All posts by admin

Enjoy the holidays by celebrating safely

As we near the holiday season, St. John’s Regional Medical Center (SJRMC) and St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital (SJPVH), members of Dignity Health Central Coast, want to remind our community to stay safe and protected. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises individuals to celebrate virtually or with household members to reduce exposure and the spread of coronavirus.

“As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in our communities, we are calling on individuals to follow the guidelines recommended by the CDC and county public health departments,” said Robert Streeter, MD, Chief Medical Officer of St. John’s Regional Medical Center. “While they are simple steps that community members can take, they are life-saving and are proved to minimize exposure to the virus.”

As the holiday season approaches, we must be mindful that the COVID-19 pandemic is still prevalent, and we urge community members to continue to make their health and safety a priority. The more people an individual interacts with when attending a festive gathering, the longer that interaction lasts, the higher the potential risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 and spreading the virus to others.

We are prepared and ready to provide for the health and safety of our patients, and want to remind our community members to take the proper steps to protect themselves and their loved ones. We urge community members to continue to follow the CDC guidelines for hosting gatherings during this holiday season:

  • Require guests to wear masks.
  • Limit the number of attendees to allow people from different households to remain at least 6 feet apart at all times.
  • Host outdoor rather than indoor gatherings, ensure guests are still seated with physical distance.
  • Encourage guests to avoid singing or shouting, especially indoors. Keep music levels low, so people do not have to shout or speak loudly to be heard.
  • Encourage attendees to wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
  • Limit contact with commonly touched surfaces or shared items such as serving utensils.
  • Plan ahead and ask guests to avoid contact with people outside of their households for 14 days before the gathering.
  • Do not let pets interact with people outside the household.

If we all do our part to stay safe, together, we can make an impact on reducing COVID-19 cases in our community.

For the complete list to host or attend a gathering, visit CDC.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html.

Rotary’s Coats for Kids collection happening now

In its 17th year of helping provide clean warm coats to those in need, Ventura Rotary’s “Coats For Kids” project is seeking donations of used coats, jackets and heavy sweatshirts of all sizes. Donations can be made at more than 25 area business and office locations, including Trader Joes and Green Thumb Nursery. For an interactive map, including nearest locations and directions visit VenturaRotary.org.

“It’s a great way to help out those in need, while also cleaning out your closets of coats that you or your children no longer use,” says project director, Kristin Taylor. “Simply drop them in the large, marked box at any collection site. We pick them up and have them expertly cleaned.”

“Not everyone can write a big check to charity, but many can find a coat or two in the back of the closet and then feel good about making a very real and practical difference to someone in their community,” says Kristin Taylor. “We’ve collected, cleaned and distributed over 65,000 coats, jackets or sweatshirts over the past 16 years. With the weather turning cold and the number in need growing, we challenge the community to fill those donation boxes and help us collect 4000-4500 more this year. Due to the pandemic the need for coats is greater than ever before. At the same time, many of our valued collection sites, including 15 schools in Ventura, are not accessible. Your support is greatly appreciated!”

After cleaning, the coats are provided immediately and throughout the year to various local organizations to ensure that everyone truly in need can have access to a warm coat. These organizations include the Ventura Boys & Girls Club, Project Understanding, Casa Pacifica, Rescue Mission, The Salvation Army, The Hope Project and local churches.

“We’ll be collecting right up until the New Year,” says Club president, Saurabh Bajaj, “but the distribution and positive impact on those less fortunate will continue on all year long. It’s a lot of work, but the payoff is in knowing that we’re making a difference in the lives of others throughout Ventura County, one coat at a time.

Ventura Rotary gives thanks to the many merchants and offices that serve as drop off sites. From restaurants and banks, to dentist offices and gyms, these drop off sites assure that making a donation of a coat is easy! “We’re also very happy to have the help of our friends at the Rotary Club of Ventura South who are managing 11 of the drop off sites for the program this year,” says Taylor. “This is truly a project by our community, for our community!”

Vital to the success of the project is the support of its generous business partners, including: Hilford Moving & Storage, Gold Coast Broadcasting and KVTA, FASTSIGNS of Ventura, Olas Express Laundromat, Halter-Encinas Enterprises, Team Dembowski Realty and MJP Technologies.

Community Memorial Hospital completes 100th transcatheter aortic valve replacement surgery

The CMH Cardiac Cath Lab team featured are Drs. Omid Fatemi, Jennifer Wan and Lamar Bushnell.

