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Vol. 12, No. 13 – Mar 27 – Apr 9, 2019 – Events

Events by Ana Baker

Ventura Poinsettia Dance Club Monday nights 7:30 – 9:45 p.m. Poinsettia Pavilion. Ballroom, swing, Latin and line dancing. $10 members, $12 non-members. Free dance lessons 6:45 – 7:15p.m. Call Rick 805- 415-8842 for more information.

There will be a regular Ventura Discussion Group meeting at Main Street Restaurant 3159 Main St., Wednesday from 4 – 5:45 p.m. Several people usually stay for a drink and a bite to eat afterward. Bring an interesting topic to discuss if you can.

Ventura’s ACBL Duplicate Bridge Club offers games for all levels of play.  Learn the game, play with your peers, and earn master points while you are having fun.  There is a game every day of the week.  Check out their website at www.vcbridge.org

Country Western Line Dancing every Tuesday 7 – 9 p.m. Instruction every night. Located at the Moose lodge, 10269 Telephone Road. More information at countrylovers.com.

Cross Town Hikers join in on Wednesday nights for a moderate-paced hike that includes views of Ventura from the cross, a walk out to the end of the pier, and a stroll along the Promenade back to the Museum. Four miles with an 800-foot elevation gain. Meet at 7 p.m. at the fountain across the street from the Mission. https://www.facebook.com/groups/800215670039426/

The Ventura Investment Group meet on Mondays for an informal discussion of recent economic events.   The meeting is from 10 – 11:30 a.m. at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at Telephone Road and Main Street.  Visitors and potential members are welcomed.  There are no dues or requirements to participate, and all levels of experience are welcomed.

Musicians’ Sober Support Meetup @ FIND (A Friend in Deed) every Monday night 7-9 p.m. Bring acoustic instrument(s) for jamming after sharing support for sobriety. Bell Arts-Studio 39-432 Ventura Ave. For further information [email protected].

The Ventura County Philatelic Society meet on the first and third Mondays each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Church of the Foothills, 6279 Foothill Rd. Admission and parking are free. Contact Bill Garner (805) 320-1601 or [email protected].

Mended Hearts of Ventura. Come share if you have had heart surgery or stent implant. Group meets the first Tuesday each month at Lemon Wood Mobile Park, 850 Johnson Dr. They have excellent speakers, leading cardiologists, nutritionists, dietitians from our area. Contact Richard Hatcher at 805-644-2733.

Co-Dependents Anonymous (CoDa) is a 12-step fellowship of men and women whose common purpose is recovery from codependence in the development and maintenance of healthy relationships. Every Friday at 6 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 5654 Ralston (enter through side door off parking lot). Further information Deva 805-814-5650 or Maryann

The Ventura Retired Men’s group meets on the first and third Tuesday each month at 11:30 a.m. at the Elks lodge on Knoll Drive in Ventura. Drop by to introduce yourself and we’ll treat you to lunch so you can sample our activities and banter and hear our program/speaker of the day. Got a question? Call Bob Likins at 805-587-1233.

BCNN (Beach Cities Neighbors and Newcomers) is a women’s club open to ladies who reside in Ventura, Oxnard and Port Hueneme. A purely social club to provide a venue by which women in our area can meet each other. You can see a listing of some of activities at http://www.bcnnwomensclub.org/.

On the 1st Wednesday of each month from 9:30 – 11 a.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 36 Figueroa St. Parking is on Santa Clara Avenue. dues are $30 per year. April 3rd speaker, Kurt Buckley, will present “My Comino”. He will introduce the audience to the Camino de Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

March 27: The College Area Community Council will meet on Wednesday, at 7 p.m. Bruce Kuebler, from the Ventura River Water District, will discuss proposed efforts to resolve the dispute over the Ventura River. Representatives from Ventura College and the police department will attend. The Council meets in the Wright Event Center at 57 Day Rd. Free parking is available adjacent to the Event Center. Call (805) 644-8695 for more information.

