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Vol. 9, No. 17 – May 25 – June 7, 2016 – Two on the Aisle

review theaterDarrow is at the Rubicon
by Jim Spencer and Shirley Lorraine

The legacies of two prominent figures from the early 20th Century remain major influences today.

One was magician Harry Houdini whose approach to self-promotion made him a household name and revolutionized mass marketing concepts.

The other was the legendary lawyer, Clarence Darrow. His personal story and insights into his legal career are the focus of Darrow, the current offering by Ventura’s Rubicon Theatre Company.

Darrow became the country’s best known trial attorney, not only for the controversial cases he took, but for his courtroom skills and his force as an instrument for social change.

He consistently aligned himself with the underdog. For example, a one point he resigned a lucrative job as a railroad lawyer to represent strikers and union leaders against the railroads.

In his time he famously defended urban terrorists, thrill killers, championed child labor laws and represented a science teacher put on trial for teaching evolution. Many of his cases became the inspiration for successful films.

James O’Neil, the Rubicon’s co-founder and Artistic Director Emeritus, stars in the role of Clarence Darrow in this one person show. The part has special meaning for O’Neil because he is actually a relative of the great litigator – O’Neil’s great-grandfather, Henry A. Darrow, was Clarence Darrow’s first cousin. “I’m so happy to be at an age where I can play Clarence and share his history and his humanity with my family and community,” says O’Neil.

The intimate show is presented in the round with the audience seated on all sides. The action takes place during a latter period in Darrow’s career.  From this perspective he recounts for the audience many of his life experiences, triumphs, agonies and cases. The topics range from his upbringing, to his marriage with Jessie, to his courtroom battles. Along the way he reveals glimpses into how he felt about and why he took certain cases.

The play is directed by Rubicon Artistic Associate Jenny Sullivan, who is fresh off her directorial success with the American stage premier of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance at the Rubicon – a show that received critical accolades.

The script is penned by multiple award winning playwright and Santa Barbara resident, David Rintel.

The Rubicon Theatre Company is a nonprofit, acclaimed professional regional theatre that has staged more than 115 productions over the last 18 years and garnered awards along the way from the New York Drama Desk, the L.A. Drama Critics Circle, the NAACP, plus multiple Ovation, Indy, Garland, Robby and REP awards.

Darrow plays Wednesdays through Sundays until June 12, 2016 at the Rubicon Theatre Company, 1006 E. Main Street, Ventura, CA, 93001.  Show times: Wednesdays – 2 & 7 p.m. (Talkbacks follow 7 p.m. performances); Thursdays & Fridays – 8 p.m.; Saturdays – 2 & 8 p.m.; Sundays – 2 p.m. Tickets: $25 – $54.  Information, group discounts, ticketing and seat selection: www.rubicon.theatre.org. or (805) 667-2900.

Local senior wins Lions Club student speaker contest

Miranda Mize will compete in state finals in June.

Miranda Mize, a senior at El Camino high school, has won this year’s Lions Club Student Speaker semi-final contest. She will now compete at the state finals on June 4 in Redding, California where she will be competing for the grand prize of $11,000.

This year’s topic is “Liberty and Justice For All — What It Means to Me”.

Miranda took first place at the Ventura Downtown Lions Club competition and went on to win the next four levels. She was awarded $4,500 for winning at District and moved on to compete in the semi-finals where she took home the top prize of $6,500.

The Lions Club Student Speaker contest is supported by the Student Speaker Foundation, a California nonprofit corporation.  This year the Foundation will provide scholarships totaling $103,500.00. From this amount, each of the fifteen District winners will receive a $4,500.00 scholarship, each of the four Area winners will receive an additional $6,500.00 scholarship and the winner of the Multiple District Four Contest will receive an additional $10,000.00 scholarship

The Ventura Downton Lions Club meets the first three Thursdays of every month for lunch at The Derby Club, Ventura County Fairgrounds. Guests are always welcome!

For information about the Lions Club Student Speaker Contest, Lions Clubs International, or the Ventura Downtown Lions, visit  www.venturalions.org or 655-5595.

 

River Patrol on the Willoughby Preserve

Jess Nikolai at the kiosk at the Main Street Bridge
by Jill Forman

Jess Nikolai is an ebullient 20-something who loves birds and possums and wildlife.  As the Preserve Manager for the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy, part of her job is patrolling the Willoughby Preserve where the Main Street Bridge spans the river.

