I saw your editorial of Jan15-28, 2020 where you talked about gun violence and thought you might be interested in this. In 2013 I made an art piece which I called “Class Picture”, Sandy Hook Elementary School.
It’s in the Ventura County Art Council show “Decade” (http://vcartscouncil.org/atrium-gallery/calendars-of-competitive-shows/ ). It can be seen at the Ventura County Government Center, Hall of Administration, 800 S. Victoria Ave. until Feb.24 on the 4th floor.
Jim Rinde
Rubicon Theatre Company of Ventura begins the new year with the West Coast Premiere of Never Not Once, a powerful, compelling and timely new drama by Carey Crim. Never Not Once is about the families we choose, and the secrets that can pull them apart. The production is helmed by Brit Katharine Farmer, who has directed acclaimed Rubicon productions of Gulf View Drive (Ovation Award, Best Production of a Play, Larger Theatre), Incognito (West Coast Premiere), Heisenberg with Faline England and Joe Spano, and South Pacific (all Critic’s Choices in the L.A. Times).
Please note that Never Not Once contains strong language and sexual themes and is recommended for mature audiences.
Never Not Once runs from Wednesday, February 5 through Sunday, February 23, 2020. Performances are Wednesdays at 2 and 7 p.m., Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Low-priced previews are available Wednesday, February 5 at 7 p.m., Thursday, February 6 at 7 p.m. and Friday, February 7 at 8 p.m. Opening night is Saturday, February 8 at 7 p.m. with a pre-show party downstairs at Rubicon beginning at 6 p.m. with champagne, hors d’oeuvres and photos, and a post-show gathering with the cast hosted by Water’s Edge on the Harbor. Talkbacks are scheduled following all 7:00 p.m. Wednesday performances (except the first preview).
A new Coffeehouse Mixer Night for students is scheduled for the third Thursday of the run (February 20) at 7 p.m. with $20 tickets for all college students (plus the $5 handling fee). The price includes complimentary pizza and wings and one free beverage starting downstairs at 6 p.m. A special talkback particularly focused on the perspective of the college-aged characters in the play will follow.
Never Not Once is held at Rubicon Theatre Company, 1006 E. Main Street (the corner of Main and Laurel). Ticket prices range from $25 to $59, with special discounts for students, seniors, teachers, Equity, active members of the military and groups of 15 or more. For more information, or to purchase tickets, go to www.rubicontheatre.org or call 805.667.2900.
Students of Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges rely on their libraries’ websites for their studies, conducting more than 734,245 searches a year. Now students will have streamlined and improved search options. The libraries at Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges recently launched upgraded web pages on each college’s website.
The updated interface connects the VCCCD colleges through one search bar, allowing users to search and request resources from any of the three colleges. The new system is the same type that both the UCs and CSUs currently use and is the culmination of a yearlong state-funded project to provide all California community colleges with a shared library systems solution.
“We have 225,000 print items in our libraries alone,” said Peter H. Sezzi, librarian and library department chair, Evelyn & Howard Boroughs Library, Ventura College, “so this was a large undertaking for us. It is more than worth it, as our current and future students will greatly benefit from the enhanced library resources we can provide.”
Chancellor Greg Gillespie added, “By investing in the services our colleges offer, we are investing further in students’ journeys and providing them with the necessary tools to accomplish their academic goals.”
The Ventura County Community College District is a member of the 115-campus California Community College system, and serves more than 32,000 students annually. The District’s three colleges–Moorpark, Oxnard, and Ventura–offer programs in general education for degrees and certificates, transfer to four-year colleges and universities, career technical education, and provide opportunities to engage in co-curricular campus activities. For more information, please visit vcccd.edu.
You’re invited! VCLA’s Cohort XXVI Recruitment & Reconnection Mixer – West County
Join us for our once a year recruitment mixer!
Learn more about VCLA and how the program can connect you to other leaders throughout the county
Meet community leaders and speakers who are a part of the program
Meet or reconnect with alumni and friends from past cohorts
Hear testimonials from VCLA graduates on how this program impacted them
Learn about the application process for Cohort XXVI
A special thank you to Sharon Cromartie, VCLA Board member and
VCLA Cohort XIX for sponsoring this event.
www.VCLeadership.org
[email protected] or (805) 665-3504
West County Mixer, Wednesday, February 12, 5:30pm-7:30pm.
Kids & Families Together
864 E. Santa Clara Street
Ventura
On Monday, Jan. 20, the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) increased fares and made minor schedule modifications to its Intercity bus system.
The Commission approved a fare increase in October 2018 to address the rising costs of operation. The decision followed a public outreach process in the summer and fall of the same year. To minimize impact to customers, VCTC adjusted fares in phases, January 2019 and January 2020.
Reduced prices are available to seniors 65 years or older, Medicare, or ADA/Disabled riders. In addition, Ventura County college students can ride buses free with a valid student ID.
“VCTC’s Intercity bus service carries over 1,000 people every day to their jobs and schools,” said VCTC Executive Director Darren Kettle. “Our goal is that our riders have a safe, reliable, and comfortable trip. It’s a hard conversation to have to consider a fare increase but when we posed the question to our riders, they understood that to keep the quality service they have come to expect a small fare increase was worth it. This fare change will allow us to maintain our current level of service to the community while keeping VCTC Intercity Transit financially sound.”
Bus schedule changes, which will also go into effect on Jan. 20, include minor timetable modifications to address traffic congestion and improve on-time performance. In addition, VCTC will be reinstituting two weekday shuttle routes that serve CSU Channel Islands. The routes, which connect the University to Camarillo and Oxnard, were previously combined as a single line. For more information, visit goventura.org.
