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The Bookmark About Libraries and Friends

by Mary Olson

Local Ojai author Catherine Ann Jones visits Ojai Library on Saturday, May 25, 2 to 3 pm to give a talk on her book East & West: Stories of India.

She is the award-winning author of eight books including Heal Your Self with Writing. Her latest, East & West, is described as a captivating book in which contrasting and complementary aspects of Indian culture are explored through stories of seekers, ordinary Indians, heroes, frauds, and victims.

Catherine Ann Jones has played major roles in over fifty productions on and off-Broadway, later becoming an award-winning playwright. She has authored eleven plays produced in and out of NYC and films including Unlikely Angel (Dolly Parton), The Christmas Wife, and the popular television series, Touched by an Angel. A Fulbright Scholar to India studying shamanism, she has taught for several years at The New School University in NYC and USC Film School in LA, as well writing workshops globally. To learn more, visit wayofstory.com.

Ventura County Library launches its Read, Renew, Repeat summer reading program on May 15, 2024. During the next few months, the library will host a range of free activities for children and teens to encourage and support a love of reading. Participants can win prizes for reaching their reading goals.

“We’ve planned a wonderful program for children and teens that make the library a great place to read, learn, and discover what’s available,” said Molly Krill, Youth Services Manager. The benefits of summer reading extend far beyond academic goals. Reading also promotes empathy, critical thinking, and creativity, nurturing essential skills and experiences that will serve our community.

From STEAM activities and storytimes to craft workshops and book clubs, there’s always something happening at the library. Participants may register at vencolibrary.beanstack.org and record their reading with opportunities to win prizes for reaching reading goals. Each branch has a set of 4 Disneyland tickets to give away as a grand prize. Youth may visit their local branch to choose a free new book to add to their personal collection when signing up, a special sustainable prize for completing 500 minutes of reading and another free book for completing 1000 minutes.

Get a Vehicle Day Use Pass for California State Parks at your library.
In partnership with California State Parks and the California State Library, free State Parks vehicle-day use passes are available for circulation to help Californians access beautiful parks, lakes, beaches, and monuments in the State Parks system free. The Library Parks Pass is valid for vehicle day use at 200+ participating state park units of the California State Park System operated by State Parks. Passes circulate for 21 days and are renewable if no other customers are waiting. For more information, go to https://www.vencolibrary.org/library-things/parks-pass or call 805 626-READ.

The Ventura Friends of the Library Bookstore in E.P. Foster Library
2nd Look Books
is now open 7 days a week,
Monday through Saturday, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm and Sundays, 1:00 to 4:00 pm.
Find your beach books, jigsaw puzzles and more summer reading for kids! New donations arrive every week and the stock in our store is regularly refreshed.
With our extended hours, we could use more volunteers to staff the store. If you would like to help, please stop by the store and speak to a volunteer or email [email protected].

Vol. 17, No. 17 – May 15 – May 28, 2024 – Community Events

Ventura Events

Mental Wellness Festival Ventura Event: Saturday, June, 1st, 10:30 am – 4:30 pm – Ventura Harbor Village
2nd Annual Mental Wellness Festival Event. Art Show, Native Plant Exhibit, Live Music, Yoga & Meditation, Vendors & Info Booths. mentalwellnessfest.com

Seaside Marathon. Sunday: May 19, 7 am
Course starts at Solimar Beach at 7AM. 29808 Pacific Coast Highway, Ventura.Full & Half Marathon, www.seasidemarathon.com.

Ventura Senior Men’s Group – First and Third Tuesdays each month: 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m – Poinsettia Pavilion.

Any man who considers himself in the “senior” category (and many who don’t) might benefit from a visit to the Ventura Senior Men’s Group. Buffet luncheon with interesting speakers and good friends. Your first lunch is free. We talk about everything except religion and politics. Eligible to all men 50 plus. Call Tom at 805-657-1071 for more information or visit VSMG.net to find out who our speakers will be.

