Ahead of the historic United Nations conference in Paris on climate change, join the Ventura Sierra Club in a call to immediate action on the greatest threat facing humanity, climate change. November 29, at 1pm, community leaders and local politicians will gather on the steps of Ventura City Hall to demand the transition to 100% clean energy in Ventura County. A colorful brigade of sunflowers will lead the climate march to the E.P. Foster Library Topping Room for a presentation by Dr Nancy Merrick of Ventura, former student of Dr. Jane Goodall on climate change and its impact on Chimpanzees in West Africa.
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Does exercise delay Parkinson’s decline?
By Matilda Charles
People who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease might want to reconsider doing strenuous exercise as a means of keeping their physical abilities.
A recent short-term study concluded that normal, frequent movements are better for Parkinson’s patients than working out. The study was funded by some power hitters — the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the National Institutes of Health — and conducted by Parkinson’s research teams at the University of Michigan. Their conclusions bear paying attention to, even though they might seem contrary to logic.
Many Parkinson’s patients begin to reduce the amount of time they spend moving. Whether it’s a walk around the block, doing dishes or strolling the aisles of the grocery store, many prefer to forgo those daily activities to keep from falling or losing balance.
In the four-week study, using 48 participants, researchers looked at the result of non-exercise movement versus exercise activity. They did PET scans of the brain to look at dopamine levels and used questionnaires to learn about the participants’ level of activity and the type they did — daily routines or exercise.
Researchers tested whether a strenuous exercise program such as swimming or aerobics could help with symptoms. The answer: No, it’s the daily, small activities that were protecting motor skills. It’s those routine movements that were linked to fewer motor symptoms, even in those patients with lower dopamine levels.
So, say the researchers, get up and move. Any kind of movement appears to help, as long as it keeps you active and doing your normal, daily tasks.
Reminder: The open enrollment period to sign up or change your Medicare health and drug plan ends
Monday, Dec. 7.
General Magnaplate faces potential federal lawsuit for illegal storm water discharges
The Environmental Defense Center (“EDC”) and Keller Rohrback L.L.P. has notified Ventura global coating company General Magnaplate of EDC’s intent to sue the company for allegedly operating its electroplating facility in violation of the federal Clean Water Act.
The notice letter alleges that the facility is illegally discharging storm water containing pollutants, including zinc and aluminum, into the Santa Clara River, less than two miles from where the River flows into the Pacific Ocean. The Santa Clara River, southern California’s last naturally free-flowing major river, is critical to the communities’ health and recreation, and is home to numerous endangered species.
EDC and Keller Rohrback’s investigation has revealed that, over the past five years, General Magnaplate has apparently continuously violated California’s General Industrial Storm Water Permit (“General Permit”) by discharging iron, zinc, aluminum, and other pollutants in concentrations that are magnitudes above lawful limits.
“General Magnaplate’s ongoing pollution in violation of the Clean Water Act threatens our communities, beach-goers, and the numerous species that rely on this important watershed,” stated Maggie Hall, Staff Attorney at the Environmental Defense Center. “By notifying General Magnaplate of our intent to sue, we hope to force them to clean up their operations and protect the Santa Clara River from polluted runoff.”
The General Permit is intended to protect our state’s waterways from pollution caused by storm water runoff from industrial facilities. Storm water is among the nation’s top sources of water contamination. Electroplating facilities like General Magnaplate are required to collect and analyze storm water samples for iron, zinc, aluminum, and other pollutants.
The Santa Clara River was listed in 2005 as the 10th most endangered U.S. waterway. It also provides crucial aquatic ecosystem functions in the region, including groundwater recharge and riparian habitat. The River is home to as many as 17 species listed as threatened or endangered, and includes critical habitat for many species, including the Santa Ana Sucker, Tidewater Goby, Unarmored Threespine Stickleback, California Red Legged Frog, Arroyo Toad, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, Least Bell’s Vireo, and the Southern California Steelhead.
General Magnaplate has been in operation since 1980, and has global corporate headquarters in New Jersey.
Under the Clean Water Act, potential litigants must send a 60-day notice of intent to sue before lawsuits can be filed alleging that a facility is in violation of the Act. While EDC and Keller Rohrback are committed to pursuing legal remedies if necessary, their hope is that submission of the notice will prompt General Magnaplate to comply with its mandatory permit requirements, thereby protecting water quality, without court intervention.
Submersible dive expedition in the Channel Islands
This boat has been seen in the Ventura Harbor, we asked John Higgins to explain what it is.
