West Valley New Hotel Proposed - See Page 6 Local Artist Playhouse Hangs With Finds Temporary Cartoon New Home + Characters More Theatre See page 3 See Page 9 ValleyVolume 34, Issue 52 A CompendiousVantage Source of Information February 21, 2019 NEWS IN BRIEF Coloring the Gap Between It Snowed Today! Canoga Park and Calabasas As if the recent A crayon is such a little thing. rainstorms haven’t been But yellow can create a sun. Blue can crazy enough, sights fill in a sky. A whole box can make a rainbow. of snow were reported But here in our backyard, a crayon can in Calabasas this be a big thing - if you don’t have any. Thursday, February 21. At Hart Street Elementary School in Calabasas resident and Canoga Park, most of the kids are on the free actor Jerry O’ Connell lunch program. They come from homes that took to his Instagram are barely scraping by. There is never enough stories to record the money for rent, food, clothes. Crayons are unprecedented weather way down the list. event, pointing out the shocking flurries. Weather stations Enter a partnership between the have forecasted that with the record low temperatures, Calabasas County Club and Crayon snowfall would drop to lower levels but no one could have Collection, a non-profit art-centered predicated we would see snowflakes in Calabasas. Yet, in organization. effect today through Friday morning is a freeze watch that Anastasia Using crayons from could see temperatures drop to between 29 and 32 degrees. Alexander, Crayon Collection to While we sadly can’t cross our fingers for upcoming snow Clubhouse Manager create art, above. days, it’s certainly a fun sight to behold while it lasts! Several at Calabasas Country Opening a gift pack people also posted pictures on Facebook (like above) of snow Club, founded the of crayons from dotting their clothes and cars. organization online another school, at and wanted to left. join forces to help Community Input Needed on local schools in the community. Speed Limit Increases on Local Streets The non-profit Five local streets were approved for speed limit increases Crayon Collection at the end of 2018, in order to allow for the use of radar “recycles” crayons for speed enforcement. The five are among hundreds of to bring art into local affected streets throughout Los Angeles based on current underserved schools. “We want to teach charity to children, because State of California requirements for setting speed limits. The Founder Sheila Morovati says, “Having access it really does stay with them the rest of their lives,” local street segments identified for change are: Mulholland to a crayon may seem natural, but many of the children explained Alexander. “By funding the program, we Drive between Topanga Canyon Boulevard and San we work with have never owned even one crayon. By can invite Las Virgenes students to the club, train Feliciano; Shoup Avenue from Ventura Blvd. to Roscoe shifting the wasteful behavior of tossing still good them and have them make packages of crayons, Blvd.; Victory Boulevard between Shoup avenue and Valley crayons we are able to provide millions of crayons supplies and newspapers for the children in Canoga Circle Boulevard; Oxnard Street from DeSoto Avenue and our art education program to these schools.” Park. It teaches them that something as small as this to Shoup Avenue and Corbin Avenue between Ventura She first noticed there was an excess of makes a difference.” Blvd. and Roscoe Blvd. All speed limits are scheduled crayons thrown away when she’d eat out with her to be revised from 35 to 40 miles per hour, except Victory own children. 163 million crayons are thrown away It teaches kids that something as Blvd. which would be raised from 40 to 45 miles per hour. each year, and they don’t decompose. “Something The Woodland Hills Warner Center Neighborhood was very wrong with that picture,” she said. So small as this make a difference. Council submitted a Community Impact Statement she started collecting them and donating them to withholding support for the increases and asking for more schools. It began as an organic, grass-roots family The goal is to encourage students to be more time to gather additional community input. While the Los effort that just grew. “Teachers are known to spend eco-conscious in recycling crayons, and more Angeles City Council has approved the speed limit changes $900 of their own money on school supplies. This philanthropic. They can collect used crayons from throughout the city, Councilman Bob Blumenfield and the help them and the kids,” she explained. “A lot of arts restaurants, bring those they’ve grown out of, hold LADOT have offered to work with the neighborhood council funding has been cut too, so we developed a program crayon drives and more. and community to address concerns. To submit comments to bring artists into the schools and create art with Julia Green, Crayon Collection’s Outreach email [email protected]. the crayons.” Manager, told Valley News Group, “Calabasas Las Virgenes Schools in general, are much Country Club is an amazing partner of ours. more affluent. So what’s the partnership? (Continued to page 14) Page 2, Valley News Group, February 21, 2019 COMMUNITY FEBRUARY COMMUNITY CALENDAR WOODLAND HILLS: On Saturday, February 23, at 3pm, Neill Simmons presents his “Dreams and Reincarnation” talk at the Woodland Hills library. This free speaker event focuses on past lives, significance of dreams and the sharing of personal experiences in this interactive workshop. 