OLLI classes aimed at adults over 50, with no grades or tests, at CSU Channel Islands. New classes begin on March 21st. 10 courses, some Zoom, some in person, including: Sicily at the Crossroads of Civilization, Language Speaks Volumes about Aging, The Civil War in California and the West, Sensing Our World – It’s All About Our Senses, The Supreme Court Interpretations of the US Constitution. Registration, starting March 7, and class catalog. go.csuci.edu
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It is time to care for people with mental illness
by Carol Leish, MA
According to Mary Haffner, who served on the Ventura County Behavioral Health Advisory Board for six years, “The Ventura County Board of Supervisors, at their February 8th meeting, ordered a sweeping, multi-agency assessment of the continuum of care for people with severe mental illness and substance use disorders. Ventura County Health Care Agency Director Barry Zimmerman said that, “It is necessary to perform a comprehensive review and assessment of the entire system of care. Far too many people suffering from severe mental illness cycle through the revolving doors of hospitalization and incarceration.”
This important directive came after a recommendation from the county’s Behavior Health Advisory Board and on the heels of a vigorous campaign by the Ventura County NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness) advocacy group who met privately with a number of county leaders asking for better services for people with serious mental illness. The group consists of the NAMI-VC President Patti Pape, NAMI-VC Executive Director Roberta Griego, A NAMI-VC board member, Jerry Harris, Ratan Bhavmani (current VC Behavioral Health Board Members), and Mary Haffner. The county leaders that the advocacy group met with included the VC Board of Supervisors, Erik Nasarenko (District Attorney for the County of Ventura), and Sheriff Ayub.
Haffner said, “A good continuum of care includes prevention services, crisis care, best-practice treatment in the community, therapeutic facilities, supportive employment, and housing. We know what works; these are treatable and manageable illnesses. However, with so little invested on front-end crisis care, we spend exorbitant amounts on the back end for poor health outcomes, which is a backwards system. There are vast societal, fiscal, and human costs associated with failing to provide a comprehensive and effective continuum of care for this vulnerable population.
“This system passes individuals through law enforcement encounters, numerous short-term hospitalizations, homelessness, and jail. Ventura County is one of the few large counties with no psychiatric ER, so individuals and law enforcement wait hours or days tin general hospital emergency rooms at great costs. There are few inpatient beds, fewer intensive step-down options, and only one crisis stabilization unit for a county of 843,000. When you don’t invest in what is needed to help people get better, the responsibility for care is offloaded to law enforcement, jails, and expensive out-of-county facilities. Our jails house more people with mental illness than the county’s therapeutic facilities combines and taxpayers pay $81,000 a year to incarcerate someone with a mental illness versus $32,000 a year for permanent supportive housing. Communities are less safe because police are taken off the beat to deal with mental health emergencies.”
It is time to care for and improve situations for people with severe mental illness and substance use disorders. Haffner said, “We need to invest in prompt and effective treatment, and to move away from jailing low-level mentally ill offenders. It is our hope that this directive to conduct a review and assessment signals a better understanding by leaders that it is in all of our best interest to provide compassionate care and treatment and a continuum of care for this vulnerable population.”
What are the signs and symptoms of vascular dementia?
Symptoms of vascular dementia can appear suddenly and may progress slowly over time. People with vascular dementia may experience:
Difficulty performing tasks that used to be easy, such as paying bills
Trouble following instructions or learning new information and routines
Forgetting current or past events
Misplacing items
Getting lost on familiar routes
Problems with language, such as finding the right word or using the wrong word
Changes in sleep patterns
Difficulty reading and writing
Loss of interest in things or people
Changes in personality, behavior, and mood, such as depression, agitation, and anger
Hallucinations or delusions (believing something is real that is not)
Poor judgment and loss of ability to perceive danger
Symptoms may depend on the size, location, and number of damaged areas of the brain.
How Is Vascular Dementia Diagnosed and Treated?
