Category Archives: News and Notes

River Haven offers a way out of homelessness

River Haven have given people the opportunity and the tools to start truly living happier and healthier lives.

by Carol Leish

“River Haven started during the El Nino in 2006,” according to, Suki Sir, Marketing and Fund Development Manager at Turning Point Foundation. “Thus, during the El Nino, we approached the City of Ventura in March, 2006. Contracts were signed in September, and the program started in October. The former director, Clyde Reynolds, was very instrumental in approaching the city, and in negotiating the contract to secure the land for River Haven.”

“Clients/residents of River Haven receive case management services that follow up with service plan goals and their well-being,” according to, Joe Dawson, Program & Facilities Manager at Turning Point Foundation. “Case management takes a team approach by offering and connecting clients/residents with supportive services that offer follow-up care. And, the case manager and the treating agencies maintain communication to promote and create action plans for clients that will help them to become more successful and to maintain service connections obtained.”

Dawson also focused on the types of services that are offered to clients/residents of River Haven by saying, “Connected services consist of: Ventura County Behavioral Health; Whole person care program; ADP (Alcohol & Drug program; Health Care Agency/ One Stop; and, the Human Service Agency.”

“We aim for clients/residents to be at River Haven for up to two years at the most,” according to, Sir. “But some residents get permanent housing within 6 months, and others take longer than two years.”

Turning Point Foundation’s website is: www.turningpointfoundation.org, which describes the latest news and events. Please sign up for the newsletter to become more informed.

“Some of the needs for supporting River Haven are on the list, which is at: http://turningpointfoundation.org/donate/,” according to, Sir. “Do realized that River Haven gets very little government support. Thus, online donations are very much appreciated.” And, that, according to the website, “$525 Feeds 25 people per month.” Also included on the list of needs on the website, which can be downloaded, are: “Heavy blankets; bath towels; washcloths; canned food; and, books & board games.”

Through support and housing both Turning Point Foundation and River Haven have given people the opportunity and the tools to start truly living happier and healthier lives. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you have done, all that matters is the future and what you want to do with your future.

The Museum of Ventura County re-opens July 3rd

After 15 months of closure, and as California’s Covid-19 restrictions are being lifted, The Museum of Ventura County is re-opening both its Ventura location at 100 East Main Street and the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula at 926 Railroad Avenue on July 1, 2021. Admission to the museums and parking are free for visitors for the remainder of 2021.

Beginning Thursday, July 1st, visiting hours for The Museum of Ventura County and the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula will be Thursday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Research Library located on the Ventura campus will operate by appointment only, Wednesday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Following the lead of other educational institutions, masks are currently required for all indoor visitors and museum staff at this time. Vaccinated guests have the option to remove their face coverings when enjoying the museum’s outdoor spaces.

Debuting on opening weekend at The Museum of Ventura County is, “Huelga! Photographs from the Frontlines” by Jorge Corralejo. While the exhibit was originally scheduled to open in mid-March of 2020, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, it was postponed. Guests were able to view an online 3D version of the exhibit throughout 2020, but now are welcomed to experience the exhibit in person and are invited to attend a special opening reception on Saturday, July 3rd, 2021, from 2-4pm. For more information about the reception, and future museum events, please visit: www.venturamuseum.org/events. In Santa Paula, the Agriculture Museum continues to showcase the region’s rich farming and ranching history.

“We are delighted to be welcoming visitors back into our community’s museums in both Ventura and Santa Paula,” commented Elena Brokaw, Executive Director, Museum of Ventura County. “We’ve missed the energy that is seen and felt as all patrons, young and old alike, take in both museum’s on-site exhibits and collections in person.” Brokaw reinforced that guest safety is of primary importance and the decision to require masks while inside museum buildings is to ensure that the most vulnerable guests, including children and seniors, can freely access all indoor services feeling safe and comfortable. Both the Museum of Ventura County and Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula have implemented best practices to maintain a clean and safe environment.