“The…Conservancy has spent the past three years…removing invasive non-native plant species and clearing over 1,000 tons of trash from the river bottom.  Our hard work is paying off and today we are seeing the return of native wildlife and plants,” she says.

She frequently laces up her hiking boots and takes to the trails of the preserve, looking for refuse and pollution.  Your intrepid writer went along with her last week.

“Hello!  Anybody home?” she calls outside of a tent.  No answer, so she takes note of the location to notify someone to come back later.  “Look at this garbage,” at another place, and out comes her cell phone to snap a photo.  The city crew will come pick up that trash.  We check the progress of the arundo removal (arundo donax, an invasive reed, has taken over large swathes of the river bottom.)  Some refuse piles seen on previous patrols have been picked up, some have grown, some are moldering.

The river bottom is a patchwork of ownership and jurisdiction.  “We work closely with all of the river property owners, including California State Parks, the Ventura Police Department, Ventura County, and the City of Ventura.”  She and I walk over not only the VHC property but parts of the State Parks and other owners’ areas.

stuff river patrol insetShe feels badly when telling folks they can’t camp there.  “We understand that the folks who end up camping in the river bottom are usually down on their luck, but it is illegal for them to be there.  Not only is it unsafe for them, they usually are living in very unsanitary conditions that can negatively impact their health and the health of the river’s ecosystem.”

We decide to cross over to the island in the middle of the river, using a makeshift bridge of logs, planks, and rocks.  Yours truly needs a stick for balance, while Jess hops over like the nature girl she is.  There has been a crew on the island recently from the Coast Guard, cutting arundo and hauling away garbage, and we are checking out the current status.  It’s looking better but a lot more needs to be done.

Nikolai is actively seeking more volunteers to patrol with her; it is more secure to travel in pairs.  “Our goal in monitoring and patrolling the Ventura River estuary is to keep it clean and safe.  We work with volunteers to clean up trash, clear trails and report any illegal activity.”  Anyone interested in joining her, learning about this natural area, and helping keep the area safe and environmentally viable, can contact her at [email protected].

 

Vol. 9, No. 17 – May 25 – June 7, 2016 – Music Calendar

For more events go to VenturaRocks.com

Amigos Cafe & Cantina
546 E. Main St.
805-874-2232
Mondays: Open mic
Wed 5/25: Musicians Brew
Thurs 5/26: After the Smoke
Fri 5/27: 5 pm Karen Eden; 9 pm Corsican Brothers
Sat 5/28: DJ Defcon
Sun 5/29: 5 pm Seaside Band; 9 pm Karaoke
Tues 5/31: Shure Thing
Thurs 6/2: Smokey & Friends
Fri 6/3: Freeman James & Friends
Sat 6/4: Barrelhouse Wailers
Sun 6/5: 5 pm The Tossers; 9 pm Karaoke
Tues 6/7: Blues Bullet

Bombay Bar & Grill
143 S. California St.
805-643-4404
Wed 5/25: The Jam with Mark Masson & Friends

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

Copa Cubana
Ventura Harbor Village
Mondays: 6 pm The Estrada Band
Tuesdays: RJ Mischo & the Down Home Trio

Dargan’s
593 E. Main Street
Sun 6/5: 4 pm The Sunday Drivers

Discovery
1888 Thompson Blvd
Wed 5/25: Starlight Swing Night w/ Lance
Thurs 5/26: Sun Dried Vibes
Fri 5/27: Roddy Radiation & the Skabilly Rebels
Sat 5/28: Future Disco
Sun 5/29: Spencer Fischer DJ
Thurs 6/2: After the Smoke
Fri 6/3: Zoso

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
Thurs 5/26: Louise Distras, Ryham Davidson, Brittney Burchett
Sat 5/28: Sex Tape

GiGi’s
2493 Grand Avenue
Thurs & Fridays: Karaoke
Sat 6/4: The Deaf Pilots

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

Gone West Cellars
5963 Olivas park Drive
Music Fridays 6-8 pm
Fri 5/27: Double Trouble

Grapes and Hops
454 E. Main Street
Fri 5/27: Malynda Hale
Sat 5/28: TD Lind w/ Danny McGaw
Sun 5/29: Ones to Watch – Mimi Gilbert
Fri 6/3: Rivvrs
Sat 6/4: Ones to Watch – The Brambles

