Letters to the Editor

Proposed Logging in the Los Padres Forest is Unacceptable.

As a life-long resident of Ventura County I realize how lucky I am to live between the ocean, two rivers and our majestic mountains in the Los Padres National Forest. Many local residents enjoy recreating in the Los Padres at Pine Mountain, Mount Pinos, and other wild areas.

The US Forest Service is currently proposing the removal of thousands of trees and old growth vegetation at four locations in our backcountry; an area that totals over eight square miles. The Forest Service argues that this project will improve wildland health and improve fire safety for forest-adjacent communities. I object because this plan goes far beyond those goals. 

Forest scientists tell us that removal of trees and native vegetation increases solar access to the forest floor creating drier conditions and increasing the presence of non-native grasses. These grasses dry out earlier in the year and are much more flammable than native chaparral.

We must reject ineffective forest vegetation removal projects that diminish critical carbon storage in our forest and instead invest resources into hardening wildland-adjacent homes to withstand ember casts. There are simple, inexpensive ways that homeowners can prepare their homes for wildfire: clearing combustibles within the first five feet of structures and native plantings. Advanced vent covers are more costly, but worth the investment to prevent embers from invading attics and crawl spaces, the main cause of losses during the Thomas Fire.

The Forest Service should focus their efforts near population centers, not in the middle of the wilderness. We need to work from the home out rather than from the forest in. This has proven to be the best strategy for protecting communities as well as our native ecosystems.

Kathy Bremer

Never try to tell everything you know. It may take too short a time.
~ Norman Ford

Breeze:

I was visiting from Las Vegas and parked in the parking structure by the beach. It is in deplorable condition. Needs painting, cleaning up and repair. This does not give a very good impression of your wonderful city.

Thanks
Larry Dote

Ventura Highway by Jeff Russell

A coastal Dawn is a Pacific view,
The morning breeze that leads home,
Where an ocean highway turns while it drops,
A 101 route is there to survey the tide.
As we cruise north in the right lane,
The charm of four wheels turns heads,
The only car with a nostalgic view,
Is my top-down Mustang ride with you.

A man must have a certain amount of intelligent ignorance to get anywhere.
~ Charles Kettering

Hi Sheldon, 

I would like to inform you that there is a human version of Ivermectin. (from one of Sheldon’s previous articles “Speaking of things funny, some folks who are against getting COVID vaccines, are attempting to obtain over-the-counter ivermectin to prevent COVID, which is used to de-worm horses and cows.”)

My brother came down with Covid and was prescribed Ivermectin by his medical doctor. He proceeded to follow all his doctor’s instructions and has thankfully fully recovered from Covid. I just didn’t want you to not have incomplete information and just go by what you are hearing that Ivermectin is just for animals.

Thank you for being a big supporter of women making their own person decisions, including what vaccinations to put into their bodies. 

And finally, thank you for the beautiful tribute to Suz Montgomery. Her passing has left a deep void in our community, and she will be greatly missed. 

Kathy Thomson

Note: Please do not take Ivermectin without first obtaining approval from a qualified medical professional.

Greetings

It was meant to be. Moved to Ventura in April but it was my first stop at Peet’s cafe today. I saw this paper (The Breeze), and the first time I heard about New West Symphony. 

Did some research and voila, I just got my subscription confirmed. 

Thanks for the article!

Best, Brigitte Zeilinger

Dear Sheldon

The article regarding the life of Suz Montgomery was outstanding. The contributors to the article did an amazing job of describing Suz. Some of the descriptions of her were so on point; passionate, force of nature, committed, fearless advocate, etc.
Suz was a friend and the loss of this remarkable woman will have a definite impact on our community. I had the great pleasure to appear several times on Schmooze With Suz. There were never any “gotcha  questions”, just an interviewer working to bring out important information regarding the role of the Ventura County Probation Agency as an element of the criminal justice system. It was always a joy to be around Suz.  Her honesty, integrity and service to our community were truly refreshing

Alan Hammerand

I got an A in philosophy because I proved that my professor didn’t exist.
~ Judy Tenuta

Editor:

Conserving water is not enough to fend off our impending crisis. You can empty a bucket with an eye-dropper or kick it over, either way, it will stay empty if there is no water to refill it and the County of Ventura is doing nothing to create a new supply of potable water. All they are doing is praying for rain.

