After a challenging two years, the Ventura Unified School District and Museum of Ventura County are happy to announce that the annual VUSD Districtwide Student Art Show is back! The VUSD Art Show will run at the Museum of Ventura County from June 2 to June 19, 2022. The opening night reception is a free event held on Thursday, June 2, from 5-8 pm. All are welcome, and student musicians will be performing during this event. Following the viewing, high school student awards will be presented at 6:30 pm.
According to Elena Brokaw, Barbara Barnard Smith Executive Director of the Museum of Ventura County, “This partnership between the school district and the museum is a direct result of our community’s commitment to the Arts. Ventura is a city where art and artists are celebrated and welcome. We are proud to be a part of this annual tradition.”
“With the passage of Measure Q, Measure R, and the passage of art specific parcel tax Measure H in 2020, the citizens of Ventura made it very clear that they believe in the value of art education in our public schools. Preserving and supporting a diverse array of educational opportunities is very important to us as a school district. This is nowhere more evident than in our continued support of Arts education for all students,” stated Sabrena Rodriguez, VUSD Board Member and longtime Arts Collaborative member.
∙ Why would Ventura include dogs among their treasured visitors? The real question is Why not? No place loves dogs more, so why wouldn’t Ventura welcome our visiting dogs – and their two-legged friends – with something special?
Meet Visit Ventura’s free Pooch Pouch. What’s in it? Fun dog treats — doggie bandana, dog biscuit, and coupons for a free puppy ice cream at Coastal Cone and a free doggie meal at Peirano’s Market (choice of scrambled eggs or unseasoned chicken). And, down the line, more fun changes and different offerings.
What’s in the free Pooch Pouch?
How does it work? When visitors traveling with their dogs check-in at a pet-friendly Ventura hotel, the welcoming front desk team hands the two-legged guest (the four-legged one is busy snuffling) a Pooch Pouch redemption card and kindly points all the guests in the direction of the Ventura Visitor Center (101 South California Street). Guests present the redemption card – along with their dog – at the Visitor Center and receive their free Pooch Pouch (Visitor Center hours are Sunday through Wednesday, 10 am to 4 pm, and Thursday through Saturday 9 am to 5 pm).
Dogs have always held a special place in Ventura’s heart. From Roxy and Flynn who pad about our Visitor Center like they own it (they do) to Ventura’s forever immortalized Haole, who loved unconditionally and played unconditionally and gave unconditionally (Haole’s Rock Garden, on the Ventura beachfront promenade, tells a story of everything right.) Plus, Ventura offers a host of dog-friendly fun.
And, of course, the late Dr. Scamp PhD (pretty happy dog).
∙ SPAN Thrift Store is open to the public and looking for donations of adult clothing, household items and tools. SPAN Thrift Store regularly provides $10 spays and neuters for low-income households for cats and dogs. Upcoming clinic: June 25 in the parking lot of SPAN Thrift Store, 110 N. Olive St., Ventura. Please call to schedule an appointment – (805) 584-3823.
∙ Paws for Reading is back!
The Paws for Reading Program brings together young readers and affectionate, canine listeners to help boost the confidence of beginning readers.
Hill Road Library — Wednesdays, 3:30 to 5 pm
E.P. Foster Library — Thursdays, 4 to 6 pm
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 and love reading, and learning with the dogs.
∙ U.S. Postal Service releases dog attack national rankings during National Dog Bite Awareness Week.
More than 5,400 postal employees were attacked by dogs in the United States in 2021. From nips and bites to vicious attacks, aggressive dog behavior poses a serious threat to postal employees and the public. To highlight the enormity of this serious issue, the U.S. Postal Service is providing information on the do’s and don’ts of responsible dog ownership as part of its annual National Dog Bite Awareness Week public service campaign.
The campaign ran Sunday, June 5, through Saturday, June 11. This year’s theme is “The USPS Delivers for America — Deliver for Us by Restraining Your Dog.” Spread the news of the campaign by using the hashtag #dogbiteawareness
“Every year, thousands of postal employees are attacked by dogs as they deliver America’s mail. And while it’s a dog’s natural instinct to protect their family and home, we ask all customers to act responsibly by taking safety precautions with their dogs while the mail is being delivered,” said USPS Employee Safety and Health Awareness Manager Leeann Theriault. “When a carrier comes to the residence, keep the dog inside the house and away from the door — or behind a fence on a leash — to avoid an attack.”
