“Newsweek has recently identified the best high schools in the nati0n ‘based on how hard school staffs work to challenge students with advanced placement college-level courses and tests.’” according to a press release from the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (excerpt continues below).

Peninsula High School is #178 in the nation and Palos Verdes High School is #239.  Among California high schools on the list, Peninsula is #18 and Palos Verdes High is #26.  According to Newsweek, “just over 1600 schools, only 5% of the public schools in the United States made the list.”  The Newsweek list includes many academies, charter schools, and specialized magnet schools.

District success is not accidental.  Both Palos Verdes and Peninsula High schools receive high rankings in the Newsweek rating system because of their open door policy to college level courses.  Students at both high schools are encouraged to stretch themselves and enroll in high level courses. In 2010, over 3400 AP tests were taken in PVPUSD.  2010 test results will be received in August, but in the past the passage rate was approximately 75%.

The entire Newsweek list can be accessed by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of PVUSD

Free 2010 summer fun  in Palos Verdes Peninsula is not just for owners of Palos Verdes real estate, but is open to all. Here are some of the events to chose from this summer:

The Lunada Bay Homeowners Association will be hosting “Summer Concerts in the Park” at Lunada Bay Park, Palos Verdes Estates.   It is recommended that you bring low beach chairs or blankets and a picnic dinner and enjoy the music for the three concerts this summer on the following Thursdays, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  They are:

     .  07/15 – Marti Harris & Friends (jazz, blues & funk)

     .  7/22 – Mike Stocksdale Band (folk, rock alternative country music)

     .  8/12 – Prima Divas – (broadway, classical & cabaret)

The Malaga Cove Business & Professional Association in cooperation the The Palos Verdes Police Officer’s Association presents “Summer Concerts in the Park” at Farnham Martin’s Park next to the Malaga Cove Library in Palos Verdes Estates on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. in July and August. You may bring your blankets at 3:00 p.m to save a spot. Here are the performers that will be showcasing this summer:

     .   7/07 – Pat Chartrand & Friends  (jazz/big band standards)

     .   7/14 – Marc Massey Trio (jazz/pop)

     .   7/21 – Bad Haggis

     .   7/28 – Brice Martin (flute) & Natalie Dalschaert (piano)

     .   8/4 – Brenda Lynn – (vocalist)

     .  8/11 – Sarkis (classical & flamenco)

     .  8/18 – Jim Sutterly & the Heart Surgeons

     .  8/25 – The Cody Bryant Band (real cowboy)

Beginning Sunday, July 18^th, the South Coast Botanic Gardens will present their first concert; the PV Symphonic Band “Pops Concert” at 6:00 p.m. (outdoors on the lawn).  On August 22^nd they will have “Razzle Bam Boom” at 4:30 p.m. produced by Bubble Rock Productions. September 6^th the PV Symphonic Band will be  presenting a “Labor Day Concert” at 5:00 p.m. (outdoors on the lawn). Pack your picnics and bring your beach chairs & blankets…Free parking

 Shakespeare by the Sea presents..”Julius Caesar” on Wednesday, July 7th at 7 p.m. at the Terranea Resort.  Bring your beach chairs and blankets. $5 Parking..No outside food..Cash bar & Picnic Cuisine available for purchase. “Twelfth Night” – Sunday, July 18th at 7 p.m. at Fred Hesse Jr. Community Park.  Bring your picnic and beach chairs & blankets.  Plenty of parking.

For more information regarding summer fun go to: http://palosverdeschamber.com/Site/ThingstoSeeandDo.aspx.  Also you can visit http://palosverdeschamber.com/Site/PlacestoVisit.aspx to revisit local points of interest here on the Peninsula.

Photo courtesy of LBHOA

 

Fourth of July on the Palos Verdes Peninsula will be celebrated at two special public events. There will also be several local firework displays in the evening.

In 2010, Palos Verdes Estates will be holding their 48th Annual Independence Day Celebration at Malaga Cove School, 300 Paseo del Mar. The festivities are free to the public and will begin at 9:45 a.m. with entries into the Apple Pie Contest followed by the Children’s Decorated Bike/Scooter Parade at 10:00 a.m. There will be music and family games for all ages. Everyone is welcome to bring picnics to enjoy on the lawn. This year’s guest speaker is Tommy Lasorda.

Rancho Palos Verdes will be hosting their 34th Annual Independence Day Celebration at Point Vicente Park/Civic Center at 30940 Hawthorne Boulevard from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There will be Rides & Games, Arts & Crafts Booths, Music, Pie Eating Contest & Hula Hoop Contest, Petting Zoo and Helicopter Rides. Admission is free, on-site parking is $4 per vehicle and free shuttle service is provided along Hawthorne Blvd.

