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Join us for Day 2 of the STEAM + ASPIRE3 event at Foothill Technology High School Sat. Jan. 30th

Join us for Day 2 of the STEAM + ASPIRE3 event this Saturday, January 30th from 1:30-3:00 at Foothill Technology High School in Spirito Hall.
Ventura Unified Middle School students from Ancapa, Balboa, Cabrillo, DeAnza (DATA) and Sunset have teamed up with mentors from Foothill Technology High School to design a website and video where students use STEAM to solve some of the biggest social and community challenges we face today. We look forward to being inspired by our students’ vision of a brighter future and encourage you to attend during their public presentations.
For directions to Foothill Technology High School: http://foothilltechnology.org/about-us/contact-us-location-map/
For more information about each of the participating schools: http://www.venturausd.org/Schools.aspx
To learn more about Aspire3:

Community members invited to attend a Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) Formation Committee Stakeholder Meeting, Jan. 28 at 6pm

What:   Stakeholder forum – Upper Ventura River (UVRB) Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) Formation Committee
When:  Thursday, January 28, 2016 6pm to 8:30pm
Where:  Oak View Community Center, 18 Valley Road, Oak View CA 93022
Who:  Open to the public and interested community members

A public stakeholder forum is scheduled to provide an opportunity for interested stakeholders to learn more about the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), the Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA), the Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) process, and provide targeted feedback to the Upper Ventura River Basin (UVRB) GSA Formation Committee on its plans and proposed actions to become a GSA.  The meeting will be held on Thursday, January 28, 2016 at 6:00 P.M. at the Oak View Community Center, 18 Valley Road in Oak View.

The five local agencies currently working together to form a Groundwater Sustainability Agency include the Meiners Oaks Water District, Ventura River Water District, Casitas Municipal Water District, City of Ventura, and the Ventura County Watershed Protection District.

The initial outreach meeting held back in April 2015 provided background on the groundwater basin and allowed the public an opportunity to discuss ideas and voice concerns about the formation of a GSA.   The January 28 meeting will dig deeper into the process and purpose of the SGMA and how stakeholders can participate in the future GSA.  Time will be provided for participants to give feedback and input as well as ask questions and discuss any aspect of the GSA Formation Committee’s activities.

For information regarding this new agency, or to receive emails about future updates on the Agency formation, please call or e-mail Bert Rapp, General Manager, Ventura River Water District at (805) 646-3403, [email protected].

Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County hosts grand opening for new Oxnard ReStore

Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County will host a grand opening and ribbon cutting for its new Oxnard ReStore and office location Saturday, February 27, 2016 at 9 a.m. The new location is at 1850 Eastman Avenue Oxnard. Join us for exclusive offers, refreshments, followed by tours of the new offices.

The Habitat for Humanity ReStore sells new and gently used household items and building supplies, such as furniture, appliances, building materials, cabinetry, windows, hardware, lumber, tools, flooring, lighting and much more. All ReStore merchandise is generously donated by individuals, churches, contractors and businesses, and it is sold at 50 percent below retail value.

After locating the perfect space for the Oxnard ReStore, and office we’ve been working hard over the past several months to get the new store and office up and running. With the help of many generous donations, volunteers and our dedicated staff, we are thrilled to launch this next phase for Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County.  Now, we’ll have an additional square footage for our Oxnard ReStore to help fund Habitat’s work here in Ventura County, and we hope this will lead to a greater number of homes built each year.

After the Grand Opening, the Oxnard ReStore’s regular business hours will be Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Donations will continue to be accepted at both the Simi Valley and the Oxnard ReStore during our donation hours, and pickups also will be available by appointment.

Proceeds from the ReStore help support Habitat’s mission of bringing people together to build simple, decent houses in Ventura County, while providing an environmentally and socially responsible way to keep good, reusable materials out of landfills.

For more information about the Habitat for Humanity ReStore or to schedule a pickup at either of the Ventura County ReStores, contact Wendy Monk, Oxnard ReStore manager, at (805-485-6065 ext. 106). Information is also available at www.habitatventura.org.

Ventura City Fire Department responds to vehicle driving into unoccupied motel room

IMG_6264On Jan.23, at 2:16pm  the Ventura City Fire department was dispatched to a report of a vehicle into a structure.  Upon arrival firefighters discovered a single vehicle inside a first floor room of a two story motel in the 700 block of Thompson.

IMG_6267The vehicle, with two adult occupants, was driven through an exterior wall destroying a main support beam and shattering a large window before coming to rest on top of a bed.  The hotel room was unoccupied at the time of the incident.  The occupants of the vehicle were uninjured. Once debris was removed

Results from Ventura Police Department DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on 1-22-16

The Ventura Police Department Traffic Unit conducted a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on 1-22-16, at Main St. and Callens Rd. between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 2:30 a.m.Checkpoints are placed in locations that have the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence and provide the greatest safety for officers and the public.

DUI/Drivers License checkpoints have been shown to lower DUI deaths and injuries.  A major component of these checkpoints are the deterrent effects it has on those who might drive drunk or drugged impaired, bringing about more awareness and encouraging everyone to use sober designated drivers.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while also yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent.  Ninety Percent of California drivers approve of checkpoints.

