• The time has finally come for me to bid farewell as Publisher/Editor of the Ventura Breeze. This will be my last issue. It has been an incredible journey spanning 17 years, filled with cherished memories, remarkable experiences, and the unwavering support of our beloved Ventura community.
When my daughter Staci and I started this venture 17 years ago, we embarked on a journey fueled by hope and enthusiasm. We didn’t know how Ventura would receive our humble publication, but today, it is heartening to see how it’s become an integral part of life in Ventura. I’m always delighted when strangers approach me to express their love for The Breeze and tell me how much joy it brings them.
This journey has been nothing short of exhilarating and inspiring, and I owe it all to you—our devoted readers, amazing staff, contributors and loyal advertisers. Without your unwavering support and enthusiasm, The Ventura Breeze would not be what it is today. It has been an honor to serve you, and I hope that you’ll continue to find joy and enrichment in the pages of The Breeze for many years to come.
As I transition into a new chapter of my life, I want to assure you that while my tenure as Publisher/Editor may be coming to a close, my commitment to the Breeze remains steadfast. My opinion column may not appear regularly, but rest assured, it will make appearances from time to time, whenever inspiration strikes.
Moreover, I’m delighted to announce that the Breeze will remain within the family, with my son Mark Brown stepping into the role of Publisher/Editor. Mark has decades of experience in both print and digital publishing and can be reached at [email protected]. I’m confident that the Breeze will continue to play an important role in the Ventura community for years to come.
In closing, I extend my deepest gratitude to each and every one of you for your unwavering support, encouragement, and readership over the years. The memories we have created together will forever hold a special place in my heart.
Sheldon Brown
• The closure to traffic of 5 blocks of Main Street was started in May 2020, and has been extended several times by the city council.
A group of property owners called “Reopen Main Street” is seeking a court order that would force the city to reopen the streets to vehicle traffic, alleging that the closure has been bad for their businesses. A majority of polled Venturans are in favor of keeping the street closed to cars.
It should be easy for Ventura to determine the effect it has had on downtown businesses by analyzing sales tax receipts, bed tax receipts, etc. for each business.
I understand that businesses that sell products are certainly suffering. It’s tough to buy a product and carry it several blocks to the parking structure or a side street. Perhaps (if money could be found) a shuttle from the parking structure that goes through downtown might solve this problem.
Hopefully the city can work with the unhappy businesses to work out some way to help them maintain their customers.
It would be a shame to demolish all of the wonderful outside eating areas that restaurants have spent many dollars to construct.
Regarding the parking structure, I parked on the 3rd level last week to eat downtown. I made the mistake of taking the elevator down. It was disgusting. It smelled, was dirty, un-kept. Certainly, the city could at least clean it up and install new flooring. Upon returning I took the stairs up which wasn’t too much better. Rails with little paint so that the bare metal showed. This is a simple solution, paint them.
It’s bad enough that Venturans need to deal with this, but tourism is very important to Ventura and this gives a very bad impression of our town.
