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Vol. 9, No. 1 – October 14 – October 27, 2015 – Two on the Aisle

Small Engine Repair works at Flying H
by Jim Spencer and Shirley Lorraine

On a New Hampshire evening three former high school buddies, now in their mid-30s, reunite for an evening of alcohol, testosterone, tall tales, pot and erotic braggadocio.

The three – Packie, Swaino and Frank – arrive separately at Frank’s Small Engine Repair shop. Actually, Frank has invited each guy without revealing the other would be there. His ostensible goal is to smooth a rift between the others that started years ago. However, when a younger, fourth guest arrives it turns out there is a darker hidden purpose for the get-together.

This is the setting for Small Engine Repair, the dramady currently being presented by Ventura’s Flying H Theatre Group.

Playwright John Pollono has given each character a history of underachievement. Packie is unemployed and lives in his grandmother’s basement. Warehouse worker Swaino is obsessed with spreading his legend (in his own mind) as a super stud. Frank is a high school drop who started repairing small appliances when he became a father at age 17. Their back stories provide the comedy, raw dialogue, taunting and male rivalry on display in this 70-minute revenge comedy.

Enter Chad, played by Joshua Kahn. He is an entitlement-minded, over-privileged, college preppy who is a local supplier of ecstasy and pot. The social gap between the trio and the newcomer soon expands into a chasm that leads to a series of plot twists involving the internet and technology, as well as attitudes and hazards fostered by social networking.

The play features solid acting by Brian Robert Harris as Frank, Michael Wayne Beck as Packie and Eric Mello as Swaino, each of whom creates a well-defined character and gives a tightly balanced ensemble performance. Although, when they deliver dialogue in rapid fire fashion it is difficult to hear and catch it all.

The set of the fix-it shop designed by Flying H Theatre Group Artistic Director Taylor Kasch is superbly appointed with tools, stored detritus and things that will be needed someday. His personal garage has probably not been so empty in years because all his man cave stuff is on the set.

The direction by Kathleen Bosworth is equally artistic. The pacing, utilization of the actors, and other touches reflect a studied sophistication.

The script, first performed in 2011, is by a newer playwright. It has a few technical rough edges. For example, the playwright repeatedly uses the same device for the same purpose. Three times a character abruptly announces, “I have to pee,” and leaves the stage just so the action can continue as a two-person scene. Additionally, we found the ending to be less than equal to its build up. Nevertheless, the play is current, significant and for adults only, don’t worry that doesn’t mean that there are going to be scenes from a TubeV porn movie it just means that it contains some content that is best suited to adults and not for little ears.

Small Engine Repair plays Fridays/Saturdays/Sundays, October 9-18, and Thursdays/Fridays/Saturdays, October 22-31. Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m. All other performances are at 8 p.m. Flying H Group Theatre Company, 6368 Bristol Rd. (between Johnson Dr. and Victoria Ave.) in the Montalvo area of Ventura. All seats $15. Cash or check only at the door. Reservations recommended 901-0005. Advance tickets on-line at http://engine.brownpapertickets.com.

Ventura Breeze has a new editor

stuff Evinstuff Evin insetThe Ventura Breeze has a new editor 10-year old Evin Brown. Even though he is very young because of his relationship with the Breeze publisher he has been reading the Breeze since he was 2. As his first change to the paper he has decided that classified ads can be on the cover.

Vol. 9, No. 1 – October 14 – October 27, 2015 – Mailbox

Sheldon:

Recently I saw smoke start coming up from a residential neighborhood south of me.

Thinking that someone may need help or may not be home to know, headed that direction and saw an RV on fire next to a house.

I pulled my van to the side and called 911 while running to the door. I banged on the door repeatedly “the RV is on fire get out of the house” while trying to explain to 911 where I was. An older woman finally came to the door on her cell phone and said she was on the phone with 911 who said someone else called. I told her it was me and asked what she wanted to get out of the house questioning if she had pets etc – she gave me several bags and said she needed to go get the baby.

Got them safely outside but she forgot diapers so I ran back into the house for them. Then went to the attached apt ringing the doorbell and yelling about the fire until their upstairs tenant came out.

