Construction to Rebuild Facilities at Paramount Ranch and Rocky Oaks to Begin in June

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The National Park Service has awarded a contract to AMG & Associates, Inc., a company based out of Santa Clarita, California, to rebuild park facilities in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) that were lost during the 2018 Woolsey Fire.

The project is slated to begin on June 12, 2023, with expected completion by fall 2024. Overall, the project will construct six new buildings to restore visitor services, employee housing, and administrative offices. Both sites will receive upgrades to utilities and the new buildings will meet current design codes and standards for accessibility and fire safety.

At Paramount Ranch, four buildings will be constructed in the footprints of historic Paramount Studios buildings. Three of these will accommodate film operations, but also be available as indoor or covered event spaces. The fourth new building at the Ranch will be a restroom.

At Rocky Oaks, one administrative building and one multi-plex housing unit will be constructed.

“Paramount Ranch is one of the only location film ranches that has been in continuous use since the Golden Age of Hollywood. It welcomed the dawn of television and the streaming era,” said David Szymanski, superintendent for SMMNRA. “It is the National Park Service's only site dedicated to interpreting American film history and we are excited to bring the excitement back.”

Construction will occur five days a week—Monday through Friday between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. No regular work will be performed on weekends or federal holidays unless there’s a weather delay or unforeseen situation. Park officials will monitor fire weather forecasts and take necessary precautions during red flag days.

The Paramount Ranch trail system will remain open to hikers, cyclists, and equestrians during the project, but the construction area itself will be closed to the public and surrounded by fencing. See map here.

Visitors will continue to park on the east side of Medea Creek and will be able to access the restrooms across the street.

Hikers and cyclists will be allowed access over the Medea Creek bridge and guided around construction fencing to access the trail system.

Equestrians will access the trail system via the creek crossing north of the visitor parking area (see map below). The Medea Creek bridge and the construction area are too hazardous for horse riders during the project.

There may be temporary closures of the Medea Creek bridge (up to 20 minutes) if the contractor is moving heavy equipment or supplies.

Rocky Oaks will remain open for recreational use as well. The construction project will take place in the already-closed administrative area to the west of the visitor parking and trailhead. One trail segment will be closed that runs through the construction area, but this closure will not affect public access to the rest of the trail system.

Visit Paramount Ranch: Past, Present, and Future for more information about the history of the Ranch, the Woolsey Fire, and what will be reconstructed. The Environmental Assessment and the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for this project are both available on the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment webpage.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) is the largest urban national park in the country, encompassing more than 150,000 acres of mountains and coastline in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. A unit of the National Park Service, it comprises a seamless network of local, state and federal parks interwoven with private lands and communities. As one of only five Mediterranean ecosystems in the world, SMMNRA preserves the rich biological diversity of more than 450 animal species and 26 distinct plant communities. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/samo.   

Cal Lutheran Opens Access to Gallegly Archive at the Pearson Library in Thousand Oaks

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(Photo credit: Karen Quincy)

At California Lutheran University, 356 storage boxes, in view behind glass walls, are filled with the archived papers of Ventura County’s longest-serving congressman, Elton W. Gallegly, a member of the House of Representatives from 1987 to 2013. The Gallegly Center Archive and Collection, housed within Cal Lutheran’s Pearson Library, is now open.

The extensive collection includes correspondence, reports, bills, testimonies, voting records, invoices, photographs, newspaper clippings, constituent requests and more from Gallegly’s long career in public service as congressman for three different congressional districts that cover Ventura and Santa Barbara counties and the San Fernando Valley.

Highlights of the archive, donated in 2017, include records related to his work on immigration, European Union expansion, the 9/11 Commission, the Good Friday Agreement, the Clinton impeachment hearings, the U.S. Patriot Act and the fight against cruelty to animals. Of local interest are materials that address his efforts associated with Ventura County child welfare, agriculture, Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) at Naval Base Ventura County, development of the Port of Hueneme, California redistricting, and cleanup at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory.

The collection is generally divided by Gallegly’s three congressional districts, with subcategories for administrative, legislative, constituent, media and voting record files. Access is available by appointment.

To request an appointment, or to explore the archive’s finding aid, visit www.callutheran.edu/centers/gallegly/archive.html. Appointment requests are also available by sending an email to CLUlibrary@callutheran.edu. Note that the Pearson Library will be closed due to renovations through the summer; access to the archives will begin in the fall.  

Cafe Ficelle Coming Soon to Thousand Oaks (Soft Opening April 10th)

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UPDATE: Cafe Ficelle is “soft opening” 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10th.

Cafe Ficelle Boulangerie & Patisserie is "opening soon" according to the sign at 1710 Thousand Oaks Boulevard, across the way from Denino’s Pizzeria. With locations in Ventura (near the Pacific View Mall) and old town Camarillo, Cafe Ficelle offer freshly baked goods, breakfast and lunch items, coffees, teas and more. Timing TBD. www.cafeficelle.com

Jügo Organic Eatery & Wellness Bar Soft Opening in Thousand Oaks on May 16th

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Jügo Organic Eatery & Wellness Bar will be opening its doors in soft opening mode this coming Tuesday, May 16th in the Oakbrook Plaza in Thousand Oaks, 1772 Avenida De Los Arboles, Suite I (between Subway and Supercuts). They will offer juices, smoothies, acai bowls and pure shots. They will open 8 a.m. Daily. More info at www.jugoorganic.com.