Play Bridge: Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday – 12:30 pm

ACBL-sanctioned duplicate bridge games. All levels of play, and we will guarantee to have a partner for you if you need one. Lessons are available. Tuesday, Wed and Thursday games are held at Temple Beth Torah, Foothill & Kimball Rd, Ventura. Every Saturday at the Ventura Townhouse. For additional info visit our website at www.vcbridge.org. Contact Rose at [email protected].

Ventura County Philatelic Society: First and third Monday’s each month – 7:30 pm
Church of the Foothills, Ventura. For more information, visit https://venturacountyphilatelicsoc.org.

Beach Cleanup: First Saturday of every month – 8:30-10:30 am
Meet your neighbors and help keep our beach looking fresh. Hosted by Pierpont Beach Community Council in partnership with Surfrider. Meet up at the end of Seward near the beach. (1140 S Seward St). Arrive any time during the timeframe. Fun for the whole family! Supplies provided – BYO water.

Paws for Reading
Brings together young readers and affectionate canine listeners to help boost the confidence of beginning readers. Hill Road Library, Wednesdays, 3:30 – 5 p.m. and E.P. Foster Library, Thursdays, 4 – 5:30 p.m. Join PAWS dogs for one-on-one reading sessions. Arrive at the library early to choose a book and get in line to read to a special pooch. Children of all ages are welcome.

Ventura County Chapter of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors : May 19, 11 am
Anyone interested in timepieces, both antique and modern, can join for a watch/clock marketplace, lunch, and a presentation on a horological topic. Bring a watch or clock for a free evaluation. 11am at the Campus Student Center of Ventura College, 4667 Telegraph Road, Ventura. nawcc-ch190.com. For Details contact, Bob McClelland, Director, Public Information. (818) 225-8212. [email protected].

Other Events Around Town

2024 Point Mugu Surf Contest: Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26 – 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
NBVC Point Mugu (Naval Base Point Magu), Surfer’s Beach. The contest will feature four categories including: Military, Open, Women’s, and Juniors. Free Admission & Parking.

Ventura Audubon Society’s free beach naturalist training workshop: Saturday, May 25th from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm.
Interested in helping nesting shorebirds and participating in community science in Ventura County? Please join Ventura Audubon for a free Beach Naturalist workshop. With a combination of classroom and field training, you will learn how to become a volunteer Beach Naturalist for the Shorebird Recovery Program.

Our biologists will give you valuable information about the snowy plover and least tern life history, survival challenges, beach ecology, how to engage with beach goers about shorebird conservation, and the effects of climate change on our local birds. After completing the training, you will be able to share your new knowledge and skills by signing up for two 2-hour outreach opportunities per month from June through September. Refreshments and lunch will be provided for the workshop.

Space is limited. So, register by May 21st. For more information, including location and to sign-up, go to www.venturaaudubon.org/beach-naturalists or email [email protected]. Funding for this workshop is provided by the State of California “Whale Tail” and Federal National Coastal Wetlands Conservation grants.

Ojai Events

FORESTWATCH ANNOUNCES 16th ANNUAL OJAI WILD! BENEFIT ON JUNE 2, 2024 from 4 -7:30 pm
Celebrate our region’s wildlife and wild places at the 16th Annual Ojai WILD! The event is a benefit for Los Padres ForestWatch and raises critical funds for the protection of wild lands and wildlife in the Los Padres National Forest. The event will also celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Los Padres ForestWatch.

Ojai WILD! is Ventura County’s longest-running fundraiser for land and wildlife conservation. It is open to the public and takes place at The Thacher School’s beautiful Pavilion Lawn, with panoramic views of the Ojai Valley and the Topatopa Mountains. More than 300 conservationists, outdoor enthusiasts, and community leaders will enjoy a fun afternoon with local wines, craft brews, delicious dinner and dessert, and exciting silent and live auctions.

Tickets for the afternoon are $200, and tables for eight can be reserved for $1,600. Reservations may be made at OjaiWild.org, or call Camden at 805-617-4610 ext 4.

Method Machine Lab’s Witch by Jenn Silverman May 17- May 26
Friday-Sunday at 7:00P $10, $15 & $20 In Witch, a charming devil arrives in the quiet village of Edmonton to bargain for the souls of its residents in exchange for their darkest wishes. Method Machine Lab @Kim Maxwell Studio 226 W Ojai Ave Suite 201 Ojai, CA 93023 www.methodmachinelab.org for more information and tickets.