Route 77, formerly known as the East-West Connector, is also getting an update on Jan. 20. The new Cross County Limited provides the same one-seat service between Simi Valley, Moorpark, and West Ventura County. Many college students and faculty use Route 77 to travel between Ventura College and Moorpark College.
The Ventura County Transportation Commission is the regional transportation planning agency committed to keeping Ventura County moving. Program information is available at goventura.org.
To help students overcome the challenge of paying for college, the Ventura County Community College District is holding free Cash 4 College workshops at its four campuses. Workshops will be held on Feb. 8 and Feb. 22. Financial aid staff will assist students in completing applications for the 2020-2021 school year FAFSA and the California Dream Act. The workshops are free and open to the community; people may attend workshops at any campus or either date. Advanced registration is preferred. For more information or to register, visit VCCCD.edu/cash4college.
February 8, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Ventura College, Learning Resource Center, 4667 Telegraph Road, Ventura
February 22, 9 a.m. – noon Ventura College East Campus, 957 Faulkner Road, Unit 106, Santa Paula
The Ventura County Community College District is a member of the 115-campus California Community College system, and serves more than 32,000 students annually. The District’s three colleges–Moorpark, Oxnard, and Ventura–offer programs in general education for degrees and certificates, transfer to four-year colleges and universities, career technical education, and provide opportunities to engage in co-curricular campus activities. For more information, please visit www.vcccd.edu.
Hi: My name is Maddie. My hobbies are napping, chasing cats and taking slow walks with lots of sniffing. I was adopted at age 4. I will be 10 this year. I love living in Ventura!
A deadly shooting occurred in the public parking structure on Harbor Blvd. next to the Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach Hotel last Saturday resulting in the death of a 21 year old man. This is the first murder to happen in Ventura and police say the motive for this murder does appear to be gang related.
On January 18, at approximately 2:45am, a 911 call was received regarding a shooting victim at the top level of the Harbor Bl parking structure in Ventura. Patrol officers responded and located one victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was treated by Ventura City Fire and was transported to the Ventura County Medical Center for treatment where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Police said the crime occurred when one group was outside of their vehicle and the suspect vehicle approached them. The two groups started fighting when one person inside the vehicle shot at the group outside. Witnesses indicated the suspects fled in a vehicle, which CHP located and pursued ending up in Oxnard where the driver lost control of the vehicle and ran off the road.
Ventura police detained three of the occupants from the vehicle, but one fled the scene and was later detained. Murder suspect, 24 year old Raymond Bolanos, was arrested and booked in the Ventura County Jail for murder and gang enhancement.
Bolanos’ bail has been set at $610,000 and he’s scheduled to appear in Ventura Superior Court on September 22. A review of the Ventura County Superior Court website shows Bolanos has prior convictions for carrying a concealed firearm, gang enhancement and a hit and run.
Of the other detained occupants from the vehicle, 26 year old Julian Nunez was arrested for a parole violation warrant and has prior convictions of carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a firearm by a felon and battery with serious injury, and 23 year old Stephanie Sanchez was arrested for a misdemeanor warrant. She has a prior conviction of possession of a loaded firearm.
Don’t give your credit card information to someone pretending to be your grandchild.
Residents are advised that phone scammers have been targeting residents impersonating Ventura Police Employees. The scammers are using a device that makes it appear to the victim that the phone call is coming from the Ventura Police business line of 805-339-4400. The scammer is telling residents that they have an out of county warrant and need to pay a fee or face arrest. Please be advised that the Ventura Police Department does not request personal information over the phone and would not solicit this type of information.
The community is urged to be vigilant and aware of these scams to avoid falling victim. Never follow directions from someone on the phone that requests personal information or money. If you believe you have been the victim of a scam in which you have suffered financial loss, contact the Ventura Police Department at 805-339-4400. If you have not suffered financial loss and you have not provided any personal information by phone, please report the call to the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP or visit ftc.gov/complaint.
The community is also advised to be aware of additional phone scams that have impacted residents:
IRS Scam: The scammer says money is owed and must be paid immediately by phone.
Edison/Gas Scam: The scammer says money is owed and if not paid immediately the service will be turned off.
Jury Duty Scam: The scammer says money is owed for not showing up to jury duty and if not paid jail time will occur.
Social Security/Medicare Scam: The scammer says they are an officer with the social security office or with Medicare. They say your account has been hacked and then they proceed to ask for personal information.
“Can You Hear Me” Scam: Scammers are calling victims hoping to get them to say the word “yes” during the conversation that’s being recorded. The scammer will later use the recording of the victim saying yes to authorize unwanted charges on the victim’s utility or credit card account.
Text Message Phishing Scam: Scammers are using a new texting scam and spoofing banks’ phone numbers and sending text messages to customers. A spoofed phone number hides the actual number the text is coming from and displays a number from a trusted source, like your bank. The text claims that your debit card has been used to make a purchase and if you do not recognize the transaction, you need to call their fraud prevention helpline. A phone number is provided for you to call. Because the incoming text looks like it’s from your bank, people are falling for this. If you do call the number provided in the text, the fraudster will answer the phone. They will then ask you to confirm your sensitive banking details. This would allow the scammer to steal money from your account.
Grandparent Scam: A scammer poses as a grandchild and claims to be in jail and in need of money for bail. These imposters claim they are in another state or out of the country and need money wired to help bail them out of jail.