April 6: Ventura County physician Dr. Megan Mescher-Cox, is inviting the public to join her on a leisurely “Walk with a Doc” to give people a chance to exercise and enjoy some free health tips. The walk is part of the international Walk with A Doc program, which gets people exercising in a fun way while learning ways to improve their health. Will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday at the Ventura Pier boardwalk (alternatively at the Pacific View Mall in inclement weather.) It is for one hour and is free. For more information about the local walk, call 805-988-2821. Visit https://walkwithadoc.org.

April 6: City of Ventura Free Gardening Class. Integrated Pest Management and Beneficial Insects: It’s a bug-eat-bug world. Learn how to control pests with beneficial insects in your landscape. Saturday from 10 -11:30 a.m. Avenue Adult Center 550 N. Ventura Ave. RSVP at www.venturawater.net

April 7: Old-Time Country Bluegrass Gospel Music Assoc. meeting on Sunday from 2-4 p.m. at the Poinsettia Pavilion, 3451 Foothill Rd. Free admission, music on stage and jamming. Free parking. Open to Public. For more information call,805-517-1131 or visit Facebook: OTCBGMA .

April 7: The 1892 Dudley Historic House Museum will be open for docent-led tours from 1 – 4 p.m. A timeline photo display of Ventura’s history beginning in 1866, featuring over 100 period photographs originally assembled for the City’s 150th anniversary in 2016 will be featured.  Admission is free.  197 N. Ashwood .  For information please call (805) 642-3345 or visit www.dudleyhouse.org.

April 7: The public is invited to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura for a free presentation exploring the Mixtec language, people & culture on Sunday, from 11:30 – 12:30 p.m. Presentation will be given by Mixtec Language Instructor Silvia Ventura Luna, MA, Cal State University Channel Islands – Department of Global Languages and Cultures. The Mixtec have flourished for thousands of years and regarded as among the most advanced societies in pre-Columbian America.  Admission free. Free parking available at the church at 5654 Ralston Street, with overflow parking available at the “City Center” parking lot, next door at 5700 Ralston St.

April 10: The Ventura County Camera Club will hold a meeting on Wednesday, at 6:30 p.m. at the Poinsettia Pavilion. The first part of the meeting will be an instructional workshop followed by the showing of member images. A professional photographer from the area will critique member’s prints and digital images. Anyone with an interest in photography is welcome and admission is free. For more information about the club call 805-908-5663 or WWW.VenturaCountyCameraClub.com.

April 11: from 11:30 – 1PM Ventura Holistic Chamber of Commerce will be hosting their monthly Chapter Meeting. This month’s topic is “3 Common Mistakes When Writing Your Website and Other Marketing Materials”. At The Greek Mediterranean Restaurant in the Harbor. There is a $12 fee which includes lunch , beverage and gratuity. Please come a bit early to network and be sure to bring plenty of business cards. RSVP by contacting Julie Ridenour, Chapter President, (805) 223-1207.

April 13: 10 – 3p.m. Ventura Friends of the Library will hold a Bag o’Books Book Sale at the Vons at Telegraph and Victoria (6040 Telegraph Rd.) Members of Ventura Friends of the Library can take home a bag of books for $1. Non-members the price is $3 a bag. Contact Mary Olson (805) 223-1187.

April 27:   TLC Preschool Yard Sale and Pancake Breakfast, 196 N. Ashwood Avenue.

Saturday, 8:00AM – noon. Free to attend.

$5.00 Pancake Breakfast – Pancakes, Sausages, Strawberries

Yard sale includes furnishings/household items/children’s items/clothing/outdoor items.

All proceeds benefitting Trinity Lutheran Church Preschool.

May 3-5: ACBL’s Nationally Sanctioned Sectional Duplicate Bridge Tourney returns to Ventura’s Crosspointe Church Ventura, 5415 Ralston St.  Earn Silver Master Points, 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. sessions. Lots of food and fun.  For more information contact Josh Rosenbluth, [email protected].