To diagnose vascular dementia, a doctor may ask about problems with daily activities, conduct memory or thinking tests, and speak with someone who knows the person well to see if symptoms of dementia are present. Medical history, lifestyle, and brain imaging tests are often used to help determine whether vascular dementia is the cause of symptoms.
No treatments are available to reverse brain damage that has been caused by a stroke. Treatment for vascular dementia focuses on preventing future strokes. Medications to prevent strokes, such as blood thinners, may help decrease the risk of further damage to the brain. Medications that help treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease might benefit people with early vascular dementia. A doctor may also recommend treating risk factors, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, through medications and lifestyle changes.
What Can You Do?
A healthy lifestyle is important to help reduce risk factors of vascular dementia. This includes eating well, limiting alcohol, not smoking, exercising, and managing stress.
If you are concerned about vascular dementia symptoms, talk with your doctor. If you or someone you know has recently been diagnosed, explore the resources on this website and linked below to find out more about the disease, care, support, and research.
Soroptimist announces 15th Annual ‘Stop Human Traffic event
Soroptimist International of Oxnard, Ventura, and Camarillo will host the 15th Annual “Stop Human Trafficking” educational forum, advocacy and community awareness event on Saturday, March 5, to lead up to International Women’s Day, March 8, 2022. Featured Speakers will include Opal Singleton Hendershot and Dr. Lowell Smith.
The public is invited to attend this event at the Museum of Ventura County, 100 E. Main St., Ventura. Masks will be required. Registration will begin at 1 pm.
The official program and speakers will begin at 1:30 pm: a community awareness walk will follow at 3 pm.
Opal Singleton Hendershot is the Founder and CEO of Million Kids. Dr. Lowell Smith is the former Department Chair for La Sierra University’s Criminal Justice Department. He is a retired Deputy Probation Officer.
Participants are asked to wear red to support the STOP trafficking movement. The 3pm awareness walk will begin at the Museum proceeding down Main Street and back.
For more information about the event or membership in the Soroptimist Club contact Debbie Gohlke at (805) 320-5215.
For more visit soroptimist.org – or for local information caminorealregion.org. To report suspicious activity call 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
Vol. 15, No. 11 – Feb 23 – Mar 8, 2022 – Movie Review
Streaming Spotlight by Cindy Summers
The Tinder Swindler – Netflix Documentary
The Tinder Swindler is a British true crime documentary about Israeli conman Simon Leviev who used the Tinder dating app posing as the son of wealthy billionaire Lev Leviev to manipulate hundreds of women emotionally into giving him what totaled millions of dollars. The documentary centers around the experiences of three women; Cecilie Fjellhoy, Pernilla Sjoholm and Ayleen Charlotte, who all lived in different places around the world.
In his many online accounts, Simon had pictures of him traveling on private jets, sailing, business meetings, beaches, cool cars and amazing parties all over the world. Posing as CEO of LLD Diamonds (his so-called family business), Simon had photos on his social media accounts showing him pictured on family vacation with Lev Leviev (who was known as the king of diamonds) and his wife. Though Lev Leviev was the actual owner of LLD Diamonds, he had no relationship to Simon who was later found to have faked the family photos.
Cecilie Fjellhoy dreamed since childhood of finding a prince charming, and Simon immediately swept her off her feet by sweeping her away in a private jet to Bulgaria after meeting him for the first time over coffee. Cecilie had never been on a private jet, and Simon would arrange private flights several more times for Cecilie to meet him while he was traveling. Simon told those he dated that due to his families wealth and influence, there were people after him which necessitated him always traveling with his friend and bodyguard Peter.
While away, Simon reached out to Cecilie saying that Peter had been attacked while protecting Simon and he was having trouble with his credit cards and needed her help, even sending photos of them in an ambulance with a large cut on Peter’s head. Cecilie provided Simon with a platinum AMEX and also asked her to take out a personal loan and bring 25,000 in cash to him in Amsterdam, which she did. Eventually Simon asked her to move in with him and gave her a budget to find them a apartment together.
