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Vol. 16, No. 09 – Jan 25 – Feb 7, 2023 – Mailbox

Folks:

These photos from January 19, 2023 capture the aftermath of debris deposits from heavy rains and surf on Ventura’s beach and the continuing erosion of our bike and pedestrian path and the beachfront itself. The surging Ventura River, laden with trees, plants, posts, and housing materials from way up river, empties into its estuary just west of the city, then ocean currents and high waves push it to shore.

The City is practicing a strategy called Managed Retreat, which is a form of adjustment to climate change effects. You are right to assume that there is only so far we can go before we start retreating into the city itself. The restoration aspect of this is very chancy. Rocks, old walls and abandoned infrastructure meant to shore up the coast get washed away. The dunes did stay mostly in place this time.

Robert Chianese, Ph.D.,

A man walks into a hotel and asks “Do you take children?”
The clerk replies “No, only cash or MasterCard.”
~ Bree Schultz

The Bookmark About Libraries and Friends

by Mary Olson

There has been a date change update to two special events coming up through the Ventura County Library. Program staff from Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) will join the Ventura County Library to lead a
Financial Education Webinar titled “How to Navigate your Budget with Confidence and Purpose.” This program will take place virtually via Zoom, and will be offered in English on Tuesday, February 28, and in
Spanish on Wednesday, March 1.

Previously these events were scheduled for January 17 and 18; we apologize for the inconvenience.

This 75-minute workshop will help you to identify your financial priorities so you can manage your numbers and budget with confidence and purpose. This interactive session will be facilitated by Irene Kelly, WEV’s Financial Education and Community Engagement Manager.

The program in English begins at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, February 28. To register, visit bit.ly/VCLWEV17 .

The program in Spanish begins at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, March 1. To register, visit bit.ly/VCLWEV18.

These events are free and open to the public. For additional information, contact Ron Solórzano, Regional Librarian, at (805) 218-9146 or [email protected].

Micaela Ellis, teen author, will visit the Hill Road Library on Saturday, March 4th, at 11:00 am to deliver a presentation on her book, Autism Over The Years. In her presentation, Micaela will share her experiences as a young adult navigating autism in today’s world. She hopes to expand community perceptions and educate others on some of the challenges that autistic people may face, as well as share the many opportunities for growth that are available to children and young adults like her when their needs are respected, understood, and celebrated. This event is free and open to the public. For additional information, contact Linda Cherry, Hill Road Librarian, 805-677-7180.

Ventura Friends of the Library Bookstore in E.P. Foster Library is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. AND, we are still able to keep the store open on Sundays, 1:30 to 4:00 pm in February.
We also invite you to visit our online bookstore for local sales https://venturafol-107753.square.site/s/shop.
When you make a purchase there, you will receive an email letting you know when your order will be ready for pickup at the bookstore in E.P. Foster.

We also list some books and media for sale on Amazon. We receive donations of a wide variety of books and media and would welcome new volunteers who could research other specialized online selling platforms and help us with us setup and maintenance. Please contact [email protected] if you can help us navigate the ever-evolving online environment.

Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation appoints Billy Hughes as New Director of Real Estate Development

Hughes offers extensive experience in real estate to help ensure access to quality, affordable housing.

Billy Hughes has joined Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (CEDC), the largest developer of affordable homes in Ventura County, as Director of Real Estate Development. Utilizing over 30 years of experience in the real estate industry as a developer, investor and lender, Hughes will manage and oversee CEDC’s affordable housing activities, and train and supervise project management staff. He will be taking charge of project development and ensuring successful transitions of CEDC’s projects from construction to operation. Hughes has demonstrated experience with affordable housing resources and programs and an ability to work effectively with groups in the community to listen and respond to questions and concerns.

“I am delighted and honored to be joining the Cabrillo EDC Executive Management team,” said Hughes. “After 3 decades of learning and working in the real estate industry, I intend to bring my expertise and knowledge to the development of affordable housing communities that are vital to so many members of the Ventura County community.”