Audubon events

April 6, 9 a.m. Work Day Hedrick Ranch Nature Area (HRNA) Spring Clean Up
Leader: Sandy Hedrick 805-340-0478
Arrive at 8:00 for self-guided birding which usually yields some interesting birds. This will be our Spring Clean Up we will work from 9am – noon. Long pants and boots or closed shoes are required. Bring water, gloves & sun protection.

April 9, 7:30 pm VAS Monthly Program: Feathers And Flight: A Journey To The New World Tropics
Presented by Benny Isaac Jacobs-Schwartz at the Poinsettia Pavillion – 3451 Foothill Road, Ventura (Free to the Public)
Benny will share his dazzling photos, videos, and animated story-telling to bring a slice of the tropics to California. This media-rich journey will highlight some of the fascinating and unique birds that inhabit the new-world tropics.

April 14, 7:45 a.m. Matilija Creek
Leader: Jesse Grantham [email protected], 805-746-0975
This will be a combined walk with CVAS. Call or email for directions..

April 20, 8:00 a.m. Fillmore Fish Hatchery/Lake Piru
Leader: Tevin Schmitt 661-904-1563
At the Fillmore Fish Hatchery there are many herons/egrets and ducks outside the cages so we will be close to the birds. Then we will carpool to Lake Piru, a reservoir located in the Los Padres Forest, stopping along the way as we see birds.

April 23, 8:30 a.m. Ventura Wildlife Ponds
Leader: Adele Fergusson 805-415-4304
Enjoy a morning of mostly waterfowl birding. Spotting scopes are always welcome.

Vol. 12, No. 13 – Mar 27 – Apr 9, 2019 – Ojai News & Events

BiJian Fan will visit the Ojai Library at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9, to deliver a workshop titled “Words Count in Math.” Dr. Fan teaches math at CSU Channel Islands.

Why does math trouble so many children? It’s the language.

This workshop will address this linguistic hindrance and offer parents remedies to give children a leg-up in arithmetic development.

At 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 30, the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom(WILPF) will visit the Ojai Library to host a screening of the 2004 documentary Peace One Day. The screening will be accompanied by group discussion.

Activist and filmmaker Jeremy Gilley saw the benefits that just one day of global cease fire could bring, from the possibility of dialogue to the safe delivery of humanitarian aid, and this documentary follows his passionate quest to bring that vision to life.

Associate Professor of English Sean Carswell will visit the Ojai Library at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, to deliver a presentation titled “Fresh Eyes on the Femme Fatale.” Carswell is from CSU Channel Islands (CI) as part of this season’s CI Library Lecture Series.

This talk will examine the femmes fatale of classic crime writers like Raymond Chandler, James M. Cain, Chester Himes, and others as a way of seeing what these characters can teach us about gender, power, and the ever-prevalent male gaze.

CSU Channel Islands hosts dozens of free public lectures at libraries throughout Ventura County as part of this program. The lecturers are experts from numerous departments at CI, including Biology, History, English, Computer Science, Political Science, Performing Arts, and Sociology to name a few.

The Ojai Library is located at 111 East Ojai Avenue. Hours of service are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

The Ojai Valley Green Coalition is proud to host the 2019 Ojai Earth Day at Libbey Park on April 20, 2019 from 11am-4pm. The Park offers a beautiful setting perfect for this fun, informative, family-friendly community celebration.

After a year of recovery from the Thomas Fire the local residents are – now more than ever – looking to improve their way of interfacing with the natural environment. The Ojai Earth Day Festival is an ideal way for continuing the conversation about advancing a green, sustainable, and resilient way of life. Just as last year, there will be a variety of engaging interactive activities, demonstrations, dynamic speakers, talented performers, environmentally-friendly exhibitors, and non-profits sharing information about living with a lighter, more compassionate footprint.

Composer/Songwriter Ray Powers, who created Valley of the Moon Suite to honor the Ojai Valley’s gift of incredible nature, will be opening the Stage lineup with his gentle native flute compositions, followed by an opening ceremony by Chumash Elder Julie Tumamait-Stenslie. Then throughout the day there will be a variety of musical performances in between a series of expert speakers.