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 5/27: Hi Hat Show – Rob Rio
Fri 6/3: Hi Hat Show – Deke Dickerson & the Eccofonics

Keynote Lounge
10245 Telephone Road
Tuesday and Wednesday: Karaoke
Thursday: Open Mic
Sunday: Karaoke
Fri 5/27: Dive Bar Messiahs
Sat 5/28: Black Canyon Band
Fri 6/3: Action Down
Sat 6/4: Vital Itch

Majestic Ventura Theater
26 S. Chestnut Street
Wed 5/25: The Expendables
Sat 5/28: Saul Hernandez
Thurs 6/2: Bad Religion

Margarita Villa
Ventura Harbor Village
Fri & Sat at 5; Sundays at 3
Fri 5/27: Steve Stafford
Sat 5/28: Action Down
Sun 5/29: Tommy Quayle
Fri 6/3: Corsican Brothers
Sat 6/4: Mike Martinez
Sun 6/5: The Swillys

O’Leary’s
6555 Telephone Road
Wednesdays: Karaoke
Wed 5/25: Karaoke
Fri 5/27: Live Band Karaoke

Paddy’s
2 W. Main Street
Wednesdays: Karaoke
Fri & Sat: DJs

Plan B Wine Cellars
3520 Arundell
Sat 5/28: 3:30 pm Pete Anderson Band

Poinsettia Pavillion
3451 Foothill Road
(805) 648-1143
Sun 6/5: 2 pm Old Country-Grass Band
Mon 6/6:  Monday Night Dance Club with Dick Parent Band

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

Rookies Sports Bar & Grill
419 E. Main Street
(805) 648-6862

Saloon BBQ Co.
456 E. Main Street
Fri 5/27: Rich Sheldon
Sat 5/28: The Barrelhouse Wailers

Sandbox Coffeehouse
204 E. Thompson Blvd
805-641-1025
Thurs 6 pm, Weekends noon
Thursdays Open Mic
Sat 5/28: Patrick Gillham
Sun 5/29: Sabastian Gagyi
Sat 6/4: Havilah Abrego
Sun 6/5: Mikey De Lara

Sans Souci
21 S. Chestnut
Sundays:  DJ Darko
Mondays: Karaoke
Tuesdays: Transform Tuesday
Wednesdays: Open mic
Thursdays: DJ Spinobi
Fri 5/27: Sick Boy
Sat 5/28: Focke Wolves
Thurs 6/2: Mother of Dissension, Hymen Blasters
Fri 6/3: Alligator Dave

Squashed Grapes
2351 E. Main St.
805-643-7300
Live jazz music 7-10 pm
Wed 5/25: Silent Movies with Rick Friend
Thurs 5/26: Nahem Zdybel Trio
Fri 5/27: Doug Webb & Friends
Sat 5/28: Colin Bailey & Friends
Wed 6/1: D.on Darox and the Melody Joy Bakers
Thurs 6/2: Tom Buckner & Friends
Fri 6/3: Tony Ybarra & Friends
Sat 6/4: Mitch Forman Trio
Tues 6/7: Jazz Jam

Star Lounge
343 E. Main Street
Fri 5/27: Big Adventure
Sat 5/28: Brandon Ragan Project
Fri 6/3: Gutterbing
Sat 6/4: Crosscut

Surf Brewery
4561 Market Street
Music 6-8 pm
Sat 5/28: Mitchell Blake
Sat 6/4: Mike Fishell & Friends

The Tavern
211 E. Santa Clara Street
Sunday open mics
Karaoke Tuesdays
Metal Music Wednesdays
DJs every Thursday college night
Fri 5/27: The Rubberneck Lions
Sat 5/28: The Caverns
Sat 6/4: I Want My 80s

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

W20 at the Watermark
598 E. Main Street
Thurs 5/26: Addisyn Emery
Fri 5/27: GrooveSession
Sat 5/28: The Bomb
Sun 5/29: 3 pm Action Down
Thurs 6/2: Jade Hendrix
Fri 6/3: Karen Eden; Mini Driver
Sat 6/4: The Bomb
Sun 6/5: 11 am David Patt; Anchor & Bear

