A Chamber ribbon cutting was held at Jolly Boy Threads. The owner’s stated “Our mission is to give children similar opportunities in nature and provide them with “camperships” to attend outdoor camps and see the world from a new perspective.” 921 E. Main St. Ste. H, Ventura.
Category Archives: This ‘n’ That
Ventura Chamber ribbon cutting at Shannon’s Reiki
The Ventura Chamber held a ribbon cutting for Shannon Vasquez with guests and family present. Shannon’s Reiki, is a gentle, holistic, energy healing treatment which can improve sleep, aid in digestion, reduce anxiety, and reduce muscle pain. Portside Ventura Harbor. 818 6942140 or [email protected] . 1196 Portside Dr. upstairs.
Vol. 16, No. 14 – Apr 5 – Apr 18, 2023 – Ojai News & Events
Chamber On The Mountain, a chamber music concert series in Ojai presents the multiple award-winning cellist, Alexander Hersh, with pianist, Dominic Cheli, for a beautiful program with a mix of solo cello and cello and piano music on Sunday, April 16, 2023, at 3:00 pm in Logan House (located at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts in Upper Ojai). Tickets $30.00 at ChamberOnTheMountain.com. Audience members are invited to meet the artists at a lovely outdoor patio reception following the performance.
Having already performed as soloist with the Houston Symphony and the Boston Pops, cellist Alexander Hersh has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting and versatile talents of his generation.
Dominic Cheli embraces the role of an artist-citizen in his multifaceted career as performer, educator, composer, and director. He is described as an “inspired keyboardist.
“Elemental,” an art exhibit featuring the work of six talented Ojai artists, will run until April 30th with an opening reception Sunday, April 16th, from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. at The Ojai Art Center. We hope you can join us.
This show promises to be a must-see exhibition for art lovers and nature enthusiasts alike. In addition, a Patio Pop-Up Show of recent work will be featured Sat. & Sun., April 15th & 16th, from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The exhibit and pop-up show will feature a wide range of artwork for sale.
We are thrilled to be showcasing the work of these talented local artists, each bringing their unique perspective to the theme of the elements and hope the ‘Elemental’ exhibit will inspire visitors to appreciate the beauty of nature and think more deeply about our relationship with the environment.
The Ojai Art Center, 113 So. Montgomery St. www.ojaiartcenter.org
SoCal Snow
Snow in SoCal
Photos by Patricia Schallert and Robert Chianese
Beautiful snow surrounds us as seen from the Harbor looking towards the Portside Ventura Harbor development and other locations.
The Bookmark About Libraries and Friends
by Mary Olson
Ventura County Library is offering a series of family-friendly sustainability-themed programs.
English/Spanish interpretation services and children’s activities will be available for all the
programs at the Piru Library, Saticoy Library, and Soliz Library branches. The upcoming topics
are:
Home Weatherization 101
Thursday, April 6, 5:00 pm-7:00 pm at Piru Library (3811 Center Street, Piru) 805 521-1753
Thursday, May 4, 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Saticoy Library (1292 Los Angeles Avenue, Ventura)
805 671-5148
How to Get Green Business Certified
Thursday, April 13, 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Soliz Library (2820 Jourdan Street, Oxnard) 805
485-4515
Thursday, May 11, 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Piru Library
Thursday, May 18, 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Saticoy Library
These programs are made available through a Sustainable California Libraries Grant from the
California State Library, and in collaboration with the County Executive Office’s Sustainability
Division.
Micaela Ellis, teen author, will visit E.P. Foster Library on Saturday, April 8, 11:00 am to noon
to present her book, Autism Over The Years and share her perspective on life as a child with
autism. She hopes to educate others on the challenges that people with autism face and the many
opportunities for growth and learning that are available to children like her when they are
respected and understood.
Nathalia brings Bilingual Music for Families to Hill Road Library on Tuesday, April 25 at 3:30
pm. Get ready to dance and sing in English and Espanol with Nathalia, a multi-talented singer
songwriter based out of Los Angeles. From rock to cumbia, jazz to reggaeton, Nathalia’s songs
are produced in a number of different musical styles and written with the whole family in mind.
