VFD to climb for Leukemia see page 7 - Ventura Breeze

Vol. 3, No. 11 Published Every Other Wednesday March 10 - 23, 2010 Vol. 9, No. 10 Published Every Other Wednesday Established 2007 February 17 – March 1, 2016

FREEVFD to climb for Leukemia see page 7

The City of Ventura’s California Street Bridge Pedestrian Project will begin construction this month. En-hancements include new lighting, deco-rative railings and sidewalk treatments which will create a safer environment for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists crossing the bridge and will help visually

The government FY16 Work Plan has been released and Ventura Harbor received an additional $2.5 million for the dredging of the Harbor federal

Gary Wilde received a donation from the CMH Auxiliary for $125,000. Photo by John Ferritto.

Auxiliary members donate their time and talent On Feb. 5, the Community Memorial Auxiliary held their annual awards lunch at the 4 Four Points Sheraton. At that meeting, Sandy Frandsen, Auxiliary President, and Norma Taylor, Treasurer, presented CMH President Gary Wilde a donation from the CMH Auxiliary for $125,000 to be used by the building fund. Founded on a tradition of service, the CMH Auxiliary is an organiza-tion whose mission is to augment the programs and services of Community Memorial Hospital, a not-for-profit facility. Auxiliary volunteers are men, women and students, from varied back-grounds, who share a common interest in helping others and providing comfort and assistance to patients and their families. Auxiliary members donate their time and talents to many areas of the hospital. Their contributions, far-reaching and diverse, are vital for the efficient care of patients and guests. All auxiliary members commit to at least a year of service. Profits from the gift shop, sales of souvenir birth certificates, and special events such as the book sale and fine jewelry sale, add to their annual monetary gift presented to the hospital. New members receive individual training and complete a three-month probationary period.

The Board of the Ventura Music Festival has announced the appointment of Susan Scott as Executive Director. Scott served as consultant to the Festival last year and is well known to the arts and general nonprofit communities in Ventura County. Among her other ac-complishments, Scott directed the three-year ArtsLIVE project of the Ventura County Community Foundation, served as Managing Director of Theater 150 in Ojai, and was founding Executive Director of the Bell Arts Factory in Ventura which is celebrating its ten year anniversary.

Dredging at Harbor will remove almost a million cubic yards of dirt. Photo by George Robertson.

Additional funds received for Harbor dredging

entrance channel. This brings the total available money for dredging this winter to $7.3 million, which will enable the Army Corps of Engineers

to dredge about 850,000 cubic yards of sand. This will put the Harbor in great shape again so boats can safely navigate the Harbor entrance. Storms and strong ocean currents could delay the dredging, though this is not expected to occur. Harbor merchants and commer-cial fishing vessels have been hurt fi-nancially by the closing of the Harbor entrance and pleasure boats have been inconvenienced. The Ventura Harbor Patrol has been escorting some essential boats in and out of the Harbor, and some pleasure boats that shouldn’t have been sailing out of the Harbor have been escorted back in by the Patrol. The Harbor entrance became un-passable when a large amount of sand blocked its entrance due to large swells. It was closed on January 22 as a result. A network of pipes will carry the removed sand to some local beaches which were eroded by the same winter storms that closed the Harbor.

Bridge to link promenade to downtown.

Construction to begin this monthdistinguish the California Street off-ramp as the entry to our historic downtown. It will also make walking across to the promenade much safer and people friendly. “This project connects two of

Continued on page 15

2 February 17 – March 1, 2016 Ventura BREEZE

You can always read the latest Breeze on our website wherever you are

The Ventura Breeze has launched a new and improved website “www.venturabreeze.com.” The site provides many new features such as daily horo-scopes, weather, surf reports from Surfline, along with photos and feedback from our wonderful readers. The site also includes our most current issue, all past issues, funny stuff from around the web and links to events and happenings in Ventura including local movie and theater listings. We hope you enjoy the site.

B IG BAD VOODOO DADDY!

Gates open at 5pm • Concert is 6:30–8pm$25 genera l admiss ion

$60 rese rved sea t ing • $75 p re fe r red sea t ing

Tickets : VenturaEducat ionPartnership.org

Benefit concert proudly presented by Ventura Education Partnership (VEP) and celebrating the City of Ventura’s

150th anniversary.

All proceeds will support art and music programs for Ventura Unified’s 17,000 elementary, middle

and high school students.

B IG BAD VOODOO DADDY!

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3February 17 – March 1, 2016Ventura BREEZE

Friends is a nonprofit organization dedicated to:

- Promoting literacy and language skills- Fostering a passion for life long

reading and learning- Providing reading programs for

children and adults- Supporting emerging technologies in the library

JOIN! VOLUNTEER! SUPPORT!Because it’s your library!

Contact: [email protected] sanbuenaventurafriendsofthelibrary.org

WE MEMBERS!Friends is a nonprofit organization

WE MEMBERS!WE MEMBERS!WE MEMBERS!Friends volunteers raise funds to

support its mission by:- Accepting donated books and materials in

good condition - Operating the E.P. Foster Library Bookstore

- Conducting public book sales- Soliciting memberships and donationsThe funds we raise support our mission

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Business News

Consortium Media, an award-winning brand development agency for local, regional and nationally-recognized businesses, non-profits and government agencies, announces the addition of two new employees to its dynamic team. Multimedia Specialist Briana Frank’s scope of responsibilities includes project management, public relations outreach, social media coordi-nation and new business development. Prior to her role at Consortium Media, Frank worked as Support Service and Development Director at the Ventura Family YMCA where she oversaw donor development, stakeholder rela-tionships, community outreach and signature events. Melina Esparza was promoted to Creative Media Associate after com-pleting an internship with Consortium Media. In her new position, Esparza develops web content and art graphics, manages client social media accounts,

Former mayor Heitmann installed as EDC-VC vice chair.

Economic Development Collaborative-Ventura County installed new board members Haas Automation Inc. senior-level manager Peter Zierhut was installed as 2016 chair of the Economic Development Collaborative-Ventura County’s board of directors at the organization’s 19th Annual Meeting on Jan. 21. He is joined on the executive board by city of Ventura Councilmember Cheryl Heitmann as vice chair and secretary/treasurer Roseann Mikos, Ph.D., a member of the Moorpark City Council. Zierhut joined the board of the EDC-VC in 2012. He is responsible for oversight of Haas Automation’s motorsports programs, including

Local entrepreneurs to host free community event For those with a love for both yoga and coffee, three local entrepreneurs are hosting the perfect event. On Saturday, February 27, at 1pm WEV Self-Em-ployment Training graduates Michelle Nouraei, Marilyn Hefferen, and Ashley Tindall will combine their passions to provide the community with a leisurely morning of yoga and coffee. The event will kick off with a relaxing yoga class taught by Hefferen, an instructor at Yoga Rhythms. After the session, attendees can enjoy a delicious

Briana and Melina join Consortium Media as new employees at award-wining firm.

Consortium Media is known for its expertise through its Five Pillars of Marketing Success©

and assists with video and photogra-phy projects. The California Lutheran University (CLU) graduate was active in college serving as a photo editor for the Echo student newspaper, as well as a student assistant at the Pearson Library and took the position of executive marketer for the Associated Students of CLU Government. “I’m thrilled to welcome these skilled professionals to our branding firm,” said Denise Bean-White, President and CEO of Consortium Media. “Their expansive knowledge and passion to learn will help us continue to significantly grow our clients’ brands and enhance our client services.” Consortium Media is a renowned firm known for its expertise through its Five Pillars of Marketing Success©, which strategically combines advertis-ing, events and promotions, public relations, complementing web strate-gies, social media and creative design to build successful brands.

sponsorships in NASCAR and Formula 1 racing. Heitmann was first elected to the Ventura City Council in 2011. She was appointed mayor in December 2013, and served as deputy mayor prior to that. Heitmann served as the executive director of the Ventura Music Festival from 2006-2012. EDC-VC is a private, nonprofit organization that serves as a business-to-government liaison to assist businesses in Ventura County by offering programs that enhance the economic vitality of the region. For more information about the Small Business Development Center and loan, manufacturing outreach and international trade programs, contact Bruce Stenslie at 384-1800 ext. 24, or [email protected]. Or visit www.edc-vc.com.

cup of hot coffee made from Tindall’s organic roasted beans while shopping the latest trends in yoga apparel from Nouraei’s online yoga clothing store, Funk Zone Fashions. The event takes place at 1593 Santa Ynez Street, Ventura. Free admission, RSVP encouraged in case of location change. For more information or to RSVP, contact Ashley Tindall at (303) 815-6265 or [email protected].

On a recent Saturday Breeze publisher Sheldon appeared on “Girls On The Air”, a live community radio show every Saturday, heard at 1pm on local station KVTA AM1590. The show’s hosts are Traci Mahone, Liz Selleck, Karen Campbell and Deborah Delaney. They discuss all kinds of topics in a conversational style. Among other topics Sheldon explained how, and why the Ventura Breeze was launched 9-years ago with daughter Staci. He stated “I was possessed by an alien from a parallel universe.”

Women’s Economic Ventures is dedicated to creating an equitable and just society through the economic em-powerment of women. WEV provides training, consulting and loans to help entrepreneurs start, grow and thrive in business. WEV serves all of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties from offices in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Santa Maria. While WEV targets its services toward women, it serves men as well, and provides many services in English and Spanish.

5February 17 – March 1, 2016 Ventura BREEZE

Member, Ventura Chamber of Commerce

The Ventura Breeze is your free local communitynewspaper published every other Wednesday

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Opinion/Editorial

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Sheldon (Governor) BrownPublisher-Editor

We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. – Aesop

We encourage you to send your opinions to [email protected]. Please limit them to about 300 words.

Letter to Editor, At a 4 ½ hour City Council meeting on Saturday, Jan. 30, a majority of the conversation was how to increase taxes on the citizens of Ventura. No real time was spent on how to improve the economic vitality of Ventura. If the local commercial vacancies were occupied by businesses and new local jobs came to town, there would be more property and sales taxes without increasing taxes for Venturans. There are funds to repair the pier.

Editor: As a parent at Pierpont Elementary School, I’m also concerned that as the vacation rentals go up, there’s a decrease in the number of actual families that reside in the Pierpont area. As a result, the attendance of actual residential

Ventura Breeze Regarding “Homeless Prevention Fund” Homelessness is a symptom of America’s living standards equalizing with the world’s living standards created by “Free Trade Doctrines” (something none of the politicians seem to want to


Also, with water rates increased by 34% over the last 2 years, our water system will be maintained. The City of Ventura has a balanced budget. Mayor Nasarenko’s 2013 campaign promised to pay for streets, public safety, water resources, attracting new business, parks, schools and city services “By growing the economy... the city must attract and retain businesses that will increase its sales tax base.” When asked about the city role to attract a better economic vitality he said: “The city can bring economic vitality to Ventura by keeping it safe and clean, creating a business-friendly culture at city hall, making sensible, cost-effective loans to businesses, and by promoting trade and tourism both locally and globally”. He said nothing about increasing taxes upon the citizens. On Jan. 1, 2016, Medicare tax increased from 1.45% to 2.35%. Income Tax rate increased from 35% to 39.6%. Payroll tax increased from 37.4% to 52.2% Capital gain tax increased from 15% to 28%. Dividend tax increased from 15%

to 39.6%. Estate taxes increased from 0% to 55% and a Real Estate transaction tax of 3.5% was added. Now the Council spent $118,000 to hire a consultant to tell the City Council how to educate the Ventura voters so Ventura will vote to tax ourselves another $340 a year per household. It is time to just say no.Robert Alviani Ventura-VREG Chair

families has decreased steadily over the years. The school has one of the lowest enrollments I’ve seen in the 5 years I’ve been there. We had a high of 312 kids a few years ago and now we are down to 250 children. I would hate to see this community lose this school in future years due to lack of families in the area. Kim Castro

n C o n g r a t u l a -t i o n s t o Ve n t u r a B r e e z e S e n i o r Account Executive B r e e z y G l e d h i l l who is celebrating her 6-year anniver-sary with us. I knew

she’d be a wonderful addition when she told me that her nickname has been “Breezy” her entire life. I didn’t make her change it as some have thought.n This November’s elections is shaping up to be a very busy one for Ventura voters; if all of things in the works end up on the ballot. National elections of course, revisions to our city charter, a possible sales tax increase and voting for three city council members. There are many charter revisions that have been suggested to our city council for consideration by a Charter Review Committee. Selected by the council, a group of concerned Ventura residents spent more than a year studying various options for changing the way our government operates. The council has voted to have city staff draft language for a charter initiative that could appear on the November ballot. The council can’t directly alter the charter, but can bring proposed changes to the electorate for a vote. There are too many revisions to consider at one time, so only some of them will be included on the ballot. They may consist of:1. City Council members have received the same monthly pay for the last 30 years. $600 plus an ad-ditional $100 for the mayor. The Committee recommends raising the pay of council members from $600 to $1,200 and the mayor from $700 to $1,500 with automatic increases tied to an as-of-yet unde-termined index. The council has concerns about including a pay increase on the ballot at the same time a sales tax increase may be proposed. I think that an increase in their compensation is long overdue. Altruism is nice, but a dedicated council member puts in at

least 30-hours of work per week.2. Eliminating the current at large voting system to be replaced by designated council districts. I am in favor of this but think that there should be four members from specific districts and three at large members that represent the entire city. Our city attorney would need to be very involved in this because lawsuits under the California Voting Rights Act have occurred in other cities. Cities with significant minority populations that lack proper council representation have proved especially vulnerable.Ventura has a large Latino popula-tion and the council members are all non-Hispanic whites.3. A law limiting council members to three consecutive terms, followed by a four-year break before being able to run again. I am very much in favor of this. New blood brings new ideas. Other amendments discussed would be to hold a direct election for our Mayor. Currently, our Mayor is selected by other council members from a sitting council member. I’m sure that this proposed revision will not be considered by the council as they feel that the current system has served Ventura well. I agree with them. The City staff will return with a final proposed list to be considered by the council to be voted on by Venturans.n Speaking of the presidential election, if a Democrat wins, the new president would be either our first female President or first Jewish President. n Cities in California have been hastily passing new marijuana or-dinances. The State had mistakenly passed legislation that set a March 1 deadline for cities to either adopt their own regulations or comply with new state regulations that may have been more lenient than cities would have wanted. To rectify this, Governor Brown has given cities more time to develop their local regulations on the commercial selling and distribution of medical marijuana.