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 5/12: Jon Gindick
Fri 5/27: The Ventura Jazz Collective
Sat 5/28: B&V Acoustics
Fri 6/3: Jae Hatt
Sat 6/4: Jodi Farrell

The 805 Bar
Ventura Harborz
Sat & Sun: Noon Kenny DeVoe

Vol. 9, No. 17 – May 25 – June 7, 2016 – Ventura Music Scene

music scene

Who to watch
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com

Ones to Watch Productions will be hosting a number of showcases at Grapes and Hops on Main Street.  Mimi Gilbert will be there on Saturday, May 28, and The Brambles on Saturday, June 4th.  Steve and Polly Hoganson (formerly of Zoey’s) most certainly have their fingers on the pulse of up and coming artists to watch for, so be sure to support their showcases here in town!

Radio Skies CD release party will be held indoors and out at the Ventura Beach Club On Saturday, May 28 with several bands and artists on the bill in what they’re calling a “One Night Micro Fest”.  If you’re not familiar with them, the band, Radio Skies is out of Ojai, and find their inspiration from the songwriting of Paul Simon, the electronic landscapes of Brian Eno and the spirit of the Grateful Dead with their sound described as folk roots, electronic, psychedelia.  Other bands on the line up include Pacific Haze, The Brambles, 9Lives and Brion Shearer.

The Libbey Bowl 2016 season has a number of events lined up for the next several months including several dates for the 70th Ojai Music Festival in June; concerts with Rick Springfield, Ozomatli, Michael McDonald, The Zombies and a special intimate concert with Don Felder of the Eagles benefiting Community Memorial Healthcare Foundation and the Ojai Community Foundation in October; and coming up immediately is an Ojai VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) free Memorial Day concert featuring Veteran speakers, and music from Nordhoff High School, US Air Force Band and the Ventura British Brass.  For more information on Libbey shows, check out www.LibbeyBowl.org.

Hi Hat Entertainment has landed at the Hong Kong Inn for their Friday night Blues concerts. Shows on their roster include the boss of boogie Woogie, Rob Rio, who will be in the house on Friday, May 27; Keke Dickerson and the Eccofonics, famous for their Western Rockabilly sound on Friday, June 3rd; and The Bruce Katz Band will be there on Friday, June 10. Katz was inducted into the Blues hall of Fame in 2013. Hi Hat has a solid up line through August; you can check out their line up at www.HiHatEntertainment.com.

By the way, if you’re planning on catching Bad Religion at the Ventura Theater on Thursday, June 2, then you’ll want to extend the fun afterwards at Sans Souci with Mother of Dissension and The Hymen Blasters.

And of course the summer fun officially starts with Roadshow Revival, (now being called) A Celebration of American Roots Music, at Mission Park on June 25th and 26th.  I’m looking forward to catching John Doe, The Paladins, The Blasters, Robert Gordon, and tons of other acts performing over the weekend. Information and tickets can be found at www.RoadshowRevival.com.

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.

Vol. 9, No. 17 – May 25 – June 7, 2016 – Ojai News & Events

“Shades Of Gray,” the 13th annual Ojai Art Center Photography Branch juried exhibit, opens on Saturday, June 4, with a free opening reception from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The exhibit runs through June 29 at the Ojai Art Center Gallery, 113 South Montgomery St.

Once it was the only choice open to a photographer, but now black and white imaging has become an outstanding medium of artistic expression. All photographs in this year’s exhibit are in black, white, and shades of gray; and because the theme is open, many different genres and techniques will be represented. For full information please visit: http://ojaiacphoto.org

The Ojai Valley Friends and its bookstore, Twice-Sold Tales, invites you once again to the Library book store’s annual Memorial Day Weekend book sale. In what has now become an Ojai tradition, the fabulous Sale offers hundreds of books in an enormous variety of topics at unbelievably low prices! Colorful children’s books, tantalizing cook books, reference, self-help and historical volumes as well as popular fiction, religion and gardening in paperback and hardback will all be available for sale. Prices will range from 50 cents to $2.00 with a few individually priced rare books. This event is held on the patio and parking lot of the Ojai Library, 111 E. Ojai Avenue on May 28, 29, 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All proceeds go to the Ojai Valley Library Friends and Foundation, (OVLFF) a not for profit organization that provides funding for very special library programs

