Join us for a weekend of art beginning with First Friday’s Open Studios at Bell Arts Factory, 432 N.Ventura Ave. A dozen or more artists have created tall vertical art works specially for this exhibit which will be on display in the community room gallery space.
Friday, December 3rd 5:00- 9:00 w/refreshments
Saturday December 4th 4:00-8:00 w/refreshments
Sunday December 5th 11:00-4:00
David Young, husband of Breeze contributing writer Jill Forman, discusses blacksmithing during Farm Day, at the Oxnard Historic Farm Park on November 6.
by Cindy Summers
Police reports are provided to us by the Ventura Police Department and are not the opinions of the Ventura Breeze. All suspects mentioned are assumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Vehicle Pursuit with Arrest
On Nov.6, at 8:56 am, Ventura Police Officers responded to a domestic disturbance in the 100 Block of N. Evergreen Dr. Before officers arrived, the disturbing party, Gloria Kapp(06/28/74, Ventura Resident), was reported to be driving erratically in the area. As Officers arrived, Kapp committed a traffic violation, and a patrol corporal attempted to stop Kapp. Kapp failed to stop her vehicle, and a pursuit was initiated. Officers pursued Kapp for a distance of about 5 miles with speeds reaching up to 50 mph. As Officers pursued Kapp, she committed multiple traffic violations.
The pursuit was terminated as Kapp entered the Ventura College Campus. Officers remained in the area of the college and observed Kapp stop on West Campus Way. Officers positioned their police vehicles to block Kapp’s vehicle and prevent her from continuing due to several pedestrians in the area. Kapp intentionally drove her vehicle into an officer’s patrol car at a slow speed while the officer was inside, striking the patrol car. Kapp exited her vehicle, and officers took her into custody. There were no injuries to any officers.
Kapp was arrested for domestic battery, felony evading, and assault with a deadly weapon.
Surgical robotics is one of the most rapidly growing and technologically
advanced areas of healthcare today, and Community Memorial Health System is proud to offer a full suite of the latest in robotic technology and surgical services to patients in Ventura County. Robotic technology enables CMHS surgeons to provide personalized surgery in a broad range of specialty areas, with incredible precision, faster recoveries, shorter hospital stays, and better results for patients.
CMHS is hosting a free online seminar at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 18 to share the advanced robotic surgeries available locally. CMHS is hosting this online seminar, called The Future of Surgery: Robotic Technology at Community Memorial Health System, as part of its 2021 Speaker Series Online. There will be a live question-and-answer session for participants. To attend, please RSVP at www.cmhshealth.org/RSVP.
Community Memorial Health System is a not-for-profit health system that comprises Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, a skilled nursing facility, and a network of primary and specialty care clinics that serve communities throughout Ventura County, California.
Museum of Ventura County is now accepting applications for its Bonita C. McFarland Visual Arts Scholarship. The scholarship fund has a total of $17,500 to be awarded to eligible applicants who are high school seniors enrolling in college courses in fall semester of 2022 or any continuing visual arts college student who is a Ventura County resident. Requirements for submission are a completed application, 400 word essay about their art and career or education goals, a letter of recommendation and prior artwork or projects. Applications are due no later than February 28, 2022. Students are allowed to submit up to 10 bodies of work, and are encouraged to start early. For further details and to apply, visit: venturamuseum.org/bonita-c-mcfarland.
Funds for the scholarship are provided through an endowment of the scholarship’s namesake, Bonita C. McFarland, a generous supporter, and longtime donor to the arts of Ventura County. The funds are held, administered and awarded by the Museum of Ventura County, to individuals based on artistic merit, eligibility, and needs of the applicant. Past recipients have received over $500 each, after being carefully selected by a collaborative committee consisting of Museum of Ventura County personnel and members of the Museum’s Fine Arts Committee.
“It’s always an exciting time to see the creativity of these young, dedicated and hard-working artists flourish,” says chair of the Fine Arts committee Linda Edison, “Last year’s talent was truly outstanding. Each piece was filled with individuality and excellence. I can’t wait to see how students take this opportunity to represent our county this year.” Last year’s scholarship winners were Cal State University
Northridge students Yasemin Zografos (Thousand Oaks) and Amelia Compton (Camarillo), Moorpark College student Jullianne De La Cruz (Oxnard), and California Institute of the Arts student Amelia Compton (Camarillo).