As a boots-on-the-ground, lifelong, environmentalist, I never liked the idea of desalinating ocean water, but then, I never expected the Climate Crisis to grow as rapidly as it has, so I have changed my mind on the subject. Desalinization needs to start now. I know it can be expensive and can have negative impacts on the environment if not controlled but what is the expense and environmental impact if we run out of water? If you hated seeing people fighting over a roll of toilet paper, wait till you see what they will do over a bottle of water.

Ventura County could easily follow the lead of the plants in Carlsbad and soon-to-be Huntington Beach which are designed to produce over 50 million gallons of drinking water per day. Both projects were developed in partnership with Posiedon Water who are always looking for new projects to start. Posiedon works on a Public-Private Partnership model where they play a lead role in identifying and optimizing the allocation of risk among all parties, thus mitigating some of the county’s need for research while lowering the upfront cost of such a project.

Respectfully,
John Darling-Ventura

Advice is given freely because so much of it is worthless.
~ James Geary

Hello Sheldon,

I follow your column each week but was saddened to read your insensitivity when you commented on Phil Valentine’s death with ” At least he won’t have a heart attack or paralysis.” I thought we were above that, that’s what they do, put down others, not us. This saddened me.
Hope your day is better.
Each new day is an opportunity to think better.

H. Olson

Olson:
Looking back at it I completely agree with you it was insensitive. I’ll try to do better.
Sheldon

Breeze:

Just thinking about the two little ——— who burned up the school: I wonder if it would be possible to put them to work with the crew rebuilding it? Maybe a few months of slave labor would give them a fresh perspective (I believe they’d have to be paid, but the money could go into a victim’s relief fund). They’d actually learn a trade, too. Or they’d get hurt on the job and sue the city for millions. What do I know?

Alfred Lewis

Dear Ventura County Elections Division:

It is very frustrating to discover that the Mail-in Recall ballot for Governor is folded in half when you get it through the mail, and that the NO bubble is below the fold so you do not see it until you open the ballot all the way. This favors the YES bubble.

I have also been told by friends that when you order a replacement ballot, the YES and NO bubbles are both visible at the same time.

This puts the integrity of the election for me out of bounds. I call for a new statewide recall ballot with equal visibility and access to YES and NO positions.

Robert Chianese

Ventura, CA

Opinion:

While waiting in line at the pharmacy for my medications, a number of thoughts came to me. I wonder if others have had similar thoughts. As a Type II diabetic its hard for me to find things to eat on the menu of most restaurants. With more and more people coming down with Diabetes II Maybe someone should make a restaurant that deals with low or no sugar dishes–with disserts what our requirements permit. I must admit I get rather tired of salads all the time.

There are enough people with this condition to make it a going concern. Such a business my also cater to dieters as well as those of us with restrictions.

Richard Senate

Are you an amateur cartoonist? Send your cartoon to [email protected].

Anywhere is walking distance if you’ve got the time.
~ Steven Wright

Folks:

San Buenaventura could run out of water. Really. We have only local supplies to rely on and they are very low and dependent on fall and winter rains (in 2021-22) for real re-supply. We need lots of rain to fill our lake, river, streams and aquifers.Will they come? If you think this is just a severe drought, you might think so. If you think climate change has shifted water and air currents in new, possibly permanent directions, steering rain away from us, then no.

As we fret over the size and height and the number of new housing units in our city, we need to ask where will the water come from to supply these new residents? We are told the new buildings are more efficient users of water, but what water? Obviously water we existing residents depend on. We are soon going to feel the squeeze of new water restrictions, based on diminishing local supplies and the impact of thousands of new local residents in the new housing buildings.  

How do we get the public and our City Council and Planning Commission and staff members and local elected to stop developing new housing until we have adequate water to support it and keep existing residents supplied with what we need? Our slow or stubborn response to these environmental realities could hurt us locally and globally.

We must petition our local government to develop only what we have water to support, based not on historical models but new environmental realities facing us every day.

