Flyers for local Conejo Open Space Trails and bikes. Class I bikes only! (Talking to you, Mr. Electric Motorcycle Dude) #ConejoValley#ThousandOaks#BikeRooter
Charity weekend! On Saturday evening Bob and Sue Engler and I attended Senior Concerns’ annual fundraiser, supporting this nonprofit’s essential services for older residents.
On Sunday we were back for the Many Mansions Bowls of Hope event, where we joined Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, Ventura County CEO Dr. Sevet Johnson (pictured here with VCOE superindent Dr. Antonio Castro), and many other local community leaders in serving up tasty soups to hundreds of attendees interested in housing for everyone.
Delighted to say both events drew full-house crowds.
The City of Thousand Oaks has released their Climate & Environmental Action Plan
"The City’s CEAP or “Plan” details the strategies and actions that the City will pursue to protect the environment and address the challenges of climate change. Actions are aimed at reducing the community’s collective greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions responsible for climate change, sustaining a healthy environment, and providing co-benefits like reducing air pollution, supporting local economic development, increasing local resilience, and improving public health."
"VC Star: CFO stole millions, developer of T.O. homeless project says..." (company says that) "The company’s recently fired chief financial officer took it and spent much of it on Beverly Hills real estate, expensive cars, private jet travel, VIP passes to Coachella and more than a quarter of a million dollars in jewelry and handbags for his girlfriend."
TOAcorn: Longtime VCFD volunteer Brett Taylor found dead in his home, cause unknown.
Mar 18: " Thousand Oaks icon has died. Brett Taylor--a TO native who for years has volunteered with the fire dept., sheriff's office, the schools and pretty much anywhere else he could be helpful--was pronounced dead this morning. Cause of death has not yet been released."
Anybody know what these are? At first glance I thought they were birds, when they got closer they looked like sky divers, then….I don’t know what they were. There were 5 of them way up that drifted off in different directions. Around 3 this afternoon 🤔🤔 #thousandoaks#venturacounty
Mayor Al Adam and I met with Rep. Adam Schiff and staff to discuss the Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act, a bill the congressman proposed to protect and enhance the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and surrounding areas.
The City of Thousand Oaks supports this federal legislation and related measures to protect wildlife habitat.
As we build out infrastructure like the Wallis Annenberg crossing in Agoura Hills, it’s important to enhance area wildlife corridors that direct animals away from city streets and back into open space. These measures keep both wildlife and humans safe!
Mayor Al Adam, Councilmember Bob Engler, and I had a productive set of meetings today with our federal representatives in Washington, including here with Rep. Julia Brownley.
We’re in the nation’s capital to ask for federal assistance with sustainability, transportation, and emergency preparedness programs, among other topics.
These annual trips, which also involve a National League of Cities conference, return big benefits for all Thousand Oaks residents. For example, the recent $7M in grant funding we’re receiving for EV chargers is something we discussed on last year’s trip.
Photos by Mina Layba, the city’s legislative affairs manager.
The City’s annual Arbor Earth Day Celebration returns to Thousand Oaks Community Center Park to celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day in one combined event. This years event will include an electric vehicle display area where the public can see and ask questions about various EV models, compost and plant giveaways, a bicycle safety course & helmet giveaway, bicycle donation/collection, kids activities & bounce house, raffles, live music, and more!
PSA: Caltrans plans an overnight closure of the 101N-SR23 interchange TONIGHT to perform guardrail work. This closure originally had been scheduled for this weekend but Caltrans moved the date forward because of the possibility of rain over the weekend.
Had a wonderful time celebrating wildlife corridor protection at the Connections in Conservation event tonight in Agoura Hills.
Thanks to organizers Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, the National Wildlife Federation, and the Cougar Conservancy for all their work on wildlife connectivity in the Santa Monica Mountains and beyond.
Thanks too those who traveled from as far as Florida and Texas to view the excellent film "Path of the Panther."
After all I heard at this event, I'm even more glad the Thousand Oaks City Council has made natural habitat protection one of its top goals for 2023-24.
HRRR says the rain event doesn't move into Santa Barbara until noon. But then it sees the high elevation spots above Santa Barbara/Ojai getting 8 inches total by 10pm. 👀 #CAwx#rain
Conejo Valley seems to be in the rain shadow of the Santa Monica mountains, based on the HRRR (which makes sense -- they wring out a substantial amount of rain when storms roll in from the South). #ConejoValley#ThousandOaks#NewburyPark#VenturaCounty#rain#CAwx
PSA: Caltrans just advised this afternoon that the 101 northbound exit to Highway 23 will be closed from 8 pm TONIGHT through 6 am tomorrow morning for asphalt dike repair work. There will be a marked detour via Rancho Road.
Thanks to Rep. Julia Brownley, Ventura County today received a $12 million federal electrifcation grant, with $7 million of that heading to Thousand Oaks.
The grant will fund EV charging stations, battery storage, related infrastructure, and job training.
This is a win-win-win-win:
It’s good for our climate
It’s good for the growing number of EV users
It’s good for public safety (essential city services need power during emergencies)
It’s good for our economy, creating green jobs
This was a team effort, with many on city staff taking part, along with partners across the county. Kudos all! This will improve people’s lives.