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Music Together opens in Ventura

Music Together, a popular Beverly Hills venue offering music classes for infants, babies, toddlers and preschoolers, recently opened a new location in Ventura. Music Together’s owner and director Siree Franks said she noticed a dearth of music education opportunities in the area, even prior to moving here with her two daughters in 2012.

“I knew there was a music void in Ventura and I wanted to fill it,” Franks said. “Music Together is my passion and I wanted to build a community of young families and music makers here in this beautiful seaside town that I now call home.”

“We sing, dance, play instruments and get silly in an informal, non-performance-oriented setting where children…can participate at their own personal pace and developmental level and still be a serious music education program.”

“Music not only helps a child’s early brain development with skills that will contribute to learning math, reading, and speech, but the activity of making music in a group surrounded by friends and family is a wonderful human bonding experience.”

Music Together currently hosts a variety of weekly offerings, including mixed-age classes, a class just for babies, and even an evening class catering to working parents who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to accompany their children.

Franks highlighted the importance of word-of-mouth in broadening Music Together’s scope. “Every session, as parents share news about our little center, we grow just a bit bigger and are able to add a class or two.”

970 Petit – www.venturamusictogether.com

Circus Vargas is indeed a family operation.

event circus — The wonderful Circus Vargas returns to Ventura under the big top.

Owned and operated by a talented young couple who together with their immediate and extended family have managed to produce some of the most incredible productions in live family entertainment in generations, all under the Big Top!

Every member of the family is involved in the day to day operations of the circus and together they function like a well-oiled machine. From the most veteran member of the family to the youngest child everyone works together.

A small self-contained city on wheels, they travel from town to town, yet always manage to keep some semblance of stability and continuity. Laid out across whatever parking lot or grass field the Big Top calls home that week, the setup is almost always the same. “We are our own little community. We have the same neighbors in each town. The trailers are parked in the exact same spots relative to the Big Top, so the environment is always familiar. You feel at home even in a place you’ve never been to before” Katya Quiroga, Co- Owner-Producer along with husband Nelson.

The Quiroga family has 4 generations of its own traveling with Circus Vargas. Add to that the many other performers from all over the world along with their families and you’ll understand why no one is ever lonely and certainly never bored. There are more than 20 children and teenagers at Circus Vargas and they have constant supervision. “There is always someone’s grandmother, father, mother, brother or aunt around,” laughs Katya, “so not much chance for anyone to misbehave and we are very big on respecting our elders”

Circus Vargas host, Jon Weiss, who travels with his wife and 3 children says it best. “The circus is a family in the sense that we feel responsible for each other. There is a tremendous respect you have for each other that doesn’t come from any other kind of job. Sometimes you literally have each other’s lives in your hands. We work together. We play together. We have barbeques, birthdays and baby showers. There is a kinship and sense of community.”

It is only fitting that with so much togetherness, these friendships foster a deep respect and camaraderie that cultivates into sincere affection that is felt under the big top. They care about each other. Not only while they are performing but behind the scenes, as well.

Boutique and Crafts Fair held at Palms At Bonaventure April 29

Many friends and neighbors joined the Boutique and Crafts Fair on Friday, April 29 at the Palms At Bonaventure. There were over 10 vendors displaying and selling a variety of items including clothing, jewelry, silk-flower arrangement, and hand-made crafts. Paul Lenderman provided the entertainment during the event. The raffle drawings created great excitement for everyone. The residents and the visitors from the communities had a wonderful time at the Palms!

111 N Wells Rd, Ventura
805) 918-4873

BoHo Chic now open in Ventura

There is a new store in town, BoHo Chic located at 973 E. Front Street, across the street from The Wharf. Owner, April Michalski-Toth, brings years of creative designing and the love of style and comfort to her new boutique. April grew up in Pierpont just a few hundred feet from the beach. She served in the military and lived all over the country but she has always carried Ventura in her heart as her home. She started making jewelry in 2014 to honor her sister who passed away suddenly, her hobby turned into her passion and BoHo Chic was born in April, 2016. BoHoChic’s grand opening is May 28th, please join her for food, music and merriment! BoHo Chic offers a unique variety of women’s clothing, jewelry and accessories along with fun vintage faire including furniture, houseware and so much more. As of May 18th the store hours are Tuesday -Sunday 10:30-5:30 or by appointment, 916.955.1292.

