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Vol. 9, No. 23 – August 17 – August 30, 2016 – Ventura Music Scene

Karen Eden with Olivia Newton-John at W20 at the Watermark, Thursday, August 4.
Karen Eden with Olivia Newton-John at W20 at the Watermark, Thursday, August 4.

Idols, Icons, and more…
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com

With the Ventura County Fair behind us leaving us with many cool memories of so many amazing concerts, I would be remissed if I didn’t share one slightly monumental event that took place on Tuesday afternoon.  One of our musical treasures we claim as our own is Jimmy Calire who you can find playing here in town with several different bands. I once wrote about stories Calire shared with me when his band Raven played in New York City and Jimi Hendrix would join in on the jam and I even once read that Janis Joplin tried to hire him at one point. Calire also toured with America in the seventies, so it was really cool when America played at the fair and invited Jimmy to join them for their final song, their most iconic tune, “Horse with No Name”.  I had to ask Jimmy about it and he modestly told me, “Joining them on the song was great, but just catching up backstage was even better.”

Another anecdotal story I must share with you involves another local artist whom you can find singing her Aussie heart out most weeks here in town, of course I’m speaking of Karen Eden.  Mark Hartley of the Watermark specifically had Eden booked for Thursday, August 4, in order to surprise her with one of Eden’s idols. Karen told me, “I was half way through a song when Hartley gave me a mischievous look and out from behind him stepped none other than Olivia Newton-John!” Karen of course immediately recognized her and smiled a huge grin. She told me, “I can’t believe I kept singing!”  After the song Karen went up to Olivia and gave her a big hug.  Karen got to tell her how she grew up listening to, learning from and loving her. Karen confessed, “She was so lovely; it was a treat of a lifetime for me.”  It also turned out that Karen’s guitarist that evening, Cary Park, had played on one of Olivia’s albums back in the 90s. What a night!

And just so you know Mark Hartley, Dave Grohl is my favorite idol.  Just sayin’.
Music Under the Stars continues Saturday nights throughout the summer at the historic Olivas Adobe with music from the Shari Puorto Band (Rock ‘n’ Blues) on August 20 and Savor (Santana tribute band) on August 27 which is already sold out.

And finally Spencer Makenzie’s Cornhole Tournament has been growing exponentially gaining recognition as the West Coast’s biggest cornhole/bean bag tournament and though their main focus is the contest, they’re also continuing their End of Summer party with a free concert Saturday, August 27, featuring Mandex.  Show starts at 6 with Andre, then Brothers Fortune and the headliners at 8.

Do you have any music related news or upcoming shows you want help publicizing? Send all information short or long to [email protected], and for updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.

Medicare basics

Medicare has four parts

Part A- Hospital insurance
Part B – Medical insurance
Part C – Medicare Advantage Plans like HMOs (health maintenance organizations) and PPOs (preferred provider organizations)
Part D – Medicare prescription drug coverage

Medicare Part A helps cover inpatient care in hospitals. Part A also helps cover skilled nursing facility care, hospice care, and home health care, under certain conditions.

Medicare Part B helps cover medical services such as doctor’s services, outpatient care, and other medical services that Part A doesn’t cover. Part B also covers some preventive services, such as flu shots and diabetes screening, to help people maintain their health and to keep certain illnesses from getting worse.

Medicare Advantage Plans, sometimes known as Medicare Part C, are health plans people can join to get their Medicare benefits. These plans cover hospital costs (Part A), medical costs (Part B), and, in most cases, prescription drug costs (Part D). Medicare Advantage Plans may also offer extra coverage, such as vision, hearing, dental, and/or health and wellness programs. Medicare Advantage Plans are managed by private insurance companies approved by Medicare.

Medicare Part D helps pay for medications that a doctor may prescribe. This coverage may help lower prescription drug costs. These plans are run by insurance companies and other private companies approved by Medicare.

For more information about Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D, visit www.medicare.gov .