Pernilla Sjoholm also met Simon on Tinder, and began traveling and partying together, not really finding a romantic connection but both enjoyed the luxury lifestyle. A short time later, Simon began dating a woman named Paulina and all three of them spent time traveling together to various expensive and exotic locations. Simon ultimately conned Cecilie out of $250,000 incrementally that was used while he was traveling and partying with Pernilla and Pauline.
Ayleen Charlotte had been dating Simon for 14 months when she saw the VG article online with Cecilie and Pernilla titled “The Tinder Swindler” and immediately questioned Simon as she too was looking for a home to share with Simon. Ayleen compared the videos and texts she got from Simon to those posted online and they were identical. Simon was reported to the police in at least seven different countries, but was difficult to catch as he was traveling so often, so Cecilie and Pernilla outed him on dozens of news outlets and podcasts, basically anyone who would listen.
It was discovered that it was a Ponzi scheme where Simon was using the money he was squeezing out of his last victim to pay for the luxury travel and lifestyle he was sharing with his current victim. Simon used the same texts, photos and videos in sequence like a formula to gradually con each woman he met online. Ayleen was able to help authorities capture Simon in Isreal, but he only served 5 months and is out now somehow again living in luxury.
Runtime: 1h 54m
Players Casino re-opens at a new temporary location at the Ventura County Fairgrounds
A grand reopening ceremony was held.
by Richard Lieberman
Players Casino Ventura is back in business in a new location at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. The casino, much like other businesses has suffered from the effects of Covid-19 and shut down permanently last December filing for bankruptcy four months later. Ventura City was faced with the loss of a major tax revenue source. At a recent City Council meeting, the council approved the re-opening of the casino at a new location that will help fill in the cash shortfall from the closure.
Players has been temporarily approved to open at the Derby Club located at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.
On Wednesday, February 2, 2022, a grand reopening ceremony was held. The decision to open at the Derby Club gives the casino an opportunity to recoup some of its losses and keep the tax revenue stream flowing again.
Attendees at the event included Joe Schroeder Deputy Mayor and Stephanie Caldwell, President of the Ventura Chamber of Commerce. A ribbon cutting ceremony led by Patrick Berry was conducted as a crowd of eager gamblers gathered at the front of the casino serenaded by a Mariachi Band on hand to add to the festivities. The crowd was addressed by local and county officials all praising Players second chance at life.
Tax revenue for the city, on average amounted to two million dollars a year leaving a gaping hole in city coffers after the casino closed. The city expected the revenue to continue through the 2021-2022 fiscal year but has drastically reduced the expectations to a fraction of what it was.
The city in approving the reopening and relocation has hopes to make up for at least some of the tax revenue even though the city, because the new location is owned and managed by the state will receive no tax revenue.
The city had depended on a 15% tax stream but will receive a steady flow of income through a program known as PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) program. Players has agreed to pay the city a lesser amount, with the agreement running through 2025. The casino has offered, and the city has accepted a reduced amount. The casino will give up 10% of it is operations and the casino will be able to defer 5% of its income until 2027 to make up for relocation costs.
Patrick Berry General Manager said, “I think from our viewpoint right now that the percentage, the 10% and the deferral are what is going to allow us to keep in business.” Berry added “We don’t know what is going to happen, and we hope nothing happens and things just go up from here.”
With the agreement on revenue amounts to the city, Ventura will receive approximately 1.3 million a year according to City Council estimates.
Aarmark Beer Gardens to run new entertainment and restaurant venue
The time has come to say goodbye to the Harbor arcade. Photos by Patricia Schallert
A state-of-the-art family entertainment venue, managed by Aarmark Beer Gardens, Inc., will open in the Ventura Harbor Village with the approval of a multi-year lease by the Ventura Port District Board of Port Commissioners. The contract for the lease was approved unanimously by the Ventura Port Commission on Jan. 19. Aarmark signed a six-year lease with options for three additional fiveyear- terms.
