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City of Ventura appoints Charles “Charlie” Ebeling as new Public Works Director

Ebeling has over 15 years of experience as a public works director.

The City of Ventura is pleased to announce the appointment of Charles “Charlie” Ebeling as its new Public Works Director, effective April 1, 2024, following an extensive selection process. Mr. Ebeling brings a wealth of experience and expertise in roadway and bridge design, traffic engineering, and transportation planning to his new role.

With over 15 years of experience as a public works director and nearly 27 years of engineering experience in both the private and public sectors, Mr. Ebeling’s leadership has been instrumental in delivering significant transportation projects in his previous roles at the City of Goleta and the City of Carpinteria.

“We are thrilled to welcome Charlie Ebeling to our City’s leadership team,” said City Manager Bill Ayub. “With the City of Ventura’s rich history spanning over 150 years, our aging infrastructure presents unique challenges. Charlie’s extensive experience and innovative approaches will be invaluable as we address these issues and continue to enhance and maintain our public infrastructure for the benefit of our community.”

A native of Santa Barbara, Mr. Ebeling received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from California State University Chico. He holds credentials as a Professional Engineer and Traffic Engineer and is a Certified Master Technician through the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).

“I am honored to join the City of Ventura as its new Public Works Director,” said Charlie Ebeling. “I look forward to collaborating with the talented team here and working closely with the community to address our infrastructure needs and enhance the quality of life for residents.”

The City of Ventura’s Public Works Department is accredited by the American Public Works Association (APWA) and is responsible for overseeing the City’s capital improvement program, floodplain management, engineering survey, environmental sustainability, fleet and facilities, and transportation engineering.

As Public Works Director, Mr. Ebeling will earn a base salary of $246,973.00 annually.

Visit Ventura Honored with Visit California Poppy Award

Visit Ventura staff is proud of their award.

Visit Ventura is extremely proud to announce that it was selected as the winner in the Best Strategic Partnership category at the Visit California Poppy Awards Gala, one of the most prestigious award ceremonies in the California travel and tourism industry.

At their biennial Poppy Awards, held March 12 in Greater Palm Springs, Visit California honored tourism destinations and attractions across California for excellence, creativity, and effectiveness in tourism marketing and destination stewardship.

Among hundreds of submissions, a panel of industry marketing experts selected Visit Ventura as the destination winner for the Best Strategic Partnership category, recognizing the organization’s leadership in bringing together a first-of-its-kind city, county, and state partnership to bring the X Games to Ventura last summer.

“Receiving a Poppy Award is a dream come true! It’s a win not only for our small but mighty Visit Ventura team but also for the entire community,” said Marlyss Auster, president and CEO of Visit Ventura. “We brought together local business owners, our local transportation partners, city and state officials, leaders from the Chumash tribe, and so many more to make the summer of 2023 a summer no one will forget. I am so proud of our community for dreaming big and collaborating to make it all happen!”

A phone call in 2019 that began the journey of a partnership between the X Games and Visit Ventura blossomed into a partnership that brought together partners from all corners of the industry to put on a larger-than-life event to drive visitation and worldwide recognition to Ventura.

A transportation partnership with Amtrak Pacific Surfliner, Ventura County Transportation Commission, and a local bike and skate shop resulted in a successful holistic transportation plan with 2,000 cars off the roads and 2,000 bikes and skateboards utilizing the free skateboard and bike valet. Collaboration between Ventura Fire and Police Departments created a safe event for families of all ages. A partnership with local Chumash tribe leaders made the X Games’ first land acknowledgment possible in front of the media and athletes. And as you walked through the streets of Ventura, you saw the strategic partnership in action on nearly every corner as local businesses embraced the X with special X Games offerings.

Visit Ventura helped facilitate all these conversations, making space for ideas and collaboration to make the summer 2023 X Games an event the Ventura community could be proud of.

“The past two years have seen tremendous growth, resilience and innovation from California’s travel industry,” said Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California. “This year’s Poppy Award-winning campaigns inspired visitors from around the world to rediscover California, highlighting our state’s welcoming spirit and abundance of world-class experiences.”

Beteta, alongside Visit California’s board officers, presented the 2024 Poppy Awards during the 16th annual Visit California Outlook Forum, held March 11-12 at the Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa. This year’s Outlook Forum celebrated record attendance, welcoming more than 800 attendees.

