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Community members invited to attend Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) Formation Forums

Community members invited to attend Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) Formation Forums, June 14 and June 16, 2016

What: STAKEHOLDER FORUM – Upper Ventura River (UVRB) Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA)
Formation Forum
When: Tuesday, June 14, 2016 6pm to 8:30pm
Where: Oak View Community Center, 18 Valley Road, Oak View CA 93022
To learn more visit: www.uvrgroundwater.org

What: STAKEHOLDER FORUM – Mound Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) Formation Forum
When: Thursday, June 16, 2016 6pm to 8:30pm
Where: Community Meeting Room, City Hall, 501 Poli Street, Ventura CA
To learn more visit: www.venturawater.net

Over the past year water agencies and the County of Ventura have joined forces to address new state legislation – the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. This legislation offers local agencies the opportunity to oversee and steward the future sustainability of groundwater basins. The public is encouraged to attend these forums to learn how the organizational structure for the Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) in each basin is being proposed. Community members who receive their water from the Mound and Upper Ventura River Basins can participate in the process of evaluating the recommended organizational proposals.

The next steps will involve local government agency/special district review, and as appropriate, incorporate stakeholder input into the organizational formation. Each agency will go to their respective board to request approval of the organization formation and resultant agreements, and will appoint their respective representative(s). Once the Directors are appointed to the newly formed GSAs, public hearings will be conducted to formally designate GSAs for each respective basin(s). The State of California will finalize and approve all newly designated GSAs.

For more information about the Mound Basin visit www.venturawater.net, and for the Upper Ventura River Basin visit www.uvrgroundwater.org.

Boketto by Susan Rich

Outside my window it’s never the same-
some mornings jasmine slaps the house, some mornings sorrow.

There is a word I overheard today, meaning lost
not on a career path or across a floating bridge:

Boketto-to stare out windows without purpose.
Don’t laugh; it’s been too long since we leaned

into the morning: bird friendly coffee and blueberry toast. Awhile
since I declared myself a prophet of lost cats-blind lover

of animal fur and feral appetites. Someone should tag
a word for the calm of a long marriage. Knowledge

the heat will hold, and our lights remain on- a second
sight that drives the particulars of a life: sea glass and salt,

cherry blossoms and persistent weeds. What assembles in the middle
distance beyond the mail truck; have I overlooked oceans,

ignored crows? I try to exist in the somehow, the might still be-
gaze upward to constellations of in-between.

About this poem
“The Japanese word ‘boketto’ describes something so familiar to me, it’s as if a piece of myself has been returned. I’ve altered the definition by including that the ‘gazing without purpose’ needs to happen by a window.”
~ Susan Rich

About Susan Rich
Susan Rich is the author of “Cloud Pharmacy” (White Pine Press, 2014). She teaches at Highline College and lives in Seattle.

Ventura Emergency personnel respond to Porche losing control and slamming into residence

On May 31, at approximately 4:45 am, a four door Porche Panamera was traveling East bound on Loma Vista Road at a high rate of speed when it lost control and slammed into a residence. The house was occupied by three people who fortunately were not near the garage where the vehicle came to rest at the time of the accident.

Ventura City Fire Paramedics assessed the occupants of the vehicle and no one was injured in the crash. Ventura Police launched an investigation into the cause of the accident and managed the accident scene while interviewing subjects and witnesses. Arriving with Emergency Sirens blaring helped keep the roads clear from further incident as they stabalized the dangers involved with this situation.

Veh into structure 4The attached double car garage suffered heavy damage from the collision. Members of the VFD’s Urban Search and Rescue team performed a structural assessment of the garage and determined emergency shoring would be necessary. Part of the garage structural assembly had to be removed in addition to the roll-up garage door in order for temporary repairs to be made. The homeowner will need to Contact a garage door professional to get this repaired as it’s no easy fix. The garage was temporarily lifted and shored in place. Initial damage estimates for the garage, planters and, items in the garage are approximately $50,000.

The Building and Safety Department was notified of the accident and will be helping building owners later today with getting their garage and house repaired.

Ventura City Fire Department rescues trapped victim in vehicle that hit a tree

On May 28, at approximately 4:20am, Ventura City Fire Department responded to a report of a vehicle off the roadway with a report of a trapped victim. When fire crews arrive they discovered a small Honda SUV that had hit a eucalyptus tree at a high rate of speed, crushing the vehicle and trapping the driver. IMG_6538Firefighters using hydraulic rescue tools to cut and pry the vehicle from the victim were able to free the trapped driver 32 minutes after their arrival. While the extrication was taking place, additional firefighters worked to clear debris and suppress any fire potential from the vehicles leaking fluids.
The cause of the incident remains under investigation by the IMG_6541California Highway Patrol. No rescuers were injured as a result of this incident.

12 Annual Channel Islands Harbor Fine Art Festival at Harbor Landing July 9-10

The Channel Islands Harbor Fine Art Festival will return to the Harbor Landing, on July 9 – 10 for its 12th annual event. The festival will feature artists displaying their own original work in all medium of fine art and fine craft. Work presented will be paintings, sculpture, photography, ceramics, mixed media, jewelry and more. Artists will be available to discuss their work with the public. Harbor Landing is located at 2800 Harbor Blvd., at Channel Islands Harbor Blvd. The hours of the Channel Islands Harbor Fine Art Festival will be from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm on both Saturday and Sunday. Admission and parking are free.

Anne K. Graca solo exhibition May 31-June 25 at the Buenaventura Gallery

art gracaThe natural world fascinates artist Anne K. Graca, both pictorially and materially, so her solo exhibition May 31-June 25 at the Buenaventura Gallery in downtown Ventura is naturally titled Spirit of the Earth.

“In exploring the theme of ‘spirit’ in relation to the natural world, I want to convey the living, spiritual aspect of the materials that come from the earth,” she said. “I want to cause people who view my art to consider the source of these materials, as well as the beauty and feelings they may evoke.”

Graca’s paintings and sculptures will be at Buenaventura Gallery, 700 E. Santa Clara St., which is open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. For more about the nonprofit Buenaventura Art Association, its programs and workshops, visit www.buenaventuragallery.org or call 648-1235 during gallery hours.

Jeff Sanders “Tell Someone Who Cares” at Vita Art Center

art sandersJeff Sanders “Tell Someone Who Cares”
Opening Reception: Friday, June 3, from 6-9 p.m.
Exhibit Dates: June 3 – 25,
Vita Art Center
432 North Ventura Ave. Studio 30
www.vitaartcenter.com
Gallery hours: M-F 10-4 pm Sat. & Sun. by appointment

Jeff Sanders was born in San Francisco. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design and a master’s in Sculpture from California State University at San Jose. After briefly working as a college art instructor in the early 1970s, Jeff became a full-time artist, art-fabricator and art project manager. Bronze or steel are the preferred media for most of the artist’s outdoor sculpture, which is held in both private and public collections. His subjects involve the everyday image of America. From small to monumental.