Fireworks can be seen in the evening at the Redondo Beach Pier/Seaside Lagoon at 9:30 p.m., at Torrance’s Charles Wilson Park at 9:00 p.m., the Barge off the Coast of Torrance Beach at 9:00 p.m., and at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro at 9:00 p.m.

Palos Verdes Estates was originally designed to be a gated city and a gatehouse was built to guard its northern entrance.  It is located on Via Valmonte at the Torrance border.  It was called the Mirlo Gate Lodge Tower.

A stone plaque on the site states, “The ‘Stone Tower’ was built by the Palos Verdes Homes Association in 1926 from the plans of the architect Clarence E. Howard submitted in Nov. 1925.  Intended for a gated entrance located on parkland, it was deeded to Palos Verdes Estates in 1939 and has been occupied by various tenants to maintain and preserve the tower.”

Yes, that’s right.  It is “tenant occupied”.  It does not come up for rent very often.  According to the City, the current tenant has been there for twenty years.  It looks very small – maybe 300 square feet – and so very quaint.

The 23rd Annual Palos Verdes Street Fair and Music Festival will take place Saturday, June 12 (10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.) and Sunday, June 13 (10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.).   Teen Fun Night will be held Friday evening, June 11 from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. with the opening of the carnival rides.

The Palos Verdes Street Fair will feature 2 days of events ands live music, approximately 200 Quality Arts and Crafts Booths (click here for a list of vendors), continuous live entertainment, a free children’s petting zoo and pony rides, an International Food Court, Green Street – a showcase of environmental friendly products and energy conservation education, Rides and Attractions for adults and children, a “Top Dog” dog show and more.   Every year, I find something new at the Fair.   It promises to be a good time for all. 

The Palos Verdes Street Fair attracts about 30,000 fair goers.  The Fair is located on Crossfield Drive in Rolling Hills Estates between The Promenade on the Peninsula and Peninsula Center Shopping Center.  There is free parking at the Promenade parking structure (enter on Indian Peak Road) and at Peninsula High School.  (Click here for a map and parking information)  I suggest arriving at the Fair between 10:00 and 11:00 because the parking is easier and it’s a bit cooler before the mid-day sun.

Photo courtesy of pvstreetfair.com

Last week, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District posted their proposed school calendar for 2010-2011 (click here to view).  It’s about time!  As a parent, it is difficult to plan vacations, appointments, etc. without knowing when our children will be in or out of school.  On this proposed schedule, school will start Tuesday, August 31, 2010 (the week before Labor Day) and the school year will be shortened by 4 or 5 days due to a budget shortfall.  New to the school calendar is a week’s vacation beginning February 21st.

Palos Verdes homes owners will be pleased to know that Palos Verdes schools have received a grant for Language Instruction, according to a recent PVPUSD publication.   The school district will receive $300,000 a year for the next five years “to promote the instruction of Mandarin Chinese.”  Currently all students at Lunada Bay and Point Vicente Elementary Schools have Chinese language instruction that starts at Kindergarten and Monte Malaga and Cornerstone Elementary Schools will be added in the future.  Currently our two high schools and Palos Verdes Intermediate offer Chinese language instruction as an elective and those courses will be expanded to include the other two intermediate schools.  Our great schools contribute to our children’s development and to our strong Palos Verdes home values!

The 44th Annual Palos Verdes Marathonwill be held Saturday, May 14, 2010, at 7:00 a.m.  It will begin and end at Point Fermin Park (807 Paseo del Mar, San Pedro).  According to the official website, the Palos Verdes Marathon is the second longest continuously running Marathon in the United States, second only to the Boston Marathon.  Palos Verdes Marathon is actually a qualify marathon for the Boston Marathon.  Pretty cool, don’t you think?

Parking and free shuttle buses will be running from Cabrillo Marina (224 Whalers Walk, San Pedro) from 6:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

For residents, it means we probably want to stay clear of Palos VerdesDrive South and Palos Verdes Drive West and Paseo del Mar in Lunada Bay the morning of May 15th.  Click here to see this year’s route.

There is also a Half Marathon beginning at 7:30 a.m. and a 5-K Run and Community Fun Walk beginning at 8:00 a.m.  This ia a great run along our fabulous coast with its breathtaking views.

Photo courtesy of the PV Marathon

Last week, I attended a meeting with the City Managers from all 4 cities on the Peninsula – Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills and Rolling Hills Estates.  Here is summary of their updates:

Joseph Hoefgen from Palos Verdes Estates reported that the Palos Verdes Drive West road stabilization was completed on time and under budget.  The Fire Parcel Tax averages $675 per parcel and the city has about 5200 parcels.  Yellow Vase Restuarant is coming to Malage Cove.  The Police Department is getting a new digital radio system.  The city is also getting a new web page.  2 underground sewage pump stations will be replaced in Lunada Bay.