NAWBO celebrating outstanding women in business and leadership

The NAWBO Ventura County Chapter Board of Directors 2015-2016 Diane de Mailly, Elain Hollifieild, Maura Ratffensperger, Dr. Janis Shinkawa, Coleen King, Brenda Terzian and Joy Sakata were there to celebrate the awards. Board Members not pictured are Pamela Smith and Linda Drevenstedt.

The Ventura County Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) held their 17th Annual Bravo awards and luncheon on Friday, April 1st at the beautiful Serra Center in Camarillo. It celebrated outstanding women in business and leadership.

“We were impressed with many exceptional nominations this year,” stated Dr. Janis Shinkawa, President, NAWBO Ventura County.

The local Ventura County chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners is committed to strengthening the wealth creating capacity of its members while promoting economic development within the entrepreneurial Ventura County community. www.nawbovc.org.

Students receiving awards were from all areas in and around Ventura County

21 adult re-entry students each received a Phoenix Scholarship.

On Thursday, March 31 at Ventura College Wright Event Center Ventura College re-entry students received scholarships to help achieve their goals.

Foundation Donor Helen Yunker addressed the audience with Foundation Executive Director Nobert Tan.

The 17th Annual Phoenix Scholarship Ceremony offered larger scholarships, helping students overcome financial hardships

21 adult re-entry students, who have overcome difficult circumstances in order to pursue their studies at Ventura College, each received a Phoenix Scholarship between $1,000 and $5,000 from the Ventura College Foundation. These students have inspiring stories that all share a common thread: Never give up on the dream of a college education. A total of $37,000 was distributed at the event.

The event was hosted by the Foundation’s staff and board of directors.

In previous years, all students received $1000. The larger scholarships launched this year reflect the increasing cost of education and several Foundation donors’ desire to relieve as many barriers to education as possible.

Recipients were selected based on their academic goals and progress, along with their financial need.

The Ventura College Foundation’s board of directors established the scholarship in 1999 after learning about the unique challenges of Ventura College re-entry students. Established in 1983, the Ventura College Foundation provides financial support to the students and the programs of Ventura College to facilitate student success and grow the impact and legacy of Ventura College as a vital community asset. For more information, contact the Foundation at 289-6461 or visit www.venturacollege.edu.

Vol. 9, No. 16 – May 11 – May 24, 2016 – Tech Today

Tech Today with Ken May

What is the Internet of Things, and what does it mean for me?

Have you heard anything about the Internet of Things, AKA IoT? It’s been in and out of the news quite a bit, for both good and bad reasons. Forbes says The Internet of Things is becoming an increasingly growing topic of conversation both in the workplace and outside of it. It’s a concept that not only has the potential to impact how we live but also how we work. But what exactly is the IoT, and what impact is it going to have on you, if any? There are a lot of complexities around the “Internet of Things” but I want to stick to the basics. Lots of technical and policy-related conversations are being had but many people are still just trying to grasp the foundation of what the heck these conversations are about.

Let’s start with understanding a few things.

High speed Internet has become more widely available, the cost is decreasing, more devices are being created with Wi-Fi capabilities and sensors built into them, technology costs are going down, and smartphone ownership is sky-rocketing. All of these things are creating a “perfect storm” for the IoT.

So What Is the Internet of Things?

Simply put, this is the concept of basically connecting any device to the Internet (and/or to each other). This includes everything from cellphones, coffee makers, washing machines, headphones, lamps, wearable devices and almost anything else you can think of. This also applies to components of machines, for example a jet engine of an airplane or the drill of an oil rig. As I mentioned, if it electricity, then chances are it can be a part of the IoT. The analyst firm Gartner says that by 2020 there will be over 26 billion connected devices. That’s a lot of connections, and some even estimate this number to be much higher, over 100 billion. The IoT is a giant network of connected “things” (which also includes people). The relationship will be between people-people, people-things, and things-things.

How Does This Impact You?

