The 2009 Calabasas Municipal Election will take place on Tuesday, March 3, 2009.  There are three City Council seats to be filled in the upcoming Election and five candidates are officially on the ballot.  The term of each seat is four years.  The last day to register to vote for the March 3, 2009 General Municipal Election is February 17, 2009.  Voters may request vote-by-mail (absentee) ballots beginning February 2, 2009 until February 24, 2009.  Voters who live in the City of Calabasas will be receiving their sample ballots in the mail with their vote-by-mail (absentee) ballot applications on the back.  Blank applications can be obtained on the City's official election website or by calling (818) 224-1661.

CTV has produced an hour-long  "Meet the Candidates" program that features interviews with each of the candidates running for City Council.  "Meet the Candidates" will be replayed on CTV and may be viewed one demand from the City's website.  The City will be hosting a Candidate Forum at Founders Hall in the Calabasas Library on February 4, 2009.  The Forum will feature moderated discussions between candidates and will be replayed until the election on CTV.  Residents of Calabasas are welcome to attend and no RSVP is necessary.  A number of local Homeowners Associations are also hosting forums which are listed on the City's election website.

The City of Calabasas is pleased to present a very special concert featuring music by Grammy nominated pianist Freddie Ravel.  The concert will take place inside Founders Hall at the Calabasas Library on Friday, February 20, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets are $20 per person and the ticket price includes an upscale dessert reception provided by Mi Piace, gourmet coffee and fine wine.  Seating is limited and will call tickets are available. For ticket information, please call (818) 224-1600.    

On January 14, 2009, the Calabasas City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2008-250 to regulate the on-street parking of recreational vehicles, utility trailers, and campers.  The ordinance, which goes into effect on February 8, 2009, prohibits the parking of recreational vehicles on a public street or highway at any time. 

Violating the new recreational vehicle ordinance may result in fines issued by the City or the Sheriff’s Department.  For more information about the ordinance, please contact Armando Saavedra at (818) 224-1723 or any Calabasas Code Enforcement Officer.  For questions regarding parking pass issuance please contact Monica Shinder, the Permit Center Coordinator at (818) 224-1600 ext. 725.

The Calabasas Library website and the City of Calabasas Services website now feature a link to the WeConnect website portal.  The WeConnect website is part of a public service campaign headed by California First Lady Maria Shriver.  The website serves as a one-stop-shop connecting Californians to programs and services for which they may be eligible.  WEConnect.net will highlight programs such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child Tax Credit (CTC), Golden State Advantage Cards, Lifeline Telephone Service, CARE for lower cost gas and electric, California’s Low-Cost Auto Insurance, and College Savings Accounts (529 plans).  WeConnect organizers hope that the website will connect eligible families with these services and the City of Calabasas is pleased to offer a direct link to this program.  For more information about WeConnect, please visit www.weconnect.net.

A special preschool event will be held at the Calabasas Library on Friday, February 20, 2009 at 11:00a.m. featuring storyteller Kathleen Zundell and her Talking Hands!  Katheen Zundell is a ‘Certified Movement Analyst’ with over 25 years of teaching and performing for children. Kathleen's repertoire includes multicultural folk tales, mythology, personal family, children's stories and stories with American Sign Language. She is a leader of unique nature workshops for children, families, adults and women. She is also a teacher of children's creative movement and drama classes.

So come to the Calabasas Library to sing, dance, and hear stories at this event for preschool children.  The event is free and no tickets are required.  For more information, please call (818) 225-7616.

For the 2008 calendar year, Calabasas collected and recycled 15,480 pounds of dry cell batteries.  The U.S. Department of Transportation has recently established new regulations for the handling, shipping and transportation of dry cell batteries.  Batteries are shipped to a recycling center where they are sorted and then shipped to various melting companies based on the battery type.  However, in the last ten years, over 800 documented cases of “battery incidents” have occurred during the transportation of dry cell batteries. Incidents range from batteries leaking, breaking, or catching fire (usually due to improper packaging or lack of insulation of batteries). The new regulations require that batteries be properly insulated while being transported. This can be done simply by taping the positive (+) end of each battery with tape or stickers before depositing them into collection containers.   Covering the positive end batteries before recycling will ensure the safety of our roads and the continued success of the Calabasas battery recycling program.

The City of Calabasas and the Mountains Restoration Trust will be holding the annual Arbor Day Celebration on Saturday, March 14, 2009 at Gates Canyon Park (map) located at 25801 Thousand Oaks Blvd. in Calabasas.   Come and learn about compost techniques during a Smart Gardening Workshop at 9:30a.m.  A fun tree planting activity for children will commence at 10:00a.m. and the official Arbor Day Ceremony and Tree Planting will take place at 11:00a.m.  The event is free and residents are welcome to get involved in helping to create a beautiful and healthy environment in Calabasas.  For more information about the Arbor Day Celebration, please call (818) 224-1600.

The Calabasas Library is hosting a new book club for adults beginning in February.  The February book choice is The Reader by Bernhard Schlink.  The club’s first discussion meeting will be held at the Library on Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 6:30p.m. 

Membership in the book club is free however a library card is required to participate.   For more information and to take part in the club book choice survey, please call Caroline Russom at (818) 225-7616 or email crussom@cityofcalabasas.com.

2009 WINTER RECREATION BROCHURE

Stumped about what recreation activities are available in the City of Calabasas? Make sure to check out the 2009 Winter Calabasas Recreation Brochure.  The brochure features detailed information about adult and youth classes, senior citizen programs, community news and information, sports activities and much more. 