For guests that are unable or not ready to visit The Museum of Ventura County or Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula in person, virtual exhibits remain available online. For more information visit: www.venturamuseum.org.

The Museum of Ventura County celebrates, preserves and interprets the art, history and culture of Ventura County, the California Channel Islands and the surrounding region through its collections, exhibitions, events, educational programs, publications and its research library, and serves as a gathering place for the community. The Museum has two locations – The main museum is located at 100 East Main Street, Ventura, California (805-653-0323). The Agriculture Museum is located at 926 Railroad Avenue, Santa Paula, California (805-525-3100). Both museums are open Thursdays through Sundays, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. – www.venturamuseum.org. Admission to both museum locations remains free for the remainder of 2021

The Ventura Police and Fire Departments encourage residents to enjoy a “Safe and Sane” Fourth of July

There’s a lot more to the Fourth of July than just fireworks.

This year when celebrating America’s 245th birthday, Ventura police and fire are encouraging residents to explore safer ways to celebrate, such as finding an outdoor activity, taking a trip to the beach, or hosting a BBQ.

“Fireworks are simply too dangerous and unpredictable to be used safely,” said Fire Marshal Joe Morelli. “While we will never be able to eliminate accidents, the public needs to understand how easily fireworks can start a fire or cause serious injury.”

With dry brush surrounding Ventura’s hillsides, fireworks can pose great danger to community members and neighborhoods. It is illegal to possess, store, sell, use, or handle fireworks in the City of Ventura. If you’ve purchased fireworks not knowing they are illegal, safely surrender them by calling the Ventura Fire Department, Fire Prevention Division at 805-658-4717.

In 2018, the Ventura City Council adopted a Fireworks Social Host Ordinance stating that any homeowner, renter, or person in charge of a private property who knows, or should know, of the sale, use, or possession of any fireworks are subject to a civil penalty.

Commander Sarah Starr added, “The fun associated with the Fourth of July celebration can instantly turn tragic for those who fail to make safety a priority.”

Additionally, the holiday is also one of the most dangerous of the year for DUI-related incidents and fatalities. The Ventura Police Department encourages community members to stay off the road after consuming alcohol, marijuana, or prescription medications. With so many options for a safe and sober ride home, including rideshare services, there is no excuse for driving under the influence.

Take the following steps to help partner in making it a safe Fourth of July for all:

  • Enjoy one of the many professional firework displays in Ventura County. While there are no public displays in the City of Ventura this year, community members can find safe alternatives in Camarillo, Moorpark, Ojai, Santa Paula, Simi Valley, and Thousand Oaks.
  • If you see an impaired driver, call 9-1-1 immediately.
  • If you see a neighbor lighting fireworks, call 9-1-1 if the activity is in-progress or poses and immediate threat to yourself or others.
  • If there is no immediate threat, please keep 9-1-1 lines open by calling the 24/7 non-emergency line at 805-650-8010. Be prepared to provide a location of the activity and/or a description of those involved.

Anyone found in possession of fireworks, or caught using them, could be fined up to $1,000 and/or receive a jail term of up to a year

For more information on staying safe this Fourth of July, please visit www.cityofventura.ca.gov/Fireworks

Ventura County Civil Grand Jury announces release of report on the annual inspection of public prisons

Pursuant to California Penal Code Section 919(b), the 2020-2021 Ventura County Grand Jury (Grand Jury) is required to inquire into the condition and management of the public prisons within Ventura County (County). The

Grand Jury inspected the following public prisons in the County:

Ventura County Juvenile Facilities operated by the Ventura County Probation Agency

Pre-Trial Detention Facility operated by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office (VCSO)

Todd Road Jail operated by VCSO

Ventura Youth Correctional Facility operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Justice

The East Jail, operated by VCSO, was closed in April 2020 in response to the COVID pandemic and is not expected to reopen until July 2021 at the earliest. Accordingly, the Grand Jury did not inspect that facility.

