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Month of awareness serves as a reminder to make heart health a priority

St. John’s Regional Medical Center (SJRMC) and St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital (SJPVH), members of Dignity Health Central Coast, recognize American Heart Month and the importance of cardiac health, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, and the medical experts at St. John’s urge community members to take action toward better heart health.

Adopting healthy habits such as exercising regularly, maintaining routine cardiac screenings, eating heart-healthy foods, and alleviating stress can have a positive impact on overall health and help prevent heart disease.

“The pandemic has been incredibly stressful for many and has deterred some individuals from keeping up with routine health screenings, including cardiac care,” says Robert Streeter, MD, Chief Medical Officer of St. John’s Regional Medical Center. “We encourage our community to make their health a priority by keeping up with their routine care and seeking medical attention at the onset of any symptoms.”

For cardiac emergencies such as stroke and heart attack, the emergency departments at SJRMC and SJPVH are safe and ready to care for the community. A delay in care can make all the difference in health outcomes.

The comprehensive cardiac program at St. John’s features: emergency heart care, various treatments for heart disease, including non-invasive cardiology services, surgical heart, and vascular interventions, electrophysiology treatments, beating heart surgery, minimally invasive valve repair/replacement, and a dedicated outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program.

To learn more about cardiac services at St. John’s Hospitals, please call St. John’s Cardiovascular Coordinator, Lorraine Herrick, RN, at 805.216.0502.

Island Packer Cruises now running trips to Scorpion Anchorage

Island Packer Cruises, established in 1968 will begin to run regular trips for day visitors and campers to Scorpion Anchorage in Channel Islands National Park.

During construction of the new pier at Scorpion Anchorage, the park boat concessioner, Island Packers, offered alternative destinations for visitors to experience the Park resources. Now that construction is complete, they will again provide service to the main artery of Channel Islands National Park.

Scorpion offers a beautiful backdrop for picnics, hiking or camping as well as a user-friendly beach area with access to one of the Marine Reserves. Snorkel with the diverse sea creatures of the kelp forest or take a kayak tour through the sea caves with Santa Barbara Adventure Company.

Island Packers will also continue to offer daily trips to Prisoners Harbor on Santa Cruz Island, regular service to Anacapa Island, weekend trips to Santa Rosa Island, and special day trips to lesser-known island destinations. There will also be multi-island day trips and inter-island camper shuttles to expose visitors to the great diversity of the Channel Islands.

Along with their regularly scheduled Winter Whale Watches, they plan to also offer extended Wildlife Cruises, most of which will include a brief cruise along the shoreline of one of the iconic islands.

Island Packers continues to operate safely under pandemic protocols, including:

Passenger loads limited to under 50% capacity to better facilitate social distancing
Island Packer employees are health screened before every shift
Eating and drinking permitted outside cabin area
Passengers in office or boats are required to wear face covering.
Office and boat crew wear appropriate PPE when in contact with the public
Office and vessels are sanitized during stops and between runs

Follow us on social media, or check our website frequently for specific details about these and additional opportunities to visit the National Park and National Marine Sanctuary.

How should a new council member be selected for District 4?

With Ventura councilman Erik Nasarenko being appointed as Ventura County’s District Attorney is became necessary for the city council to decide how to select a new council member.

During its City Council meeting on February 1, 2021, the Ventura City Council approved an appointment process to fill the District 4 vacancy. The Council voted to accept applications to fill the vacancy by appointment under Section 705(c) of the Charter.

Breeze reader Lynn Arneill-Brown stated “The city council voted to appoint a council member as opposed to allowing District 4 citizens to vote. It’s an important issue because District 4 specifically said they wanted the vote. The entire citizenry of District 4 are incredibly disenfranchised by what has happened. “

City Manager Alex McIntyre explained “The Charter outlines how to fill a vacant council seat. Council has the authority to fill it by appointment if it decides to do so. Also, the estimated cost of the election is at $89,000 plus additional costs. Total estimate is $100,000.”