Physicians at Community Memorial Hospital have completed 100 Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) surgeries at CMH’s Ocean Tower and are pleased to report that the patients have experienced shorter hospital stays than the national average.

Dr. Fatemi, CMHS’s Medical Director of Cardiac Cath & Structural Heart Services, completed the 100th surgery on November 5th alongside Dr. Jennifer Wan, a cardiothoracic surgeon. “On behalf of the entire TAVR team, we are pleased to have reached this milestone,” said Dr. Omid Fatemi.

Physicians at CMH have performed more TAVR surgeries than those at any other hospital in Western Ventura County.

“Our patients have done exceptionally well,” Dr. Fatemi added. “In comparison to national averages, our patients have had shorter length of stays and less Intensive Care Unit time, usually staying only one night in the hospital. Also, in comparison to the national average, we have only needed a pacemaker in one percent of our cases, where the national average is 5-20 percent.”

When the Ocean Tower opened at CMH in late 2018, the new cardiac catheterization lab added TAVR surgery to the growing list of minimally invasive heart procedures CMH was able to offer patients. The Ocean Tower cath lab has five procedure rooms and features start-of-the art imaging equipment with superior imaging quality and new, superior diagnostic and ultrasound equipment.

TAVR is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that repairs a narrowed heart valve without removing the old, damaged valve. Instead, an artificial valve is placed in the aortic valve through the femoral artery (the large artery in the groin) using a long catheter, with no large surgical incision in the chest. Once the new valve is expanded, the tissue in the replacement valve regulates blood flow from the heart to the body.

Previously, heart valve replacement surgeries required riskier open-heart surgery in which the sternum is surgically separated. TAVR is an FDA-approved procedure for people with aortic valve stenosis who are considered an intermediate or high-risk for open-heart valve replacement surgery. “The TAVR procedure has become more common and has reduced the need for open-heart surgeries in some instances, hastening patient recovery,” Dr. Fatemi said.

Chanukah

Every year Jewish people around the world celebrate the holiday of Chanukah, the Festival of Lights. Chanukah begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, but the starting date on the western calendar varies from year to year. This year it started on sundown on Dec.10 and ends on Dec.18.

In the land of Judea there was a mean (boo) Syrian king, Antiochus. The king ordered the Jewish people to reject their God, their religion, their customs and their beliefs and to worship the Greek gods. There were some who did as they were told, but many refused. One who refused was Judah Maccabee(hooray).

Judah and his four brothers formed an army and after 3 years of fighting, the Maccabees were finally successful in driving the Syrians out of Israel and reclaimed the Temple in Jerusalem.

When Judah and his followers finished cleaning the temple, they wished to light the eternal light, known as the N’er Tamid, which is present in every Jewish house of worship. Only a tiny jug of oil was found with only enough for a single day. The oil lamp was filled and lit. Then a miracle occurred as the tiny amount of oil stayed lit not for one day, but for 8 days.

Jews celebrate Chanukah to mark the victory over the Syrians and the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple. The Festival of the Lights, Chanukah, lasts for eight days to commemorate this miracle of the oil. The menorah candles are lit to celebrate the 8 days that the oil stayed lit.

The spellings of Chanukah has caused some confusion. Part of the reason for this confusion may be due to the fact there is no exact English translation of the Hebrew word for Chanukah. So to help clear up some of the confusion here are just a few of the different spellings one might encounter. They all celebrate the holiday.

Chanukah, Chanukkah, Hanuka, Hanukah , Hannukah ,Hanukkah. In the United States it is most common to use the spelling Chanukah.

CAPS serving Ventura

Alex Uvari records an instructional video in the classroom with students.

The CAPS crew are lending media support to the Ventura Unified School District as they prepare to reopen various schools following the county and state guidelines. Along with Ventura Unified’s Superintendent Dr. Rice, Marieanne Quiroz, students and faculty, we are producing a series of videos to walk parent’s through what to expect and how to help keep their children safe. These videos include instruction on what to bring to school, how to ride the bus and follow sanitizing protocols.

