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Ribbon-cutting of NOW Ventura held June 23

Co-owner Executive Chef Dean Angelo (holding the scissors) is joined by co-owner Rani John (on his left) at the official ribbon-cutting of the restaurant NOW Ventura held on June 23. Not shown is co-owner Michael Anthony. Joining them was Ventura City Councilmember Cheryl Heitmann, many friends and well-wishers and Ventura Chamber members and staff. This brand new venue, which actually opened Dec 2, is the brainchild of the trio of entrepreneurs

When asked why Ventura Rani John stated “This city was listed as the number one place to live in the U.S. and the three of us liked what we saw here—ocean, beautiful weather and friendly people. We’re all settling here with our families. We love this place and want to provide something special for the city.”

The goal of the new managers in designing the setting is to create a place that is cool, upscale and sophisticated, punctuated with music of many genres.

NOW Ventura has two outdoor dining areas (dog friendly) and a large room for holding special events and is available for catering as well.

The restaurant is located at 185 E. Santa Clara St., 667-2200, http://www.nowventura.com.

Vol. 9, No. 20 – July 6 – July 19, 2016 – Events

by Ana Baker

Free admission stage show, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. First Sunday of every month. Old Time Country Bluegrass Gospel Music Assoc. Poinsettia Pavilion, 3451 Foothill Rd. For more Information call 517-1131.

Ventura Poinsettia Dance Club meets every Monday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. at the Poinsettia Pavilion, 3451 Foothill. Ballroom, swing, Latin, mixers and line dancing. Members $10, non-members $12, first time dancers are free. Call Rick at 415-8842 for more information.

July 7: Eat, Meet, greet and shop at one of Ventura’s best networking events the Ladies Luncheon. 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wyndham Garden Pierpont Inn Pavilion Room 550 Sanjon Road. Doors open at 11:15 a.m. $27 register or $30 at the door. Sit-down luncheon buffet. Wear your red, white and blue! Register at [email protected].

July 8: The General George S. Patton, Jr. Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution luncheon will feature the program ” The History of the Sons of the American Revolution “, presented by Chapter member Robert Taylor. The luncheon event will take place at 11:30 a.m., Friday, in the Garden Room, Marie Callender’s Restaurant, 1295 S. Victoria Ave. The cost for lunch is $20 per person. For additional information http://pattonpatriots.org.

July 9: “Social Media Sites” will be the topic for the Ventura Beginners PC Group on Saturday, in the third floor lounge of Cypress Place Independent Living, 1220 Cypress Lane. A workshop on Word will also be held. The group meets 9:15 a.m. to 12 p.m. The public is invited. For more information 648-1368.

July 9: The Ventura County Library System will be participating in a special event coming up at the Ventura County Fairgrounds on Saturday. The Golden Future 50+ Senior Expo will last from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., and during this time library staff will be creating library cards and giving tips and demonstrations on using the library’s electronic resources.

July 10: The Annual Ed Hunt Rehab Point Project Picnic is Sunday at Oxnard Beach Park, 1601 S Harbor Blvd. The picnic is at 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This is the 24th year of the Rehab Project Picnic. Ed Hunt began the picnic 24 years when the pathway for wheelchairs was completed and benches and tables were completed down in the sand area of the ocean. The picnic’s donations provide resources to maintain the Ed Hunt trail down to the ocean for those who are wheel chair bound.

The day will consist of kite flying, a train to give rides to children, music, dancing, games, raffles, and vendors giving out information and resources on everything from A to Z., barbequed hot dogs, hamburgers, water and watermelon.

July 12: Former Disney marketing director, Martin Cooper will speak at the Ventura County Writers Club at 7 p.m. During his career, Martin Cooper not only answered to Mr. Walt Disney himself, but also to Hugh Hefner. For ten years, Cooper was in charge of all public relations and communications for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, and the Oscars. The event at Pleasant Valley Senior Center, 1605 E. Burnley St. in Camarillo, is free and open to the public. Call Sheli Ellsworth 499-3490 with any questions.