I took the woman and the baby around the corner to an unknown neighbor’s house to get them out of the toxic fumes, FD and VPD showed up knocked out the fire before it damaged the house.

Cindy Summers

Cindy works for the Ventura Breeze and we wanted to share her story of heroism to inspire others to do the same when necessary.

Dear Mr. Brown,

I just came across two articles from The Breeze dated September 18, 2013 and October 2, 2013, titled “10 projects that will change the face of Ventura”. As a Pierpont Beach resident I watch the projects closest to me, and have time and again been disappointed to see new housing and commercial improvements stall and fail, such as the townhouses that were proposed on the site where Social Tap now sits (like we needed another bar), the Anastazi project at Seaward and Harbor, where there is no sign whatsoever of activity, the proposed Marriott Residence Inn near China Palace, and the huge Sondermann-Ring proposed project in the Harbor, which also doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.

There is a real need for new housing in Ventura, which is full of ageing, sub-standard housing, but what seems to happen is that instead of infilling areas in the city where streets and sewers etc. already exist, the building is done on what is probably the most valuable and productive farmland in the world. And once it is taken out of farming, it is gone, never to be replaced, and there isn’t going to be more made elsewhere. We can build housing on empty lots, or tear down old warehouses and buildings that have outlived their purpose, but we can’t ever grow strawberries or lemons or avocadoes when the farms are built upon.

The proposed Hillside development (Regency 55-unit), if it passes all the geological testing, etc, at least will be built on non-productive land and will be a tremendous boost to downtown businesses, as will the proposed housing where Joe’s Crab Shack was. That area (Sanjon and Thompson) is full of boarded-up stores. Ventura needs to grow its tax base and building higher-level or luxury homes adds people who pay higher taxes and spend more money, which helps underwrite all of Ventura’s services to lower income people as well as supporting restaurants and stores, and neither of these projects, nor any of the ones cited at the beginning of this letter, take farmland out of production.

The City of Ventura needs to move forward on some of these projects. I understand that water use will be an issue, but the technology exists to make new construction much more water and power efficient than the old homes, and either a city moves forward or it moves backward – it doesn’t and can’t stay the same.

How about an update on all the projects from your original list?

Sincerely,
Lynne Hiller-Ventura

Lynne: Your points are very well taken. We will work on updates of these and other projects.

Dear Sheldon,

I am writing in response to your recent reference to the LA times article that mentions that teens are more likely to take up the habit of smoking after trying E Cigs or Vaping.

Those E Cig shops are really smart. Have you noticed how many there are within 2 blocks of Ventura High School? You can recognize them by the BIG bright pink, orange and neon green fluorescent window writing signs. – (this signage style reminds me of a 7-11 Big Gulp) Many teens turn 18 while still in the 12 grade. What a perfect opportunity to walk there after school. It’s no surprise they visit there, especially with all the different products available like vape mods and RDAs to customise your own Vape, who wouldn’t want to do that, especially teens. I understand that vaping is used for various reasons, such as to help many stop smoking, and it can also be used with CBD products to aid with depression. I also understand that many people who use these services so they can get the best products such as getting the best vape pen battery for their personal use. I do understand that.

I just wish there could be a city or state ordinance that would not allow these shops to blatantly window advertise so close to the high school!

Thanks again for bringing the issue to light( no pun intended) .
Cheri

And a lady was just awarded $1.9mill because one of them blew up and caught her on fire

Vol. 9, No. 1 – October 14 – October 27, 2015 – Opinion/Editorial

SBThis is a very early design rendering of the proposed apartment units to be built on the “Triangle” lot mentioned in our last issue.

• We have an opinion piece in this issue from Lynne Hiller that, in part, states “Ventura needs to grow its tax base, and building higher-level or luxury homes adds people who pay higher taxes and spend more money. This helps underwrite all of Ventura’s services to lower income people as well as supporting restaurants and stores, and neither of these projects, nor any of the ones cited at the beginning of this letter, take farmland out of production.”

“The City of Ventura needs to move forward on some of these projects.  I understand that water use will be an issue, but the technology exists to make new construction much more water and power efficient than the old homes, and either a city moves forward or it moves backward – it doesn’t and can’t stay the same.”

