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NATIONAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS STAND WITH CALABASAS
& PUBLIC FORUM TO BE HELD |
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 The
Comprehensive Second-Hand Smoke Control Ordinance,
which went into effect on March 17, 2006, has been endorsed by
prestigious national health organizations such as
the
American Cancer Society,
the American
Heart Association and
the American
Lung Association. Each organization sent a representative to express their strong
support for the ordinance at a City-sponsored press conference on
March 15, 2006 at Juan Bautista de Anza Park.
The new law prohibits smoking in all public places in
the City of Calabasas at times when other persons will be exposed to
second-hand smoke. These places include indoor and outdoor
businesses, hotels, parks, restaurants and bars where people can be
reasonably expected to congregate or meet.
An
informative brochure was mailed to every resident in the City
and copies are currently available at City Hall and at many local
businesses. Designated Smoking Areas are currently being
applied for and set up in specific locations throughout the City.
A printable list will soon be available on the City website.
A Public Forum on the
Comprehensive Second-Hand Smoke Control Ordinance,
sponsored by the City of Calabasas and the
Calabasas
Chamber of Commerce, will be held on Wednesday, April 12, 2006 at
Calabasas City Hall from 3:00p.m. - 4:00p.m. The forum is geared
towards businesses and City staff will be on hand to review the
ordinance rules, explain the process of getting a designated smoking
area, review enforcement provisions and describe what is required to
"post signage." The forum is open to the public and light
refreshments will be served.
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ANNUAL
EGG-STRAVAGANZA EGG HUNT |
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 "Get
ready, set, hop to it!"
The City of Calabasas
Community Services Department invites children
ages 2-12 to grab a basket and take part in the fun at the annual Egg-Stravaganza
Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 15, 2006 from 10:00a.m. - 12:00p.m.
Over 2,500 eggs will be hidden in the fields of Grape Arbor Park in
Calabasas where participants can also enjoy pictures with the Easter
Bunny, a petting zoo, an egg toss and other fun games. Crafts
are only $1.00. The egg hunt and the petting zoo are free.
Please note that participants must bring their own baskets!
The Egg Hunt schedule is as follows:
10:15a.m. - children ages 2 & under
10:45a.m. - children ages 3-5
11:15a.m. - children ages 6-8
11:45a.m. - children age 9 & over
Grape Arbor Park is located at the corner of Canwood Street and
Parkville Road off the Lost Hills exit of the 101 freeway
(map)
.
Please call (818) 880-6461 for additional information. |
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FINE ARTS
FESTIVAL COMING IN MAY |
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The
9th annual
Calabasas Fine Arts Festival will be held on Saturday and
Sunday, May 6-7, 2006, from 10:00a.m. - 5:00p.m., at
23975 Park
Sorrento, adjacent to the Commons, in
Calabasas
(map).
As always, admission is free and convenient parking is only $5.
The Calabasas Arts Council prides itself on bringing art to the
community and is pleased to announce that among the numerous talented
exhibitors this year will be a group of illustrious artists who
exhibited at the prestigious
La Quinta
Arts Festival. The La Quinta festival has
been recognized by
Southwest Arts Magazine as one of the "must-attend art events in
the western United States."
The 9th annual Calabasas Fine Arts festival will feature twenty
artists who were accepted and exhibited at La Quinta, providing Fine
Arts Festival visitors with an opportunity to view and purchase art
from some of the most sought-after artists in the country.
Additional details about the festival can be found on the
Calabasas Fine Arts Festival homepage. For more information,
please call the
Calabasas Arts Council at (818) 878-4225 ext. 270 or send an
email. |
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EARTH DAY |
|
 On
April 22, 1970, twenty million people across America celebrated the
first Earth Day. Arbor Day was founded in 1872 by J. Sterling
Morton in Nebraska. Help celebrate Arbor Day and Earth Day by
joining the City of
Calabasas, the Mountains Restoration Trust and the Las Virgenes
Municipal Water District for an afternoon of fun on April 1,
2006 from 12:00p.m. to 4:00p.m. Headwaters Corner is located
at 2815 Old Topanga Canyon Road in Calabasas, CA. Participants will
enjoy fun presentations and performances on conservation,
entertainment, contests, prizes and a tree planting ceremony.
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SCHOOL SAFETY VOLUNTEERS TO BE HONORED |
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 The
City is celebrating National Volunteer Week by honoring the parents
who dedicate their time to keep traffic moving by helping students
exit vehicles and promoting
School Area Traffic Safety programs. Those programs include the
School Bus Program, the Walk to School program, Carpooling, Cycling,
and Walk and Ride.
Refreshments will be
served at 6:30p.m. at the regular April 25, 2006
Traffic and Transportation Commission Meeting in the Council
Chambers at City Hall.