Carolyn Lehr from Rancho Palos Verdes reported that Trader Joe’s is open and it is estimated to bring in $45,000 in sales tax per year.  Terrenea is doing well and is expected to generate $2,000,000 in revenue this year.  Hawthorne and Palos Verdes Drive West were repaved with Federal Stimulus money.  Beginning July 1st, new trash removal company, EDCO, will pick up once a week (not twice as currently being done) reducing fees by $10/month per household.   34-unit affordable housing (62 and older) on Crestridge and Crenshaw is scheduled for completion February 1022.  Proposed Annenberg Project at Point Vicente is in EIR process.  The Tarapaca/San Ramon landslide which threatens the switchbacks on Palos Verdes Drive East is in engineering study.

Anton Dahlerbruch from Rolling Hills reported that they are working on a sewer system on Johns Canyon potentially up to Crest Road.  The city is working on broadening the definition of stables (dedicated 1,000 square feet) so can be used for other uses like storage but not guest houses.  As a result of the fire last August, the city has been divided into 24 zones with block captains to assist with any future disasters.  The city is educating residents on canyon clearance and proper plantings to reduce fire danger.  Sprint and Verizon are looking to add cell towers.

Douglas Prichard of Rolling Hills Estates reported that Palos Verdes Drive North, Crenshaw and Rolling Hills Road will be resurfaced in August with Federal Stimulus money. The County has been hired to trap problem coyotes.  A 12-home subdivision at Palos Verdes Drive East and Palos Verdes Drive North is in EIR.  Chandler Ranch (114 homes and remodification of Rolling Hills Golf Course) is in Environmental Review and is being redrafted.  There will be a public hearing on May 11th for proposed view restoration ordinance.  There are 3 Peninsula Center projects that are approved but not going forward at this time – Edler at Beachgate & Silver Spur, 45 unit condo at old Deep Valley Car Wash site, and 16 unit Knickerbocker project.  Under discussion at the Promenade is 30-40 unit condos at Crossfield parking lot near Marmalade.

The day is finally here.  We have our own Palos Verdes Trader Joe’s!  It doesn’t take much to make us happy.  The store opened at 8:00 a.m. and when I arrived in the afternoon, the parking lot was full (but with cars coming and going, it was easy to find  spot).  The store was also full of smiling shoppers.

The Palos Verdes Trader Joe’s has murals painted on the walls to depict local points of interest and vistas of the ocean.  According to the Peninsula News, “Elaborately decorated signage tells shoppers about local attractions, such as the Point Vicente Interpretive Center and Lighthouse, and the South Coast Botanic Garden.”  I have to admit with all the shoppers today that I missed that but I am sure that I will see it the next time I am there.  I am a Trader Joe’s fan and look forward to weekly visits.

Many are wondering if the opening of the Palos Verdes Trader Joe’s will take some of the pressure off the Riviera Vilage Trader’s in Redondo Beach which is parking challenged.  The only little hint I can give new shoppers who go to our Palos Verdes Trader Joe’s in the afternoon is to take care not to get in to the Montessori School student pickup line if your are exiting onto Hawthorne Boulevard.

The Palos Verdes Trader Joe’s is located at 31176 Hawthorne Blvd, Rancho Palos Verdes 90275 (in the Golden Cove Center at the intersection of Hawthorne Blvd. and Palos Verdes Drive West) and is open from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily.  Phone number is 310-54-1727

Palos Verdes homes owners have two upcoming special trash collections.

The first is Palos Verdes Estates Special Refuse Collection which takes place this Saturday, April 24, 2010.  Homeowners in Palos Verdes Estates actually look forward to this yearly event as it is an opportunity to clean out the garage and dispose of unwanted items without having to pay an extra fee for a “temporary debris box” also known as a dumpster.  Items must be out at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on Saturday – everything from furniture, appliances, sinks, mattresses, rugs, etc.  Unacceptable material includes construction waste, green waste, hazardous waste and electronic waste.  A more complete list can be found at www.AthensServices.com

The annual Peninsula Hazardous Waste Round-up will be held Saturday, May 8, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Rancho Palos Verdes City Hall on Hawthorne Blvd.  Some of the acceptable items include motor oil, paint, batteries, old televisions, computers, old prescriptions.  For a more complete list, click here and scroll down to page 8 of the city newsletter.

The City of Palos Verdes Estates accepts electronic waste Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the City Yard found at the lower level of City Hall, adjacent to the Police Department on Palos Verdes Drive West.

Photo courtesy of City of Palos Verdes Estates Newsletter