Finding Your Voice Series From The BAA – Painting Light Demo with Anette Power

The Buenaventura Art Association invites the public to learn one of Anette Power’s secrets to success as she reveals her approach to painting light filled subjects. Watch her skillfully paint areas of light and shadow grouped and separate to create the most dynamic image. Anette will then guide YOU through an exercise using sharpies, acetate and provided images, so you can learn first hand how to apply it to your artwork. Saturday, May 18, 2024, from 9:30 am to 11:30 am. Pacific & Main Creative Workspace (formerly Midtown or H Gallery) – 1793 E Main St, Ventura, CA. Members of Buenaventura Art Assoc.: $25. Non-Members of Buenaventura Art Assoc.: $30. www.buenaventuraartassociation.org

Anette Power
Award-winning artist Anette Power credits her mom, who also paints, and growing up on an island off the Swedish coast for providing a childhood full of creative exploration and a love for the outdoors. After immigrating to the U.S., Power spent more than a decade working in animation, fine-tuning her sense of light, color, and mood as a background painter for studios like Disney, Warner Bros., Cartoon Network and Universal. She now paints full-time and is an artist member of the California Art Club and has been an active board member of the Westlake Village Art Guild for eight years. She maintains a working studio in Newbury Park, CA. www.anettepower.com

County of Ventura’s Older Americans Month Art Show begins next week

The County of Ventura’s Older Americans Month art exhibit will be unveiled next week. The exhibit, which will feature artwork produced by older adults in the county, is a collaboration between the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging (VCAAA), the Optimal Aging committee of the VCAAA’s Advisory Council, the Ventura County Arts Council (VCAC), and County of Ventura Arts & Culture. Approximately 50 residents from across the county registered their artwork for the show.

The exhibit will open next Monday (May 13) at the County of Ventura’s Hall of Administration Atrium Gallery (800 S. Victoria Ave. in Ventura). The Hall of Administration is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The artwork will be displayed through the end of June.

The opening reception will be at the Hall of Administration next Wednesday (May 15) from 5-7 p.m. In addition to viewing the works of art and the potential opportunity to meet some of the artists involved, there are plans for an intergenerational poetry reading. Light refreshments will be provided.

Happy 15th Anniversary to The Ventura Ladies Luncheon

by Carol Leish, MA

Founder, Laurie Ann Meyer said, “I saw a need for a venue where women could gather at lunch time without interrupting their evening or morning schedules to come relax for a nice meal and be served.” That is why I started the group in June 2009 in which ladies’ network and gather without annual/monthly dues, have no minimum on categories, and pay only for the months that they can attend.

“We first met at My Florist and Bakery, which was in downtown Ventura, with 5 women. The next month we decided to do it again and had 15 women. We moved the third meeting to the Pierpont with 25 women. And, at the fourth luncheon we had over 40 women! That is when I realized that we had something special going!”

Besides having met at the Pierpont, before they went through some changes, The Ladies Luncheon also met at the French Bakery in the Ventura Harbor for a few months before going back to meeting at the Pierpont. After the Pierpont started remodeling, the group met for lunches at the Poinsettia Pavilion for many years. “Then, in March, 2020, when COVID hit, the group met over Zoom, which was a challenging and interesting time” according to Meyer. “We made it through that time! Then, in 2022, post COVID; or, as it was winding down, we started meeting at The Greek Mediterranean Steak & Seafood, at the Ventura Harbor. They have been a great venue with incredible owners and staff.”

Meyer mentioned how important it has been/continues to be to build relationships first and business second. She said, “When an unlimited number of people in the same profession attend our luncheons, they end up collaborating instead of colliding. It is the theory of, “When 2 or more are gathered.”