July 14: Quality of Life Ventura is an organization of residents who are concerned about improving the community’s quality of life presently affected by unmanaged homeless vagrancy. Thursday, at 7 p.m., located at 1500 Palma Dr. Call for more info 701-2999

July 16: The third annual Coppers & Choppers open house event will take place at the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department’s Air Unit which is located at the Camarillo airport. The free event is a unique opportunity for the general public to interact with a wide variety of the specialized units which support the Sheriff’s Department. The familiar yellow and blue helicopters operated by the Department will be on display. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Lunch and fun activities for the kids will be provided.

July 17: The Ventura and Santa Barbara County chapter of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) will meet Sunday, in the Campus Student Center of Ventura College, 4667 Telegraph Road. The regular meeting starts at noon and at 11 a.m. there will be an informal workshop where a topic on clocks or watches will be demonstrated and discussed. There will be a mart where items will be for sale followed by lunch and an informational meeting and a program.

July 18: CA Zeta Chi parliamentarians will meet at 7 p.m. and will feature a lesson by Sharon Hillbrant titled “How to Delay, More Was Than One!” Main Street Restaurant and Steakhouse, 3159 E. Main St. Those wishing to eat should arrive at 6 p.m. Non-members are welcome. Membership is $25 per year. For information, contact Sharon Hillbrant 479-6738.

July 20,21: Community Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Gift Shop will be having a fun sale. Masquerade Look for all the jewelry items, accessories and eclectic items located in CMH front Lobby 147 North Brent St. Sale will be held 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. While shopping, consider filling out an application to become a volunteer. There are many Auxiliary services looking for volunteers. Weekdays (daytime and evening) and Saturday (daytime) opportunities have openings.

July 22: Like to play acoustic music? Songmakers.org welcomes all lovers of acoustic music, instrumentalists, singers, and singer/songwriters of all levels. Join in a free song circle at the Bell Arts Factory Community Room, 432 N. Ventura Ave. 4th Friday of each month from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Listeners welcome! Info: Mike Wittlin, 750-8281

July 23,24: The 2016 4th Annual Tequila & Taco Music Festival is moving to Plaza Park, 651 E. Thompson Blvd. Saturday and Sunday, for the biggest yearly event that combines two of everyone’s favorite things, Top-Shelf Tequila and Gourmet Street Tacos. The new larger venue will have more room to showcase more Craft Tequilas, more tacos, and of course, more great music.. 11a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day. Premiere 2-Day Passes: $60. Saturday’s ‘Tequila Experience’: $40. General Admission (both days): $10. 628-9588.

Art Reception and fundraiser for Family Reconnection Program

by Jen Livia

On Saturday, July 16, 6 – 8pm, Fox Fine Jewelry will host an Art Reception and a fundraiser for the Family Reconnection Program. Neighbor Gallery V will host a Book Signing and Music Event on July 16 from 6 – 7pm.

Jen Livia and Hilda Kilpatrick-Freyre will display their art in a show titled “Local Color” at Fox Fine Jewelry through September 11, 2016. Strolling magician Kris Sheppard, Magic Castle member, and George Spike, musician, will perform during the reception on July 16^th, 6 – 8pm.

The Downtown Ventura Partners’ Family Reconnection Program provides free transportation for homeless individuals wishing to connect with a family member. In just four years, the program has reconnected over 100 people at an average cost of $200 each (http://downtownventura.org/reconnection).

Raffle tickets are available for art from the artists, and the grand prize of a Fox Fine Jewelry $1,800 14kt .55ctw diamond ring. Raffle tickets and donations are available online at http://squ.re/29gX6Td or at the event. Fox Fine Jewelry is located at 560 East Main Street, in downtown Ventura,

New firefighters join Ventura Fire Department

Congratulations to Firefighter Paramedic Trainees, Austin Araiza, Austin Foulke, Brian Mulvehill, Alex Ramirez, and Russell Skinner.