Included in the regulations, and approved by the City Council, was to disallow the delivery of medical marijuana in Ventura. I am opposed to this (as were some City Council members), and I hope that they will revisit this restriction. In addition to being unfair, it is just not enforce-able by our police department and would be a waste of their time. n I’m disappointed that on First Fridays (when our many art galleries hold open houses) the only WAV (Working Artists Ventura) studio open is that of St. Pierre. During the last First Friday, a young lady, Marianne Turner, walked in with a guitar and was asked to play. She gave a wonderful short concert, and St. Pierre also played. n This was one of the funniest real estate ad I’ve seen (was in a local paper). Below a photo of a kitchen it stated, “Kitchen includes a basic set of appliances including refrigerator and stove.” Wow, I’m sure people are lining up to buy a house that includes a refrigerator and a stove in the kitchen. It didn’t say anything about a sink, so I hope that’s included as well. n Recently, the Ventura Police De-partment made a presentation to the City Council regarding gang mem-bership in Ventura. This raised concerns from many people who didn’t realize that we had so much gang activity here. The presenta-tion might have made gang activity seem worse than it actually is, so in a future issue we will include an article from the VPD discussing this situation.n I have always been against vaping and assumed that it would be a gateway drug to cigarette smoking. New studies show that I was correct. Teens who said that they have “Vaped” are far more likely to try regular cigarettes than those that didn’t.n I have always wondered why fast food restaurants (other than Wie-nerschnitzel) don’t sell hotdogs. That will soon change, as Burger King will begin selling them. I’m sure if they are successful other fast food outlets will also give it a try.


City News

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COLLECTION EVENTS

City of Ventura Classes Call 658-4726 or 654-7552 to register, or if you already have an ACTIVENET account online, visit www.cityofven-tura.net. Check out hundreds more on our web-site! Classes/Events held the Barranca Vista Center, 7050 Ralston Street, in Ventura unless otherwise noted.Explore with Me 2.5-5 years2/19-3/25 Friday 10:30-11 am $60 for one adult & one child #5487 Discover the world of art through the eyes of your child with such hands-on activities as sculpture, painting, collage, drawing and gardening. Instructor Jennifer Benitez.Pottery and Ceramic Hand Building 14 year-adult2/17-3/23 Thursday 10 am-12 pm $105+$10 materials fee #5566 Students create their own ceramic art as they pinch, coil and use slab construction methods, glaze and decorate. Creativity and self-expres-sion are encouraged. Instructor Kim Clarke. Mindfulness for Abundant Cre-ativity 18 years-adult2/18-3/24 Thursday 7-8 pm $85 #5539 Learn Mindfulness meditation and release your inner artist using this open-focused method as you creatively record your experience of each session. Intermediate level prerequisite: expe-rienced concentration meditator.

On Feb. 4 Big Bad Voodoo Daddy band members visited Buena High School to meet choir and music students and to tour the campus recording studio which was funded by the band’s April 2013 local benefit concert presented by Ventura Education Partnership (VEP) and the City of Ventura. The April 2013 benefit concert, a sold-out event, raised nearly $50,000 in grant funding for Ventura Unified School’s arts and music programs. Grant funds allowed Buena High School to build a mini-recording studio, which is used by music students, the choir program and other students who wish to record songs and make music. Several other VUSD schools received grant funds for art and music projects

Buena High School choir and music students; Buena Choir teacher, Kevin Downey, Librarian Joel Levin and two members of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Scotty Morris and Andy Rowley, at Buena High. Photo by Bernie Goldstein.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy band members visited local high school

including new musical instruments, a kiln, microphones, drafting tables, and in-classroom artist programs. On April 2, in downtown Ventura, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy will perform a benefit concert in celebration of the City of Ventura’s 150th anniversary and again as a fundraiser for art and music programs – choir, jazz, theater, marching band, orchestra, visual and performing arts – for Ventura Unified’s 17,000 elementary, middle and high school students. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy formed in Ventura in 1989. (Band info: www.bbvd.com) Tickets for the April 2, 2016 benefit concert are now available online at www.venturaeducation-partnership.org/BBVDbenefit.

Drawing & Painting for Youth 8-18 years2/18-3/17 Thur. 3:30-4:45 pm $64 #5516 Explore relevant artists and their styles to create your own acrylic paintings and pencil and charcoal drawings. Instructor Catherine Broger. Chakras 101 18 years-adult2/21 Sunday 1-3 pm $28 #5542 Chakras are energy receivers and givers in your body that greatly effect health, organ functions, emotions and cognitive functioning. Learn the signifi cance of the seven chakras and how to open them more fully. Concludes with a guided charka medi-tation you can practice at home. No meditation experience is needed. Canine Body Language Seminar 18 years-adult2/21 Sunday 10 am-12 pm $20 #5722 Tail wagging doesn’t always mean “happy.” Learn to identify signs of anxiety versus playfulness as you open new lines of communication with your dog. No dogs at seminar, please. Instructor Registered Veterinary Technician Certified Professional Dog Trainer Shannon Coyner. Classes held at the Ventura Pet Wellness Center, 3521 Arundel Cir. #B in Ventura. The ABCs of Estate Planning18 years-adult2/27 Saturday 1-3 pm $25 #5718 Learn about wills, living trusts, planning for incapacity, the probate process and common pitfalls. Instruc-tor Attorney Jef Coyner.


Community Events

It’s a “Brand New Day” for this year’s Festival of Talent On Saturday, February 27th, Ventura Education Partnership (VEP) proudly presents the 15th Annual production of the Festival of Talent – A Brand New Day. This memorable evening, supported in part by the Kiwani’s Club of Ventura, will showcase over 200 performers in 24 show-stopping acts featuring the best and brightest students, parents and faculty throughout Ventura Unified School District’s (VUSD) 28 schools. This year’s theme, “A Brand New Day” honors the District’s new superin-tendent, Dr. Michael Babb, who word has it, will be joining former Superintendent Dr. Trudy Arriaga on stage for a truly unforgettable performance. Once again the show is being directed by multi-tal-ented, award winning actor and director Brian McDonald of the Rubicon Theatre Company. Miriam Arichea is leading musical direction. The show kicks off at 7:00 pm in the Ventura High School Auditorium. Doors open at 6:15pm where guests will be greeted by the stylings of the Ventura High School Jazz Band. For those looking for dinner before the show, the Ventura Unified Leadership Council,

The Greek Restaurant will host a fundraiser for Team VFD.

Team VFD will be climbing to raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society For the fourth year, Team VFD and the Ventura Fire Foundation will be participating in the Scott Firefighter Stairclimb. 14 members of Team VFD will be climbing the Columbia Center in downtown Seattle, Washington to raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. All 14 members will have the grueling task of climbing 69 floors, 1356 steps, and 788 feet of vertical elevation in full firefighting safety equipment to bring awareness and raise money for this great cause. This year, Team VFD has partnered with The Greek Restaurant in Ventura


Go into the woods at Ventura College’s Per-forming Arts Center.

Sondheim’s Into the Woods delivers an evening of entertainment at Ventura College Join Ventura College’s Opera and Musical Theater for their production of Sondheim’s Into the Woods, a story about a baker and his wife’s struggles to have a family because of a witches curse, all while being assisted by our favorite fairy tale characters along the way. Directed by Brent Wilson, costumes by Abra Flores, and set and production by Willy Eck. Runs February 18 through 28 in the Studio Theatre at Ventura College’s Performing Arts Center. Tickets $15, Students/Seniors $10. General Admission $15, Students/Seniors/Faculty/Staff $10 For more information, call 289-6307 or visit our event website: www.facebook.com/vcomt. Into the Woods is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

a joint-effort of VUSD high schools’ leadership classes, is holding a pasta dinner fundraiser, courtesy of Milano’s Italian Restaurant. Dinner reservations may be made at any high school associ-ated student body office or by calling 641-5116 ext. 2312. Festival of Talent tickets are available online at www.venturaeducationpart-nership.org. Exclusive VIP Reserved Seats are going fast at just $25 per ticket. Open seating, general admission tickets are $10 and may be purchased online or with cash/check at any VUSD school site. Tickets will be available at the door for $15, as long as this popular event does not sell out in advance. “Festival of Talent is our chief fund-raiser for VEP Grants -- small infusions of funds that allow teachers to provide enriching activities and much needed materials,” stated Sabrena Rodriguez, President of Ventura Education Partner-ship. Ventura Education Partnership is the all-volunteer, community-based, non-profit foundation that supports and enriches education within Ventura Unified School District through grant funding for teachers. In 2015 VEP raised nearly $100,000 for grants to teachers providing educational enrichment programs in the classroom. VEP would like to thank the VUSD community, the Rubicon Theatre and its many supporters and sponsors who make Festival of Talent happen every year. A special thank you goes out to the event’s Title Sponsors - Kiwanis Club of Ventura, the Summer Enrich-ment Academy, and Karen Reynosa. The Kiwani’s Club has been the Title Sponsor since Festival of Talent began in 2001. Bart Bleuel has chaired the committee for that entire time and serves on the Boards of both the Kiwani’s and VEP.


News & Notes

Manny Reynoso and Jairo Brito on location at the 2015 St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Get involved at CAPSby Elizabeth Rodeno

Our new board president, Cliff Rodrigues is a long time resident of Ventura who has taken the mantle of board chair of CAPS Media. Along with the rest of the board, he is devoted to CAPS Media and our mission. Cliff’s career as an educator, first at Cabrillo Jr. High, then with the Ventura County Office of Education in charge of bi-lingual education and then on the board of the VUSD, offers years of experience in what we consider one of the primary missions of CAPS, educating. As Cliff says “Being part of the CAPS Media board for the last couple of years has shown me that having public access channels is the perfect vehicle for keeping the community involved and up-to-date on what is happening in local government. It is also the perfect platform for the public to produce programs that reflect what is going on in the community.” So what is going on in the community? Just recently our El Camino Television student producers had the opportunity to cover the Social Awareness conference hosted by El Camino High School at the Wright Event Center. Field production, with its audio and lighting challenges, provide these students even more experience. This is

You probably already know the street named San Jon, but if you needed a map or any other information about Ventura, you could very well find it in the Research Library of the Museum of Ventura County. Charles Johnson, the library director since 1989, makes the case for the library’s uniqueness. “With over 150,000 resources, our mission is to serve the public—to help them with whatever information they need. There is no place that has more resources about Ventura County than this library. We house over 300 linear feet of manu-scripts, 50,000 positive photographs and twice that many negatives. We have 10,000 maps, 5,000 books, and over 700 architectural plans and drawings. We have an extensive ephemeral collec-tion including such items as war bond booklets and gas ration coupons from the 1940s. In addition, our library volun-teers have clipped and saved newspaper articles every day since 1977, when the library opened.” This year the City of Ventura cel-ebrates its 150th anniversary on April 2. The Research Library is working with the Museum Collections Department, preparing an exhibit entitled “Ventura @ 150: Celebrating the City of Good Fortune,” which will open on April 1 at the Museum and will include photo-graphs, early documents and artifacts. Johnson has seen many requests come to the library from local citizens, corporations, attorneys, land managers, and more. “We’ve had such a variety of inquiries—companies wanting informa-

Tickets going fast to 7th Annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival On Friday and Saturday, March 4 & 5, 2016, the Ventura Hillsides Con-servancy (VHC) will present the 2016 Wild and Scenic Film Festival (WSFF) at Ventura’s Poinsettia Pavilion, 3451 Foothill Road. Now in its 7th year, the Wild and Scenic Film Festival offers audiences the chance to enjoy a series of inspirational award-winning short films that celebrate the beauty and bounty of our natural world. This popular festival, which includes

one more step on the journey to becoming professional news journalists. It’s around this time that our calendar begins to fill up, as if we have not been busy. Just around the corner is The Festival of Talent, a grand event featuring the talented youth of Ventura. CAPS Media has long been a supporter of the event; recording, editing and broadcasting the entire show. Our full production crew features the committed students and volunteers honing their production skills. Go to our website to get a behind the scenes peak at the event and we will see you there on February 27. On March the fifth, head to Westpark, the City’s oldest park for an open house. Westpark, an important feature on the Westside has undergone recent upgrades and included a full roster of community classes and events. Come out and enjoy the fun, with games, activities and tours. We will be out there filming and taking in some of the festivities. March the 12 is the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, broadcast live on channel 6. This year in celebration of the 150th An-niversary, the Grand Marshalls will include some of the first families of Ventura. This event has it all, dancers, marching bands, important politicians, and of course the big green pig. As always we’ll get you up close to the festivities and you can re-live it on channel 6 after the big day. Check out our new website with all the info you need to sign up, reserve your space in a class and catch not only the CAPS Media productions on Vimeo but watch the channels live streaming from your computer. Go to www.CAPSMedia.org. Thanks to Donald who has work diligently to create the new website. Driving down Day Road you’ll catch sight of our sign and that means you need to drop in and say hello.