Besides having the monthly luncheons, the group gathers for evening wine mixers in locally owned women businesses. In March of 2020, the Ladies Luncheon Ventura had their first all-day event: “Radiant You”. Meyer said, “We hope to be able to repeat this event soon, since it was very successful with over 100 attendees. Hopefully in May, 2025. In December, we substitute our monthly luncheon for a Holiday Boutique with holiday vendors, food, etc. We also invite men, including spouses, and friends.”

Meyer stressed how the group is, “Now about ‘Community, Connection and Support.’ While we support each other, and refer each other for our businesses, the LOVE that has been created is exponential. And, after 15 years, we have been through many ups and downs with each other, including adversities and successes. The bond continues to be strong, and we are not going anywhere, except growing larger now that, since the pandemic, ladies have more of a desire to be able to connect in person.”

Sponsoring the monthly luncheon, “Gives ladies an opportunity to highlight their business through all our various marketing platforms, such as social media and our website. By being able to present at the luncheon event exclusively, they have a great way of exposing what and how they do in their businesses. Visit the sponsorship tab on our website for more information.”

Meyer emphasized that, “We are known for the best RAFFLE in town! Because, in most cases for the monthly luncheon, EVERYONE leaves with a gift. In addition, we all leave with a Gift of Love and a hug! I am so grateful for all the love women have brought and continue to bring to each other at the Ladies Luncheon. We meet on the first Thursday of every month. Thank you, Ladies! Happy 15 Year Anniversary to YOU!”

Please register on the website www.theladiesluncheon.com for the upcoming June 6, 15th Anniversary Luncheon Meeting at the Greek Mediterranean Steak & Seafood: 1583 Spinnaker Dr. #101; Ventura, CA 93001. For more information call Laurie at (805) 223-0154. Come celebrate and gather with a wonderful group of ladies while eating delicious food!

Vol. 17, No. 17 – May 15 – May 28, 2024 – Cartoons

The Museum of Ventura County Announces New Events and Museum Closure in May

Wednesday, May 29th, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (doors open at 6 for beer and wine bar), The Museum of Ventura County – Ivor Davis: Up Close and Personal on The Devil in My Friend – Ivor Davis will be in the “hot seat,” facing probing questions from Paul Bishop, a top interrogator from the Los Angeles Police Department. Get ready for a gripping tale as Davis shares the shocking revelation about a friend and neighbor who committed an unthinkable crime. Tickets are FREE for members at the Individual/Family level or higher, $10 for non-members, and $5 for non-members tuning in via Zoom. Tickets can be purchased at https://venturamuseum.org/events/

Monday, May 13^th – Friday, June 7th, The Museum of Ventura County galleries will be CLOSED – New exhibitions are coming to the Museum of Ventura County, Ventura Campus. The last day to view current exhibitions is Sunday, May 12 and doors will open to showcase two new exhibitions at an Opening on Saturday, June 8, 6-8 pm. The Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula will remain open with normal operating hours.

Local Society Hosts “Super Bowl of Gem Shows”

The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society (VGMS) is hosting “Seaside Gems at Ventura,” the National Gem, Mineral, Fossil & Jewelry Show May 24-26 at the Ventura County Fairgrounds from 10am–5pm, Friday & Saturday and 10am–4pm, Sunday. The show is open to the public and features family-friendly events and exhibits. Admission is $8, with children under 13 free with a paid adult. (Note: the Fairgrounds also charges a parking fee.)

VGMS is celebrating its 80th anniversary and was selected from 600 similar nonprofit educational societies to host a truly big national event, namely, the Annual Show & Convention of the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies. They hope to welcome over 3,000 “rockhounds” as they converge on the Ventura County Fairgrounds for what’s described as “the Super Bowl of gem shows.”

This year’s “Super Bowl” organizers invite the general public to enjoy educational displays, dealers and demonstrators, speakers, silent auctions, raffles, and kids activities. For instance, a beautiful gold specimen will be one of the featured displays. Discovered by a young girl in Placer County in 1871, the California Golden Bear nugget is normally housed at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History but will be on temporary display at the show alongside samples of our ultra-rare State Gemstone, sapphire-blue benitoite.