The committee will review submissions in March of 2022, and scholarship winners will be announced in April. An awards reception at the Museum of Ventura will be scheduled in the Spring to celebrate the honorees accomplishments. Stay up to date with the scholarship awards process, by visiting the museum online at: venturamuseum.org.
The Museum of Ventura County celebrates, preserves and interprets the art, history and culture of Ventura County, the California Channel Islands and the surrounding region through its collections, exhibitions, events, educational programs, publications and its research library, and serves as a gathering place for the community. The Museum has two locations – the main museum is located at 100 East Main Street, Ventura,
California (805-653-0323). The Agriculture Museum is located at 926 Railroad Avenue, Santa Paula, California
(805-525-3100). Both museums are open Thursdays through Sundays, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. – venturamuseum.org.
Opera Santa Barbara is thrilled to welcome two new members to its Board of Directors. Karen Knight and Gregory McMurrray were elected to the Board in October, 2021.
“Our Board of Directors bring a wealth of expertise and dedication to supporting our performing arts community,” said Opera SB Board Chair, Joan Rutkowski. “Karen and Greg are both very familiar with the company and we’re excited to channel their talents and energy into furthering Opera SB’s mission during this pivotal period in our history.”
Karen Knight is a longtime resident of Santa Barbara who returned two and a half years ago after a 16-year hiatus in the Temecula area. Since returning to the area, she has spent time volunteering for Opera Santa Barbara, Ensemble Theater Company, and United Way of Santa Barbara County. She also currently serves on the Board of Wood Glen Hall as Co-Chair of their Marketing Committee.
Ms. Knight retired after helping start City Commerce Bank in 1978 where she served nine years as the bank’s VP of Business Development, Marketing, and Training. In 1993 she rejoined the workforce in 1993 after raising her children to serve as the United Way of Santa Barbara County’s Major Gifts Officer and Coordinator of the Red Feather Ball.
Having graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) from the University of California, Los Angeles, Gregory McMurray earned his Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) at William and Mary School of Law in Williamsburg, Virginia. Mr. McMurray served as a Deputy Public Defender both in Kern County and in Ventura County where he handled misdemeanor, felony and juvenile cases. He has served as a Judge Pro-Tem in Santa Barbara and currently teaches community property law at the Southern California Institute of Law. He is a member of the California State Bar.
As a signature provider of professional musical theatre for California’s Central Coast since 1994, Opera Santa Barbara contributes to the cultural enrichment of our region by presenting compelling musical performances and community programs that celebrate the breadth and beauty of opera. The company’s annual main stage repertoire features opera favorites, lesser-known classics, and contemporary American works featuring nationally recognized performers as well as artists and craftspeople of our region.
On the evening of Thursday, November 4th, the Joseph P. Reardon Funeral Home & Cremation Service again opened its doors to all of greater Ventura County for their seventh annual community Candlelight Remembrance Ceremony for anyone who has experienced any loss and wished to remember their loved one in a sacred space.
Michael Boyko, owner of the funeral home stated “we again are so proud to be able to host this evening for our entire community in need of reflection, consolation, and care. The last year or two hasn’t been easy on any of us and when facing loss even our traditions of saying goodbye, expressing grief, and the memorial experience had changed slightly during the times of COVID-19. Moreover, I remain humbled to be able to provide such a touching ceremony with the entire highly professional staff of Assisted Home and Hospice of Ventura. Hospice caregivers much like my staff didn’t stop during COVID and continued to assist the public without hesitation during the trying times of pandemic and public health emergency.”
This evening featured live harp music from Ted Nicholson, professional harpists from the peninsula hotel in Beverly Hills as well as the officiant Paul Lenderman, Spiritual counselor/grief coordinator of Assisted Hospice in Ventura. Dr. William and Dr. Lisa Rajala also took time and spoke with spiritual poems and readings of consolation. Spiritual Counselors Daniel Aguiar and John Kirby also participated with life affirming prayers and tributes to loved ones and patients that have passed within the last few years.
Michael went onto say “we offer a helping hand to all who need it no matter the circumstances. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow we’ll be here to help”.
by National Institute of Health
Statistical trends show that by 2050, approximately a quarter of the world population will consist of older adults. This forecast highlights the need for strategies to promote healthy aging and the development of biological markers that can identify which individuals are at increased risk for age-related conditions and disabilities.
