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Robotics stronghold competition held at Ventura College

Ventura High School team members getting ready to defeat all.

by Richard Lieberman

More than 1000 students from high schools in Southern California participated in a competition utilizing robotic technology to breach moats, shoot large balls, and capture castles during the Robotics Stronghold Competition held at Ventura College in March. Forty-two teams from Southern California and four from China competed in the medieval themed event.

Joshua Ceth Vida Gazone from Kearney High School San Diego gave the Breeze a tour of the “Pits” and explained the program in detail. “I started with Legos, putting them together, and taking them apart. Then I learned how to put Legos together so they could pick up other Legos.”  “It all started out with Legos, and when I came to San Diego and joined the Robotics Team at the high school it progressed from there.” Said Gazone. Currently studying Mechanical Engineering, and enrolled in the Engineering Innovation and Design program with a solid 4.0 grade average since the ninth grade. Student ambassador to the event Gazone “so I help out with media and others explaining the event and the program” he added. With a perfect 4.0 since 9th grade Gazone is hoping to apply and be admitted to SDU to major in Mechanical Engineering.

youth robots2“The goal of the competition is to use teamwork to solve engineering problems” said FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Regional Southern California Director Steve Stark. Students in the program make their own parts, design their robots, and build them. The competition requires student machines to perform a series of tasks. Beginning with the first 15 seconds the robots must perform autonomously, then they are operated manually by students for the duration of the match.

The machines are required to breach an outer wall, hurl balls at the opposing team’s castle, and scoring points for every ball that lands in the castle. Scoring enough points the robot then can climb a wall and win the tournament.

The teams have six weeks to build, program and test the robots, and in addition to the building activities students will be presenting essays, safety and business plans, strategizing and scouting other teams for their strengths and weaknesses.

The winning regional teams will go on to St Louis to compete in the world competition. This year more than 5000 teams, amounting to 78,000 students world-wide will compete in the program. The students 13-18 will receive instruction from teachers and guidance from mentors. Mentors will aid the students in the fields of engineering, manufacturing, and business. They will help the students to build their robots, and to form their business plans.

The Ventura team “Circuit of Life” is supported by Haas Automation, Amgen, College of the Canyons, Sessa Manufacturing, Qualcomm, Ventura County Career Education, Ventura High, Foothill Technology High, Buena High and El Camino High.

The Ventura team “The Circuit of Life” won a spot on the World Championships held in St. Louis April 27th to April 30th. In St Louis they will face 600 teams from across the globe.

 

Buena High School Studio A Jazz Band showcases talents

Photo by Michael Gordon

On Sunday afternoon, April 17th,  Buena High School Studio A Jazz Band showcased their talents in a performance for Channel Islands Jazz Club at the Pacific Corinthian Yacht Club. This 17 member ensemble was accompanied by local vocalist Jade. Admission and donations benefited a student scholarship to a summer jazz camp in San Francisco that the Channel Islands Club sponsors. With tunes from Duke Ellington and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy a fun atmosphere filled the room. To learn more about the Buena High School Studio A Jazz Band, contact Music Director Andre Spence at Buena High School, [email protected].

 

Homeless Workshop draws interested parties

Homeless Workshop held at the Derby Club.

by Sheli Ellsworth

More than 250 people gathered for the City Council’s Community Homeless Workshop held at the Derby Club on April 18. Attendees worked in groups to complete exercises designed to define, understand and help the homeless community. Post-its were used to chronicle past efforts to help the homeless population and discussions focused on issues like mental illness, addiction, lack of affordable housing and the impact of homelessness on the community.

Attendee Dave Grau commented, “We seem to have the ‘have nots’ in every community and it is easy to forget about them because we don’t want to see it.” Behavioral Health Department Director Elaine Crandell has attended several homeless workshops and noted the economic impact of homelessness, “All the studies say that homelessness affects things like tourism and Ventura relies on tourism.”