Dog owners with friendly dogs often expect a friendly reaction from other dogs. However, even friendly dogs will bite, depending on the circumstance. Dogs are primarily territorial in nature and protective of their owners and their owners’ property. Defending its territory sometimes means attacking — and possibly biting — the letter carrier. Dog owners are responsible for controlling their dogs. The best way to keep everyone safe from dog bites is to recognize and promote responsible pet ownership.
Most people know the approximate time their letter carrier arrives every day. Securing your dog before the carrier approaches your property will minimize any dog-carrier interactions.
When a letter carrier comes to your home, keep dogs:
Inside the house or behind a fence; Away from the door or in another room; or on a leash.
Pet owners also should remind their children not to take mail directly from a letter carrier as the dog may view the carrier as a threat.
∙ If you feel fine, but your dog’s looking at you funny – trust the dog.
A new study on COVID detection found that trained dogs were actually better at correctly determining an infected person’s status in some cases than the typical nose swab antigen tests, according to a paper published Wednesday.
The peer-reviewed work, led by researchers from a French veterinary school and published in PLOS One, is the latest in a long line of research on dogs being used to sniff out COVID. Already they have been used at airports and in concert venues, among other places, to flag potential risk.
Researchers found that the overall sensitivity of the dogs — correctly giving a positive result for an infected individual — was 97%, and got all the way to 100% in those who were infected but asymptomatic.
As to specificity — the ability to correctly diagnose a negative result in an uninfected person — the dogs were right 91% of the time.
“The sensitivity of canine detection was higher than that of nasopharyngeal antigen testing … but the specificity was lower,” the authors wrote in an abstract to the results.
The dogs, a mix of animals from French fire brigades and security dogs from the Middle East, took anywhere from three to six weeks to train.
But don’t throw away your test kits; the authors said that while dogs appeared to be highly reliable, PCR tests were still needed to confirm infection, especially for variants.
“Meaningful Images” is the theme of William D. Winbush’s solo exhibition May 27-July 30 in Buenaventura Art Association’s Studio 99 gallery at Bell Arts Factory in Ventura.
Winbush paints in oils on canvas and gravitates toward landscapes, seascapes and portraiture, both people and animals. “I paint traditional, representational realism,” he said, “Therefore, I really enjoy ‘re-creating’ what I see in all its glorious detail.”
Community members are invited to join Ventura Fire for a series of fire station open house events, happening June 15 – August 3, 2022.
Participants who attend will have an opportunity to engage directly with City leadership, meet local firefighters, tour fire stations, hear about current conditions, and contribute to conversations about becoming a 21st century fire department.
A community meeting will be held at each of the six Ventura fire stations on select Wednesdays from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. on the following dates:
June 15, Fire Station 3, located at 5838 Telegraph Road, 93003
June 22, Fire Station 1, located at 717 N. Ventura Avenue, 93001
June 29, Fire Station 2, located at 41 S. Seaward Avenue, 93003
July 20, Fire Station 4, located at 8303 Telephone Road, 93004
July 27, Fire Station 5, located at 4225 E. Main Street, 93003
August 3, Fire Station 6, located at 10797 Darling Road, 93004
The fire station community workshops will be family-friendly environments, complete with light refreshments, activities for kids, and giveaways.
“Our priority is to keep our community safe and provide the highest standard of fire and medical service,” said Fire Chief David Endaya. “In the last few decades, we’ve seen service demands and call volume increase significantly. We’re looking for community input on how to prepare for future operational needs, apparatus upgrades, call volume increases, and personnel needs.”
Live Spanish interpretation will also be offered at Fire Stations 1 and 2.
To learn more about the Ventura Fire Department, visit www.CityofVentura.ca.gov/FireOutreach.
Hi: I’m Princessa, a 11/2-year-old beautiful Pit Bull / Shepherd X in need of a new home as my owners moved and I couldn’t go too. I’d make a great family dog as I’m good with children, other dogs, and cats too. I enjoy playing with balls and toys. I know some basic commands sit and stay and would be more than happy to learn more.
I know my breed gets a bad rap. Hopefully you’ll give me a chance and fill out an online application to meet me. Canine Adoption and Rescue League C.A.R.L. CARL Adoption Center-call 644-7387 for more information.