Before joining CEDC, Hughes was the Managing Member of Black Point Investments, LLC (BPI), where he directed the acquisition and renovation of over 3 million square feet and nearly $1 billion in historic renovations including the re-purposing of several textile mills and historic schools. Hughes was the former president at Bi-Coastal Communities which developed affordable multifamily housing throughout the southeast. Hughes successfully developed over 2000 units totaling over $300 million in affordable housing and senior housing. His work with housing and developing authorities was recognized when he was named “Developer of Choice” by the Fulton County Housing Authority.

“Cabrillo EDC was looking for someone who is committed to our values and our mission of meeting housing needs of lower income families and individuals,” said Margarita H. de Escontrias, CEO of Cabrillo EDC. “We believe that Billy Hughes’ vast experience and breadth of knowledge together with the dedication he possesses, will help us continue carrying out our meaningful and strategic work to benefit the communities we serve.”

Community Memorial Health System welcomes new CEO, Mick Zdeblick

Zdeblick takes the reins from Gary K. Wilde, who retired after serving as President and CEO.

Community Memorial Health System’s new President & Chief Executive Officer, Mick Zdeblick, officially stepped into his new role Monday, January 9. Zdeblick takes the reins from Gary K. Wilde, who retired after serving as President and CEO of the organization since 2004.

“I look forward to building on Community Memorial’s reputation for advancing both the quality and delivery of healthcare in Ventura County,” said Zdeblick. “My first few months will involve a lot of listening, learning, and cultivating relationships internally and externally. Then we’ll create a strategic plan that addresses the needs of our organization and our community.”

Prior to his arrival in Ventura, Zdeblick served as Chief Executive Officer of Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford, Oregon since 2017. In addition to overseeing the hospital’s performance and protecting the system’s profitability amidst COVID-19 financial challenges, Zdeblick led Asante’s $500 million facility renovation and expansion master plan. He also has served as Chief Operating Officer at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, California, Vice President of Campus Transformation, and Vice President of Hospital Operations at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois.

“Mick comes to Community Memorial with a fantastic track record of success, he has the experience and vision to lead us into a successful future,” said outgoing Board of Trustees Chair Richard R. Rush. “His leadership style, proven experience and innovative ideas will be assets as he takes on this role.”

After spending much of his career working in healthcare in the East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast, Zdeblick is looking forward to the Southern California experience. “My wife and I love this part of California,” said Zdeblick, who enjoys running on the beach and experiencing the local restaurant scene. “We are excited to immerse ourselves in this beautiful community and explore everything the area has to offer.”

Community Memorial Health System is a not-for-profit health system comprised of two hospitals (Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura and Ojai Valley Community Hospital in Ojai), a skilled nursing facility, and a network of primary and specialty care clinics that serve communities throughout Ventura County, California. Visit https://www.cmhshealth.org.

Vol. 16, No. 09 – Jan 25 – Feb 7, 2023 – Community Events

The Ventura Senior Men’s Group continues to meet for a social lunch and program at the Poinsettia Pavilion in Ventura on the first and third Tuesday each month. Men of all descriptions are always welcomed to stop in to sample our shenanigans. Lyle Hotzler at 805-341-9820 or Rick Follenweider at 650-520-1098 can supply details.

Wanna Play Bridge? Join us for ACBL sanctioned duplicate bridge games every Tues., Wed., and Thurs. at 12:30. All levels of play and we will guarantee to have a partner for you if you need one. Lessons are available. Contact: Richard 805-850-8011 or Rose 805-659-9223 or [email protected]. All Welcome.

January 23 and 30: Livingston’s Grief and Bereavement Program is offering a free two-day Bereavement Skills Training Class. The class will provide the participant with information on grief and loss, dispel the myths and misconceptions about grief, and teach key components of companioning someone grieving the death of a loved one. Classes are held on Monday, January 23 and January 30 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at 400 Rosewood Ave, Suite 102 Camarillo. Space is limited. Registration required. For more information or to register, please call 805-389-6870 or visit lmvna.org/grief.