I included her quote because I completely agree with her.

A city certainly needs a diverse population, and we also need “rich” and even “very rich” residents to bring companies here so that low and moderate income workers have jobs in Ventura. That is why we need “executive housing”. Many of our residents need to leave Ventura each day to work because there are not enough jobs here.

In defending the concept that Ventura already has executive housing, I once heard one of our City Council Members state that “we have lots of million dollars homes here” suggesting that these represent executive housing, which they do not.

Of course we have million dollar houses – we are a beach community with homes on the ocean or views of it which is why they are worth a lot of money. Executive homes are large, sit on several acres of land and typically worth $10,000,000 and up. They don’t have 5 foot side yards and 20 foot front yards.

I’ve heard folks say what makes Ventura unique, and a great place to live, is that we have jobs for low and moderate income wage earners. I live here because of the usually great weather, the arts and our laid back style, as do most people. Not because we have housing for low and moderate income workers (which by the way are always consistently being built ). It is wonderful that these folks can live here as well, but we need the full spectrum of the population.

There is a group of people here that just doesn’t want any changes made that seem to have a “we don’t want no rich people here” mentality.

Without new money coming into Ventura we will continue to have a stagnant tax base, and people will complain about a corroding infrastructure. This erosion will continue unless we can entice new, larger companies to relocate, or open branches, here.

In fact, several companies recently left Ventura and moved their employees to their new locations.

• Which brings me to the proposed 55-unit Regency project that would be located on our hillside. It’s many years away but already has an organized group opposed to it.

I asked a neighbor with an opposition sign on their front lawn some questions about the project.

Have you seen the property?

“No I haven’t.”

Have you seen the proposed drawings?

“No I haven’t.”

Have you read the geology report?

“No, I haven’t.”

So you are against a project that you have no knowledge of?

“Yes, because the LA developer doesn’t want to follow our HMP. I don’t know what the HMP is but he should follow it.”

This represents another group of Venturan’s who don’t want any change, so they oppose everything without really knowing enough to thoughtfully determine if it is good or bad for Ventura.

Future Ventura Breeze issues will include more facts regarding this project, so that readers can make  more informed decisions about the positive and negative effects of the project.

I certainly haven’t decided for or against it at this point. To be honest, I might be prejudiced in favor of it because of the new people/money it will bring to the city. Plus, the developer would be gifting more than 700 acres of the site to the Hillside Conservancy. I have been to the proposed property and it would be a wonderful addition to our being able to access and enjoy the hillsides. Fifteen minutes into this property and you are in a different world.

• Bits and pieces:

The former Sams Rv Club building, located at the end of Vista Del Mar, is being remodeled and will be the future home of the Ventura County Credit Union.

Two downtown restaurants have closed for different reasons The owners of 71 Palm have called it quits after 20 years and will be closing this week. Just time to move on they said. Sorry to see them go.

And, after only 8-months, Padrino’s Ristorante (on Santa Clara) closed because they just couldn’t make it – not much of a surprise, really. Another Italian restaurant is waiting for approvals to move in.

• The Ventura Unified School District will be looking at ways to provide temporary cooling to many of its class rooms. Probably too late for this crazy heat wave (and humidity) but it will certainly be needed if current conditions represent our new weather pattern.

Foster Library had to close for several few days because of the heat.

Vol. 9, No. 1 – October 14 – October 27, 2015 – Police Reports

Firearm Possession

On Sunday, September 27th, at 7:28 a.m., officers responded to a call of suspicious circumstances at a residence in the 1800 block of Topaz Avenue. The caller reported seeing an unknown subject, Dan Hulsey, sleeping on the doorstep of a neighbor’s residence. Hulsey was said to be in a sleeping bag.

When the first officer contacted Hulsey, he found that he had a firearm on the ground next to him. Additional officers arrived and took Hulsey into custody.

The investigation revealed the firearm, along with several other items of property found in Hulsey’s possession, was stolen out of an unreported burglary to a motorhome in Saticoy. All of the property was returned to the owner.

