Fields of Yellow: Invasive, Non-Native Black Mustard Plants Seen Throughout the Conejo Valley

It has been a beautiful ride this winter and spring, watching the hills turn from golden brown to lush green and now the deep yellow color of the invasive black mustard “weed” that has sprouted more than typically seen throughout the Conejo Valley.

I’ve walked through 8 foot tall mustard plants in the Hillcrest Open Space and seen the hillsides in Calabasas blanketed in yellow in the past several weeks. While stunning to see, these non-native plants prevent germination of native plants. Let’s hope our local agencies and organizations can clear out much of this growth before we reach peak fire season later this year.

Off the 101 in Calabasas

Hillcrest Open Space

Hillcrest Open Space

Malibu Creek State Park

Las Virgenes Highlands Park

The Oaks Celebrates Its Fifth Decade with Five Majestic Oak Trees Inside the Mall in Thousand Oaks

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The Oaks Shopping Mall in Thousand Oaks. This shot taken early this morning, April 1, 2019, showing the majestic 100 foot oak trees planted inside the mall.

The Oaks originally opened its doors in April 1978 and is thus now in its fifth decade here in Thousand Oaks.

To celebrate this milestone, late yesterday this iconic shopping mall installed five majestic oak trees inside the mall. At over 100 feet in height, these five transplanted trees were relocated via crane into five designated spots near Macy’s (both stores), JCPenney, Nordstrom and the AMC Theater.

Alan Arbour, a local tree expert involved in the effort, notes “It was a monumental effort transporting these five massive trees, identifying spots inside the mall that would accommodate them and plopping them through specially made protrusion holes in the ceiling.”

“The visual element of these five spectacular trees above the mall’s airspace is incredible, if you ask me,” said Grace Gullibal, social media coordinator for The Oaks. “At over 100 feet tall, these trees can be seen from space.”

According to Pulin Mi Laig, spokesperson for The Oaks, “This is just the first step in aligning The Oaks Shopping Mall with the most familiar aspects of the local community.”

We asked what’s next. Pulin Mi Laig’s daughter Ann D. Howe chimed in, “Think rabbits. Lots of rabbits.”

All righty then. We shall see, we shall see.

APRIL FOOLS'!

Happy April Fools' Day!

April Fools' fun in prior years

Rare Snow Experienced in the Conejo Valley on Thursday, February 21, 2019

A rare appearance of snow was enjoyed in many sections of the Conejo Valley yesterday, fed very cold temperatures and a storm that migrated here from Canada. There were reports of brief snow encounters by folks in Agoura Hills, Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Newbury Park, Calabasas and other cities, including Malibu!

At my home, there was rain, there was sleet, and then there was snow. The snow appeared briefly before melting away.

Snow appeared on the mountain like magic, just a couple hours ago (facing Newbury Park, from Westlake Village) #socalsnow ❄️✨❄️✨ pic.twitter.com/MBVuYeWwyb

— Kristine Keller (@ScarletLark) February 22, 2019

According to the National Weather Services Forecast Office Los Angeles/Oxnard, “the last significant and widespread measurable snow in the Los Angeles and Ventura County valleys was on February 8, 1989, when up to five inches of snow fell in portions of the San Fernando Valley westward to Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley.”

It was a wonderful, memorable sight.

Notable Records Set or Tied at Super Bowl 53

Rams practice facility at Cal Lutheran, seen from the hills above CLU.

Having been a Los Angeles Ram fan as a kid, until they left for St. Louis in 1995, then again when they returned in 2016, I was excited for today’s Super Bowl game. Making it even more exciting is that the Rams are headquartered right here in the Conejo Valley in Agoura Hills and have practiced at Cal Lutheran since 2017.

The Los Angeles Rams had played in only one other Super Bowl. They lost 31 to 19 to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl 14 on January 20, 1920. The St. Louis Rams played in two Super Bowls with a 1-1 record. But otherwise, Super Bowl 53 was only the second time in history that the Los Angeles based Rams made it to this game.

And it was an utter disappointment. The Rams lost in Atlanta to the Patriots by a score of 13 to 3.

Some of the records set or tied at Super Bowl 53 included:

• Fewest points scored by both teams: 16 (previously 21 at Super Bowl VII in 1973)

• Fewest points by winning team: 13 (previously 14 by Miami at Super Bowl VII)

• Tied for fewest points by losing team: 3 (tying Miami’s score at Super Bowl VI in 1972)

• Longest punt - 65 yards by Johnny Hekker (probably the highlight of the game for Rams fans)

Next year’s Super Bowl 54 will take place at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida on February 2, 2020. Crossing my fingers for the Rams to come back with a vengeance next year like Miami did in 1973.

Congratulations to the New England Patriots!

Information About Clean Power Alliance Electricity Rates in Ventura County, Conejo Valley

As like many of you, I’ve received a number of notifications from the Clean Power Alliance and due to my sheer lack of time, desire, interest, energy, procrastination and/or (fill in the blank), have waited until now to actually investigate what this means.

So let me impart my newfound wisdom to you.

Clean Power Alliance (CPA) of Southern California was established in 2017 to provide cost competitive “clean” electricity to residents in certain parts of Los Angeles County and several other cities. It quickly grew to 31 communities, including our local Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Camarillo, Moorpark, Ojai, Oxnard, Simi Valley, Ventura and unincorporated Ventura County.

What CPA does is purchase renewable, clean energy, while Southern California Edison (SCE) will continue to deliver it and bill for it.