Charles Johnson and Ventura 1877. Courtesy Museum of Ventura County.

Do you know the way to San Jon? Ask a librarianby Gail Field

tion on agriculture, architects request-ing plans for renovation projects, land use experts looking to see where the adobes were built and where the walls underneath those adobes still lay buried. Cal Trans recently contacted us about the possible impact of planned highway construction at the California Street off ramp on any important cultural resources. California fourth graders come to our library for their California mission projects. We’ve been able to give them what they need.” If you have traveled on San Jon Road, you’ve probably noticed that the spelling of San Jon varies from map to street sign, and wondered, where did the name come from? The museum houses information on street names as well. No one is quite sure about the exact origins of this particular street name, but the Research Library copy of the Ventura County Historical Society Quarterly (winter 1972) devoted to Ventura County place names explains that the term comes from the Spanish word, “zanja, zanjon, or sanjon” meaning “ditch or channel.” The road follows the path of the Sanjon Barranca, which was exactly that—a “big ditch,” that often f looded during rainy seasons. You already know the way to San Jon, and with the help of the Research Library, you can find a vast resource of even more fascinating facts on our own Ventura County. The Research Library is housed in the Museum at 100 E. Main St. Phone: 653-0323, ext. 320 or [email protected]

a different line up of approximately 10 films each night, helps to connect the Conservancy’s work to similar en-vironmental efforts around the globe. In addition to viewing films, attendees also enjoy popcorn, food, beer, wine and the chance to win high-end items in a raff le that includes original artwork, outdoor gear, dining-out cer-tificates and much more. “This year’s Wild and Scenic Film Festival line-up is one of our best yet,” said Derek Poultney, VHC Executive Director. “Audiences can experience the excitement of rowing down the Colorado River in a wooden dory, the expansive-ness of f lying over Baja California with National Geographic photographers and the beauty of exploring under-ground caves rarely seen by man.” Ticket prices for VHC members are for $15 for General Admission or $25 for “Silver Circle” seats. Silver Circle tickets


KEEP VENTURA COUNTY MOVING.

GoVentura.org

VCTC NEWS

What do YOU need?Fewer bottlenecks? Less bumper-to-bumper traffic? More buses? Safer intersections? More bike paths? VCTC wants to know what you need. VCTC has a plan to repair, preserve and improve transportation in Ventura County. Visit goventura.org and share your thoughts to help keep Ventura County moving.

Sharing the ride can save you moneyLooking for a way to save money and avoid wear and tear on your car? Sharing the ride to work or school may be the alternative for you. See how much you could be saving by using the CommuteSmart calculator and find a carpool partner at www.ridematch.info. Links are available at goventura.org.

Download the Ventura Bikeways Map AppDiscover Ventura County’s beautiful bike paths with the Ventura Bikeways Map App. The app provides a detailed map of Ventura County’s most bikeable streets, paths and trails and also offers tips on how to safely get around by bike. The app is available on iTunes.

Connect to Santa Barbara and LAIf you commute to Santa Barbara or LA for work, consider letting VCTC Intercity Transit do the driving. VCTC’s Coastal Express route connects Ventura County with Carpinteria, Santa Barbara and Goleta. The Conejo Connection route serves LA’s Warner Center. Weekday commuter service is frequent and comfortable.


LivingSenior

Pull Out Section

Minimally-invasive cardiovascu-lar care and common therapies for it will be the focus of a free seminar that Community Memorial Health System is holding on Tuesday, Feb. 23. Omid Fatemi, M.D., who special-izes in interventional cardiology, will lead the discussion during the seminar to be held from 6 to 8 p.m. in the eighth-f loor Nichols Auditorium at Community Memorial Hospital, located at 147 N. Brent St. February is Heart Health Month. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., with 5 million Americans hospitalized each year with chest pain and 1.1 million suffering heart attacks. Dr. Fatemi will focus on the advances in cardiovascular care and how they have improved quality of life for people with heart disease. He also will cover cardiac catheterization, radial catheterization,

Senior classes at SCAN Learn How to Use Your iPad February 24th at the SCAN Health & Wellness Center. Is your new iPad still unopened in the box? Need help navigating the many features of your tablet? The SCAN Health & Wellness Center is offering a free “iPad Basics for Seniors” class Wednesday, February 24 at 9 a.m. at the SCAN Health & Wellness Center.

By the end of the year parking will be available at the new parking structure at CMH. Photo by John Ferritto.

Cardiovascular Care to be the focus of CMHS Seminar

peripheral vascular interventions and structural heart interventions such as aortic valve replacement. Dr. Fatemi received his medical degree from the University of Virginia School of Medicine, completed his residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas and his fellowship at Georgetown Washington Hospital Center in Washing-ton, D.C. He is a member of the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology and Society for Cardiovas-cular Angiography and Interventions. Dr. Fatemi is on the medical staffs of Community Memorial Hospital and Ojai Valley Community Hospital. Registration is free but reservations are required. To secure your reservations please visit cmhshealth.org/rsvp or call Brown Paper Tickets at 800-838-3006. Future scheduled educational seminars include: Advances in Car-

diovascular Care on Feb. 27 at the Soule Park Golf Course banquet room; Hyperthyroidism on March 8 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Oxnard; and Innovative Management & Treatment of Urinary and Defecatory Disorders on March 15 at CMH.

During this two-hour, entry-level class, seniors will learn basic tablet terminolo-gy, initial set-up procedures, the features and gestures of their iPad, and more. The iPad Basics class is open to seniors 55+ and their caregivers who are new to the center. Please bring your iPad. It’s possible to live well with diabetes – learn how at a Diabetes Management Workshop at the SCAN Health & Wellness Center. On March 22, Health Educator Mary Arevalo will share how to live well with diabetes, how to create a meal plan, how to add activity to your life and how to manage your medications. Each class is from 9:30 a.m. – 12 noon. This workshop is sponsored by the Gold Coast Health Plan Health Education Department. To register for classes please call 658-0365 as space is limited. The SCAN Health & Wellness Center is located at 6633 Telephone Road in Ventura.


Senior Living

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When communicating with aged loved ones that may be starting to become forgetful, it may be frustrating to repeat or remind; however, the most important thing is to keep them from feeling as though they are a burden for not remembering. This may lead them to an unsafe situation because they did not want to ask again with the dreaded response and feeling inadequate. It may be they are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or Dementia but no matter where they may be mentally, feeling loved without negative responses will remind them they matter. Here are some helpful ways to com-municate and not interrogate your aging loved one:1. “How can you not remember that! I organized your medications so you can remember and they are right in front of

“What do you think about my garden?

A Tender Touch Senior Placement

Keep communicating, not interrogatingby Connie De La Rosa

you, how could you forget !?” Say instead: “Dad, show me your routine when I’m not here so maybe we can figure out together what would make it easier to remember when to take your medications”. It may help by placing big colorful reminder cards on the mirrors, refrigerator doors, etc.2. “You could do that if you really tried right? You just don’t want to change a simple light bulb, you did it last week why is it all of a sudden you can’t?” Say instead: “Show me where the light bulbs are and show me where you are having trouble”. It may be their illness is progressing such as shaking or weakness so this may be a good time to monitor the changes.3. “I just showed you how to use your remote yesterday!” which many aging loved ones do have difficulty with a remote due to vision, shaking or for-getfulness. Say instead: ”Maybe if you have only three channels you like, I can tape over the other channels to make it easier to find the power button and the three other buttons on the remote”. 4. “What does that have to do with what we’re talking about!?” Many times, aging loved ones do lose track of the conversation which may be factors such as being bored of the conversation and want a different subject or simply lost track. Say instead: “I was talking about the garden and how the tomatoes are looking great.” If the conversation is important to you, bring them back by asking “What do you think about my garden?”. Being creative in helping your loved one live a safer and easier way of life can help them adjust to a healthier journey.

A legacy of protecting elders and seniorss.

California Senior Legislature announces top priorities The California Senior Legislature (CSL) hosted its annual meet and greet for members of the CSL and members of the California State Legislature. Leaders from across California showed strong support for California’s strongest voice advocating for senior citizens. “We in the Legislature recognize the California Senior Legislature is a valuable voice for seniors. They provide to us the in-formation and direct connection to seniors and some ideas that help us make the lives of seniors up and down the state that much better.” – Donald Wagner (R-Irvine) In California, the Senior population will grow at twice the rate of the State overall population. Over half the counties in California will see a 100% increase in the elderly population by 2020. With the help of the CSL, the growing needs of seniors has

not gone unnoticed by state leaders. “Seniors have so many needs and so many concerns. We have to continue to make sure we look out for our seniors. Seniors need transportation, they need housing, and they need to pay for their medicine. The SSI and SSP that many seniors have does not stretch far enough. So we have to work with the legislature to make sure their needs are taken care of.” – Cheryl Brown (D-San Bernardino), Chair Assembly Aging and Long Term Care Committee. The CSL has a 35 year distinguished history of advocating for senior’s rights. Its remarkable track record includes the Silver Alert program and their work led to the updating of the State Emergency Plan for evacuating senior citizens during a declared disaster. CSL continues to advocate for the rights of elders throughout California and the nation. As CSL continues its growth and advocacy in the elder community, its goal is to make certain that its efforts are in line with the needs of its diverse and growing community. “CSL has become the voice for the voiceless in California. California Senior Legislature is necessary for helping seniors have a safe and secure future.”Senior Senator Mickey Peabody (Oakdale) CSL is an entirely volunteer organiza-tion and does not receive any state funding. Contributions that fund CSL can be made by California tax payers checking box 427, The California Senior Legislature Fund, on their annual state income tax form. Without these contributions, our state’s vulnerable elderly population could lose their strongest advocate. “If people don’t check Box 427 on their tax forms this year, we’re in real danger of losing the single biggest champion for our elders in the state. Your contributions


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Senior Living

What if the person is an organ donor? At some point before death or right after it, a health care provider may ask if the dying person is an organ donor. This means he or she agreed, at death, to donate healthy organs, such as the heart, lungs, pancreas, kidneys, cornea, liver, and skin, to living people who need them. People of any age can be an organ donor. The person who is dying may have already indicated they would like to be an organ donor. In some states, this choice is included on a person’s driver’s license. If not, the decision has to be made quickly. There is no cost to the donor’s family. If the dying person has a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order but wants to donate organs, he or she might have to indicate that the desire to donate super-sedes the DNR. To learn more about organ donation, visit www.organdonor.gov

“Be my friend and make sure that I am staying healthy, so you stay healthy too.”

Make blood pressure control your goal

This American Heart Month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Million Hearts®– a national effort to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes in the United States by 2017–are en-couraging Americans to know their blood pressure, and if it’s high, to make control their goal. Uncontrolled high blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke. In fact, more than 67 million Americans have high blood pressure. People with high blood pressure are 4 times more likely to die from a stroke and 3 times more likely to die from heart disease, compared to those with normal blood pressure. High blood pressure often shows no signs or symptoms, which is why having your blood pressure checked regularly is important. If you know you have high blood pressure, take these steps to help get it under control: Ask your doctor what your blood pressure should be. Take your blood pressure medicine as directed. Quit smoking—and if you don’t smoke, don’t start. Reduce sodium intake. For more information go to: http://www.cdc.gov/Features/HeartMonth/index.html

Controlling gout Fortunately, gout can be controlled. People with gout can decrease the severity of attacks and reduce their risk of future attacks by taking their medica-tions as prescribed. Acute gout is best controlled if medications are taken at the first sign of pain or inflammation. Tell your doctor about all the medicines and vitamins you take. He or she can tell you if any of them increase your risk of hyperuricemia. (Hyperuri-cemia is the buildup of uric acid in the blood, a condition that can lead to gout.) Plan follow up visits with your doctor to evaluate your progress. Drink plenty of nonalcoholic f luids, especially water. Nonalcoholic f luids help remove uric acid from the body. Alcohol, on the other hand, can raise the levels of uric acid in your blood. Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy body weight. Lose weight if you are overweight, but avoid low-carbohy-drate diets that are designed for quick weight loss. When carbohydrate intake is insufficient, your body can’t completely burn its own fat. As a consequence, substances called ketones form and are released into the bloodstream, resulting in a condition called ketosis. After a