Nearly 100 additional educational exhibits are expected of hand-crafted jewelry and carvings, gemstones and crystals, minerals, fossils, and fluorescent rocks that glow in the dark. These exhibits have been assembled from private collections and crafters throughout California and the U.S. and should be exceptional, given that over half will be entered into refereed competition vying for trophies.

Displays will be augmented by demonstrators illustrating how rough stones are crafted into gleaming gems. Watch lapidary artists at work and question them for tips to try yourself. They’ll demo lapidary arts like gemstone grinding, carving and polishing; jewelry-making techniques; bead stringing; silver work, and fossil prep.

Kids are sure to enjoy the Kids Booth. A variety of interactive activities are free or priced to match a child’s budget. These include a Dino Dig; coloring activities; a spinning wheel where every spin wins a prize; grab bags filled with rocks, minerals, and fossils; “create-your-own-collection” boxes; and a sand-sifting activity. A prospecting club – Valley Prospectors of San Bernardino – will show kids and adults alike how to pan for gold just like a Forty-Niner. Teachers will find free teacher resources, including rock samples and packets of educational materials at the show Welcome Booth.

To get a jump on Holiday shopping, 50+ vendors will be selling all manner of rock-related materials: rough agate, jasper, marble, and more to cut, carve, and polish; gemstone rough (amethyst, opal, emerald, sapphire, ruby, tourmaline, jade) to cab or to facet; cut and polished gemstones ready to be mounted into jewelry settings; lapidary and jewelry tools and equipment; minerals and gemstone crystals and meteorites for collectors, whether beginners or advanced; fossils and petrified wood from around the world; gem-, mineral-, and fossil-related publications; beads of all sorts; stone carvings, spheres, and other sculpted works for home decor; and fine custom jewelry ready to wear.

In addition to the professional vendors, hourly silent auctions will be held throughout the show for lapidary rocks and gemstones, minerals, geodes, petrified wood, and fossils. And don’t miss the raffle! Those purchasing winning tickets will take home great prizes that include high quality jewelry; mineral and fossil specimens; and more—including a one hundred dollar bill.

A Speakers Series features nontechnical lectures with talks on topics such as meteorites, amber, an Australian gold mine, the geology of the Channel Islands off-shore from Ventura, and beautifully banded Condor Agates from Patagonia by the man who introduced them into the U.S. market.

VGMS and the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies are dedicated to encouraging interest in geology, mineralogy, paleontology, the lapidary and jewelry arts through education, activities, and exhibitions, such as this nationwide show, which circulates around the US and comes to California only once every seven years. AFMS is composed of local societies and clubs from throughout the US. AFMS and its affiliated societies are 501(c)3 nonprofit, educational organizations. Proceeds from their shows go toward educational endeavors, such as scholarship funds for undergraduate and graduate college students and a free badge program for children. During an Awards Banquet Saturday night, not only will trophies be given for best competitive displays, but also scholarships will be awarded to college students working toward degrees in the earth sciences.

For more email [email protected] or call 805-312-8467 or visit the show website at 2024CFMS-AFMS.com and the local Ventura society website at vgms.org.

Ombudsman of Ventura County hires new Executive Director

by Carol Leish, MA

With the percentage of elderly people in Ventura County forecasted to grow to 30% of the population within the next several years, preserving the high quality of advocacy that the Ombudsman of Ventura County has been providing since 1981 is even more critical. “We are very excited to have Keith Gosselin transition intro the position of Executive Director,” stated Sylvia Taylor-Stein, current Executive Director, who will transition into a new role and continue to serve the volunteers, long-term care residents, and the community that she loves. She said that, “He has effectively expanded the capabilities of several nonprofit organizations during his professional career.

Gosselin, who has a BA in Management from Loyola Marymount University, in Los Angeles, and an MBA from the College of William & Mary, in Williamsburg, Virginia, has been a tenured Associate Professor at Mount Saint Mary’s University, along with having been an adjunct faculty member at Cal State University, Northridge, California Lutheran University, and University of CA Los Angeles and UCLA.

During his 20+ years of college instruction, he taught mostly marketing classes, such as Principles of Marketing, Advertising Sales Management, Market Research, Social Media Marketing the Nonprofit, and International Marketing. And, with his MBA in Finance, along with a high-tech background, he taught Principles of Finance, along with Management of Information Systems at Mount Saint Mary’s University, every year.