Package Theft

On Friday, September 25th, at 1:50 p.m., an alert citizen saw Mary Dunham-Lopez and Victoria Sander-Robles attempt to steal a delivery package from the front porch of his house. After the suspects were confronted by the citizen, they dropped the package and fled from the porch. The citizen called the police to report the crime, and he briefly followed the suspects as they fled in their vehicle.

A responding patrol officer located the suspect vehicle and was able to conduct a traffic stop in the 2200 block of East Main Street. The subsequent investigation revealed additional stolen delivery packages from other residences in Ventura. The suspects were arrested and booked into VC Jail. The owners of the recovered stolen packages were contacted and the items were returned.

Armed Robbery

On Tuesday, September 29th, at 11:05 p.m., the VPD received a call from one of the clerks at the Shell Gas Station on 2440 South Victoria Avenue who stated that they had been a victim of an armed robbery. The suspect, a Hispanic male in his 30’s, entered the store and walked up to the counter displaying a handgun. The suspect demanded that the two clerks give him money. One of the clerks opened the cash register and handed the suspect an undisclosed amount of money. The suspect fled away from the gas station.

Several patrol officers responded to the area and attempted to locate the suspect, but he was not found.

Armed Robbery

On Thursday, October 1st, at 4:09 a.m., the VPD received a call from a Three Star Book and News clerk, located at 359 East Main Street, reporting an armed robbery. The suspect entered the store posing as a customer and lured the clerk from around the counter. Then the suspect pointed a handgun at clerk and demanded the money from the register. Once the suspect received the money, he bound the victim’s wrist and forced him to lie on the ground. The clerk was ordered not to move and he was unharmed during this incident.  The suspect fled in an unknown direction.

VPD patrol officers responded to the area and attempted to locate the suspect, but he was not located.

Felon in Possession of Firearm

On Thursday, October 1st, at 8:28 p.m., two officers assigned to a special enforcement detail were in the area of North Bank Drive and Johnson Drive when they observed Jeffrey Savala riding a bicycle without a light. The officers stopped Savala, who was acting very nervous and reached for his waistband area. One of the officers conducted a patdown search of Savala and found a loaded handgun in his pants pocket. After further investigation, the officers learned that the serial number on the handgun had been obliterated and Savala is a convicted felon prohibited from possessing a firearm. Savala recently plead guilty to two counts of felony vandalism for his involvement in a series of tire slashes that occurred in the city of Ventura earlier this year and was released on his own recognizance pending sentencing.

Burglary With Shooting

On  Friday, October 9th, at 7;50pm, the Ventura Police Command Center received several calls regarding a shooting at a residence in the 8200 block of Denver Street.  Patrol officers arrived on scene and found a victim at the residence who was suffering from non-life threatening gunshot wounds. The investigation revealed the victim had interrupted a residential burglary at the house and was shot by the suspect.  The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

 

 

Vol. 9, No. 1 – October 14 – October 27, 2015 – Ojai News & Events

On Friday, October 16, from 1 to 2 p.m., Songster Juan D. Mendoza will visit the Ojai Library to deliver a concert titled “A Bitter-Sweet Taste of Saudade: Songs of Pleasant Sorrow from Brazil and Portugal.” Saudade is a Portuguese word—lacking a specific English equivalent—that refers to a feeling of nostalgia, loneliness, melancholia, and sadness that is at the same time joyful and pleasant. Mr. Mendoza has performed his solo concert elsewhere in Ventura County and is excited to bring his art to Ojai. He has performed at festivals and fairs as well as in bistros and cafés in Mexico. Through his music he seeks to create a distinctive atmosphere and mood that encapsulates the concept of saudade. This event is free and open to the public. For additional information, contact Ron Solórzano, City Librarian, at  218-9146.

 

The Ojai Library is located at 111 East Ojai Ave. Hours of service are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The Ventura County Library is available 24/7 at www.vencolibrary.org.

 

A Salon Series is taking place at the Ojai Valley Green Coalition Resource Center located at 206 N. Signal St. . The final Salon for 2015 is Friday, October 16, 7 to 9 p.m. In this salon, the role, seen or unseen, that dirt plays will be discussed. So come and share – what’s the dirt on dirt?