As of the dates of the inspections, the Grand Jury found that all the facilities inspected generally appeared to be well maintained and free of odors, litter, graffiti or unsafe conditions, except as noted in the report with respect to the Ventura Youth Correctional Facility.

The Grand Jury appreciates the cooperation of and the efforts made by the Ventura County Probation Agency, VCSO and the California Department of Corrections and

Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Justice that allowed the Grand Jury to conduct its inspections using COVID protocols in place at the time of the inspections.

The public is invited to review the entire report at https:/ / www.vent ura.org/ gran d- jury/ fiscal year 2020-2021 in the Annual Reports tab in “Fiscal Year 2020-2021.”

Disability advocate role right up her alley

The role of Disability Advocate is uniquely suited to Carol.

by Shirley Lorraine

Carol Leish has recently been appointed to the position of Disability Advocate for the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging (VCAAA). Her two-year term, from 2021-2023, will include working on the Optimal Aging and Workforce committees as well as being available as a speaker and advocate.

The role of Disability Advocate is uniquely suited to her. She will assist in navigating challenges faced by many seniors and persons with disabilities.

Leish is CEO and founder of Call Me Capable, a disability consultant, motivational speaker and writer. She is also a frequent contributor to The Ventura Breeze on a range of subjects.

Carol holds a Masters Degree in Education and Counseling, building on her personal experience as the basis of her understanding of the needs of persons with a variety of disabilities. She prefers to focus on “capabilities”, thus her website, CallMeCapable.net.

VCAAA is one of 33 public Non-Profit agencies designated by the State of California to carry out the mandates of the Older Americans Act of 1965. VCAAA was formed in 1980 under the auspices of the County of Ventura Executive office and Board of Supervisors. The agency serves the over 196,000 older adults and people with disabilities Ventura County. Open public meetings are held the second Wednesday of every other month at the VCAAA office on County Square Drive.

The Agency offers myriad resources ranging from social services, programs and educational services, work development resources, housing resources, including a rent-share program, health and nutrition services and much more. For more information, visit www.vcaaa.org

Change has been slow in the Permit Services Department

by Venturans for Responsible & Efficient Gov’t

Nine years after the Ventura Grand Jury ruled that Ventura’s Code Enforcement Division was too aggressive, change has been slow in the Permit Services Department. Now the City of Ventura believes that things will get better if it follows the consultant’s report titled the Matrix Report. However, those changes don’t go far enough. There needs to be a change in the philosophy within the department to make meaningful changes.

It was clear to residents that a problem existed in 2012. The feeling among residents was to avoid the building process as much as possible.

The 2011-2012 Ventura County Grand Jury opened an inquiry into the City of Ventura and its Code Enforcement Department’s practices and fee policies. At the time, many citizens complained of aggressive enforcement actions, verbal threats from code enforcement officers, unauthorized searches, threatening documents, preferential treatment, and an unfair appellate system. The Grand Jury condemned these code enforcement practices.

What Hasn’t Changed With Ventura Permit Services
By mid-August, the city will have completed 50% of the recommendations in the Matrix Report. Despite that, several things remain troublesome within Code Enforcement and Permit Services.

  1. To residents, Code Enforcement and Permit Services appear to be punitive. For 40 years, department managers have said, “We work with people to make it user-friendly.” However, that statement is no more than ‘lip service.’ In reality, inspectors act as if they were police officers. They flash an official badge and demand entry, or they will get a warrant—the same behavior listed in the Grand Jury report.
  2. Code enforcement employees defend their actions by saying they are looking out for everyone’s safety by enforcing state building codes. They didn’t create the regulations; they enforce them—the Nüremberg defense.

Property owners told us about inspectors that enter older buildings. They try to apply current building standards to them instead of researching the building standards at the time of construction.

