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The Festival of the Lights, Chanukah

Every year Jewish people around the world celebrate the holiday of Chanukah, the Festival of Lights. Chanukah begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, but the starting date on the western calendar varies from year to year. This year it will start on sundown on Dec. 18 and end on Dec.26

In the land of Judea there was a mean (boo) Syrian king, Antiochus. The king ordered the Jewish people to reject their God, their religion, their customs and their beliefs and to worship the Greek gods. There were some who did as they were told, but many refused. One who refused was Judah Maccabee(hooray).

Judah and his four brothers formed an army and after 3 years of fighting, the Maccabees were finally successful in driving the Syrians out of Israel and reclaimed the Temple in Jerusalem.

When Judah and his followers finished cleaning the temple, they wished to light the eternal light, known as the N’er Tamid, which is present in every Jewish house of worship. Only a tiny jug of oil was found with only enough for a single day. The oil lamp was filled and lit. Then a miracle occurred as the tiny amount of oil stayed lit not for one day, but for 8 days.

Jews celebrate Chanukah to mark the victory over the Syrians and the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple. The Festival of the Lights, Chanukah, lasts for eight days to commemorate this miracle of the oil. The menorah candles are lit to celebrate the 8 days that the oil stayed lit.

The spellings of Chanukah has caused some confusion. Part of the reason for this confusion may be due to the fact there is no exact English translation of the Hebrew word for Chanukah. So, to help clear up some of the confusion here are just a few of the different spellings one might encounter. They all celebrate the holiday.

Chanukah, Chanukkah, Hanuka, Hanukah , Hannukah ,Hanukkah. In the United States it is most common to use the spelling Chanukah.

Vendors should possess a valid health permit

Be careful eating from some street vendors.

Food Safety Among Street Vendors in Ventura County. The County of Ventura’s Environmental Health Division advises the public against consuming food and beverages made or sold by street vendors that do not possess a valid health permit.

Food trucks and food carts that operate with a health permit are expected to follow food safety laws and are subject to routine health inspections by the Division. These vendors will have an identifying sticker issued by the County of Ventura on the vehicle or cart.

The Division is seeing an increase in unpermitted food sales from food carts and pop-up food stands throughout the county. Many unpermitted vendors are coming from areas outside of Ventura County. These vendors are unfairly impacting local vendors who have obtained their licenses and training to do business in Ventura County.

Consuming food from vendors that have not obtained a health permit poses a serious public health risk to residents and visitors in Ventura County. Such vendors often possess unsafe makeshift equipment that does not follow proper food safety protocols and handwashing practices.

If you think you or someone you know got sick from food, please report it, even if you don’t know what food made you sick. Reporting an illness can help public health officials identify a foodborne illness outbreak and keep others from getting sick. Please call (805)654-2813 or file a complaint report at https://eco.vcrma.org/#/home.

Julia Frances Campbell Namba

Julia Frances Campbell Namba, 86, passed away on the morning of Friday December 2, 2022 surrounded by her family in her Residence in the historic Hobson Heights section of Ventura. Julia was born in 1936 in Anderson, Indiana, where she grew up on a family farm with her younger brother Tom. She was the daughter of Kenneth R. Moore and Thelma Nola Cory.

After graduating high school, and college she moved to Chicago, and then to the West Coast where she found fulfilling employment as an educator at First Avenue Junior High School in Arcadia California. She began her career as a Teacher’s Assistant and eventually became the school’s librarian. Later she went onto work at Saticoy Elementary School in Ventura, where she played a principal role in developing the school’s Library system.

While living in Sierra Madre she opened a toy store name “Grandma Jelly’s Toys” where she specialized in handmade wooden toys and Folkmanis puppets.

In 1997 Julia met Ben Namba, and as their relationship flourished, she took up residence with him at his home in Solimar Beach. The couple moved to Hobson Heights in the year 2000, after which they enjoyed the next 20 years together until his passing in 2020. Julia was widely known throughout greater Ventura for her philanthropic nature as a benefactor and donor to local arts organizations. She was on the board of directors of the Ventura Music Festival and was a patron to both the Ventura Museum and the Rubicon Theatre. She was the principal founder, along with her late husband Ben, of the Namba Space in Downtown Ventura. Founded in 2014 this function space continues to serve Ventura as a dedicated venue to nurture performing Arts in our community.

This last year has been filled with the positive energy derived from architectural revival and restoring her home to its original beauty. In her endless dedication to further support our local arts community Julia has opened the doors to her home over the course of the last 12 months to host several fundraisers and festival gatherings.

You could always find Julia bounding around the City at local events, attending parties, lunches, dinners, and outings with cherished friends — she was widely recognized as an artful conversationalist who was able to engage in meaningful discourse over a wide array of topics. In the past year she began to host a Tai Chi group at her house where a small group of good friends would enjoy their weekly practice in the beautiful outdoor setting.

She enjoyed visiting friends, shopping at the local farmer’s market in Ventura, and her weekly dinner with Michael Boyko.

