really didn't make an impact, but San Francisco made away with four and Chicago with seven. The top two cities are New York and its 32 restaurants and Las Vegas, which came out with 24, one of them grossing the......

Photo by astacia5 via Flickr We've heard before that the sinking housing market would actually serve to increase the rent on apartments in Los Angeles, and we've had a few lively discussions about proposals to undo rent control laws. But who knew the rate increases would be so drastic? Today's LA Times is reporting on the going rates for a four-bedroom, eight-bath (eight???) Malibu beach house: $150 grand. Per month. Alright, granted this is......

Photo by highervision via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr This evening a public viewing will be held for slain LA High football star Jamiel Shaw, with funeral services to follow tomorrow. Shaw's tragic murder has prompted many LA residents to refocus on the senselessness of gang-related violence. Go, stop, go, stop: Commuters northbound on the 57 and the 605 transitioning to the 210 westbound this morning were greeted by the new traffic......

Today was the day that the first Barbie doll made her debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York in 1959. Make fun of her all you want, but Barbie's an icon whose life has been far more interesting than any reality show, and yes we know if she were real her head wouldn't be supported by her body dimensions or some such thing, but come on. Even Dolly Parton named her......