January 25: Jan. 25th: The College Area Community Council in Ventura, will be holding a Zoom meeting on Wednesday at 7pm. At this meeting members from the Maple Court development project will be speaking. An invitation and link to the meeting will be sent to everyone on the CACC mailing list. Visit the College Area Community Council website @ https://caccventura.com to learn more, to be added to the mailing list or to access a link to the Zoom meeting.”

February 4: Sespe Fly Fishers of Ventura will be conducting our monthly “First Saturday” introductory Fly Rod Casting and Intro to Fly Fishing clinic. There is no charge and all are welcome. Whether you are an experienced fly fisher or a complete novice we want to help you improve your casting and learn to enjoy this great sport. If you don’t yet have a fly rod, don’t worry, just come and use one of ours.

Chumash Park, Petit and Waco, 9:00 to 11:00 am, in East Ventura, off Telephone Rd. For everyone’s safety we ask all those attending to please comply with any current recommendations by the Ventura County Health Department.

For more information: Casting Program Coordinator Thomas Hall (805) 377-5249
www.sespeflyfishers.org

February 5: Old-Time Country Bluegrass Gospel Music Assoc.
Sunday, 2:00-4:00.Poinsettia Pavilion
3451 Foothill Rd.
Live Music on stage. Jamming in the Canada Room. Free Admission. Free parking
Open to the Public. For more information call 805-517-1131 or visit Facebook: OTCBGMA

February 5. Open house tours of the 1892 Dudley Historic House Museum will take place on Sunday, from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission is free. The museum is located at the corner of Loma Vista and Ashwood Streets (197 N. Ashwood) in Ventura. For information please call (805) 642-3345 or visit the website at dudleyhouse.org

February 25: On Saturday,the Ventura County Handweavers and Spinners Guild (VCHSG) will hold their general meeting from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Pleasant Valley Senior Center, 1605 Burnley Street, Camarillo. Following the general meeting, a Live Zoom meeting will be held from 10:30 – 12:00 a.m. featuring Josefin Waltin – Swedish spinner. She will discuss her Twist Model for spinning which involves the philosophical as well as physical aspects of spinning yarn.

March 18-19: The U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, will be joined by the U.S. Air Force Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, as co-headliners for the 2023 Point Mugu Air Show at Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC), Point Mugu.

“We are excited to bring air shows back to Point Mugu,” said Robert “Barr” Kimnach III, commanding officer, NBVC. “This family friendly event will offer a historic and unique opportunity to showcase two of our military’s top demonstration teams together, the Navy Blue Angels and the Air Force Thunderbirds.”

Professional Services adds Social Media Specialist and Communications Specialist

Coverly Professional Services (CoverlyPro) begins 2023 announcing two additions to the full-service marketing and project management firm. Social Media Specialist Madison Dietrich and Communications Specialist Heriberto Rodriguez join the team as the company continues building on its successful growth.

 

Madison Dietrich has hit the ground running, seamlessly managing clients within weeks of being hired. Dietrich is a thought leader behind several client social media accounts in the veterinary, public transportation, and nonprofit arenas. As a former Marketing Manager, Dietrich brings over six years of social media, content writing, and website management experience. She also brings wide-scale event planning, managing teams of hundreds of employees and volunteers.

 

Heriberto “Heri” Rodriguez joins CoverlyPro with an educational background in philosophy, and an expertise in writing. As he says, “My lifelong passion turned lifelong profession. I write so you don’t have to.” With a knack for storytelling, Rodriguez’ written words can be found in varied client communications as he works collaboratively with clients and the media to provide thought provoking articles, press releases, web copy, and more that help tell his clients stories. Rodriguez brings a depth of experience having worked with clients such as Alaska Airlines, Original Grain, Sunday Golf, Kore Essentials, and LA Taco.