Aarmark will pay a base rent and common-area maintenance charges totaling about $13,000 a month, plus 4% of gross sales.
The 5,700 square foot venue hopes to open by April, 2023.
Aaron Running, CEO of Aarmark Beer Gardens said entertainment options will include “multi-sport simulators, virtual reality, retro arcade games, a stadium seating sports viewing, and more.” This is much more in keeping with the type of games that are played today by both youth and adults as compared to what is there now.
The company operates restaurants in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, including SB Biergarten in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, Fire & Vice in Moorpark and Santa Maria, and Copenhagen Sausage Garden in Solvang.
The Ventura Port District, that manages the Ventura Harbor Village, plans to invest $725,000 in facade and infrastructure improvements to the building. Aarmark will invest an additional $651,500.
District’s General Manager Brian Pendleton said “This exciting and vibrant entertainment use will continue to expand upon offerings springing up at Harbor Village, joining many long-time favorites.”
Marlyss Auster, President and CEO of the Visit Ventura praised the new Village endeavor. “The family entertainment, complemented with fresh restaurant offerings, add to the wonderful variety of options available at Ventura Harbor Village, and will encourage visitors to stay longer to enjoy its scenic setting.”
Ancient Tree from prehistory comes to Ventura
Thought to be extinct tree is now in Plaza Park.
A rare and ancient tree species surviving the age of the dinosaurs and thought to be extinct, is about to become to be a part of Ventura’s conservation efforts. Donated by the Ventura Botanical Gardens to the City of Ventura, the Wollemi Nobilis pine will be placed among the plants and trees of Plaza Park.
Prior to its rediscovery in 1994, the Wollemi Nobilis was only known through fossils. Bushwalker and park ranger David Noble found the Wollemi pine in the wild, million-acre canyons of Wollemi National Park near Sydney, Australia.
As part of their global conservation efforts to save and revitalize the tree, National Geographic wrote, “this miraculous time traveler is one of the greatest living fossils discovered in the twentieth century.”
“This is the equivalent of finding a small dinosaur alive on earth,” penned the Kenneth Hill, Director of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Sydney.
Now, through the efforts of the Ventura Botanical Gardens, Rotary, the City of Ventura, and Emi Tahira, this tree will grace one of Ventura’s earliest parks, Plaza Park.
Originally, the plantings at Plaza Park were representative of the Victorian age of exploration. They included large landscape tree species that originated from the Pacific Rim. A few, like the Morton Bay Fig and Araucaria species, are still standing.
“The Wollemi pine fits perfectly within the original botanical concept of this park,” states Nancy O’Connor, City of Ventura Parks and Recreation. “We are excited about the inclusion in these important conservation efforts.”
“Plant conservation efforts that are global in scope are critically important,” responds Joe Cahill, Executive Director of the Ventura Botanical Gardens. “Working with other botanic gardens and partner organizations across the world, we can amass exponentially more knowledge and dramatically decrease the likelihood of extinction. It is incredibly exciting for Ventura to support conservation efforts like this.”
“Working in partnership with the donor, the Ventura Botanical Gardens, and the City of Ventura, to bring this rare species to grace Ventura, has been a wonderful experience,” said Bruce McGee of Rotary. “The three Ventura Rotary Clubs are proud to be a part of this.”
Ventura Botanical Gardens is located at Grant Park in the City of Ventura, their goals include conservation efforts and encouraging visitors to strengthen their connection to nature. For further information about this tree or the donation, contact [email protected]. To find out more, visit www.VenturaBotanicalGardens.com and join us on Facebook.
Dimitri Poulos takes the Rincon Classic Title
Dimitri Poulos celebrates after winning the Rincon Classic. Photo by Cristy Poulos
by Amy Brown
Dimitri Poulos waited until the ripe old age of four to start surfing. However, he made up for lost time when he began surfing in local competitions at age ten. Since then, he has gone on to become a professional surfer, earning two gold medals at the Junior world championship level at age 17, and more recently, taking his first Pro title at the 40th annual Rincon Classic with a total score of 15.43.