What Medicare Doesn’t Cover

Medicare doesn’t cover everything. For example, Medicare doesn’t cover cosmetic surgery, health care you get while traveling outside of the United States (except in limited cases), hearing aids, most hearing exams, long-term care (like care in a nursing home), most eyeglasses, most dental care and dentures, and more. Some of these services may be covered by a Medicare Advantage Plan.

Medicaid

Some people think that Medicare and Medicaid are the same, but they are two different programs. Medicaid is a state-run program that provides hospital and medical coverage for people with low income and little or no resources. Each state has its own rules about who is eligible and what is covered under Medicaid. Some people qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid.

Vol. 9, No. 23 – August 17 – August 30, 2016 – Music Calendar

For more events go to VenturaRocks.com

Amigos Cafe & Cantina
546 E. Main St.
805-874-2232
Mondays: Open mic
Wed 8/17: Live Band Karaoke
Fri 8/19: Vinyl Gypsies
Sat 8/20: 5 pm Taylor Rae; 9 pm Dive Bar Messiahs
Sun 8/21: 5 pm Corsican Brothers; 9 pm Karaoke
Tues 8/23: Brandon Ragan
Wed 8/24: Musicians Brew
Sat 8/27: Goodnight Kiss; 9 pm Sin Chonies
Sun 8/28: 5 pm Karen Eden; 9 pm Karaoke

Bombay Bar and Grill
143 S. California St.
(805) 643-4404
Sat 8/20: 5th & Birmingham, Spivey Spi
Sat 8/27: Cat OK, Shady Ladies, September Begins…more.

Café Fiore & Treehouse
66 S. California Street
Wed 8/17: Donna Butler
Thurs 8/18: Sound Effect
Fri 8/19: Little Alice
Sat 8/20: Soul Infusion
Sun 8/21: Jahmark & the Soul Makers
Tues 8/23: Colette
Wed 8/24: Big Adventure
Thurs 8/25: Jade Hendrix
Fri 8/26: Drunken Monkeys
Sat 8/27: Instone
Sun 8/28: Reggae Revolution
Tues 8/30: Donna Butler

The Cave
4435 McGrath Street
Weds & Saturdays: 5:30 – 8:30 pm Varon Thomas
Thurs & Fridays: 5:30 – 8:30 pm Warren Takahashi

Copa Cubana
Ventura Harbor Village
Tuesdays: RJ Mischo & the Down Home Trio
Thurs 8/18: John’s Saxophone Band
Fri 8/19: Avery Jazzman
Sun 8/21: Kenny Devoe
Thurs 8/25: Toni Jannotta
Fri 8/26: Brandon Ragan
Sat 8/27: Al Martinez
Sun 8/28: Laura Cozzi & Soul Machine

Dargan’s Irish Pub & Restaurant
593 E. Main Street
(805) 648-3001
Sun 8/21: 4 pm The Sunday Drivers

Discovery
1888 Thompson Blvd
Wed 8/17: Starlight Swing Night w/ DJ Lance
Thurs 8/18: Project Out of Bounds, Layovr
Fri 8/19: Crooked Eye Tommy; Flashback Friday w/ DJ Xist
Sat 8/20: Blink 180True, Weezerton
Wed 8/24: Starlight Swing Night w/ Ventura Jazz Orchestra
Thurs 8/25: Pato Banton featuring Thrive!
Fri 8/26: Along Violet; Flashback Friday w/ DJ Spinobi
Sat 8/27: Disc-o-Town w/ Moonridge

El Rey Cantina
294 E. Main Street
Fridays: 4 pm Xoco Moraza and Friends; 9:30 DJ/Karaoke by DJ Gold Dust
Saturdays: DJ Erock

The Garage
1091 Scandia Avenue
(805) 647-9681
Fri 8/26: Glam Skanks, Loose Nerves

Gigi’s Cocktails
2493 Grand Avenue
(805) 642-2411
Thurs, Fri & Sat: Karaoke

Golden China
760 S. Seaward
(805) 652-0688
Karaoke seven nights a week 9 pm
Tuesdays 7 pm: Open Mic

