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The Power of Love

Founders, the Friedlanders.

On Saturday, February 10th, over 150 guests both young and old were carried back-in-time to the decade of the boom box, the mix-tape, the Walkman, and totally awesome dance music at Kids & Families Together’s fifth annual fundraising event. This year’s theme, The Power of Love ~ an 80’s themed FUN-raising dance, truly captured the essence that is at the heart of K&FT as an organization and the critical work they provide to families in our communities. As the 1985 song by Huey Lewis & The News states, love truly is “the power that makes the world go ’round”.

Guests that gathered at Poinsettia Pavilion enjoyed a fantastic evening including a fun and nostalgic 80’s-themed menu prepared by Food Affairs by Stacey, live music and dancing, silent auction featuring 60 different items, a game zone showcasing some of the popular table and hand-held games of the 1980’s, along with two arcade machines that were part of the evening’s live auction. Prior to the opening of the event’s program, winners of the 80’s Trivia Game were included in a drawing for items such as a Walkman-style tape player and a boombox! Raffle tickets were also sold for the chance to win a diamond and rose gold bracelet valued at $2,000 which was generously donated by Fox Fine Jewelry.

Live music at the event was provided by We Are The 80’s Band. Steve Roth Founder/C.E.O. (Chief Entertainment Officer)/drummer stated “We were proud to support the fantastic work that K&FT provides to the families in Ventura County, and the critical services that they offer to foster and adopted children. It’s always a privilege for us to contribute our talents to a worthwhile cause.”

Founded in January 2000, Kids & Families Together serves foster, adoptive, kinship, and birth families throughout Ventura County. For over two decades has been the leader in providing critical services and support to children who have experienced trauma, abuse, neglect, loss, and multiple placements. K&FT is unique in that we provide education, support, and strategies to connect caregivers and parents to the children in their care. We wrap our arms around the entire family allowing them to use the strategies they have learned, along with “The Power of Love”, to raise healthy, nurtured children who thrive!

Kids & Families Together’s mission is to strengthen relationships by providing safe, supportive help that keeps family members emotionally connected to one another. K&FT’s programs help families by building relationships, strengthening families, and enhancing attachments.

K&FT provides families with much needed mental health counseling, support, and education that brings direct and meaningful results right into the home. Here is what one kinship caregiver said about their experience working with K&FT.

“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate working with Kids & Families Together. My therapist helped me explain the current situation more fully and thoughtfully to my 7-year old grandson. This has completely altered the dynamics within our home and my relationship with my grandson. Thank You!”

Charles, the K&FT therapy dog

Both sponsors and guests of this event were integral parts of K&FT’s annual celebration supporting Ventura County foster/resource, kinship and adoptive families. K&FT needs this support in order to continue to offer these types of one-on-one connections, supporting children and their families who often find themselves in crisis situations.

K&FT would like to express gratitude to event sponsors: Aqua~Flo Supply, Generous Anonymous Donor, Marianne Bloom, Sharon Watts Woolley, Controlled Elements, Community Memorial Health Care, US Bank, Robert & Jean Bonar, The Gene Haas Foundation, Ventura Pet Barn, Mary Galvin, Vivian Mullett, Damascus Gear, Anne Paul King, and Kyle & Crystal Cummings.

To learn more about K&FT visit … https://www.kidsandfamilies.org/

 

Join the parade, on March 16!

Surf Rodeo float riders waving to the crowd. Photo by Brendan Daly/WhizCom Marketing

If you’d like to roll down Main Street in the 2024 County Ventura St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the time to sign up is now. Entry deadline is Thursday, March 7.

Presented annually by Ventura Elks Lodge No. 1430, the parade will commence this year at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 16, along a three-quarter-mile route in the heart of Ventura. To enter, visit venturastpatricksdayparade.com. Entry fee is $50.

This year’s parade theme, “Shamrocks & Shenanigans,” gives entrants an invitation to embrace their inner leprechauns with whimsy and mischief in their creations.

One of the county’s most popular community events, the St. Patrick’s Day parade draws thousands each year to a route lined with happy families all dressed up in green. The 2024 parade will run the same midtown route it debuted in 2022, downhill along Main, from Lincoln Drive to Fir Street.

Parade entries are coming in strong this year and again include a solid musical contingent. Always a great entertainment, the parade last year drew more bands and other musicians than any previous year in the history of the decades-old event.

