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Black Friday was black smoke

Just after the official start of Black Friday, at 12:40am shoppers at the Pacific View Mall reported seeing active smoke pouring from the roof at Lowe’s Home Improvement store. Active alarms were ringing and employees had yet to start their shift, thus the building was empty at the time of the alarm. First arriving firefighters made access into and on top of the building.

As firefighters made access into the building, the air was clear of smoke. Crews investigated the interior while the truck company and an additional engine company made access to the top of the building via the aerial ladder. Crews on the roof encountered a fully involved heating and air conditioning unit. Flames erupted from the unit, however the roofing material had not completely become involved in fire. The fire was knocked down in approximately 13 minutes keeping the fire contained to the forced air ventilation unit and surrounding area. A thorough inspection made sure that the fire did not spread beyond the ventilation system into the roof structure.

Initial damage estimates were $20K. The building manager arrived on scene and worked with Ventura Fire’s Prevention specialist to ensure a smooth opening for the business in the morning. There are no expected impacts beyond needed repairs to the unit. The building was left in the care of Lowe’s management.

KTLA on site in Ventura covering capsized 16ft vessel with a 65 year old fisherman unaccounted for

On Nov. 11, at 8:40 pm two men were outside of the Ventura Harbor on Friday night lobster fishing when their 15 foot skiff was hit by a 5 foot wave and was overturned outside of the rock groin on Greenock Lane, just adjacent to Marina Park. Both men in their 60’s were fully clothed and attempted to swim to shore. They both became separated as they entered the surf line. A resident on Greenock Lane made contact with one man as he made it to shore, the other mariner was not found and 911 was contacted.

Ventura City Firefighters with the assistance of many agencies responded into the area and began a coordinated search for the missing boater. The last point of contact was determined, and a search commenced– from the shore, in the ocean, on the jetty, and in the air. Ventura Port District, Coast Guard and the Oxnard Fire Department searched the surf line with boats and personal water craft.

Ventura County Copter 9 and Coast Guard Air Helicopter performed a patterned search pattern by air. A group of 6 ocean rescue swimmers deployed from the surf line and performed a coordinated search where the missing man was last seen. They also searched from Greenock Jetty to the Sand Trap (that is adjacent to the north jetty harbor entrance). As one of the Rescue Ocean Swimmers was searching within the surf, he was approached and bumped by a juvenile, 6 foot long– great white shark. No rescuers were injured. All swimming personnel were removed from the search; but air operations, shore search groups, and those searching on watercraft continued.

The vessel had drifted into shore and fractured parts of the boat had scattered onto the beach. The vessel was temporarily secured.

The intense search continued for nearly two and a half hours. Dark conditions, increasing offshore winds, and moderate surf complicated the search. Just before midnight, the incident was turned over to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department and the United States Coast Guard, who has ultimate authority beyond the water line. An extended search will continue through the night and the Ventura County Sheriff’s department will size up the conditions in the morning and will determine how they will proceed.

As of Nov. 23 he has not been located.

From the Harbor Patrol blotter

8:41pm, received a dispatch to a water rescue off Greenock lane, a capsized 16ft vessel with a 65 year old fisherman unaccounted for. Officers responded and began a search for the missing person with Ventura Fire, Oxnard fire, U.S. coast guard and VC sheriff. The call was eventually turned over to VC Sheriff and the U.S. coast guard.

8:00am, continuing the search for the lost fisherman with U.S. coast guard and VC sheriff search and

rescue.

3:30pm, called off the search for the missing fisherman for the day.

The greatest threat facing humanity

Ahead of the historic United Nations conference in Paris on climate change, join the Ventura Sierra Club in a call to immediate action on the greatest threat facing humanity, climate change. November 29, at 1pm, community leaders and local politicians will gather on the steps of Ventura City Hall to demand the transition to 100% clean energy in Ventura County. A colorful brigade of sunflowers will lead the climate march to the E.P. Foster Library Topping Room for a presentation by Dr Nancy Merrick of Ventura, former student of Dr. Jane Goodall on climate change and its impact on Chimpanzees in West Africa.

Does exercise delay Parkinson’s decline?

By Matilda Charles

People who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease might want to reconsider doing strenuous exercise as a means of keeping their physical abilities.

