Partial cover of our first issue.
• The Ventura Breeze celebrates another year. This is number nine for the Breeze, – our first issue was Oct. 24, 2007.
When Staci Brown and I launched the Breeze, we didn’t know if Venturans would accept a very locally focused newspaper or if Ventura needed one. It turns our both of these things were true. Thankfully, Ventura has embraced the Breeze.
I would like to thank our wonderful and dedicated readers, our fabulous advertisers who keep us in business and our unbelievable dedicated staff (our “family”).
All of the “Breezers” deserve a wonderful thank you. And I’d like to extend a special thanks to three who have been with the Breeze from day one: Writer Rebecca Wicks, senior advisor Suz Montgomery and Alfred Lewis of Studio Nothing who designs the paper (and also acts as my personal therapist by always telling me “don’t worry we will get the issue out”).
Also, I want to extend a very sincere thank you to Breezy Gledhill whose perseverance, and enthusiasm, selling ads keeps us afloat.
Thanks to Cindy Summers for making huge improvements, and maintaining our website and to Jaime and Ana Baker for setting up and managing the Breeze booth at the many great events we attend each year and much much more.
Last, but not least, I want to give a special thanks to my wife Diane who no longer says to me, “Are you nuts getting up to write at 3am?”
Unfortunately, a sad end to year nine was the sudden passing of Jim Spencer who was a well-known local attorney, and, with wife Shirley, wrote our theater reviews (see page XX). Shirley has decided to carry on their family tradition and will continue to write the theater reviews. Jim will be very much missed.
• The juxtaposition of two articles on the cover of our last issue reflects on life itself. One article was about the 95th birthday celebration of art patron Helen Yunker and the other is the passing of art patron Sandra Laby at 78.
• This will be Ventura’s first ever even-numbered year elections to coincide with state and federal elections. It will be interesting to see if the voter turnout will increase, it is usually very low.
The Ventura Breeze is not officially making recommendations, but these are my personal opinions because I have been asked to express them. My opinion really isn’t any more important than anyone else’s, but here they are.
Here’s how I am voting on the four measures (there’s more detailed explanations of them on the cover).
MEASURE “N” – the selection process for the City Council – YES
MEASURE “O” – ½ cent sales tax for 25 years – I have been vacillating back and forth on this one so better decide right now. YES, but I understand why many are opposed to it.
MEASURE “P” – extending open-space – NO – I think we have this covered already.
MEASURE “Q” – term limits: three full four-year terms – YES, YES, YES.
City Council Candidates:
Voting for Cheryl Heitmann – Has been an outstanding councilmember and mayor so deserves another term.
Christy Weir: As stated above, I believe in term limits and Christy would exceed them so to be sincere about my belief I will not be voting for her. If you don’t believe in term limits you certainly won’t go wrong voting for her. She has been an outstanding councilmember and would continue to be.
I like the following three because of their experience, the diversity that they would bring to the Council and their AGEs. Age is very important to me because we have an aging City Council. I understand that younger members might have more limited time they can commit to the council because they might be working full time, but we need them. I’m going to be sneaky here and say I’m voting for two of them (but you will never know whom).
Matt LaVere
Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios
Lorrie Brown
• I must comment again about one of the 17 State propositions on the ballot (215 pages of information, how absurd). Proposition 60-Adult Films, Condoms: Whose job will it be to monitor compliance? If it’s a new enforcement position, how many people would sign-up for the job (or volunteer)? Will they be there with cameras to take pictures of any non-compliance performers to show as evidence to potential jurists? I know many who would pay to be on the force.
• Just need to share this. I was part of a class action law suit against AT&T and just received a check for $0.07 (yes 7 cents). It probably cost several dollars to prepare and mail it. “Void if not presented for payment within 180 days of issuance” it said. Hope my bank can cover it.