Protesting an accusation is difficult, time-consuming and frustrating. Once Code Enforcement receives a complaint, they assume the property owner is guilty until proven innocent. This mindset is contrary to the legal system in our country.

Inviting New Problems Into Your Home
Permit Services still uses intimidation as a weapon. For example, the property owner calls for an inspection after installing a water heater replacement. The inspector arrives to make sure the water heater is hooked up correctly. While there, the inspector looks for other building issues such as electrical, gas, venting, unpermitted structures, and more. If they see something, then off it goes to Code Enforcement. The homeowner soon receives a letter demanding corrections and threatening penalties unless the property owner makes changes within a limited time.

Complaints drive almost all the code enforcement investigations. Reacting to accusations leaves little time for inspectors to discover infractions on their own.

Fear of Retaliation and Horror Stories
We heard many horror stories researching this topic, yet we cannot write about them because the property owners feared retribution or retaliation.

The Building and Planning Process Gets Longer
In the recent past, it took about 90 days to get a construction permit in Ventura. Today, it could take years.

Nine years ago, the Ventura Grand Jury recommended changes in Ventura’s Permit Services Department. Today, the city is making changes slowly. Unfortunately, stifling regulations, protracted processes and fees provide property owners no compelling reason to improve their properties.

The city is implementing the Matrix Report. Yet, according to the timetable, the implementation will be 50% complete at best by mid-August 2021. And nothing in the Matrix report addresses the core problem: the attitude within the department.

If the department changed their attitudes ever so slightly to work with people and make the permitting and building process user-friendly, citizens wouldn’t fear working with Permit Services.

Now is the time to act before the city loses focus on making the needed changes to Permit Services.

Ventura County Library welcomes customers back into buildings

E.P. Foster Library is slowly opening.

Since April 7, 2021, the Ventura County Library System libraries, including libraries in the cities of Ojai, Ventura, Port Hueneme, and Fillmore, have welcomed the public back for limited indoor services including browsing and checkout of collections and computer use. Customers have up to 50 minutes per day to conduct activities in the library. Since summer of 2020, customers have also been able to place holds for library materials online and pick them up when ready just outside the front doors of the libraries. Throughout the pandemic, the library system has worked closely with public health officials and within state guidelines for libraries to provide safe library services and programs.

The safety of customers and staff remain the first priority and customers may notice enhanced safety measures when they come back to the library, such as plexiglass barriers at service desks, availability of hand sanitizer, and socially distanced computer workstations. The library has covered additional costs throughout the pandemic associated with paying janitorial crews for more often and extra deep cleaning measures and upgraded filters on HVAC systems. The library continues to provide numerous online programs and resources, but also has plans to implement some in-person programs again as early as this summer. When the state reopens, public seating and tables will be made available again for study and reading, and time limits for library use per day eliminated.

At the Ventura County Library System, 42% of library employees were redeployed over the course of the pandemic to serve as Disaster Services Workers for other county agencies, performing tasks such as delivering meals to seniors, contact tracing and working at vaccination clinics. During the pandemic, several customer service modifications were made, some of which the library is planning to continue after the pandemic because they were so successful, such as offering live online tutoring for students in both English and Spanish, chat reference services, virtual STEAM and Storytime programs, and enhanced ebook collections.

For a seven-month period in the past year, over 2,000 students received live tutoring online through the library. Over 25,000 people received virtual library cards online to access ebooks and databases, including many students accessing these resources for schoolwork. And from July 2020 to April 2021 an average of 15,600 items were checked out from the libraries per month. Ebook usage increased 75% over the past year, and eaudiobook usage increased 25%. From March 2020 to April 2021, staff produced 621 live Storytime programs on Facebook which had 70,044 unique views.

You can come inside and browse materials, checkout books, and use a computer.  If you place a hold on an item online, you can pick it up at the library when it is ready. The only things you can’t do at this time is be in the library more than 50 minutes per day, attend in-person library programs, or sit inside the library to study or read.  Those things will start again after June 15.