Grapes and Hops
454 E. Main Street
Sat 8/20: TD Lind
Sun 8/21: 3 pm The American West
Fri 8/26: Shawn Jones Trio
Sat 8/27: Jaime Wyatt Duo
Sun 8/28: 3 pm Shane Alexander

The Greek Restaurant
Ventura Harbor
Sat & Sun 7:30 pm
Belly Dancing, Greek music and show; DJ dancing

Hong Kong Inn
435 E. Thompson Blvd
Mondays: Karaoke
Thursdays: Gypsy Blues Band swing night
Fri 8/19: Hi Hat Entertainment – James Intveld
Sat 8/20: Valencia & Friends
Sun 8/21: 6 pm Jon & Tom
Fri 8/26: Hi Hat Entertainment – Kyle Jester & the Jokers
Sun 8/28: 3 pm Hot Roux; 6 pm Jon & Tom
Keynote Lounge
10245 Telephone Road
Tuesday and Wednesday: Karaoke
Thursday: Open Mic
Sunday: Karaoke
Fri 8/19: Action Down
Sat 8/20: Vital Itch
Fri 8/26: Unusual Suspects
Sat 8/27: Sean Wiggins

Made West Brewing
1744 Donlon Street
Thurs music at 6:30; Sun at 2:30
Thurs 8/18: TheBrambles
Sun 8/21: Shaky Feelin’
Thurs 8/25: Fox Trax
Sun 8/28: Lee Koch
Majestic Ventura Theater
26 S. Chestnut Street
Fri 8/19: King Lil G

Margarita Villa
Ventura Harbor Village
Fri & Sat at 6; Sundays at 3
Tuesdays: Dave Rae
Fri 8/19: Catfish Fry
Sat 8/20: Mike Martinez
Sun 8/21: Alas Latinas
Fri 8/26: Herbal Rootz
Sat 8/27: Corsican Brothers
Sun 8/28: Tommy Quale

Montalvo Square Shopping Center
1746 S. Victoria Avenue
Music 6-8 pm
Sat 8/20: The Coveralls

NOW Ventura
185 E. Santa Clara Ave.
(805) 667-2200
Sat 8/20: 9:30 pm Pride After party with Caliente

O’Leary’s
6555 Telephone Road
Tuesdays: Free Jukebox
Wednesdays: Karaoke
Fri 8/19: Brittany Burchett
Sat 8/20: O’Leary’s East End Blues Band
Fri 8/26: Live Band Karaoke

Olivas Adobe
4200 Olivas Park Drive
Music Under the Stars
Sat 8/20: Shari Puorto Band
Sat 8/27: Savor the Band (sold out)

Pacific View Mall
In front of Trader Joe’s
Fri 8/19: Food Truck Friday with The Right Amount of Wrong

Paddy’s
2 W. Main Street
Wednesdays: Karaoke
Fri & Sat: DJs
Fri 8/19: Pre Pride Party hosted by Dame Edna

Poinsettia Pavilion
3451 Foothill Road
(805) 648-1143
Mon 8/22: Monday Night Dance Club with Wyatt Haupt
Mon 8/29: Monday Night Dance Club with Dick Parent Band

Pride Festival
Promenade Park at Beach
Music 11 – 6 pm
Sat 8/20: Echo, The Caverns, Pasadangerous, GayC.DC, The Lonesome Gay Cowboy & the Country Bear Jamboree, KNS Rockstar, Danielle Livingston, HIRBOIS

Prime
2209 E. Thompson Blvd
Tuesdays: Danny D
Fridays: Encore
Saturdays: Beach City Sound Club

Red Cove
1809 E. Main Street
Thursdays: Music Club Open Jam Night

Rookees Sports Bar & Grill
419 E. Main Street
(805) 648-6862
Fri and Sat: Rotating DJs