A recent short-term study concluded that normal, frequent movements are better for Parkinson’s patients than working out. The study was funded by some power hitters — the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the National Institutes of Health — and conducted by Parkinson’s research teams at the University of Michigan. Their conclusions bear paying attention to, even though they might seem contrary to logic.

Many Parkinson’s patients begin to reduce the amount of time they spend moving. Whether it’s a walk around the block, doing dishes or strolling the aisles of the grocery store, many prefer to forgo those daily activities to keep from falling or losing balance.

In the four-week study, using 48 participants, researchers looked at the result of non-exercise movement versus exercise activity. They did PET scans of the brain to look at dopamine levels and used questionnaires to learn about the participants’ level of activity and the type they did — daily routines or exercise.

Researchers tested whether a strenuous exercise program such as swimming or aerobics could help with symptoms. The answer: No, it’s the daily, small activities that were protecting motor skills. It’s those routine movements that were linked to fewer motor symptoms, even in those patients with lower dopamine levels.

So, say the researchers, get up and move. Any kind of movement appears to help, as long as it keeps you active and doing your normal, daily tasks.

Reminder: The open enrollment period to sign up or change your Medicare health and drug plan ends

Monday, Dec. 7.

General Magnaplate faces potential federal lawsuit for illegal storm water discharges

The Environmental Defense Center (“EDC”) and Keller Rohrback L.L.P. has notified Ventura global coating company General Magnaplate of EDC’s intent to sue the company for allegedly operating its electroplating facility in violation of the federal Clean Water Act.

The notice letter alleges that the facility is illegally discharging storm water containing pollutants, including zinc and aluminum, into the Santa Clara River, less than two miles from where the River flows into the Pacific Ocean. The Santa Clara River, southern California’s last naturally free-flowing major river, is critical to the communities’ health and recreation, and is home to numerous endangered species.

EDC and Keller Rohrback’s investigation has revealed that, over the past five years, General Magnaplate has apparently continuously violated California’s General Industrial Storm Water Permit (“General Permit”) by discharging iron, zinc, aluminum, and other pollutants in concentrations that are magnitudes above lawful limits.

“General Magnaplate’s ongoing pollution in violation of the Clean Water Act threatens our communities, beach-goers, and the numerous species that rely on this important watershed,” stated Maggie Hall, Staff Attorney at the Environmental Defense Center. “By notifying General Magnaplate of our intent to sue, we hope to force them to clean up their operations and protect the Santa Clara River from polluted runoff.”

The General Permit is intended to protect our state’s waterways from pollution caused by storm water runoff from industrial facilities. Storm water is among the nation’s top sources of water contamination. Electroplating facilities like General Magnaplate are required to collect and analyze storm water samples for iron, zinc, aluminum, and other pollutants.

The Santa Clara River was listed in 2005 as the 10th most endangered U.S. waterway. It also provides crucial aquatic ecosystem functions in the region, including groundwater recharge and riparian habitat. The River is home to as many as 17 species listed as threatened or endangered, and includes critical habitat for many species, including the Santa Ana Sucker, Tidewater Goby, Unarmored Threespine Stickleback, California Red Legged Frog, Arroyo Toad, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, Least Bell’s Vireo, and the Southern California Steelhead.

General Magnaplate has been in operation since 1980, and has global corporate headquarters in New Jersey.

Under the Clean Water Act, potential litigants must send a 60-day notice of intent to sue before lawsuits can be filed alleging that a facility is in violation of the Act. While EDC and Keller Rohrback are committed to pursuing legal remedies if necessary, their hope is that submission of the notice will prompt General Magnaplate to comply with its mandatory permit requirements, thereby protecting water quality, without court intervention.

Submersible dive expedition in the Channel Islands

This boat has been seen in the Ventura Harbor, we asked John Higgins to explain what it is.