Parade entrants compete for awards presented by a panel of judges led by St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee member James Lockwood. Joining Lockwood on the panel will be Clint Garman from the office of Ventura County Supervisor Matt LaVere; Richard Rush, former president of California State University Channel Islands; Celina Zacarias, CSUCI’s director of community and government relations; and Elks Lodge representative Rhonda Catron.

Primary parade sponsors include California State University Channel Islands, Citizens Business Bank, E.J. Harrison & Sons, Rolls Scaffold, Runnin’ to Bunnin Chevrolet, and Union Bank. Major sponsors donating their time and services include CAPS Media, the Gaston Group, Ventura Rental Center, and WhizCom Marketing. Among the scores of others who contributed are a dozen media sponsors.

The parade grand marshal this year is the wonderful Elena Brokaw! Executive director of the Museum of Ventura County, Elena is a perennial Ventura County civic leader who before heading up the museum worked with the city of Ventura for 13 years, including as its community services director. In 2019, she was named Citizen of the Year, earning the top honor bestowed by the Ventura Chamber of Commerce in its annual prestigious Poinsettia Awards.

Elena grew up in Ventura County, the youngest of five. She lived in East Ventura till her family moved to an avocado ranch in Santa Paula when she was 8. Elena naturally gravitated toward arts and culture, spending her youth writing, singing and acting and going on to earn a degree in fine arts from Harvard. After short, post-college stints in Boulder, Colorado, and Los Angeles, Elena returned home to Ventura County for good.

She lives in Santa Paula with her husband, former Ventura Police Chief Pat Miller, and her son, Charlie – who turns 13 the day after St. Patrick’s Day!

The County Ventura St. Patrick’s Day Parade is co-chaired by an esteemed group of former Ventura mayors and councilmembers – former grand marshals Jim Monahan and Nan Drake; and longtime event coordinator Brian Brennan – working in cooperation with a hardworking committee including members from Ventura Elks Lodge No. 1430, which has presented the parade since its beginnings in the 1980s.

For answers to parade entry questions, call Brennan at 805-746-5955 or committee member Aaron Gaston at 805-340-8217. For other parade info, call Monahan at 805-340-1356.

Home Improvement & Outdoor Living Expo: Free Admission at Ventura County Fairgrounds

Cazita Backyard Cabana on display at the Fairgrounds

Looking for a tiny house, kitchen remodel or total home makeover? Find these and much more at the Ventura Home Improvement & Outdoor Living Expo, taking place Friday, Saturday and Sunday, February 23, 24 and 25 at Ventura Fairgrounds. Admission is free for this fun and informative expo, which highlights the latest in decorating, remodeling and landscaping.

Ready to downsize, add rental income or take your home on the road? The Tiny House Showcase offers future homebuyers a chance to experience full-size tiny homes, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), casitas, homes on wheels, guest rooms and backyard cabanas. Meet with tiny home builders for specials and to learn more. Considering a kitchen or bath remodel? Local experts will be at the show to present renovation ideas from cabinets, countertops and center islands to tubs, vanities, shower doors, fixtures and accessories. Roofing, room additions, windows, doors, skylights, blinds/shutters and flooring/carpeting will also be available. Bring your plans and get ready to meet the pros.

For outdoor entertaining, see what’s new in pools, hot tubs, BBQ islands, patios, decks, outdoor furniture and artificial turf. Other products and services include gutter protection, home siding, concrete, paving stones, painting and coating solutions. Gardening enthusiasts can check out garden tools, soil additives, treatments, biochar and sustainable cooking units. Get advice from garden and landscape experts on plant care, soil health, pest control, composting and attracting birds, bees and butterflies to your backyard oasis. Energy and security products include heating/AC, solar, generators, alarms, security solutions and water filtration. Home decorating pros will also be on hand to help transform your space with storage, moving, organizing, kitchen accessories, bedding, mattresses and home décor products. For active aging and personal care, see what’s new in stairlifts, scooters, ramps, grab bars and self-defense products. Stay-at-home assessments for seniors will also be provided. Arts, crafts, gifts, sports apparel, collectibles, gourmet items and bakery products will also be on be available.

Attendees can learn about income property, homes for sale, managing rental units, and more from members of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County Coastal Association of Realtors. Show highlights will also include how-to demos, home improvement bingo and daily giveaways throughout the weekend.

