Q: Normally this month, Santa Clarita is gearing up for the always-popular Cowboy Festival. Due to the ongoing pandemic, this Year's festival was once again cancelled. Are there any other activities that the community can take part in?
I know many people were very disappointed that the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival had to be cancelled, as am I, but there are several safe, socially-distanced activities you can still enjoy. All month long there will be a series of Western-themed opportunities put on by our Arts and Events team. To find out more, you can visit their Facebook page at @CityofSantaClaritaEvents. Now is also the time to sign up for a unique competition that is only happening in Santa Clarita. The Incredible Chase is our twist on the Amazing Race. Competitors will be tasked with deducing clues, navigating different locations and performing physical and mental challenges that highlight the offerings that make our community so incredible. Challenges may include everything from virtual escape rooms and photo challenges, to sports, agility and even swimming.
To make sure your team of two is registered and ready to complete, please visit
santa-clarita.com/virtualreccenter.

Q: Spring is a great time to celebrate the beauty of our city and learn more about what each of us can do to keep Santa Clarita clean and green. What tips do you have for residents?
The first thing I would recommend is to go to greensantaclarita.com. This is your one-stop spot for everything environmentally mindful and friendly. Whether you are looking for an alternative fueling station, tips on how to compost for your garden or information on the next Hazardous Waste and E-Waste Round Up, all things green in Santa Clarita start here.
I would also encourage our local restaurants to look into the Green Restaurant Certification Program, which encourages practices that reduce waste, save energy and use sustainable practices to reduce carbon footprints. This program can help your restaurant through assessment, consultation, marketing and public relations assistance. You will also find climate-change resources, local eco-friendly businesses and a page designated to encourage kids to get involved with protecting the environment through themed educational tools like books, activities and games. Every resident in Santa Clarita can contribute to keeping our community clean and green!

Q: It may be April, but there is a cold-front blowing through Santa Clarita in the form of the newly-revamped Ice and Entertainment Center - The Cube! Ice enthusiasts have been anxiously awaiting the reopening of the former Ice Station. What can people expect?
This has been a really fun project to work on for City of Santa Clarita staff. We went in and cleaned up the 93,000-square-foot facility, gave it a fresh coat of paint and replaced the flooring, assessed and repaired the ice-making equipment - and, overall, learned a lot about the process of creating the sheets of ice and what is needed for each ice sport that will take place in The Cube.
In addition to sports, this facility will also be a tremendous asset to the community because of its massive scale. We can lay down flooring over the ice and transform the space into a banquet room, convention space or even a concert venue. The options are limitless for this new City of Santa Clarita amenity and we know that everyone is excited to get back inside and on the ice! We are following the health orders from Los Angeles County closely to make sure we are operating in compliance with the capacity requirements. We look forward to welcoming the community back to The Cube!