“Deep Sub LLC (the cat owner) and the Undersea Voyager Project (owner of a two man submersible) have partnered with The Nature Conservancy and the University of Oregon to accomplish a submersible dive expedition in the Channel Islands. The trip is based out of Ventura Harbor to explore the waters around Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands below 150’. Fantastically, during the ice age 15,000 years ago sea level was 200’ lower, so the islands were bigger and connected by a land bridge. Presumably, the Indians would have moved down to live at the water’s edge; the trip will be using the sub to look for evidence of those Indian encampments. Because the study area is below 150’, the sub is better suited to the mission than scuba divers. Besides looking for Indian history, the sub will be used to explore the undersea geology of the land bridge and historic oil seeps around the islands. The expedition is very grateful for the support of the Ventura Harbor Patrol, Harbormaster and Port.”

John Higgins, Harbormaster

Registration for Corporate Games can start now

by Eric Burton, Ventura Corporate Games Director

Registration officially opens on January 11 for the 2016 Ventura Corporate Games, but you can reserve your spot now! The registration and event selection form — easy to fill, save and send — plus all the essential information for 2016 are now online at www.venturacorporategames.org.

I look forward to welcoming back our family of agencies, businesses and companies that return to “The Games” year after year. These organizations already know the value of Corporate Games to their employees.

But if your organization has never taken part, this is my personal “pitch” and invitation to you to consider joining us for the 2016 Corporate Games to be held from March 19 to May 7.

There are so many reasons why you should make this investment, but here are my top three: participation in Corporate Games will increase employee (1) productivity, (2) teamwork and (3) fitness within your organization.

Over the past 26 years of its existence, I’ve seen 80 to 90 companies come to include participation in Corporate Games as an essential part of their wellness culture each year. And I’ve seen this culture grow from the simple “let’s go out and have fun” to a more profound “let’s get healthy and break down barriers that prevent us from reaching our full potential.”

But, make no mistake, Corporate Games remains the fun way to build your team and provide your employees with the benefits of improved health, efficiency and unity. What better “bottom line” investment can you make in the single most important resource in your company?

I invite you to call me at 658.4738 or contact me at [email protected] to make your commitment early or discuss your possible participation in Corporate Games next year. I look forward to hearing from you.

National Family Volunteer Day celebration in Ventura Nov. 21

When: Saturday, Nov. 21 from 9am – 11am
Where: Ventura City Hall, 501 Poli, front steps

National Family Volunteer Day will be celebrated in the city of Ventura with local families performing Acts of Kindness. As part of the City of Ventura’s 150th anniversary events, Mayor Cheryl Heitmann is asking community members to perform A Million Acts of Kindness.

Volunteer Ventura! is hosting Family Volunteer Day to celebrate the power of families working together, and to help teach children valuable real-life lessons about compassion and caring.

Families will participate in “Kindness Stations” such as:
~  Donating canned/boxed food for FOOD Share, stuffed animals for the Ventura Police Department outreach, or a new, unwrapped toy for Ventura City Fire Department’s Spark of Love Toy Drive
~  Decorating a pebble in our Kindness Rocks station
~  Making a holiday letter/card for one of our deployed servicemen/women
~  Participating in a service scavenger hunt
~  Offering a free cup of coffee to a stranger or to a favorite downtown merchant (thanks to donations provided by Starbucks)

Ventura Commerce and Education Foundation recognizes local teacher

On Oct. 28, the Ventura Commerce and Education Foundation (VCEF) named Mrs. Patricia “Trisha” Lewis, third-grade teacher at Portola Elementary School in Ventura, October’s Teacher of the Month. VCEF board member, Pattie Braga, along with elected representatives and members of the business community, presented Lewis with a plaque to commemorate the award.

Lewis has 30 years of teaching experience and has played an integral role in the development of several key on-campus programs, including the school’s PTA and peer mediation group. Committed to helping her students flourish in the area of technology, Lewis also helped establish a technology committee at Portola Elementary. To supplement her involvement and experience, she attends training workshops on both technology and peer mediation.

“Trisha is a highly experienced teacher, and throughout her career she has maintained an unwavering dedication to providing the best possible education for her students,” said Portola Elementary School’s principal, Robert Ruiz. “She consistently find ways to go above and beyond, and her leadership and innovation make her a tremendous asset to our team.”

All principals and parent-teacher organizations from schools within the Ventura Unified School District are eligible to submit nominations. For more information about the Teacher of the Month program, please contact Pattie Braga, chair of the Teacher Appreciation Committee with the VCEF, at [email protected] or 477-4052.