Pete Anthony resigns from Planning Commission
Pete Anthony announced at the April 17 Planning Commission meeting that he was stepping down from his position on the panel. Anthony, who was appointed to the commission by Andy Stern, said he was resigning because he had many other professional, family and volunteer obligations and had little free time remaining.
Stern appointed Anthony to the commission in January 2004, shortly after firing Robert Adler from his post after Stern accused his appointee of violating the Brown Act, the state’s open-meeting law for local governments. Stern must name a replacement for Anthony.
Card and bingo night to raise money for MHS
The Shark Fund, the nonprofit fundraising organization for Malibu High School, has tickets remaining for the first annual Card Sharks and Bingo Tournament. The event will take place on Friday from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at The Sunset Restaurant, located at 6800 Westward Beach Road. There will be raffles, prizes, live auction, wine and a cigar bar. A class in Texas Hold ‘Em will take place from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $100 and include raffle tickets, poker/bingo chips and appetizers. There will also be a high-roller table for $500. All donations are accepted.
For more information, go to www.thesharkfund.org or send an e-mail to Laura Rosenthal at drlaura@charter.net.
One Book, One City to include writing contest
There will be a contest during the month of May connected to this year’s selection for the One Book, One City-Malibu program. This year’s book is Joan Didion’s “The White Album.”
Contestants can enter the contest in two categories, fiction/poetry and nonfiction. The entries must relate to the time period from 1968 to 1976 (the period covered in “The White Album”) and be done in the form of New Journalism or the literary styles of the time. The focus should be on Malibu.
The contest is open to Malibu residents of all ages. Winners will received gift certificates from Diesel, A Bookstore. Prizes will be announced at the end of the One Book festivities at an event on June 3.
Entries should be submitted to Diesel, A Bookstore, by May 31. For more information, call 456.9961.
Saving money with high gas prices
The following tips on how to save money as gasoline prices continue to rise comes from Michael Eisenberg, spokesperson for the California Society of CPAs.
1. Shop around. Check out the competition
When it comes to soaring gas prices, it’s everyone for themselves. While you might be a regular at Buddy’s Self-Serve, Buddy could be taking advantage of his loyal patrons by charging 20 cents more a gallon than other stations in the area.
2. Be a better driver
As Mom would say, “Drive safely.” According to the Department of Energy, aggressive driving-rapid acceleration and excessive braking-wastes gas. You can increase your gas mileage by as much as a third by driving safely.
Also, stick to the speed limit, not just for your safety but also for fuel-efficiency. The Department of Energy says that your gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. And use your cruise control: it helps you maintain a constant speed, which can also save gas.
3. Time for a tune-up?
Driving the old clunker may save you money from buying a new car, but skipping the tune-up is costing you. The Department of Energy says that a simple tune-up on your car can improve your gas mileage by an average of 4.1 percent.
However, fixing certain parts of the car can dramatically improve your gas mileage. Fixing a faulty oxygen sensor can make an improvement of as much as 40 percent. Replacing clogged air filters, making sure tires are properly inflated and using the recommended grade of motor oil can also improve gas mileage by as much as 15 percent.
4. Get the right grade
The Federal Trade Commission is advising drivers to check their owner’s guide because most cars don’t need premium gasoline. According to AAA, less than 10 percent of cars sold in the U.S. need premium.
Drive your most sensible car. If it’s a trip to the grocery store, don’t take the pickup, take your compact car.
5. Pack light
If you’re hitting the road for your Spring Break or vacation, consider lightening your load. The FTC advises you to take all unnecessary weight out of the car. For those of you who call your car a closet, keep this in mind: an extra 100 pounds in the trunk reduces a typical car’s fuel economy by 2 percent.
Don’t place anything on top of the car. A luggage or a loaded roof rack creates wind resistance and can reduce your gas mileage by 5 percent. If you can, keep items inside the car.
And even though airlines are now charging travelers as much as $10 extra round trip for a surge in jet fuel costs, it could still be cheaper to fly. To calculate the price differences, price a flight to your destination and compare it to your estimated cost of driving.
6. Do additional research
Check out the California Society of CPAs’ free Web site on personal finance topics to help manage your household budget. This Web site can be accessed at: www.calcpa.org. Check out the “Dollar & Sense Program.”
-Jonathan Friedman