After an intensive 18 week fire academy, five new firefighter paramedic trainees have graduated and have joined the Ventura City Fire Department.

At the 52nd Ventura County Firefighter Academy graduation ceremony on June 3 Fire Chief David Endaya was quoted as saying “I need efficient, effective, safe firefighters and paramedics from Day 1. So we’re really looking forward to bringing them on, developing them from the moment they hit the ground, and turning them into future leaders starting right now. We’re really excited to lead them into the future, so congratulations to them, and we’re really looking forward to them putting on the badge.”

Training Battalion Chief Jack Hansen, who was also in attendance said, “We have to be prepared for any type of emergency or urgent type call to help out the community and serve the public in any capacity, whether it be a major emergency or something where we’re just going to try and help them out. So any time it’s not a crime, we end up doing that. I think moving forward, what we need to do is continue to find those calls where we have some weakness and continue to train. “

Chief John Spykerman stated “ One of the things we like to push is that these are core competencies for the fire service that are built here. We want them to continue to train and develop throughout the future. Over 30 years, as new things pop up that we haven’t done before, we want them to be prepared to be future leaders and build their skills and talents. The fire academy training process has gotten them ready to serve.”

Focus on the Masters announces new members of its Board of Directors and Officers for 2016-2017

When To Hold On, When To Let Go by Gerald Zwers.

Karen Hoffberg, real estate professional and member of the Association of Realtors Professional Standards Committee, has been elected president of Focus on the Masters. Hoffberg was elected to the board in 2014 and has been active in fund development and event planning. She succeeds Gerald Zwers, noted Santa Paula artist, restorer and framer. Zwers will remain on the board.

Newly elected members of the board are Yvette Franklin, artist/ceramist, who will serve as Board Treasurer; Roxie Ray, artist/painter; and Michael Rohde, Artist/Weaver, and retired bio-chemist.

Focus on the Masters(FOTM), founded in 1994, has a record of bringing award-winning arts education to school children through its Learning To See program and to adults with mental illness. Monthly programming includes outstanding public interviews with celebrated artists, Artist Spotlight. The July 9 Spotlight will feature Donna Granata, executive director of Focus on the Masters, and Mary Galbraith in a discussion of new technologies which will take information about Ventura’s art scene to a wider audience. Granata recently completed a Master’s program in Journalism, Specializing in the Arts, at the University of Southern California, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

The board of directors and volunteers are planning the annual For the Love of Art gala on September 24 at the Arnaz Program Center in Casitas Springs. Party-goers will be treated to the talents of several FOTM documented artists including featured artist Tom Jenkins music by Phil Salazar and Mark Heyers. Sponsor packets and advance tickets are available at www.FocusOnTheMasters.com or by calling 653.2501

Channel Islands Harbor Arts Festival July 9–10 at Harbor Landing in Oxnard

This 15th annual Channel Islands Harbor Art Festival will feature accomplished artists presenting their original work in all mediums of two and three dimensional fine art, including paintings in acrylics, oils, watercolors, photography, and sculpture in glass, metal, and wood. Each artist will be present to meet with the public and discuss their work. All work is available for purchase.

In addition to fine art, fine crafts will also be presented. Festival attendees will find blown glass, semi-precious jewelry, ceramics, and an array of high quality crafts.

Harbor Landing is located at 2800 Harbor Blvd., at the corner of Channel Islands Blvd. The hours of the event are from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Admission and parking are free to the public.

Oil spill travels into Hall Canyon

Spilled crude oil stopped before reaching the ocean.

On June 23, at 5:30am, a crude oil spill was reported in the northwestern part of Ventura. The spill traveled a half mile from the Prince Barranca into Hall Canyon. Early reports (including the LA Times) greatly exaggerated the amount of the oil spilled. It was eventually confirmed to be about 700 barrels (29,400 gallons) of crude oil. The pump station where the leak occurred was quickly shut down to keep the spill to a minimum. The flow traveled about a half mile and ended up in a catch basin in the Prince Barranca and did not flow out to the ocean.

