Photo submitted by Ivor Davis
Before it became Ventura’s city hall this building was the headquarters of Ventura County. It was our luck that the County opened up new facilities and sold the building to Ventura. Still remaining behind the building is the small structure that was the jail. It has remained empty for many many years.
Sophia Pelaez is an Ambassador Girl Scout from Troop 60001 in Ventura. A high school senior this year, Sophia has, “personally seen some of her strongest and smartest peers break down and crumble under the stress and pressure that comes from academics, sports, extracurricular activities, and the college application process.” She is also the daughter of a cancer patient and witnessed firsthand the physical and emotional toll that cancer takes on an individual. Intending to address both of these problems, she took to the art of crochet. Sophia began to crochet hats for cancer patients who have undergone chemotherapy as a way to provide them comfort, and by teaching her peers to crochet she hopes to provide a means for students to relieve their stress while also giving back to the community.
“These hats will provide warmth to cancer patients whose hair has fallen off during chemotherapy,” Sophia said. “Moreover, these hats are a gesture from the community that they have support and love behind them; essentially, the hats serve to represent a sort of emotional solidarity to cancer patients. To provide high school students with an accessible, healthy coping mechanism, I taught multiple groups of students, ranging in both grade level and location, how to crochet hats. I personally taught these individuals how to crochet over multiple lessons ranging from thirty minutes to two hours.”
To ensure that the skills she taught were retained beyond her lessons, Sophia also created a YouTube video and set of written instructions on crocheting that was made accessible to the students. Some individuals have continued to use the craft past their lessons, including one troop leader who is now using the skill to make baby shoes. In an anonymous feedback survey, one participant said that crocheting, “allowed her to funnel anxieties into something external instead of spiraling.”
“Those I taught learned how to crochet a hat,” Sophia said. “In doing so, they gained a healthy means to cope with anxiety. Moreover, in learning a completely new skill, many of these individuals learned how to become more patient and persevering.” Participants of her project were also able to hear from a speaker who shared the mental health benefits of crocheting and offered her own experience with crochet and anxiety.
For five months, Sophia taught approximately 25 different individuals how to crochet, including high school students of all age levels and troop leaders. Sophia was also able to make 27 hats on her own to contribute. On December 21, 2019, she delivered 52 hats to the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Sophia said that when she went to donate the hats with her family and troop advisor, “the nurse even commented on how much these hats would mean to the patients at the hospital, which made the project all the more meaningful.”
For more incredible projects from Girl Scouts in your area, check out 2019-2020 Girl Scout Gold Awards Yearbook! Find more information about the Gold Award and how Girl Scouts are creating positive change in their communities here.
Dorinda Clinton has worked in healthcare field for 18 years, in many nursing roles. She has served on the California Quality Care Collaborative team since 2009, and assisted in the development of patient care standards. During that time, Dorinda received four awards for her accomplishments during various patient care initiatives from the State Collaboration.
“I am honored to join the VDM family,” said Clinton. “I believe strongly in the mission of Vista del Mar to provide high-quality mental health care through compassion and respect. I will do my part to promote the mission and vision of Vista, and I look forward to collaborating with the great team that is here to continue to improve the care of our patients. I am passionate about nursing and helping nurses to reach their full potential while providing the best patient care. The role of the nurse is truly dynamic and I continue to be amazed at the leaps and bounds of the profession. I look forward to getting to know each member of the team and to partnering to provide compassionate care to our patients.”
Most recently, Dorinda served as a Director of Nursing at KPC Healthcare in Anaheim, Calif. She has participated in multiple successful accreditation surveys under her leadership. Director coverage of behavioral health areas including Adult Inpatient Psychiatric, Geriatric Psychiatric, High Acuity Psychiatric, and Outpatient Psychiatric Treatment. She also participated in the Perinatal Mental Initiative through the Perinatal Mental Health (PMH) learning through the Hospital Quality Institute.
She is a licensed Nurse Practitioner in the State of California and participated in patient and provider educational seminars. Other career highlights include Nurse Educator, Nursing Supervisor, Nurse Informaticist, and Nursing Clinical Instructor.