Each member city that opted in to this program established a default rate option for residents to acquire electricity from CPA via SCE. This is just a default rate. You can change it (see below). The CPA website describes these rates at cleanpoweralliance.org/rate-options/residential-rates:

• Lean Power - costs 1-2% less than SCE’s default rate (Lean Power provides 36% renewable energy content at the lowest possible cost)

• Clean Power - comparable to SCE’s default rate (0-1% savings) (Clean Power provides 50% renewable energy content)

• 100% Green Power - at most, 7-9% premium to SCE’s default rate (as the name indicates, this is 100% renewable energy content)

CPA further noted that SCE has proposed a double digit increase to 2019 rates to make up for a budget shortfall. If these increases are approved, they will likely take effect in March/April 2019 and CPA rates will also change accordingly.

Your Default CPA Power Product

Here are the “default” power products from CPA that local agencies in the Conejo Valley and Greater Ventura County areas have selected:

• Lean Power (36%) - Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Camarillo, Simi Valley

• Clean Power (50%) - Malibu, Moorpark

• 100% Green Power - Ojai, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Ventura, Unincorporated Ventura County

You can verify your own rate default option at cleanpoweralliance.org/rate-options.

Changing Your Default or Opting Out

As mentioned above, you are not required to stick with the default option. You can switch to a different option at any time. Do so as follows:

• Go to cleanpoweralliance.org/rate-options and log in, using your 10 digit SCE customer number (remove the dashes), last name and zip code.

• There you will see your account status and the other rate options. You may opt down, or up, as it were, to one of the other options, based on your current default.

You may opt out if you’d like, but be aware of the fine print: If you opt out, you will be charged a one-time account processing fee by SCE and will be prevented by SCE from returning to CPA for a minimum of 12 months.

The City of Thousand Oaks provides additional information about CPA at THIS LINK. One other item of note on that page for solar users is “Although applications for onsite solar will still need to go through SCE for interconnection to the grid, CPA will pay customers at a higher rate than SCE for any excess solar energy generated.” Sounds pretty good to me.

More Info:

Clean Power Alliance: cleanpoweralliance.org

So Cal Edison: www.sce.com

National Park Service Contingency Plan During Federal Government Shutdown

With our Federal government once again in "shutdown" mode for the last several days. each government agency put together contingency plans for operations in the absence of appropriations.

The National Park Service (NPS) was created on August 25, 1916 by Congress through the National Park Service Organic Act and is an agency of the United States Department of the Interior. As of 2018, the NPS maintains 418 properties, including 60 protected national parks (which includes our local Channel Islands National Park). 

According to the National Park Service Contingency Plan:

• Parks will suspend all activities and secure facilities that operate using lapsed appropriations, except those essential to respond to emergencies.

• Visitor services are suspended, including restrooms, trash collection, campgrounds, permits, public information, etc. (Regarding campgrounds, NPS notes that visitors will not be asked to leave but are advised that there are no services during a shutdown, including check-in/check-out services, and ensuring availability of sites upon arrival.)

• Visitor centers, like the Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center at Channel Islands National Park, are closed.

• Special events hosted by the National Park Service are cancelled.

• Park websites and social media will not be maintained.

For more information about shutdown contingency plans, visit the U.S. Department of the Interior website at www.doi.gov/shutdown.

Application to Request Funds From Conejo Valley Victims Fund Now Open, through February 18, 2019

Following the tragedy that occurred at Borderline Bar & Grill on November 7, 2018, Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF), in coordination with other local organizations established the CONEJO VALLEY VICTIMS FUND.  After immediately distributing $310,000 in cash assistance and $500 prepaid gift cards related to the Borderline shooting, VCCF is now inviting individuals affected by the tragedy to submit applications for funding.

Funding Application for Conejo Valley Victims Fund: conejovalleyvictimsfund.org
Deadline for application submittal: February 18, 2019.

100% of the funds that have been raised will be used to assist the families of those who lost loved ones, the victims who were physically injured and those present inside the Borderline Bar & Grill the night of November 7, 2018. The payments from the Conejo Valley Victims Fund are to be apportioned in accordance with the severity of the injury to the victims arising from the event. 

VCCF has partnered with Give An Hour, which will lead efforts to provide mental health, emotional and case support to victims during the application process. In addition to opening up their Provider Network for mental health support, Give an Hour providers and staff are available to help those needing assistance with the Victim’s Fund Application. Three Victim Assistance Clinics will provide assistance to those who need help with the application. Licensed mental health clinicians will be on site at the Victim Assistance Clinics to offer support. 

Victims’ Assistance Clinic Dates, Times at Community Room Engage, 660 Hampshire Road, Suite 101, Westlake Village:

• Monday, January 14, 12:00 noon to 8:00pm

• Wednesday, January 16, 9:00am to 6:00pm

• Saturday, January 19, 9:00am to 5:00pm

Additionally, VCCF will host two public forums to give concerned community members and those impacted by the Borderline shooting an opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions about this Draft Final Protocol which will determine the process and distribution protocols for awarding financial support to qualified applicants. The Final Distribution Protocol will be developed by the Special Oversight Committee, incorporating feedback from the Public Forum meetings held on January 3, 2019, and is subject to approval by the Ventura County Community Foundation.

The Draft Final Protocol document can be found at www.ConejoValleyVictimsFund.org. To submit your feedback on the Draft Final Protocol, please submit your comments to info@conejovalleyvictimsfund.org or attend a public forum held on:  

Thursday, January 3, 8:00am - 9:30am or 6:00pm - 7:30pm. 
at the Scherr Forum at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.   

Financial contributions are still welcome and can be made at www.vccf.org. 

For more information, please contact Vanessa Bechtel at (805) 330-6676.