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Connections PALMDALE FROM THE DESK OF CITY MANAGER JAMES PURTEE March 5, 2019 City Council Workshop A City Council Workshop will take place on Tuesday, March 19 at 7 pm in the Council Chamber, located at 38300 Sierra Highway, Suite B. The main topic will be the Community Choice Aggregate power purchase agreement. The meeting agenda will be available for viewing at www.cityofpalmdale.org/ Your-City-Hall/City-Council- Meetings-Agendas after 6 pm on Thursday, March 14. Spring Fling West Coast Classical will present a Spring Fling concert on Saturday, March 9 at 7:30 pm at the Palmdale Playhouse. The performance will feature beautiful melodies and harmonies, fresh and unique as a spring day after the rain. Highlights will include selections from Ray Charles, Chick Corea, Leroy Anderson, Chicago and many more pop and light classical compositions. Tickets: www. PalmdalePlayhouse.com. Part I Crime Rate Drops 9.35 Percent in Palmdale in 2018 2018 Crime Rate Finishes at a Decades Low 192 The City of Palmdale and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) Palmdale have announced a 9.35 percent decrease in the number of Part I crimes reported for all of 2018 resulting in a crime rate of 192 crimes per 10,000 population for the year. It marks the lowest crime rate in Palmdale in nearly a quarter of a century. After the crime rate reached 467.71 in 1996, the City set a goal to push the crime rate below 300 by 2009, which proved to be successful. The goal was reset to drive the rate below 200, which was accomplished in 2018. When compared to the overall numbers of 2017, crime fell in most categories. Violent crimes against persons (homicide, rape and assault) were down 6.91 percent. Property crimes were down overall by 9.74 percent, with burglary was down 16.31 percent, robbery down 26.15 percent. Arson dropped 31.03 percent. Thefts were down overall 11.48 percent, with the exception of auto thefts, which were up 15.63 percent and grand theft up 9.66 percent. There was a total of 3,054 Part 1 crimes in 2018, down from 3,369 in 2017. “The continued efforts of our community policing, which combine the skills, talents and contributions of our deputies, City staff, and community members working together are making our community safer,” said Palmdale Sheriff’s Station Acting Captain Ron Shaffer. “We continue to receive and appreciate the support of our local elected officials.” “Breaking the 200 barrier is great news,” said Mayor Steve Hofbauer. “The partnership with our law enforcement, City staff and our residents working together continues to make our community safer for everyone. We constantly strive for more ways to continue this downward trend.” “Our City Council continues to make public safety their top priority,” said Part I Crime Rate Drop continued on page 2 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 CITY OF PALMDALE • March 5, 2019 Walk on Words Poetry Contest Coming Soon In celebration of National Poetry Month, our annual Walk on Words poetry contest will begin in April. Tell your story through poetry and we just might stamp it in concrete at one of our City facilities or parks. Submissions will be accepted April 1-30. Visit our Public Art webpage for contest details. Past winning poems may be viewed at DryTown Water Park, Palmdale Playhouse, Poncitlán Square, Domenic Massari Park, Marie Kerr Park, Legacy Commons, Joe Davies Airpark and Palmdale City Library. Check them out! Palmdale City Manager Jim Purtee. “It’s reflected in our annual budget and a myriad of community partnerships. We’re seeing the fruits of our efforts and programs through measurable results in the field. We have a lot more work to do, but we are working hard to make sure our residents and business owners feel and know they are living and working in a safe community.” Partnership with the community has had a positive impact on bringing crime down. “Our Neighborhood Watch program has brought neighbors, City staff and law enforcement together to help keep crime out of our neighborhoods,” said Palmdale Public Safety Supervisor Kery German. “There have been many instances where observant neighbors have helped solve or prevent crimes through ‘seeing something and saying something.’” Additionally, the City’s Crime Free