Since the start of the
City School Area Traffic Safety program, the volunteers are at the
forefront working with crossing guards and school staff to maintain
the flow of traffic at our City’s schools. The City would like
to thank all of the Calabasas School Area Traffic Parent Volunteers
for their contributions to our schools and students and for proving
that volunteers
make a difference every day. |
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WATERSHED MONITORING PROGRAM COMPLETES FIRST YEAR |
|
 The
Malibu Creek Watershed Monitoring Program completed its first year
of monitoring efforts this past March. Implemented in February
2005, the program aims to collect novel data on the water quality of
the Malibu Creek Watershed and
determine the
types and locations of pollutants and other problems that impair the
beneficial uses of Malibu Creek and its tributary streams.
The Program, which is funded by California Proposition 13
Grant monies, is administered by the Los Angeles Regional Water
Quality Control Board and lead by the City of Calabasas. Other
stakeholders in the project include the cities of Westlake Village,
Agoura Hills, Malibu and Thousand Oaks, the counties of Los Angeles
and Ventura and the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District.
The Malibu
Creek Watershed is a unique combination of open space and dense
development. Within a relatively modest area of just over 100
square miles, the watershed’s riparian corridors support over 450
vertebrate species, including 50 species of mammals, 384 bird
species, and 36 species of reptiles and amphibians. There are over
650 species of plants, including two that are endangered and four
species of special concern. Its downstream terminus is one of the
best-known and most popular surfing beaches in the world.
Remarkably, these resources coexist next to one of the nation’s
largest and most densely settled urban areas.
The MCWMP
intends to provide information for the use of policy makers,
regulatory agencies and the public. Water quality in this watershed
is integral in current and future public policies. The monitored
sites were chosen to represent a variety of land uses so that data
collected would lead to a comprehensive picture of how pollutants
are affecting the basic health and beneficial uses of the watershed.
For more information and to review
out first annual baseline report in April, please visit our website
at
www.mcwmp.net |
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CREEK CLEAN-UPS A MAJOR SUCCESS |
|
 The Calabasas
Environmental Services Division organized two creek clean-up event
on March 18 and March 26, 2006. The first event was held at the
Headwaters Corner to remove trash from Dry Canyon Creek and the second
event at
Juan Bautista de Anza Park to remove trash from Las Virgenes Creek.
A total of 160 volunteers participated in both events. It was a record
success. Mayor Dennis Washburn and Mayor Pro Tem, James Bozajian
welcomed the crowd at the March 26 clean-up. All volunteers received a
free t-shirt that contained a design drawn by a student. Participants
were organized into six clean-up teams. A great deal of trash including
water heaters, tires, and metals were removed from Las Virgenes Creek.
A car frame that has been buried under sediment next to A.E. Wright
School was cleared but it was too heavy for volunteers to pull it out of
the creek bank.
The City received
donations from local businesses such as Western Bagel, McDonald’s,
Albertson’s, Coffee Bean and Starbucks, reduced price pizza from
Michael’s Pizza, gift certificates and prizes from Blockbuster, Cold
Stone Creamery, Corner Bakery Café, Las Virgenes Municipal Water
District, Ralph’s Supermarket and Robeks Juice. The City would like to
thank all of them for their support. |
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CALIFORNIA WILDLIFE CENTER OPEN HOUSE |
|
 The
California Wildlife Center (CWC) will hold its
annual Open House on
Sunday, April 23, 2006 from 12:00p.m. - 4:00p.m. at 26026 Piuma Road in
Calabasas.
Visitors will learn about
CWC's important work rescuing sick, injured and orphaned California
wildlife. Take a tour of the animal hospital and the newly
renovated, state-of-the-art Secondary Care Unit. Learn what can be
done to help protect California's wildlife and environment. There will
be numerous activities for both children and adults. Admission is
free.
Please call (818) 222-2658 or send an email to
volunteer@californiawildlifecenter.org with
any questions about the Open House or volunteering at CWC. |
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BUILDING & SAFETY DIVISION KEEPING BUSY |
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 The
Building and Safety Division is continuing a record-setting year for
plan checks and inspections.
The City’s building and safety inspectors, Oris Scarborough, Ruben
Flores,
Sue Liebling
and Jon Edmonson are set to close the fiscal year at 15,000
inspections – the highest volume ever recorded in the history of the
City. This is in response to a 65% increase in building permits
issued through the City’s permit clerks, Michelle Ryan, Monica
Schindler and Joan Gilmore. Overall, we are seeing significant
building investment in Calabasas – projected at well over $500 million
dollars this year. The City congratulates the Building and Safety
staff for their professionalism and dedication to improving our City.
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SPRING
RECREATION BROCHURE |
|
 The
2006 Spring Recreation brochure has been released and is now
available 24 hours a day
online. The 50-page brochure features detailed information about adult and
youth classes, senior citizen programs, community news and
information, sports activities and much more.
Remember, you can also easily register for classes online!
For more information about Calabasas recreation opportunities or for help with
class registration, please call the Community Services department at (818) 880-6461.
The Calabasas/Agoura
Hills Community Center is starting a new session of rock climbing for
kids ages 5 - 7 and 8-10. Classes are provided on every
Friday of the month. In addition to classes for kids, adult rock
climbing lessons and parent-child private lessons are available.