Saloon BBQ Co.
456 E. Main Street
Thurs 8/18: 8 pm Dead Country Gentlemen, 50 Sticks of Dynamite
Sat 8/20: 10 pm Rich Sheldon
Sun 8/21: 4 pm Jeff Uzzel
Fri 8/26: 10 pm Battlefield
Sat 8/27: 10 pm Skin & Bones

Sandbox Coffeehouse
204 E. Thompson Blvd
805-641-1025
Thurs 6 pm, Weekends noon
Thursdays Open Mic
Sat 8/20: Daniel Stamatelaky
Sun 8/21: Luminesse Lee
Sat 8/27: Walt Dunlap
Sun 8/28: Salvador Magellon Calderon

Sans Souci
21 S. Chestnut
Sundays: DJ Darko
Mondays: Karaoke
Tuesdays: Twisted Tuesday w/ DJ
Wednesdays: Open mic
Thursdays: DJ Spinobi
Fri 8/19: Brothers Collective
Sat 8/20: Bloody Reunion
Fri 8/26: DJ Pistolero
Sat 8/27: Grapevine, Aunt Janes Pancakes

Spencer Makenzie’s End of Summer Party
806 E. Thompson Blvd
Music starts at 6
Sat 8/27: Mandex, Brothers Fortune, Andre

Squashed Grapes
2351 E. Main St.
805-643-7300
Live jazz music 7-10 pm
Wed 8/17: Meridian Trio
Thurs 8/18: Eric Harrington & Friends
Fri 8/19: L.J. & the Boyz
Sat 8/20: Hans Ottsen Trio featuring Tyler Blanton
Wed 8/24: Brad Rabuchin & Friends
Thurs 8/25: Colin Bailey Trio
Fri 8/26: D.on Darox & the Melody Joy Bakers
Sat 8/27: Doug West Group featuring Danny Carey of TOOL

Star Lounge
343 E. Main Street
Fri 8/19: Brandon Ragan Project
Sat 8/20: 7th Decade
Fri 8/26: Masters of the Past
Sat 8/27: Big Adventure

Surf Brewery
4561 Market Street
(805) 644-2739
Sat 8/20: Mike Fishell & Friends
Sat 8/27: Soul Purpose

The Tavern
211 E. Santa Clara Street
Sunday open mics
Karaoke Tuesdays
Metal Music Wednesdays
DJs every Thursday college night
Fri 8/19: Rubberneck Lions
Sat 8/20: Blues Bullet
Sun 8/21: 11 am Pride Brunch w/ DJ Joseph
Fri 8/26: The Caverns
Sat 8/27: The Black Hips

Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura
5654 Ralston St.
Sat 8/27: 7:30 pm Steve Werner, Donna Lynn Caskey, Merlin Snider

Ventura Harbor Carousel Stage
Wednesdays Noon – 1 pm: Steel Drum
Saturdays 1 -4 pm: Steel Drum
Sun 8/21: Unkle Monkey
Sun 8/28: Ray Jay & the Uptown Brothers

VFW Hall
3801 Market Street
Saturdays: 4-8 pm Captain Ron

W20 at the Watermark
598 E. Main Street
Thurs 6 pm, Fri & Sat 9 pm, Sun 3 pm
Thurs 8/18: Karen Eden
Fri 8/19: Mini Driver
Sat 8/20: The Bomb
Sun 8/21: Rick Whitfield
Thurs 8/25: Déjà vu Too
Fri 8/26: Right Amount of Wrong
Sat 8/27: The Bomb

The Wine Rack
14 S. California Street
Music runs 7-11 pm, Sundays at 2:30 pm
Sundays: B&V Acoustics
Mondays: Open Mic
Tuesdays: Keith Cain
Wednesday: Danielle Stacy
Thurs 7/21: Jon Gindick
Fri 8/19: Justin Spring
Sat 8/20: Barrelhouse Wailers
Fri 8/26: Keith Cain
Sat 8/27: Matt Clark

The 805 Bar
Ventura Harbor
Sat & Sun: Noon Kenny DeVoe
Fri 8/19: Frank Barajas
Fri 8/26: Kenny Devoe
Sat 8/27: Live Band Karaoke

Seniors express yourself through creative coloring and dancing

“I feel less stressful already”
“I feel less stressful already”

Looking for a creative way to relieve stress and improve concentration? Look no further than “Creative Coloring for Health & Fun,” a new workshop at the SCAN Health & Wellness Center in Ventura. The one-time class is scheduled for Thursday, August 25 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. The cost (including supplies) is $20.00. Led by fine artist Holly Woolson, the class is open to seniors 55 and older. For more information and to register call 658-0365.