XG California 2023 changed the landscape of Ventura’s business community and city at large, now and for years to come. Most of all, our community is proud of what took place on a sunny summer weekend in their hometown. And that’s what it’s all about.

A Night to Remember: Ventura Prom 2024

The night was also filled with dazzling attire, hairstyling and makeup.

by Patricia Schallert

On March 8th, 2024, Mission Church hosted an unforgettable prom for students (aged 12 to 25) with disabilities from all over Ventura County. The aim was to create a stress-free and enjoyable experience in a safe and inclusive space for students to have fun, socialize, and create cherished memories. The theme for the prom was “A Night to Remember,” and it was held at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. The venue was transformed into a captivating space, bringing the “A Night to Remember” theme to life and was free of charge for the students and their escorts.

The fairground venue was transformed into a truly magical setting, thanks to a team of dedicated volunteers who worked tirelessly to create a visually stunning ambiance that perfectly captured the spirit of the event. The decorations, combined with the efforts of the volunteers, made the prom a truly memorable experience.

A tremendous amount of community support contributed to the prom’s success. Over 400 students with disabilities and over 800 volunteers participated in the event.

Transportation was arranged with party buses, limousines, and even classic cars, ensuring a smooth and glamorous arrival to the red carpet.

Lead Pastor, Mike Hickerson of Mission Church, expressed how this night was a unique and heavenly experience for both the guests and volunteers. He emphasized “that when everyone is out on the dance floor together, they recognize their similarities, and it feels like something is truly right in the world.”

The night was also filled with dazzling attire, hairstyling, makeup, corsages or boutonnieres. As the guests walked down the red carpet, they were cheered on by paparazzi, families, and volunteers, making them feel like true celebrities. Each student guest was accompanied by a student host from the community. Photo booths captured precious memories as the guests entered the venue.

Delicious food and drink options were carefully selected. Dietary restrictions and preferences were considered and were catered to everyone’s needs. The music, provided by a professional DJ, played music to different tastes and preferences, ensuring that everyone could enjoy themselves on the dance floor and show off their dance moves.

The “Night to Remember” prom was more than a special night. It will hold a lasting impact on the community. Taylor Hunt, NTR’s Event Director, expressed excitement about the event’s ability to celebrate and uplift people who are often overlooked and under-celebrated. The organizers went above and beyond to tailor every aspect of the prom to the needs and preferences of the attendees.

Overall, the Ventura prom “Night to Remember” for students with disabilities in 2024 was a resounding success, made possible by the hard work and dedication of event organizers, volunteers, and the tremendous support from the community. It provided an inclusive and joyous occasion where students with disabilities could celebrate and create lasting memories. After a pause during the Covid pandemic, “Night to Remember” finally returned and left an indelible mark on all those who attended.

Ventura PD officers honored for saving a life.

Officers Veronica Ross and Nick Nunez were dispatched to the fifth story of the hospital parking structure to check the well-being of an individual seated on the top floor ledge. They saw him leaning over the edge and wasted no time quickly leaping towards him to pull him back before he slipped entirely off the edge.

Nick and Veronica were honored as our 2023 Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Officers of the Year for their patience, skill, and compassion in de-escalating crises and ensuring community safety.

New Art City Theatre Welcomes Sally Struthers

Bev and Kirby Ward are co-founders of Art City.

New Art City Theatre, Ventura County’s newest professional theatre, is pleased to announce Festival ’24, the company’s inaugural festival of new works. Festival ’24 runs April 25th through 28th at The Museum of Ventura County. Beverly Ward and Kirby Ward, the founders and Co-Producing Artistic Directors, are especially thrilled to bring renowned actress Sally Struthers to Ventura to join the cast of Drowned Cats, one of four brand-new plays presented as part of the four-day, jam-packed schedule of staged readings and discussion panels.

The mission at New Art City Theatre (also know as NACT) is unique. As an emerging nonprofit, NACT serves two groups: writers and audience. “Our goal is to support the work of established and emerging playwrights as well as to expand the audience who attends professional performing arts events,” states Kirby Ward. “By keeping the readings free, we’re saying, everyone is welcome!” adds Bev Ward, Kirby’s wife of nearly 40 years.

