The 14^th annual Calabasas Fine Arts Festival will take place over two days on Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1, 2011 from 10:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. at the Calabasas Civic Center and the Commons at Calabasas shopping center (adjacent to the original Park Sorrento Fine Arts Festival location).  Admission and parking are both free.   

As always, hundreds of artists will be on hand selling unique art that can fit into any budget.  The Calabasas Fine Arts Festival features a number of returning artists along with an exciting list of new artisans. The show will have a variety of genre’s of art including, glass, acrylic, mixed media, metal and sculpture art, wood work, photography, jewelry and much more. Please join the Calabasas art community for this wonderful spring weekend of great artistry, entertainment, food and fun!  For more information about the Calabasas Fine Arts Festival, please visit www.calabasasartscouncil.com.

Beginning July 1, 2011, shoppers will no longer receive disposable plastic bags while shopping at Calabasas grocery stores and are encouraged to use reusable shopping bags whenever possible.  Under a new law passed by the City Council in February 2011 (Ordinance No. 2011-282), Calabasas is prohibiting disposable plastic shopping bags in two stages. 

On July 1, 2011, grocery stores with $2 million or more in sales and retail stores with 10,000 square feet or more that have pharmacies will stop offering disposable bags to customers.  This category includes the four major supermarkets in the City (Albertsons, Gelson’s, Maddy’s Market, and Ralphs) and Rite Aid in the Commons.  Smaller drug stores, convenience food stores, smaller retail stores and grocers must stop offering disposable plastic bags by January 1, 2012.  Please note that small plastic bags will still be available in stores for fruits and vegetables.  

Under the terms of the new law, stores will have reusable bags available for sale and will also offer recyclable paper bags for 10 cents each in lieu of customers bringing their reusable bags or simply carrying items purchased without a bag.  The fees collected from bag sales will only go towards helping stores comply with the new law. Each store will provide quarterly reports to the City detailing fees collected and their reusable bag promotional efforts during that period.  Lower income residents who participate in the California Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children program will receive either reusable bags or recyclable paper bags for free.   

Residents are encouraged to bring reusable bags with them when shopping before July to get in the habit of ditching the disposable plastic bags that pollute our environment and constitute a high percentage of litter across the country.  For more information about reusable bags and this ordinance, please visit www.cityofcalabasas.com/bags.html.

The 8th annual Calabasas Relay for Life, a 24 hour team event that raises funds for the American Cancer Society, will take place on Saturday, May 14, 2011  beginning at 9a.m. and ending at 9a.m. on Sunday, May 15, 2011 at A.E. Wright Middle School in Calabasas.  Relay for Life 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 Calabasas Library is offering a new multimedia database called Bookflix for free to the Calabasas Library cardholders.  BookFlix is a new online literacy resource that pairs classic video storybooks from Weston Woods with related nonfiction eBooks from Scholastic to build a love of reading and learning. The engaging way to link fact and fiction, BookFlix reinforces early reading skills and introduces children to a world of knowledge and exploration. You need a City of Calabasas Library card to access this content.  

To use BookFlix, please visit this site and enter a valid Calabasas Library card number.  Please contact the Calabasas Library at (818) 225-7616.    

2011 SPRING/SUMMER RECREATION BROCHURE & SUMMER BASKETBALL LEAGUE

The 2011 Calabasas Spring/Summer Winter Recreation brochure has been mailed to all Calabasas residents.  The brochure features detailed information about adult and youth classes, senior citizen programs, community news and information, sports activities and much more.  Please look for Enrichment classes and other after school programs in the Recreation Brochure.  The 2011 Spring/Summer Calabasas Recreation Brochure is also available online and additional paper copies are available at City Hall, the Agoura/Calabasas Community Center and the Calabasas Tennis & Swim Center.   Classes run until September 2011 so make sure to register early!  For more information about Calabasas recreation opportunities or for help with class registration, please call the Recreation department at (818) 880-6461.

Don't Miss Out! Hurry into Juan Bautista de Anza Park to register for the 2011 Summer Basketball League.  Sign-ups for boys and girls ages 5-16 are on going until divisions full. Space is filling up fast. League play runs June to August 2011. For more information please call (818) 880-6461.

Parents in Calabasas can now register their kids for additional spring swim lessons which start on Monday, May 23, 2011 and Tuesday, May 24, 2011 from 4:00p.m. to 6:30p.m.  Registration forms are currently available at the Calabasas Tennis & Swim Center.   The Swim Center lesson office/tiki is open to accept registrations and answer phone calls on Tuesdays from 3:00p.m. - 5:30p.m. and on Fridays from 3:00p.m. to 6:00p.m.  Class space is limited and the classes will fill-up quickly!  For more information, please call at the Lagoon at (818) 222-8777.

Are you a swimmer who needs to work on technique, build endurance or need to be pushed to swim at a higher level? The City of Calabasas Recreation Department is hosting a Masters Swim Program that begins a new session on May 31, 2011.  Workouts will include drill sets, endurance sets and sprints and will be supervised by an on-deck coach.  Intermediate fitness swimmers to advanced swimmers are welcome to register.   The fee for the program is $30 for Calabasas Tennis & Swim Center members and $105 for non-members.  Please contact Raine at (818) 222-2782 for more information.

The Second Thursday Book Club for adults returns to the Library on Thursday, May 12, 2011 at 6:30p.m.  The book for May is Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford.   Membership in the Second Thursday Book Club is free, however a library card is required to participate. For more information, please call Caroline Russom at 818-225-7616 or email crussom@cityofcalabasas.com.