Learn all the basic skills needed to climb safely. All equipment is
provided for the classes. For more information, please got o
www.ahccc.org
or call Amir Douma, Rockwall Specialist, at (818) 880-2993. |
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E-WASTE
AND PAINT COLLECTION EVENTS & RECYCLING REMINDER |
|
 The
city is holding a free electronic waste collection on Saturday, April
1, 2006 at the future Calabasas Civic Center site located at Park
Sorrento behind the Commons shopping center from 10:00a.m - 3:00p.m.
Acceptable items include but are not limited to CD players, laptops
and personal computers, microwave ovens, printers, radios, stereos,
telephones, and VCR’s.
On Saturday, April 8, 2006 there will be a free water based paint
and used oil collection event at the
Calabasas Tennis and Swim Center
located at 23400 Park Sorrento from 10:00a.m - 2:00p.m. For more
information, please contact the City of Calabasas Recycling and Solid
Waste Coordinator at (818) 878-4225. |
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NEW
ADD/ADHD SUPPORT GROUP CREATED IN CALABASAS |
|
 Dealing with Attention
Deficit Disorder (ADD) is an enormous challenge. Many people do
not know where to go for information and support. Whether
someone is seeking information about ADD/ADHD, looking for help for
themselves, their child or their family, they should contact
The West Valley
Attention Deficit Disorder Meetup Group. The group was
established for those whose lives have been affected by ADD/ADHD
including parents and their children, adults with ADD and their
spouses, teachers and ADD professionals. All are welcome to
attend meetings, ask questions and share information about resources.
The first meeting
will be at a private home in Calabasas on April 6, 2006 at 7:30p.m.
There is no fee to join the group. For additional information,
please contact Susan Ford at (818) 274-2964 or via email at
sue@writingwiz.com.
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REMINDER REGARDING HORSE PASTURE MANAGEMENT |
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 Horse owners in our area have a special responsibility, not only for
the health and well-being of their horses, but for preventing manure
and pastures from contributing to runoff pollution. When rain falls
on pastures and manure piles, the rain washes those wastes into local
streams, potentially causes nutrient and pathogen pollution problems.
The City recommends that horse
owners use
a covered compost bin to compost manure, set pastures back 100 feet
from any stream, keep facilities off steep slopes, develop filter
strips (at least a 10 foot-wide area with meadow like vegetation that
will filter runoff when it flows off a pasture area), and try to
prevent storm water from flowing through pasture areas. The City
appreciates horse owners helping to keep our creeks and beaches
safe and clean. |
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ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO HONOR CREEK MAINTENANCE CREW |
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 For several
years, the County of Los Angeles has not been able to clear the
sediment bed in Las Virgenes Creek due to the costly environmental
mitigation fees and permit limitations with the Department of Fish and
Game. When sediment is allowed to accumulate on a concrete
liner, it reduces creek flow capacity as it passes under a bridge and
has the potential to negatively impact nearby structures. The
established sediment bed located at the Lost Hills Road crossing is
also believed to have caused accelerated flow velocity that damaged
the stream banks in the State Park section of the Creek. Heavy
flow rate observed in the Creek during the 2005 rain season caused the
City’s Public Works Department to request the County to maintain
critical sections of the Creek under emergency maintenance protocol.
In December 2005, a maintenance
crew from the County of Los Angeles, Flood Maintenance Division, under
the direction of Dave Valdez cleared the Creek at the Meadow Creek and
Lost Hills Bridge crossing. A total of 3,564 cubic yards of debris
and green waste was removed from both sections. This amount is
approximately equal to 15 large dump truck loads. Through great
effort, Mr. Valdez and his crew completed this maintenance in record
time. For the crew’s hard work, the City’s Environmental Commission
will recognize Mr. Valdez and his crew with a plaque at the April 4,
2006
Environmental Commission
meeting to acknowledge their contribution to the improved health of
our Creek. |
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WHAT'S ON CTV? |
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Be sure to tune in to CTV
on cable channel 3 in Calabasas, through live
online web-streaming,
or watch any meeting or CTV program at ANYTIME through the new
CTV archive.
Programs this month
include:
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Calabasas, A Living History
(View
this show anytime with CTV Archiving)
Bob Hill,
Former Mayor, original Calabasas Council Member
|
 Join
host John Loesing as he explores the history of
Calabasas and the people who helped make it a City.
In this episode, John interviews Bob Hill, an
original City Councilmember, former mayor and
current library commissioner.
Mr. Hill describes the early days in Calabasas, his
current role in the city and his participation in
helping the City of Calabasas incorporate fifteen
years ago.
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Watch this episode now, with
the CTV Archive,
click here. |
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Visit the
CTV Channel Guide for a complete listing of
programming.
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That’s all for this month. If you have any questions
about e.News or City
issues in general, please email our Media Operations Director, Deborah
Steller,
at
dsteller@cityofcalabasas.com.
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at the City of Calabasas.
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