Staying heart healthy Following a heart healthy diet is a very important part of managing heart failure. In fact, not having a proper diet can make heart failure worse. Talk with our doctor and health care team to create an eating plan that works for you. A heart healthy diet includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It also includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, and fat-free or low-fat milk or milk products. A healthy diet is low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium (salt), and added sugar. Your doctor will probably recommend that you follow a diet low in salt because salt can cause extra fluid to build up in your body, making heart failure worse. For more information about following a healthy diet, go to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s “Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure With DASH” and the U.S. Department of Ag-riculture’s ChooseMyPlate.gov Web site. Both resources provide general informa-tion about healthy eating. Weigh yourself every day, and let your doctor know right away if you have sudden weight gain. This could mean extra fluid is building up. Taking steps to control risk factors for coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes will help control heart failure. If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, work with your health care team to control these conditions. Have your blood sugar level and blood pressure checked. Talk with your doctor about when you should have tests and how often to take measurements at home. Here are other steps you can take: Lose weight if you’re overweight or obese. Work with your health care team to lose weight safely.Do physical activity as your doctor directs to become more fit and stay as active as possible. For information about exercise and physical activity for older adults, see Benefits of Exercise on NIHSeniorHealth or visit Go4Life®, the exercise and physical activity campaign from the National Institute on Aging. Quit smoking and avoid using illegal drugs. Talk with your doctor about programs and products that can help you quit smoking. Also, try to avoid sec-

Ventura Council for Seniors hosts Guest Speaker Series The Ventura Council for Seniors (VCS) is happy to announce its guest speakers. On February 17 at the Silvercrest Senior Residence, Senior Fire Inspector Daniel Stowe provided an overview on the upcoming Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) training. This six-week citizen’s emergency response training is scheduled to begin on March 2nd and continuing through April 6th at the Police and Fire Headquarters located at 1425 Dowell Dr. On March 16, the VCS will host Ventura Police Department Civic Engagement Spe-cialist Ashley Bautista, who will provide

ondhand smoke. Smoking and drugs can worsen heart failure and harm your health. For help to quit smoking, visit Smokefree.gov or call toll-free, 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669). Get enough rest. For information about sleep and older adults, go to Sleep and Aging: Sleeping Well on NIHSe-niorHealth.

provide vital funds needed to continue our work to protect our seniors.” –Senior Assembly Member John Pointer (Laguna Niguel)

important updates on crime prevention and virtual neighborhood watch utilizing Nextdoor.com. This presentation will be held at the Ventura Avenue Adult Center. In January, the VCS began to hold its meetings between the two borders of Ventura, starting with the West Side (Ventura Avenue Adult Center, 550 N. Ventura Ave.), then alternating each month to the East Side (Silvercrest Senior Residence at 750 S. Petit Ave.). The meetings are between 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. the third Wednesdays of the month. Issues include transportation, education, recreation, medical issues and more. To find out more, obtain agendas or get involved go to: http://www.cityofventura.net/adult. The schedule is announced in the Silver Tsunami newsletter published by the city; receive it by calling 648-3035. The dates for the 2016 meetings are: March 16 at VAAC, April 20 at Silvercrest, May 18 at VAAC, June 15 at Silvercrest, July 20 at VAAC, Aug. 17 at Silvercrest, Sept. 21 at VAAC, October 19 at Silvercrest, Nov. 16 at VAAC and no meeting in December.

short time, ketosis can increase the level of uric acid in your blood. Avoid foods that are high in purines. They can increase the risk for gout.


Ventura events by Ana Baker

Ventura Poinsettia Dance Club meets every Monday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. at the Poinsettia Pavilion, 3451 Foothill. Ballroom, swing, Latin, mixers and line dancing. Members $10, non-members $12, first time dancers are free. Call Rick at 415-8842 for more information.Feb. 18: Ventura Police Department Officer Marchetti will report on Gang Activity and Prevention in our city at the next monthly meeting of the East Ventura Community Council. The Council will meet at 7 p.m. at the First Assembly of God Church, 346 N. Kimball Road. Additional items on the agenda are reports on the Parklands Apartments project to be built at the corner of Telegraph and Wells Road, and updates on our water shortage, and the petition drive to place an initiative extending our expiring SOAR (Save Our Agricultural Resources) legisla-tion on the November ballot. The public is encouraged to attend and participate! Books in good condition may be brought for donation to San Buenaventura Friends of the Library. For more informa-tion, call 804-7558Feb. 24: The Ventura Soroptimist Club welcomes realtor Sam Benner to their luncheon meeting at noon at the Ventura Marriott Beach Hotel. Sam will speak on Marketing and Social Media. Topics he will cover include: How to use content marketing to get your message out there, Social media best practices and Facebook 101. He will cover the basics of profiles, pages, groups, and its amazing advertising platform. Sam works as a realtor for Keller Williams . If you are interested in attending this meeting or want more information about the Soroptimist club please call Cindy Daly at 701-0882 to RSVP by Monday, February 22. The cost is $15.Feb. 25: The local chapter of Portu-guese Fraternal Society of America (Council #128) will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday at 11:30am. This meeting is open to any person of Portuguese descent or interested in the Portuguese culture. Held at Main Street Restaurant and Steakhouse, 3159 East Main St. For more information and reservation, please call Yvonne Westervelt at 483-4168 or Cora Corella at 483-6285.Feb. 25: The River Community Church is hosting a “College Preview” meeting at 859 E. Santa Clara Street at 6 p.m. TRC has partnered with New Hope Christian College to bring a Bible College to Ventura. Please attend the college preview meeting and learn about Admission Standards,

Ojai news and events The Ojai Art Center will hold open auditions for a staged reading of Christine Rosensteel’s new play, “Clarity,” which is being funded by a grant from the City of Ojai. Auditions are at 2 p.m. Feb. 20 and 21 and 7 p.m. Feb. 22. Roles include a couple in their 40s, their two boys aged 12 – 15, an aunt in her 60s and a middle-aged hunter. The reading will be April 9. For an appointment, call 816-4099 or email: [email protected] Ojai Raptor Center is dedicated to the rehabilitation and release of birds of prey and other wildlife, and to providing educational programs to teach com-munities about wildlife and our shared environment. Sunday April 10th, 2016, ORC will open its doors to the public for a rare opportunity to meet our non-releasable “ambassador” raptors, and tour the Center which is home to the largest flight aviary in CA. Hawks, falcons, and owls will be on hand to greet guests along with stage presenta-tions the entire afternoon. Please visit www.ojairaptorcenter.org for more information. All current and aspiring gardeners and farmers are invited to the 5th annual Ojai Valley Seed & Plant Swap on Saturday, Feb. 27 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Chaparral Auditorium, 414 E. Ojai Avenue. Along with the free sharing of seeds and starts, there will be seeds, plants and garden products from local vendors for sale. The Ojai Valley Seed & Plant Swap is hosted by the Ojai Valley Green Coalition with Food for Thought Ojai and the Center for Regenerative Agricul-ture. There is a $5 suggested donation at the door, if not bringing items to share or sell. For further information contact Deborah at 669-8445 or [email protected]. The Ojai Mardi Gras Wake Up! Krewe is hosting their 26th Mardi Gras celebration on Saturday, March 5th, from 7:30 pm till 1:00 am, at the Ojai Art Center, 113 South Montgomery St. This year’s Mardi Gras will open with a traditional New Orleans Second Line Band Parade beginning at 7:30pm, so don’t be late! This year’s theme, Psychedelic Neon Nights, embraces the 60’s & 70’s insanity of psychedelic and neon. On Sunday March 6th from 12-3pm, the party continues with a Fais-Do-Do: Cajun Dance Party, a family oriented musical event with Mark Parsons & Crowfoot. Admission is $5 adults, kids under 12 free. Tickets for the Mardi Gras are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Advance tickets

Team VFD raising moneyContinued from pge 7Harbor to host a fundraiser. The fund-raiser will be Feb. 20, from 12:00 to 3:00pm. Your $20 donation will include buffet style lunch, Greek dancers, silent auction, raffle prizes and a performance by the Ventura City Firefighters Pipes and Drums. This year Team VFD will be climbing in honor of Shaloma McCay. Shaloma is a beautiful 10 year old girl who just finished her 8th round of chemo, which means if all of her tests come with good results, she only has one round left. She cannot wait to get her IV’s out so she can go swimming again. All proceeds from this event will go to support Shaloma and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Please come show your support for Team VFD and Shaloma. This great event will sell out quickly. Tickets will be sold at the door or Pre-sale tickets may be purchased at www.venturafirefoundation.com

Financial Aid, Student Expenses, Online Associate of Science in Ministry Leadership, Christian Leadership Certificate (CLC), and much more. For more information call TRC at 648-7955 or visit their website at www.TheRiverCommunity.org .Feb. 26: Elizabeth H. Morrison-Banks, MD, MS Ed. (Neurology and Neuro-immunology), who is affiliated with Anacapa Surgical Associates in Ventura, will be the guest speaker at the Friday MS Lunch Club meeting. This multiple sclerosis self-help support group will be meeting at 11:30 a.m. at Carrow’s Restaurant at 2401 Harbor Blvd. The Last Friday MS Lunch Club welcomes all people living with multiple sclerosis and family and friends. Please call Tammy at 648-6402 or Donna at 646-3750 for more information.Feb. 26: The second-longest running Off Broadway musical by Joe DiPietro is back for a second time around at the Elite Theater. In the hilarious musical comedy, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change the central theme of love and relationships brings us the stories about dating, romances, marriage, death that includes all of the ups and downs that come along with them. I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change will be presented February 26- March 26, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. with an additional Thursday night show March 24 at 8 p.m. Performance tickets are $20 for adults and $17 for students, seniors, and military. The Elite Theatre is located in the Channel Island’s Fisherman’s Wharf at 2731 S. Victoria Ave. For more information please visit http://www.elitetheatre.org or call 483-5118. March 1: Mended Hearts of Ventura Group meets the first Tuesday each month at the Community Memorial Hospital on the 8th floor from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Come share if you have had heart surgery or stent implant. Hear excellent speakers, leading Cardiologists, Nutrition-ists, Dietitians, etc. from our area who give excellent information. Contact: Richard Hatcher 644-2733March 3: Ladies luncheon eat, meet, greet and shop at one of Ventura’s best networking events. 11:30 am - 1pm Doors open at 11:15 am. $27-$30 at the door. Sit-down luncheon buffet. The Wyndham Garden Pierpont Inn, Pavilion Room, 550 Sanjon Road. Limited seating available so pre-register today! When you register by Feb 29 at 12 pm you will be on the attendee list! Register at www.theLadiesLuncheon.com.March 5: Altrusa Of San Buenaventura will host a fundraiser fashion show and luncheon at the Courtyard by Marriott in Oxnard. Proceeds from this event will support Altrusa’s community projects such as Family to Family, nursing scholar-ships, supplies for Westpark’s after-school program, Veterans Home of California, Blanchard Library’s teen scene program, and more. Cost is $45 per person and res-ervations must be made prior to February 29. Contact Sharon Knapp at 654-0545 for additional information.March 5, 6: The 54th Annual Gem, Mineral, Fossil & Lapidary Arts Show of the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society (VGMS) takes place at the Ventura County Fairgrounds 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free. With a focus on kids and education the Ventura Gem & Lapidary Arts Show has been a fun family event for 54 years. At the pre-show dinner on Friday, March 4, two Scholarship Awards to Ted Brown (Ventura College) and Sean Curran (Santa Barbara City College) will be presented. The show is the society’s major fund-raising event helping to underwrite educational activities, including their

annual college scholarships. For further details, call VGMS President Diane Cook 312-8467, email [email protected], or visit www.vgms.org.March 6: The 1892 Dudley Historic House Museum will be open for docent-led tours from 1 to 4 p.m. accompa-nied by period music in the parlor and upstairs library landing. Admission is free. The museum is located at the corner of Loma Vista and Ashwood streets. For information please call 642-3345 or visit the website at www.dudleyhouse.org.March 7, 21: The Ventura County Phila-telic Society will have stamp trading and camaraderie. Located at the Church of the Foothills, 6279 Foothill Road from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Admission and parking are free. Come for a great evening. Contact: [email protected] or 320-1601

on-line at www.ojaimardigras.com Advances in cardiovascular disease will be the focus of a free seminar that Community Memorial Health System is holding on Saturday, Feb. 27. Rishi Patel, M.D., who specializes in interven-tional cardiology, will lead the discus-sion during the seminar to be held from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in the banquet room at Soule Park Golf Course, 1033 East Ojai Ave. Dr. Patel will focus on the advances in cardiovascular care, including cardiac cath-eterization, transcatheter valve replacement and left ventricular assist devices. Registration is free but reservations are required. To secure your reservations please visit cmhshealth.org/rsvp or call Brown Paper Tickets at 800-838-3006. On Saturday, February 27, from 2 to 3 p.m., local authors Joyce W. Magoulas and Jeff Kustal will visit the Ojai Library to read selections of their work. Joyce was born and grew up in the north east of England, in 2015, her book Ojai Im-pressions was published and is for sale on Amazon. Starting in March, the Ojai Library will host a series of four coloring events for adults on the first and third Tuesday evenings of the month at 6 p.m. Join for an evening of coloring geared towards adult customers—it’s a great way to de-stress and be creative in a relaxing environment. On Saturday Feb. 20, 7:30 p.m., The Ojai Art Center will present Epiphany Project, “a unique hybrid of world music, art song, Americana and avant-garde folk. The band will perform songs from their new recording “The Poet and the Revolu-tion” which celebrates the power of poetry in music with virtuosic vocals, piano improvi-sations, and percussion bringing texts from around the world to life. Epiphany Project is based in Berlin and rarely performs in the United States. This is a unique chance to see the band on the West Coast. Catch a glimpse of their work at www.epiphanyrecords.com/epiphany-project-videos “Escape to Treasure Island” is the theme for this year’s annual auction to celebrate the many treasures at Villanova Preparatory School. Villanova continues to rely on the generosity of busi-nesses, families, alumni, and friends to assist in providing a quality education and programs for the students. This year, the auction fundraising goal is to raise funds to purchase a new school van. Donors and sponsors will have their names and/or businesses proudly showcased in the printed program and on the school website for all to appreciate. The event will be held in the in the Clark Gymnasium, on the Villanova Prep , with silent auction viewing and appetizers from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Dinner and D.J. (Cover2Cover) will begin at the close of the silent auction viewing after 7:00 p.m. All inquiries welcome! Please call Tessa Hottinger at Villanova Prep 646-1464 ext. 126. “Fractured Fairy Tales” and that “Stinky Cheese Man” are two of the tales told by experienced youth actors at Ojai ACT’s Fifth Monday produc-tion, 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 29 at the Art Center, 113 S. Montgomery St. No reservations are necessary, but a $5 donation is appreciated because this is a fundraiser for the annual Summer Youth Acting Workshop and Production in July … no child left behind! “The goal of the Art Commission’s Art Grants program is to promote the artistic enrichment of the citizens of Ojai and encourage a vibrant arts community,” said Arts Commissioner Roger Conrad, who chairs the Arts Grants committee.