Ventura is second only to Oxnard in the number of homeless in the community. According to research from the Ventura Community Development Department, Oxnard has about 600 homeless people while Ventura numbers 334 homeless. Simi Valley places third with about 200 homeless while Thousand Oaks has 83. Fillmore and Moorpark each have 7 homeless of record. The upshot is that the City of Ventura has 41 services available to help the homeless community while Oxnard has 31. According to county reports, 118 places in Ventura County offer homeless services like shelter, food, clothing, counseling, hygiene, medical care, transportation and others.

Several attendees commented that increased coordination between the different agencies to include all private and faith-based organizations might improve the distribution of homeless services. Perhaps a central council or agency could coordinate efforts of the entire community?

Other discussions involved the types of homelessness. Homelessness due to the loss of a job may be different from the type of homelessness due to mental and physical challenges. According to the VCDD, “In 2015, City of Ventura had 239 unsheltered individuals. 56% or 134 were chronically homeless individuals, which is 41% greater than the national average.” Of those who are chronically homeless, I learned that 30% usually have a mental illness or substance abuse. Councilman Neal Andrews commented, “One thing I have come to know through the years is that many people who are homeless only want help on their own terms.”

Workshop attendees asked each other if this type of individualized help was feasible. “If a person is only willing to accept a certain kind of help so they can continue to be homeless, how far should a community go to accommodate them?” one person commented. “Does our moral obligation extend to people who embrace the homeless lifestyle?” Another attendee said that in her experience many homeless want be in a particular area.

One problem in sheltering Ventura’s homeless is that zoning does not allow overnight sheltering and other services at the same location. Time consuming and costly city permits also slow the availability of shelters.

At the conclusion of the Workshop Mayor Erik Nasarenko made a motion that would allow the city to forgo some of the zoning/permitting process. The motion passed 5-2. City Attorney Gregory Diaz said the motion does not change zoning, but allows the city staff to examine the issue further.

Councilman Mike Tracy made a motion that no changes occur until the community’s homeless workshop recommendations could be considered at the June council meeting. Tracy’s motion failed, 5-2. Mike Tracy and Jim Monahan voted against the motion since homeowners had not had the chance to weigh in.

Councilman Neal Andrews made a motion asking city staff to consider strategies developed by the council’s subcommittee on homelessness several years ago. Andrew’s motion failed, 6-1.  The City Council is hoping to have some of the workshop’s ideas and observations organized, ready for discussion at the June 13 City Council meeting.

Walk with NAMI Ventura County in the 12th Annual NAMI Ventura County Walk

Join last year’s NAMI walkers on April 30.               

The 12th Annual NAMI Ventura County Walk benefitting the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)will be on Saturday April 30 at the Ventura Promenade. Check in and registration will begin at 9:00 am with the start time for the 5k walk beginning at 10:30 am. The Walk will be held rain or shine. There will be a program from 10:00 am to 10:30 am which will feature speakers from the Ventura County community.

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.

NAMI bases their mission on the principles of support, education, and advocacy for persons impacted by mental illness. They provide classes for family members, providers, and persons with a lived experience of mental illness. They also present in schools, hold support groups for family members, and provide outreach to persons who come to see persons who are in the inpatient psychiatric units in Ventura County. NAMI Ventura County also has a Peer to Peer class for persons in recovery and a Connections support group for persons in recovery as well.

The Walk in Ventura County is a fun family event with activities for children and opportunities to socialize. It also provides our community with a way for us all to come together to show our support for needed services for all persons impacted by mental illness.

To register as an individual walker or to form a team and/or to find information about sponsorships please call 641.2426 or visit www.namiventura.org.

Vol. 9, No. 15 – April 27 – May 10, 2016 – Movie Review

Everybody Wants Some!!/4 Palm Trees
By Eduardo Victoria/[email protected]

Like a fastball coming at you full force, director Richard Linklater’s latest film flies at its audience with great stride, confidence, and attitude. The Oscar nominated director of Everybody Wants Some!! says his film is a spiritual sequel to his indie classic Dazed and Confused. What his previous film Boyhood lacked in likable protagonists is no issue here with brilliant performances from the cast. The film follows several college athletes over the course of the weekend prior to the start of a new semester.

