The City of Calabasas will host the annual Arbor Day Celebration on Saturday, March 20, 2010 at Gates Canyon Park located at 25801 Thousand Oaks Blvd. in Calabasas (map). The event begins with a tree planting for kids at 10:00a.m. and a Los Angeles County Smart Gardening workshop also beginning at 10:00a.m.  The workshop will feature information about how to get a great looking yard while using less water, energy and wasting fewer resources. Get tips on backyard composting, worm composting, grass recycling, water-wise gardening, and fire-wise gardening.  Interested Los Angeles County residents may also purchase a backyard composting bin and a worm composting bin at discounted prices.  The official Arbor Day Ceremony and Tree Planting will take place at 11:30a.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.

On March 1, 2010, the City of Calabasas welcomed a delegation from Anqing, China.  Anqing has been a sister city to Calabasas for almost ten years and the partnership between the two cities has been enriched over the years through reciprocal visits of students, residents and government officials in both Anqing and Calabasas.   During their current visit, the representatives from Anqing were especially interested in California water issues and spoke with officials and city staff members about water usage and green initiatives.  The group toured the new Calabasas Civic Center which opened since their last visit in 2007 and also visited Headwaters Corner in Calabasas and Viewpoint School.

Mayor Jonathon Wolfson and Councilmember Dennis Washburn presented the Anqing group with a “Key to the City” before leading the visitors on a tour of the Calabasas Library and City Hall facilities.  The representatives from Anqing were able to learn about the environmentally-friendly design and construction of the Gold LEED facility.  The delegation from Anqing presented Mayor Wolfson and Councilmember Washburn with a decorative scroll with a Chinese inscription about water.  The Anqing delegation is visiting other parts of the United States and Canada during their visit.  Additional information about the Calabasas-Anqing sister City relationship is available online.

The City of Calabasas is proud to be hosting the 12th annual Method Fest independent film festival from March 25 to March 31, 2010.  The Method Fest features American and foreign feature films and short films.  It is the only major film festival in the U.S. focusing on acting, celebrating breakout acting performances in story driven independent films.  The Method Fest takes great pride in being a discovery festival, looking to help launch the works of young fresh filmmakers and to discover breakthrough performances by young, bold new actors.  More than 120 films that have premiered or played at The Method Fest have received distribution.  The Method Fest schedule for the 2010 festival will be released shortly and ticket information is currently available at the official Method Fest website.  To inquire about purchasing a Festival Pass, please call (310) 535-9230.

The Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center is hosting a 4th annual, free St. Patrick's Day Event and Open House on Saturday, March 13, 2010.  The event will take place from 11:00a.m. to 3:00p.m. and everyone is welcome to join the festivities!  The celebration will feature live Irish music by Innisfree, entertainment from the Claddagh School of Irish Dancers and the Tribal Caravan of Belly Dancers, food, activities, contests, games and drawings for a number of prizes.   The Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center is located at 27040 Malibu Hills Road in Calabasas.  For more information, please call the Community Center at (818) 880-2993.

The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, the National Theater for Children and the Calabasas Library are proud to present a play for all ages about the environment, water conservation, and recycling called The Aqua League and the Drought Dilemma! on Saturday, March 6, 2010 at 3:00 p.m.  The play is free and open to the public.

Mild mannered Dewey Mistman is working in his umbrella store when trouble strikes. A super-villain named The Drought is wasting water all over the city. This looks like a job for Dewey’s alter-ego The Watercooler!  Will The Watercooler learn enough about water to stop The Drought?  Come to the story-time area of the Calabasas children’s library at 200 Civic Center Way in Calabasas on March 6 to find out! For more information, please call the Calabasas Library at (818) 225-7616.

The Friends of the Calabasas Library has launched a new program for Calabasas Library cardholders.  The Friends of the Library has purchased two memberships in Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) which allows the Library to loan patrons their two free general admission passes to the museum.  The free passes may be checked out for 2 days at a time from the Calabasas Library Circulation Desk and may be reserved up to one month in advance.   Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).  LACMA features  more than 100,000 works of art from ancient times to the present.  For more information about the new LACMA admission pass program, please call (818) 225-7616.

Big ideas will fill the Scherr Forum at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza on March 27, 2010 when TEDxConejo brings together some of the most interesting people in our community for a day of talks, entertainment and conversation.  TEDxConejo is produced in association with the Conejo Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) and open to college and high school students, educators, parents, and the general public.

TEDxConejo is based on the principle that there are great ideas, extraordinary people and amazing work being done in southern California.  The talks presented on March 27 will be recorded and some may ultimately be posted as TEDTalks on the main TED website.  TED, which stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, is a nonprofit organization devoted to "Ideas Worth Spreading."  Started as a four-day conference in California 25 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives.

