The 11th annual Calabasas Fine Arts Festival will take place over two days on Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4, 2008 from 10:00a.m. – 5:00p.m. in the parking lot behind the Calabasas Library at 23975 Park Sorrento (map).  Admission and parking are free!  

As always, the Festival will feature a variety of artwork fitting all budgets with pieces made from glass, acrylic, mixed media, metal and sculpture art, wood work, photography, jewelry and more. There will be plenty of live entertainment, stilted performers and delicious food to enjoy while browsing through the hundreds of artist booths on site.

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.

The Calabasas Big Sunday Creek Clean-up will take place on Sunday, May 4, 2008 from 9:00a.m. to 11:00a.m. at Las Virgenes Creek on Agoura Road and Las Virgenes Road just behind the Starbucks. 

Big Sunday is an annual volunteer weekend that takes place each year in the Los Angeles area and Calabasas is participating this year with a special Creek Clean-up Event. The 10th Anniversary Big Sunday will take place on Saturday May 3 and Sunday May 4, 2008 and include a series of environmental events labeled as Green Sunday.  Big Sunday volunteers come from, and volunteer in, all neighborhoods from the greater Los Angeles area.  There are volunteer opportunities for every passion, every talent, and every age. Projects are scheduled throughout the weekend to work with any schedule.  Projects can last anywhere from one hour to two days.  Everything about Big Sunday is completely non-denominational and non-political.
 

 For more information on Big Sunday, please visit http://www.bigsunday.org/.  For more information about the Calabasas Creek Clean-up, please call (818) 878-4225, ext. 307.

Calabasas Relay for Life is a 24 hour team event that raises funds for the American Cancer Society beginning on May 17, 2008  and ending on May 18, 2008.  This year, the Calabasas Relay for Life moves to May and will take place at A.E. Wright Middle School in Calabasas.  The Relay is a chance for the community to come together to raise awareness of cancer, celebrate survivors, remember those lost to the disease, and raise funds to fight cancer through research, education, advocacy and patient services. 

Anyone is welcome to participate by starting a team, joining an existing team or simply donating to a team that is already set-up.  Teams are currently forming from local businesses, student groups and residents and members are raising funds which can be donated securely online or by check. 

For more information about Calabasas Relay for Life, to create or join a team or to donate, please visit the official website. 

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted on April 24, 2008 to create an area code overlay (Map) in Calabasas and surrounding areas that currently use the 818 area code.  Under terms of the 747/818 area code overlay, every customer that currently has an 818 area code in Calabasas and surrounding communities will keep their 818 number.  New customers, beginning in May 2009, may be given a 747 area code telephone number.  All calls within the current 818 area will require 11 digit dialing (1 + area code + number) whether the call is placed to someone down the street or in Burbank.   The overlay will be phased in with optional 11 digit dialing beginning in six months and mandatory 10 digit dialing starting in one year.  The CPUC has indicated the new 747 area code is needed due to a shortage of available 818 numbers.  More detail about implementation dates for the area code will be featured in future editions of e.News as information becomes available.

The City of Calabasas invites the public to a free Spring Pops concert featuring Latin, Classical and Jazz music by legendary pianist Freddie Ravel on Sunday, June 1, 2008 at 5:00p.m.  The traditionally private Calabasas Lake will "open its doors" to concert goers, providing a scenic backdrop and ample field seating for picnickers.   The public is encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets, and sweaters.  Some fixed seating is available on a first come first served basis.   Gate entrance and parking will be at the Calabasas Tennis and Swim Center at 23400 Park Sorrento in Calabasas.  For further information, please visit the City website at www.cityofcalabasas.com or call the City at (818) 878-4225, x. 302.

The Calabasas High Music Boosters will be holding a special concert to honor retiring A.E. Wright Middle School Music Director Harry Leff on Sunday, May 4, 2008 at 1:00p.m. at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza in Thousand Oaks.  Mr. Leff has been teaching in the area for 36 years starting at Lindero Middle School  and since 1990 at A.E. Wright in Calabasas.   The concert, titled "My Way: Celebrating the Career of Mr. Harry Leff," will be conducted by Mr. Leff with an orchestra assembled with a mix of past students and professional musicians.  Tickets are $25 and more information is available by emailing Lefftickets@gmail.com.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department is hosting a Fire Service Day family event on Saturday May 10, 2008 from 10:00a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at Fire Station 89 located at 29575 Canwood Street in Agoura Hills (map).  Members of the community are welcome to come and see a variety of fire engines, a helicopter, Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) vehicles and watch exciting firefighting demonstrations.  Children will have an opportunity to try on genuine Fire Department clothing and meet "Sparky the Fire Dog."   Admission is free!  Parking available at Agoura Hills Medical Plaza, just east of the Fire Station on Canwood Street. Please access the Medical Plaza parking lot by traveling west from Kanan Road, as Canwood Street will be closed to traffic for this event between the Fire Station and Strawberry Hill. For more information about Fire Service Day, please call (310) 419-8734.