Special Olympics Southern California have partnered with Villanova Preparatory School to provide an opportunity for Special Olympics Athletics (SOSC) and Swim teams across all of Ventura County to participate in a scrimmage event where they can experience a competition atmosphere in a practice environment. This allows SOSC to record true performance standards for each athlete before they move on to compete in official competitions over the next few months.

The scrimmage event will be at Villanova Preparatory School, located at 12096 North Ventura Avenue, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. This event is open to the public.

 

Wild Winter Worries

by Kevin O’Connor

Meteorologists say much of this strange weather moving south was the result of a polar vortex.  Despite the many negative impacts typically associated with this recent polar vortex, the record-breaking cold may have killed some harmful, invasive species, according to a press release by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA).

“While most insects will be equipped to survive a short period of very cold weather, like the recent polar vortex, it’s likely some will die from this extreme weather event,” said Dr. Brittany Campbell, entomologist with the NPMA.

According to a Virginia Tech research experiment, the polar vortex may have killed as many as 95 percent of the stink bugs that hadn’t found warm shelter this winter.  Pests in regions of the country that typically do not experience extremely low temperatures will most likely be impacted the most, Dr. Campbell said.

Pests in these areas are least equipped with physiological and behavioral adaptations to survive the cold. Diapause, a period of inactivity for insects, may have come early in regions of the country that commonly experience winter temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

During diapause, insects that are adapted to regions with typical cold winters undergo physiological changes that allow them to withstand low temperatures. The insects may also have sought shelter, insulating them from cold air.  Perhaps these bugs decided to find shelter in your house!  Not good.

According to Campbell, some insects are able to withstand temperatures even below zero F, with the limit for many insects that can “super freeze” being typically around minus 30 F.  “That said, we won’t be entirely certain of the impacts until spring occurs,” Campbell admitted.

Despite some bugs’ ability to survive short periods of cold weather, sustained frigid conditions, like those brought about from the most recent polar vortex, could be effective at killing off even some well-prepared pests.

The entomologist with the NPMA explained further that, “in addition to the effect of extremely cold weather on pests themselves, damage to plants and other animals can also disrupt food supplies for insects in the spring and summer, driving them indoors.”  As I said above, “indoors” could mean into your abode.

“Ah,” said Mr. Stinkbug, “this is a nice cozy warm house.  I think my family will enjoy wintering it out here during the polar vortex.  I wonder if these humans have a jacuzzi?”

Our expert technicians at O’Connor Pest Control are reliable and well experienced to ensure your home’s safety from pest of all kinds. Call us and we will keep the bugs away from your family!

Call 1-800-284-7985   www.oconnorpest.com

Ethan McKinley selected as Channel Islands National Park Superintendent

McKinley has more than 12 years’ experience with the National Park Service.

The National Park Service has selected Ethan McKinley to serve as the next superintendent of Channel Islands National Park. McKinley has been serving as the park’s acting superintendent since July, following the June retirement of Superintendent Russell Galipeau.

“Ethan is one of the few National Park Service superintendents who has experience building a new national park from the ground up,” said Stan Austin, regional director for the National Park Service’s Pacific West Region. “With this unique perspective and his passion for building strong relationships with community stakeholders, I am confident he is the right fit for Channel Islands.”

McKinley has more than 12 years’ experience with the National Park Service. He comes to Channel Islands National Park from First State National Historical Park in Delaware, where he has been the superintendent since 2015.

“I am fascinated by the rich diversity of wildlife and human history represented within Channel Islands National Park,” said McKinley. “The Islands and their surrounding waters constitute a world class resource just off the coast of southern California, cared for by a tireless and dedicated staff. I am honored to have the opportunity to continue the significant work started by my predecessors, and to contribute to the continued stewardship and public enjoyment of this spectacular park.”