Bob Chianese

Editor:

On the topic of the feral cat problem throughout Ventura County: Over the past 20 years I have had many discussions with Ventura County Animal Regulation and yet the problem continues. I have written numerous letters to the Ventura County Board of Supervisors on this issue, as have others that are very involved with this effort.

Most recently, I was informed that the feral cat problem was (finally) going to be discussed with the Ventura County Board of Supervisors and Animal Regulation on August 12, 2021. It has now been postponed until November 2021.

While I fully appreciate that there are many issues facing our civic leaders, the continued lack of discussion, engagement or acknowledgement to those who continue to express concern is troubling. We cannot, as good citizens, continue to ignore this massive problem with the hope that ‘someone else’ will take care of it or worse yet, that it will simply go away. We can no longer afford magical thinking. Solutions must be explored that enhance the ability of Animal Regulation to assist more broadly and actively where feral cats are concerned. Also with Animal Regulation, we must collaboratively increase opportunities for feral spay and neuter surgeries.

As responsible citizens, community members and human beings, we must be the voice, the caretakers, the stewards and the advocates for animal welfare.

My second issue is people come to the SPAN Thrift Store on weekends to find a place to euthanize an animal when it is an emergency situation, i.e., hit by car, seizures, etc. and so far the only answer I can help with is go to their vet or VSMG, which runs about $500. Ventura County Animal Regulation has licensed vet even in the daytime on weekends to do this. I feel this is wrong.

Valerie Bereman

SPAN Thrift Store

Dear Mr. Editor (Sheldon)

I agree the city parking lots can be a horrible filthy mess.  Maybe they could get the city owned Street Sweepers to brush by the parking lots once a week.

Which parking lot were you reviewing?  We have a lot along the shoreline. THE CONCRETE MULTI-STORY ONE NEXT TO ALOHA.

Along with Ancient Aliens and Spinach you could add Broccoli, Grits, Collard Greens, Mustard greens, Turnip greens, Poke Sallet, Corn Pone, and anything that crawls up out of the mud and looks like a tiny Lobster.  

I look at the Aliens from a different perspective.  They left thus junk here because they didn’t want in their world.  As for Popeye, he didn’t look much like an Earthling before or after Spinach.  Olive Oyl and Bluto could have been Disney character before Micky Mouse.

 Regarding newspapers, it went on to say; “Especially notable is a loss of reporting in smaller towns, suburbs and real areas. Leaving thousands of American Communities with no local coverage.”  A way that the government might help the failing news industry is by way of a bill that has bipartisan support in Congress.” 

This goes to show that once in a “Blue Moon” Congress can agree on some things.  (PS You’re right we don’t have a Blue Moon this month, but it’s coming someday!).

 “This country has, for whatever reason, also refused to produce the network routers.”

Donald J. Trump. I DIDN’T SAY TRUMP SAID THIS.

For a moment I thought you were going all the way back to Al Gore, but he was only a wannabe President.

Michael Gordon

He only is happy as well as great who needs neither to obey
nor command in order to be something.
~ Johann Goethe

Opinions

Do we really need 6 day a week service? we get real mail maybe 3 times per week. 1 of those days are the ads. Maybe we could save money and have 4 day a week delivery.

Keep cost of postage down.

Ralph Trigo
Lemonwood MPH

Opinions

Thank you for your photo and heading of an empty tree well on a Ventura city sidewalk in your last edition of the Breeze. I agree, the city needs many trees planted and I am concerned there is no future plan to get this organized and completed. 

I hope someone can educate the public on a plan of action to include volunteers to water trees, what type of trees will be planted for specific locations and a map showing where the trees will be planted next. 

Organizing, fund raising and volunteers are needed to get this plan of action going. Attached are photos of an empty sidewalk tree well and median divider on Telephone Road that has clearly become an eye sore of the City. 

Marsha Moreland

Working Physician turns 100

Here are a couple of comments on the June 15^th Ventura Breeze article “Working physician turns 100 on June 9^th “ written by Mohammed Hasan:

Lewis Walton, Marina del Rey

“Beautifully written, Mohammed, and a fine tribute to Dr. Canton.  My wife, also a physician, devoted much of her life to community health education, trying to lessen the risk of heart disease. She had worked on the open heart surgery team in Bakersfield.  I am glad you were able to honor Dr. Canton this way.