Gosselin’s most recent position was as the Executive Director for His Hands on Africa, a nonprofit that provides free dental services in Rwanda. He was tasked with increasing U.S. donations to finance expansive efforts, which he did by growing the annual fundraising from $350,000 to over $850,000 in just one year. As a result, the number of Rwandans receiving free oral health care will continue to increase significantly over the next decade.

Long Term Care Services of Ventura County, Inc. is a 501c 3 nonprofit that advocates for the higher quality of life and care possible for all our disabled and elderly living in long term care facilities. The Ombudsman staff & volunteers make unannounced and unscheduled visits to long term care facilities to help ensure the quality of care and the quality of life for the elderly and disabled residents. Gosselin said, “I am honored to be a part of a best-in-class organization that represents the needs of two of the often-overlooked populations in our communities: the elderly and the disabled.”

In terms of goals, Gosselin said, “My priority at Long Term Care is to retain the incredibly high level of quality of services that the program has provided the community for the last 25+ years (courtesy of Sylvia Taylor-Stein)), through our staff and incredible volunteers. Secondarily, I plan on increasing and diversifying our funding to reduce our reliance on government grants and to expand upon our services into the areas of the community that we would like to better serve.

For more information about the Ombudsman of Ventura County program, please visit www.ombusmanventura.org.

Vol. 17, No. 17 – May 15 – May 28, 2024 – Mailbox

Sheldon,

Well, a belated congratulations! I’m glad you have found capable hands to pass the torch to. We so appreciate all you have done with the Breeze and for the community. You have been a great support to CAPS and KPPQ for these many years.

Elizabeth Rodeno
KPPQ 104.1FM Radio Station Manager
CAPS Project Manager

Breeze:

As a relatively new Venturan (I moved here in 2017, weeks before the Thomas Fire!), I’ve really enjoyed the Breeze as a way to understand my new home, learn about what’s going on and to connect to the community here. Although sad to see Sheldon go, I’m very happy for him and sure his retirement is well deserved.
Thank you so much for your service to our community! I look forward to continue picking up The Breeze downtown, where I live.

Best,
Ed Terpening
EdTerpening.com

Sheldon:

Congratulations, Sheldon. Glad to know that The Breeze will continue—and that you will still be involved to some extent. Your experience and connections will assure the continued success of the enterprise.

Lots to be proud of—I don’t think there has ever been a Ventura publication quite like your newspaper. Here’s to many more years of success!

Mike Tracy

Oh Sheldon! Thank you for letting me know and Congratulations on your retirement! Although it sounds like you will still be very busy!

I want to thank you for being so dedicated to telling the story of Ventura and weathering all the good and bad times. You are right the Breeze is loved by so many in our community so thank you for all you have given!

Marieanne Quiroz, Director of Communications and Public Information Officer (PIO)Ventura Unified School District

Big Hugs, Sheldon

Congratulations on 17 years with VENTURA BREEZE, Sheldon Brown! You are an amazing person. In the many years you believed in my writings with the rock music scene (local and national). You let me run through many ideas. I always believed that in a local rock scene; it’s okay to push boundaries and try different areas of writing.

When there was music news that I could blend in with local news together, we covered lots of ground. Featuring some high profile rock interviews. My favorite one was ROB HALFORD.

We featured Rob Halford in the Ventura Breeze back in 2010. Rob’s band had just won their first Grammy after 30 years of recording music and was inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. And as of this writing, they are currently on tour supporting their 19th studio album.

In addition, Rob Halford is also featured on a duet with Dolly Parton on her new rock album. Wonderful track called, “Bygones.”

Thank you for giving me the opportunity, Ventura Breeze, to interview him in July 2010. And, thanks for the hard work you put in, Sheldon. And hugs to Pam @Venturarocks.com for keeping our scene going in marketing, radio and publishing.

Big hugs, Sheldon. Thank you for being you and everything you have done in every way!

Michael Kohli (aka DJ KOHLI ROCKS)