A Wednesday morning Book Club for adults will also be held on Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at 10:00a.m. in the Calabasas Library.  The May book is Soong Dynasty by Sterling Seagrave. 

The free Kids Book Club for 4th through 6th graders will meet again on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 4:00p.m.  The May book is Ida B.
by Katherine Hannigan.  Membership in the Wednesday Book Club is free and for more information, please call Jill Nevins at 818-225-7616 or email  jnevins@cityofcalabasas.com.

The book club for 2nd and 3rd graders will meet on Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at 2:00p.m. in the Calabasas Library to discuss the book Love that Dog by Sharon Creech.  Young readers are welcome to come by for books, food and fun.  For more information, please call (818) 224-1757.

Registration is now available at the Calabasas Tennis & Swim Center for Lifeguard and Water Safety Instruction classes provided through the American Red Cross beginning on May 2, 2011.  The full 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 tests 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.

The City of Calabasas organizes two free monthly electronic waste collection events. On  the first Saturday of each month (Saturday, May 7, 2011), 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, May 21, 2011, 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.  For more information, please contact the City of Calabasas Recycling and Solid Waste Coordinator at (818) 224-1600.

The City of Calabasas holds bi-monthly collections for paint and used oil.  On Saturday, May 14, 2011 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.

Conejos Players Theatre - Thousand Oaks
Twelve Angry Men
Through May 14, 2011
Thurs., Fri. & Sat. at 8:00p.m.
Sun. at 2:00p.m.

Madrid Theatre - Canoga Park
May 2011 Calendar

Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza - Thousand Oaks

TIPS FOR SAFELY DRAINING SWIMMING POOLS

Spring is the time of year when many pool owners drain their pools.  It is important for residents to know how to discharge pool water in order to protect the environment.  Everything that is spilled onto the street drains directly into local creeks, unfiltered, via the storm drain system.  Chlorinated water and spent diatomaceous earth material are not creek-friendly substances.  Recent studies have indicated that urban runoff (such as car washing, hosing off driveways, discharge of chlorinated swimming pool water, overflow from excessive watering of fertilizer and pesticide applied lawns, etc.) as well as direct dumping into the gutters/storm drain system is the number one pollution source of local creeks. 
 

The following are legal methods of swimming pool waste water disposal:

           1.    To a sewer line,

           2.    On the property (i.e. for irrigation) if the property is large enough to ensure that runoff
will not encroach on abutting properties.

           3.    To a tank truck.

         4.    Discharge of swimming pool water into the street is legal only if it has been dechlorinated/debrominated by halting chemical treatments for a minimum of 10 days and having water tested prior to discharge. 
 

Never clean a filter in the street or near a storm drain.  Rinse cartridge filters onto a dirt area, and spade filter residue into soil.  Backwash diatomaceous earth filters onto dirt. Dispose of spent diatomaceous earth in the garbage. Spent diatomaceous earth cannot be discharged to surface waters, storm drainage systems, septic systems, or on the ground.
 

Appropriate disposal of pool filter backwash includes options such as running the backwash line directly to a sanitary sewer system, disposing of the solid materials in residential trash or even distributing the rinse water materials amidst existing vegetation (please check with a landscaper or local nursery first to see if plantings can tolerate the chlorinated water and diatomaceous earth material.) 

The popular Therapy Dog Reading Program returns to the Calabasas Library in May.  Bring a  new and emerging reader from grades K-3 to the Library on Saturday, May 8, 2011 to share in the unique reading program featuring some very special dogs.  Each participating child will have 15 minutes to read to a therapy dog.  The dogs, each trained through the non-profit organization Paws 4 Healing, will sit (or lie!) and listen while your child experiences the joy of reading aloud.  The program is from 11:00a.m. to 1:00p.m and reservations will be accepted beginning at 10:30a.m. in the library.  The Calabasas Library is located at 200 Civic Center Way in Calabasas (map). For more information call, please call Jill Nevins, Children’s Library assistant, at  (818) 225-7616, ext. 2.

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The City of Calabasas Community Services Department is pleased to announce the 2011 Summer VolunTEEN program.  VolunTEENS are individuals between the ages of 13 and 17 who are interested in volunteering their spare time.   Participants will have the chance to take part in a variety of activities including: recreational classes, camps, sports programs, special events, and office work at City Hall, Chamber of Commerce, Calabasas Library and much more. The program is designed to give individuals valuable "on the job experience." The program will begin on Monday, June 20, 2011 and run until Friday, August 12, 2011.  Applications are currently available at Juan Bautista De Anza Park, 3701 Lost Hills Rd., Calabasas, CA 91302 from Monday through Friday 8:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. This program is limited to the first 40 participants who sign up. There will be a volunteer orientation meeting on Friday May 6, 2011 at 4:00pm at Founders Hall in the Calabasas Library. For more information please call Recreation Specialist, Lana Wilhelm at 818-880-6461.

Be sure to tune in to CTV on cable channel 3 in Calabasas, through live online web-streaming, or watch any meeting or TV program on demand through the CTV archive.

Select CTV programming is now available on YouTube!

New this month on CTV:

Calabasas City Hall will be closed on Monday, May 30, 2011 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.  All City Council meetings and commission meetings take place in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 100 Civic Center Way in Calabasas. 

Want City Agendas delivered to your email? Sign up at http://www.cityofcalabasas.com/connect.html.


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