The pipeline was carrying oil produced by Area Energy and is owned and operated by Crimson Pipeline.

Community members were sent the following VC Alert message, “The oil spill in Hall Canyon is currently contained in the Prince Barranca. Crews will be working around the area and residents are advised to avoid contact with the oil and take safeguards to protect pets and property. Residents may smell strong odors and at this time air quality monitoring is taking place. Further information will be released as it becomes available.” Residents may request VC Alert notifications by texting “VC Alert to “313131”.

Many Venturans and city officials are not happy with the response and information provided by Crimson.

Ventura resident Robert Louis Chianese stated, “Our City Manager Mark Watkins has subpoenaed the Crimson Pipeline company. It’s amazing because the State of California regulates pipe lines without local officials’ involvement. I think this time, the oil company reps and others at our public meeting last night were fooling with us the whole time, and we were very angry to find out in the morning that they had re-pressured the pipe and sent it flowing with oil. There are still pools of oil in the Barranca, and the clean-up could last weeks. Crimson has had 11 spills since 2006, and while this one allegedly involves a valve, the pipe itself is 75 years old.

“Manager Watkins did something about it. It is actually very moving in his concern for the citizens and those of us close to the spill. Watkins’ anger underlies much of it too. This ought to make the national news just for the uniqueness of it with a public servant pushing for a member of “big oil” to cease and desist with the pumping and come clean with all the information we need to know to determine what we should do with that pipeline.”

In his letter dated July 1, 2016 to Crimson Pipeline, Ventura City Manager Mark Watkins stated in part.

“On June 30, 2016 the Unified Command including Crimson Pipeline held a neighborhood meeting – hosted by the City – to provide a forum for residents to receive information and ask questions about the incident. A representative from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Crimson responded that before the line would be allowed to resume operations it would be approved by the State Fire Marshal’s Office and there was a process and protocol to be followed before that could happen.”

“Crimson Pipeline personnel that attended the meeting agreed on the process and status of the pipeline. It has since come to our attention that Crimson Pipeline was putting the pipeline into testing phase during the meeting and has since resumed use of the pipeline. It is evident that the information given to me and our residents during the neighborhood meeting was not transparent or forthcoming. The City and its residents deserve a reasonable notice prior to resuming use of the pipeline. “

“The City stands by its neighbors and requests that Crimson Pipeline LLC provide a full, accurate, and honest accounting of the facts to our residents. To this end, the City requests that Crimson Pipeline:”

Shut down the pipeline immediately.

Provide the City and its impacted residents with information about the safety, process and timeline of the pipeline in advance of its resuming operation.

Comply with the City’s legislative subpoena Provide the cause of the oil spill.

Report back the actions taken to repair the pipeline and/or valve.

Provide a summary of testing for the valve and/or pipeline.

Provide protocols and/or process for resuming use of the pipeline.”

Area veterans honored at Cypress Place Senior Living

Taps was played to honor our veterans, leaving many in tears. Photo by Michael Gordon

On Wednesday, June 29 Cypress Place Senior Living hosted a special “Salute To Our Veterans” celebration with a ceremony recognizing residents of, as well as members of the public, who served their country. Over 250 people attended the powerful tribute.

A military Color Guard presentation by the 1^st Memorial Honors Detail led off the tribute. Words of thanks were provided by Ventura City Councilmember Cheryl Heitmann, as well as Stephanie Caldwell, the President and CEO of the Ventura Chamber of Commerce.

Captain Chris Janke, Commanding Officer of Naval Base Ventura County, made the keynote presentation, which was followed by a special veteran recognition and recognition of widows, widowers, and parents of Veterans.

Ventura City Fire Chief David Endaya spoke on the importance of showing appreciation to veterans. He urged members of the audience to take the time to stop and personally thank active duty servicemen and woman whom they come across, a tradition his own family follows.