Community Events


News & Notes

Tech Today with Ken May

What is Linux? Sheldon sent in this request to me, and I think it might be useful for some of you out there that may have heard of Linux, and were wondering what it was all about. There are essentially two things needed to have a function-ing computer: hardware and software. Hardware comprises all the physical components that you put together, and software is all the programs that you run to get work done. It used to be that you could only run certain kinds of

On Feb. 11 a groundbreaking ceremony was held for a new, 173-unit development in Ventura, Parklands Apartments at Wells Road & Telegraph Road. The estimated completed date is March, 2017. In attendance were the developer, construction employees, interested neighbors and city dignitaries. Speaking to the gathered crowd were City of Ventura Councilmember Cheryl Heitmann and Community Development Director Jeffrey Lambert, as well as Trustee of the Gladys Daily Coffman Trust (Previous property owner) Laura McAvoy and Owner/Developer John Ashkar. Residents will have access to various courtyards and an elevated deck overlooking the Brown Barranca, along

Add your loved one to the granite honor roll.

Honor your family with an engraving in granite on the historic Ventura Pier In celebration of the City of Ventura’s 150th Anniversary, Pier into the Future is offering deckhand engrav-ings at a reduced price of $150 through March 1, 2016. This is a savings of $25 per engraving. Commemorate that special loved one or honor your family with an engraving in granite on the historic Ventura Pier. The $150 donation includes your name, or the name of a loved one, engraved on a granite honor roll at the entrance to the pier, a plank “grant deed” suitable for framing and a collector’s edition

Laura McAvoy, John Ashkar, John’s son and John’s daughter Arianna Ashkar, Community Development Director Jeffrey Lambert, Councilmember Cheryl Heitmann, Deputy Mayor Neal Andrews had their golden shovels ready to start digging. Photo by Michael Gordon.

Apartment project breaks groundwith amenities including recreational facilities, barbeque areas, a pool and spa. Linear parks, bike pathways, and pocket parks in and around the project will provide residents with ample green space for outdoor recreational activities. Other amenities will include a full gym, lounge, conference room, and game room. Future plans for the site call for over 200 single-family homes and other type housing. This will make it one of the biggest developments of its type in Ventura. John Ashkar’s development company Westwood Communities Corp. has several other large apartment projects in the planning stage to be built in Ventura. With Ventura’s vacancy rate extremely low more units are very much needed.

lapel pin. A special memorial section is available for donations in memory of an individual. Orders received by March 1, 2016 will be engraved prior to the City of Ventura’s 150th Anniversary on April 2, 2016. “This is the perfect time to have your name engraved in granite at the historic Ventura Pier, all while helping to raise funds to keep the Pier well maintained”, said Pier Into the Future Executive Director Jenise Wagar. The organization was founded by a group of dedicated community leaders, in partnership with the City of Ventura, to establish an endowment fund to maintain and enhance the historic Ventura Pier for future generations to enjoy. The organi-zation has contributed over $500,000 to the City of Ventura over the last 23 years to enhance the Pier. Engraving forms can be found at www.pierintothefuture.org or by calling 804.7735.

programs on certain hardware, but that is mostly a concern of the past. These days, you can install whatever operating system you wish on most hardware, and have pretty good luck at getting it all working. The operating system is the underlying software the provides an en-vironment and interface to make those programs run. Some common operating systems include Microsoft Windows, Apple’s OSX, and various different types of Linux. The history of Linux began in 1991 with the commencement of a personal project by Finnish student Linus Torvalds to create a new, free operating system. This means anybody can download the code and install it on any hardware they want, without needing to pay for a software license. Because Linus shared the code under an open source license, anyone is free to make their own version, or to contribute fixes and enhancements. There are thousands of different dis-tributions of Linux, but only a few that have achieved mainstream popularity. Ubuntu, which is built on the Debian platform, has easily been the most popular version, and is one of the easier to use variants. Before that, Red Hat, and OpenSUSE were quite popular. Right now, the most popular specific distribution, according to distrowatch.com, has been Linux Mint, itself a variation of Ubuntu. Why is it better? Linux Mint tries to ‘just work’ out of the box, and succeeds far better for the average user, than many distributions that came before it. Also, you really do not have to worry about viruses anywhere near the level you would on Windows, or even OSX. What’s the catch? Linux does not run windows software. Not by itself. You can install a special program that can run

some windows software under Linux, called “WINE,” but this can get com-plicated very quickly, and no software vendor will support this. Addition-ally, it will be like learning how to use a computer all over again, since nothing will be where you expect it, from years of using Windows or OSX. Also, please do not attempt to use Linux on your main computer, un less you know what you are doing. It can very easily wind up wiping out your data, if you aren’t careful. I would recommend trying it out on an old computer that can safely be erased. That being said, there are often local groups that will help you get to know Linux, and how to use it. If you would like to give Linux Mint a try, it can be downloaded from linuxmint.com. the default version is called the “Cinnamon” desktop.

MailboxContinued from page 5talk about) Obviously there are other reasons: housing crisis, drugs & alcohol abuse and mental illness, but the loss of good paying blue collar jobs is the crux of the problem... The stratospheric rise in the cost of buying a home as well as renting a home... Never mind the high cost of owning and operating an automobile these days! College..? Forget about it for most high school graduates now due the cost. The idea that we can “bring (good paying) jobs back” is so much political pablum that the country wants to hear, but the real systemic problem is all of us want “stuff” that is cheap. Not even Bernie Sanders can end this nightmare.Dave Gunall, Brookings, Oregon


Hi: I’m Rosco, a 9-year-old dingo. I love to play ball and walk on the beach.

Professor Scamp, Ph.D (Pretty Happy Dog)

Professor ScampPh.D

Forever homes wantedHi: I’m Sulley, an almost 2-year-old gregarious Boston Terrier, who enjoys playing ball, running around and antlers are my favorite thing to chew on. I’m in need of a new home because my owners say I fight with unfamiliar dogs I initially meet and have become a liability. Once I get to know the other dog I’m fine. As you can see in my picture I have a cherry eye that they don’t want to pay to have fixed. They’ve given me 30 days to find a new home. I’m good with older children, but it’s

unknown how I am around small children or cats. I will run out an open gate or door, but this can also be corrected with some training. I’m house and crate trained and know how to use a doggie door. I just want to be a cherished member of a loving family with people who really want me and are willing to work with me. I’m willing and able to learn if you’re willing to take the time to teach me. Could that be you? CARL Adoption Center-call 644-7387 for more information.

Animals of all sorts can join the ScampClub. Email me your picture anda little about yourself to [email protected].

You will be in the Breeze and become world famous.

Join Scamp Club

Scamp Club(Scampclub pets are not for adoption.)

I’m Gordo. My family brought me to the shelter to be euthanized because of injuries I sustained after being attacked by a dog. Thank goodness I landed at a No-Kill shelter! The medical staff at VCAS decided they could fix me up. I’m healed and adoptable now. I am so sweet that some of the volunteers used me as a model to show other volunteers how to handle doggies who are not so sweet. I was perfectly behaved and rested comfort-able in one of the volunteer’s arms while they finished the class. I like walks and am also happy to sit on your lap or just hang out with you. Ventura County Animal Services – Camarillo location – 600 Aviation Drive.

Ohana Pet Hospital is a full-service veterinary hospital specializing in the highest-quality medical, surgical, dental and wellness health care for dogs, cats, rabbits, rodents and select reptiles.

www.ohanapethospital.com • 805.658.73874547 Telephone Road, Suite A, Ventura

for Our Ohana, Our FamilyCompassionate Care

n Sharing a few happy stories. The world certainly needs them. Kramer, Nik Glaser’s proclaimed noodle-loving golden doodle, disappeared

from his Venice, Los Angeles apartment over the holiday break under suspicious circumstances. For the past nearly 2 months, Glaser launched a ferocious campaign by foot, f lier and social media to find his missing service dog that treats his anxiety. Glaser also filed a police report and set up an anonymous tip line, begging for the safe return of his dog, no questions asked. The tips poured in, ranging from claims of witnesses seeing the dog being sold on Craig’s List to sightings everywhere from Runyon Canyon to South Los Angeles. Glaser would get his hopes up as he chased down each lead, the heartbreak mounting. Yesterday a woman named Linda Zlot Pearson posted a message on the Bring Kramer Home Facebook page asking “Could this be your Kramer at the South L.A. Shelter?” A few hours later, Glaser was on a plane from Seattle, where he has since relocated to accept a new job, and from where he had been making trips down in his continued desperate search to find Kramer. This time, the identification was pawsitive. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, their reunion was nothing short of the epic love fest you’d expect – check out the adorable video here at https://w w w.facebook.com/Br ingK ra mer-Home13/ From a previous column “My name is Buddy. I am a golden tan American Staffie/lab mix, weighing about seventy pounds and about ten years old. People say I act more like a well-behaved four-year-old and am the life of the party wherever I go. I have become a self-made therapy dog since I ended up at Ventura County Animal Shelter in July after my soul mate person of many years, a Vietnam War Veteran, became ill and was taken to the VA Hospital in Los Angeles.” “To provide an outing for me and give me opportunity to spread a little cheer, on December 16, my handler Jerry Dulek and I dropped by to visit my friends at the Coastal View Health-care Center.” “When my visit is over, routine

“Hurry up, I’m late for my lunch with Scamp!”

resident life continues. And it’s back to shelter life for me. Living a life behind bars, my heart aches even though staff love me, friends visit me, I have good food, a good bed, and as much attention as possible. But after my last visit to Coastal View, suddenly wow, wham, bang! Less than two full days later, my life changes forever. Late in the day on December 18, I left the shelter for the last time and am now living in my forever home with the most wonderful family on the face of the earth.” Reader Betty Okrent sent me this. “I did hear from Buddy’s new family that they all enjoyed the Buddy article very much. Buddy’s “new mommy” told me. And Buddy seems to be doing great—fits in well, gives and receives much loving, has a snoring contest with her husband on the sofa every night. And sleeps on the sofa after the family has gone to bed—so they have given in and forgotten the “no sofa” rule. He also loves his sister Pittie—they share a bed and look out the window at the world passing by. Thank you Scamp.” “I sent a copy of the article to a dog sitter I used when I lived in CT-- she emailed me to let me know she had read the entire Scamp page several times—and enjoyed all the news about animals. So thanks, again.” “Take care—Please know you certainly have the best, most thorough newspaper in Ventura.” (this has nothing to do with Buddy but made me feel good).n Paw’s Corner By Sam Mazzotta Dog Is Afraid of Cats Dear Paw’s Corner: My mixed breed dog, “Jessup,” is absolutely terrified of my two cats. As soon as he notices both of them in the room with him, he yelps and runs off to another room with his tail between his legs. I have never seen any other interaction between them, good or bad. Jessup is a rescue dog, and I wonder if something in his past is causing this. Is there any way to get him past his fear of cats?Jamie in Sioux Falls, South Dakota Dear Jamie: I suspect the same thing: Jessup had a bad experience with a cat in the past, and the memory still brings up fear. I don’t know that he can ever completely get past that fear, but perhaps you can reduce his f light reaction. If the cats aren’t at all bothered by his presence and are generally pretty mellow (for cats, anyway), you can try to desensitize Jessup somewhat. Do this by gradually reintroducing all the pets into one room. You’ll need a helper for this.

First, bring in Jessup and command him to sit or lie down and stay next to you. Keep a supply of treats in your pocket. Next, have your helper bring in one of the cats, cradled in their arms or, if necessary, in a carrier. They should sit down across the room where Jessup can see them. If and when Jessup begins

to react, tell him to sit and stay. Give him a treat if he obeys. Do this for only a minute or so at first, and gradually extend the time each day. Avoid getting frustrated. If you can get Jessup to stay just a short time by your side and then calmly leave the room, that would be a big victory.

15February 17 – March 1, 2016 Ventura BREEZE

Harbor Patrol BlotterJust a few of the things the Harbor Patrol tends to.

Police Reportsby Veronica Johnson

Police reports are provided to us by the Ventura Police Department and are not the opinions of the Ventura Breeze. All suspects mentioned are assumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

HOT OFF THE PRESS!