Looking for a fun way to get your groove on with a free dance party workout? The SCAN Health & Wellness Center is sponsoring weekly Zumba Gold classes starting Tuesday, August 23 from 6 – 7 p.m. Seniors aged 55 and older are invited to register for a dance party workout, set for August 23 – October 11 at the Wilson Senior Center in Oxnard. To learn more details about this program and to register for Zumba gold classes, please RSVP to 658-0365 as space is limited.

Vol. 9, No. 23 – August 17 – August 30, 2016 – Two on the Aisle

Elite Theatre Co. debuts new drama
by Jim Spencer and Shirley Lorraine

From police to private eyes to preachers.  These are just some of the principal characters populating the various works of the Elite Theatre Company’s prolific resident playwright and artistic director, Tom Eubanks.

The Elite just debuted Eubanks most recent work, In The Midst of All That is Good.  It was also directed by the author.

Bob Haggard (played by Jeff Ham) is an evangelical pastor of a small community church.  Pastor Bob has brought his teenaged daughter and son, along with his father, to a California desert campground for a family retreat.  Planning to stay for five days, and to avoid having their car again vandalized at the trail head parking lot, Bob has had his wife drop the group off with instructions to return at the end of the week. The outing ends up being anything but idealic.

The action opens as the group returns to camp after Bob has impaled his foot on a nail protruding from an abandoned piece of wood.  The only cell phone in camp is mysteriously missing and it is the off season. So, the adventurers are now isolated with no other campers around.

Other on-going interpersonal issues soon come into play.  Pastor Bob’s father, Lloyd (portrayed by David Fruechting) turns out to be a disgraced televangelist who has lost his faith and is dealing with tax issues and the IRS.

Son Carson (played by Alex Czajka) is either profoundly hearing impaired or deaf, yet Bob has never bothered to learn sign language.  He must rely on his daughter, Maddie (Hanna Eubanks), to communicate with his son for him.  Hannah holds an attitude because her father unwisely invested and lost the entire fund set aside to send her brother to Gallaudet University, a 150-year-old institution of higher education for the deaf.

Into this setting come two outlaw marijuana growers – Dennis (Johnny Avila) and Vic (Josh Carmichael).  The first turns out to have mental health issues and is off his medications.  The other brandishes a gun, and Bob ends up accidently getting shot in the hand.  Oh, and along the way, we learn Pastor Bob’s wife is in the process of leaving him for another woman.

The script is filled with myriad intriguing conflicts and possibilities. It offers valuable insights on a number of topics. However, many details are offered that are left unresolved in the end. In our view the layers of complications tend to muddy the central theme, adding little to the overall value.

Nevertheless, Pastor Bob’s struggles to deal with the multiple personal crises that arise, along with the diverse characters in the piece, hold promise.  They hold the promise that, after the inevitable polishing, trimming and adjustments that follow a premier production, the play will foster in audiences the same type of commitment that motivated the playwright in the first place.

The Elite is an appropriate platform and actively promotes new works by local authors, giving both actors and writers opportunities to stretch and grow in many ways.

2731 Victoria Ave, Oxnard, 483-5118

 

Congregation Am HaYam announces services for September

Congregation Am HaYam, led by Rabbi J.B. Sacks, takes pride in its haimish (warm) “people person” reputation where everyone’s voice is heard.  Services are relevant, accessible and participatory in English and Hebrew, with transliterations provided for people who don’t read Hebrew.  Services begin on Friday nights at 8 p.m. and Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. and are held on September 3, 4, 16, and 17.   Congregation Am HaYam is located at 4839 Market Street, Unit C. For more information contact 644-2899 or visit www.amhayam.com.