This event is open to all ages.
Book Clubs at the Library
E.P. Foster’s Young Reader Book Club meets on the fourth Saturday of each month, from 1:00
to 2:00 pm, for children ages 9-12 (4th or 5th grade reading level). For more information, call
(805) 648-2716.
Hill Road Library’s quarterly Wise Owls Book Club for adults who enjoy reading children’s
literature, meets on Tuesday, April 11, 5:00 to 6:00 pm. The book selection is: The Last
Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera.
The Hill Road Library Book Club will discuss Bird Brother: A Falconer’s Journey and the
Healing Power of Wildlife by Rodney Stotts on Tuesday, April 25, 5:00 to 6:00 pm.
To join the mailing list for Hill Road Library book clubs, please email
[email protected] .
Visit Hill Road Library to pick up the latest book club selections.
Rising from the Ashes home tour will take place on Saturday, April 22, 12:00 to 4:00 pm.
The Thomas Fire of 2017 caused devastation, but not defeat. The Ventura County Library
Foundation invites you to witness the resilience of Ventura as you tour some of the beautifully
rebuilt homes and hear the stories of rebirth. Mid-Century Modern, Mediterranean, Spanish
Colonial, West Pueblo, Modern and French Country styles are represented.
Proceeds will help fund important literacy programs, including the Mobile Library. For more
information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.vclibraryfoundation.org/events.
Ventura Chamber ribbon cutting at Hill Street Café
photo by Michael Gordon
The Ventura Chamber held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the new ownership of the Hill Street Café. They have an extensive menu including 31 sandwiches, 21 dinners and 20 breakfasts.
1050 S. Hill Rd. 805-654-1115
Vol. 16, No. 14 – Apr 5 – Apr 18, 2023 – Community Events
Do you want to Play Bridge? Join us for ACBL-sanctioned duplicate bridge games.
Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 12:30 p.m. All levels of play, and we
will guarantee to have a partner for you if you need one. Lessons are available. All are always welcome. Contact: Richard 805-850-8011 or Rose 805-659-9223 or [email protected].
April 8: Micaela Ellis, the teen author, will visit two Ventura County libraries, Ray D. Prueter Library, and E.P. Foster Library, to deliver a presentation on her book, Autism Over the Years. In her presentation, Micaela will share her experiences as a young adult navigating autism in today’s world. She hopes to expand community perceptions and educate others on some of the challenges that autistic people may face, as well as share the many growth opportunities that are available to children and young adults like her when their needs are respected, understood, and celebrated.
The event will begin at 11 a.m. at E.P. Foster Library at 651 Main Street.
April 15: Flamenco in the 805 is back! Namba Performing Arts Space will host the 5th annual Flamenco showcase at 7 p.m. The show will open with the dance students of Wendy Castellanos and feature over 25 dancers from all over the 805 and the globe. The second half will feature Ana Quintero singing timeless gypsy melodies and Gerardo Morales on Flamenco guitar. At the same time, dancers Ryan Rockmore and Wendy Castellanos set the stage ablaze with thundering rhythms, entrancing movements, and heart-wrenching expressions. Get ready, Ventura! This is the pure essence of the Andalusian song. This. Is. Flamenco! 47 S. Oak St. Tickets $25 Ticket link. flamenco-805.ticketleap.com/flamenco/ Note: Seating is minimal, so purchase your tickets early.
April 16: The Ventura Senior Men’s Group has Ian Johnson, a Ventura County fire station chief speaking. I’ve asked him to cover the relationships between the multiple fire authorities when we have a significant fire. Ian says he has many stories about fighting the Thomas Fire. The group continues to meet for a social lunch and program at the Poinsettia Pavilion in Ventura on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Men of all descriptions are welcome to stop to sample our shenanigans. Contact Lyle Hotzler at 805-341-9820
April 16: Anyone interested in timepieces, both antique and modern, can join the Ventura County chapter of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors for a watch/clock marketplace, lunch, and a presentation on a horological topic.
Bring a watch or clock for a free evaluation. 11am , Campus Student Center of Ventura College, 4667 Telegraph Rd. nawcc-ch190.com.