“As a business owner, I am so thankful for the work and dedication our team has put into CoverlyPro, especially in the last two challenging years. As a group, we are passionate for what we do, and I see this passion directly translating to our client’s success,” said Lynnette Coverly, CEO of Coverly Professional Services. “We really have a dream team of gifted storytellers, forward-thinking social media experts, and experienced and inventive marketing strategists. Welcoming Madison and Heri to our team was an easy decision given what they each bring in their respective areas of expertise.” CEO Lynnette Coverly is often heard saying that she is building the company she has always wanted to work for, which starts with bringing on the right employees and providing them with the flexibility, benefits, and tools to succeed. The addition of Dietrich and Rodriguez has solidified the dream team that makes CoverlyPro what it is today, while positioning the company for continued success. “I foresee growing our portfolio and our team in 2023,” Coverly added.

In 2020 as Covid took hold, CoverlyPro expanded to provide virtual events, which was met with great success. Now as the world is opening again, the company is producing and marketing in-person events leveraging the finely honed event planning and project management experience of its team. With an expertise providing marketing strategies and implementation for service-based businesses and nonprofits, the company looks to add to its roster of clients similar to Housing Trust Fund Ventura County, Gold Coast Transit District, the Museum of Ventura County, and Ohana Pet Hospital, among others.

Founded in 2010, CoverlyPro offers full-service turnkey marketing and public relations project management services, from brand development to social media management to copywriting, virtual and in-person event production, graphic design, media placement, website development, and more.

St. John’s Regional Medical Center delivers superior patient outcomes

Dignity Health—St. John’s Regional Medical Center (SJRMC) in Oxnard ranks #1 in California for Coronary Intervention and #2 for Cardiac Care and Cardiology according to a new analysis released by Healthgrades, the leading marketplace connecting doctors and patients. Additionally, SJRMC is one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Coronary Intervention for nine years in a row (2015-2023) and America’s 100 Best for Cardiac Care for four years in a row (2020-2023).

For the State Ranking analysis, Healthgrades evaluated clinical performance for nearly 4,500 hospitals nationwide focusing on 18 key specialties across a mix of chronic, urgent, and surgical specialty areas. SJRMC is the only hospital in Ventura County to be named one of Healthgrades America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Coronary Intervention and Cardiac Care in 2023.

“Ranking #1 in California for Coronary Intervention is a direct result of our people recognizing the need for excellence and working together while always having our patients’ best interest at heart,” said Barry Wolfman, President & CEO of St. John’s Regional Medical Center and St. John’s Hospital Camarillo. “I am incredibly proud of our excellent physicians, the entire cardiac team and everyone at St. John’s.”

Hospitals recognized as top-ranked in their state by Healthgrades are providing patients with consistently better-than-expected clinical outcomes. For example, patients treated at hospitals receiving a state ranking for Coronary Intervention have, on average, a 45.5% lower risk of dying than if they were treated in hospitals that were not state ranked for Coronary Intervention.*

“Being ranked #1 in California for Coronary Intervention is a testament to St. John’s Regional Medical Center’s continued commitment to top-quality care. Hospitals receiving a #1 ranking in their state have a proven track record of delivering superior outcomes for the patients in their community,” said Brad Bowman, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Head of Data Science, Healthgrades. “For almost 25 years, our mission has been to provide consumers with clear and accessible information to make more informed healthcare decisions. Patients can feel confident knowing that they have access to #1 ranked care for

Coronary Intervention at St. John’s Regional Medical Center.”

Health helps more than 100 million unique visitors live their strongest and healthiest lives.

Learn more at DignityHealth.org/StJohnsRegional.

Vol. 16, No. 09 – Jan 25 – Feb 7, 2023 – Harbor Patrol Blotter

Wednes 1/04

 6:17am, observed Weather Service issued a Gale Warning, raised pennants.

8:28am, dispatched to traumatic injury in the Ventura Marina Community. Officers responded with AMR/VFD to a 76 y/o female with a fractured leg. After assessment/treatment, patient transported to local hospital by AMR.