Impressions of Ventura

Writer Arijit with his parents enjoying Ventura.
Writer Arijit with his parents enjoying Ventura.

by Arijit Basu Lecturer-CSU-Bakersfield
GUEST COLUMNIST

When you think of Ventura, California, picture a poetic coast, and a wide 70 mm cinemascope vision of flora and fauna that sweeps up on you when you drive into town. One of the most sought after vacation spots in Southern California, Ventura has the charm, striking looks and genial personality to ensure any visit to its township becomes a treasured moment in your life.

Ventura lies nestled side by side to Oxnard in cozy Ventura county. Ventura lies along U.S. Route 101 between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara which was one of the original U.S. Routes. The highway is now the Ventura Freeway but the original route through town along Main Street has been designated El Camino Real, the historic pathway connecting the California missions.

There’s tons of things to see and do in Ventura for the entire family. The nook of Surfer’s Point, the haven of many avid surfers and surf enthusiasts alike will give you a bird’s eye view of the balletic elegance of these aquatic artists, leaving your spirit elated.

Drive further south, and you’ll hit beautiful San Buenaventura State Beach, with its crisp white sands and lots of squirrels and birds. Further south, with ample space for children to play in and grills available for yummy cookouts, Marina Park makes for a great picnic spot. You might have to ward off uninvited guests, like the seagulls and squirrels, or you could just give in and invite them to share some juicy tidbits from your lunch. They’ll thank you for your hospitality with some cute photo ops, which are guaranteed to lead to fun social media chatter with your friends.

The historical impact of one of the oldest Missions in California are on full display in downtown Ventura. The beautiful Spanish Mission is a lovely piece of architecture and has tours and handicrafts for sale. Shop at some of the quaint thrift stores. You mingle with shoppers and tourists on Main street, sniffing out quality bargains. The lively music of mariachis put you in a mood to kick up your heels and dance, and even join a wedding underway at the Mission plaza. Weekends offer plenty of activity at the Ventura farmer’s market.

 

As you head back, aim to drive through Santa Paula. This town proudly calls itself the “citrus capital of the world”. Many a Hollywood movie production has taken full advantage of its ravishing picture perfect landscape.

 

The proximity to central Cali and southern Cali alike make Ventura a prized destination to make regular and repeat visits to. So what are you waiting for? Go venture forth in Ventura and ace that serene vacation you’re craving!

Vol. 9, No. 23 – August 17 – August 30, 2016 – Movie Review

Suicide Squad/ ½ Palm Tree
by Eduardo Victoria/[email protected]

In theory, Suicide Squad represents a combustible amount of rich possibilities perfect for smart, counter programming and an irreverent middle finger to superhero status quo. And who better to helm a film about broken and desperate criminals than director David Ayer, whose street savvy direction has always used grit to serve as a reflection of humanity’s darkest frailties. Neither concept or Ayer can salvage this mess of a film however, one so obviously mishandled by studio intervention and warring with itself between each schizophrenic frame.

In the wake of Superman’s death, the world is bracing for new superhuman threats. Enter intelligence operative Amanda Waller, whose plan is to assemble a team including the worst of the worst, forcing criminals with nothing to lose the opportunity to do something good. The other obvious advantage being, that if they die during a dangerous mission, no one will miss them. This team of unwitting baddies includes Joker’s imprisoned lover Harley Quinn, skilled mercenary Deadshot, pyrokinetic gangster El Diablo, a thief named Captain Boomerang and a cannibal creature named Killer Croc. When a metahuman named Enchantress takes Midway City captive, the team is sent in to save a high priority target. Along the way, Joker is trying to reunite with Harley, while the team’s own aversion to each other and their mission may be their downfall.