Prior to First State National Historical Park, McKinley served as the National Park Service Northeast Region’s Chief of Commercial Services. He has also worked at Mount Rainier National Park, Yosemite National Park, Glacier National Park in Montana and Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania. He got his start with the agency as a Student Conservation Association intern in 2006.

Ethan McKinley grew up in Littleton, Colorado and has a bachelor’s degree in international business and French from the University of Denver. Ethan is married to Zoe McKinley and has a bulldog named Blue. He is an Eagle Scout and takes any opportunity to play in the great outdoors (hiking, camping, mountain and road biking, climbing, and mountaineering), frequently exploring national parks in his free time. He is a self-professed history buff and enjoys photography.

Channel Islands National Park encompasses five remarkable islands and their ocean environment, preserving and protecting a wealth of natural and cultural resources. Isolation over thousands of years has created unique animals, plants, and archeological resources found nowhere else on Earth and helped preserve a place where visitors can experience coastal southern California as it once was. For information about the park visit: https://www.nps.gov/ChannelIslands.

Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshals and Irish Belle announced

Kaylie Pendleton, this year’s Irish Belle for the County Ventura St. Patrick’s with Councilmember Erik Nasarenko.

Grand marshals of yesteryear will return to lead the 31st annual County Ventura St. Patrick’s Day Parade, on Saturday, March 16, in downtown Ventura. The parade theme is “Memories of the Past.”

The contingent of grand marshals will be led by parade founder and former Ventura Mayor and Councilman Jim Monahan, who was previously grand marshal in 2008.

The whole county will turn out green for the parade, which starts at 10 a.m. at the San Buenaventura Mission on Main Street. The parades includes floats sponsored by civic groups, nonprofits and local businesses; high school marching bands and other local bands; car clubs; horses; clowns; and the Biggest Green Pig in the World, which will again be out in its full glory. There also will be dance groups, youth groups, fun-loving adult groups and other teams entered in the parade.

While this is a fun event for parade entrants, they’re also out there competing for the prized trophies that are presented at the end of the route, on the stage at Main and Chestnut. About 20 trophies, including the historic Arnold Hubbard Best in Parade Trophy, are presented to the winners.

High school senior Kaylie Pendleton of Ventura has been selected to serve as this year’s Irish Belle for the Parade.

The parade’s eighth Irish Belle, Pendleton will attend promotional activities supporting the event. Accompanying her in a separate convertible will be her court: Carly Hansen from Buena High and Annika Kinnaman from Foothill High.

A senior at El Camino High, Pendleton will graduate with not only her high school diploma but her associate degree from Ventura Community College. She is “a very strong student,” El Camino Principal Cheryl Burns said of Pendleton, who has been on the El Camino principal’s honor roll every semester of high school.

Pendleton is active in her community and believes in the power of giving to others. Among the many community art projects in which she’s been involved is the “Havana to Ventura” mural in downtown Ventura, which she helped paint alongside Cuban artist Pedro Pulido and local artist and art teacher MB Hanrahan. In 2016, Pendleton won the Ventura Mayor’s Arts Award for Student Artist of the Year. She has also traveled to Romania to help with children’s literacy and assisted with an outdoor adventure camp for children. She will attend Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, Oregon; with her two-year degree already in hand, she plans to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in two years.

Parade entrants begin to line up at 8 a.m. in the Museum of Ventura County parking lot; the community is welcome to meander down there before the parade. The blessing of the parade by Father Tom Elewaut from the San Buenaventura Mission will begin the parade at 10 a.m.

The County Ventura St. Patrick’s Day Parade is presented by the Ventura Elks Lodge No. 1430. For more information about the parade, visit www.venturastpatricksdayparade.com, email Jim Monahan at [email protected] or email Nan Drake at [email protected] parade is presented by Elks Lodge No. 1430. Parade entries will be accepted until March 7; to register, visit venturastpatricksdayparade.com. For more information, contact Jim Monahan at [email protected] or 805-643-4275; or Tim O’Neil at [email protected] or 805-320-3181.