Multi-Family program, which focuses on apartments and multi-family dwellings, added several new properties, with a common goal to keep them safe and viable for residents. “This partnership program has really seen our property managers step up with the information they receive from various presentations, safety videos and support from our Palmdale Sheriff deputies,” said Palmdale’s Crime Prevention Specialist Monica Luna. “Law enforcement cannot do this alone and it is that true partnership with our residents that have made this decrease in crime possible,” said Palmdale’s Director of Neighborhood Services Mike Miller. “Code Enforcement and the Neighborhood Compliance Officers have been diligent in patrolling the community and also to responding to reports of code violations and have taken on a huge role with regard to taking corrective action when seeing an issue.” “All in all, a huge thank you goes to our dedicated deputies, our community members and our community partners who continue to come together as a team and work hard for our community,” Miller stated. Part I Crime Rate Drop continued from page 1 Pearblossom Highway to Get Complete Rebuild Work is expected to begin on a complete rebuild of Pearblossom Highway later this summer. After suffering damage from heavy use by large trucks and traffic in general, the new roadwork will cover approximately three miles, from 25th St. East to 55th St. East. It will be completely torn out and rebuilt, making it stronger and better than ever before, with an expected lifespan of 40 years. The project will be done in three sections, with detours and partial to full closures expected. It will cost $9.8 million and is being funded through tax revenues from measures M and R, gas taxes and a federal grant of $200,000 for the design. Los Angeles County is providing funding for the stretch of road under its jurisdiction. Information and updates will be available on the City’s website and Facebook page. Stay Connected City of Palmdale- Government PalmdaleCity CityofPalmdale ---PAGE BREAK--- 3 CITY OF PALMDALE • March 5, 2019 Report emergencies Residents may call 661/267- 5338 after 6 pm and before 7:30 am Monday through Thursday and all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Emergencies include sewer overflows, roadway/right of way hazards, downed tree limbs, downed signs, potholes, or broken sprinkler lines in City parks or landscaped areas. Spring Break Movie Festival The Palmdale City Library will host a Spring Break Movie Festival March 18 through 22. Movies will be shown each day at 1 pm. This event is free and open to all ages. “No plans for Spring Break? We’ve got you covered!” said Assistant Library Director Debbie Petersen. “Join us for a free showing of some of our favorite movies each week during spring break.” Movies scheduled to be shown include The Little Mermaid Incredibles 2 (PG), Minions (PG), Peter Rabbit (PG), and The Aristocats This festival is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Palmdale City Library. After Hours Emergencies 267-5338 Congresswoman Hill Visits Palmdale Congresswoman Katie Hill visited several locations in Palmdale on Thursday, February 21. Her 5½ hour tour of Palmdale included several city facilities and federal installations, including South Antelope Valley Emergency Services (SAVES), Courson Arts Colony, NASA, FAA-Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center as well as Plant 42 and its major contractors — Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Boeing. Hill’s visit kicked off with a tour of Courson Arts Colony which provides affordable family housing apartments. The building common areas consist of a fitness room, a dance studio, art gallery, an art walk, flexible art space, digital art room, clubhouse room, homework room, leasing room, and an outdoor courtyard area. It also contains 60 permanent supportive housing apartments that will serve medically complex veteran and non-veteran households experiencing homelessness. After Courson, Hill headed over to SAVES where SAVES Coordinator Patricia Morales showed her the facility’s extensive food bank program. SAVES assists thousands of very low and extremely low-income working families, elderly, disabled and homeless in the south Antelope Valley with nutritious food, education