Not much of a plot, you say? That’s one of the many keys to the film’s brilliance. Though some may find Linklater’s “slice of life” approach a bit tedious, the end results can perhaps be best shown off in this movie. The film’s main protagonist, Jake (Blake Jenner) clashes with alpha male McReynolds (Tyler Hoechland), gets high with Willoughby (Wyatt Russell), and is kept firmly “on the ground” by Dale (J. Quinton Johnson). My lack of plot description is on purpose. Linklater gives us a window into the lives of these young men as they explore adulthood and no parental supervision.

The one thing we see every male teammate do is drink. Though one too many Schlitz and Lone Star beer logos may be visible, in this film, they’re actually equalizers. Though a few of the upper and underclassmen butt heads as to seniority, in the end they all drink when they are together. Early in the film, two pitchers of beer are passed around with each taking a glass. This, one of their first social encounters with the new freshmen, is the beginning of them forming into one team and a unified group of friends.

Though baseball is frequently talked about and also the reason these guys have been brought together, the last thing I’d do is call this a baseball movie. There is only one scene deep into the second act in which all of the characters meet for batting practice and its purpose is to show the true sides of each character’s personas when they must function together as a team. McReynolds, as tough as he may be, is a team player and his argument with Jay (Justin Street) is to get him to abandon the selfish tough-as-nails attitude because they reflect badly on them all when seen together.

The film’s excellent soundtrack, set decoration by Gabriela Villareal, and costume work by Kari Perkins paint a nature-yet never forced- portrait of the 1970s final grasp on youth culture. The costumes in particular, work incredibly well as we see different cliques of students around the college campus; the punks wear dingy denim, the athletes are clad in sportswear of the day, and the nightclub scenes are dressed funky but never corny.

The biggest triumph of the film overall is its script, penned by Linklater himself. Each character’s dialogue is distinct and unique. Though we have several macho males living together, each feels as if they have a background, place, and time specific to a real person. Credit must also be given to the absolute brilliant cast. Characters come off strong, but are likable. Most importantly, the dialogue feels real and never forced. They speak like young college students.

With no parents around and on the cusp of having to start a new semester, the filmmakers really communicate the sense that they were as excited to see the actors interpret the dialogue just as much as the audience. Where Boyhood ends on a note of the uncertainty that can come with each new chapter in life, Everybody Wants Some enters a new semester with confidence, excitement, and the knowledge that the group he’s surrounded himself with can truly be called friends.

Rated R. Playing at Century Downtown 10. 114 minutes.

 

Vol. 9, No. 15 – April 27 – May 10, 2016 – Ventura Music Scene

Ventura Kids Rock
By Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com

I originally moved to Ventura for a radio job at 96-ZTR where I used the air name of Stephanie Rose for several years. Do you remember that classic rock station at 95.9 on the FM dial? Well it’s changed formats a few times over the last few decades and currently they’re known as Old School 959 and they’ll be introducing their new morning show host Jimmy Reyes at Amigo’s Surf Cantina on Friday, May 6. Swing by and enjoy “Old School” tunes with JScratch and DJ Wicked in the mix and Miss Alynette who will be hosting the evening.

You might want to go ahead and secure tickets before it sells out for the Frost & Fire II concert as the show features the return of Cirith Ungol.  Last year dozens of folks showed up from around the globe just to get an autograph from a couple of the band members, but this year drummer Robert Garvan (and Ventura resident) is reuniting the band for their first live performance in over 25 years.  A European tour can’t be far behind.

The 11th Annual Ventura county Blues Festival with the Delgado Brothers is Saturday, April 30th in Camarillo.  This year the festival is dedicated to Alan (BB Chung King) Mirikitani.

