Santa Clarita Organizers of the annual San Fernando Valley Fair have pulled up stakes and plan to take the June festivities to a new venue one outside the fair’s namesake locale. The fair board voted earlier this month to move the 61st annual fair from Hansen Dam Sports Center in Lakeview Terrace to Saugus Speedway in the Santa Clarita Valley, said David Honda, president of the state 51st District Agricultural Association, which since the 1950s has run the four-day fair. Honda said the board originally wanted to hold the event at Woodley Park in Encino instead of Hansen Dam, where it has been for the past three years but failed to attract large crowds. That proposal eventually fell through this month after the L.A. Department of Recreation and Parks officials said Encino residents raised concerns about noise and traffic. Honda questions the allegations, but with 90 days left before the fair, the board decided to look for another venue, including places outside the Valley. That’s when Honda says he got a call from the Saugus Speedway. While not ideal, Honda points out that the fair is actually intended to serve the entire 51st Agricultural District and only since the 1970s has been known as the San Fernando Valley Fair, Honda said. “Santa Clarita is still in the district. We don’t just service the San Fernando Valley,” he said, adding that the fair in 2003 called Lake Castaic home. And one valley’s loss is another valley’s gain. “This valley has been looking for family entertainment and fairs and we’re a special events venue, so it really wasn’t out of the ordinary in the least,” said Saugus Speedway General Manager Terri Burbank. “It made sense. Our property is perfect for a fair.” Honda said the main concern now is getting the facilities ready for the June 7 kickoff. The board will decide later about the 2008 location, although they haven’t ruled out moving the fair to Santa Clarita indefinitely, which then might mean dropping “San Fernando” from the name altogether “It’s an option,” Honda said. “That’s an option.” The issue of the roving fair will be a topic of discussion during a March 19 meeting of Valley Vote. Honda is scheduled to speak at 6:45 p.m. at Galpin Ford, 1555 Roscoe Blvd. in North Hills. CONEJO VALLEY Camarillo Graduate: California State University Channel Islands is looking for volunteers to help during the school’s 2007 commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 19 The 9 a.m. ceremony, in the south quad of the Camarillo campus, graduates the first class that has been part of the college since its 2003 opening for all four years. A volunteer orientation is planned for Friday, May 18, at 5:30 p.m. To help, call (805) 437-8510 or email [email protected] Thousand Oaks Honors: The Thousand Oaks-Westlake Village Regional Chamber of Commerce has named Julia Ladd and Rick Lemmo as 2006-2007 Woman and Man of the Year. Ladd is senior property manager of The Oaks shopping center in Thousand Oaks and is involved with the Thousand Oaks Rotary Club. Lemmo is vice president of community relations for developer Caruso Affiliated. He is past chairman of the Thousand Oaks-Westlake Village chamber and is involved with various community boards. Additionally, the chamber named Countrywide Financial Corp. as Business of the Year, Mid-State Bank & Trust as Corporate Sponsor of the Year, Susan Murata of Silver Star Automotive Group as Volunteer of the Year and Paul Dryman of Informed Decision as Ambassador of the Year. Panel: The City of Thousand Oaks is looking for business owners to serve on a business roundtable. The panel serves as an advisory board to the city on business issues. Members must own or work for a business in Thousand Oaks or live in the city and have business experience. For more information, call (805) 449-2131. SAN FERNANDO VALLEY Encino Conference: Phillips Graduate Institute hosted its annual continuing education conference from March 13 to 17. The conference was designed for students and licensed professionals in psychology and psychotherapy. The featured keynote speaker was Dr. William Glasser, an internationally recognized psychiatrist best known as the author of reality therapy. Studio City Clean: Studio City Hand Car Wash honored civic-minded citizens during the March 6 election. The 11514 Ventura Blvd. car wash gave away free washes to anyone who showed a ballot stub proving they voted in the election. About 800 people participated in the “You Vote-We Wash” offer. The event also brought out Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. It isn’t the first time the wash has given away its services: In September, it provided free washes to pets as part of a marketing campaign. Award: Nominations for Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year will be taken through March 30. The award recognizes business luminaries for creating and guiding innovative companies. Winners are selected by a panel of independent judges, including local business owners many of whom have won the award in the past as well as area leaders from civic organizations and academic institutions. The awards ceremony takes place June 26 at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. For more information or a nomination form contact Sandra Feldner Vandergriff at (213) 977-3523 or sandra.feldnervandergriff @ey.com. Calabasas Tickets: Barry’s Ticket Service opens its new Calabasas location on March 22. The Agoura/Oak Park/Conejo Valley Chambers of Commerce hosts a two-hour grand opening event catered by the local Italian eatery, Spumoni Caf & #233;. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. Since 1984, Barry’s Ticket Service has specialized in providing quality seats to concerts, sporting events and live theater nationwide. Pacoima Open: The nonprofit Meet Each Need with Dignity is opening a new 40,000 facility on March 31. The two-story space at 10641 San Fernando Road will house a dental clinic, food warehouse and clothing area. MEND is the largest poverty agency in the San Fernando Valley, serving 40,000 a month and $700,000 worth of medical, vision and dental care each year. The clinic is currently based in a 1,500-square-foot space in Mission Hills. Sylmar Films: Los Angeles Mission College will host the 4th annual Carless Drive-In Film and Video Festival on April 28. Films and videos from local college and university students and invited high schools will be screened and judged. Categories for the films and videos are animation, documentary, music, narrative, and abstract. The festival takes place outdoors on the college campus. Food and drinks will be available. Judging the films and videos will be producer and director Ted Mather; director/assistant director Geoffrey Sawyer; and animator Michael Scroggins. SANTA CLARITA VALLEY Canyon Country Learn: Construction is slated to finish by next fall on a temporary educational center built by College of the Canyons. The project on Sierra Highway calls for temporary modular buildings housing 25 classrooms and five lab areas that will house 3,000 students. The 70-acre site was purchased by the district in November 2001 using Measure C dollars. It will eventually house several permanent structures and vocational education and arts education programs and support services. The entire project is expected to finish by 2015. Santa Clarita Calm: A newly refurbished meditation room has opened at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital. The space near the hospital’s cafeteria includes new stained glass windows and was funded largely through an anonymous donor gift. SIMI VALLEY Simi Valley Designs: The private design company Malibu Designs has inked an agreement with Cindy Crawford to develop a line of home d & #233;cor items. The agreement with Cindy Crawford Home Licensing allows Malibu to use the model’s name and image in kitchen, home and outdoor items. It is expected to hit stores this spring and summer. Magic: Construction is nearly complete on The Magical Kitchen, a cooking demonstration and gourmet retail space in the Sycamore Village shopping complex. The storefront at 2792 Cochran St. will offer cooking classes, demonstrations, meal assembly sessions, wine seminars and tastings, along with a slate of products, ingredients and equipment. Classes are scheduled to start in May.