The City Council’s options to fill the vacancy are controlled by the following:

If a vacancy occurs on the Council, the date upon which such vacancy occurred shall be

determined as soon as possible by the Mayor in accordance with the provisions of this Charter relating to vacancies. Within 30 days after such determination, or within 60 days

after the vacancy occurred, whichever is first, the Council by majority vote of the remaining members, shall appoint a person to the vacant office to serve until his successor is

elected at the next succeeding municipal election and qualifies. If the Council fails to fill the vacancy by appointment as provided herein, it shall forthwith order a

special election to be held to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term. However, no such special election need be ordered if the vacancy occurs less than eight months before a municipal election.

Four of the six remaining councilmembers chose to move forward with appointing someone to fill the vacancy. Two council members, Jim Friedman and Doug Halter voted against the move, saying they wanted the decision to be made by the District 4 voters.

The council had the option to leave the post vacant until a special election could be held in November. Not appointing someone to fill the seat would mean District 4 would go nearly a year without a representative on the council.

“To me, the residents from District 4 have clearly spoken. They want a voice based on their vote not ours,” Friedman said.

If a special election could be held sooner than November councilmembers said they would have supported that choice. The rules, however, only allowed for special elections in March or November in 2021. Since any election must be called at least 88 days beforehand, no dates in March would be available.

On February 18, the East Ventura Community Council meeting (see events) will consist of a Candidate Forum in which those persons interested in being appointed to the newly vacant District 4 City Council position will have the opportunity to introduce themselves and answer questions.

THE BOOKMARK About Libraries and Friends

by Jill Forman

Upcoming Event – Zoom program on Law and Race, in association the Glendale Public Library – Feb 4 at 6:30-8:00. Information at vencolibrary.org, under Events tab

Reading Challenge – “WinterRead.” Log books read and activities, write reviews, earn badges…who knows, maybe there will be prizes! Sign up at Vencolibrary/beanstack.org.

Change in Hours – Walk-up hours have been cut back at some libraries. Selected library workers are currently functioning as Disaster Workers for the County, reassigned to the Fairgrounds for help with the vaccine administration program. The hours at all branches have been updated on the VCLSA website.

Online Bookstore News – ONLINE BOOKSTORE for Valentine’s Day!

VFOL Online Bookstore has just added a large donation of puzzles and novels to our offerings. If you are searching for a romantic read for Valentine’s Day or to give as a gift, we have you covered. Check out our great gift ideas for unique finds.

Friends of the Library say a huge thank you to Kathy Thomsen. Kathy joined the Friends in 2009, in response to the threatened closure of Wright Library (branch on the campus of Ventura College, closed in December 2009.) Kathy says that, even though Wright was not saved, “It was one of the best experiences of my life…the biggest outpouring of community support I’ve ever seen. Citizens who loved libraries and whose voices hadn’t been heard.” After Wright closed, Ventura had only one larger library, Foster (downtown) and a smaller branch on the Avenue.

Kathy was inspired by her participation and became President of the Friends in 2010. We used to tease her that she was “President for Life,” but she stepped down in 2018 and took on the very difficult job of Treasurer. She is moving to Tucson, but has continued to serve in that position, attending meetings via Zoom and sending out financial reports to the Board using email.

Kathy says, “The best thing for the city is to have as many libraries, and types of libraries, as possible. This can be accomplished with community partnerships between public and private entities; that is the way of the future to make citizens’ lives better in so many ways.”

Mary Olsen, current Friends President, says “Kathy Thomson has been a passionate advocate for libraries.  She never misses an opportunity to remind everyone she encounters about the great value of libraries.  During her term as president, she tirelessly promoted the restoration of library service to the east side of Ventura after the closure of Wright.  Under her leadership, Ventura Friends of the Library played a significant role in bringing the Hill Road Library to our community.

She also presided over bringing the Friends into the digital age, recognizing our need to expand our communications to include a website, Facebook page and e-newsletter.  She has been willing to take on any task, from organizing book sales to serving as President and Treasurer, which is required to sustain a vibrant Friends of the Library organization and access to libraries for residents of our city.”