Now Ventura has been offing up a DJ on Friday and Saturdays but they’re stepping it up with a “Return to Jazz” evening headed up by Davey Miller on Fridays and then a weekly jazz jam on Wednesday which will be hosted by the likes of monster players like bassist, Bruce Lett and Ric Fierabracci. Other names expected to participate will be Andy Langhamm, Mitch Forman, Nick Mancini and Dennis Hamm.

Copa Cubana in the Ventura Harbor Village has opened its doors with the Estrada Band every Monday night; more music and a fuller menu to come soon. And with the weather warming up, Margarita Villa also in the Ventura Harbor Village is once again providing music out on their patio area and Saloon BBQ downtown is once again consistently providing bands over the weekend.

Bombay’s is hosting a fundraising event supporting the Gull Wings Children’s Museum running all day starting at 11 am until closing with music from Sin Nombre, The Right Amount of Wrong, Phantom Train, Galactic Polecats Hard Six and more. There will also be a car show and a Little Miss Gull Wings pageant hosted by Ms. Cash Bash 2016 and Roadshow Revival contestant, Christini Martini, so mark it on your calendar for Saturday, May 14.

And staying with our kids, the Ventura Music Festival presents its most diverse Rising Stars concert on Friday May 6 at the First United Methodist Church (1338 E. Santa Clara). The 75-minute program begins at 8 pm and includes a 30-member high school choir, seven classical musicians from middle school to college and a jazz quartet.  Admission is free.

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. 15 – April 27 – May 10, 2016 – Music Calendar

Music Calendar
4/27 – 5/10
For more events go to VenturaRocks.com

Amigos Cafe & Cantina
546 E. Main St.
805-874-2232
Mondays: Open mic
Tuesdays: Blues Bullet
Wed 4/27: 7 pm Danielle Stacy
Thurs 4/28: After the Smoke
Fri 4/29: CRV
Sat 4/30: DJ Q
Sun 5/1: 5 pm The Tossers; 9 pm Karaoke
Thurs 5/5: Caliente 805
Fri 5/6: Radio 95.9 DJ night
Sat 5/7: Midlife Crisis
Sun 5/8: 5 pm Medicine Hat; 9 pm Karaoke

Bombay Bar & Grill
143 S. California St.
805-643-4404
Fri 5/6: The Velveteen Band, Hard Six

Café Fiore
66 S. California Street
Wed 4/27: Big Adventure
Thurs 4/28: Jade Hendrix
Fri 4/29: Sound Effect
Sat 4/30: Soul Infusion

Copa Cubana
Ventura Harbor Village
Mondays: The Estrada Band

Dargan’s
593 E. Main Street
Sun 5/1: 4 pm The Sunday Drivers

Discovery
1888 Thompson Blvd
Wed 4/27: Ventura Jazz Orchestra with Donna Greene
Thurs 4/28: Katchafire, Mystic Roots
Fri 4/29: Rock Cats Rock
Sat 4/30: Molly Ringwald Project
Sun 5/1: Skanks Roots Project, Janelle Phillips
Thurs 5/5: Soul Majestic
Fri 5/6: Wishbone
Sat 5/7: Damage Inc.

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

First United Methodist Church
1338 E. Santa Clara Street
Fri 5/6: Ventura Music Festival Rising Stars Concert

The Garage
1091 Scandia Avenue
Wed 5/4: City Hall and the Co Founder
Mon 5/9: Drop Dead, Margrudegrind, Yautja, Deadbeat

GiGi’s
2493 Grand Avenue
Thurs & Fridays: Karaoke
Sat 4/30: The Brian Faith Band

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
Fri 4/29: Varon Thomas Trio
Sat 4/30: The Barrelhouse Wailers

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 4/29: Coda
Sat 4/30: Laura Cozzi & Soul Machine

Keynote Lounge
10245 Telephone Road
Tuesday and Wednesday: Karaoke
Thursday: Open Mic
Sunday: Karaoke
Fri 4/29: Tex Pistols
Sat 4/30: Black Canyon Band
Fri 5/6: Action Down
Sat 5/7: Sean Wiggins

Majestic Ventura Theater
26 S. Chestnut Street
(805) 653-0721
Tues 5/10: The Neighbourhood