and referrals in cooperation with other agencies. SAVES served close to 10,000 people last year alone. “The work that they’re doing in there is truly incredible,” Hill said. Accompanied by City officials, Hill also met and toured Air Force Plant 42 and defense company representatives including Boeing, Northrop and Lockheed. Hill and City officials met and toured federal installations with Brig. General “Dragon” Teichert, 412th Test Wing Commander and John Esch, Director of Plant 42. The tour also included a visit to NASA Flight Research Center’s facility, with a chance to see inside the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, and learn of the other science programs housed there. At the FAA’s air traffic control center, Hill was able to see the work done to keep the airspace over Southern California running smoothly and safely, and she spoke of her concerns regarding the furloughs for federal and contractor employees in the recent government shutdown. This center controls air traffic over southern and central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah, western Arizona and portions of the Pacific Ocean. “With the visit, officials were able to show Representative Hill personally what projects are here as well as the teamwork among partners,” said Palmdale City Manager Jim Purtee. “It also provides some context for our own visit to Washington next month to lobby for Palmdale’s interests.” ---PAGE BREAK--- 4 CITY OF PALMDALE • March 5, 2019 Full Moon Tour & Evening Battle with Pokémon Go Join fellow Pokémon hunters on Thursday, March 21 from 6 to 10 pm at Joe Davies Heritage Airpark at Palmdale Plant 42 for a full moon tour of the park and exciting Pokémon action. Collect Pokémon items at seven of the airplanes, and take on a battle at the two Pokémon Gyms. Pack up a picnic dinner and take the family for a unique night of Spring Break fun under the stars! The airpark’s picnic tables and BBQs are available, first-come, first- served. Free guided tour at 8 pm. Parking is free. 13th St. Roadwork Creatively Completed The City recently completed the resurfacing of 13th St. East between Ave. R and Ave. Q-13, providing travelers and residents a brand-new roadway at a significant cost savings, thanks to some innovative thinking. Once considered to be a private road, this 950-foot long section was badly cracked and had an uneven surface. Chunks of old asphalt revealed that the original construction was merely a thin layer of asphalt over the native surface. While a common practice used on old residential roads, it led to rapid deterioration even with low traffic use. The new road would need a thicker asphalt layer installed over an acceptable base at the existing grade. The simple answer was to design and construct a new road that met City standards. This solution proved to be unrealistic given the cost — estimated at $245,000 — and the low traffic volume. Staff needed to come up with a practical and cost-effective plan. Adding to the complexity, the homes on the south end of the road were seated low and could be susceptible to drainage problems if the new road surface was too high. Meanwhile, Palmdale Water District (PWD) was busy with mainline repairs, which would need to be finished prior to resurfacing. While waiting for PWD to complete the repairs, staff worked with Granite Construction Co. to come up with a more economical solution. As an alternative to a full reconstruction, Granite proposed pulverizing the existing surface up to 6-inches deep, compacting the loose material to the City’s 95% standard to form a new subgrade, and then installing 3 inches of new asphalt on top. This method provides an acceptable asphalt surface and base section for a low-use residential road, and construction costs would be reduced by not exporting subgrade material or importing gravel base. In order to maintain the grade for proper drainage, a survey of the existing pavement edge was performed to provide Granite a control for construction. The new plan worked. The total cost was $90,000 which included surveying, manhole adjustment and resurfacing — almost one third of the cost of a full design and reconstruction. BEFORE NEW SUBGRADE AFTER The City of Palmdale’s Recreation & Culture department offers hundreds of classes, sports programs and activities for all ages. To learn more and register, visit www.PlayPalmdale.