The Home Improvement & Outdoor Living Expo – February 23-25, 2024, at Ventura County Fairgrounds, 10 W Harbor Blvd, Ventura, CA 93001. Show hours: Friday and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Admission is free. On-site parking: $10.00. For information visit www.venturahomeshows.com.

Project Love event for seniors

Children will be seeing the positive impact that they had on seniors.

by Carol Leish, MA

“Since elementary school students last year wrote such heartwarming messages to seniors, we at Assisted Home Health & Hospice decided to continue our Project Love on an annual basis,” according to Natalie Uribe, the HospiceCare Specialist at Assisted Home Health & Hospice. This year, Ventura Elementary Schools, Portola, EP Foster, Will Rogers, Montalvo, Poinsettia, and Elmhurst Elementary Schools have participated again. New schools in Oxnard and Camarillo also participated in the Project Love Event this year.

‘We supplied 4-5 different color sheets, to give the children options of what to color. The cards said things, such as, ‘You are wonderful; and, ‘You are special,’ as well as a spot for their own message The Valentine’s Day Cards were delivered to various senior residential facilities in Ventura: Cypress Place Senior Living; Aegis Living; Cal Vet; The Palms of Buenaventura; Victoria Care Center; Ventura Post Acute; and, Coastal View. Some seniors were moved to tears of joy, after seeing the cards. They reminisced bout when their children were going to elementary school.”

Children will be seeing the positive impact that they had on seniors since Assisted Home Health & Hospice took videos of the kids coloring and of the seniors receiving the heartwarming messages, which they will be sending to the schools in March for teachers to show to the children who participated.

“We look forward to this event growing each year so it can touch more lives,” according to Uribe. “The event has grown by 25% with more schools participating each year. With all that is going on in the world, we need to realize the importance of loving one another. This event has created more caring within children by making them more aware of thinking about others, such as seniors, especially since some of them have grandparents.”

Let us continue to spread love and joy to others throughout the year.

Mound Elementary STEM Project Benefits Food Share of Ventura County

Students had to brainstorm ways to determine the number of boxes they wanted to use. Photo by Michael Gordon

Mound’s fifth-grade class traditionally leads an outreach project, in which they learn something about themselves while giving back to the community. The students are responsible for planning and following through with various tasks, including cost analysis, publicity, and coordination with larger organizations. Last year, students and staff were inspired by a video of an elementary school that created a “domino run” with cereal boxes. They decided to do their own version of a domino run, as it would allow students to have a STEM project, practice their leadership skills, and, most importantly, do something meaningful for their community–a perfect fit for their Science and Global Citizenship magnet.

Students had to brainstorm ways to determine the number of boxes they wanted to use and then decide what to do with all the boxes when the domino run was completed. They immediately thought of donating the boxes to Food Share of Ventura County. They reached out to a dietician to ask about the nutritional value of cereal, and subsequently decided their “dominos” should be more satiating and nutrient dense. They also thought a whole family could eat Mac ‘N’ Cheese. That is how the Mac ‘N’ Cheese domino run began.

This year’s students loved what last year’s students did and wanted to build on it, hoping they could reach even more families in need. Last year’s class raised 4,250 boxes, so the students set a goal of 5,000 this year. They surpassed the goal, ultimately raising over six thousand boxes. Groups of students presented their ideas to the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) and asked for matching donations to help them reach their box goal. They then presented to other classes throughout the school, explaining what they were doing and why. They asked students in those other classes if they could bring in boxes that could be used for their project and then donated to Food Share. Students also created fliers and posters. The focus this year was learning how to publicize. This culminated in their second annual “Stuff the Trailer with Mac ‘N’ Cheese” drive. Students collected 3,521 boxes. PTO matched many of those boxes, helping students get to over 5,000. With even more boxes arriving daily, they reached over 6,000 boxes.

“Throughout this STEM and outreach project, 93 students will have worked together on math concepts such as volume, area, estimation, multiplication strategies, and grouping,” explained Tracie Fickenscher, fifth grade teacher at Mound Elementary. “Leadership, teamwork, and communication skills have all been used and refined. They’ve learned perseverance and grit, how to keep Mac ‘N’ Cheese from falling over, and how to regroup and revise strategies when it does. Most importantly, the kids are excited to take care of others in our community by providing satiating meals that kids enjoy eating.”

Portside Ventura Harbor Celebrates Milestones and Memorable Events

Portside Ventura Harbor celebrated a remarkable year in 2023, marked by significant milestones, community engagement, and memorable events that solidified its position as a vibrant hub in the Ventura area.