Margarita Villa
Ventura Harbor Village
Fri 4/29: 5 pm Michael B. Baggs
Sun 5/1: 3 pm Chris Byrd and the Flockers
Sat 5/7:  5 pm Steve Stafford

Now Ventura|
185 E. Santa Clara Ave.|
Fridays: 7-10 Jazz; 10 pm DJ
Saturdays 10 pm DJ
Wednesdays 7-10 Jazz Jam

O’Leary’s
6555 Telephone Road
Fri 4/29: Solimar

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

Plan B Wine Cellars
3520 Arundell Circle
Sun 5/8: 4:30 pm Jodi Farrell & TreCoustics

Poinsettia Pavillion
3451 Foothill Road
(805) 648-1143
Mon 5/2:  Monday Night Dance Club with Dick Parent Band
Mon 5/9:  Monday Night Dance Club with Wyatt Haupt Band

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

Rookees Sports Bar & Grill
419 E. Main Street
(805) 648-6862
Fri 4/29: DJ Steezy Steve
Sat 4/30: DJ Wiz Kid

Saloon BBQ Co,.
456 E. Main Street
Thurs 5/5: 6 pm Ventucky String Band|
Fri 5/6: 9 pm Anchor & Bear
Sun 5/8: 4 pm Rich Sheldon

Salzer’s Records
5777 Valentine Road
Thurs 4/28: 6 pm Emily Kinney

Sandbox Coffeehouse
204 E. Thompson Blvd
805-641-1025
Thurs 6 pm, Weekends noon
Thursdays Open Mic
Sat 4/30: Patrick Maher
Sun 5/1: Licity Collins
Sat 5/7: Havilah Abrego
Sun 5/8: Dennis Russell

Sans Souci
21 S. Chestsnut
Sundays:  DJ Darko
Mondays: Karoake
Tuesdays: Transform Tuesday
Wednesdays: Open mic
Thursdays: DJ Spinobi
Fri 4/29: Alligator Dave
Sat 4/30: Stevie Char

Squashed Grapes
2351 E. Main St.
805-643-7300
Live jazz music 7-10 pm
Wed 4/27: Teka & the New Bossa
Thurs 4/28: Lett, Mancini & Dutz
Fri 4/29: Eric Harrington & Friends
Sat 4/30: Frank Potenza & Friends
Tues 5/3: Jazz Jam
Wed 5/4: Adam Clark Trio
Thurs 5/5: Pentasonic
Fri 5/6: Alex Snydman Quartet
Sat 5/7: The Barrelhouse Wailers

Star Lounge
343 E. Main Street
Fri 4/28: Big Adventure
Sat 4/29: Time Bomb

The Tavern
211 E. Santa Clara Street
Sunday open mics
Karaoke Tuesdays
Metal Music Wednesdays
DJs every Thursday college night

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

W20 at the Watermark
 598 E. Main Street
Fri 4/29: 6 pm Karen Eden; 9 pm Shawn Jones
Sat 4/30: The Bomb
Thurs 5/5: 7 pm Fido
Fri 5/6: 6 pm Karen Eden; 9 pm Sound Effect
Sat 5/7: 9 pm The Bomb

The Wine Rack
14 S. California Street
Music runs 7-11 pm, Sundays at 2:30 pm
Sundays: Carson Boyd
Mondays: Open Mic
Tuesdays: Keith Cain
Wednesday: Danielle Stacy
Fri 4/29: Rare Jazz
Sat 4/30: Catfish Fry

The 805 Bar
Ventura Harbor
Mondays: Estrada Band
Tuesdays: RJ Mischo & the Down Home Trio
Sat & Sun: Noon Kenny DeVoe
Sat 4/30: 7 pm Karen & Bill
Sun 5/1: 4 pm Karen Eden
Fri 5/6: Todd’s Jazz Band
Sat 5/7: 7 pm Smokey & Friends
Sun 5/8: 4 pm Chuck Vincent Band