The City of Calabasas has released revised schedules for 2008 summertime public transportation services. Line 1 continues unchanged and Line 2 – Line 7 will begin summer service on either June 24 or June 30, 2008 depending on the individual Line and summer schools served.  Lines 2, 3 and 4 will be providing looping service for students needing to attend Sumac Elementary School and Agoura High School.  Lines 5, 6 and 7 provide access to A.E. Wright Middle School. The revised public transit service benefits the local schools hosting summer school and riders attending the summer camps.  As always, the summer transportation service is provided at no cost to riders. The revised routes and schedules are available for viewing and downloading under the Public Works Department website.  Please contact Amir at (818) 878-4225, ext. 289 with any questions. 

Last December the City Council approved Calabasas' first historic preservation ordinance, and in February, the Council appointed the first members of the Historic Preservation Commission. At it's inaugural meeting in April, the Commission requested the City Council declare the month of May Historic Preservation Month in Calabasas.

Historic Preservation Month is sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and is celebrated in communities across the entire country. This year's theme is "This Place Matters". Throughout the month of May, the National Trust and its thousands of partners across the country will demonstrate the importance of our nation's heritage as they focus on many aspects of the preservation movement including historic travel, heritage education, historic homeownership, and community revitalization. The idea behind preservation month is celebrating the country's diverse and irreplaceable heritage by participating in local events throughout the nation. There can be no better way to kick off our own preservation program than to showcase that historic places in Calabasas matter!

So what's next for our program? The City will be hiring a consultant to write Calabasas' Historic Context and conduct a citywide survey to determine potential historic properties. The Historic Context will identify the important aspects of Calabasas' history, the type of properties that depict those significant aspects, and the minimum significance and integrity requirements needed to consider a property historic. Meanwhile, the survey will look at all properties built prior to 1960 and other properties believed to be potentially significant in the City to determine which ones are potentially significant and which ones have the potential to be designated. The survey itself does not make a property historic, it only gathers information and creates the starting point for the Commission and Council to look at potential designations.

Everyone can help. If you believe a property may be historic, please send the address to Geoffrey Starns, Senior Planner, at gstarns@cityofcalabasas.com.

The Calabasas Historical Society is hosting an Old Town Western BBQ on Sunday, June 1, 2008 from 3:00p.m. - 6:00p.m. at the Leonis Adobe Museum (23537 Calabasas Road).  The fun-filled, family friendly event will be catered the Sagebrush Cantina and will feature musical entertainment by Michael Sullivan, a raffle, a best western costume contest, door prizes, visits with the animals who live on the grounds of the museum and tours of the Leonis Adobe. The BBQ is a fundraising event supporting scholarships in the history and agricultural departments at Pierce College.  Admission price is $35 for adults and $5 for children 6 to 12 years.  Proceeds from the BBQ will support scholarships in the history and agricultural departments at Pierce College. For reservations, mail a check payable to the "Calabasas Historical Society (CHS)" to CHS, P.O. Box 8067, Calabasas, CA 91372 and please indicate donation or attendance.  Attendees are invited to wear western attire.   For more information, please call (818) 347-9356.

NEW SPRING/SUMMER RECREATION BROCHURE AND VOLUNTEENS NEEDED

The City of Calabasas Recreation department has once again published a combined Spring and Summer Recreation brochure for 2008.  The double issue, mailed to residents and available online, gives 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 brochure features detailed information about adult and youth classes, senior citizen programs, community news and information, sports activities and much more.  

Registration for all open classes is currently available online.  For more information about Calabasas recreation opportunities or for help with class registration, please call the Recreation department at (818) 880-6461.

The Community Services Department is also looking for VolunTEENS to take part in a free summer program that gives teens between the ages of 13-17 a chance to develop “on the job skills” in a variety of settings such as the Calabasas Library, Chamber of Commerce, Summer Camp, and many more.   For additional information or to volunteer a volunTEEN, please call (818) 880-6461.

The City is holding a free electronic waste collection on Saturday, May 3, 2008 at Calabasas City Hall, 26135 Mureau Road in Calabasas 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, May 10, 2008 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.

