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This week I’ll tell you how you can meet your new Police Chief, see our latest public art and care for Carlsbad’s natural environment all year long. Here’s the full line up:

• Coffee With the Chief coming to a neighborhood near you
• Extending our Earth Month commitment all year long
• New installation features “Art All Over”
• A unique night out takes you back in time
• Celebrate comics at the library
• What’s on the agenda for your next City Council meeting
• Street fair turns 50, now features a bike valet
• Don’t forget to follow Carlsbad on social media

Get to know Police Chief Christie Calderwood

If you haven’t had a chance to meet new Carlsbad Police Chief Christie Calderwood, please stop by and say hi at one of our upcoming Coffee with the Chief events. These casual gatherings will be an opportunity to say "hello," ask questions, and share your ideas. Officers assigned to your neighborhood will also be on hand.

Chief Calderwood is an 18-year veteran of the Carlsbad Police Department who stepped into the top job on April 15 following the retirement of former Chief Mickey Williams. (Read this Q&A with the new Chief we shared a few weeks ago.) 

All events will be from 9 to 10 a.m.

Tuesday, May 7

Baba Coffee

2727 State St.

Thursday, May 9

La Costa Coffee Roasting

6965 El Camino Real #208

Monday, May 20

Peet’s Coffee

2641 Gateway Road #103

Thursday, May 30

Starbucks

7615 Via Campanile

Extending our Earth Month commitment all year long

You may be familiar with the three R’s of sustainability: reduce, reuse and recycle, but what about the other two? Sustainability professionals across the country have now added refuse and repair to the list. Here’s what they mean and how the city is incorporating them into our sustainability practices:

Refuse: The first step in reducing waste is to refuse what we don’t need, such as single-use plastics and items that will end up in the landfill after just one use.

• In an effort to reduce waste and prevent plastic pollution, the City Council passed local laws banning single-use plastic bags and food ware items for businesses in Carlsbad.
• City staff are working with local businesses to phase out single-use plastics and Styrofoam and replace them with reusable and certified compostable items.

Repair: Before you get rid of something broken, consider whether it can be repaired. Events like our popular Fixit Clinics, where people can learn to repair household items themselves, promote a culture of reducing waste. Here’s info on the next one:

Fixit Clinic

Saturday, June 8

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Cole Library

1250 Carlsbad Village Drive

Register today

Commonly repaired items at our clinics include bikes, clothing and small kitchen appliances. This video tells the story of a successful repair of a fan at a recent Fixit Clinic.

Electronics

The State of California is also embracing the repair movement to keep electronics out of the landfill.

• A new state law taking effect in July will make it easier to repair electronics and appliances. The Right to Repair Act requires manufacturers to make manuals and parts available for a minimum of three years for items priced between $50 and $100 and at least seven years for items that cost more than $100.

Fun fact

Who decides how many R’s? We checked, and no single group is credited with popularizing the five R’s, but environmental organizations, nonprofits and others working to encourage environmentally sustainable practices have slowly been adding to the original message of “reduce, reuse and recycle.” And, there are even more R’s out there, like:

Rethink

Regift

Repurpose

Rot (this one refers to composting)

Whether you commit to three R’s, five R’s or even extra R’s, thank you for doing your part to help protect Carlsbad’s environment.

If you’re interested in learning more about the city’s environmental programs and ways you can support sustainability, sign up to receive the Sustainable Carlsbad newsletter.

Discover “Art All Over”

Carlsbad’s latest piece of public art was just unveiled at the Dove Library Children’s Garden in south Carlsbad, along with messages of joy and kindness. Artist Nan Coffey calls her eye-catching style “Art All Over,” and one look at her artwork will tell you why.

Nan coined the term based on two features of her artistic style. First, her art takes advantage of the entire surface of her chosen canvas. Second, her definition of “canvas” often extends to objects, like when she worked for her favorite band, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and created artwork on their blazers, the stage backdrop, instruments and merchandise.

Nan’s latest work is a hand-painted oversized beach chair covered in black-and-white words and images that reflect some of the best things about living in Carlsbad, along with messages about connection and kindness.

The chair will be on display through spring 2025 (and yes, you can sit on it). It’s one in a series of extra-large beach chairs you may have spotted around town over the years, decorated by artists as part of our temporary public art program.