Speaker Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean pointed out the significance of the representatives from the offices of elected officials in attendance at the event. According to Dean, whether you agree with their political beliefs or not, the important thing is that citizens are able to vote to elect the officials, something that people in many countries around the world are still not able to do.

Veterans living at Cypress Place Senior Living received Certificates of Recognition from the office of California State Assembly Member Jacqui Irwin. Representatives were also on hand from the offices of United States Congresswoman Julia Brownley, as well as California State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson.

Taps was played, leaving many in tears, and a flag was folded and presented to 102 year-old Cypress Place resident and retired United States Army Captain, Donald Wright, on behalf of all Veterans. The flag will be permanently displayed at the senior community.

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Ventura City Assistant Fire Chief Matt Brock. Pamela Vincent led the audience in the National Anthem. Live musical entertainment and a free BBQ lunch followed the tribute, along with a special Veterans memorabilia display inside the community.

To learn more about Cypress Place Senior Living of Ventura please call 650-8000 or visit their web site at www.cypressplaceseniorliving.com.

Beatles and me on tour book signing and music event

When Ivor Davis isn’t signing books he keeps fit at the Pierpont Racquet Club.

On Saturday, July 16, 6pm to 7pm. Gallery V will host a musical book signing event featuring author Ivor Davis and singer/composer Brooke Halpin. Gallery V is located inside Very Ventura Gift Shop at 540 E. Main Street, Downtown Ventura. The event is free.

In the summer of 1964, budding journalist Ivor Davis set off to New York on his first “Big Job:” to report on a hot, British Rock Band making their debut concert tour in America. What followed was a fever-pitched twenty-four-city tour over thirty-four days with four young musicians catapulting into forever stardom as The Beatles. Ivor Davis will share enjoyable antidotes from his book, “The Beatles and Me on Tour”.

Brooke Halpin is an accomplished broadcaster, pianist, composer, painter, and published author. He currently hosts the hit, syndicated radio show “Come Together with The Beatles,” on KBU, 97.5 in Malibu and online at www.kbu.fm.

Along with meeting Mr. Davis and Mr. Halpin, guests will be able to visit with the artists exhibiting at Gallery V. The current show Good Vibrations: A Harmony of Art & Music is a fine art collective with music and sound as motif. The Beatles will always be a part of musical history. Still to this day, albums such as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band are still enjoyed, maybe even with the addition of Graham Slee HiFi – preamp platform, to help improve the sound from the vinyl player. Either way, The Beatles did make a large impact on the music industry and someone like Ivor was there to witness it.

Gallery V owners Angela Rosales and Michael Mendelson have a steadfast passion for Ventura and coastal living. Gerald Zwers serves as curator of the gallery. Gallery V was launched in 2016, when the couple moved the business to its current location. Ms. Rosales describes the fine-art gallery as “a natural expansion to a business that is dedicated to serving the local economy and prolific arts community.”

Don Haskell passes on

On Tuesday, February 24, 2015 there was a truly meaningful event that took place at City Hall when Don Haskell was honored by the VUSD. Photo by John Ferritto

Don Haskell has died peacefully on June 25 at CMH from severe respiratory distress stemming from the progressive debilitating MS. He was a few days short of his 74^th birthday.

Don Haskell was a Ventura Unified School District teacher for thirty-six years and taught at Ventura High School. Of late he was known for being a member of the brilliant “seniors” participating in the Knowledge Bowl presented by Suz Montgomery between seniors and high school students.

In speaking to Don’s daughter Luisa Suz stated “Oh Luisa, I am devastated. On a conscious level I’m trying to wrap my head around the fact that he is gone. But in my heart he’ll always be there and participating in our class making with me laugh and imparting his phenomenal memory for facts and antidotes. Don was a very big part of my life and will always be.”

“I am saving a copy of the latest Knowledge Bowl article from a couple of weeks ago in the Ventura Breeze with his ever present grin.”

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