She leaves behind her eldest daughter Laura Jane Campbell and her husband Michael Friedmann, and her younger daughter Leslie Jean Atia. She also leaves behind three grandchildren: Geffen, Leah, and Gian; her ex-husband, John Campbell; as well as nieces and nephews. Lastly, her two beloved cats, Daisy and Billie.

Family and friends are invited to a Celebration of Julia’s Life to be held on Saturday, December 17, 2022 at 1:30pm in the Chapel of the Joseph P. Reardon Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 757 E. Main Street Ventura. A reception will follow at 2:30 PM. Donations in Julia’s name may be made to the Ventura Music Festival 472 E. Santa Clara Street Ventura, CA 93001.

City Council reverses Commission decision

Project approved by the City Council on Front St.

In spite of opposition by many Venturan’s who spoke at the meeting City council members have approved an 88-unit apartment project located at 935 E. Front St. It will have four stories of rental units. Residents who addressed the council opposed the project because the building height and it negatively changes the character of the neighborhood.

The townhome-style apartments will include 12 units for low-income residents and two for moderate-income residents.

The Planning Commission denied the project on Sept. 28 citing inconsistencies with the city’s municipal code, the city’s plan for downtown and state density bonus law. The plan approved by the City Council has more low-income units than the design considered by planning commissioners.

The applicant, Aldersgate Investment, LLC, appealed the decision to the City Council.

As the state has taken over local controls Gov. Gavin Newsom has sued cities for violating state housing law.

Echoing the thoughts of council members Councilmember Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios stated “I recognize that there are state laws that we just can’t circumvent that we as a city have to abide by and if we don’t, there will be consequences.”

In approving the project, the council did ask the Design Review Committee to recommend design changes that could improve the plan.

If the project continues through final drawings, approval processes and construction it will be many years before it is completed.

Ventura County Grand Jury available for speaking events

The Ventura County Grand Jury seeks opportunities to speak to community organizations, non-profit organizations, and similar groups as part of its education outreach program.

The Grand Jury investigates matters affecting aspects of government in Ventura County. Jurors serve as a “voice and conscience” of Ventura County residents. The Jury comprises 19 citizens who are impaneled by the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court.

The impaneled Grand Jury does not pursue criminal cases or hear evidence in courtrooms. It serves as an independent investigatory panel on behalf of the citizens of Ventura County.

To learn more about the Grand Jury and how it serves the community, how to become a juror, or request speakers to meet with your group or class, (805) 477-1600 or complete a speaker request form available at https://www.ventura.org/grand-jury/forms/.

 

 

The Bookmark About Libraries and Friends

by Mary Olson

Ventura County Library Offers Free Access to University-Quality Classes That Help People Get a Job, Or a Better One

Ventura County Library cardholders can now access CAreer Pathways, a collection of digital platforms for online learning tools to meet the needs of those entering the workforce or who want to get a better job, for free.

These tools include:
Coursera– offering university-quality classes without the need to enroll in a university and no prior experience is necessary to get started.
GetSetUp– offering educational courses to students 50 years of age and older on various topics, including technology for beginners, vocational and physical health, book clubs, cooking, and gardening.
Linkedln Learning– an online learning site that specializes in career-relevant courses in business and technology. The resource offers over 16,000 online courses taught by professionals in practical and career-relevant subjects like time management and creative topics such as mindfulness.
Skillshare– offering coursework in creative professional topics such as freelancing skills, graphic design, lifestyle and marketing.

Access to CAreer Pathways is available through Ventura County Library’s website, vencolibrary.org/elibrary with a Ventura County Library card. Library cards are free and can be obtained at any Ventura County Library location. Providing access to CAreer Pathways is another way that the library furthers its mission to serve as a community hub to connect individuals to tools and resources that assist in closing the opportunity gap. CAreer Pathways is funded by the State and administered by the California State Library.

To learn more about CAreer Pathways, visit https://library.ca.gov/grants/career-pathways.

Ventura Friends of the Library joined in the Fifth Birthday Party at Hill Road Library on December 3, meeting visitors in the Friends’ corner in the library. If you missed the party, you can still visit Hill Road Library every Tuesday in December at 3:00 pm, for a Winter Wonderland simple craft and seasonal movie! And you could join the celebration of “Noon Year’s Eve” at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 31. Enjoy storytime, crafts, and countdown fun to ringing in the New Year at noon. All events are free and open to the public. For additional information, contact Linda Cherry, Librarian, at 805-677-7180.

Whenever you visit Hill Road Library, be sure to take a look at the Ventura Friends of the Library sales shelves.

The Friends Bookstore in E.P. Foster Library will be open for some extra shifts in December. The store will be open Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. AND, the store will be open Sundays, 1:30 to 4:00 pm.

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. You can also join or renew your membership to Ventura Friends of the Library for 2023 or make a donation through the online store. Donations, gifts and proceeds from our book sales support the City of Ventura’s libraries.