Individuals interested in attending must apply to participate and can register their interest at www.tedxconejo.com. General admission is $40. Students and educators with valid ID are $10. Tickets will be on sale through the Civic Arts Center box office as of February 1, 2010.  For more information contact, please call 310-962-1102 or visit www.tedxconejo.com.

Registration is now available at the Calabasas Tennis & Swim Center for Lifeguard and Water Safety Instruction classes provided through the American Red Cross beginning in April.  The schedule of classes is available here. The Lifeguard classes are designed for those who desire to earn their American Red Cross Lifeguard Certification. Participants will learn basic life saving skills including water rescues, CPR for The Professional Rescuer, AED and First Aid training.   The Water Safety Instruction classes help participants earn their American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Certification. The primary purpose is to help people learn to be safe when they are in, on or near water. The program covers skills and knowledge in logical progression for aquatic skill development.

Official course registration forms are available online and at the Tennis & Swim Center.  Each course is $150.  Please note that participants must attend and complete all days listed, complete all physical tasks and challenges and complete and pass all written test to become certified in the course.  Successful Lifeguard course participants will be certified in Lifeguarding for three years, First Aid as a professional rescuer for three years and CPR AED for one year.  After the certification expires, a participant must re-certify. After completing the Water Safety course, participants may teach swim lessons from the very basic level of swimming to intermediate/advanced levels of swimming.

New Leash On Life Animal Rescue, the Agoura/Calabasas Community Center and The Rotary Club of Calabasas have joined forces to hold the 6th annual Nuts for Mutts 5k Walk on Sunday, April 18, 2010.  Check-in begins at 8:00a.m. and the walk begins at 9:30am at the Community Center (27040 Malibu Hills Road in Calabasas). 

The Nuts for Mutts walk is a fun-filled, family friendly fundraiser, now in its sixth year, featuring a 5K walk-a-thon through Calabasas. Route highlights will include "pawzstations" with plenty of water, food and fun for pets of all kinds and their human companions.  Visitors and walkers will also enjoy live music, delicious food, a beer garden (id required), a “Project Dogway” Fashion Show (register online), Hollywood Pet Tricks (register online), celebrity guests and judges, a pet-friendly exhibit area, children’s activities, a dog training clinic, and over 40 vendors. Registration for the Nuts for Mutts 5k walk is now available at www.nutsformutts.org.  For more information, please call (818) 880-2993.

The Calabasas Library is host to two different age-specific book clubs that are open to the community.  Have a 3rd through 6th grader at home with an interest in reading?  The Library features a First Wednesday Book Club specifically for kids in grades 3-6.  Membership in the book club is free and the next meeting is on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 4:00p.m. at the Library to discuss the book When you Reach Me by Rebecca Stead.  For more information, please call Jill Nevins at 818-225-7616 or email jnevins@cityofcalabasas.com.
 

The Second Thursday Library Book Club for adults will meet on Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 6:30p.m. in the Calabasas Library.  The March book choice is The History of the World in Six Glasses by Tom Standage.  Membership in the adult book club is also 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.

In 1790 the United States Census Bureau counted 3.9 million people living in the United States. That constitutionally mandated decennial population count was the first one completed in the United States. Today, the US Census Bureau mails forms to each address in their data bank. The data collected from the completed and returned forms plus enumerator’s personal interviews, are used to: apportion Congressional seats to states; to make decisions about what community services to provide; and to distribute $400 billion in federal funds to local, state and tribal governments each year.

Questions about language availability and other 2010 Census information can be answered by the West Valley & the Beaches Local Census Office at (818) 712-9799 or by contacting Andrew Cohen-Cutler, Associate Planner for the City of Calabasas at (818) 224-1704.

The Friends of the Calabasas Library will be holding a book sale at the Library on Saturday, March 13, 2010 from 10:00a.m. to 4:00p.m. and Sunday, March 14, 2010 from 12:00p.m. to 4:00p.m.   A large selection of new and gently used books, tapes, CD's, videos, and music will be available.  Attendees are asked to please bring their own book bag.  The Friends of the Calabasas Library Book Bag will be available for a nominal fee.  The sale will take place at the Calabasas Library located at  200 Civic Center Way.  As always, there is plenty of free parking available.  For more information about the book sale and donations, please check the Friends of the Calabasas Library website.