“It’s a win-win. Writers who develop new works need an audience, and audiences crave affordable, live entertainment.” she adds. Key to the company’s mission is to attract less typical attendees, like young people with modest means and older people who may be on a fixed income.

The Wards bring decades of professional theatrical practice to their roles. Ultimately, their work as writers shapes their vision as they cultivate relationships with playwrights across the country. As part of their annual programming, NACT will open a submission portal each year and accept scripts of all types, from comedy to drama, and musical theatre, too. For this year’s festival, 175 scripts were submitted from playwrights and composers across the county. With the help of volunteers, each submitted script is read by multiple readers, narrowing the selection to a handful of projects, eventually settling on four. The four writers participating in Festival ’24 hail from Maryland, Long Island, Seattle and Chicago

Each show will have two presentations (matinee and evening) involving professional actors, including Ms. Struthers. The Wards first worked with the star of stage and screen on the east coast, and she later performed in a Manhattan reading of Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime, a musical written by the Wards. “Sally is incredible! Not just funny, but as fine an actress as I’ve ever seen on stage. Her role in Drowned Cats will benefit from her sublime sense of humor” gushes Bev.

The Wards spent the first two weeks of March on casting and are confident all the talent will rise to the level set by Struthers. “We saw nearly 150 actors in L.A. and Ventura and there were so many wonderful auditions. We can’t wait to bring these new scripts to life at The Museum of Ventura County.” beams Kirby.

To reserve your free ticket, go to: https://newartcitytheatre.org/festival/.
The theatre has open seating.

The plays:
Swimming Up The Sun – April 25, 1 & 7 PM
Reconciliation – April 26, 1 & 7 PM
Drowned Cats – April 27, 1 & 7 PM
Imitating Life – April 27th, 5:00 PM
Blowhole – April 28, 1 & 5:30 PM

Talkback immediately following each performance.
To Reserve your free ticket, go to: https://newartcitytheatre.org/festival/

About New Art City Theatre
New Art City Theatre (NACT) is a groundbreaking theatre company based in Ventura. Founded in 2023 by Kirby and Beverly Ward, renowned theatre professionals, the company is dedicated to the development of new works and offers a platform for emerging playwrights to showcase their talents. By giving equal access to diverse voices and inviting a broader audience to participate, NACT aspires to elevate all that is compelling about original theatre. For more information, visit www.newartcitytheatre.org, email [email protected] or connect on Facebook or Instagram.

A Home For Education gathers community leaders

Symposium held at the CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) campus.

Housing Trust Fund Ventura County (Housing Trust Fund VC) welcomed community leaders to its Annual Meeting and “A Home for Education” symposium February 29th at the CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) campus. The symposium was presented in collaboration with the County of Ventura, CSUCI, Ventura County Office of Education, Ventura County P-20 Council, and Housing Trust Fund VC to an audience of key decision makers in education, government, land use planning, and affordable housing development.

The Annual Meeting highlighted accomplishments by Housing Trust Fund VC, including $27.5 million in funded or committed loans since 2013 and $40 million raised, resulting in 1,177 affordable apartments and homes committed, funded, and produced throughout Ventura County. The meeting also provided an opportunity for community members to provide comment about Housing Trust Fund VC’s products and service.

The symposium was held to inform attendees of current issues surrounding the development of affordable housing on educational properties, providing an opportunity for discussion and questions. The event began with keynote presentations from Abraham Galvan Sanchez of Best, Best, and Kreiger LLP, and Al Grazioli of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The keynotes were followed by a panel moderated by Linda Braunschweiger, CEO of Housing Trust Fund VC and Housing Land Trust VC, and included Sanchez and Grazioli as panelists with Scott Kolwitz, City of Thousand Oaks, Ken Triguerio, People’s Self-Help Housing and Chelsee Russell, Office of Ventura County. The event continued with local affordable housing case studies presented by Dr. Kimberly Hoffmans of Ventura College, Sabrena Rodriguez of the Ventura Unified School District, and Laurie Nichols from CSUCI.

An event highlight was a guided tour of two developments adjacent to the campus, University Glen and the currently under construction Anacapa Canyon. Both developments were built on educational properties owned by CSUCI [lc1] and will be home to nearly 2,000 residents including CSUCI employees, educational allies, alumni, seniors, and the public[lc2] . “These developments remind us that discussions like today have the potential of becoming homes tomorrow. Today we took an important step towards ensuring more homes for all as a community.” said Linda Braunschweiger, CEO Housing Trust Fund VC and Housing Land Trust VC.