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Didyou Know? ---PAGE BREAK--- 5 CITY OF PALMDALE • March 5, 2019 Free Oil Filters Available at Exchange Event The City will host a used oil filter exchange event on Saturday, March 16, from 9 am to 1 pm at AutoZone, located at 1138 E. Palmdale Blvd in Palmdale. Filters must not exceed $15 and are limited to two filters per household, filters carried by AutoZone, and subject to stock on hand. Filter vouchers must be redeemed during the event. These events are funded by California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle). For more information, please call 267-5300. For a list of used oil and filter collection centers, call 1-800-CLEANUP or download the My Waste™ app. EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT Steve Montenegro For the last 19 years Senior Maintenance Specialist Steve Montenegro has been beautifying city streets and advocating for the landscaping needs of our community. Steve recently applied for and was awarded a full scholarship to the 2019 Municipal Forestry Institute facilitated by Oregon State University and the U.S. Forest Service. Urban and community forestry is the art, science and technology of managing trees, forests and natural systems in and around the City for the well-being of all people. Participating in this program will further develop Steve’s strategic thinking and planning benefiting urban forestry efforts and the relationship between people and trees in our community. Community Volunteer Resource Fair Coming to AV Mall Continuing its Season of Service programs, the City will host its fourth Community Volunteer Resource Fair on Saturday, March 9 from 11 am to 3 pm at the center court of the Antelope Valley Mall. “Stop by and visit with local agencies to learn about volunteer, donation and engagement opportunities,” said Community Programs Coordinator Trish Jones. “Exhibitors will emphasize volunteer positions, student service hour opportunities and service project ideas.” Participating agencies include Alternatives to Violence Project, American Red Cross, AV Fairy Godmother Project, CHIRLA, City of Palmdale, Forget Us Not Community Services, Friends of the Palmdale City Library, Green Thumb, Lange Foundation Safety Net Program, NAMI Antelope Valley, Palmdale Animal Care Center, Palmdale City Library, Palmdale Sports/Recreation, Saddle Up Therapeutic Riding Stable, South Antelope Valley Emergency Services (SAVES), Valley Oasis and Vets 4 Veterans. ---PAGE BREAK--- 6 CITY OF PALMDALE • March 5, 2019 Free Identity Theft and Scam Prevention Presentation The City will host an Identity Theft and Scam Prevention presentation at the Palmdale City Council Chamber, located at 38250 Sierra Hwy, Suite B on March 6 from 7 to 8:30 pm. The presentation is free and open to the public. Topics covered at this presentation will include: Identity Theft — learn how identity theft occurs, how to minimize your risk and what to do if you become a victim of identity theft; Scams, Schemes and Cons — learn how to identify the many scams out there and avoid becoming a victim; and Internet Scams and Online Safety — learn how crooks use the computer to steal your personal information, scam you out of money and what you can do to stop it; scams aimed at seniors and how to minimize risk of becoming a victim. For more information contact the Crime Prevention office at 661/267-5170. New Homes for Joshua Trees Work continues on the innovative Amargosa Creek Recharge Project, which will bring water from the California Aqueduct to a series of recharge ponds near Elizabeth Lake Road and 25th St. West and will percolate through the ground into the aquifer beneath. To make way for the ponds, several Joshua Trees that were on site had to be removed. Thanks to the City’s Joshua Tree and Native Vegetation Preservation ordinance which was adopted by the City Council in April of 1992, two trees per acre must be preserved either on-site or at a City approved location. In this case, approximately 75 trees were retained on-site and incorporated into a “nature trail.” An additional 15 Joshua trees were moved to the Barrel Springs Equestrian Arena. The transplants were made possible from a special fund that the City has