Dr. Tim Cannon, UCLA Health, Ventura

“Wonderful tribute to a living legend, thank you for writing it and forwarding it to me. Best,”

Editor’s note:

Dr. Canton is author’s longtime friend and neighbor. Hasan offers free community classes on Longevity with good health. Dr. Canton has been a guest speaker at the longevity class a few times. You can reach Hasan at [email protected] or (805) 218-5574.

Are you an amateur cartoonist? Send your cartoon to [email protected].

Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Ocean Hears

View the Dawn; it overlooks a sunrise,
A visible song; is nature’s voice.

Our tide hastens a full moon,
A Pacific sign; tomorrow’s fog is near.

Seagulls build their home on a pier,
The silent hint; they soar beneath.

Sunset longs to give a Ventura morning,
And Grant the Dawn to chorus the day.

Can anyone silence the ocean?

By Jeff Russell

I attended the meeting July 10, 2021 at Mission Plaza Park with Kevin Clerici. 

Here is my take on the plans, first the issue, then my solution:

1.  Straighten the sidewalk for better access to the Museum.  The current sidewalk has an area between the planters for the 2 westernmost Coral Trees that is diverted toward the park (away from Main Street) and then back again.  In the diversion area are agapanthus plants and sod.

The sidewalk could be made straight very simply by paving over some of the agapanthus and sod.

2.  Need for extra parking along Main Street.  There is currently a grassy section that continues from the aforementioned diversion to Main Street.

Remove the sod.  Build a curb at the sidewalk edge, put in parking places where the grassy area is currently.

3.  The 3 existing planters for the healthy Coral Trees and the perfect “rolling hill” from the sidewalk down into the park should be left intact.  Every person with a young child will attest to the perfection of the “rolling hill.” Also it is an attraction and it adds to the interest of an otherwise relatively flat park.

4.  The easternmost planter is holding the stump of a Coral Tree.  It sits about 4 feet above the ground level of the park.  An inviting entrance to the park from the Mission is needed.

If the easternmost planter and the 4 palm trees and a few other bushes were removed, it would be a relatively simple matter to level that area, ending at the planter of the easternmost living Coral Tree.  This would greatly expand the level area in front of the Mission and have the feel of a small town square.

5.  If you want to encourage use of the park, plant at least a couple more shade trees in the park.  The few areas with shade around the park are in constant use.  The huge fig tree is a wonder, but very uncomfortable to sit beneath.  There is currently very little shade in the park.

6.  We must think long term.  There are Coral Trees in Santa Barbara that are almost 300 years old.  These 3 Coral Trees on Main Street are not even close to the end of their natural lives.  The key issue here is maintenance.  The planters must be maintained.  The trimming and watering issues are maintenance issues.

7. Homeless people should not be an issue.  Homeless people are everywhere and this issue should be addressed at the root of the problem (our federal tax structure and government spending.)  The Ventura Partners are doing a good job with the homeless and the restrooms.

I believe everyone in attendance on Saturday agreed with most of these ideas.  In  fact it was unanimous that the existing Coral Trees remain intact.  We all agree it would be a travesty to remove these beautiful trees.

Sincerely,

Mary Volpe

ARE YOU A WANT TO BE CARTOONIST? SEND YOUR CARTOON TO [email protected] TO BE INCLUDED IN A FUTURE ISSUE

It is difficult to keep quiet if you have nothing to say.
~ Malcolm Margolin

To opinions

In the El Jardin courtyard on Main street near California street there was a 100 year old Fiddle leaf fig tree, Ficus Lyrata. Usually these are house plants. This bad boy was at least 40 ft tall and in the sun. Ficus trees are notorious for surface roots and this guy was right up against the building, I’m sure that’s why it’s gone, but gosh a hundred years?

John Gleason

Let me get straight to the point.  I miss living in Ventura
By Beverly Russell

I want to come back.  I have lived all over the world, New York, Chicago, London, Paris,
San Miguel de Allende, Mumbai, Sydney, Australia, Hong Kong.

So why am I telling you this. The bottom line is rents have gone sky high in my favorite community – so I am looking to share a house or rent something small and reasonably priced possibly in a private home. My references are impeccable, Check out my website Beverly Russell.com and other sources Amazon.com, Barnes  Noble.com.