Ventura Music Festival announces 2019 Honorees

Betsy Chess is honored by Music Festival for outstanding contributions to arts and community.

The Board of the Ventura Music Festival is very pleased to announce its 2019 Honorees for Outstanding Contributions to the Arts and Community. The new honorees are a prominent citizen and a prominent company, respectively: Elizabeth (Betsy) Blanchard Chess, for outstanding individual contribution, and Limoneira, for corporate contribution.

“Betsy has a unique talent for combining service and leadership,” said Susan Scott, Executive Director of the Ventura Music Festival. “She has demonstrated it time and again and the list of cultural beneficiaries alone includes the New West Symphony, the Museum of Ventura County, the San Buenaventura Foundation for the Arts and the Ventura Music Festival. She gives a lot of both time and treasure to Rotary, Church and many other good things.”

“As to Limoneira,” continued Scott, “this 125-year-old Santa Paula-based company has contributed over $2.5 million in the past ten years alone to a wide range of community groups for projects in education, health, human services, arts, culture and other areas – all with the goal of enhancing community and quality of life. Founded in 1893, Limoneira today is a global agribusiness and real estate investor and a local employer of unique importance.”

The 2019 VMF Honorees will be honored with a video, dinner and live music performance at the annual VMF Honoree Awards and Cabaret Fundraiser on Thursday, April 11th at the Ventura Beach Marriott.

Ventura Unified School District appoints new superintendent

Dr. Rice has a proven track record of working with and for all students.

The Board of Education is pleased to announce their unanimous vote to appoint Dr Roger Rice as the new Superintendent of Ventura Unified School District (VUSD). Dr Rice, who currently serves as the Deputy Superintendent of Student Services for the Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE), comes to the district with a wealth of knowledge and skills he will use to further VUSD’s commitment “For the Future of Every Student.”

The community was very clear in their request that the new Superintendent be someone who will advocate for all students, who has experience working with at-risk and marginalized youth, and who will effectively communicate with our students, staff and community. When considering whether to spend several months and thousands of dollars conducting its third search in four years, the Board agreed to look first at local candidates with a proven track record of working with and for all students. Dr Rice immediately came to mind — having been a highly regarded finalist in the previous Superintendent search.

Dr Roger Rice, who has a distinguished career of more than 20 years of service to Ventura County youth, has worked to develop and support innovative programs for Alternative Education, Career and Technical Education (CTE), Special Education, and other programs to meet the needs of At-Risk Youth. Dr Rice served as the Chair of the State of California’s Student Services Group. In addition, he was selected as the County Education Leader of the Year for 2018 by the Ventura County Leadership Academy. Dr Rice has worked as a Classroom Teacher, Dean, Principal, Assistant Superintendent of Oxnard Union High School District and Deputy Superintendent of VCOE. He holds a BA in English from Colorado State University, Masters in Education from Azusa Pacific University, and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Southern California.

Dr Rice brings experience and a passion for helping students with both their academic and social/emo- tional needs. He has demonstrated himself to be a conscientious, collaborative leader who has invested in his own professional training on issues that directly impact students — cultural proficiency, equity and access, IDEA training, creating professional learning communities, restorative practices and more.

Dr Rice’s first day with Ventura Unified will be Friday, March 1st. Dr Jeff Baarstad, retired Superinten- dent of Conejo Valley Unified School District, has agreed to serve as Interim Superintendent until that time. Dr Baarstad will work closely with Executive Cabinet, the District Leadership Team, Dr Rice and the Board to ensure that all students and staff have the support they need to be successful during the transition. Our sincere goal is to regain the stability of our District and to remain focused on supporting our students and staff moving forward.

The Board would like to acknowledge and thank Dr Jeff Davis, Assistant Superintendent of Human Re- sources, who has admirably served as Interim Superintendent since December 22nd, and will remain in that role until Monday, January 14th. Dr Davis is a highly valued member of our Executive Cabinet. He worked with staff during the Winter Break to ensure consistent services to our schools, and reassured the community that Ventura Unified remains committed to the needs of all our students.