The 2009 Winter Calabasas Recreation Brochure is available online and paper copies are available at City Hall, the Agoura/Calabasas Community Center and the Calabasas Tennis and Swim Center.   Winter classes run  until March 2009.   For more information about Calabasas recreation opportunities or for help with class registration, please call the Recreation department at (818) 880-6461.

The City of Calabasas  organizes two free monthly electronic waste collection events in addition to the usual monthly water based paint and used oil collection event. On  the first Saturday of each month (Saturday, February 7, 2009), an electronic waste collection will take place at the Albertson’s parking lot, 26521 Agoura Road (at Las Virgenes Road) in Calabasas from 10:00a.m - 3:00p.m. A second monthly electronic waste event will take place on the 3rd Saturday of the month on Saturday, February 21, 2009 in the Vons Shopping Center parking lot at 23381 Mulholland Drive in Woodland Hills from 10:00 a.m - 3:00 p.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, February 14, 2009 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) 224-1600.

The Tri-Valley Roller Hockey League, in their 10^th year of providing roller hockey leagues, clinics, camps, and special events for the City of Calabasas at Juan Bautista De Anza Park,  is pleased to announce the start of their 2009 Spring Season.  Sign-ups are on-going through the second week of February for both the youth and teen divisions.  All games are played at De Anza Park and are always fun to play and exciting to watch.

For more information on this program and all the other programs provided by Tri-Valley Roller Hockey League please see their website at www.tvrhl.com  or contact Walt Collins at (805) 551-1412.

The City of Calabasas Environmental Services Division and the Los Angeles County Public Works Department will jointly host a free tire recycling collection event on March 21, 2009 from 9:00a.m. to 3:00p.m.  The collection will be held at the dirt lot next to the Mobil gas station at 4830 Las Virgenes Road behind the fence of the 101 Southbound on-ramp.

An estimated 1.5 million waste tires have been illegally dumped or stockpiled in California. Proper disposal reduces the threat to public health, safety, and the environment. Recycled tires can be incorporated in rubberized asphalt concrete. This road material can reduce costs, noise, and environmental impact.

The collection event is open to Los Angeles County residents only.  No tires from businesses will be accepted.   Participants will receive a 15% discount coupon on their next purchase of Bridgestone or Firestone tires.  Please visit the  LA County Public Works website for more information about the event.

The Calabasas Library is featuring a number of special events for children from kindergarten through 5th grade on Wednesdays this winter. 
                                                                                                             
February 18 – Lizard Wizard with Animals and Reptiles
February 25 – The Twisted Adventures of Buster Balloon
March 4 – Mr. Lincoln in Honor of his 200th Birthday!

Each of the three events above take place on Wednesdays at 4:00p.m. and are free with no tickets required.  The programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Calabasas Library.  For more information, please call (818) 225-7616.

Conejo Players Theatre - Thousand Oaks
    The Music Man
    February 6 - March 7, 2009
    Thurs., Fri. & Sat. at 8:00p.m.
    Sun. at 2:00p.m.
    
Madrid Theatre - Canoga Park
     February 2009 Calendar

Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza- Thousand Oaks
     February 2009 Calendar
     
    LVUSD Benefit Concert with Michael McDonald
    February 27, 2009 at 8:00p.m. - Click for Tickets

At midnight on February 17, 2009, all full-power television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting in analog and switch to 100% digital broadcasting. Digital broadcasting promises to provide a clearer picture and more programming options and will free up airwaves for use by emergency responders. 

If you do not have a digital television, Congress created the TV Converter Box Coupon Program for households wishing to keep using their analog TV sets after February 17, 2009.  The Program allows U.S. household to obtain up to two coupons, each worth $40, that can be applied toward the cost of eligible converter boxes.

Consumers have a variety of options including:
1. Keep your existing analog TV and purchase a TV converter box. A converter box plugs into your TV and will keep it working after February 17, 2009, or
2. Connect to cable, satellite of other pay service, or
3. Purchase a television with a digital tuner.

You can visit the official Digital Television Transition website for information on whether or not you need a converter box, to obtain a coupon, for FAQ's and more information on the transition.

On January 28, 2009, the Calabasas City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2009-252, which requires the removal of animal waste from public and private properties.  The new ordinance, which goes into effect in February 2009, states that an owner may not allow his or her animal to defecate on any public or private property, except the property of the owner of the animal, within the City unless the owner immediately removes the animal waste.  This new rule also applies to any person who has temporary custody or control of the animal.  Any person who walks an animal on public or private property that isn’t theirs must have in their possession a means to retrieve and dispose of the animal waste.  Failure to remove the animal waste may result in fines issued by the City.  For any questions regarding the new animal waste ordinance, please contact Armando Saavedra, Code Enforcement Officer, at (818) 224-1723. 

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.


This month on CTV:

City Spotlight: City Manager Tony Coroalles
(View this program anytime with CTV Archiving)

Host Pablo Pereira interviews City Manager Tony Coroalles on location at the Calabasas Civic Center.

Visit the CTV Channel Guide for a complete listing of programming.

Calabasas City Hall will be closed  on Monday, February 16, 2009 for President's Day. 
 

City Council Agenda Items are available online the Thursday prior to a City Council Meeting. Agendas for all commissions are available online the Friday prior to the commission meeting.  All City Council meetings and commission meetings take place in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 100 Civic Center Way in Calabasas.






For a complete calendar of events and meetings during February, please visit our Calendar Page.