The Ventura County Potters’ Guild is a collective of ceramic artists is made up of professional and recreational potters and ceramists; instructors from local high schools and colleges; as well as people with a passion for ceramics. This year’s spring sale on June 11 and 12 in Libbey Park will be there 57th anniversary of celebrating the Guild’s fine ceramic artists along side of Ojai’s premier Music Festival. There will be a Guild themed competition, “Natural”, that will be juried as well as a People’s Choice Award. Please come vote for your favorite piece! Demonstrations that will entertain both children and adults are planned. For more information, call  644-6800

Fayrene Parrish, Painter and Sculptor will be having a ‘Showcase Exhibit” at the Ojai Art Center beginning June 4. Fayrene’s work is in private and corporate collections throughout the world, including the United States Government. She is also an illustrator and author of ‘How To Books’ for all ages, including for children, in “The Shipmates Coloring Adventure Series.”

After a 20 year stay in the Northwest, she and her husband Ted,  have returned and are living in Ojai.  She will be displaying and selling sculpture, paintings and books at the Ojai Art Center through June 29th. Her website is www.fayreneparrish.com

OjaiCARES, Ojai’s cancer resource center, will present the second in their free health education series, Confounding Cancer with Immune & Metabolic Therapies. Dr. Nasha Winters will share emerging therapies & applications of mistletoe, IV Vitamin C, Cannabinoids, Hyperthermia and the Ketogenic Diet.

Held at The Ojai Retreat, 160 Besant Road  on Friday June 17th from 7 to 9:30 pm

Free of charge to all. Visit ojaicares.org or 646-6433 for more information

The Ojai Valley Lions Club, along with local support, is hosting a benefit to help the Melendez Family as they support their son Jayden who has been diagnosed with high risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

On Saturday, June 4, from 12:00 – 5:00 P.M. at the Oak View Park and Resource Center, 555 Mahoney Avenue Oak View.

Come out to enjoy a fun day of play that includes exciting carnival games, music, a fabulous silent auction, jumpers, face painting, delicious food and beer garden. Proceeds will be used by the family to help with medical expenses, gas, meals and additional costs associated with caring for their son as he undergoes treatment. Online donations can be made at http://jays-journey.weebly.com/play4jay.html

“Soldier On … Wit Wisdom War” is an artistic celebration of our soldiers over the last century, featuring two one-act plays, songs, poems and dialogs, mostly from Ventura County residents. Produced by Ojai ACT, it runs for one night only, 7 p.m. Monday, May 30 at the Ojai Art Center, 113 S. Montgomery St. No reservations are necessary and a $5 donation is requested. 452-2885 for more information.

 

Vol. 9, No. 17 – May 25 – June 7, 2016 – Events

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.

May 25: On Wednesday, Tim Harrison, VP for Business and Administrative Services will lead a special tour of the new Applied Science Center on the Ventura College Campus for interested community members.  The tour will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be followed by the regular College Area Community Council meeting at 7:15 p.m.

Shana Epstein, general manager of the Ventura Water Department, will provide an update on community water issues and answer questions during the meeting.  As always, a representative from the Ventura Police Department will address recent crime trends in the neighborhood.  The Council, which represents citizens between Mills and Victoria bordered by the hillsides and Hwy. 126, meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month. 658-7225 for more information.

May 26: Portuguese Fraternal Society of America – The local chapter of PFSA (Council #128) will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday.  This meeting is open to any person of Portuguese descent or interested in the Portuguese culture.  The meeting is at Main Street Restaurant and Steakhouse, 3159 East Main St.  At 11:30 a.m. for a 12 p.m., no host luncheon / meeting.  For more information and reservation, please call Cora Corella at 483-6285, or, Yvonne Westervelt at 483-4168.

May 26: The Ventura County Bird Club will be entertained by Kim Federico from Birds and Bee’s in Ventura.  Her subject will be “Hand feeding and baby bird care”.

Kim recalls “Throughout my life I have been fortunate to experience a large variety of animals as my companions.  This love for animals was instilled at an early age by both of my parents. They educated me about them and nurtured my love and compassion for all living beings. “

Come and visit with the club members and bring a friend for the evening.  A raffle and refreshments will follow the presentation.

The presentation will start at 7pm at the Ventura Moose Lodge #1394, 10267 Telephone Rd.  Attendance is free and all are welcome.  For further information call 377-9466 or 488-6244.