The risk and progression of multiple aging conditions can be influenced by several fundamental mechanisms and processes such as damage and repair of tissue components, alterations in cellular bioenergetics, and changes in genomic structure and function. Thus, the discovery of biomarkers — whether circulating in the body or in specific organs and tissues — can help us track and better understand how these mechanisms and processes affect long-term health outcomes. Biomarkers could also lead to better ways of testing new therapies to treat or prevent age-related conditions.
With this immense scientific potential in mind, NIA seeks to support technological innovations that make new biomarker discoveries possible. Among the areas we hope to develop are:
High-throughput ways to analyze blood and its components
Translational research on crucial methodologic issues for collection and storage conditions for human biospecimens to assess the activity of specific cellular pathways
Development of statistical methods that will help researchers evaluate the relationships of mechanistic markers to aging-related outcomes
Research to understand the relationships between levels of a marker in one tissue compared with other organs and tissues
NIA’s Predictive Biomarkers Initiative
In 2019, NIA launched the Predictive Biomarkers Initiative and established an innovative research network focusing on the development and validation of high-throughput assays to examine several aging-related processes through biomarker detection and validation. This network is currently assessing and refining analytical methods, developing and validating markers of multiple aging mechanisms, testing variability of markers in human populations, and establishing relationships between biomarkers and aging-related traits from a variety of longitudinal cohort studies and/or clinical trials.
There is exciting progress being made already! Project highlights include:
Biomarkers focusing on cell-specific profiles and mechanistic measures in blood and skeletal muscle biopsies
Validating and optimizing the use of the epigenetic clock as a biomarker of healthspan and lifespan using blood and saliva samples
Applying state-of-the-art proteomics technologies to identify and refine robust senescence-related biomarkers
Investigating viral burden and systemic inflammation as predictive biomarkers for chronic disease and frailty
Validating non-invasive single-cell imaging technologies as reliable biomarkers
Marvin
Crock
Tiger
Baby Blues
Pardon My Planet
Hagar the Horrible
by Jill Forman
People still love books! (and bargains)
Book sale a big success
On Saturday morning the 6th, before the sale even started, booklovers were pouring in the doors of the Foster Topping Room and checking out the children’s tables outside the library. Hundreds of folks came through, many with boxes and folding carts, looking for bargains. At $4 a bag ($3 for Friends members) there were definitely bargains to be had.
The Friends are fortunate to have Venturans donating literally tons of books; we sort through every one and categorize them. Every once in a while we need to clear out our warehouse, and have what we call a “Bag Sale.” Every genre is offered, at prices readers can’t resist. In fact, the workers always have a stack hidden somewhere for them to buy after we are finished working. You’d think we’d be sick of looking at them…nope!
Our goals for all sales are to raise funds for the library, to reach out to the community and inform the community of all the events and services the libraries have to offer, and to get books in the hands of people who will appreciate them. We made over $700 this sale, an amazing amount considering the pricing.
Thanks to Foster’s staff, Boy Scout Troop 155, and all our exhausted volunteers. A special shout-out to David Bayer, Clyde Hofflund and David Young; without their strong backs and trucks this sale would not have been possible.
Library Happenings
Here’s something I just found out about, one more service the library offers:
Mobile Career Center, Foster Library on Monday, November 29, 11am to 5 pm.
Staff can assist with resumes, applications, training, and more.
This project is supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.
Event updates:
The irrepressible Ukulele Jam returns to the Topping Room.
Mondays, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m
Virtual Open Mic Thursdays, 7:30 to 10:00 pm. Free and open to the public! Virtual Open Mic night hosted by Phil Taggart. Enjoy a featured poet, then share your own work with the group. All are welcome to just sit and listen as well. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9607501600
Meeting ID: 960 750 1600
Fall Reading Challenge:
October 4 – December 17, 2021
Read books, earn activity badges, and win prizes! Kids and adults! Register at https://vencolibrary.beanstack.org/reader365
December book discussion groups:
Foster: December 4, Crescendo by Allen Cheney. Topping Room, 10 a.m.
Hill Road: November 30, The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd. 5 p.m.
Teen Volunteers:
Opportunities for those 13-17 include in-person and virtual environments. Teens research and recommend books for library purchase, recommend websites for teens, and help develop Summer Reading Challenge, STEAM, and Makerspace activity ideas. To begin the application process, fill out an application at a branch or email [email protected].