NCOA calls for equitable vaccine distribution and expanded job training

NCOA supports President Biden’s vaccine goal to administer 100 million doses in the first 100 days.

The National Council on Aging (NCOA), a trusted national leader working to ensure that every person can age well, urges the New Administration and Congress to move quickly to protect older Americans from a resurgent COVID-19 pandemic by building upon the relief bill passed in December, 2020.

“Older Americans—especially women and people of color—have been the hardest hit during this pandemic, and they desperately need health and financial support,” said NCOA President and CEO Ramsey Alwin. “COVID-19 has laid bare our nation’s long-standing inequities based on age, race, gender, and income. It has created an even greater urgency to enact solutions now that enable every American to age with health, security, and dignity.”

NCOA is encouraged by the emerging details of the new Administration’s COVID-19 response plan, as well as the bipartisan action late last year that included funding for COVID-19 vaccine distribution to high-risk and underserved populations, greater food benefits, and extended rental assistance. But much more relief is needed. NCOA is urging action on four fronts.

NCOA supports President Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine goal to administer 100 million doses in the first 100 days of his Administration. The proposed $415 billion is essential to speed vaccination, testing, contact tracing, and purchasing of supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) so desperately needed across the country. The nation needs a coordinated national vaccination plan that is fully funded and implemented with flexibility for municipalities to address local needs. The plan must ensure equitable access to those disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus, using culturally competent messaging for older adults in communities of color and hard-to-reach areas in partnership with community-based organizations that serve older adults.

NCOA supports wider access for older adults to job training and placement programs to enable them to reenter the workforce quickly as the economy reopens. NCOA seeks expanded funding for programs like the Senior Community Service Employment Program and continued unemployment insurance for workers of all ages. Unemployment rates for workers aged 55+ have remained higher than those of mid-career workers throughout the entire pandemic, according to The New School Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis.

NCOA calls for policymakers to protect and strengthen programs that enable older adults to remain independent. This includes increased federal funding to states for Medicaid and home care services and enhancements to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Even before the pandemic, over 25 million Americans aged 60+ were economically insecure, living at or below 250% of the federal poverty level.

NCOA seeks more federal funding for local organizations, such as senior centers and area agencies on aging, that are on the frontlines of the pandemic, ensuring older adults do not go hungry and have the supports they need. This includes health promotion and disease prevention services that can reduce the risk of hospitalization and nursing home placement. While demand for these services has increased, Older Americans Act programs received only modest funding increases this fiscal year, and much more is needed.

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is a trusted national leader working to ensure that every person can age well. Since 1950, their mission has not changed: Improve the lives of millions of older adults, especially those who are struggling. Learn more at ncoa.org and @NCOAging.

Dementia may cause problems with money management years before diagnosis

“Good morning, I can’t remember if I paid my credit card could you tell me?”

People with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias may start having trouble managing their finances several years before their diagnosis, according to new research supported by NIA. Published online in JAMA Internal Medicine, the study is the first large-scale analysis of people’s ability to manage their money before and after a dementia diagnosis.

Common symptoms of dementia, including memory and cognitive limitations, can lead people with dementia to have trouble handling money and paying bills, so repeated financial mistakes can be an early sign of the disease. The new study, led by scientists at Johns Hopkins University, linked Medicare claims data to credit card payments and credit reports to examine dementia-related money problems. The researchers analyzed information from 1999 to 2018 on more than 81,000 Medicare beneficiaries, about a third of whom were diagnosed with dementia within this period. All study participants were at least 65 years old and lived alone. The researchers studied the number of missed credit card payments and credit scores for seven years before and four years after a dementia diagnosis and compared this information against data from people without dementia.

The study found that people who had dementia had more missed credit card payments as early as six years before their diagnosis and were more likely to have lower-than-average credit scores two-and-a-half years before their diagnosis. After diagnosis, people with dementia had even more missed payments and lower credit scores than people without dementia, and this trend continued for at least three-and-a-half years after diagnosis. Results also showed that among people with dementia, those who had lower levels of education had increases in missed payments seven years before diagnosis, while people who had higher education levels had increases in missed payments only two-and-a-half years before diagnosis. This difference confirms previous findings suggesting that people with higher education levels can have less severe dementia symptoms.

