• On May 14, the Ventura City Council presented me with a Proclamation celebrating my “retirement” from being the publisher of the Ventura Breeze and declared May 14 “Sheldon Brown day.”
It was an amazing and emotional event for me. A special thanks to Mayor Schroeder for his introduction of me, and to member Mike Johnson for stating that an article I wrote several years ago inspired him to run for city council.
•Very sad to see Steves Plumbing close. It has been a Ventura staple for many years.
The store opened in 1971 on the Avenue and moved to Thompson Blvd. in 1973. Denis Stanley purchased the business several years ago and sadly passed away last year.
•The summer of 2023 was Earth’s hottest since instrumental records began in the 1800s and possibly making 2023 the hottest in more than two millennia.
I sure wish we would get some of that hot weather. I’m tired of being cold. The weather station that gives us current condition information is at the county government center off Victoria. The weather by the harbor where I live is usually colder and has more wind.
The primary cause of the exceptional heat was human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, (oh sure, blame us). Other factors pushing up temperatures include El Niño, the natural climate pattern that warms the surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
The U.N.’s climate chief stated the world has only has two years to take action to avert far worse climate change. Scientists say halving climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 is crucial to stop a rise in temperatures that would unleash more extreme weather and heat. Some argue if we have global warming why are we having more snow, more rain and more cold weather? These are all just some of the effects of climate change, so maybe just call it climate change.
•Governor Newsom has announced that the state will make $3.3 billion available in July to begin building inpatient and outpatient mental health treatment centers to provide very much needed housing facilities and address the homeless crisis. It is estimated that at least 1/3 of the homeless are suffering major mental health issues. The money comes from the $6.4 billion bond measure Proposition 1 narrowly approved by voters in March.
•I heard a sports announcer say, “I don’t dislike cats, but they aren’t pets.” He is correct, dogs are pets, cats are family members. You don’t say “sit” and “rollover” to a family member.
•I bought a pair of pants that has a “hidden pocket” for my phone, and now I can’t find it.
True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.
~ Socrates