April 25: Hill Road Library, 3:30pm . Bilingual musician and artist Nathalia will visit to perform bilingual music for families and children of all ages.
Nathalia is a multi-talented singer-songwriter based out of Los Angeles. Nathalia has been a featured guest on Univision’s ‘Despierta America’ and CBS’s ‘The Talk’, and her music has been featured on a number of parenting blogs and online radio stations. Get ready to dance and sing in English and Español!
These events are free and open to the public. For additional information, contact the Hill Road Library at 805-677-7180. The Hill Road Library is located at 1070 S. Hill Rd.
The Ventura County Library is available 24/7 at www.vencolibrary.org.
April 26: The College Area Community Council will hold a Zoom meeting on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Council meetings are held on the fourth Wednesday of each month and include speakers and discussion on neighborhood and community interest topics, including public safety and economic development. An invitation and link to the meeting will be sent to everyone on the CACC mailing list. CACC represents citizens in the area bounded by Mills Road on the west, Hill Road on the east, city limits on the hillsides on the north, and the 126 Freeway on the south. Visit the College Area Community Council website @ https://caccventura.com to learn more, to be added to the mailing list, or to access a link to the Zoom meeting.”
Community Memorial Healthcare welcomes New Board of Trustees Chair William Kearney and two new trustees
Community Memorial Healthcare is proud to welcome William “Bill” Kearney as its Board of Trustees Chair. Kearney, who has served as a Board of Trustees member since 2015, succeeds Dr. Richard Rush, who completed his term as Chair in January, 2023. Other notable changes to the Community Memorial Board include the addition of local leaders Monica White and Kimberly Hoffmans. Kearney, White, and Hoffmans all bring extensive professional experience in healthcare, education, business, and charitable giving.
“Since joining the Community Memorial Board of Trustees, I have marveled at the talent and passion of everyone involved with our community owned health system. Over that time, it has been wonderful to share in the excitement of a new hospital and to witness the resilience of our organization navigate through the challenges of COVID,” said Kearney. “I’m anxious to work closer with our health system and look forward to doing so alongside a talented Board and leadership team.”
Kearney, of Ventura, is a retired Senior Vice President of Private Wealth Management with Merrill Lynch/Bank of America. During his 43-year career with Merrill Lynch, Kearney coordinated private placements for the West Coast, served as the Sales Director for offices from Encino to San Luis Obispo, and was appointed to the National Advisory to Merrill Lynch Management. In 2004, he was honored with the Merrill Lynch Lifetime Achievement Award.
In addition to serving on various non-profit boards, Kearney has served as President of several Ventura County charitable organizations including the Community Memorial Foundation, Casa Pacifica, the Ventura County Taxpayers Association, Rubicon Theatre Company, the United Way, Ventura Rotary Club, and the Cal State University Channel Islands Foundation. Over the years, Kearney has been the recipient of the Milton M. Teague Award from United Way, the Guardian Angel Award from Casa Pacifica, the Larry and Barbara Meister Community Service Award, the Robert J. Lagomarsino Award for exceptional service in higher education, and the Dr. Cephas Bard Community Leadership Award from Community Memorial Healthcare. In 2015, Bill was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Cal State University, Channel Islands.
“Bill’s diverse background, expertise, and commitment to our community cannot be overstated,” said Community Memorial Healthcare President & CEO, Mick Zdeblick. “His leadership and passion for advancing healthcare are invaluable. I look forward to working closely with Bill and our entire Board as our health system continues to grow and evolve.”
Monica White, of Ventura, is the President and Chief Executive Officer for the non-profit organization Food Share of Ventura County, the county’s largest hunger-relief organization. With an extensive background in sales and marketing, White previously worked as the Director of Marketing and Consumer Sales for the Ventura County Star. She also is a past or current board member for several local organizations, including the American Red Cross of Ventura County, the Museum of Ventura County, the Ventura Chamber of Commerce, and Women’s Economic Ventures. The Pacific Coast Business Times named White as one of the Tri-County’s Top 50 Women in Business in 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022.