5 NIGHTS FROM WOODLAND HILLS: Wings Over Wendy’s, a group of veterans of all services, veteran supporters, aviation and military aficionados that 1 honors all veterans past and present meets 8:30 to 10:30 am every Monday, 52 weeks a year, at the Wendy’s Restaurant, 22611 Ventura $ Blvd., Woodland Hills and every Tuesday 9:30 to 11 am at the Tarzana 1,228 Community Center, 19130 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana. INCLUDES ROUND TRIP AIRFARE FROM LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (LAX) WOODLAND HILLS: The World Literature Book Club meets at TO HONOLULU, HAWAI’I (HNL) the Woodland Hills Library on Monday February 25 at 2 pm to discuss the 1192 edition of the Oxford Book of American Short Stories edited by Joyce Carol Oates. Copies are available at the library and for any questions call the branch at 818-226-0017 O‘AHU, HAWAI‘I and ask for Barbara or email the branch at [email protected]. CALABASAS: The Calabasas Library hosts their Fun Fair on OUTRIGGER REEF WAIKIKI Saturday, February 23 from noon until 4 pm. With games, food and BEACH RESORT prizes, this fundraiser is free to attend but children’s book donations are always welcome. Proceeds from the event go to the Calabasas INCLUDES: Teen Library Council, National Honor Society of Calabasas High • Five nights’ standard double room accommodations School and other teen clubs. For more information, call 818-225-7616. • Kids 17 & younger stay FREE2 CALABASAS: • One day economy car rental 3 Enjoy a family movie night at the Calabasas Library on Saturday February 23 at 6 pm as they screen the movie “Inside TRAVEL: Out.” Rated PG with a running time of 102 minutes, the library will • Select dates through December 15, 2019 offer popcorn, pizza and drinks for a dollar each! • Ask About Rates From Your Local Airport! ALOHA DAYS SPECIAL OFFERS: WEST VALLEY: The West Valley Warner Center Chamber of Commerce is holding a free LinkedIn class on Monday, February 25 $125AIR CREDIT from 6 to 8 pm in their Chamber office (6101 Owensmouth). Sean 4 PER BOOKING McCarthy will teach people how to utilize LinkedIn to promote their + businesses, add connections and market your skills. Bring your laptop $100ACTIVITY and/or notebook. RSVPs are required. To reserve your seat, call the VOUCHER Chamber at 818-389-1876. PER BOOKING4 WOODLAND HILLS: El Camino High School’s Student Council and Los Angeles Conservation Corps will be hosting an Electronics Waste Drop-Off on Saturday, February 23 from 9 am to noon in the parking lot at Valley Circle and Mariano Street. The event does not accept batteries, refrigerators, light bulbs, thermostats and air conditioners. O‘AHU, HAWAI‘I Book Now through April 30, 2019 AAA TRAVELS WITH YOU CALL: (800) 741-1605 CLICK: AAA.com/Aloha VISIT: Your Local Auto Club Branch 1Rate is per person, land and round trip economy-class airfare from LAX only, based on double occupancy for check-in on August 19, 2019 & includes taxes, fees and surcharges collected by seller at time of booking. Airfare is nonrefundable. Itinerary changes/cancellations are subject to Pleasant Holidays, airline and/or other supplier-imposed fees from $25 (for Canada or contiguous U.S. travel) or from $50 (for all other travel) per person, plus applicable fare differential (certain changes involve pre-notifi cation deadlines). See General Disclaimer for additional information regarding air. 2Kids stay free in same room as adults using existing bedding. Occupancy limits apply. 3Hertz car rental includes unlimited mileage. Renter must be at least 24 years of age. All drivers must have a full, valid driver’s license. Renters must have a valid credit card in their name. A security deposit is due at pick-up and credited upon acceptable return of the vehicle. 4Aloha Days Offer: $125 air credit per booking offer applies to new bookings to Hawai‘i at select hotels made February 4–April 30, 2019 for travel February 4–December 15, 2019. Air credit is per booking and taken at time of booking. Minimum fi ve nights’ accommodation at a participating hotel or resort, round trip transpacifi c air and minimum 1-day qualifying Hertz economy car rental required to receive Aloha Days offers.