Thursday 1/05

 12pm-7:54pm, received reports of docks breaking in the keys, vessels adrift. Officers worked with TowBoat US towing broken docks to the launch ramp and adrift vessels to vacant slips in harbor marinas. Eight damaged docks were eventually towed to the launch ramp for destruction. Ten vessels were towed to slips throughout the harbor and many more vessels moved on their own. A giant, intense West swell, one of the largest in years, coupled with a minus tide exasperating the incoming surges, destroyed older docks without pilings.

10:07pm, dispatched to a broken dock at Seahorse Ave in the keys. Officers responded in Rescue B19, were able to access the dock and secure it with lines.

Friday 1/06

 6:00am, received request for assistance with a broken dock gangway in danger of colliding with a vessel at Bayshore finger of the keys. Officers responded in Rescue B19 and were able to secure the broken ramp so it was no longer in danger of damaging vessels in the area.

7:15am, received request for entrance conditions for a 100ft crew boat attempting to exit the harbor. Officers advised that 10-15ft waves were still closing out the entrance and convinced the captain to postpone voyage.

2:33pm, while on patrol in truck, observed Major Engineering dismantling broken docks at the launch ramp from the surge/swell event from yesterday.

Saturday 1/07

 8:45am, while on patrol in Rescue B19, officers removed several Hazards to Navigation throughout the harbor, mainly floating pieces of broken docks.

11:03am, dispatched to Ocean Rescue at Bangor Lane, Pierpont Beach. Officers responded in Rescue B19, swimmer in distress was assisted safely to the shore.

1:55pm, received report of a large log adrift in the entrance. Officers responded in the Fireboat and found a pier piling adrift. It was taken en tow to the launch ramp and removed for destruction.

Sunday 1/08

 11:16am, received a request for a tow from the skipper of a 40ft trawler in the keys. Arranged a tow for the vessel with TowBoat US.

Monday 1/09

 8:55am, dispatched to an Ocean Rescue at the Ventura Pier. Officers responded in the Fireboat, victim was safely assisted to shore.

6:05pm, dispatched to flooding at the Holiday Inn Express/Navigator. Officers responded in truck, assessed drains failing. Barricades placed to close the area.

 

 

Ventura County Leadership Academy announces 2023 honorees

Non-Profit Leader of the Year – Elena Brokaw.

Six outstanding community leaders will be honored for their contributions to our community by the Ventura County Leadership Academy (VCLA) on Thursday, April 27, 2023.

· Business Leader of the Year – Bruce Stenslie, President & CEO, Economic Development Collaborative (EDC)

· Educational Leader of the Year – Dr. Julius O. Sokenu, President, Moorpark College

· Non-Profit Leader of the Year – Elena Brokaw, Executive Director, Museum of Ventura County

· Public Sector Leader of the Year – Scott Whitney, Chief Investigator, Ventura County District Attorney’s Office

· Alumna of the Year – Amanda Fagan (Cohort XXIII), Director of Planning and Sustainability, Ventura County Transportation Commission

· Founder’s Award – Herbert Gooch, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Political Science, California Lutheran University

“Ventura County is a special place, and we are so pleased we get to honor some of the people who make it special,” said Bob Harrell, VCLA Board President. “ VCLA’s mission is to connect and strengthen our community and these honorees certainly do that through their actions and their leadership. They serve our community faithfully.”

Information on sponsorship opportunities or congratulatory ads to support the VCLA’s Journey to Leadership Awards honorees can be found at www.vcleadership.org or by contacting VCLA Executive Director Pattie Braga at [email protected].

The Ventura County Leadership Academy connects and cultivates a diverse network of passionate, capable leaders through an immersion in both critical issues shaping Ventura County and opportunities for personal and professional growth. VCLA’s comprehensive program ignites awareness and inspiration, helping cohort members discover their individual pathway toward impacting. Cohort members gain a comprehensive knowledge of the issues in our community and how they connect across geography and agencies.