“Dorinda is a highly accomplished nursing leader with vast experience in quality management, service excellence, patient safety and care, staff recruitment and retention, and regulatory affairs,” said Jenifer Nyhuis, CEO. “She brings tremendous value to Vista del Mar and we are thrilled to have her on board. “
Vista del Mar Hospital, which holds The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval for Hospital Accreditation, offers inpatient and outpatient programs for both adolescents and adults. The hospital specializes in stabilization and dual diagnosis for patients with mental illness and chemical dependency. In addition, Vista del Mar offers comprehensive outpatient services, including the Adult Partial Hospitalization Program, Adolescent/Adult Intensive Outpatient Program and the Adolescent Vista Day Program (partial hospitalization) to treat adolescence while maintaining academic responsibilities. The hospital also serves the military community with evidence-based therapies for active-duty military, veterans and their families. Vista del Mar Hospital is located in Ventura on 16 acres with ocean views.
By a unanimous vote on June 8, the Board of Supervisors concurred with the recommendation of County Executive Officer Mike Powers to appoint Melissa Livingston as the Director of the Human Services Agency.
Melissa Livingston has been with the County of Ventura since 1980, starting as a student worker for the Public Social Services Agency.
Livingston has held numerous leadership roles with the Agency and has contributed significantly to countywide programs and initiatives.
She said “It has been an honor to work along- side the Human Services Agency team and the County Family these past 40 years- as well as our collective partners- inclusive of cities, schools, businesses, philanthropy, community-based organizations, and non-profits.”
The Human Services Agency provides services and support to over 225,000 individuals representing nearly a quarter of the County’s residents. The mission of the Agency is to strengthen families, promote self-sufficiency, and support safety, health and well-being.
Visit Ventura was recently recognized by the Pacific Coast Business Times as the “Central Coast Best Place to Work” for the third year running.
The May 22nd announcement by the Pacific Coast Business Times continues an ongoing awards string for Visit Ventura. Along with the three consecutive (2018, 2019, 2020) Pacific Coast Business Times “Best Place to Work” awards, the California Travel Association also presented Visit Ventura with CalTravel’s “Great Workplace Award” for 2019. Visit Ventura has also won Adrian golds, three years running, from Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI). The Adrian award is one of the most prestigious awards in the tourism industry, typically bestowed on tourism giants like Visit California and Hilton Worldwide.
Marlyss Auster, Visit Ventura president and CEO, while grateful for the award, also acknowledged that this year’s award comes at a sobering time. However, she also pointed out that there has never been a more important time for tourism — and an upbeat attitude. Tourism, said Auster, generates close to $300 million in annual visitor spending in Ventura and, equally important, creates roughly 2,600 hometown jobs. Tourism’s dollars help fund a host of local services, from fire and police, to roads and schools.
Tourism, said Auster, will play a vital role in America’s recovery, and Visit Ventura is ready to do their part.
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I’m Chloe! a 3 years old Pitt bull mix. I actually think that I’m a poodle.
I love long walks on the beach and hiking trails. My favorite foods are pasta noodles and French fries. I love to make new friends.
I’m lucky I was adopted 3 years ago by Tisha Contreras.
∙ SPAN Thrift Store is now open to the public and in dire need of volunteers to operate day to day. If you are interested or have questions, please call (805) 641-1170 to inquire.
In addition to that, SPAN is back and providing $10 spays and neuters for low income households with cats and dogs.
The next one is Friday, June 26th at Shiells Park, in the parking lot, located at 649 C St., Fillmore, 93015.
Please call to schedule an appointment
(805) 584-3823.
∙ K-9 Boss, is a Belgium Malinois who has worked for the City of Miami Police Department for seven years. His K-9 unit recently received a grant to assist with his medical expenses. The collaborative grant is from the local National Police Dog Foundation and the Search Dog Foundation who administers funds provided by the Petco Foundation for the treatment of cancer in K-9s.
K-9 Boss is charged with responding to situations that necessitate the specialized skills of the canine teams. As a dual-purpose canine, these situations include interior and exterior searches, evidence searches, and narcotic detection. Boss participates weekly in-service training and must pass annual proficiency evaluations.
Boss participated in the United States Police Canine Association (USPCA) National Trials. He placed 2nd in obedience, 2nd in team trials, and was placed 11th overall dog in the nation.
