In the month of March, when wildflowers are rampant, the Theodore Payne Foundation is making it easier for nature buffs to view wildflowers by directing them where to go. Beginning March 5 and continuing until the end of May, people can call 818.768.3533 to find out the best places to view wildflowers. Interested persons can also visit www.theodorepayne.org.
The Theodore Payne Foundation for California Wildflowers and Native Plants is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to the preservation of California’s vegetation.
This year marks the 22nd Anniversary of the Wildflowers Hotline, and it will feature the voice of Emmy Award winner Joe Spano and information about more than 90 wildflower sites throughout Southern California. The Web site will include weekly reports detailing flower-watching spots across the entire state.
Beach gets a makeover
The State Coastal Conservancy recently awarded a $700,000 grant for improvements on the 11-acre Dan Blocker Beach.
The funds donated by the conservancy became available through Proposition 40, a resources bond act, thus the $400,000 grant will have no effect on the state budget deficit.
The popular beach, formerly known as visitor unfriendly, will undergo a makeover that will result in a 13-space parking area, a beach stairway, picnic tables, a restroom and drinking fountains. The broken pavement and fencing that currently exists will be removed. In addition to the grant, Los Angeles County will contribute $500,000 for the work that it plans to start this year.
Just keep swimming
Steelhead trout will now be free to roam upstream into Malibu Creek thanks to a $400,000 grant given by the State Coastal Conservancy to Heal the Bay.
The grant will not affect the current California multibillion dollar deficit because the funds were made available through Proposition 40, a resources bond act passed in 2002.
Heal the Bay will use the funds to pay for the removal of two barriers that have been impeding the Steelhead trout from reaching about four miles of high-quality habitat. The barriers are upstream of Rindge Dam in Malibu Creek State Park.
The grant will also be used to replace invasive weeds among native vegetation, and to remove such debris as abandoned automobiles to help improve the water quality that has since posed threats on wildlife.
Women’s History Month
In honor of Women’s History Month, the Malibu Library is hosting its 5th Annual Saturday Speaker Series. This year’s events feature four one-act plays taking place on each Saturday beginning on March 6. Professional stage and screen actresses have created and will perform in the plays. The opening program is “The Life & Times of A. Einstein,” a comedy about a day in the life of Einstein through the eyes of his secretary. It is written and performed by Kres Mersky. The plays continue through March 27, and all shows begin at 3 p.m.
Whale watching
The 8th annual Point Mugu State Park Whale Festival takes place at Sycamore Cove in Point Mugu State Park on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event celebrates the annual migration of the gray whale and its successful return from the brink of extinction. There will be live entertainment, marine conservation information booths, and whale watching stations, arts and crafts for children, activities and food. Also, there will be a raffle for whale watch excursions and other prizes taking place throughout the day. There is no charge for admission. For more information, call 805.488.1827.
Pepperdine Starr
Former federal special prosecutor Kenneth Starr could be Pepperdine University of Law’s next dean. His name is on a short list of candidates for the job. Starr was selected to be the dean in 1997, but he turned down the job a year later to complete his investigation of Bill Clinton and the Whitewater. There are five others competing for the job, including three current Pepperdine professors. A selection is expected to be made in April.
Photo contest
The California Coastal Commission is accepting entries for its 2004 amateur photography competition. Entrants are encouraged to submit photos of the scenic coast, ways people use the coast and of coastal wildlife. Plants and animals photographed should be native species in their natural setting. Photos must be taken from a public place and should be in color. To avoid disturbance, photos of marine mammals must be taken more than 50 yards away. For complete contest guidelines and entry forms, visit the Web site at www.coastforyou.org. All entries must be postmarked by March 31.
Just go
The Santa Monica Malibu Classroom Teachers Association has joined a nationwide campaign to call for the resignation of U.S. Secretary of Education Rodney Paige. Paige angered many when he called the National Education Association a “terrorist organization.”
In a press release, SMMCTA President Harry Keiley said, “Name-calling appears to be the administration’s response to parents and teachers who have legitimate concerns with President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act. Teachers and parents know that this law’s one-size-fits-all approach to learning hurts our kids.”