Portside Ventura Harbor celebrated their ribbon cutting ceremony with the Chamber of Commerce, symbolizing the dawn of a new era for Portside Ventura Harbor. Two of its esteemed retail businesses, Harbor Mart and Crave Gelato Kofi Bar, also joined the celebrations in 2023 with their own ribbon cuttings.

Harbor Mart, a beloved local favorite, boasts an impressive array of offerings, including an extensive wine collection, global snacks, and a mouthwatering Mediterranean deli. Additionally, they provide last-minute items, sundries, and necessities, catering to the diverse needs
of their local patrons.

Meanwhile, Crave Gelato Kofi Bar emerged as a modern, artisanal haven, delighting patrons with house-made gelato crafted from organic, sustainable ingredients, complemented by delectable handmade focaccia and pastries. The harbor also saw the rise of Vision Ventura Electric Boat Rentals, which made waves with its eco-friendly electric boats, prominently featured in the Parade of Lights 2023 parade. Offering the perfect backdrop for memorable outings with friends and family, their rentals added a unique charm to the Ventura Harbor.

Throughout the year, Portside Ventura Harbor welcomed over 1000 guests at more than 20 events, showcasing its commitment to fostering
community spirit and engagement. From the Pink Party supporting the American Cancer Society to the Playhouse Build for Habitat for Humanity, and the monthly Movie Night Under the Stars, the harbor buzzed with excitement and camaraderie.

In addition to its remarkable retail and culinary offerings, Portside Ventura Harbor is also home to an array of incredible small businesses, enhancing the vibrant atmosphere of its beautiful Plaza. Residents and visitors alike can explore an eclectic mix of services and shops, including Nourished Nails, Live N Dye Hair Salon, Portside Yoga, Vasquez Float Reiki, Focus SUP Hawaii Ventura, Mystic Relics Crystals and Jewelry, Q Studios, Inner Soulstice Wellness Pilates, Art is Passion, Tail of Success, Ambitious Beauty Studio, Mind Body Spirit Studios, Heart Theory Inc., and more coming soon! Whether you’re in need of pampering, spiritual healing, fitness, or a unique shopping experience, the Plaza at Portside Ventura Harbor offers something for everyone.

As 2024 unfolds, Portside Ventura Harbor continues its legacy of growth and innovation. The addition of NeuroBoxing, an organization dedicated to non-contact boxing exercises, further enriches the community’s offerings.

Looking ahead, Portside Ventura Harbor is gearing up for the Egg Hunt Festival on Saturday, March 30th, and is already collaborating with Habitat for Humanity for an expanded and enhanced Playhouse Build event on Saturday, August 24th.

With 2023 setting a high bar for success, Portside Ventura Harbor eagerly anticipates the opportunities and achievements that lie ahead in 2024. Stay tuned for another year of excitement, growth, and community at Portside Ventura Harbor.

Autumn Wassel | Lifestyle Director

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VenturaWaterPure Project Update

Currently, significant progress is being made on the milestones of the project.

by Patricia Schallert

The main outfall pipe from Marina Park is now installed underneath the Ventura Harbor and also installed out to sea (about 4,500 feet offshore), though there is still a lot more to do from now until Memorial Day. Trenching has already begun on Anchors Way from the Water’s Edge restaurant area.

However, there is still work to be done to finalize connections at Marina Park, which is expected to be completed by Memorial Day. Trenching has commenced on Anchors Way, starting from the Water’s Edge restaurant area. The trenching process is led by Blois Construction, who are responsible for installing the outfall pipe on Anchors Way, Schooner Drive, then on Harbor Blvd.

The pipe segments will be fused/welded together in 500-ft long sections along the street. Construction progresses in 500-feet increments, with each 500-foot segment taking several days to dig and shore up.  Once the pipe is pulled into place, it is welded at the far end, connecting it to the already installed pipeline. Then, the trench is backfilled and paved. This process will be repeated several times on Anchors Way, and again on Schooner, with each 500-foot section taking approximately two to three weeks for completion.

According to Steve Mimiaga, the City’s construction manager, two 500-foot sections will be  worked on along the eastbound (outbound) side of Schooner Dr., with an expected completion date of late  April to early May. Then, trenching will begin on the southbound side of Harbor Blvd, close to the median, continuing under Spinnaker  Dr. then turning into the City’s water reclamation facility (VWRF) about 800 ft south of the Spinnaker intersection. Throughout this process, traffic will  remain open, although occasional and temporary lane closures may occur with the guidance of flagmen.

