Category Archives: Featured News

Venturan’s approve all local ballot measures, including tax increase

Matt LaVere is Ventura’s newest City Council member.

Almost 60% of the city’s 65,265 registered voters  took part in the Nov. 8 election. In our last council race, in 2013, roughly 26% of registered voters cast a ballot.

The increased voter turnout was due to the fact that this was the first time residents could vote for City Council in an even year and it also coincided with a presidential election. In 2014, the council asked voters to decide whether they wanted to switch from voting in odd years to voting in even-year elections and Venturan’s said yes.

The council race featured 10 candidates for three seats, which included incumbents Weir and Heitmann. Council member Carl Morehouse did not seek re-election.

City Council Winners:

  • Matt LaVere – 16,607 votes
  • Christy Weir -12,816
  • Cheryl Heitmann -11,469

School Board Winners:

  • Sabrina Rodriquez – 14,121
  • Jackie Moran or Don Wood

 

Sabrena Rodriguez won a Ventura school board seat, but who will fill the second open seat still remains a question. The votes counted for Jackie Moran and Don Wood change every time they are re-counted. The latest tally shows Moran leading by 12 votes (12,357 to 12,342).

Seven candidates ran for the two open seats for the school board.

Measure O, the city’s initiative to raise the sales tax, was approved 58% to 42%. It establishes a ½ cent sales tax increase for 25 years, expected to provide approximately $10,800,000 annually. To alleviate fears that the money will be spent on unapproved items, the measure requires independent audits, and a citizen’s oversight committee.

Attempts at a tax increase failed in 2006 and 2009 but this year’s voters recognized the need for improvement in city services.

Voters easily approved Measure Q, 82% to 18%, which sets term limits for City Councilmembers. The measure states that members can serve three full four-year terms (12-years), but then is not eligible to run for the City Council, or to be appointed to a vacancy, unless a period of four years has elapsed since they last serviced on the City Council.

The passing of Measure N, says that the selection of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor will occur in even-number years following regular City Council elections. It also eliminates the Ventura Unified School District’s election process from the City Charter.

Even though it was very confusing because of several open-space initiatives, Measure P (SOAR) – extending open-space, agriculture, and hillside land use changes only by voter approval until 2050 – easily passed.

The city’s Measure P, which is separate from the county measures, combined the current SOAR (initially approved in 1995) and Hillside Voter Participation Area (initially approved in 2002) and extended it from 2030 to 2050.

Ventura Unified School District’s Measure R, which continued the District’s existing $59 parcel tax for another four years passed, as it did in 2012. The tax is expected to bring in $2.2 million a year.

Measure R would aid in preserving and improving academic programs, including music and art, along with expanding career and technical training.

It also requires an independent citizen’s oversight committee to be formed and all funds are to be spent on neighborhood schools. No money is to be used for administrative salaries or be taken by the state.

 

 

CMHS to host ‘TEDMED Live’ Simulcast Dec. 1 

Community Memorial Health System is sponsoring a free live simulcast of “TEDMED Live 2016,” an annual conference focusing on health and medicine originating from Palm Springs, on Thursday, Dec. 1.

TEDMED Live’s theme is, “What If?” and will be held in four sessions, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the Museum of Ventura County, 100 E. Main St. The intent of the conference has been described as “a gathering of geniuses” that brings together some of the most innovative, thoughtful pioneers of healthcare technology, media and entertainment to learn from one another and mix people from different disciplines and industries to solve big problems in healthcare.

Sessions are:

8 to 10 a.m.: “Fringe” asks if the outer edges of human experience could provide solutions to everyday challenges.

10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: “Audacious” explores the question of what if visionaries ruled the world. In a rapid-fire series of creative, short-form talks, dozens of inspiring health entrepreneurs will share how their ideas and innovations are affecting change in every area of health and medicine.

2 to 3:45 p.m.: “Invisible Threats” explores whether science could expose and confront invisible threats to health.