The researchers point out some limitations of the study: By using only Medicare claims data, the study might have missed some cases of dementia, and additional information from utility bills, rent payments, or medical collections might have helped to provide a clearer picture of money problems. Also, the findings might not apply to married couples or older adults in assisted living facilities, because those people might have help handling their finances.

The study’s results help show that the period during which an older adult might be at risk of financial mismanagement and scams may be longer than currently understood and point to the need for early diagnostic tools and policies to help protect older adults. The researchers also noted that improved support services and financial guidance could help people with dementia and their caregivers get the resources they need to maintain their financial security and independence.

This research was supported in part by NIA grant R21AG053698.

These activities relate to NIA’s AD+ADRD Research Implementation Milestone 9.M, “Develop diagnostics/biomarkers in asymptomatic individuals,” and 9.N, “Determining the value of screening for clinically relevant cognitive impairment in the absence of a cognitive complaint.”

Reference: Nicholas LH, et al. The financial presentation of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2020. Epub Nov 30. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.6432.

Ventura Land Trust believes in equitable access to open space

Volunteers planted 25 trees.

The Ventura Land Trust celebrated the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. with the MLK National Day of Service. Ventura Land Trust staff and a small group of volunteers spent the morning at Harmon Canyon Preserve planting 25 coast live oak and sycamore trees at the trailhead and around the parking area. These trees will grow on the preserve as symbols of their commitment to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision of equity and equality in society. Ventura Land Trust believes in equitable access to open space, which is why the preserves are open daily to the public, dawn to dusk, for free.

There are ways for everyone to roll up your sleeves to improve the community every day: learn about issues around conservation and environmental justice, plant a native plant garden at home, pick up trash on our beaches, (wear gloves or use a grabber tool!), or support Ventura Land Trust or another organization with membership or a donation.

Current Ventura Unified School District situation due to the Pandemic

“With the global pandemic, this past year has been a real struggle for all of our employees.”

by Carol Leish

Ventura Unified School District’s Superintendent, Dr. Richard Rice, who was appointed in January, 2019, and started working in March, 2019, said, “I love the community of Ventura and am extremely proud to serve its residents.”

“With the global pandemic, this past year has been a real struggle for all of our employees,” according to Dr. Rice. “We have lost more than 500 students, and our progress on many of the compelling programs we had beginning in the pipeline have been slowed down. This said, I am optimistic that things are getting better and I am very hopeful that soon, we will be shifting our focus more and more away from handling the ever-changing COVID-19 situation and the operational impacts COVID-19 has had on our District and return to building the great programs that we have planned.”

As far as how Zoom is working for both students and teachers, Dr. Rice said, “Like any other non-traditional approach, it is working better for some than for others. On the whole, I am extremely pleased with our teachers growth in offering distance learning and I think in the future, this will serve us well. I also think there will be many students who prefer this model of learning. We are planning to expand upon our distance learning options for next year.”

As far as students and teachers being able to adapt to Zoom, Dr. Rice said, “I think that students and teachers both have adjusted well to the technical pieces of working in/with Zoom and other distance learning platforms. That said, there is no substitution for a teacher’s direct in-person presence in the instruction of students. We look forward to returning to more in-person learning as soon as possible. Currently, our plan is to resume to a hybrid in-person instruction at the elementary school level on February 1st. And, at the secondary level, on April 12th”

“Obviously, every school and district are dealing with some degree of learning loss,” according to Dr. Rice. “The challenge is/will be accurately measuring how much, and in what areas. My understanding is that this year’s state standardized testing will be truncated and therefore likely now serve as the best indicator of this. This is troubling since we need to know where the learning loss is occurring in order to address it. Thankfully, our instructional staff is well versed in formative assessment and I am looking forward to hearing more from them over the remainder of the year as to exactly where they see learning loss has been occurring, and working with them to address those needs.”