2010 SPRING/SUMMER RECREATION BROCHURE

The City of Calabasas Recreation department is once again publishing a combined Spring and Summer Recreation brochure for 2010.  The double issue, mailed to residents and available online after March 8, 2010, will give families a chance to plan early for summertime activities and classes while also taking advantage of all the spring recreation opportunities in the City.  The new brochure features detailed information about adult and youth classes, senior citizen programs, community news and information, sports activities and much more.   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, March 6, 2010), 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 to 3:00p.m.  A second monthly electronic waste event will take place on the 3rd Saturday of the month, March 20, 2010, in the Vons Shopping Center parking lot at 23381 Mulholland Drive in Woodland Hills from 10:00 a.m. to 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, March 13, 2010 there will be a free water based paint and used oil collection event at Calabasas City Hall located at 100/200 Civic Center Way (map) adjacent to the Commons from 10:00a.m to 2:00p.m. For more information, please contact the City of Calabasas Recycling and Solid Waste Coordinator at (818) 224-1600.

Calabasas Environmental Services staff members, together with the Mountains Restoration Trust, held a successful creek clean-up event along Las Virgenes Creek on the morning of Saturday, February 13, 2010.  Over forty people volunteered their time by participating in the event.  Highlights of the clean-up effort included the removal of two large cement pipes and one large tractor tire from the creek in addition to the usual debris removal.   Over 300 natives were planted along the western side of the creek to restore the bank.   Sierra Towing Company assisted volunteers in removing the pipes from the creek.   Volunteers interested in participating in a future creek clean-up are welcome to join the Big Sunday Creek Clean-up on May 2, 2010. 

The City of Calabasas and the Lost Hills Disaster Communications Service would like to invite the public to attend an Amateur Ham Radio Study and Exam Session for an Entry Level FCC License on Sunday, April 11, 2010 at the Lost Hills Sheriff's Station.   The class will take place from 9:30a.m. to 5:00p.m. and the one hour exam will begin at 2:00p.m.  There is a $25.00 class fee that includes class expenses and snacks.  Please note that registration is required and walk-ins will not be accepted.  Register today by sending a check to Norm Goodkin, 22287 Mulholland Drive #162, Calabasas, CA 91302.  Please write "April Ham Class" on the check memo.  Additional beginner classes will be held on July 11, 2010 and October 10, 2010 for anyone who cannot attend the April class.  Free follow-up classes will be held at the Sheriff's Station at 7:00p.m. on April 21, May 5, July 21, August 4, October 20, and November 3, 2010.  For more information, please contact Debbie Larson at (818) 224-1600 or dlarson@cityofcalabasas.com.

The first 500 registered participants in the 5k/10k or combo races will receive a custom embroidered HeadSweats Race Hat, and the first 1000 registered participants will receive a commemorative recycled-polyester shirt.  Watch for more updates and don't forget to register online today!  Please visit www.TalbertFamilyFoundation.org for more information on the Talbert Family Foundation and to see all the families that are being helped this year.

Topanga Symphony - Topanga
Topanga Community House, 1440 North Topanga Canyon Blvd, Topanga
Free Concert - Sunday March 14, 2010 at 3:00p.m.
Beethoven - Overture to the Creatures of Prometheus, Op. 43; Concerto for Piano, Violin and Cello, Op. 56; and Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92

Conejo Players Theatre - Thousand Oaks
Seussical - Conejo Children's Theater
March 13-21, 2010
Sat. & Sun. at 1:00pm & 4:00p.m.
Friday, March 19 at 7:00p.m.

Madrid Theatre - Canoga Park
     March  2010 Calendar

Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza - Thousand Oaks

Erosion from recent brush fires and heavy rains recently carried hundreds of cubic yards of sediment from hillsides into Las Virgenes Creek.  Accumulation of the sediment on a concrete channel adjacent to De Anza Park created a flood hazard to the surrounding communities.  The Los Angeles County Flood Control District, in coordination with the Calabasas Environmental Services division, mobilized a crew with heavy equipment and spent nearly two weeks removing the excess sediment from the flood control channel.  The maintenance crew will be recognized by the Calabasas Environmental Commission on March 2, 2010 for their efforts in protecting and preserving Las Virgenes Creek and surrounding Calabasas homes.

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 CTV archive.

Select CTV programming is now available on YouTube!

This month on CTV:

CTV Special
Visiting... With Huell Howser
Leonis Adobe Museum
(View this program anytime with CTV Archiving)

Huell Howser and a group of schoolchildren tour the Leonis Adobe Museum.  A visit back in time to the early 1800s, when the day's chores included blacksmithing, cow-roping, and winemaking. A look inside the ranch and home of San Fernando Valley businessman Miguel Leonis, a hidden treasure which was nearly demolished in the 1960s and has become the state's Historical Landmark Number One. Host John Loesing visits Huell at the premiere of the new Lenois Adobe episode.

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. 

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