by Carol Leish, MA

“As the owner of Fox Fine Jewelry,” Debbie Fox said, “I recognized the benefits to the community for a vibrant downtown with the closure of Main Street and California Street. I did estimate a slight sales drop from the closure. However, for the long-term benefit of us all, of which Fox Fine Jewelry is one part, I have advocated strongly for the continuation of Main Street Moves.”

Fox also stated, “I’ve been on the Downtown Ventura Partner’s (DVP) Board of Directors, and have been an active advocate of implementing and extending the closure. When COVID-19 first appeared in Ventura, the DVP realized that we needed to make critical changes, quickly. These changes would keep the restaurants afloat. Restaurants are the backbone of downtown’s overall health. As they rise, we (other businesses), and the restaurants, all rise. And, Main Street Moves has had a positive impact on the health of downtown Ventura.”

“The closure,” according to Fox, “gave Ventura unexpected exposure to residents within driving distance. Because most other places in Southern California were shut down, Ventura became the place to go. We were discovered. This halo effect had a small positive impact on Fox Fine Jewelry’s sales.”

“The vast majority of people,” according to Fox, “favor the closure, but some have legitimate concerns. As we continue to move forward, their will be various pieces that are being closely reviewed for solutions. One possibility is that Main Street can be either open or shut at will, with removable bollards. Outdoor dining would be in safe ‘parklets.’”

Visit Fox Fine Jewelry at: 560 E. Main St. (805) 652-1800. Look at: http://www.foxfinejewelry.com/.

As the owner of For Your Home, Kevin Seelos said, “I voted in favor of the Main Street Moves in downtown Ventura because I felt it would be in the best interest of downtown Ventura as a whole. Obviously, the main beneficiaries are the food and drink establishments. But they bring people to downtown, and these people are potential customers for the retailers and service businesses.

“There are some negatives, such as accessibility for older customers who have trouble parking a distance from my business. But, the majority of responses from our customers has been favorable. I feel that the closure has had a neutral to slightly positive effect on my business.”

Regarding the Pandemic, Seelos said, “When and if the Pandemic is completely over and the entire population is comfortable again with inside dining, opening up the downtown will need to be reconsidered. An issue that needs to be addressed is the loss of the parking spots the closure has caused. When larger employers have their staffs return from remote work and when we lose further parking lots to development, such as the one at California Street and Poli Street, parking will be even more difficult than it is now. The proposed new parking structure hasn’t even broken ground yet, and I believe that the plans have been in place for a couple of years.”

Visit For Your Home at: 443 E. Main St. (805) 641-1919. Look at: http://www.fyhfurn.com/.

Throughout 2022 each of the Our Ventura TV hosts will include a few of the Ventura County faith-based organizations (FBOs) as part of their routine interviews.  All FBOs are welcome to participate and may become a guest by visiting OurVentura.com and clicking “Contact” to get scheduled. There’s no cost to participate.

Sandra Siepak, one of the Our Ventura TV hosts noted: “We hope these segments will help interested viewers gain a better understanding of our local churches and religions and their value to the community.”

Just like regular Our Ventura TV programming, these interview segments will be broadcast on Ventura cable channel 6 TV, and will be posted online at OurVentura.com, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media networks and can be freely posted on FBO websites.

Host, Monique Nowlin said, “Faith-based organizations are enduring and trusted institutions in the community.”

Many FBOs enjoy committed volunteers, donations, and sometimes access to underserved communities. Certain FBOs may provide older adult programs, free food, gently used clothing, child care, and in some cases, rent and energy bill assistance. Priority is often given to elderly, the homeless or school-aged children.

Host, MB Hanrahan observed, “Faith-based groups can be associated with almost every ethnic and cultural group.”

In addition to their efforts meeting the spiritual, social, and cultural needs of their members, FBOs (such as churches, temples, synagogues, and mosques) work to better the world and their communities by caring for those in need.  This can include soliciting donations to distribute groceries for the elderly and medically vulnerable and providing service to the homeless.

Michelle Hoover, the Director of Our Ventura TV said, “The faith-based series on Our Ventura adds support to the people of the community and, along with our other segments, helps to bring us all closer together.”

Since starting in 2008, the theme for the TV series has been “People doing good things in Ventura County.”  The majority of programs are talk shows featuring guests who are interviewed about their activities in the community. Additionally, there are music and other programs of community interest.

George Alger, the Founder/Producer of Our Ventura TV and one of the hosts stated, “The goal of this series is to represent some of the diversity of Ventura County faith-based organizations.”

This faith-based series does not change routine Our Ventura TV programming, it’s a special adjunct series.

Our Ventura TV is an award-winning weekly talk-show television series broadcast on Ventura cable channel 6 TV and also published on OurVentura.com as well as on social media networks. The programs are primarily about nonprofits, community advocates, leaders, artists and organizations who contribute in some way to the Ventura County community.  Visit OurVentura.com for more information and to become a guest.

Dr. Bill Saleebey, Ventura author and networking expert, will be signing and discussing his new book Networking in the Virtual Age: Connecting with No Limits on Saturday, February 26, from 3-7 p.m. at House of Rio Design Co., 1718 E. Main St. in Ventura.

Dr. Saleebey is a foremost expert on the topic of business and personal networking. He is also the author of Connecting: Beyond the Name Tag and Connecting: Key Networking Tips for Business and Life. He organized and leads numerous networking groups throughout California. He has written the books Sell Yourself and Study Skills for Success.

His recent work Networking in the Virtual Age: Connecting with No Limits was written during the pandemic and chronicles how networking groups, service organizations and other groups managed to nurture interpersonal connections when people were unable to meet in person. He examines such technologies as Zoom and provides numerous examples and suggestions about how to connect virtually on multiple channels, as well as in person.

Saleebey, a native of Pasadena and graduate of UCLA, has been a resident of Ventura for eight years. His doctorate in Educational Psychology has allowed him to train and guide businesses about how to use networking to build and sustain their referrals.

In addition to his extensive experience in networking, Dr. Saleebey has been working in the field of corporate relocations for forty years. Prior to that, he did research on the educational challenges of Samoan migrants, based on his work in American Samoa.

Dr. Saleebey will discuss the impetus for writing the book, some examples of how people and groups adapted during the pandemic, and the current state of the art of networking. Anyone interested in networking and how to better connect with others are invited to attend.