Tales ToldJAMES FRANCIS GRAY

AUTHOR OF KALI IS YOUR CODE NAME & GUMSHOE Find this new book at many fine locations. Visit our website for info.

jamesfgray.com for video trailers, locations, booksignings!

ANANTHOLOGY

BY

Construction to begin this monthContinued from page 1Ventura’s greatest assets and economic drivers, our Historic Downtown and the Pacific Ocean. Creating a more walkable environment encourages pedestrians to explore Downtown and patronize busi-nesses,” said Mayor Erik Nasarenko. Construction is expected to be completed in August. Access may be restricted during construction work; detours will help guide pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists safely across the California Street Bridge through the project area. This project will require occasional northbound and/or southbound Hwy 101 night closures at the California Street Bridge; detours will route motorists around the con-struction. “Tens of thousands of people cross this highly visible pedestrian path between downtown and the beachfront every year,” said Kevin Clerici, director of the Downtown Ventura Partners business improvement district. “The taller railing, overhead lighting and art elements will go a long way to improve and beautify what is now a pretty inelegant walkway. We are grateful to see these long-awaited improvements completed.”

Child Annoyance On Monday, February 1st, at 1:25 p.m., the VPD responded to a call of lewd conduct on a Gold Coast Bus in the area of Hemlock Street and Main Street. By the time officers arrived, the suspect had already exited the bus. Officers located the suspect, Raymond Munyon, however he fled from them. After a brief foot pursuit, the suspect was caught and detained. Officers determined Munyon was a current sex registrant and he had acted in a lewd manner in the presence of a child on the bus. Munyon was booked into VC Jail. No one was injured during this incident.Indecent Exposure Arrest On Tuesday, January 26th, at 2:15 p.m., VPD Dispatch received a report of indecent exposure. The incident occurred at the Ventura Avenue Library at 606 N. Ventura Avenue. A juvenile female reported that while she was in the library, a male exposed his genitals to her. The VPD began a follow up investiga-tion and identified the suspect as David Paul Sanchez. Sanchez is currently a regis-tered sex offender. On Friday, January 9th, the VPD served an arrest warrant on Sanchez at his residence in the 200 Block of Rosewood Street. Sanchez was taken into custody without incident and booked at the VC Jail.Possession of Controlled Substance In early January 2016, VPD Street Crimes Unit detectives began investigat-ing reports of ongoing narcotic activity occurring at a residence in the 4700 block of Mascagni Street. Detectives detained several subjects observed leaving the residence that were found to be in posses-sion of small amounts of suspected meth-amphetamine and narcotic paraphernalia. A search warrant for the residence was obtained and Thursday, February 4th, at 7:00 am, Street Crimes Detectives along with Major Crimes and SET Detectives served the search warrant and arrested two suspects inside the residence. A small amount of suspected methamphetamine and narcotic paraphernalia was located during the search. Andrew Parkin was arrested for posses-sion of a controlled substance, possession of narcotic paraphernalia, and maintaining a place for drug use. Christopher Willis was arrested for an outstanding parole warrant. Both Parkin and Willis were later transported and booked into the VC Jail.Suspicious Death Investigation On Tuesday, February 9th, at 2:03 a.m., the VPD received a call in reference to a deceased male in a vehicle in the area of Transport Street and Morse Avenue. Officers responded to the area along with Ventura Fire and paramedics and located Robert Hill inside the vehicle. Hill had injuries that appeared consistent with having been in a physical altercation. As a result, Ventura Police Major Crimes Detec-tives took over the investigation. The VC Coroner took possession of the body and an autopsy was completed. At this time, a cause of death has not been determined.Armed Robbery On Friday, February 12th, at 3:24 a.m., the VPD received a call from the CVS located at 5900 Telegraph Road regarding an armed robbery. In addition to the robbery, one of the clerks had been injured

during the commission of this crime and was in need of medical attention. Two masked men entered the store and one of the suspects was armed with a handgun; the other armed with a baseball bat. One of the suspects attacked an employee and threw her down to ground causing a significant head trauma. The suspects then forced another employee to open the cash registers. VPD units searched for the suspects with negative results while officers tended to the victim’s injuries until the VFD arrived on scene. An additional employee sustained minor injuries during the robbery and both employees were transported to hospital for treatment. The injured employees are currently listed in stable condition. Assault with Deadly Weapon Arrest On Friday, February 12th the Ventura Police Department Command Center received a call from a resident in the area of Palm St and Santa Clara St., who reported seeing a man with a knife chasing another man. Officers arrived on scene within minutes of receiving the call. They located the suspect, Adam Callaway 44 years, Ventura vagrant sitting on a bench near the intersection with the knife. The investigation revealed that the victim Jesse Garcia, 25 years, Ventura Resident had personal property stolen from him earlier in the day. The victim saw Callaway with his property and attempted to get it back. The suspect, Callaway, pulled out a knife and began to chase the victim swinging the knife at him. The victim was uninjured. Callaway was transported to Ventura County Jail and subsequently booked for Assault with a Deadly Weapon.Wanted Subject On Friday, February 12th VPD officers observed a wanted subject driving in the area of Wells and Telephone Rd. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the suspect, David Dyer. 46 years, Ventura resident led officers on a slow speed pursuit through the streets of Saticoy that lasted about 6 minutes. During that time frame Dyer was throwing narcotics out of the window of his vehicle as well as ingesting unknown quantities of narcotics. Dyer’s vehicle was stopped at Campanula Av and Darling Rd. and he was taken into custody without further incident. Dyer was arrested for an outstanding felony warrant, possession of narcotics for sale, and destruction of evidence. Dyer was transported to the Ventura Medical Center for ingesting an unknown amount of narcotics and he was subse-quently booked into Ventura County Jail.

1-31 10:05am, officers observed severe weather beginning: rain, strong gusty south winds and rough seas. 1:07pm, officers received reports of trees down on Spinnaker Drive near the village and a glass door shattered from the strong winds. The trees were not blocking traffic or a danger to the public.4:45pm, received several different reports of damage from the wind. Ventura West marina sustained cleat damage to end tie docks. Ventura Isle marina sustained dock damage as well. 2-1 11:30am, received a report of a

light pole downed on Spinnaker. It was probably compromised in the wind storm. SEC was contacted and responded to investigate the report.2-3 4:13am, received a dispatch to a medical at Ventura marina mobile home park. The unconscious patient was assisted by patrol, Ventura fire and AMR.10:56pm, received a report of a missing diver near Harbor breakwall from U.S. coast guard. Officers responded in the fireboat and the missing diver contacted via landline and advised he was ok but lost his kayak. Officers were able to find the kayak outside the breakwall and return it to the owner. 2-4 7:00am, Officers escorted Manson construction company towing the Freya Crane and dredge pipe into the Harbor to clear the closed harbor entrance.2-5 5:30pm, received a report of a diesel spill near VHV D-dock. Officers investi-gated but were unable to locate a source for the small spill.2-6 7:30am, officers escorted the Manson Dredge, H.R. Morris into the harbor for yearly dredging and to clear the closed entrance of shoaling.6:50pm, officers assisted Ventura fire and AMR with a seizure patient near Milano’s restaurant. The patient was transported to local hospital.2-7 11:25am, officers conducting traffic control at the Harbor entrance for multiple Manson dredge vessel’s and equipment.12:43pm, received a dispatch to a fall patient near the Hat shop in the village. Officers responded and assisted City fire and AMR. A 76 year old female fainted and fell. She was released at the scene.9:05pm, received a report of f lare sighting near Surfers Knoll. Officers responded by truck and vessel and determined that someone was lighting fireworks near the Santa Clara River mouth.

Tickets going fast to Wild and ScenidContinued from page 8 include reserved seating + one drink ticket for a glass of beer or wine. Non -VHC Member ticket prices are $20 for General Admission or $30 for Silver Circle Tickets. The event has grown in popularity to the point that tickets sell out each year. The Wild and Scenic Film Festival, which also serves as a membership drive

for VHC, is supported by donations from several local businesses and community organizations. The Ventura County Credit Union is the 2016 Present-ing Sponsor. Other sponsors include: Castoro Cellars, City of Ventura En-vironmental Sustainability, County Commerce Bank, For Your Home Furniture, Great Pacific Iron Works, Patagonia, Poseidon Brewing Co., Two Trees Brewing Co., REI, Ventura Water and Whole Foods. To purchase tickets, visit www.ven-turahillsides.org and click on the Events tab. To become a member of VHC, click on the “Donate Today” button on the website’s home page. For more informa-tion on tickets or sponsorship opportu-nities, call VHC at 643-8044. The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy, founded in 2003, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and providing access to Ventura’s hillsides and the Ventura River. The organization is supported by over 400 members, local business and government partners.


Show Time

Monday thru Thursday – Extra Large Pizza, one topping, $10.99 or Spaghetti, $5.49

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GLUTEN FREELarge 1 topping $15.95

10” mini 1 topping $9.95Extra Toppings - $1 each

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PEPPERONI CALZONE ONLY $5.49(PICK-UP ONLY)

Buy one Med, Lg or XLG Pizza and Get a Second Pizza of

Equal or Lesser ValueCan not be combined with any other offer, 1 coupon per visit.

Opening March 1st!Pure Haven Essentials

Openings for Consultants!The company makes organic personal care products.

Contact Alison Carlson, Ind. Consultant(805) 901-1974

Deadpool

by Eduardo [email protected]

From the studio that has failed to create any viable franchises besides Wolverine comes the latest entry into a year packed with superhero films. Deadpool is the adaptation of Rob Lief-ield’s foul-mouthed, wise cracking, pansexual “superhero” that appeared in several incarnations over the years thanks to Marvel. Yes, that term is to be taken lightly as we see him do many un-heroic things. The story picks up with Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds), an ex-special forces member who now operates as a hit-man of sorts with a non-stop sense of humor, falling in love with Vanessa (Morena Baccarin). Wilson discovers that he has terminal cancer spread to all over his body and is offered a second chance at life through the help of the mysterious Francis (Ed Skrein). When he is left for dead disfigured, and mutated. Wilson seeks revenge and to restore some semblance of normalcy to his love life. A Marvel fan favorite for years, the character translates extremely well to the screen. Written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, the film holds a surpris-ing amount of emotional weight during the scenes in which Wilson and Vanessa’s relationship is blossoming. This is in part successful due to the performances of Reynolds and Baccarin

Two on the Aisle

The Other Place at Santa Paula Theater Centerby Jim Spencer and Shirley Lorraine

Are you ever really ready for a life-changing experience? The answer is no. The truth is, if it is happening to you, you probably will not recognize it. If it is happening to someone else, then you see it without truly understanding it. In either case, the challenges such an experience presents are enormous. This is the premise of the current Santa Paula Theatre Center offering, The Other Place by Sharr White. It is a complex, emotionally wringing and surprising play performed without an intermission. Nominated for numerous stage awards, The Other Place kicks off the SPTC’s 2016 season with a f lare of strength. Juliana (Cynthia Killion) is a medical research scientist presenting a seminar on a break-through medication. During the presentation she has a perception episode. Later the cause is confirmed as a symptom of dementia. Complica-tions involving imagined actions by her husband, Ian (Michael Perlmutter), and perceived family situations lead Juliana further down the path of confusion, as her physician husband is left to lament, “I’m not ready for this.” The story is told primarily by Juliana as she relates her perceptions of various events, real and imagined, that playwright White deftly weaves through time and space, both externally and internally, now and at the other place

who serve as a great foil to each other. The supporting cast of villains isn’t anything to write home about, but then again, that’s not the point of the movie. Deadpool is a rare comic book film in which the eventual battle between good and evil is not the key to its resolution. It is what stands in its way from Wilson being able to get back to Vanessa. The film is about these two characters and the mess they enter. Deadpool would probably work if all the major villains were taken out. An interesting element is the addition of lesser-known X-Men Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) who serves as a touch of detached youth to the story. Serving the story only in the fight scenes, I was left waiting for more from her “big brother/little sister relationship” with Colossus (voiced by Stefan Kapicic). Is Deadpool rife with subtext, deeper meaning, and an attempt to elevate the genre? Absolutely not. From the opening credits, first scenes of action, and filthy sounds of Tom Holkenborg’s synthesizer heavy score, Deadpool knows its audience. This is a fan service film and it’s perhaps the best one coming along at the right time for 20th Century Fox. What is best about Deadpool is that the story doesn’t take him to the corners of the earth, hi-tech sci-fi environments, or drop him in story of espionage. We see him trying to restore order to his life, but failing to do so because he gets glee out of punishing people worse than he is. Sit back, let the fourth wall be broken, and get to know one of the best incarnations of Deadpool to date.Now playing at Cinemark Downtown 10 Rated R

where the family once resided. Although Juliana’s debilitation is caused by an unspecified dementia, the story accurately deals with condi-tions, behaviors and emotional detritus experienced by the families and victims of any of a number of mild to severe mental health issues. Directed with sensitivity by Taylor Kasch, The Other Place allows the audience to experience Juliana’s journey in such a way that elicits deep emotional response, as well as the occasional laugh or tear. Killion and Perlmutter are a dynamic match. Both are highly skilled in their craft and fully immerse them-selves in their roles. Each brings power, empathy, insight and compassion to their roles. Taking on multiple personas in pivotal supporting roles throughout the drama are Amanda Canty as The Woman, and Scott Blanchard as The Man. Canty provides a great deal of depth to her multiple roles, as does Blanchard, although he is seen less frequently. As the years have gone by, the Santa Paula Theatre Center has been taking more and more risks in the material they present. Nearly every choice has been a solid winner both for both the actors and audiences. With The Other Place as its opener, the upcoming season is solidly on track to continue that excellence. The Other Place runs Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. through March 13. Tickets are $20 general, and $18 seniors/students. Due to both strong language and the sensitive subject matter, the show is not suitable for children. 525-4645 or www.santapaulatheatercenter.org. Reserva-tions recommended.