On Saturday, May 17, 2008 there will be a Household Hazardous and E-Waste Roundup at Topanga Elementary School from 9:00a.m. - 3:00p.m., located at 141 N. Topanga Canyon Road in Topanga.  Another Roundup will be held on Sunday, June 8, 2008 at the Calabasas Landfill Scale Area, located at 5300 Lost Hills Road.  For more information, click HERE or contact (800) 238-0172.

The City of Calabasas hosted an Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 26, 2008.  More than 300 people visited the event and enjoyed the numerous booths during the celebration.  

Many student volunteers from the Calabasas High School assisted with the set-up and clean-up for the event which took place at the restored Las Virgenes Creek restoration site.  The California Wildlife Center, Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, The Nature of Wildworks, Southern California Edison, Calabasas Chamber of Commerce, Las Virgenes Community Learning Center, and the Calabasas Environmental Commission all had informative booths at the celebration.  Musical entertainment was provided by the Acoustic River Band.  Thanks to all who participated in this educational celebration of Earth!

Conejo Players Theatre - Thousand Oaks
      Agatha Christie Takes Manhattan
     Through May 10
     Thursday, Friday & Saturday evenings at 8:00p.m.
     May 4 - Sunday at 2:00p.m.
    
Madrid Theatre - Canoga Park
     May 2008 Calendar


Scherr Forum Theatre - Thousand Oaks
     May 2008 Calendar

Stage Door Theatre - Agoura Hills
     On Golden Pond
     By Ernest Thompson
     Through May 10
     Thursday, Friday & Saturday evenings at 8:00p.m.
     For reservations, please call (818) 889-5209.

The Calabasas Environmental Commission presented the Carl Gibbs Environmental Excellence Award to Ms. Trisha Kane during their regular meeting on April 1, 2008.   Ms. Kane has set up a full recycling program at A.E. Wright Middle School where she is a special needs teacher.  The recycling effort is school-wide and involves students and staff recycling paper, plastic bottles and aluminum. Additionally, the school collects print cartridges, batteries, e-waste, eye-glasses and cell phones.  Money has been raised from bottle and can refunds allowing the school to donate to a variety of charities and to help fund the school’s science lab. 

In 2007, Ms. Kane initiated an “Earth Week” program at A.E. Wright.  During that week, students make pledges aimed at reducing their individual carbon footprint.  Daily activities focus on teaching students about conservation and sustainability. In her daily contact with students, Ms. Kane emphasizes the daily impact we have on our planet’s future and believes that everyone has a part to play in the future health of the planet.   The Carl Gibbs Environmental Excellence Award to Ms. Kane reads: “In recognition of her commitment to enhance the environment which has been demonstrated by her tireless efforts to promote education of resource conservation and recycling at A.E. Wright Middle School and especially to special need students.”

ANIME MOVIE DAY AT THE CALABASAS LIBRARY

The Calabasas Library will be holding an Anime Movie Day featuring a showing of a popular anime film on Saturday, May 10, 2008 at 2:00 p.m.  Admission is free and complimentary refreshments will be served.  The film is unrated so please note that no one under the age of 8 will be allowed to attend without an adult.   For more information about the Anime Movie Day at the Calabasas Library, please contact Karilyn Steward, Youth Services Librarian at 818-225-7616.

The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD) and its Joint Powers Authority partner Triunfo Sanitation District (TSD), invite residents to join in the observation of International Compost Awareness Week from May 4–10, 2008.  Coordinated by the U.S. Composting Council, activities span the entire globe as compost advocates encourage everyone to “Use Compost!”

During Compost Awareness Week, providers remind the public that the “full circle” of recycling only works when the public does its part by returning processed biosolids back to nature.  To encourage this practice, LVMWD and TSD provide free Community Compost on Saturdays from 8:00a.m. to 1:00p.m. at Rancho Las Virgenes Composting Facility. Everyone is invited to come and pick up a supply to enhance landscapes, ornamental areas, lawns, and vegetable gardens.  The Rancho Las Virgenes Composting Facility is located at 3700 Las Virgenes Road at the intersection of Lost Hills Road in Calabasas. Residents picking up compost should bring containers with a cover or strong plastic bags with ties; pickup trucks must also bring a plastic cover for the bed.  Shovels are provided. For more details, please visit www.LVMWD.com.

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.

Premiering this month on CTV:

Author's Night
(View this program anytime with CTV Archiving)

Mark L. Brenner
Join host Karyn Foley with her guest, Mark L. Brenner author of, "Tipping For Success: Secrets for How to Get In and Get Great Services"

Tune in for this entertaining and very informative episode.

Calabasas City Hall will be closed on Monday, May 26 in observance of Memorial 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.

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