“Deep Sub LLC (the cat owner) and the Undersea Voyager Project (owner of a two man submersible) have partnered with The Nature Conservancy and the University of Oregon to accomplish a submersible dive expedition in the Channel Islands. The trip is based out of Ventura Harbor to explore the waters around Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands below 150’. Fantastically, during the ice age 15,000 years ago sea level was 200’ lower, so the islands were bigger and connected by a land bridge. Presumably, the Indians would have moved down to live at the water’s edge; the trip will be using the sub to look for evidence of those Indian encampments. Because the study area is below 150’, the sub is better suited to the mission than scuba divers. Besides looking for Indian history, the sub will be used to explore the undersea geology of the land bridge and historic oil seeps around the islands. The expedition is very grateful for the support of the Ventura Harbor Patrol, Harbormaster and Port.”
John Higgins, Harbormaster
Registration for Corporate Games can start now
by Eric Burton, Ventura Corporate Games Director
Registration officially opens on January 11 for the 2016 Ventura Corporate Games, but you can reserve your spot now! The registration and event selection form — easy to fill, save and send — plus all the essential information for 2016 are now online at www.venturacorporategames.org.
I look forward to welcoming back our family of agencies, businesses and companies that return to “The Games” year after year. These organizations already know the value of Corporate Games to their employees.
But if your organization has never taken part, this is my personal “pitch” and invitation to you to consider joining us for the 2016 Corporate Games to be held from March 19 to May 7.
There are so many reasons why you should make this investment, but here are my top three: participation in Corporate Games will increase employee (1) productivity, (2) teamwork and (3) fitness within your organization.
Over the past 26 years of its existence, I’ve seen 80 to 90 companies come to include participation in Corporate Games as an essential part of their wellness culture each year. And I’ve seen this culture grow from the simple “let’s go out and have fun” to a more profound “let’s get healthy and break down barriers that prevent us from reaching our full potential.”
But, make no mistake, Corporate Games remains the fun way to build your team and provide your employees with the benefits of improved health, efficiency and unity. What better “bottom line” investment can you make in the single most important resource in your company?
I invite you to call me at 658.4738 or contact me at [email protected] to make your commitment early or discuss your possible participation in Corporate Games next year. I look forward to hearing from you.
National Family Volunteer Day celebration in Ventura Nov. 21
When: Saturday, Nov. 21 from 9am – 11am
Where: Ventura City Hall, 501 Poli, front steps
National Family Volunteer Day will be celebrated in the city of Ventura with local families performing Acts of Kindness. As part of the City of Ventura’s 150th anniversary events, Mayor Cheryl Heitmann is asking community members to perform A Million Acts of Kindness.
Volunteer Ventura! is hosting Family Volunteer Day to celebrate the power of families working together, and to help teach children valuable real-life lessons about compassion and caring.
Families will participate in “Kindness Stations” such as:
~ Donating canned/boxed food for FOOD Share, stuffed animals for the Ventura Police Department outreach, or a new, unwrapped toy for Ventura City Fire Department’s Spark of Love Toy Drive
~ Decorating a pebble in our Kindness Rocks station
~ Making a holiday letter/card for one of our deployed servicemen/women
~ Participating in a service scavenger hunt
~ Offering a free cup of coffee to a stranger or to a favorite downtown merchant (thanks to donations provided by Starbucks)
Ventura Commerce and Education Foundation recognizes local teacher
On Oct. 28, the Ventura Commerce and Education Foundation (VCEF) named Mrs. Patricia “Trisha” Lewis, third-grade teacher at Portola Elementary School in Ventura, October’s Teacher of the Month. VCEF board member, Pattie Braga, along with elected representatives and members of the business community, presented Lewis with a plaque to commemorate the award.
Lewis has 30 years of teaching experience and has played an integral role in the development of several key on-campus programs, including the school’s PTA and peer mediation group. Committed to helping her students flourish in the area of technology, Lewis also helped establish a technology committee at Portola Elementary. To supplement her involvement and experience, she attends training workshops on both technology and peer mediation.
“Trisha is a highly experienced teacher, and throughout her career she has maintained an unwavering dedication to providing the best possible education for her students,” said Portola Elementary School’s principal, Robert Ruiz. “She consistently find ways to go above and beyond, and her leadership and innovation make her a tremendous asset to our team.”
All principals and parent-teacher organizations from schools within the Ventura Unified School District are eligible to submit nominations. For more information about the Teacher of the Month program, please contact Pattie Braga, chair of the Teacher Appreciation Committee with the VCEF, at [email protected] or 477-4052.
Ventura City Fire Department responds to structure fire at Sunset and Briarwood
On Nov.15, at 6:30am the Ventura City Fire Department received a report of a structure fire in the area of Sunset and Briarwood. Upon arrival firefighters found a single family residential home with the garage fully involved in fire.
Firefighters were able to hold the fire to the garage while extinguishing the fire. Firefighters remained on scene after the fire was extinguished overhauling the burned areas of the home insuring the fire was completely out.