The new rule for the future is going to be, “Anything that can be connected, will be connected.” But why on earth would you want so many connected devices talking to each other? There are many examples for what this might look like or what the potential value might be. Say for example you are on your way to a meeting; your car could have access to your calendar and already know the best route to take. If the traffic is heavy your car might send a text to the other party notifying them that you will be late. What if your alarm clock wakes up you at 6 a.m. and then notifies your coffee maker to start brewing coffee for you? What if your office equipment knew when it was running low on supplies and automatically re-ordered more? What if the wearable device you used in the workplace could tell you when and where you were most active and productive and shared that information with other devices that you used while working?

Of course, this opens huge security and privacy issues. IT departments are already dealing with the fallout from finding previously undiscovered holes in their networks because of IoT devices. There are great concerns with Smart TVs with webcams spying on people and recording conversations. As consumers, we must support watchdog organizations to ensure that civil liberties are not being violated, and legislate harsh penalties for those caught doing so.

Mother’s Day Luncheon held

Two dedicated mothers honored at luncheon.

On April 22, Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association celebrated its 9^th Annual Mother’s Day Luncheon honoring Ellen Brokaw and remembering Corolyn Powell, two dedicated mothers who gave tirelessly to their families and community. Over 170 guests paid tribute to these two amazing women at the Las Posas Country Club.

Ellen Brokaw is the head of the Brokaw Ranch Company and is actively involved in solving housing issues that face agricultural workers. Her five adult children Debbie, Rob, Elisabeth, Will and Elena (Ventura Parks, Recreation, and Community Partnerships Director) spoke highly of her as both a mother and businesswoman, clearly an inspiration to them all.

The “In Memory Of” tribute went to Corolyn Powell. Sons John, Nobel III, granddaughter Maureen Hefelfinger, and longtime friend Harry Crosby recalled their memories of Corolyn, known to her neighbors as the “Fernwood Drive Block Mom”.

Over $115,000 was raised. All funds go toward ensuring that Ventura County patients have access to quality home health care, compassionate hospice, and vital in-home assistance regardless of their ability to pay.

The 12th Annual NAMI Ventura County Walk held on Saturday April 30

The 12th Annual NAMI Ventura County Walk benefitting the National Alliance on Mental Illness was held on Saturday April 30 at the Ventura Promenade. The 5k walk began at 10:30 am. The Walk is a tradition that provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the facts of mental illness, to erase the stigma associated with mental illness, and to raise funds so that NAMI Ventura County can continue to offer all of their programs and services at no cost to persons who can be helped by those services. It gives everyone a chance to show their support for all of the efforts put forth by NAMI Ventura County.

Irish struggle for independence remembered

Brian Brennan and Maire O'Connell commemorate the centenary at Ivy Lawn. Photo by Ryan Schultz Ventura High School — Brian Brennan and Maire O’Connell commemorate the centenary at Ivy Lawn. Photo by Ryan Schultz Ventura High School

Several prominent local Irish Americans gathered at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park to commemorate the centenary of the Irish Easter Rising, the rebellion that kick-started the Irish struggle for independence. Organized by John McNally, this special event started at noon, exactly 100 years from the start of the insurgency.

Other participants included Brian Brennan, Maire O’Connell who read the Proclamation, Michael Ward recited the funeral oration of Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa, Tim Gallagher who read a poem by the British soldier, local writer Jon Obermeyer read WB Yeats Easter 1916, and Sally McNally sang songs of the era in Irish and in English.

Bill Ferguson, President of the Easter Rising Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians laid a wreath at temporary monument to the executed leaders of the Rising and Deacon Ron Huntly blessed the event with a prayer for Irelands patriot dead. John McNally gave the main oration which gave told us of the significance of the Easter Rising, who the leaders were and why they scarified their lives for this cause, and his recent experiences in Dublin last month at their centenary events. A Irish bagpiper played at the beginning and end of the ceremony.

John McNally stated “ 100 years ago the men and women of Easter Rising took over central Dublin, declared Irelands Independence and raised the flag of the Irish Republic, which inspired not only Irish people but also nations across the globe to seek freedom from their colonialist masters. It was the spark that would eventually lead to the dismantling of the British Empire. Although it was a military defeat for the Irish it became a moral victory that turned out to be the birth of a nation.”

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