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This week, our TGIF concert series heads north to Calavera Hills Community Park. I’ll give you all the details, plus an explainer about the city’s legislative advocacy program and why Sacramento has taken center stage. Here’s the full rundown for today:

• First TGIF concert at Calavera brings tropical vibes
• Championing Carlsbad’s interests in Sacramento
• Get together with your neighbors for National Night Out
• Help us celebrate Carlsbad’s Citizens of the Year
• We asked, you answered: Neighbors share organics recycling tips
• New fiber arts exhibit opens Saturday at Cannon Gallery
• What’s on the agenda for your next City Council meeting
• Recognizing our parks and recreation professionals

"Dance-provoking" band kicks off TGIF's move to Calavera

Tomorrow marks the halfway point in our TGIF Concerts in the Parks series, with a move to Calavera Hills Community Park. Our Cultural Arts staff is always on the lookout for bands that will get folks on the dance floor, but this is the first band I can remember describing itself as “dance-provoking.”

San Diego-based Kimba Light will perform their signature fusion of Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Reggaeton and Funk, with a touch of hip-hop and Timba.

TGIF Concerts in the Parks

Kimba Light

Friday, July 19

Calavera Hills Community Park

2997 Glasgow Drive

Field opens at 4 p.m.

Concert 6 to 8 p.m.

Field closes at 9 p.m.

Security screening

I would like to thank all our Stagecoach concertgoers for helping to make our new security screening process go so smoothly. If tomorrow will be your first concert, here is some info on how the security screening works and a list of items we’d like you to leave at home. And, here are some other tips to make it a great night:

• Pack a picnic (food and drink are not for sale this year)
• Take advantage of our free shuttle from Sage Creek High School
• Bring a low back chair or blanket, sunscreen and bug spray.
• If you live nearby, consider riding your bike and letting our bike valet handle the parking

Behind the scenes: Legislative advocacy

I typically use this space to keep you updated on all things city government. But the reality is that a lot of what happens here in Carlsbad is based on decisions made at the regional, state and federal government levels.

So today I thought I’d give you a peek into how we advocate for Carlsbad’s interests in Sacramento. This has become an even bigger focus in recent years as the state has passed new laws that lessen the control cities have over development and other important matters.

In 2019, the City Council formed a Legislative Subcommittee for this very reason. We have always worked with lobbyists to track bills and weigh in on issues affecting local government. But having a City Council subcommittee specifically focused on legislative advocacy has greatly expanded our efforts. The subcommittee’s charge is to:

• Advise the City Council on intergovernmental and legislative matters affecting the city
• Monitor and recommend advocacy positions on state and federal proposed legislation
• Identify local and regional legislative needs
• Engage and inform the community on intergovernmental and legislative matters affecting the city

The subcommittee also reviews opportunities to get grants and other funding for city projects to help maximize the use of city resources.

Each year the subcommittee reviews and recommends changes to the city’s legislative platform, which guides the city’s advocacy work. The platform is then presented to the full City Council for review and approval. The advocacy positions in the 2024 legislative platform are rooted in these principles:

• Preserving local control
• Maintaining fiscal responsibility
• Protecting quality of life

If you’d like to know more about the subcommittee’s work, you can visit the city’s website, where we have the meeting schedule, agendas and minutes, and the city’s positions on current legislation. You can also sign up to be notified of upcoming meeting and share your feedback via email or at a meeting (just keep in mind the subcommittee focuses on legislative matters affecting our city government, not all potential legislation that could affect our residents).

The Legislative Subcommittee meets monthly in the City Council Chamber, with the next meeting scheduled for Aug. 20.

P.S. If you already follow the subcommittee, you might have noticed the last meeting was not livestreamed. We have fixed the problem, and the video from that meeting is now available online. 

Host a block party for National Night Out

National Night Out is coming up Tuesday, Aug. 6, and it’s a great excuse to connect with friends and neighbors while promoting public safety.

Here’s how it works

• Plan an outdoor event such as a block party, barbecue or potluck for Aug. 6.
• Invite your friends and neighbors.
• Register your gathering by July 30 by emailing holly.martinez@carlsbadca.gov with your name, the address of your event, what type of gathering (barbecue, block party, etc.) you’re planning, and how many adults and children might attend.
• Members of our Police and Fire departments will make the rounds, visiting as many events as they can between 5:30 and 9 p.m.

Help us celebrate Carlsbad's Citizens of the Year

Help us celebrate Carlsbad’s Citizens of the Year at a special ceremony Tuesday in the City Council Chamber, followed by a reception in the courtyard. Everyone is invited to attend.

Citizens of the Year ceremony

Tuesday, July 23, 3 p.m.