I have been awarded two honorary doctorate degrees in fine arts from Parsons School and Kendall College for writing articles and books about architecture and design and also had the honor of receiving the most notable recognition by Mayor Koch of New York – Beverly Russell Day was designated August 26, 1986. This academic status led me to invitations from several colleges, I am an OLLI teacher at CSU Channel Islands.

Since then, I have written -a variety of 20 books, the latest works are 4 Maisie & Billy stories written during the Covid lockdown of 12 months.

What am I looking to recapture in irresistible Ventura?  Coming from a smogsville illiterate desert, I long to riffle through the books on the shelves at the Ventura Public Library, where the intelligent librarians introduced me to several exemplary fiction authors unknown to me then, Ruth Rendell, Charles Finch to name just a few. The library encouraged fund-raising and I was more than happy to pitch in.

The Ventura Art Museum took up my offer as a volunteer and fund raiser and in a day or so after brief but necessary training I was assigned to the front desk two or three times a week. Was it my British Accent that got me this prestigious job?  Well my gratitude to those who picked up on the value of the Alistair Cooke connection.

The official tourist brochure accurately describes Ventura  as a place of an artistic culture and enduring history, that checks stress and  pretense at the door.  The Rubicon Theater is a pivotal arena for artistic diversity, see www rubicon.com. And there is more…the harbor, fishing, the beach, Channel Islands, the scenic hikes, the Botanical Gardens, the Pier, the annual Music Festival which draws participants from international venues. No exaggeration to say Ventura is a privileged locale.

And thank my lucky stars (I was born a Sagittarius traveler) I am retreating to my true destination San Buenaventura Ventura. where the benevolent wind is at my back.

www.beverlyrussell.com

There is no security in life, only opportunity.
~ Mark Twain

Folks:

The horrendous collapse of the condo tower in Miami, with over 150 people missing at this point is a modern tragedy. It is impossible to imagine the pain and suffering of the victims and the terror of those who wait to hear if any more can be found alive in the rubble.

But a tragedy is not an accident, nor an uncaused calamity. Scientists are now starting to claim that sea level rise is the culprit, which in turn is caused by human actions. The whole Florida coast in this area is subject to weakening and sinking from sea water intrusion.

There are sure to be more such reports in the near future. However this is not new news, since Trump’s Mar a Lago is also vulnerable to sea level rise, with the further contributing factor that Trump canceled Obama measures to fight sea level rise along the Florida coast.

Painful ironies never stop these days, and Trump is frequently the off-screen perpetrator.

Bob

Robert Chianese, Ph.D., Emeritus Prof. English, CSU Northridge
Past President Amer Assoc for Advance of Science Pacific Div
Fulbright Senior Specialist, columnist American Scientist magazine

to opinions

Cars on Main and California Streets

Please keep them off as the air is cleaner now and like cities and towns in the rest of the world we now have a great communal space and the merchants I talk to like it also.

Michael Salisbury

Dear Ventura Breeze:

In the June 2-15 2021 issue, page 17, the ‘Tree Town’ inset noted the recent planting of 8 Honey Locust trees, mentioning “Honeylocust canopy trees line Main Street from downtown to Five Points…”.  This is incorrect.  The vast majority of street trees along E. Main Street are Queen Palms (#207) and Jacarandas (#133) according to the 2020 City Tree Master Tree Plan, Appendix B Theme Street Tree Well Replanting (pg24/107).  In fact, Queen Palms represent almost 5% of all Ventura street trees.

Oddly, the popular and attractive Queen Palm is absent from the 2019 City of Ventura Recommended Tree List.

Also strange is that even though Ventura has its own city Fire Department and an Urban Forestry Program, somehow the 2020 City Tree Master Tree Plan incorporates the Ventura County Fire Department Fire Hazard Reduction Program, a document which is ill-suited for determining appropriate trees along urban corridors.

Overall, it seems that the future of Ventura shall be without palms, which is a shame given their instant associate with beaches, sun, and fun, which really is Ventura in a nutshell.

Lucien Belmont

The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement
~ Jack Rosenbaum