A donation and beverage to share are appreciated, though not required. With limited seating, please arrive early. Full details available at ojaivalleygreencoalition.org.

The Ojai Photo Club welcomes Ventura photographer and musician, Chris Jensen, as its guest presenter for the month of October. His talk and slide show of images will take place on October 20, at 7:00 p.m. at Help of Ojai’s Kent Hall, 111 Santa Ana St.

Jensen will be addressing portrait photography. His images range from creative and often quirky compositions to masterful studies that reveal the sitter’s essence. He will discuss the primary and secondary elements of creating compelling portraits and he indicates, “First and foremost is lighting, lighting and lighting!”

Monthly presentations are part of the Ojai Photography Club’s community service and education outreach. Visitors are welcome to attend.

The Ojai Photography Club, which is devoted to education, inspiration, and camaraderie, meets on the third Tuesday of each month, February – November. Only members may submit images for review. For additional information please visit: www.ojaiphotoclub.com.

On Saturday, October 24, from 1 to 2 p.m., local author Nick Marinoff will visit the Ojai Library to talk about his book “Take a Loan off Your Shoulders: 14 Simple Tricks for Graduating Debt Free”, and to offer advice to help all future students and their families avoid the monetary mistakes associated with college enrollment.

The book details the steps Nick took to earn a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university without owing a dime. With student loan debt having surpassed the trillion-dollar mark, Nick offers tips and advice to readers who wish to save on their educational endeavors and avoid the financial burdens of student loans.

This event is free and open to the public. For additional information, contact Ron Solórzano, City Librarian, at 218-9146.

The Oak Grove School Annual Open House & All-School Showcase, at 220 West Lomita, will take place on Saturday, November 7, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Discover the art of living and learning at Oak Grove School. View student work, enjoy student performances, find out more about our progressive college-preparatory high school, boarding program, junior high, elementary and early childhood programs. This event is for prospective families, current families and friends of Oak Grove School. The event is free and open to the community and will feature campus tours and open classrooms, entertainment and award-winning vegetarian fair, and complimentary family photos. For more information, visit www.oakgroveschool.org/openhouse.

 

Ask The Director- Elena Brokaw, Director of the Parks, Recreation & Community

senior ask the directorQ. What programs does the City provide for active adults and seniors

A. The City of Ventura’s Parks, Recreation and Community Partnerships department offers a variety of programs citywide. You can choose art, computer tutoring, cooking, dance, exercise, gardening, music, photography, swimming, and other classes. And new this fall we’ll have additional program space for adults to enjoy classes in partnership with the Housing Authority, located at the Buena Vida Apartments Community Room (9050 Telephone Road.)

 

We have so many wonderful classes and programs that we created a monthly newsletter called the “Silver Tsunami” to keep you up-to-date about our offerings.  One of our most popular new programs is a tutoring class for adults to learn basic computer functions. Whether you enjoy art and learning how to paint with acrylics or if you prefer gardening or cooking, we have a class for you.

 

We’re able to provide a wide selection of programs because we have various facilities throughout the city to accommodate these activities. On the east side, we have a state-of-the art aquatic facility at the beautiful Ventura Community Park (901 S. Kimball Road.)

 

Many of our classes are held at the Barranca Vista Center  (7050 E. Ralston Street).

 

If you’re looking for gardening opportunities, consider growing your own food at our Cornucopia Community Garden (Telephone Road between Johnson and Ramelli Avenue.)

 

On the Westside, we have the Ventura Avenue Adult Center (550 N. Ventura Avenue) and we recently restored the Bocce Courts and league at Harry A. Lyon Park (De Anza Drive at Cameron Street.)

 

For folks who like being near the water, we offer Standup Paddle Boarding, Fly Fishing, and guided walking tours of the Santa Clara River Estuary.

 

We make every effort to offer dynamic programs that will be enjoyed by active adults and seniors throughout our community. To keep informed about classes and upcoming events, please sign up for our monthly Silver Tsunami newsletter at www.cityofventura.net/enewsletters or pick up a copy at any of the locations I listed above.  Visit us online at www.cityofventura.net/adult or call the Parks, Recreation and Community Partnership Office, 658-4726.