May 27: Ventura County Bell Arts Song Circle meets on the 4th Friday of each month from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.  Like to play acoustic music?  Songmakers.org welcomes all lovers of acoustic music, instrumentalists, singers, and singer/songwriters of all levels to join in a free song circle at the Bell Arts Factory Community Room, 432 N. Ventura Ave. Listeners welcome.   TJ Zeiler 910-7565.

May 30: The public is invited to a family-friendly Memorial Day event on Monday, from noon to 4 p.m. Hosted by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #1679 and Auxiliary at 3801 Market St. This annual event is co-sponsored by Elks Lodge #1430 and Emblem Club and American Legion Post #339 and Auxiliary. Live music begins at noon and complimentary lunch will be served beginning at 1 p.m. Donations accepted but not required.

May 30: Open to the public, Veterans and enlisted Military: Memorial Day ceremony at Ivy Lawn Cemetery in Ventura at the flag memorial from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Come early to park and enjoy the service from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.  Families with children welcome too. No pets.

June 1: The Beach Cities Neighbors and Newcomers Club, (BCNN ) is a group of active women of all ages who live in Ventura, Oxnard, or Port Hueneme and enjoy activities such as hiking, bridge, dining, wine outings, reading, cooking etc. Monthly meeting is from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Ventura Museum Pavilion 100 E. Main Street, No charge for meeting and no reservation is required.

Speaker: Sheila Lowe Forensic Handwriting Expert. For additional information, bcnnwomensclub.org or 988-0795

June 4: Channel Islands Landing Mariners Swap Meet

Find all of your treasures on Saturday, 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.  Come to buy or sell electronics and everything related to the boating adventure.  Park on the East side of the street. Snacks and Beverages available at Channel Islands Landing, 3821 S. Victoria Ave. 985-6269 for Info or Reservations.

June 4: Vermiculture! (Worm Composting) Workshop at Ventura City Corps at 77 N California St.

Saturday at 11 a.m. The cost of admission is a $10 donation. A power point presentation will illustrate the process step by step. The supplies you will need to get started with Vermiculture will be for sale.

Worm bins/kits for sale: $ 40- Hobbyist bin, $60- Professional bin, $30- Children’s bin.

June 4: On Saturday,  Dr. Paul Baker, who is an adoptive parent, co-author of The Hopeful Brain and originator of The Person Brain Model, will explore the emotions and challenges of accepting another person’s child into your home, the dynamics of family culture and ways to quickly build trust in the foster parenting relationship. This special event is designed for current resource families and those considering how they can help support children in foster care in Ventura County.

This event is free to attend thanks to the generosity of the following sponsors:

Foster VC Kids, Casa Pacifica, Arrow, Aspira.net and Koinonia Family Services

To register www.casapacifica.org/training or contact Darlene Navarro at [email protected] or 366-4064. Will be held at Mission Church in Ventura on Elba Street from 9am till noon. Child care will be provided by Channel Islands Social Services and has limited space.

June 5: On Sunday, Citizens for Peaceful Resolutions at E.P. Foster Library from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Topping Room.  Screening of Michael Moore’s Film:  “Where to Invade Next”. Admission Free. Honored by festivals and critics groups alike, Where To Invade Next is an expansive, hilarious, and subversive comedy in which the Academy Award®-winning director confronts the most pressing issues facing America today and finds solutions in the most unlikely places. For more information on Citizens for Peaceful Resolutions and how you can get involved  www.c-p-r.net,

Mary Olson 223-1187

June 5: The 1892 Dudley Historic House Museum will be open for docent-led tours from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. accompanied by period music in the parlor and upstairs library landing. Admission is free. The museum is located at the corner of Loma Vista and Ashwood streets. For information please call 642-3345 or visit the website at www.dudleyhouse.org.

June 5&6: Community Memorial Hospital Gift Shop will be having a “Book Sale” fundraiser in the Main Lobby of CMH: 147 N. Brent Street.  Please come and shop 8AM to 4PM.  For books and novelties.  Also, they continue to seek new volunteers.  Pick up an application at the front desk.