Dr Rice looks forward to working with staff, students and the community to build a bright future for every student in Ventura Unified.

CONTACTS:

Dr Roger Rice, Superintendent (Appointed) : [email protected]

Dr Jeff Davis, Interim Superintendent : [email protected]

Ms Sabrena Rodriguez, Board President: [email protected]

The addition to the Emergency Department at the county hospital has opened.

Cutting the ribbon were all members of Seaside Emergency Associates, staff and friends. Photo by Bernie Goldstein

After 1 1/2 years of renovation, and 1 1/2 years after the opening of the North Tower at Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC), the new addition to the Emergency Department at the county hospital has opened. Celebrated on Thursday, February 28th, with a ribbon cutting hosted by Seaside Emergency Associates — which oversees both VCMC’s emergency department and Santa Paula Hospital’s — the enthusiastic attendees didn’t let the rain dampen their spirits. Almost 100 invited guests gathered under a tent to hear from VCMC CEO Kim Milstien, Dr. Marty Ehrlich, and County Executive Officer Mike Powers, on how the updated ED will better serve the community it’s been serving for 100 years.

Twelve new patient exam rooms were added, making the total room count 34. That count includes seven triage bays, four observation rooms and one eye exam room. Also included in the renovation is a waiting room triple the size of the previous waiting room, lab space for dedicated point of care testing, dedicated rapid care space, a patient quiet room for families, new department nurse manager’s office and a staff conference room. In all, the new space added an additional 12,000 square feet.

Seaside Emergency Associates, members of the Ventura Chamber of Commerce, had their assistance in bringing the ribbon cutting ceremony to fruition. Cutting the ribbon were all members of Seaside Emergency Associates: Drs. Jeffrey Robinson, Marty Ehrlich, Scott Speier, Ted Mandryk, Rick Rutherford and Rich Cegelski, County Executive Officer Mike Powers, VCMC CEO Kim Milstien, County Supervisors Kelly Long, Linda Parks, John Zaragoza and Robert O. Huber, Health Care Agency leadership, including Director Bill Foley, Deputy Director Matt Sandova,Ventura Mayor Matt LaVere, hospital medical staff, including trauma surgeons and nurses.

Ventura County Medical Center was awarded the designation as the west county’s Level II Trauma Center in 2011, and is dedicated to providing the most effective, efficient trauma care to the critically injured patient in Ventura County.

Red Cross: Severe shortage of type O blood

The American Red Cross has a severe shortage of type O blood and urges type O donors – as well as eligible blood and platelet donors of all blood types – to give now to ensure lifesaving patient care isn’t impacted this winter.

Type O blood is the most in-demand blood type, helping patients facing life-threatening conditions and emergencies every day. Type O negative blood can be transfused to patients with any blood type and is what emergency room personnel reach for when there’s no time to determine a patient’s blood type. Type O positive blood is also especially needed because it is the most transfused blood type and can be given to Rh-positive patients of any blood type.

Having a readily available blood supply is critical for patients like Luna Giles, who at the age of 1 1/2 has already underwent two heart surgeries and required over a dozen transfusions.

Right now, the Red Cross has less than a three-day supply of most blood types, and blood products are being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in. Recent snowstorms and severe weather in many parts of the country have forced hundreds of blood drive cancellations, causing more than 20,000 blood and platelet donations to go uncollected.

Individuals of all blood types – especially type O – are asked to make an appointment to donate blood or platelets by downloading the free American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Upcoming blood donation opportunities Feb. 25-March 31

  • 3/14/2019: 8:15 a.m. – 2:15 p.m., Ventura High School, 2 North Catalina
  • 3/18/2019: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Ventura College, 4667 Telegraph Road
  • 3/18/2019: 2 p.m. – 8 p.m., Ventura College, 4667 Telegraph Road
  • 3/19/2019: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Knights of Columbus, 36 S. Figueroa St.

How to donate blood:

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.