Boss was found to have a cancerous growth in his spleen. His one-month recovery from the spleen removal was followed by three weeks limited duty. He also received time off for bloat surgery.
Despite all of the spleen’s functions, dogs can live normally without their spleen. Most dogs never have a problem.
“K-9 Boss is definitely a fighter. Even the doctors are amazed on how well he’s recovered from his surgeries. He’s eager to work and still gives Sgt. Perez a good pull when he’s out training. K-9 Boss is here with us to thanks to the amazing service and care provided by Knowles Animal Clinics, says Lieutenant Maurice Sodre, City of Miami Police Department SWAT/Canine K-9 unit.
∙Animal rights groups choose Coronavirus over your safety
By Matthew R. Bailey
Fortunately, the world’s top medical researchers are working on a vaccine for the coronavirus, or COVID-19. That vaccine is poised to be the product of animal research. It’s a case study in how crucial animal research is to improving public health.
Two researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison just announced that they’ll “test medical countermeasures such as vaccines and therapeutics” in nonhuman primates. They hope to discover how much of the coronavirus enters the body, where it infects the lungs, and how immune systems respond to it.
Scientists at New York-based biotechnology company Regeneron are working with mice to see how they respond after being infected with the coronavirus. Researchers have modified the mice’s genetic code to mimic a human’s immune system. They hope to use antibodies the mice generate following infection to develop an effective treatment.
Meanwhile, the National Institutes of Health is investigating whether an existing antiviral drug, “remdesivir” might work against COVID-19. Originally developed using rhesus macaques, remdesivir is effective against Nipah virus, Ebola, and “MERS,” another coronavirus strain that has killed over 800 people since first emerging in 2012.
The initial results have been promising. A 35-year-old American coronavirus patient recently used Washington’s “compassionate use” laws, which allow critically ill patients to access unlicensed drugs, to gain access to remdesivir. He quickly recovered, but it’s too early to definitively attribute his recovery to the drug.
Researchers working on vaccines or treatments for threats like COVID-19 depend on animal models because they provide the closest approximation of how a potential therapy will operate in the human body.
The interaction between a promising vaccine or treatment and a living organism is too complex to replicate in a petri dish or computer simulation. For this work, there’s simply no substitute for a live animal model.
That’s why animal research is the basis for so many medical advances, including vaccines for measles and polio as well as life-saving diabetes drugs.
Consider the progress against HIV/AIDS. A few decades ago, the virus killed more people between the ages of 25 and 44 than any other disease in a number of communities nationwide. An HIV diagnosis was effectively a death sentence.
No more. Powerful drug cocktails have rendered HIV/AIDS a manageable disease. Those medicines were developed using macaque monkeys and “humanized mice” genetically modified to have compromised immune systems that more closely approximate human patients with HIV. Animal research yielded AZT, the breakthrough HIV/AIDS drug cocktail approved by the FDA in 1987.
Despite the medical progress animal research has enabled, some activists are trying to restrict its use by arguing that it’s inhumane. But animal research is tightly regulated by the federal government. Just like in hospitals, researchers are required to use appropriate anesthetic and analgesic drugs to ensure animals don’t experience pain. Those responsible for overseeing research must certify that use of animals is necessary. Even then, scientists are required to use as few as possible.
Yet according to a Pew survey, slightly less than half of Americans — 46 percent — favor animal research. Once animal research yields a treatment for the coronavirus, perhaps the remainder will change their minds.
Matthew R. Bailey is president of the Foundation for Biomedical Research. This piece originally ran in the Detroit News.
6/17 – 6/30
For more events go to VenturaRocks.com
All Venues Ventura, unless otherwise noted.