6 to 8 p.m.: “End Game?” asks, what if people possessed the knowledge to be the architects of their aging and eventual deaths. Science has made significant strides in understanding what happens to our bodies as people age.

Light refreshments will be given and SeaView IPA will provide free blood pressure screenings.

Seating is limited and reservations are required. To register or to learn more information about each session, visit www.cmhshealth.org/tedmed or call Brown Paper Tickets at 800/838-3006.

 

Ventura City Fire Department responds to detached shed structure fire at El Dorado and San Diego Avenue

On Nov.18, at 2:37pm the Ventura City Fire Department responded to a structure fire in a detached shed in the area of El Dorado and San Diego Avenue.  The first arriving fire crew reported smoke and flames and extension into the garage of the adjacent residential home.  Firefighters successfully knocked down the main body of the fire while checking for fire extension in the adjacent home. Although there was some damage to the eves of the adjacent home the fire did not spread any further.

City of Ventura election results:

2016-dcpc-election-resultsCity Council winners:
Matt LaVere-most votes 16,607
Christy Weir -12,816
Cheryl Heitmann – 11,469

School Board winners:
Sabrina Rodriquez- 14,121
Jackie Moran- 9,734

MEASURE “N” – The selection of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor occur in even-number years following regular City Council elections, and eliminate the Ventura Unified School District’s election process from the City Charter, thus making them subject to state law, be approved?    Passed 58.79%

MEASURE “O” – Establish a ½ cent sales tax for 25 years, providing approximately $10,800,000 annually, require independent audits, citizens oversight, and all funds used locally? Passed 57.23%

MEASURE “P” -Extending open-space, agriculture, and hillside land use changes by voter approval to 2050 be approved?    Passed 71.99%

MEASURE “Q” – Term-limits for City Councilmembers to require that after serving three full four-year terms, a City Councilmember is not eligible to run for the City Council or to be appointed to a vacancy unless a period of four years has elapsed since their last service on the City Council, be approved? Passed 81.88%

The winners of the First Annual Ventura Breeze Photo Contest

First place:  James Hart “Eye on Ventura”
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   Second place: Mike Abbrusco “Train Bridge” 

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 Third place:  Sean Green “Busy Bee Café”

Amateur non-professional photographers of all ages were invited to enter their best images celebrating our life in Ventura County. The Ventura County Camera Club judged the entries. Images were judged on artistic merit, originality, composition and technical excellence.

Winners received a one–year free membership in VCCC, their photos printed free at the Image Source in Ventura and a gift-certificate from The Greek Mediterranean Steak and Seafood Restaurant in the Harbor.

The winners of the First Annual Ventura Breeze Photo Contest

The winners of the First Annual Ventura Breeze Photo Contest (in conjunction with The Ventura County Camera Club) have been announced.

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First place:  James Hart “Eye on Ventura”

Second place: Mike Abbrusco “Train Bridge” 
stuff-photo-contest-3rd-sm

Third place:  Sean Green “Busy Bee Café”

Amateur non-professional photographers of all ages were invited to enter their best images celebrating our life in Ventura County. The Ventura County Camera Club judged the entries. Images were judged on artistic merit, originality, composition and technical excellence.

Winners received a one–year free membership in VCCC, their photos printed free at the Image Source in Ventura and a gift-certificate from The Greek Mediterranean Steak and Seafood Restaurant in the Harbor.

 

Public Works Director Tully Clifford, City of Ventura

Public Works Director Tully Clifford answers our questions.
Public Works Director Tully Clifford answers our questions.

What challenges does the City face in protecting Ventura’s rivers, beaches and coastline?

Maintaining Ventura’s beautiful coastline is critical to our economy and quality of life. Our beaches are precious, yet vulnerable, resources that we must protect.

The City of Ventura faces many expensive and complex challenges in keeping our beaches clean and our ocean free of pollution.