Meet Jackson (10), Stacey (13) & Tessie (7), bonded triplets! They were surrendered due to housing issues. These older bunnies need a quiet place where they can call their own. Three rabbits are really no different than adopting 2 or even 1. Adopting multiple bunnies come with advantages: they play and groom each other, so you won’t have to worry about them being lonely and there won’t be too much of a need for them to be groomed! If you’re interested in adopting an indoor house rabbit like these little ones, please contact the VCAS Bunny Brigade at [email protected].
Art calls his little pocket of Ventura, “Freedom Memorial Park”
by Patricia Schallert and Yana Khiyod
Arthur Hurts, called Art by most, started his beach sculptors during the Covid shutdown 2 1/2 years ago. Prior to the pandemic lockdown, he could be found writing screenplays and composing music at Starbucks on Main Street in downtown Ventura. The lock down changed that and with it, motivated Art to find another place to do his work without worrying about the pandemic. He discovered a little pocket of quiet, where sounds of the crashing waves and flying birds overhead were inviting him to sit and let his creative juices flow.
He calls his little pocket of Ventura, “Freedom Memorial Park” where he broke all of his familiar routines including giving up his WIFI, computer devices and ear plugs. He stopped drinking coffee and only once in a while, he will respond to an email. When he first found this spot, he began by moving rocks and stones out of the way, creating a path to walk around and used a large piece of driftwood to use as a place to sit and write. It grew from there as Covid kept everything closed up. From this small spot, he has written a screen play and composed several pieces of music.
Art presents himself as a minimalist, well groomed with a full white beard and seems to enjoy talking about his vision, his writings and his music. And what initially appears to be stacks of driftwood and the typical rocks found on the beach in Ventura, upon closer look, dinosaurs, snakes, birds and sea monsters, emerge from the driftwood, kelp, shells and anything found on the beach that is “nature furnished”..
“Freedom Memorial Park” can be found on the beach between the Ventura pier and Sanjon Rd.
On May 17, a Ventura Chamber ribbon cutting was held at the new restaurant Moofish Café located in the Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach. The chef is The Surfing Chef William Traynor. Call 800-652-5151 for its open hours and days.
Make regular appointments with your primary care doctor.
A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can be difficult but getting accurate information and support can help you know what to expect and what to do next. Use this checklist to help you get started.
Being informed will help you know what to expect as the disease progresses. Here are some resources:
Alzheimer’s and related Dementias Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center:
800-438-4380
Alzheimer’s Association:
800-272-3900
Alzheimer’s Foundation of America:
866-232-8484
Local hospitals and community centers may have educational programs about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias
Make regular appointments with your primary care doctor or specialist (neurologist, neuropsychiatrist, geriatric psychiatrist).
Consider going to a memory disorders clinic. Ask your doctor for a referral if desired.
Find local services and support
Find local services by contacting Eldercare Locator: 800-677-1116
Find local chapters, organizations, and support groups through the Alzheimer’s Association (800-272-3900) or the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (866-232-8484)
Contact your local Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
Prepare or update your will, living will, health care power of attorney, and financial power of attorney. To find a lawyer, contact your local bar association or the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.
Use simple memory aids like a notepad or sticky notes to jot down reminders, a pillbox to keep medications organized, and a calendar to record appointments.
Consider wearing a medical ID bracelet or necklace in case you get lost or need help, or joining the MedicAlert and Alzheimer’s Association’s Wandering Support program.
Getting exercise helps people with Alzheimer’s feel better and helps keep their muscles, joints, and heart in good shape.
Eat a well-balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Continue to enjoy visits with family and friends, hobbies, and outings.
If you live alone
Identify someone who can visit you regularly and be an emergency contact.
If you are at risk of falling, order an emergency response system. A special pendant or bracelet lets you summon help if you fall and can’t reach the phone.
Consider working with an occupational therapist. This person can teach you ways to stay independent. Ask your doctor for more information.
Stick with familiar places, people, and routines. Simplify your life.
Get tips about self-care, safety, staying connected, and more.
If you are working
If you have problems performing your job, consider reducing your hours or switching to a less demanding position.
Consider consulting your employer’s HR department or employee assistance program about family leave, disability benefits, and other employee benefits.
Find out if you qualify for Social Security disability benefits through “compassionate allowances.” Call 800-772-1213.
This content is provided by the NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA). NIA scientists and other experts review this content to ensure it is accurate and up to date.