Ventura region branches:

Avenue Library, 606 North Ventura Ave.

E.P. Foster Library, 651 East Main St.

Hill Road Library, 1070 S. Hill Road

Saticoy Library, 1292 Los Angeles Ave.

County of Ventura Human Services Agency Partners with SEEAG to Increase CalFresh student enrollment

SEEAG hopes to reach over 3,000 school-age children with their healthy eating message.

The County of Ventura Human Services Agency is partnering with Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) to increase CalFresh enrollment and food access among students and families served by SEEAG’s Ventura County Child Wellness Initiative (VCCWI). CalFresh provides monthly food benefits to individuals and families with low-incomes.

SEEAG’s VCCWI began in 2017. SEEAG staff members travel in an agricultural and nutritional-themed Farm Fresh Mobile Classroom van to Ventura County elementary schools to educate, inspire and empower children and their families to increase their consumption of locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables.

A main VCCWI goal is to reduce rates of childhood obesity and preventable illnesses. Next school year, SEEAG hopes to reach over 3,000 school-age children with their healthy eating message.

Over the summer, SEEAG will work with the Human Services Agency’s CalFresh program to develop a curriculum designed to encourage families to enroll in CalFresh. The CalFresh curriculum will be incorporated into the VCCWI program as students learn about healthy eating habits and how fresh produce is grown.

Bilingual representatives from the county’s CalFresh outreach team will be at SEEAG’s VCCWI school presentations as well as at Food and Health Resource market pop-ups and on virtual webinars. 

Major VCCWI health-related partners include Dignity Health St. John’s Regional Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, Clinicas del Camino Real, Gold Coast Health Plan and Adventist Health Simi Valley.

For more about SEEAG and the Ventura County Child Wellness Initiative, go to www.seeag.org. To reserve a program time and date, click on www.seeag.org/programscheduler.

Founded in 2008, Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) is a nonprofit organization that aims to help young students understand the origins of their food by bridging the gap between agriculture and consumption through its agricultural education programming. SEEAG’s “The Farm Lab” program based in Ventura County teaches schoolchildren about the origins of their food and the importance of local farmland by providing schools with classroom agricultural education and free field trips to farms. Through this and other SEEAG programs, over 60,000 elementary school students in Central and Southern California have increased their understanding of the food journey. For more information, visit www.seeag.org or email Mary Maranville at [email protected].

Ventura County Civil Grand Jury announces release of report on school bus safety for special education students

Most local special education school bus drivers are performing their duties alone, while also attending to student behavior issues occurring on the bus. Given that school bus drivers have, by law, sole responsibility for rider safety and discipline on the bus, the 2020-2021 Ventura County Grand Jury (Grand Jury) examined the challenges that can emerge when transporting special education students.

The Grand Jury found that a special education school bus driver is required to do an extraordinarily demanding set of tasks. They must drive a bus through city streets and traffic, obeying all laws, while simultaneously monitoring the behavior of every student on board. This creates the potential for distracted driving and for unchecked student behavior that could jeopardize the welfare of other students and the driver. The Grand Jury commends school bus drivers in Ventura County (County) for accomplishing a demanding set of tasks: simultaneously driving a bus and responding to behavioral issues during the bus ride.

The Grand Jury investigation focused on a particularly vulnerable population of special education students who have an increased need for supervision on a school bus: students with diagnoses of autism, emotional or behavioral issues, combined loss of hearing and vision, medically fragile and non-verbal or those who are otherwise unable to speak out or defend themselves.

The Grand Jury examined policies and practices at the Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE) because of its broad scope of experience, support for all school districts in the County and its operation of several schools for populations in need of specialized education. VCOE also provides daily busing for more than 900 special education students in the County. The Grand Jury commends VCOE for its proactive, ongoing, and pertinent training for bus drivers.

Ventura County Special Education Local Plan Areas (SELPA) develops and administers programs and workshops for teachers and parents of special education students, including guidance on development of Individual Education Plans (IEP).