During the Checkpoint:
1233 Vehicles Screened
1 DUI-Alcohol suspect arrested
1 Suspect arrested for illegal drugs (possession/transportation/sales)
12 Drivers cited/arrested for operating a vehicle unlicensed or while suspended/revoked
12 Citations issued

Law Enforcement emphasizes the preventable nature of drunk driving reminding everyone that all it takes is a little planning ahead. Designate a sober driver or call a cab. But whatever you do, don’t drink and drive. The California Office of Traffic Safety DDVIP (Designated Driver VIP) mobile app is now available for free download on iOS and Android devices. Launched last year, the new DDVIP app offers enhanced features, allowing users to “Map a Spot” with their current location to find DDVIP partnering establishments in their area or a “List of Spots” to search all participating bars and restaurants throughout California. Users will be offered free incentives at each bar to celebrate their life saving role.  They can stay up-to-date with the latest from DDVIP and see what other users are saying via its social tab. Also through the app, for those who want to imbibe but also make it a point to plan ahead, users can easily order a sober ride from Uber, Lyft or Curb – all from one screen.

Drivers caught driving impaired can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to include jail time, fines, fees, DUI classes, other expenses that can exceed $10,000 not to mention the embarrassment when friends and family find out.

The checkpoint was funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reminding everyone to ‘Report Drunk Driver – Call 9-1-1’.

Tall Ships take early departure from Ventura Harbor

In very bad news for the Ventura Harbor merchants, and Venturans  the tall ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain have left the Ventura Harbor and sailed back to the Channel Islands Harbor. This was due to storm action and an unusually large amount of sand at the harbor entrance where conditions were getting too dangerous for them to exit and return to the harbor. Dredging equipment could not be brought in in time. 
They were to be in Ventura until Feb.8.

Vol. 9, No. 8 – January 20 – February 2, 2016 – Tech Today

Tech Today with Ken May
How to sell your electronic devices

Happy new year! With a new year comes new electronics, be tablets, phones, laptops or what have you. There is a much better solution than to just let those device sit around and gather dust! The more adventurous and technically inclined may wish to hack the devices into “do it yourself” projects, but for most of us, it is better to simply sell them. Well, here it is in 2016, and there’s more options than ever, and it’s very, very easy to do! Here are some of the most popular options right now.

  1. Auction style

EBay is the gold standard here. It is a pretty safe bet to say that if you look through the most recent completed listings, you will have a very good idea of what your device is worth on the open market. Be sure to set your buyer filters to not allow people with negative feedback to bid. You may also want to disallow new members from bidding. There is nothing more frustrating than selling your item, and having a non-paying bidder.

  1. Bulletin board style

Craigslist is the go to for local, community listings. Creeps and scammers abound, so you want to take every precaution. Only meet in a public place for the transaction, and only do cash. If you have larger item, craigslist may be the way to go, if you want to avoid dealing with shipping.

  1. Consignment style

These sites are starting to pop up now. They will pick a price, you ship it to them, the list and sell it for you. You won’t get as much as eBay, but it is less hassle. Glyde is a front runner here. You have to wait for it to sell, but don’t have to deal with the seller. I would recommend avoiding this route, and just go for eBay or a direct sale site.

  1. Direct sale style

This has exploded recently. Sites like Amazon Trade-In, Gazelle and Nextworth are some front runners. They will pay you up front for your device. You probably get the least amount of cash using this method, but you get paid right away, and it is done. It’s very easy to sell this way, since you can just click through a few screens to find out the value of your item. There are even mall kiosks doing this now, but their payouts are terrible.

In the end, there is a variety of options out there, so you can choose the method that your feel is right for you. It is definitely worth spending a little time checking out what you would get for you item from the various sites. I have seen pricing range by as much as $50-$100! Keep in mind that you’ll get the most value for a working device in good condition. If your device is broken, eBay may be your best bet.

Professional Variety Show in Oxnard

by Jim Spencer and Shirley Lorraine

Five world class professional entertainers will materialize on stage in the ballroom of Oxnard’s River Ridge Residence Inn at 8 p.m. on Saturday, January 30 to present a rollicking evening variety show filled with comedy, magic, ventriloquism, laughter, puppets and surprises. And the public is invited.

The show caps off the third annual, four day, international convention of variety artists held each January in Oxnard. It is known as KAX. The title comes from combining the first letters of the co-sponsors’ names – KIDabra International and Axtell Expressions of Ventura (K+AX = KAX).

Attending the conference will be magicians, comedians, ventriloquists, jugglers and other entertainers from all parts of the globe. They gather to learn the latest tactics, tips and techniques to further their individual success as professional, family friendly entertainers.

The gala show at the end of the conference is where the best of the best perform for their peers. But the hosts are throwing open the doors to this part of the otherwise closed conference so the public can enjoy the talents of these world class entertainers.

The gala will showcase the talents of a cast drawn from the ranks of acclaimed international variety artists.  From England serving as Master of Ceremonies will be award winning magician Jimmy Carlo.  Other participants include Jay Johnson, humorist and ventriloquist, whose Broadway hit, The Two and Only, garnered a Tony Award, plus MAGIC icon Stan Allen from Las Vegas. Former Ojai residents Dave and Shania Brenion will share their innovative, colorful and nifty approach to the entertaining attributes of balloons. From New Jersey, the comedy magic of Christopher T. Magician will round out the play bill.

Admission to the show is only $15 for adults and $5 for kids under 13. Tickets for the show are available at the hotel KAX registration booth Friday and Saturday, and at the door.

KAX cohost KIDabra International is a world-wide association of kid show and family performers.  Its membership includes magicians, ventriloquists, jugglers and all types of variety performers who focus on AAA performances – Always Age Appropriate. KAX is a midyear edition of the conference KIDabra has been presenting for over 20 years on the East Coast.

Axtell Expressions, the other co-host, is the alter ego of Steve Axtell, who many consider to be the creative successor to the Muppets’ Jim Henson.  For decades Axtell has been creating puppets, ventriloquist figures, illusions and animatronic characters for entertainers around the globe. The opportunity to tour his magical Ventura based studio is one factor that keeps drawing world class performers to the KAX convention each year.

For more information go to www.kidabra.org/kax/gala.