Meet the artist

You have two upcoming opportunities to meet Nan Coffey and see her latest work up close:

Nan Coffey Meet the Artist events 

Saturday, May 4 and May 18

Noon to 3 p.m.

Dove Library Children’s Garden

1775 Dove Lane

Comic book fans unite! 

If you’re drawn to this latest artwork, you might also be a comic book fan. Fans of comic books and graphic novels can celebrate Free Comic Book Day on Saturday by picking up a free comic book at any Carlsbad City Library location, while supplies last. 

As part of the celebration, we’re also hosting a social hour at the Cole Library where you can meet fellow comic lovers and learn more about the library’s collection of graphic novels available for checkout. Come in costume and you’ll be entered to win a raffle prize.

Free Comic Book Day Social Hour

Saturday, May 4

1 to 2 p.m.

Cole Library Community Room

1250 Carlsbad Village Drive 

Have a unique night out to support a good cause

Enjoy the warm spirit of hospitality that Leo Carrillo made famous by attending the upcoming Fiesta at the Rancho, featuring outdoor dining, a silent auction and live entertainment in a setting that will transport you back in time.

The city’s Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park was once the weekend retreat for actor Leo Carrillo, who designed the property in the style of Spanish hacienda estates. (Catch a glimpse in this video.)

The event is a fundraiser presented by Friends of Carrillo Ranch to raise money for the California History & Art Program at Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park. Over 1,200 local fourth-grade students will have the opportunity to visit Carrillo Ranch to share in Leo’s vision of early California life and participate in an interactive art lesson.

Fiesta at the Rancho

Saturday, May 11

5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park

6200 Flying Leo Carrillo Lane

Tickets: $150

Register

What’s on the agenda for the next City Council meeting

The next City Council meeting will take place Tuesday, May 7, starting at 5 p.m. in the City Council Chamber. Topics include:

• An agreement that will enable the Fire Department and other firefighting agencies participating on a specialized urban search and rescue task force to be reimbursed by the state for associated costs
• A contract to replace the audio and video systems at the Schulman Auditorium at Dove Library
• A contract to replace a water pipeline on Valley Street and a sewer pipeline on Foxtail Loop.
• An agreement with an engineering firm to design road improvements on Faraday Avenue in preparation for Veterans Memorial Park, scheduled to open in 2026
• Ending the local storm-related emergency proclamation to remove debris from the Buena Vista Creek channel and continuing another one to repair a slope between El Camino Real and Trieste Drive. These proclamations must be renewed at each regular City Council meeting until the emergency is declared over.
• A proposed plan to spend federal Community Development Block Grant funding to help people with low incomes find housing
• A report on the city’s vehicle fleet and how it’s managed and financed
• Changes to how the city manages its Capital Improvement Program, which is a plan for building and funding future infrastructure projects across the city

See the agenda and staff reports.

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 council@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

You can see the full meeting schedule on our city calendar and watch board and commission meetings livestreamed on the city’s website and on-demand afterward.

Some streets closed Sunday for Carlsbad Village Faire, free bike valet 

If you’re planning to come downtown this weekend, keep in mind that the Carlsbad Village Street Faire is happening Sunday, May 5, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Several streets in the Village will be closed to make way for this popular community event, celebrating its 50^th year.

The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce hosts the street fair, which typically draws tens of thousands of people. So, please remember to slow down and be alert for people driving, walking or biking to and from downtown.

• Find the full list of street closures on our website, along with information on where to park.
• Faire Shuttle information is available on the Chamber of Commerce’s website.
• The city is once again providing a free bike valet (how a bike valet works).

Safer Streets Together bike valet station

Sunday, May 5

8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Engel & Völkers Carlsbad parking lot

2965 Roosevelt St.

While you’re there, stop by our Carlsbad Police Department booth to pick up your Safer Streets Together yard sign.

Construction map reminder

Speaking of safe streets, thank you to everyone who has made a habit out of taking a look at our weekly construction map to see where city projects are happening that may impact traffic.

Checking the map allows you to plan ahead and take an alternate route, saving you time and helping to keep traffic flowing safely through construction zones. Remember, the map only shows city projects, not work being done by utilities or private companies.

Are you following Carlsbad?

Every Thursday, I do my best to catch you up on what’s happening in your city, but there is never enough room for everything. If you don’t already follow us on social media, please do! That way you can be even more in the know about upcoming events, new programs and more.  

The full list of city social media channels is on our website.

Scott Chadwick

City Manager