The schedule for the 2008 Summer Serenades Concert Series is now available at the Summer Park Concert Page. The concerts are on Sundays from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, starting on June 29 with Atomic Groove at Solana Highlands Park (3520 Long Run Drive.) Atomic Groove’s impressive musical expertise enables them to be the quintessential Variety Band. Their renditions of sophisticated jazz, treasured soul, classic rock, dance jams from the 60s to today, are delivered beyond expectation with enthusiasm, credibility, and a distinctive, ever-evolving Atomic Groove personality. Future concerts will feature the Mar Dels, Upstream, Left4Dead, the Corvettes and Eve Selis.

The last free Library Concert of the season will take place on Wednesday, June 11, 7:00 PM at the Carmel Valley Library. It will feature soprano Mariko Kanamitsu and pianist Ines Irawati in a program entitled Art Songs for Children. The concert will include lullabies and songs about birds, fish, horses, cats, and dogs composed by Handel, Brahms, Chausson, Puccini, Copeland, Barber, et al. After the June concert, the new season will start in September. See the Library Concert Page for more information.

The County Parks and Recreation Department will celebrate National Trails Day on Saturday, June 7 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Rancho Peñasquitos Adobe and Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve. Activities include an equestrian Raffle Ride (bring your own horse), a guided mountain bike ride (bring your own bike), a Tracking Hike, tours of the historic Adobe Ranch House, vendors and exhibitors, food, live music, and much more. Children will enjoy the rock climbing wall, the fire equipment, the mobile library, the petting zoo, and miniature ponies to ride. FREE parking and admission for all! Rancho Peñasquitos Adobe is located at 12122 Canyonside Park Drive (west end of Canyonside Park). For more information on the National Trails Day celebration at Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, go to this page or call 858-484-7504. For more information on the Raffle Ride, go to this page.

The REI store at 1590 Leucadia Blvd in Encinitas is holding a Free e-Waste Recycling Event on Saturday, May 31 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM which will benefit the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy. The first 500 individuals will also receive a discount coupon from REI. See the REI e-Waste Recycling Web Page for details. Additional information at the “ease e-Waste Website“.

Here’s a note from Officer Gaylon Sells, the local community relations officer with the San Diego Police Department. In it, Gaylon discusses the recent increase in residential burglaries and steps you can take to protect yourself and your neighbors. It mostly comes down to keeping doors and windows locked, especially when you’re not home (most burglaries happen while you’re at work), and report people who have no business being in your neighborhood: (more…)

I heard a story about a guy at the ARCO station (not an employee) walking around with an empty gas can, asking people if they could spare a buck or some gas. Lots of people handed this guy money, but he never pumped any gas. Is this a new scam that plays off the high gas prices? Or, was this someone that really needed gas?

The MCAS Miramar Fire Department will be conducting a prescribed burn in East Miramar on Thursday, May 22nd and Friday, May 23rd. In the event that either day becomes a “no-burn” day, Sunday May 25th will be used as an alternate.

Between June 9th and June 15th, the air operations at MCAS Miramar will be changed so as not to interfere with the U.S. Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines. This means more flights during off hours, and more flights diverted over Carmel Valley. Read on for the full text of the announcement: (more…)

The Shell station on Del Mar Heights Road (the most expensive in the area) now has regular gas at $4.29 a gallon. Ouch.

Construction is well underway at the CV Skatepark (next to the police station). The Carmel Valley Skatepark Website has updated pictures so you can see what’s being done. Click on the link and navigate to “photos” for more.

The San Diego Unified Council of PTAs will hold an Education Rally on Wednesday, May 21 in the Qualcomm Parking Lot. The rally is from 7:00 to 8:00 PM, gates will be open at 6:00. George Chamberlin from KNSD 7/39 will emcee the event. There will be presentations from the San Diego County Office of Education, local high school students, and more. Expect to see cheerleaders and a JROTC Color Guard. Parking is free.

The SR-56 Steering Committee meeting on Thursday, May 15 has been canceled. In its place will be a meeting in June at a larger facility, and an open house to view the current alternatives and provide comments to the committee. The meeting will be on June 26 at the Carmel Valley Middle School. Details will be provided as we get closer to that date.

Three candidates for District 1 City Council: Marshall Merrifield, Sherri Lightner and Phil Thalheimer. How do you pick? I’m personally looking for someone who shows interest in our community and is willing to stand up to developers. Of the three candidates, I’ve only seen Sherri Lightner at the CV Planning Board meetings. More information at the SmartVoter Site for the District 1 Election.

There is a Cystic Fibrosis Foundation walk at the CV Rec Center on Sunday, May 18.  Registration begins at 9:00 AM, and the walk starts at 10:00 AM. Additional information at the Cystic Fibrosis Great Strides Website.

A meeting to discuss internet and text messaging issues, cyberbullying and child pornography will be held at Cathedral Catholic High School (5555 Del Mar Heights Road, San Diego, CA 92130) on Thursday, May 22 from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. This is an event for parents. There is content that is not considered appropriate for children under the age of 13. See the SD Police Foundation Website for additional information and registration.