For those interested in developing solutions and adding their support for affordable housing in Ventura County, the next step is to attend Unlocking Affordable Housing – Reshaping Housing Solutions,” presented by Housing Trust Fund VC on Thursday, May 9, 2024, at Walnut Grove at Tierra Rejada Farms in Moorpark. Purchase tickets here.

Sig Schmalhofer is living proof that retirees can have a full life

Sig has published two novels.

by Sheli Ellsworth

Sig Schmalhofer’s quest to fulfill the American Dream began in 1956 as a five-year-old German immigrant. The sum of the family’s possessions were stuffed into two suitcases when they landed at LAX. The first English words he learned became a lifetime mantra, “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” His mother had memorized the Benjamin Franklin proverb and recited it often to the family. After graduating from Newbury Park High School in 1969, he married his high school sweetheart, Beverly.

Schmalhofer worked his way through college by working in plumbing shops. After he earned a degree in English from CSUN, he was an elementary teacher in Thousand Oaks. Three years later he capitalized on his knowledge of plumbing industry and made it his career.

In 1993, he was diagnosed with Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy, a debilitating genetic disease which robs victims of muscular strength. “That’s when the list of tasks I could do by myself got shorter, and things I needed help with, got longer. Thank God for Bev. She’s flawlessly stepped in to help me do things that need to be done.” The couple raised three children and have seven grandchildren.

After they built a successful career in Riverside, Sig and Bev moved back to Ventura County, where it all began. “I’d planned to play golf every day of my retired life,” Sig says. “But when my physical challenges made the game that I love an exercise in ‘Hit the ball, drag Sig’, I turned my attention to other hobbies. The centerpiece of that list is writing.”

Sig has published two novels, Jelly Beans in Life and Jelly Beans in Life 2; a business book, The Reputable Rep; and a memoir: Never Really Normal. Coming soon is the first of a series of mysteries.

The Ventura resident is living proof that retirees should be armed with a manageable list of hobbies beyond asking children and grandchildren questions they really don’t want to answer. His favorite pastime is playing enthralling, winner-take-all, games of Cribbage with Bev. “We’re super competitive. We play two or three games a day and record the results of every game in what we dubbed The Book. The ultimate goal is to win a ‘World Series Championship’ which takes about six months.”

Sig and Bev also post Wordl and Connections scores on a family text, daily, and each of them maintains their own exercise program. Sig has six ‘exercise stations’ in his home where he completes a list of daily routines prescribed by Dr. Selvey, his physiotherapist.

Schmalhofer also rides around the neighborhood in his souped-up wheelchair he calls his Sigmobile. He watches baseball, golf and football but not the news. “Watching news,” he says, “is the ideal way to make yourself act like a grumpy old man.” Because I’ve been blessed to live a life well worth living with friends and family well worth having,” Sig said. “The first words out of my mouth every day are, “Thank God, I’m still alive.”

Fire units respond to structure fire with people and pets

On March 16, fire units were dispatched to a reported structure fire with people and pets still inside the structure in the 200 block of Carol Dr. Firefighters arrived within 4 minutes of dispatch and found a detached garage with heavy smoke conditions. Firefighters searched the garage and adjacent home.

Uninjured civilians and pets were found inside the home and evacuated. Due to an aggressive attack, firefighters were able to limit the fire to the garage. The fire was knocked down within 10 minutes of arrival. Ventura City Fire units were assisted by Oxnard Fire Department, AMR and Ventura Police Department.

Ventura College Foundation provided $809,995 in direct student support

Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2023, the Ventura College Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides resources and financial assistance to Ventura College students and school programs, distributed $809,995 in direct assistance support to over 5,000 students during the 2022-2023 academic year and another $1.17 million to 68 Ventura College programs across 16 departments and divisions.

“Since the foundation’s inception, it’s raised over $48 million to benefit Ventura College students and programs. There is no better way to celebrate the foundation’s 40th anniversary than to contribute another $2 million to help remove the financial barriers to education that students face,” says Anne Paul King, Ventura College Foundation executive director.