June 8: The Ventura County Camera Club will hold a critique meeting on Wednesday, at 7 p.m. at the Poinsettia Pavilion, 3451 Foothill Rd. A professional photographer from the area will critique member’s prints and digital images. Each month a special topic is chosen which features some interesting aspect of photography. This month’s topic is “Landscapes”. Anyone with an interest in photography is welcome and admission is free. Only members may submit images for critique. See the club’s web site for more information about the club and examples of member’s work or call 908-5663.  WWW.VenturaCountyCameraClub.com

June 11: Denise Quigley will discuss “Climbing Your Family Tree on the Computer” to the Ventura Beginners PC Users Group, from 9:15-12:00 in the 3rd floor lounge of Cypress Place Independent Living, 1220 Cypress Point Lane. All beginners and intermediates are welcome.  Call 647-1728 for further information.

June 18: Ventura Friends of the Library will hold a Book Sale: Hidden Treasures for All Ages.

At Vons, 6040 Telegraph Road from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All genres, including special interest, vintage; fiction, including classics and current hardcover and paperbacks; non-fiction, including biography, science, engineering, religion, travel, cooking, history, California history, art, music, self-help, education, parenting, sports, craft books; children’s books; dvds, books on cd and tape, puzzles, and more.

Vol. 9, No. 17 – May 25 – June 7, 2016 – Professor Scamp Ph.D

My good friend Jaime Baker does these wonderful dog (and people) caricatures.
My good friend Jaime Baker does these wonderful dog (and people) caricatures.

• Remember that the Felix N Fido “Bring Me Home” Adoption Festival is on Sunday, June 5 from 11am-4pm at the Ventura Harbor. It’s a dog friendly , family day so please attend and you might even get to pet me (for free) and have a dog caricature drawn by Jaime Baker.

• by Victoria Usher

Not too long ago a commercial fisherman from San Diego lost his wonderful dog Luna after she fell overboard into the Pacific Ocean. Only a month after the incident the one-and-a-half-year-old German shepherd was found on San Clemente Island, around a Navy-owned training base. Luna’s owner, Nick Haworth along with the Navy personnel he had notified searched the waters for about two days searching for Luna at the time of the incident, but found no sign of her. She was presumed to have drowned until staffers arrived for work on this specific morning and found Luna sitting by the side of the road. A biologist examined Luna and found her a little thin but otherwise completely healthy. Luna’s dog tag was lost so the Navy decided to give her a new one. Her new one now says her name but also has a special message on it, a reminder to everyone: “Keep the Faith.”

• The National Dog Bite Prevention Week® takes place during the third full week of May each year, and focuses on educating people about preventing dog bites. I forgot to remind you of this. I keep sooo busy.

With an estimated population of 70 million dogs living in U.S. households, millions of people – most of them children – are bitten by dogs every year. The majority of these bites, if not all, are preventable. If you own a dog then you should know local bite laws; these are good to know if you are the victim of dog bites too.

According to the Center for Disease Control, dog bites were the 11th leading cause of nonfatal injury to children ages 1-4, 9th for ages 5-9 and 10th for ages 10-14 from 2003-2012.

The Insurance Information Institute estimates that in 2013, insurers across the country paid over $483 million in dog bite claims thanks to firms like www.nehoralaw.com.

The U.S. Postal Service reports that 5,581 postal employees were attacked by dogs in 2013.

Children are, by far, the most common victims of dog bites and are far more likely to be severely injured.

Most dog bites affecting young children occur during everyday activities and while interacting with familiar dogs. Senior citizens are the second most common dog bite victims. If you find yourself the victim of a dog bite, you might want to check out someone similar to this Dog Bite Lawyer who might be able to help you with your case.

So if your dog is overly aggressive and might be a biter talk to your vet about prevention and there are lots of good doggie classes taught by local trainers (some are given by the City of Ventura).

• Should you let your pet share your blankets and your bed? A recent Mayo clinic study is challenging the conventional wisdom that animals in the bedroom can mess with your sleep. Whoever came up with such a stupid idea that we can mess with sleep? Maybe your snoring messes with our sleep.

Patricia Sullivan had canine company in bed as soon as she brought home her first puppy.

“He started to cry, and whimper and I felt sorry for him and I put him on my bed and he curled up in a ball and he was asleep and he’s been there ever since,” she said.

Sleep experts have long thought that pets in the bedroom are disruptive to a person’s sleep but a recent Mayo Clinic survey found 41 % of sleep patients who share their beds with their animals find it beneficial.

“If having a pet nearby helps them feel relaxed and gives them a sense of security, which permits them to fall asleep with less difficulty, then I think that is something that does deserve attention,” said Dr. Lois Krahn, a sleep specialist at the Mayo Clinic.