City Council Chamber

1200 Carlsbad Village Drive

This year’s honorees are Socorro Rodriguez-Anderson and Ron Baker, two longtime Carlsbad residents who exemplify the spirit of community service that makes Carlsbad so special.

Carlsbad’s Citizen of the Year program is more than 50 years old, celebrating community members who have given their time and energy toward the civic improvement, beautification and betterment of the City of Carlsbad.

Composting tips: We asked, you answered



When I shared some tips last week about how to make recycling “organics” as convenient as possible, I asked readers to let me know if they had other ideas to share.

Well, I should have known that you’d step up! Here is how some of your neighbors are making organic waste recycling work in their homes.

Use coffee grounds to absorb odors: Compost coffee grounds, filters, tea leaves and tea bags. They help keep your compost smelling fresh.

Use a brown paper bag to collect food scraps: Brown paper bags count as food-soiled paper, which can be composted.

Smaller containers work too: If you create less food and plant waste or have a smaller household, consider using a smaller container like an old yogurt tub. It’s a great way to recycle and manage space.

Keep your container closed: Whether you use a kitchen caddy or another container, keeping it closed with a lid helps trap any smells.

Backyard composting with worms: You don’t have to put your organic waste in the green bin; you can compost it yourself. A pro tip for at home composting is adding some worms to the mix. Known as “vermicomposting,” this method uses worms to break down food scraps, producing nutrient-rich compost for your garden. The best worms for composting are red wigglers (Eisenia fetida) and redworms (Lumbricus rubellus). You can search online where to buy them and learn more about how to start composting on the city’s website.

Thanks for the great ideas, and thanks for helping to care for Carlsbad.

New exhibit opens Saturday at the Cannon Art Gallery

The latest exhibit at the city’s Cannon Art Gallery opens this weekend (the gallery is located off the courtyard of Dove Library).

Called “Fiber in 3D,” the exhibit features the work of more than 25 national artists who create art in multiple mediums, like weaving, basketry, sculpture, felting and knitting. The pieces in the exhibit explore dimension through fiber and fabric techniques and mixed media. It will be on display through Nov. 30.

Fiber in 3D

Cannon Art Gallery

1775 Dove Lane

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday: noon to 5 p.m.

Wednesday: noon to 7 p.m.

You can visit the exhibit any time during the gallery’s normal hours. You’re also invited to attend a free reception on Aug. 17 to celebrate the new show, with refreshments and live music.

Community reception

Saturday, Aug. 17

3 to 5 p.m.

Cannon Art Gallery

1775 Dove Lane

What's on the agenda for your next City Council meeting

The next City Council meeting will take place Tuesday, July 23, starting at 5 p.m. in the City Council Chamber. Topics include:

• Monthly update on the city’s investments
• An agreement for the continued use of analytics software that makes visualizing data more efficient for measuring performance and other business needs.
• Renewing the city’s workers’ compensation insurance policy
• A workers’ compensation settlement  
• Terminating an easement on a small section of school property where a fire hydrant is located because Carlsbad Unified School District will maintain the hydrant moving forward
• An agreement to buy more electric vehicle charging stations for the city parking lot on State Street and granting SDG&E the access it needs to install the necessary electrical infrastructure
• Appointing two members to the Library Board and three members to the Beach Preservation Commission
• Adopting parking restrictions along a stretch of Babilonia Street to address resident concerns
• Dissolving the Carlsbad Golf Lodging Business Improvement District because its work has been taken on by the Carlsbad Tourism Business Improvement District
• Advertising for bids for a project to resurface the pools and spa and renovate the family restrooms and locker rooms at Alga Norte Aquatic Center
• A contract to build a community garden at Stagecoach Community Park
• A proposed master plan for Robertson Ranch Park, near the intersection of El Camino Real and Cannon Road

The agenda and staff reports will be available on the city's website by Friday, July 19.

The City Council encourages your participation. You can get agendas and staff reports emailed to you directly, and if you want to provide input, you can email clerk@carlsbadca.gov before the meeting or come in person and fill out a request to speak.

If you want to watch from home, we have three options:

1. Watch the meeting live on the website
2. Watch a recording of the meeting afterward
3. Watch live or a replay throughout the week on the city’s cable TV channel, Spectrum channel 24 and AT&T U-verse channel 99

Board and commission meetings are also livestreamed on the city’s website and available to watch afterward. You can see the meeting schedule on our city calendar.

Finally, Friday is Parks and Recreation Professionals Day, which is a wonderful excuse to give a shout out to our dedicated staff. 

They maintain our city parks, community centers and trails, plant trees, plan community events (and carry on, even in the rain!), teach kids to swim, drive older residents to medical appointments and so much more. In short, they help make life better for everyone in Carlsbad!

Have a great weekend and I’ll be back next Thursday with more updates.

Scott Chadwick

City Manager