There’s barely any plot with the first act being an extended montage of character introductions which are messy and choppy, before the team engages in a tedious and repetitious cycle of punch/shoot/kick action against faceless hordes protecting a generic portal in the sky. In fact, the film in general feels like an endless montage of ideas with fleeting character beats which don’t have time to breathe, cramming in relentless pop tunes that don’t mix to force a tone that’s strictly at odds with the hinted struggle of each character.

There are two performances that anchor this mess. As the film’s center, Will Smith’s Deadshot gets most of the focus and thrives within a tragic character. Smith’s charm and charisma is on full blast, even as a bad guy who’s taken the wrong route to protect the ones he loves. The other bright spot is Jay Hernandez’s El Diablo. He’s the only character who wants to escape his dark past and is one of the few sincere characters in the film.

Margot Robbie stumbles as Harley Quinn. At this day and age, her representation feels dated and lazy, is it really too much to ask for a reexamination of the character and an earnest look at the implications of her tortured romance with the Joker? As for Joker, Jared Leto is terrible, his style and makeup are so distracting and goofy, he comes across as tame and too theatrical for his own good. There’s no sense of danger or anarchy within him, he just seems like a try-hard gangster who likes to wear makeup, and we never believe his love for Harley – they have no chemistry together, and his scenes have no bearing on the plot at all.

In the attempt to overcompensate and deliver a crowd pleaser in response to BvS’ bleak slog, Suicide Squad is another stinker, again taking the wrong approach to the wrong movie. Without a genuine threat and characters who fail to live up to their infamous personas, the film plays out like a cartoon that doesn’t understand its power. In truth, it doesn’t seem fair to review the film or hold its faults against it, because it doesn’t even feel finished. For a film about villains who’ve commanded fear without compromise, a goofy film that takes half-measures with its approach doesn’t seem right.

Rated PG-13. 126 minutes. Now playing at Cinemark Downtown 10.

Museum of Ventura County names Elena M. Brokaw to important positions

Sandra Laby, Cheryl Heitmann, Jordan Laby and Elena smiling for the camera at a Ventura 150th anniversary celebration held in April.

The Board of Directors of the Museum of Ventura County is pleased to announce that Elena Brokaw will serve as Consultant to the Museum and Interim Executive Director over the next six months. This will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of the Museum’s CEO Pattie Mullins, who has accepted a position as CEO with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Tri-Counties.

Ms. Brokaw will lead the organization, overseeing the operation of its two locations—in historic downtown Ventura and the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula—and conducting a strategic planning process with the board and staff.  Ms. Brokaw has enjoyed a successful and accomplished career in the public sector, most recently serving as Director of Parks, Recreation & Community Partnerships for the City of Ventura from 2004 through 2016. Remarkably, her first job in the arts was a summer internship between her junior and senior years at Harvard University in the Museum’s research library.

Board Chair John Orr stated, “We are so fortunate that Elena is available to step in at this time. Her extensive background in the arts and with public cultural organizations is just what we need to strengthen our commitment to our 103-year-old mission, while serving present and future audiences.”

According to Ms. Brokaw, “I am very thankful and excited to get to work with the Museum of Ventura County. The Museum is the touchstone for our community; the repository of our history, our memories, and our culture. I look forward to working with the stellar board and staff to set the museum up for another century of success.”

Ms. Brokaw is an independent consultant, specializing in strategic planning and fundraising for government agencies, non-profits, and for-profit businesses.

Ms. Brokaw earned her bachelor’s degree in art history at Harvard University. She has worked extensively as a cultural consultant for communities as well as organizations. As a lead consultant for the firm Jerry Allen and Associates, she completed cultural plans for the cities of Reno, Nevada; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Capitola, California.

In these broad-based community cultural planning efforts, Ms. Brokaw facilitated campaigns that brought representatives of disparate and diverse community groups together, and led arts advocacy campaigns on a local level. Working with large groups, she succeeded in bringing seemingly competing interests to consensus, resulting in successful and actionable cultural planning efforts.