Children who do not learn how to swim by the 3rd grade most likely will never learn how to swim.

YMCA hopes to raise $170,000 in one-month The Ventura Family YMCA launched its Annual Campaign on Friday, February 5 at the Y, which included over 60 campaign volunteers tasked with raising $170,000 in one-month. Board Chair, Danielle Brinkman-Vera, gave a speech about the importance of campaign and raising funds to support the disadvantaged in the community. Speaking from her personal experience as a former Open Doors scholarship recipient, Danielle understands and feels passionate about the Y working towards building a stronger community. The Y provided her with financial assistance in the past. Now she is a CPA, a Partner at Faber Hass Hurley, LLP, and gives back to the Y as the volunteer Board Chair. Danielle explains, “It is important for everyone in our community to have the opportunity to be a part of the Y, no matter what their financial circum-

stances are. We have so many members who are part of the Open Doors program and then later become donors because they see the value in what they received. Our goal it help as many people in our community as possible!” All of the Annual Campaign donations received will directly help children, individuals, and seniors within the community. The Open Doors scholarship fund ensures that nobody is turned away from the Y due to their inability to pay. In addition to direct scholarships the Y also provides free programs for the community. English as a Second Language(ESL) classes are run by a certified ESL instructor every six weeks. The Y acknowledges the im-portance of practicing safe swimming. Statistics show that children who do not learn how to swim by the 3rd grade most likely will never learn how to swim. Every dollar raised in the annual campaign is used to benefit kids and families in need. Last year’s 2014-2015 combined total of donations and Y given support totaled $282,809. Join the Y’s cause by donating in-person or via mail at the Ventura Family YMCA, 3760 Telegraph Rd. Or by calling 642.2131 or visiting ciymca.org/ventura. The Ventura Family YMCA thanks their volunteers, donors, and Board of Directors for their support: Danielle Vera (Board Chair), Jim Duran (Past Chair), Todd Beguelin, Peter Berson, Pattie Braga, Rich Favor, Randy George, Rafael Gonzalez, Coral T. Hansen, Jeff Hata, Rick Jeffery, Dan Lyon, Doug Miller, Paul Mistele, Doug Moe, Tom Nevins, Ric Ruffinelli, Cherie St. Jean, Gema Walk, Jim White, and Kay Woodburn.


Go to www.venturabreeze.com for your daily horoscope

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Time is on your side in the early part of the week. But anything left undone by midweek will need to be put into rush mode. The weekend offers choices for you and someone special.TAURUS (April 30 to May 20) Finally getting credit for a contribution is nice for all you idea-generating Ferdi-nands and Fernandas. But don’t sit on your laurels under the cork tree. Use it as a first step to a bigger opportunity.GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Despite the progress made, a hint of doubt might set in. That’s OK. You need to stop and consider not only what you’re doing but also how you are doing. Make adjustments where needed.CANCER ( June 21 to July 22) The dreamer is dominant in the Moon Child’s aspect, but a dollop of hard-headed practicality is coming up fast and jockeying for space. The challenge is to make room for both modes.LEO ( July 23 to August 22) It’s a good week for Leos and Leonas to start assessing what they’ve done and what they plan to do. Moving to a new envi-ronment -- home or job-related -- is a possibility for some Cats.VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) The week calls for Virgos to make tough decisions, but in a way that leaves the door open for changes. Ask

for advice from someone who has been in the position you’re in now.LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Disappointments are never easy to take, but you have the ability to learn from them and go on to success. Meanwhile, continue to build up your contacts. You’ll need them soon. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Things might still be going much too slowly to suit you. But you need the time to make sure they’re going in the right direction. It’s easier to make a course correction now rather than later.SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Showing some tempera-ment at the way things are going is one way of getting your point across. Just don’t overdo it, or you risk turning away more-moderate supporters.CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Things could change more quickly this week than you like. But don’t fret; you’ll most likely find that you’re up to the challenges. The weekend offers much-needed relax-ation.AQUARIUS ( January 20 to February 18) Big challenge coming up? Uncross those fingers and believe that you’re going to do well. And keep in mind that so many people have faith in your ability to succeed.PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Testing the waters is a good way of learning about an opportunity before plunging right in. Ask more questions and be alert to any attempts to avoid giving complete answers.BORN THIS WEEK: You have a gift for making people -- and animals, too -- feel special and loved.

(c) 2016 King Features Syndicate, Inc.

Lighter Breeze

Solutions on page 15

(For a beginners guide to playing Sudoku go to venturabreeze.com)

Solutions on page 15

Hi and Lois

Mother Goose and Grimm

Crock

Rhymes With Orange

Green With Envy

18 October 29 – November 11, 2014 Ventura BREEZE Ventura Music Scene

Ventura’s music community is not only comprised of talented artists, but the people who support live music are just as important to the scene. When we lost Chris Pinger of the band Malice Thoughts, his friends quickly pulled together a fun-draiser to help Pinger’s family with the cost of his funeral. The fundraising event will be held at Bombay’s on Saturday, February 20, with a silent auction and other ways to make a donation. Bands on the bill include his former bandmates in Malice Thoughts, The Kane Gang, Grim, The NaVaNaX, and Civil Conflict. Chris lost his life while being driven by a drunk driver, a somber reminder to all of us to not drink and drive, to not get in the car with someone else who has been drinking, and to think ahead about alternative ways of getting home safely. You won’t want to miss an evening of music and conversation with Academy Award winner Jeff Bridges February 28 at Discovery. Seriously, how can you pass up an evening with “The Dude” and in a bowling alley no less? Jerry Vivino, the bandleader for the Conan O’Brien Show returns to the Squashed Grapes Saturday, February 20. Saturday, February 27 at the Garage on the east end of town will play host to one rockin’ punk show featuring The Dickies with Ill Repute and Mothers of Dissension. You should remember the Dickies, “Stuck in a Pagoda with Tricia Toyota” and other quirky punk tunes. If swing is your thing, then you’ll want to dress up and be a part of the Speakeasy Swing Dance with The Barrelhouse Wailers on Saturday, February 20 at the Ventura Beach Club. The event will kick off with swing dance lessons with Kim Clever and David Frutos at 8 pm and then the band follows 9 to midnight. Dan Grimm’s song, “Peachy Keen” was played on the “New Girl” show staring Zooey Deschanel this month. Joy Burnworth who has been playing a number of gigs here in Ventura the past few months including one at Grapes and Hops recently received the fantastic news that she’s the new lead singer for Jefferson Starship starting initially as a first sub for Cathy Richerdson who had apparently quit the band last year. Congratulations to Ventura County Blues Society’s Delgado Brothers for winning the Memphis challenge. The band took the top prize this past month beating out 250 other bands from all over the world. Last year our very own Crooked Eye Tommy made it to the semifinals And speaking of Crooked Eye Tommy, the newest episode of Ventura Rocks on CAPS Media is now airing featuring

Music CalendarFor more events go to VenturaRocks.com

Amigos Cafe & Cantina546 E. Main St.805-874-2232 Mondays: 6 pm Danielle Stacy; 8:30 Joey’s B’s Acoustic Blues JamTuesdays: 8:30 pm The Beers Brothers open mic Wednesday: 8 pm Amigo’s House BandThursdays: 6 pm Karen Eden; 8:30 pm The Gypsy Blues BandFri 2/19: Divebar MessiahsSat 2/20: Elwood MoonSun 2/21: 5 pm The Salty Suites; 9 pm KaraokeFri 2/26: Caliente 805Sat 2/27: Deborah Jennsen’s BandSun 2/28: 5 pm Karen Eden; 9 pm KaraokeBoatyard CaféVentura HarborMusic 6-9 pm Thursdays: Bluegrass JamFri 2/19: Gypsy StewSat 2/20: James BrothersFri 2/26: CRV AcousticSat 2/27: Kenny DeVoeBombay Bar & Grill143 S. California St.805-643-4404Wednesdays: Tommy Marsh hosts the Session Thursdays: Acoustic night with Andre Sat 2/20: Benefit show: Malice Thoughts, The Kane Gang, The NaVaNaX, Grim, Civil ConflictCafé Fiore66 S. California Street Wed 2/17: Donna ButlerThurs 2/18: WhelseFri 2/19: InstoneSat 2/20: Little Alice & the CatsTues 2/23: Donna GreeneWed 2/24: Big AdventureThurs 2/25: Jade HendrixFri 2/26: Boogie WonderlandSat 2/27: Otis HayesDiscovery 1888 Thompson Blvd Wednesdays: Starlight Swing Night Fri 2/19: Crooked Eye Tommy

Jeff Bridges at Discovery February 28.

Ventura Music Scene

It’s the Dude!by Pam Baumgardner

Crooked Eye Tommy. There’s a link to the show on VenturaRocks.com as well as being on the schedule this month on CAPS Media. Do you have any music related news or upcoming shows you want help pub-licizing? Send all information short or long to [email protected], and for updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.

Sat 2/20: Blink 180 True, Green TodaySun 2/21: Passafire, The OlesThurs 2/25: LegalizerSat 2/27: The Band that Fell to EarthSun 2/28: Jeff BridgesEl Rey Cantina294 E. Main Street Fridays: 4 pm Xoco Moraza and Friends; 9:30 DJ/Karaoke by DJ Gold DustSat 2/20: Rey FrescoSaturdays: DJ ErockThe Garage 1091 Scandia Avenue Wed 2/17: Blistering UnitThurs 2/18: Victim System, Carcinogenz, 3day HolocaustFri 2/19: Jace and AshleySat 2/20: Big Business, Tweakbird, Child, RaaulTues 2/23: Reagan Youth, Cycos on Acid, SRA, Fatal Error, The DipsFri 2/26: Cursed BastardsSat 2/27: The Dickies, Ill Repute, Mother of DissensionGone West Cellars 5963 Olivas Park DriveFri 2/19: 6 pm National CatSun 2/21: 2 pm Gypsy Stew Fri 2/26: 6 pm Double TroubleGrapes and Hops454 E. Main StreetFri 2/19: Shawn JonesSat 2/20: Tex PistolsSun 2/21: The SwilleysSat 2/27: The SuitesSun 2/28: Veron Thomas & Friends Hong Kong Inn 435 E. Thompson BlvdMondays karaoke Tuesdays open mic Sat 2/20: Nick ManciniSat 2/27: Jazz Well DoneSun 2/28: John HendricksonKeynote Lounge 10245 Telephone Road Tuesday and Wednesday: Karaoke Thursday: Open MicSunday: KaraokeFri 2/19: Custom MadeSat 2/20: ReignFri 2/26: Sean WigginsSat 2/27: What the FunkMajestic Ventura Theater 26 S. Chestnut Street (805) 653-0721Sat 2/20: Little Joe y La FamiliaSat 2/27: The White BuffaloO’Leary’s6555 Telephone RoadSaturdays: 9 pm O’Leary’s East End Blues BandThe Patio at Player’s Casino 6580 Auto Center Drive Fri 2/19: Tom and MiloSat 2/20: The Uptown BrothersFri 2/26: Rock Cats RockSat 2/27: The S-CurvePoinsettia Pavillion3451 Foothill Road (805) 648-1143 Mon 2/22: Monday Night Dance Club with Dick Parent BandMon 2/29: Monday Night Dance Club with Wyatt Haupt BandPrime 2209 E. Thompson BlvdTuesdays: Danny DFridays: EncoreSaturdays: Beach City Sound ClubRookees Sports Bar & Grill 419 E. Main Street (805) 648-6862 Friday and Saturdays 10 pm Rotating DJsSandbox Coffeehouse204 E. Thompson Blvd