In 2022-23, the foundation provided $75,000 in gap funding for 2,082 students to ensure tuition costs of the Ventura College Promise program were covered due to state budget cuts. The program covers all tuition and fees for eligible students for up to two years. The foundation awarded 439 scholarships to 235 applicants. Its lending library and veterans’ textbook program provided textbooks to 2,688 students including 58 veterans.

The foundation also provided financial support to the Ventura College Basic Needs Program including its pantry and the Jordana Ybarra-Telias Emergency Grant Program. “The pantry was previously serving 250 students per week. It’s now serving 200 students daily,” says King. “Food insecurity is just one of the challenges facing our students. About 55 percent of the college’s student population is classified as extremely low income or low income.”

For more information on the Ventura College Foundation’s 2022-23 Impact Report, go to https://venturacollegefoundation.org/foundation-impact. To learn about Ventura College Foundation donation options, click https://venturacollegefoundation.org/giving.

Established in 1983, the Ventura College Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and operates financially independent from Ventura College. It transforms students’ lives through education by providing innovative and vital resources and financial support. The Foundation collaborates with Ventura College to enhance human potential, civic engagement, careers and academic success of students enabling their effective impact and legacy on the college, local workforce, and our community. The Foundation also hosts the Ventura College Foundation Marketplace; an outdoor shopping experience held every weekend on the Ventura College campus. For more information, contact Julie Harvey at (805) 289-6502 or [email protected] or visit www.VenturaCollegeFoundation.org.

The Bookmark About Libraries and Friends

by Mary Olson

It’s time for another Ventura Friends of the Library Book Sale
Saturday, April 6, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
at the Vons at Telegraph & Victoria
Children’s books – buy one get one Free (except graphic novels)
Puzzles; DVDs and CDs $1.00 each; Books on CD $1.50-$2.00 each

BUNNY BONANZA HUNT at E.P. Foster Library, Friday, March 22, 5 :00 pm – 6:30 pm
Fun for the all the family – Bunny Petting Zoo, Spring Crafts, Spring Scavenger Hunt!

Presented by EP Foster Library’s Teen Advisory Group. The Teen Advisory Group is open to students, 13 to 18 years. Students earn community service hours while planning fun TEEN and CHILDREN’S events! For more information, call 805 626-READ.

Ventura author P. Scott Corbett will visit the Ojai Library at 2 pm on Saturday, March 23, to talk about his new trilogy of books: Harvest of Hunger, Fortune’s Retrieval, and Pursuing Shadows.

Meet the author who turned a lifelong passion for writing, China, and Asia into compelling historical fiction. He’ll discuss his works, the creative process, and publishing.

P. Scott Corbett received his Ph.D. in History from the University of Kansas Columbia University. He has taught American history at the college level for over 30 years, including at Ventura College and CSUCI. He has also taught American history in China and Singapore.

The trilogy recounts the saga of four generations of an American family serving as missionaries and cultural ambassadors in China. Though a certain amount of literary license has been used in developing the narratives, they do track closely actual historical events and experiences of actual people encompassing the North China famine of 1920-21, war-torn China from 1937 to 1945 and China in the 1980s.

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

Discover Science at Hill Road Library, Saturday, March 23, 11:00 am to noon This Rainbow in a Jar water density experiment with sugar uses only a few kitchen ingredients but produces an amazing science experiment for kids!

STEAM SATURDAY at Avenue Library –Saturday, March 30, 12:00 to 2:00 pm.
Art Dice: Create a set of dice to gamify your art! Create randomly generated art, where every toss of the dice provides the chance to practice drawing skills, color and shape recognition, art vocabulary, and more.
Space and supplies are limited. This program is free and open to the public.

The Ventura County Library Foundation is bringing its Rising from the Ashes Home Tour back for a third year, on Saturday, April 20, 12:00 to 4:00 pm. Visions to See – Stories to Tell – The 2024 tour features five homes, a native plant garden, refreshments, live music, and more.

The Thomas Fire caused devastation, but not defeat. Join us and witness the resilience of Ventura, as we tour some of the beautifully rebuilt homes and hear the stories of rebirth.

Tickets are $50 each. To purchase tickets, visit https://www.vclibraryfoundation.org/ Proceeds benefit the Ventura County Libraries.