As a city that relies 100% on local water resources, water quality is a top priority and as a coastal community we share the cost of cleaning up litter dumped in riverbeds or washed downstream from neighboring inland communities. One of the biggest threats to our water quality is urban runoff that carries bacteria, metal, cigarette butts, motor oil residue, pesticides and pet waste into storm drains that flow into our oceans, rivers and local groundwater without any treatment.

Shoring up our aging storm drain systems is expensive and challenging as there is no utility revenue stream dedicated to this critical infrastructure. That work must be paid for with general fund dollars—dollars also needed to fund police, fire, parks, programs for seniors and youth and other critical services.

Our beachfront Promenade is a major attraction and an integral part of our city.  It serves as a popular pedestrian corridor along the coast and has protected property along the beachfront from erosion.  Built more than 40 years ago, the Promenade requires ongoing repair and investment to maintain it for future generations.

The coastline is also home to the historic Ventura Pier. Originally constructed in 1872, the Pier is the hallmark of our city and a symbol of the region’s rich history and natural resources.   Like the rest of our City’s aging infrastructure, the Pier presents expensive challenges. Last winter, 20-foot high surf, caused damages costing $1.5 million to repair. High surf also erodes the shoreline and Promenade.

Last winter severe wave erosion caused the loss of sand and beach threatening the trees, bike path and promenade. To balance the protection of public improvements with impact to the beach in a way that’s least harmful to the beach, the city provided shoreline protection through an emergency revetment repair project costing $400,000.

The first phase of the Surfers’ Point managed retreat project, completed in 2011, has provided a natural “barrier” from shoreline erosion, in addition to an improved storm drain system, new bike path and parking area. Future phases of the project will be built when additional funding becomes available.

We are a community that treasures our beaches and coastline.  We must decide if we also are a community that will rise to the challenge of protecting this beautiful natural resource and all of the pride it brings to our city.

Learn more at www.cityofventura.net/water/stormwater.

Hear from a woman who taught school before becoming homeless

The dog might need to wait outside if not a dog friendly restaurant. Photo by George Robertson
The dog might need to wait outside if not a dog friendly restaurant. Photo by George Robertson

Take a hungry person to lunch at a participating downtown Ventura restaurant Thursday, Nov 17 10:30 am – 2 pm in recognition of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week: November 12-20.

Meet Thursday., Nov. 17, at 10:30 a.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura, 5654 Ralston.

Hear from a woman who taught school before becoming homeless and lived in the river bottom and the couple who took her to lunch. Hear how their meeting helped lead to her being housed once more. Hear about the many things people who are homeless hunger for besides food – a look in the eye, a friendly smile, a hot shower and clean clothes, a chance to feel normal, the treat of dining out. Learn about homelessness and its root causes.

Then meet the individual you (and a friend, if you like) will get to know over lunch in a comfortable environment at a local restaurant. Many of those who have participated in past years say it was a life-changing experience. National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week comes at a time we are all thinking about what we are thankful for. It is a perfect time to share our compassion with our neighbors who are experiencing homelessness, and work toward a world where no one has to experience Hunger and Homelessness.

To eradicate homelessness, we must take action that has an impact on its causes. Come meet someone who is experiencing homelessness. Learn what you can do to improve policy, help service providers, and be an important part of the solution.

Come back to the UU Church for a follow-up session on Tuesday, Nov. 22, at 9:30. It’s a chance to reflect on your experience, share with others who participated, and learn more about what you can do to be part of the solution.

Sponsored by Lift Up Your Voice, a ministry of the UU Church of Ventura.

Scores of dancing un-dead performed at Ventura Harbor Village as part of a worldwide record attempt

Photo by Richard Lieberman

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the release of Michael Jackson’s iconic “Thriller” album and video. On Oct. 26, thousands of dancing zombies across the globe took to the streets in unison in an attempt to break simultaneous worldwide Thriller dance records and gather donations for charity. In Ventura, scores of dancing un-dead performed at the Ventura Harbor Village as part of this worldwide record attempt.