Dr. Rice said that there is not an easy answer to the questions: ‘Who determines where schools can open?’ “Ultimately, the degree in which a school district can open its schools is up to the local School Board and Superintendent. It is also true that the requirements laid out by the California Department of Public Health, the Ventura County Department of Public Health, and now the Governor, have seriously limited the circumstances under which schools can reopen, including putting strict limits on how they operate once they are open.”

Even though Dr. Rice says, “I applaud the Governor’s intent to incentivize and reward returning to in-person learning models, I have several areas of concern regarding it. Chief among those concerns is the change to the current testing program that he is proposing, and how that will be impacting schools and districts. We have been told that funding may be an average of $425 per student, along with a discounted rate of $35 per test, which both have been mentioned. However, the best information that we have been able to find in Ventura County is that the cost per test will likely be more in the $50 range. If we are required to test teachers and students as proposed (every two weeks), that money, from the grant, will be gone in a matter of a couple of months, and will not address any of the other impacts of COVID-19 that we are experiencing. I am also concerned about local testing and lab result processing capacity. Obviously, when you add many people to the testing pool, the capacity is going to be pushed. Testing is of a limited value if the results are not promptly provided.”

According to Dr. Rice, “The parameters to reopen also include what color tier we’re in, which is based on the case rate per 1,000, and also the positivity rate of testing. We are currently in the deep purple tier with a positivity rate of 15.4%. We need to be below 8%, which we’re not even close to.”

Regarding the COVID-19 Vaccine, Dr Rice said, “Now, since mid-January, some of our staff our eligible for the vaccine. This includes our school nurses, health techs, school psychologists, and the occupational therapists. Educators and staff probably will be eligible very soon. I don’t think their will be a problem for the educators/staff to want to be vaccinated since they are keenly aware of wanting to keep the kids safe. Thus, they will be getting vaccinated on their own without needed our encouragement to do so. Kids will be needing parental permission before they get vaccinated.”

First responders honor health care staff

First responders paraded outside of hospital to show their support of health care staff.

The front entrance at St. John’s Regional Medical Center (SJRMC), a Dignity Health Central Coast hospital, was a sight to see this week as Oxnard’s first responders, firefighters, and police officers caravanned to honor health care staff for their efforts in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

The motorcade driven by first responders – from fire engines to patrol cars – had their sirens blaring and lights flashing as the vehicles paraded around the hospital’s Mercy Cross tower. Physicians, nurses, support staff, and hospital leadership stood outside in appreciation of the recognition shown by fellow first responders.

“Our continued partnership with local first responders is essential, and to be honored by Oxnard’s Police and Fire Departments is incredibly meaningful to each of us,” said Darren

W. Lee, President and CEO of St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital and St. John’s Regional Medical Center. “The show of solidarity serves as an inspiration for our staff, who have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to provide care for our communities.”

This gesture of kindness offers a much-needed boost for the health care heroes of SJRMC.

Ventura County Leadership Academy announces new board member

Ventura County Leadership Academy recently announced the addition of Darren Kettle to its board of directors.  “Our board is comprised of a dedicated team of community leaders committed to strengthening our county. We’re excited to have Darren join the board, bringing his knowledge, passion, and expertise to further our mission.” said Brad “Brick” Conners, Ventura County Leadership Academy’s board president.

Darren is the Executive Director of the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC), a position he started in October 2007.  In his service to VCTC, Darren leads a team of transportation professionals focused on improving transportation planning, making data driven decisions to ensure the smart investment of transportation funds on transportation projects, ranging from freeway and highway projects to bicycle and pedestrian projects and bus and rail projects. Darren has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Master’s in Public Administration from California State University, San Bernardino.

VCLA was founded in 1994 and delivers on its mission of “connecting people and issues to strengthen our county” by developing, educating, and inspiring a diverse group of leaders who aspire to enhance the quality of life in Ventura County.

For more information about Ventura County Leadership Academy please contact Pattie Braga via phone: (805) 797-3985 or email: [email protected]