Kimberly Hoffmans, of Oxnard, is the President of Ventura College and a previous Dean of Moorpark College. Prior to that, Hoffmans, a registered nurse with a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and a Master of Science degree in Nursing, was a member of the tenured nursing faculty at Moorpark College. She also served as Moorpark College’s Health Science Coordinator. Hoffmans has served on the board of numerous organizations including the Ventura Chamber of Commerce, the California Community College Athletic Association, and the Ventura College Foundation.
34th Annual Community Good Friday Service
In 1989, the very first Community Good Friday Service began in the City of Ventura. The service included the senior pastors from four churches, Horizon Foursquare Church, which is now The River Community Church, First Baptist Church, which is now Coastline Bible Church, South Coast Fellowship, which is now Journey Church Ventura, and Community Presbyterian Church which is still Community Presbyterian Church.
Today, thirty-four years later, we have approximately fifteen churches represented and over a dozen denominations. On Good Friday, denominational differences will be set aside, and the focus will be on what all these churches have in common, which is Jesus Christ.
“I love this service!” says Senior Pastor Jim Duran of The River Community Church. “The pastors in this city have become good friends, and they love to serve together for the betterment of our community. Each pastor brings their own personality, their knowledge of the scripture, and their love for Jesus, which makes this an amazing service. The entire city of Ventura should experience our Good Friday Service.”
The 34th Annual Community Good Friday Service will be held at The River Community Church, 889 E. Santa Clara St. Ventura, CA 93001, on Friday, April 7th at 12 noon. For more information, visit: www.TheRiverCommunity.org.
CPP Investments partners with IKAV to Acquire Aera Energy
Partnership will accelerate Aera Energy’s ability to further reduce carbon intensity and support the development of carbon capture and storage and other emerging technologies.
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) will partner with international asset management group IKAV to acquire California energy producer Aera Energy LLC.
In September 2022, IKAV, which has deep renewables expertise as well as a strong track record managing U.S. conventional energy assets, announced plans to acquire Aera Energy. CPP Investments, one of the world’s largest institutional investors, agreed to purchase 49% of Aera
Energy from IKAV. Created as a joint venture between Shell and ExxonMobil, Aera Energy is California’s second-largest oil and gas producer and accounts for nearly 25% of the state’s production.
IKAV, CPP Investments and Aera Energy recognize that meeting the complex challenge of climate change will require innovation across the global economy at a significant scale. CPP Investments and
IKAV intend to help Aera balance its energy transition efforts with the need to continue meeting California’s conventional energy demands by investing in a renewable energy portfolio that will power Aera’s existing operations. Over time, renewable power will be deployed across Aera’s land holdings, while selected legacy oil and gas infrastructure will be repurposed to create carbon capture and storage capability.
Constantin von Wasserschleben, Chairman of IKAV, comments: “We are aligned with CPP Investments in our commitment to achieving a smooth and sustainable transition to renewable energy. By delivering an energy solution at Aera that ties renewable growth with the safe and responsible operation of conventional energy assets, we are pursuing the right steps to balance California’s energy demand with its future climate goals.”
Erik Bartsch, Aera Energy President and CEO, comments: “We are excited about the IKAV and CPP Investments joint ownership of Aera Energy. It tells us they believe in the need to meet the energy needs of Californians for decades to come and are confident in our ability to deliver innovative solutions that will help the state meet its bold climate goals. Aera will continue to power the California economy and live our values of exceptional care for people and the environment. We also remain committed to the principles that make us an employer of choice and a valued partner in the communities where we live and work.”
Aera is the largest onshore oil producer in Ventura County, with oil and gas operations covering approximately 4,300 acres located largely in an unincorporated area just to the northwest of the city of Ventura. Production averages 12,000 barrels per day of crude oil and seven mmcf per day of natural gas. Oil is transported to refineries in the Los Angeles basin; natural gas is shipped to Southern California Gas Co.
Aera and its forerunner companies have been actively producing crude oil in Ventura County since the 1920s. Much of the operation is now in secondary recovery water injection.
Aera and its employees in Ventura are actively involved in the local community. Our company is a longtime member of both the Ventura Chamber of Commerce and the Ventura County Economic Development Association.