Veggie Grill Westlake Village Has Closed Its Doors

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Veggie Grill at 3825 E. Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Westlake Village has closed its doors. It originally opened at the North Ranch Shopping Center on October 30, 2013, giving it about a nine and a half year run. Sorry to see them go. There are other Veggie Grill locations in Woodland Hills, Encino and Pasadena, amount other locations. www.veggiegrill.com

National Park Service Capture Black Bear in the Santa Monica Mountains for Studies on April 23rd

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On April 23, National Park Service biologists captured and radio-collared a 210-pound black bear in a natural area of the western Santa Monica Mountains south of the 101 Freeway. Photos here.

The male bear, dubbed BB-12, is estimated to be about 3-4 years old. Biologists performed a full workup on the bear, including collecting biological samples, taking various body measurements, attaching an ear tag, conducting a physical exam, and fitting a GPS radio-collar around its neck.

Though there have been bear sightings over the years, this is the first time biologists have captured and radio-collared a bear in the Santa Monica Mountains. The nearest population of black bears is in the Santa Susana Mountains, north of the 118 Freeway. Although bears have occasionally been documented in the Simi Hills, south of 118, and even in the Santa Monica Mountains, south of the 101 Freeway, there is no evidence of a breeding population in either area.

“He appears to be the only bear here in the Santa Monica Mountains, and he’s likely been here for almost two years based on our remote camera data,” said Jeff Sikich, the lead field biologist of the park’s two-decade mountain lion study. “This seems to be our first resident bear in the 20 years we have conducted mountain lion research in the area. It will be interesting to see how he shares the landscape with our other resident large carnivores.”

In July 2021, a young black bear was spotted lumbering along Reino Road in Newbury Park. Since then, images of a bear have been seen on wildlife trail cameras in half of the Santa Monica Mountains - from Malibu Creek State Park to the range’s western border in Point Mugu State Park. Biologists say BB-12 may be the same bear.

Though there have been bear sightings over the years, this is the first time biologists have captured and radio-collared a bear in the Santa Monica Mountains. The nearest population of black bears is in the Santa Susana Mountains, north of the 118 Freeway. Although bears have occasionally been documented in the Simi Hills, south of 118, and even in the Santa Monica Mountains, south of the 101 Freeway, there is no evidence of a breeding population in either area.

Bears are omnivores and can live between 15 and 25 years. They will eat whatever is available, primarily fruits, nuts, roots, and insects. They will also eat small animals, up to and including deer, if they can get them, human food (such as in cars or at campsites), pet food, unsecured trash, and consume dead animals they find.

“As this bear gets older and is looking to mate, it might attempt to move back north and cross the freeway again,” Sikich said. “There is no evidence of an existing population here in the Santa Monica Mountains, and therefore likely no females. With the radio-collar, we can track its movements and hopefully know where it may attempt to cross the freeway. This can help us better understand habitat connectivity for wildlife in the area.”

Bear sightings have been rare in the Santa Monica Mountains. In the early 2000’s, a bear carcass was discovered under a landslide in Malibu Creek State Park. In 2016, a bear was documented three times over three months on wildlife trail cameras in the central portion of the mountains but then never detected again.

Other black bears have occasionally been spotted through the years north of the 101 Freeway in the Simi Hills. Previous news reports include a bear spotted near Westlake High School in 2006 and one that was killed by a vehicle on the northbound 101 Freeway near Lindero Canyon Blvd.

The nearest population of black bears is in the Santa Susana Mountains. Grizzly bears formerly roamed the entire state but became extinct in the early 1900’s. Black bears, however, are not native to Southern California.

In the 1930s, about 30 bears from Yosemite National Park were translocated into the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains. From there, their population grew and expanded, biologists say.

Black bears rarely become aggressive when encountered, and attacks on people are uncommon. If you encounter a bear while hiking, keep a safe distance and slowly back away. Let the bear know you are there. Make yourself look bigger by lifting and waving your arms and making noise by yelling, clapping your hands, using noisemakers, or whistling.

DO NOT run and do not make eye contact. Let the bear leave the area on its own. If a bear makes contact, fight back.

NPS biologists say they are excited to add this bear, as a new species, to its wildlife study in the Santa Monica Mountains. They expect it will help provide new insights on how wildlife utilizes this urban, fragmented landscape.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) is the largest urban national park in the country, encompassing more than 150,000 acres of mountains and coastline in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. A unit of the National Park Service, it comprises a seamless network of local, state and federal parks interwoven with private lands and communities. As one of only five Mediterranean ecosystems in the world, SMMNRA preserves the rich biological diversity of more than 450 animal species and 26 distinct plant communities. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/samo.    

La Princiere French Bakery, Patisserie and Cafe Now Open in the Northstar Plaza Thousand Oaks

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UPDATE 10/31/23: La Princiere is now open in “soft opening” mode as it awaits installation of its point of sale system. Taking cash, Venmo and PayPal in the meantime.

La Princiere French Bakery, Patisserie and Cafe is opening in about a month in the Northstar Plaza in Thousand Oaks (1321-1345 Thousand Oaks Blvd). Owner and Thousand Oaks resident Ahlam Ziani is originally from France and has worked as a baker and pastry chef for years. She will be offering fresh, long-fermentation artisanal breads, French baguettes, and sourdough starters that have been part of her family for 250 years. All sauces, soups and breads will be made in-house.

Initially, they will be serving breakfast and lunch, and when fully staffed, dinner. They will also be offering sandwiches, soups, salads, pizza, and a full lunch menu from meat to fish and other delicious French dishes.  La Princiere is named for Ahlam and husband Chris' son Luca, their little prince.

Follow their Facebook page for updates at www.facebook.com/frenchbakerypatisseriecafe.

CONEJO VALLEY BAKERIES AND DONUT SHOPS