805-641-1025 Thursdays Open Mic Sat 2/20: De La CrankSun 2/21: Brent GorcieSat 2/27: Rhythm 805Sun 2/28: Karen MariaSans Souci 21 S. Chestsnut Sundays: DJ Darko Mondays: Karoake Tuesdays: Transform Tuesday Wednesdays: Open mic Thursdays: DJ SpinobiFri 2/19: Bloody ReunionSat 2/20: Don’t Trust WhiteyFri 2/26: Hubcap StealersSat 2/27: Sharks and CobrasSquashed Grapes2351 E. Main St.805-643-7300 Live jazz music 7-10 pm Wed 2/17: Webb, Bromberb & MazzaThurs 2/18: Oui’3Fri 2/19: L.J. and the BoyzSat /20: Jerry Vivino & FriendsWed 2/24: Greg Spaulding TrioThurs 2/25: Tom Buckner & FriendsFri 2/26: Hans Ottsen & FriendsSat 2/27: Sandra Booker QuintetTues 3/1: Jazz JamStar Lounge 343 E. Main Street (805) 6438-4709Fri 2/19: CrosscutSat 2/20: Brandon Ragan ProjectFri 2/26: Big AdventureSat 2/27: Masters of the PastSun 2/28: Gypsy Stew CD release partySurf Brewery 4561 Market Street Music 6-8 pmSat 2/20: Nelson Cooper BandThe Tavern 211 E. Santa Clara Street Sunday open mics Karaoke Tuesdays Metal Music Wednesdays DJs every Thursday college nightVentura Beach Club281 W. Main StreetFri 2/19: Hi Hat – Andy Santana and the West Coast PlayboysSat 2/20: The Barrelhouse WailersFri 2/26: Hi Hat – Alastair Greene W20 at the Watermark 598 E. Main Street Fri & Sat 9 – Mid; Sun 3 – 6 pmFri 2/19: 6 pm Karen Eden; 9 pm Red FishSat 2/20: The BombSun 2/21: Shawn JonesFri 2/26: Mini DriverSat 2/27: The BombSun 2/28: GrooveSession The Wine Rack14 S. California Street Music runs 7-11 pm, Sundays at 2:30 pm Sundays: Carson Boyd Mondays: Mike CreganTuesdays: B&V AcousticWednesday: Carson BoydThurs 2/18: Jon GindickFri 2/19: B&V AcousticSat 2/20: Jodie FarrellFri 2/26: Rich SheldonSat 2/27: Barrelhouse WailersThe 805 BarVentura Harbor Mondays: Estrada BandTuesdays: RJ Mischo & the Down Home TrioSat & Sun: Noon Kenny DeVoeFri 2/19: Martin & MaciasSat 2/20: Kenny DeVoeSun 2/21: 3:30 Martin & MaciasFri 2/26: Karen & BillSat 2/27: Smokey & Friends

19February 17 – March 1, 2016Ventura BREEZE Ventura Art Scene

Art, a la Carte

Artist Mika Harmony’s “Love in Full Bloom”, solo exhibit will be featured at Capriccio Restaurant at 298 E. Main St. now through March 20th. Being raised on Maui by two artistic parents influenced her love of all things creative. Mika’s mother is a photographer/printmaker and her father is a songwriter, which is where the Harmony comes in. Now calling Ventura home, Mika was inspired to create this series “Love in Full Bloom” while thinking of Spring and the feeling of music in her heart. This mixed media series combines: antique sheet music, original painting, things with wings, Iconography elements, poetic phrases and hearts, on 12x12 canvas. Mika has participated in juried national exhibitions at Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, Frameworks, Santa Barbara, Bue-naventura Art Gallery in Ventura and San Louis Obispo Museum in San Louis Obispo as well as exhibited in galleries in California and Maui.”

Local artist-sculpture Lynn Creighton has closed her gallery-studio, Studio1317. She is still available at www.lynncreighton.com to see, and purchase her wonderful ecstatic female figures that she has been creating since 1990. Creighton’s work has been exhibited nation-ally at museums and galleries from New York to California. Selected international exhibits include showings in Japan, France, and South Africa. In describing her work she stated, “The figures in this gallery are experiencing the vibratory rate of their own life force. That vibration is the energy of the divine slowed down so that it may be seen. It is the creative core at our center. It contains the truth of our soul. I create the female form from a sacred source of life, inspiration and commitment. This work has evolved from my deep inner conviction that female energy, fully aware of itself, will con-tribute essential wisdom to critical issues facing the planet.” You can meet Lynn at the Ventura Avenue Adult Center (550 N Ventura Ave.) when the Potters’ Guild presents her on Monday February 22. Doors open at 7 pm and program begins at 7:45 pm. She will share her journey from potter to sculpture... featuring her f lowing, modernist female figures that are both spiritual and sometimes playful in nature.

The featured artists at the Ojai Studio Artists First Second Saturday Open Studios, held on Feb. 13 were Valerie Freeman, Patrish Kuebler, Tom Hardcastle, Joe Sohm, Amy Lynn Stevenson and Carol Shaw-Sutton. Go to ojaistudioartists.org for more information.

The next addition to Buenaventura Art Association’s California Heritage Collection includes a tiny painting that’s likely to be a big deal for collectors of historical regional art. “California Coastal,” a framed, 3-by-7-inch oil on board, is by Granville Redmond, a painter internationally known in the early part of last century for his Tonalist and Impressionist landscapes and seascapes. It is among 10 paintings being unveiled in a Feb. 16-March 19 exhibition at the Buenaventura Gallery in downtown Ventura. Buenaventura Gallery, 700 E. Santa Clara St., is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Private viewings of the California Heritage Collection also are available by appointment. For more about BAA or this special collection, visit www.californiaheritagecollection.com, www.buenaventuragallery.org, or call 648-1235 during gallery hours.

Don’t miss out...reserve your class space today! The Arts Collective-Pacific View Mall, On Level 2, adjacent to Sears- 676-1540Pacific View Mall Events Directory Beginning Thursday, March 3 to April 21, 6:30pm - 8:00pm - Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. An exciting 8-part Series! Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain is the world’s most widely used drawing in-struction book. Whether you are drawing as a professional artist, as an artist in training, or as a hobby, this book will give you greater confidence in your ability and deepen your artistic perception, as well as foster a new appreciation of the world around you. Early Registration fee $140 for 8-week series on or before Tuesday, March 1 I Regular Registration fee $160. Materials fee $10.Coming Soon! Lunchtime Coloring Sessions for AdultsYou can do it alone or with a group of friends! Coloring feeds the creative side of your mind. There are no rules. You can color inside the lines, outside the lines, in one color, in dozens of colors. We have the designs for you to choose from and the pencils in an array of beautiful colors for you to use. Bring your lunch and join us. $5 materials fee. Specific dates to be announced soon.

Sign up for the next Studio Sundays classes at the Museum of Ventura County. Reser-vations are being taken for Sunday, Feb. 21,Koi Fish, Water & Wine. Take to the water with this colorful symbolic fish, learning the timeless art of watercolor painting. The class fee is $40 per person, or $35 for MVC members, which includes instruc-tion, art materials and light refreshments. Each class is limited to 40 people. To reserve, call 653-0323, x315, or go to the museum’s website at http://venturamuseum.org/studiosunday/ and pay online. The Museum Ventura County’s new art instruction series, Studio Sunday, has provided a great way for friends to gather at the museum and cultivate their inner artist. The Studio Sunday painting classes are taught by Mary Perez and Megan Bisbee of Vita Arts Center, and are open to all regardless of their level of expertise. The classes occur once a month on selected Sundays from 1-4 pm at the museum although this one class will be held at the

VITA ARTS Center at Bell Arts Factory. Each of the classes has a theme and style of painting or creating that evokes famous artists.


YouthEstablished in 1972Come in for Great Lunch

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Offering a full line of pastas with homemade sauces, East Coast

style pizza (gluten-free crust and vegan cheese available), salads,

homemade daily soups and much more!

Wine and local draft beer

Dinner hours: 5pm - 9pm Mon - Thurs & Sunday5pm - 10pm Fri & Sat

641-2300

On Feb. 10, the Rotary Club of Ventura Club#691 held their Annual Ventura High School Rotary Interact

Gerardo Gallegos and Chris Massa show the Brigade how to grow their own vegetables organically.

Kids Garden Brigade goes organicby Gail Field

Under a sunny afternoon sky, seven children crouch between the kale and Swiss chard, looking for aphids on the green leaves. Gerardo Gallegos smiles as his eyes scan the community garden, seeing everything. Nearby, white bunnies prick up their ears and chickens fluff their feathers. The instructor, Chris Massa, coaches the kids. “Look closely.” he says. “We’ll hose off the aphids to dislodge them and keep them away from the plants.” One boy takes charge of the hose. Another opens the leaves. Still another peers into the cage to watch the white rabbits. Gallegos, the founder of Kids Garden Brigade, has designed the program to show kids how to grow their own vegetables organically. He hopes that the children will take what they learn in the program and create gardens in their own yards, to be able to help feed their families, and even have enough left over to sell. Gallegos has a clear vision for the community garden. “Everything we do here allows us to grow food that is good for you, just like nature intended. As it was in the beginning, we use plants and processes coexisting naturally. The technical word is ‘permaculture,’ combining the best of edible gardening and natural landscaping. That’s where we’re going.” This vision includes plans for a new agroponic system that will feed water into a pond where fish and vegetable plants coexist. The kids are guided in the process guided by Massa, an instructor in organic gardening and agriculture, formerly with

Sharon Fleur, Susie Lawson and Samuel Navarro (crouched down) are proud of the art of the members of the Boys & Girls Club. The National fine arts exhibit program encourages artistic expression among Club members ages 6-18 through nine different categories of visual arts including monochromatic and multi-colored drawing, oil painting and watercolor, printmaking, collage, mixed media, pastel and group projects while providing opportunities for members to create artwork for display in a local exhibit. Shown here with their wonderful paintings and drawings. Photos by Michael Gordon.

I’m in this photo, can you guess who I am?

I really enjoyed the city, mainly because of its cleanness and peopleby Lucia Salemme Vicente

I m a high school student from Mar del Plata, a coastal city in central Argentina. As I am in my summer break I ve been visiting Ventura for the last week and I have had a great time! I really enjoyed the city, mainly because of its cleanness and people. Every person I met was very nice to me and interested about where I come from. As I kept on saying in my answers one of the biggest differences was the weather, Ventura is definitely much warmer and less windy if you can believe that! I was awed by the sunsets on the beach. Each of them was unique and gave an amazing show with its different colors. It was weird at the beginning given I am used to seeing the sun come out of the sea, instead of going down into it. Another thing I liked was biking along the seaside bike lane. There were lots of people walking, running, bike riding or even just resting and playing the guitar; it was a calm atmosphere, relaxing and in many ways enjoyable. Even though I come from a coastal city I was even impressed by the surfing, which I thought was very good. Moreover, the kite surfers were a good plus at the beach and in the photographs I take with me back home. One of the highlights of my visit was the invitation to visit the Ventura High School’s robotics class. It was so much fun that I asked to participate a second night. During the two nights I got to know a great group of people who were working very hard in order to make a robot for the First Stronghold robotics competition. The First Team 3925, Circuit of Life – that represents six schools in the area—was composed by about 70 students and mentors, everyone is very committed with their work and tasks. However, they never forgot it was a team work and helped each other solve

problems that came their way, even looking for donations for money fund-raising. I would like to thank all of them for being so kind and patient with me! Overall, I enjoyed my stay in Ventura and I can t wait to come back again to visit my family and make the most of the views and the experience of meeting new and wonderful people.

Bake sale by VHS Interact raises $2,635.00.

Rotary hosts Bake Sale

the Food Corps. At the Kids Garden Brigade on Ventura Avenue, he shows the kids how to grow kale, Swiss chard, broccoli, cauli-flower, onions, spinach, Chinese cabbage, and more. The garden floor is topped with redwood chips that hold in the moisture to sustain the plants, requiring less watering. They also prevent growth of weeds. The carpet of rich black soil below holds the water to nourish the vegetables that the children cultivate. The office area, still under develop-ment, is a converted shipping container donated and refurbished by the Ventura-based Porta Stor, who created the practical and comfortable office by adding insulation dry wall, windows and a recycled wood floor. Local kids gather once a week for the educational program, and on one Saturday a month, parents and groups are welcome to participate. Gallegos’ vision for the Kid’s Garden Brigade comes from his experience as a boy growing up in Ventura. “This was a tough neighborhood then,” he says. “My friends got into gangs and drugs. Some ended up in jail. I was fortunate to avoid this kind of life, but if those kids had had something like this garden—a place where they could learn something useful and important, they could have avoided that hard life. I want my kids to grow up with a sense of sharing and a commitment to their community.” For more information on the Kids Garden Brigade, call 500-3028.

Bake Sale lunch at the Derby Club. The baked goods were prepared by members of the Ventura High School Interact Club, 42 strong and auctioned off at the event to raise money for their many activities. The high school bakers showed off their pastries to the several hundred Rotarians and guests enjoying their lunches as they walked around the room with the delicious pastries. They raised $2635 from the auction. Interact is a club for youth ages 12-18 who want to connect with others in their community or school. Interact club members have fun while carrying out service projects and learning about the world. Interact clubs organize at least two service projects a year: one that benefits their community and one that encourages international under-standing. While Interact clubs receive guidance from individual Rotary clubs, they govern and support themselves. With all their combined activities The Rotary Interact Club of Ventura High School has contributed more than 1000 hours of community service. As Interact moves forward in 2016 they will be hosting an on-site Valentine’s Day Dance at Ventura High School for children with special needs, participate with a joint Boys & Girls environmental project, Earth Day project by distribut-ing grocery totes and the utility box in front of Ventura High School will soon be showcasing the artistic works of this Interact group. Here is a short list of some of the events the VHS Rotary Interact youths participated in in 2015: Volunteered for the Breast Cancer walk as a joint project with Rotaract [10/10]and supplied about 20 volunteersColor Run-provided 25 volunteers Purchased 100 Thanksgiving meals for FOODShare Completed the VHS Food Fundraiser Planned a Special Needs social at VHS, a joint project with another VHS club Volunteered for the Turkey Trot and collected food for FOODShare Created homemade cards for the Seniors with Rotaract, Participated in the Foster Care kid Christmas gift wrapping with Rotaract Participated in the Rotary Children’s Holiday shopping.

Documents

VFD to climb for Leukemia see page 7 - Ventura Breeze