Construction is currently progressing according to the planned timeline, and it is anticipated that work in Marina Park will be completed before the Memorial Day weekend. The 24-foot tall soundwall  within Marina Park is anticipated to be dismantled in March and replaced by contractor fencing.   The area will be restored to its original appearance, with new mounds, grass, and an underground irrigation system completed, all scheduled to hopefully wrap up by Memorial Day weekend.

Learn more at the project website at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/OceanOutfall

Hotline for questions 805-500-8103

The Ventura Gem Show is the society’s major fund-raising event

The Ventura Gem Show has been a fun family event for six decades.

The Ventura Gem Show is taking place March 2 & 3 (10am–5pm, Saturday; 10am–4pm, Sunday) at the Ventura County Fairgrounds (10 W. Harbor Blvd., Ventura). The show is open to the public and admission is free (note: the Fairgrounds charges a parking fee if using the Fairgrounds lot).

The Ventura Gem Show has been a fun family event for six decades and counting with its focus on gemstone cutting and jewelry-making, rocks and fossils, and kids and education. At the show, we’ll announce the recipient of our $1,000 Scholarship Award given annually to a local college student. Upon entering the show, kids are given a free polished stone at our Welcome Booth, where teachers receive free rock samples and educational packets. At the Kids Booth, children enjoy activities offering an assortment of rocky prizes. A nearby display provides info about the society’s two-room museum in Ojai, where teachers, home-schoolers, and youth groups can arrange tours by appointment.

There’s gold in the California hills, and you can learn how to pan for it at the show. At one booth, expert prospectors will guide you through the basics, and you can purchase “pay dirt” to pan for real gold nuggets and flakes at the show or in your own backyard. In addition, this free show will feature displays of gems, minerals, fossils, and award-winning handcrafted jewelry. These include educational exhibits of fossils collected locally in and around Ventura County, as well as a display of our State Rock, Mineral, Fossil, and Gemstone (including a gold nugget, an Ice Age saber-tooth cat, and “Auggie”, the California State Dinosaur). Still other displays will show how stones collected locally have been crafted into jewelry. Demonstrations give visitors up-close looks at artists pursuing their crafts: gemstone cutting and carving, silver work and jewelry making, beading, and other arts and crafts made from nature. Raffle prizes include a $100 bill, fine jewelry, mineral and fossil specimens, and more. In addition, enjoy hourly silent auctions for rocks, minerals, and fossils, as well as a “Country Store” white elephant sale, a plant sale, and over 15 dealers selling beads, opals, jade, gemstones, crystals, fossils, jewelry and jewelry-making supplies, and gift items. It’s a 61-year Ventura tradition the whole family will enjoy.

VGMS was founded in 1944 to encourage interest in rocks, minerals, fossils, lapidary arts and jewelry-making, and related areas through education, activities, and exhibitions such as this annual show, which is open to the community. The society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization and welcomes individual and family members. VGMS hosts monthly talks on earth science topics and jewelry arts, maintains a lapidary arts studio in Ojai, makes presentations to area schools, and conducts field trips for members and guests to collect rocks, minerals, and fossils in southern California and neighboring states.

The Ventura Gem Show is the society’s major fund-raising event helping to underwrite educational activities, including the annual college scholarship and school visits and donations. For further details, call (805) 312-8467, email [email protected], or visit our web site at www.vgms.org.

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First Ventura homicide of 2024

The Ventura Police Department received reports of shots fired around 2 a.m. Sunday, February 11, near Oak and Main streets.

Officers arrived to find a man with gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to Ventura County Medical Center where he later died. He was Anthony Castanon, 20, of Santa Paula.

Two other males a 24-year-old from Oxnard and a 17-year-old from Santa Paula went on their own to Community Memorial Hospital for treatment of gunshot wounds, investigation stated the incidents were related.

Officers were notified there were additional parties with gunshot wounds that were dropped off at the Community Memorial Hospital Emergency Room (CMH). Officers contacted Jordan Lee and an additional male juvenile with life-threatening gunshot wounds. Both parties were later transported to VCMC and remain in critical but stable condition. At this time, this investigation is ongoing, and investigators believe this incident may be gang related.

A juvenile, Santa Paula Resident Male Juvenile (17 ), has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of Castanon.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Alberto Tovar at 805- 339-4462.