established, created from in-lieu fees paid by developers who, in the past, had no other option but to destroy the trees during the grading process. Thankfully, these magnificent and majestic giants will be preserved in the Amargosa recharge nature trail and the Barrel Springs Equestrian Arena, allowing them to be observed and preserved for many generations to come. ---PAGE BREAK--- Tickets Selling Fast for The Little Mermaid Tickets for the upcoming performances of Disney’s The Little Mermaid coming in March the Palmdale Playhouse are selling fast. “We’re expecting to sell out all the shows so get your tickets now to avoid disappointment,” said Palmdale’s Recreation Supervisor Annie Pagliaro. Showtimes are Friday, March 22 and 29 at 8 pm, Saturday, March 23 and 30 at 2 and 8 pm and Sunday, March 24 and 31 at 2 pm. Tickets are available at www.PalmdalePlayhouse. com and are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors, student and military, and ages 12 and under. Stay Connected City of Palmdale- Government PalmdaleCity CityofPalmdale 7 CITY OF PALMDALE • March 5, 2019 SAVE THE DATE OCTOBER 12 PALMDALE AMPHITHEATER FREE ADMISSION & PARKING ART • MUSIC • FUN Yellen Park Shade Structures Ready for Use City of Palmdale officials and elected representatives gathered at Yellen Park on Friday, Feb. 15 for a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of six new shade structures which have been installed above picnic tables throughout the park. “These new shade structures will make coming to Yellen Park a much more comfortable experience than ever before,” said Palmdale Mayor Steve Hofbauer. The project was funded by $128,000 of Los Angeles County Proposition A grant funds. ---PAGE BREAK--- 8 CITY OF PALMDALE • March 5, 2019 Inkwell Logo Design Contest Winner The winner of the City’s logo design competition for Inkwell: Palmdale’s Book & Art Festival is Palmdale resident Lindsay Kristel. Kristel won $500 and her logo will be featured on promotional materials, signage, media and merchandise for the Inkwell event. “Our selection committee was very pleased at the significant number and quality of submissions received,” said Palmdale Recreation Coordinator Laura Rice. “However, we unanimously chose this design as it best told the story of the event. We’re happy to call it the official logo of Inkwell: Palmdale’s Book & Art Festival.” “I am so excited and honored to have my logo selected as the official design,” Kristel said. “I’m proud of the artistic opportunities the City of Palmdale is affording the community and I can’t wait to attend Inkwell this year.” Kristel is a graphic designer with over 15 years’ experience. A graduate of California State University Northridge, she specializes in brochure design, magazine and multipage layout, flyers, posters, logo/brand identity, T-shirt design, event branding and more. For more information on her work, visit www.lindsaykristel.com. Inkwell: Palmdale’s Book & Art Festival, is a unique opportunity for artists and authors of all ages to display their art and literary pieces, as well as to network with other local artists, authors and the public. It’s a lively family event that includes live music, children’s activities, and artistic and literary opportunities for all. For more information on Inkwell: Palmdale’s Book & Art Festival, visit www. CityofPalmdale.org/Library or call 661/267-5600. Volunteer Coaches Needed Do you like having fun? Are you good at giving out high fives? Would you like to create lasting memories? If you answered ‘yes’ to these questions, you fit the criteria we look for in our best volunteer coaches. With our core principles of fun, inclusivity, safety and good sportsmanship, being a coach in our leagues is not only a breeze it’s a blast and a very rewarding experience! All of our youth programs are coached by volunteers: basketball, softball, T-ball, coaches pitch, baseball and volleyball. Coaching in our league is only a 2 to 3-hour commitment each week, and you get to pick the practice location and times. Games are played during the week and on Saturdays. We also have plenty of resources for our coaches, including a thorough Coaching Guide, weekly practice plans and game tips, and Recreation & Culture staff members to assist. To inquire, email our sports division at parksrec@ CityOfPalmdale.org. Palmdale Connections is Available by Email Get all the latest news and information about what’s going on in Palmdale delivered to your inbox each month for free! Sign up at www.cityofpalmdale.org/Residents/Mailing-List or text PALMDALE to 22828. ---PAGE BREAK--- 9 CITY OF PALMDALE • March 5, 2019 Lowest Price of the Season! Buy your Season Pass now & bring a friend this summer free! Get a free one-day ticket with every season pass purchased by May 24. You must register your pass in person at DryTown prior to May 24 to receive your free one-day ticket. Buy season passes online at www.DryTownWaterPark. com. Opening Reception for New Exhibit Dare to Dream from Land to Sea The Palmdale Playhouse will celebrate the opening of its newest art exhibit titled Dare to Dream from Land to Sea featuring the art of JoDee Luna and Gina Marie Wilson with a free reception on Thursday, March 14 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Light refreshments will be served. Artists JoDee Luna and Gina Marie Wilson will be in attendance to meet and greet attendees and discuss their work. Luna is a portrait and mixed media artist, author and educator who enjoys many forms of creative expression. She believes her creative process infuses with courage to try on new artistic identities, take inspired risks and explore imaginative ideas. She shares her insights with others through her art book, Refrain from the Identical, Insight and Inspiration for Creative Eclectics, and her website, jodeelunaart.com. Wilson is a landscape and vignette artists whose medium is acrylic on canvas. Her passion for art started in childhood and grew stronger with the years. Many of her paintings are inspired by memories of a childhood in the country where her world was full of rustic, simple beauty. All are inspired by her respect for fascination with God’s creations. Wilson has been an educator for 16 years and currently works as an instructional coach for her school district. ---PAGE BREAK--- 10 CITY OF PALMDALE • March 5, 2019 Olé! Epic Music Comedy The Palmdale Playhouse will present Olé! Epic Musical Comedy on Saturday, April 27 at 7:30 pm. This international award-winning cult show is an energetic explosion of flamboyant Flamenco and zany slapstick comedy. Powerful performances by El Gentleman, El Grotesquo and El Macho will surprise and excite the audience from the moment they step on stage. Tickets are $22 and available at www.PalmdalePlayhouse.com. West Coast Classical to Present “Harry Potter’s Wondrous Wizarding World” The Palmdale Playhouse will present “Harry Potter’s Wondrous Wizarding World” by the West Coast Classical Concert and Orchestras on Friday, April 5 at 8 pm. Saturday, April 6 at 8 pm and Sunday, April 7 at 2 pm. “West Coast Classical will take you on a magical musical adventure through the wondrous world of Hogwarts,” said Palmdale’s Recreation Supervisor Annie Pagliaro. “Relive every magical moment as the music and drama brings life to a story that has enchanted the world. Come dressed as your favorite wizard or a student of your favorite Hogwarts house!” Tickets are $15 for adults, and $12 for seniors, students, military and age 12 and under. Tickets for all Palmdale Playhouse events may be purchased online at www.palmdaleplayhouse. com or at the Box Office beginning two hours before each show. Barrel Springs Trail Cleanup Rescheduled The City’s “Season of Service” Community Cleanup event at Barrel Springs Trail in Palmdale, originally scheduled for Saturday, March 2, has been rescheduled to Saturday, March 30 due to inclement weather forecasts. Participants will meet on Saturday, March 30 at the Barrel Springs Park & Ride located at Pearblossom Highway and 25th St. East. Registration will take place from 8 to 8:30 am on location. Work will begin at 8:30 am. Participants are encouraged to bring work gloves and rakes. Volunteers under age 16 must be accompanied by an adult. All participants must complete a Release of Liability (available at www. cityofpalmdale.org or at registration). ---PAGE BREAK--- 11 CITY OF PALMDALE • March 5, 2019 There’s so much to do in Palmdale! AT PALMDALE CITY LIBRARY Wednesday, March 6 Midweek Movies, 5:30 pm. Ant Man and the Wasp (2018) rated PG13. Free admission, open to all ages. Wednesday, March 6 & 13 Toddler