Four Brix Winery
2290 Eastman Avenue
Sundays 1 pm
Sun 6/28: JJ Frank Duo
Sandbox Coffeehouse
204 E. Thompson Blvd
805-641-1025
Thurs 6 pm, Weekends noon
Thursdays Open Mic
Winchesters Grill
632 E. Main Street
805-653-7446
Friday 5-8; Saturday & Sunday 4-7
Fri 6/19: Two’s Company
Sat 6/20: Tommy Marsh
Sun 6/21: the Swillys
Sat 6/27: Corsican Brothers
The Winery Ventura
4756 Market Street
Fri 6/19: The Rhythm Trio w/ RJ Root, Andy Hill & Elias Vasquez
Sat 6/20: Smokey & Friends
Fri 6/26: Karen Eden & Bill Macpherson
Sat 6/27: RJ Mischo & Friends
Sun 6/28: Hans Ottsen & Friends
1901
Speakeasy
740 South B Street, Oxnard
Fri & Sat 7:30 pm
Fri 6/20: Doc Ventura
Fri 6/26: 805 Allstarz
Sat 6/27: Smokey & Friends
Hi: I’m Zuma an affectionate and easy going 13-year-old American Staffordshire Terrier X who likes to cuddle with you in bed. I need a quiet and calm adult home where there are no cats. I may be older, but I still enjoy going for a walk and playing outside a bit. I know the basics – come when called, sit and stay. I’m also house trained and will cry to let you know when I have to go outside. If you’re looking for a loyal cuddle bug companion, then stop by and meet me. Canine Adoption and Rescue League C.A.R.L. CARL Adoption Center-call 644-7387 for more information.
Firefly is a sweet girl who would do well in a quiet home with someone to love. She is low energy which is perfect for someone who wants a companion for quiet walks and hanging out in the garden. Camarillo Animal Services – Camarillo location – 600 Aviation Drive Firefly A752985
Streaming Spotlight by Cindy Summers
Hollywood
Netflix Originals
Hollywood is the story of a group of young, aspiring actors, writers, and directors during post World War II who meet in Hollywood and together make their Tinseltown dreams come true. The series is mainly focused on handsome Jack Castello (David Corenswet) who decides that his dream is to become a movie star, so he moves from middle America to Hollywood and through life’s hard knocks eventually becomes a feature motion picture leading man.
With extras work being very scarce at the time and needing to provide a life for his wife and twins on the way, Jack takes a job at the Golden Tip gas station, owned by Ernie West (Dylan McDermott) but quickly discovers there’s more to the job than pumping gas. If a customer drove up to the pump and asked to go to Dreamland, that meant they weren’t there for gas, but for sexual encounters paying big money to both Ernie and his crew. Though Jack didn’t like the work, he was able to make important connections to further his career.
Archie Coleman (Jeremy Pope) was a screenwriter who had just written a movie about the life and tragic death of a aspiring actress named Peg, which is what he named the movie. The screenwriting business was difficult to break into, especially for a young black man during the Jim Crow era, but Archie was supported in his efforts by his friend and aspiring director Raymond Ainsley (Darren Criss). Raymond had already found the perfect lead actress for the part, his girlfriend Camille Washington (Laura Harrier), who was also black.
Young Rock Hudson (Jake Picking) also began his acting career during this time under the management of lewd talent exec Henry Willson (Jim Parsons) who was keenly aware of Hudson’s secret homosexual lifestyle and in a predatory manner bartered sexual favors for film opportunities with Hudson and his other clients.
Ace Amberg (Rob Reiner), owner of Ace Studios, was very racist and said he would not have a black woman lead, and that though he would produce the movie, he would not allow a black man to be credited as the writer. Ace fell ill ending up in care at home in a coma, leaving the studio to be run by Dick Samuels (Joe Mantello) and Ellen Kincaid (Holland Taylor ) who were both very interested and pleased in producing a movie with a black writer and lead actress.
The movie became stalled when Ace’s attorney blocked the production of Peg if any blacks were involved, though after a visit from Ellen’s dear friend Eleanor Roosevelt, who shared she was saddened at the racism she witnessed across the south and that there was a real opportunity for real change, Dick Samuels and Ellen Kincaid decided Peg must be produced and even changed the ending to create a more empowering story for young black women.
Hollywood explorers the rampant racism and sexual harassment that was happening during a time where it was common place for people to have sex in order to get a role or to even get a manager to represent them. Ultimately through many coincidental connections everybody’s dreams come true and the movie is renamed Meg, ending up winning top Oscars in all categories including best writing and best actress, a historic event for blacks in Hollywood.
7 Episodes – 45 minutes