The 19 year old Ventura native is sponsored by O’Neill, Red Bull, Roberts Surfboards, Pro-Lite, and Futures Fins, and his future looks exceptionally bright. He stays humble, however, and is focused on honing his craft and encouraging other young surfers. He is grateful for the folks that were there to encourage him when he was just starting out. “There wasn’t a huge surf culture of younger kids when I was young,” said Poulos. “There were obviously people who helped me, and I know some kids who’ve gotten some other help from older people, but I want really to be there for the younger kids. I just try to be nice to everyone and encourage them to be more psyched for surfing.”
Poulos shared that the best advice he ever received was to just have fun and not take it too seriously. He said that he is inspired by many, but that he really looks up to his father Peter and his coach Mike Lamm. “They just inspire me and have both taught me so much. I owe my surfing career to both of them, and my family obviously, since they got me into it and taught me what I know. Those two guys have pushed me the most, and of course I’m inspired by a lot of other professionals, the guys on the world tour.” Surfing is a family affair—in addition to his dad being a lifelong surfer, his 16-year-old sister Delaney won second place in the Wahines Under 17 division at Rincon, as well.
While Poulos had competed at the Rincon Classic several times in previous years, this was his first win. “It felt very good–I went in with no expectations, I haven’t competed in a pretty long time, with Covid all the contests were cancelled or postponed before, so I was a little nervous, with this first contest, maybe some rust, but it felt really good for it to work out in my favor.”
Asked what is still on his surfing bucket list, he replied, “I really want to get over to Indonesia for a contest, and would like to make the world tour.” He said that it’s the love of the sport that truly drives him. “I still have so much fun doing it, I don’t really think of it in terms of I have to do this or that, I’ll still surf with my friends, and then when it’s time for a contest, it’s time to switch gears and get ready to do this.”
Let’s save the trees, not cut them down
Chip Bell changed himself to the tree to protest their cutting down by city. Photos by Patricia Schallert
Ventura has a sign when you drive into the city that says Ventura is part of Tree City, USA. Yet, some trees are being slated for a cut down instead of a trim.
On San Clemente St., there are beautiful Ficus Macrocarpa trees that line the street and provide nesting for great horned owls, hawks and various small birds. These trees are also known as Malayan Banyan and are at least 100 years old. They have been part of the community since it was developed in the 1920’s and 30’s. These beautiful trees provide a canopy of shade in the summer months when it’s hot and are a refuge for the wild birds as they migrate north or south. The residents of this community believe these trees are interconnected with a co-depending root system.
Chip Bell, a resident in the community, together with many of his neighbors, felt it was important to save the trees not only in his community but to develop awareness of how important trees are to the entire Ventura community. He chained himself to one of these trees that the city had slated to cut down. As the city was cutting down one tree at the end of the block due to some wind damage, they decided not to cut Chip’s beloved tree. It was saved for the time being.
Barbara Brown and Christy Weir co founders of the Tree Alliance came by to give a shout out to Chip and his neighborhood for their efforts to save the Ficus Macrocarpa trees.
Former City Council Member Christy Weir stated “Now would be a good time to revisit the city’s tree removal policy. Our residents value mature trees, and want to save as many as possible. Ventura’s Urban Forestry staff care about trees, and their expertise combined with our community’s passion for a healthy environment can help us to examine potential ways to retain our tree canopy.”
Barbara Brown said “The safety of our community in wind storms and rain events is critical, but if we cut down these heritage trees, we take away so much from the intrinsic beauty of these neighborhoods. We also lose important habitat for the native birds and insects. There has to be a way for these heritage trees to be saved.”
Editor’s note: We have tried to obtain a statement from the city but have not been able to. Sorry.