Storytime, 9:15 and 10:15 am (2 sessions) with Miss Shay. Ages 12-36 months. Saturday, March 9 & 16 Baby & Me Lap-sit Storytime for Infants pre-walking age (0-18 months) and their caregivers, 9:30 am, with Miss Jamielee. Tuesday, March 12 Coffee and Coloring for Adults, 10 am. We provide the coffee and coloring supplies, you provide the conversation and creativity. Preschool Storytime, 1 pm. Ages 3-5 with Miss Shay. Tuesday, March 12, 19 & 26 Legal Aid for Low Income Individuals, 3-6 pm. Services provided by the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles by appointment only. Call the library at 267-5600 to schedule. Wednesday, March 13 Midweek Movies, 5:30 pm. Pacific Rim (2013) rated PG13. Free admission, open to all ages. Sunday, March 17 Read, Learn, Create Book Club, 3:30 pm. This is not your typical book club — the “RLC” is for creative types who tend to think outside of the box. Open to all creative types, 16 years and older. Monday, March 18-Friday, March 22 Spring Break Movie Festival, 1 pm. This event is free and open to all ages. Movies scheduled to be shown include The Little Mermaid (1989) rated G, Incredibles 2 (2018) rated PG, Minions (2015) rated PG, Peter Rabbit (2018) rated PG, and The Aristocats (1970) rated G. Tuesday, March 19 African-American Authors Book Club, 6:45 pm. All adults welcome. A new title by African-American authors each month. Mystery Book Club, 7 pm. A new mystery title to discuss each month. Wednesday, March 20 Midweek Movies, 5:30 pm. Won’t You Be My Neighbor (2018) rated PG13. Free admission, open to all ages. Saturday, March 23 Holistic Poetry, 10:30 am. Join us in discovering and examining who we are in mind, body, and spirit through the reading, writing, and discussion of poetry. Monday, March 25 Classics Book Club, 7 pm. A new title each month. AT DOMENIC MASSARI & MARIE KERR PARKS Wednesday, March 6 & 13 Word Play Wednesday, 4:30-6 pm. Improve your vocabulary as you play word games like Scrabble, Boggle, or crossword puzzles. Ages Thursday, March 7 & 14 Maker Thursdays, 4:30-6 pm. Hands-on and creative ways for kids to invent, play, design, and explore. Ages 8+ Friday, March 8 & 15 Game Night, 4:30-6 pm. Board games are available for families to check out and engage in friendly competitions. Ages Fuse Beads, 4:30-6 pm. Create your own designs — fuse beads offer endless ideas and patterns. These small plastic craft pieces are simple and fun for kids and adults alike. Ages 5+ due to small pieces. Saturday, March 9 & 16 Tots Hour, 10 am-2 pm. Tots will enjoy hands-on activities that give them opportunities to explore their world through a variety of indoor and outdoor experiences. Ages 2-5. Free. Sunday, March 10 Sports Sunday, 12-2 pm. Grab your family, invite the neighbors, come as one or come as many! Join park staff in fun, recreational sports such as football, soccer, baseball or others. Stay and play! All ages welcome! Monday, March 11 Open Play, 4:30-6 pm. Come pick and choose your favorite game. All ages welcome. Tuesday, March 12 Paint Tuesday, 4:30-6 pm. Free Paint time for all ages. Come explore art through various projects. Sunday-Saturday, March 17-23 Spring Break, 12-2 pm. School’s out! Stop by the park with family and friends to enjoy free recreational field games such as giant soccer, kickball, volleyball, relay races and more during spring break. Pick up a park calendar for more details. All ages welcome. AT DOMENIC MASSARI PARK Saturday, March 9 Neighborhood Block Party, 2-4 pm. Join us at the park and get to know your neighbors as we celebrate spring together! Park staff will host a social corner to encourage positive social conversations that unite the community. Spring cookies available while supplies last. All ages welcome. Saturday, March 23 Antelope Valley Gem and Mineral Club, 1-3 pm. The City is partnering with Antelope Valley Gem & Mineral Club to present free educational and recreational fun that surrounds our everyday life. Members from the club will share their knowledge, experiences and answer your questions. Families are encouraged to attend. AT CHIMBOLE CULTURAL CENTER Wednesday, March 6 Friends of the Library Meeting, 4 pm. An organization devoted to helping support the Library. Tuesday, March 12, 19 & 26 Al-Anon High Nooners Meeting, 12:15-1:45 pm. Al-Anon meetings