The Grand Jury commends SELPA for providing information and support to families of children with special needs.

After analyzing VCOE transportation policy, the Grand Jury recommends that VCOE:

  • Include transportation personnel in scheduled student IEP meetings under specific conditions when the student needs adaptive or assistive equipment, when school bus equipment is required to be modified, or a when a behavior intervention plan is to be implemented for pupils exhibiting severe behavioral difficulties.
    • Adopt a standardized, predictive approach of analyzing data from Bus Conduct Report Forms to identify trends in behaviors that lead to unsafe situations, with the goal of developing specific strategies to minimize those risks.
  • Adopt a procedure by which a VCOE administrator can evaluate the need for, and request, a bus attendant.
    • Adopt a procedure that relates to strategies for assuring increased supervision and a safe environment on a school bus. Strategies could include assigning bus attendants to buses carrying students of higher risk, for example, autistic, emotionally disturbed, or deaf/blind students. Another strategy could be installing internal cameras or other innovative systems on special education school buses.

Rebuilding Ventura’s travel and hospitality workforce is the key to regional and statewide recovery 

The coronavirus pandemic has set back (but not defeated) Ventura’s travel and hospitality businesses, but the economic power of the tourism industry is igniting a comeback as California Tourism Month begins.

The California travel industry’s underlying strength and enduring selflessness and resilience aligns with California Tourism Month’s theme, the “Power of Possibility.” This week, California also joins the U.S. Travel Association in honoring the Power of Travel for National Travel and Tourism Week.

“At Visit Ventura we have always spoken the truth,” says Marlyss Auster, Visit Ventura President & CEO. “And here’s the simple truth. There has never been a more important time for the economic driver that is tourism. Tourism will put Ventura — and our surrounding communities — back on their feet. Working together, with ongoing safety in mind, we can not only survive, we can thrive.”

Despite losses due to Covid-19 business closures and community lockdowns, California is well-positioned for recovery.

The long-term outlook for California has brightened considerably. Tourism Economics projects domestic visitor spending in California will reach 76% of 2019 levels this year. In 2022, domestic spending will hit 94% of 2019 levels, and total visitor spending, including resurgent international travel, will hit 87%.

The Golden State remains among the best-performing states in case counts and vaccination rates and has implemented long-term health measures so visitors can feel safe.

The outlook for summer travel in California is very positive, as the state expects to remove most restrictions by June 15 – just before summer officially arrives.

The vast majority of California’s abundance of tourism assets – theme parks, museums, concert halls, restaurants and wineries among them – are moving toward normal operations. Ventura,  graced with the wide open spaces perfect for cautious recovery — from Channel Islands National Park to recently opened Harmon Canyon (a hiking and biking paradise) — has begun welcoming visitors back.

“With all our incredible outdoors and wide open beach spaces, Ventura is perfectly suited for these still socially-distanced times,” says Auster. “We’ve always welcomed visitors warmly. Now we welcome them warmly and safely.”

And as Californians resume traveling, they have the power to jumpstart the state’s economic recovery by choosing to keep their trips within California.

“California’s tourism industry has long provided Californians with a strong civic foundation and generated billions of dollars in state and local tax revenues to help provide services that benefit everyone in the state,” said Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California. “Now residents can help their fellow Californians by keeping their tourism dollars in California and supporting local businesses as a modern-day act of patriotism. Together we can support our own economic recovery. There is power in California civic pride”

But there is plenty of work to do, particularly to re-build the vibrant travel and hospitality workforce. A month after the mid-March lockdown, more than half of the 1.2 million tourism workers found themselves without jobs.

Even as the economy re-opens and businesses gradually offer more services to more and more consumers, the foundation of the industry – its people – still strive to return to work in a safe and confident manner that makes economic sense for them and their families.

“In the end, it’s not really about economics,” says Auster. “It’s about kindness and caring.”