Twenty percent of respondents however, admitted their pets interrupted their sleep.

“They need to know how well they sleep as a person and how well the pet sleeps, they need to take into account the size of the pet,” Krahn said.

Other considerations include the size of the bed and the number of pets you have (It’s just me and Savana, unless Sheldon is considered a pet). Your pets also must be clean and free of fleas.

Even though their barking sometimes wakes her up, she said she wouldn’t have it any other way.

The study did not look at whether different types of pets or different species were more disruptive than others. The study authors say they hope to focus future studies in those areas.

• In celebration if its 84th anniversary, the Humane Society of Ventura County is holding an open house at its Ojai kennel on June 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In addition to providing behind-the-scene tours of HSVC’s facility at 402 Bryant St., humane educator Dawn Reily will be giving presentations, with the help of animals at the shelter, and be available to answer all animal questions. There will be a craft table, scavenger hunt and refreshments available, so attendees are encouraged to bring their children.

The HSVC also is using the day to launch its “Tiles for Tails” campaign to help build a new kennel. Donors will have engraved personalized titles made by Firefly Ceramics that will be on permanent display at the kennel.

For more information, call 646-6505.

The Humane Society of Ventura County is a private, nonprofit organization founded in 1932. It does not receive federal, state or local tax dollars to operate and relies solely on private donations.

scamp paxton
RIP Paxton Alexander 2001 – 2016

Vol. 9, No. 17 – May 25 – June 7, 2016 – Movie Review

The Nice Guys/4 Palm Trees
by Eduardo Victoria/eduardovictory@yahoo.com
Watching a Shane Black film is like stepping into the mind of a madman – his films are wildly unhinged, whip-smart and have an unmistakable charm that’s equally obscene yet oddly endearing. All of these things, and more, are in full display in The Nice Guys, Black’s ode to 1970’s Los Angeles noir. As with the director’s most iconic buddy comedies, his latest has more style than most directors can ever dream of, all while subverting the genre and delivering one of the year’s funniest films.
Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe are comedic gold, an instant big screen duo who play gigantic screw-ups that you can’t help but cheer for. Funnier than most comedies, grittier that most action flicks, and with a seedy plot that contrasts sex, drugs, murder and bad parenting, The Nice Guys’ irreverent insanity will leave you gasping for air and begging for more.
It all begins as a car careens off the side of a road, into a house and down a hill. The deceased driver turns out to be a fading pornstar named Misty Mountains maybe this pornstar worked as one of many escorts for roleplaying who knows. It’s her death that sets the story in motion. Somehow tied to her demise is the disappearance of a young girl named Amelia (Margaret Qualley), who’s being trailed independently by two low-life detectives, Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) and Holland March (Ryan Gosling).
Healy is a tough guy who bides his time beating thugs for money, while March is a single dad who’s long been washed up. Before they know it, the two detectives paths unwittingly align and they’re forced to work together before a insidious conspiracy threatens to envelop Los Angeles.
If you’ve seen enough noir, you know that Black isn’t reinventing the wheel here, but he also doesn’t have to – instead, he’s putting every other film in the genre to shame, executing his latest with a breathless barrage of ingenuity, thrills and laughs. If you’re a fan of the genre, this has everything you could ever want – a pair of drunken, lovable loser detectives, a murder mystery, car chases and smoky, extravagant parties, only given to us in a way that seems fresh and earned. The film’s biggest asset, of course, is Black’s uncanny ability with payoff.
From minute to minute, the film never skips a beat, blending its twisty reveals, gags, action and character work through buildups which pay off in wildly unpredictable ways. We barely have time to recover from a joke or revelation, before it leads to an even bigger punch line or an action sequence that hilariously focuses on the awkwardness of each encounter and the quick decisions our characters are forced to make.
Even then, the action is its own beast, a refreshing mixture of ballsy, well-timed stunt work that rejects the current sameness of generic CGI explosions to focus on intricately crafted gunfights, brawls and vehicular mayhem, all of which are never redundant and take us around a nostalgic trip through 70s Los Angeles. As if that weren’t enough, the film’s grit takes a few unexpected dips into the surreal, making for a film that just has to be seen to be believed.
Rated R. 116 minutes. Now playing at Century 10 Downtown.