are every Tuesday, except holidays and days in December- January when the Cultural Center is closed. For more information please call Jean at 661/947-7615. ---PAGE BREAK--- 12 CITY OF PALMDALE • March 5, 2019 SAVE THE DATE Community Volunteer Resource Fair Saturday, March 9 11 am-3 pm Antelope Valley Mall Local agencies will be on hand to provide information about volunteering, donating and engaging opportunities. AT PALMDALE PLAYHOUSE Saturday, March 9 Spring Fling, 7:30 pm, recital by West Coast Classical Orchestras featuring Ray Charles, “Defying Gravity,” Chick Corea’s “Spain,” Leroy Anderson’s “The Penny Whistle Song,” a tribute to the band Chicago, and many more pop and light classical compositions. Tickets are $12 and are available at www.PalmdalePlayhouse.com. Through March 10 Blossom, Art exhibit by Adrian Abrego. Thursday, March 14 Dare to Dream from Land to Sea, 6:30- 8:30 pm. Opening reception for art exhibit by JoDee Luna and Gina Marie Wilson, light refreshments will be served. Friday, March 22 & 29 The Little Mermaid, 8 pm. Tickets are available at www.PalmdalePlayhouse. com and are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors, student and military, and ages 12 and under. Saturday, March 23 & 30 The Little Mermaid, 2 and 8 pm. Tickets are available at www.PalmdalePlayhouse. com and are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors, student and military, and ages 12 and under. Sunday, March 24 & 31 The Little Mermaid, 2 pm. Tickets are available at www.PalmdalePlayhouse. com and are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors, student and military, and ages 12 and under. PUBLIC SAFETY Wednesday, March 6 Coffee with a Cop, 9 am Join your neighbors and deputies for free coffee and conversation at the Starbucks located at 39904 10th St. West in Palmdale. Info: 661/272-2587. Identity Theft and Scam Prevention, 7-8:30 pm at Council Chamber, 38250 Sierra Hwy, Suite B. This presentation is free and open to the public. It will cover identity theft, scams, schemes, online safety and more. Info: 661/267-5170. PUBLIC MEETINGS Tuesday, March 5 Palmdale City Council Meeting, 7 pm, Council Chamber, 38300 Sierra Highway, Suite B. Tuesday, March 12 Board of Library Trustee Meeting, 5:30 pm, Administration, 38300 Sierra Hwy., Suite B Thursday, March 14 Palmdale Planning Commission Meeting, 7 pm, Council Chamber, 38300 Sierra Hwy., Suite B. Monday, March 18 Palmdale Recycled Water Authority (PRWA), 7 pm, Council Chamber, 38300 Sierra Hwy Suite B. Tuesday, March 19 Palmdale City Council Workshop, 7 pm, Council Chamber, 38300 Sierra Highway, Suite B. Tuesday, April 2 Palmdale City Council Meeting, 7 pm, Council Chamber, 38300 Sierra Highway, Suite B. AT LEGACY COMMONS Tuesday, March 19 Parkinson’s Group Meeting, 9:45-11:45 am. For information call 661/267/5904. Wednesday, March 27 Diabetes Group Meeting, 9 am, for information call 661/267/5904. COMMUNITY PROGRAMS Saturday, March 9 Volunteer Resource Fair, 11 am-3 pm, Antelope Valley Mall center court, 1233 Rancho Vista Blvd. Stop by and visit local agencies to learn about volunteer, donation and engagement opportunities. For more information visit www.cityofpalmdale.org/ engaged. Saturday, March 16 Free Used Oil & Filter Collection Event, 9 am-1 pm at Autozone, 1138 E. Palmdale Blvd. Recycle your used oil and oil filters to receive a new free filter at this collection event. Saturday, March 30 SAVES Spring Cleanup, registration 8-8:30 am, project will begin at 8:30 am. SAVES is located at 1002 E. Avenue Q-12. For more information visit www.cityofpalmdale.org/engaged. Barrel Springs Trail Cleanup, registration 8-8:30 am, project will begin at 8:30 am. Meet at the Park & Ride at Pearblossom Hwy. and 25th St. East. For more information visit www.cityofpalmdale.org/engaged. Sports Officials Needed Are you a sports enthusiast who wants to get involved in your community? The City is looking for people who have common sports knowledge or officiating experience to become officials and referees for youth and adult sports programs. • Training available • Extra income • Officials needed for basketball, volleyball, softball, baseball and girls softball • Games are played on weeknights and Saturdays For more information or to apply, please email Sports at parksrec@cityofpalmdale. org.