Trash collection schedule to remain unchanged for the holidays

With Christmas and New Year’s Day falling on Sunday this holiday season, in the weeks before and after the holidays, trash, recyclables and yard/organic waste collection by E.J. Harrison & Sons will not be delayed.

For two weeks after Christmas, from Monday, Dec. 26, through Saturday, Jan. 7, residents may put out extra holiday waste curbside on collection day – up to two 50-gallon bags – free of charge.

As another special holiday feature, Harrison is making it easy for customers to recycle their Christmas trees. Just remove the ornaments, hooks, lights, tinsel, bows, nails and tree stands, then cut the trees into sections no more than 4 feet long and place them in your yard/organics waste cart on your scheduled pickup day. Or, place the whole Christmas tree at the curb on collection day. Flocked trees also are accepted for recycling.

Finally, a reminder that Harrison’s residential customers can place all three carts curbside every week, as Harrison collects all waste weekly – including food waste, which is now recyclable. All food waste should be placed in closed bags and the bags should be tossed in the yard waste cart.

Harrison Industries serves the cities and surrounding unincorporated areas of Ventura, Ojai and Camarillo as well as the unincorporated areas of El Rio, Somis, Ojai Valley, the Channel Islands beach communities and the city of Carpinteria as E.J. Harrison & Sons; Fillmore and surrounding unincorporated areas as Santa Clara Valley Disposal; and the unincorporated areas of Newbury Park as Newbury Disposal.

For more information, visit www.ejharrison.com.

As I See It

by Sheldon Brown

A Chappy Chanukah, Kool Kwanza and Xcellent Xmas to all of our wonderful readers.

Hard to believe it’s been 5-years since the Thomas Fire broke out near Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula on December 4, 2017. At the time, the Thomas Fire was the largest wildfire in California history. Still, only slightly over half of the homes have been rebuilt. Owners of 25% of the homes lost in the fire have yet to submit an application for building permits.

Where have all the crooks gone? Second issue without police activity.

I saw a TV ad for socks that stated “Easy on easy off socks.” What a great idea, some days it takes me up to 4 seconds to get my socks off.

The Ventura County Continuum of Care is looking for volunteers to assist with the 2023 Homeless Point In Time Count on Tuesday, January 24, 2023. This count is required for our state and federal grants that fund local homeless shelters, permanent supportive housing, rental assistance programs, street outreach and more! Volunteers can register online at www.volunteerventuracounty.org

Two Trump Organization companies were found guilty on multiple charges of criminal tax fraud in a case brought by the Manhattan District Attorney. A jury deliberated for two days and found two of their corporate entities guilty on all 17 counts, including conspiracy charges and falsifying business records.

The verdict followed a trial in which the Trump Organization was accused of being complicit in a scheme by top executives to avoid paying personal income taxes on job perks such as rent-free apartments and luxury cars. Obviously fake news.

Downtown Fox Fine Jewelry will close on Sundays beginning in 2023. Owner Debbie Fox stated “Our team is an exceptional group and we care deeply about them. Closing our family business on Sundays was a soul-searching decision. But in the end, we decided to prioritize quality of life over profits.”

Hasan re-elected To Water Board

Hasan has a long history of being involved in the community.

Mohammed A. Hasan, a longtime business and environmental leader in Ventura County has been re-elected to United Water Conservation District board.

The District boundary encompasses Lake Piru to Ventura harbor along the Santa Clara River valley, and the Oxnard coastal plain. The cities of Santa Paula, Fillmore, Oxnard and Port Hueneme and the eastern part of the city of Ventura are part of the district. This public agency was formed 75 years ago, currently offices in North Oxnard. The district diverts surface water from the Santa Clara River, manages and serves groundwater to farmers and cities. More information is available at unitedwater.org.

Hasan has a long history of being involved in the community. Since 1974, he has been serving in various nonprofit organizations in the county. He is a tireless volunteer/leader in the community in the areas of environment, health, art and youth. Hasan is the founder and instructor of free community classes in Longevity, conversational Spanish, and financial independence. He currently serves as the vice president on the board of El Concilio FS, which serves the underserved community of farm workers and those in need of assistance for immigration and citizenship services. All the local newspapers have published an article or two about his passion for contribution to the community.

Hasan is the owner of a civil and environmental firm in Ventura. He was an engineer with the Ventura Regional Sanitation District, and the utilities superintendent of the City of Oxnard. He earned advanced degrees from the University of Iowa. He is fellow two national professional societies, and the Rotary International. Hasan taught water resource science classes at the Ventura and Santa Barbara community colleges. He wrote a book on solving drought problems in California. The simple book can serve as a primer for citizens wanting to get involved in water.

Hasan is a co-founder of OceanForesters. This Ventura start-up helps economically challenged coastal communities build and manage their own flexible floating fishing reefs. The complete ecosystem on the reefs restores ocean bounty and biodiversity. Hasan also served as the chief engineer and general manager of the bio-energy startup company, PODenergy. Here he helped develop theories for the reduction of global carbon dioxide via ocean afforestation.

Hasan is a 48-year resident of Ventura; married and has two adult daughters.