With some VUSD students returning to the classroom, CAPS is hosting the remarkably talented ECTV students in the award-winning El Camino High School communications program. The ECTV crew has returned to the CAPS Media Center once a week, with all appropriate COVID protocols in place, to continue their media education studies and production of a variety of programs of interest to everyone. Episodes of three series, ECTV, Creative Community and Puntos de Interes they produce are already on the air. Guests include Arcelia Martinez sharing her Esperanza project that focuses on mental health issues and Latinas, Raquel Baker from Cal State Channel Islands, Carmen Ramirez who shares her experience of the Chicano Moratorium. They all air on Ch. 15, stream on the CAPS Media website and are broadcast on KPPQ.
CAPS crews continue to record the County’s COVID-19 updates, edit and distribute the valuable information in English and Spanish. The updates are available to view on the County website at ventura.org and on capsmedia.org. CAPS crews are also producing a set of videos for the Ventura County Medical Center and the Ventura County Fire Department and the Elections Division.
For the City of Ventura, CAPS is supporting community outreach with the Environmental Sustainability, City Master Plan outreach and Parks and Recreation and the Ventura Police Departments with several video series. We are currently in production on a second set of docent directed tours of the Olivas Adobe. This 2nd series captures the essence of the annual Candlelight Tour of the historic setting just in time for the holiday season. Due to COVID restrictions the popular tours are not open to the public. The first season of Heart of Ventura County introduces Don Raymundo and Dona Teodora Olivas who built the first adobe on Rancho San Miguel in the 1840’s. Subsequent episodes follow the many families who called the Adobe their home. All can be viewed on channel 15, on the CAPS website and on the City of Ventura’s Parks and Recreation webpage.
KPPQ, CAPS’ radio station is on the air 24 hours a day. Local music, musicians and up-to-the-minute music news are featured on Pam Baumgardner’s Music Hour. You can listen to deep cuts of rock and roll featured on nationally known Pure Rock Show with Mark Levitt. Double K shares his love of oldies music every week making some of us feel very old. Producers Kathleen Good, Nadine Piche and Mary LaBrie continue their shows featuring important and influential guests from Ventura County and beyond. The schedule can be found on the radio page of the CAPS Media website. Check out the new podcast page to listen to past shows on demand.
Due to the COVID-19 emergency the CAPS Media Center is closed to Members and the public until further notice. CAPS Member/Producers can submit programming via the online portal at capsmedia.org for broadcast and streaming on CAPS public access television Channel 6 and on CAPS Radio KPPQ 104.1FM.
All of us at CAPS Media hope everyone is Staying Safe and Healthy during this challenging time.

Celebrating women composers in choral music

by Molly Kohler Pei, Channel Islands Choral Association

Channel Islands Choral Association (CICA) presents a Virtual Choral experience, streaming On Demand from December 11th – 20th. Into the Light: Celebrating Women Composers in Choral Music features the CSU Channel Islands University Chorus and the Pleasant Valley School District Chorus. CICA Artistic Director Dr. KuanFen Liu and President Dean Butler are hosts.

Dr. Liu chose the theme to bring awareness to underrepresentation of women composers past and present in concert programming. The program showcases the works of contemporary women composers Betty Nicholson, Dale Trumbore, Dr. Andrea Ramsey, Sarah Quartel and Elizabeth Alexander. Interviews with Dale Trumbore and Dr. Ramsey highlight the challenges each have faced in the competitive field of choral music.

Virtual Choirs, once a novelty, are now mainstream. For the first time since its inception in 2004, CICA has combined the winter concerts of its two sponsored choruses into a Virtual Choir event. COVID-19 has forced the closure of concert venues and challenged music organizations to seek new ways to engage with their audiences. Scholastic Choral Arts programs are compromised by the inability to meet and rehearse in person.

As the sponsor of the CSU Channel Islands University Chorus and the PVSD Chorus, CICA was determined to find a way for these important programs to thrive despite the difficulties of online instruction and rehearsal. Using funds from donors and a grant from CSUCI Instructionally Related Activities, CICA created the Dr. Archie Shum Virtual Choir Room. This innovative virtual space allows members of both choruses to enjoy a new experience of socially distanced singing and rehearsal.

Rehearsing a full program of music for the Virtual Choirs was challenging but ultimately a success. “We navigated the new virtual landscape with technological challenges,” Dr. Liu said, “such as varying internet bandwidths that caused lapses in synchronicity.” Weekly Zoom rehearsals with the Music Directors and Choral Assistants offered guidance and support. CICA provided extensive materials for singers to practice at home and prepare for their contribution to the Virtual Choir. A community circle at the end of each rehearsal offered an opportunity for singers to share their insights, struggles and stories of living with the new realities created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Virtual Choir performances are mastered by Arts Laureate, an elite recording team that sets up virtual performances for groups such as the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and NPR’s JazzSet at the Kennedy Center.

The Museum of Ventura County provides its beautiful venue, the Smith Pavilion, showcasing artwork of Ojai Studio Artists for the additional video segments. The theme of the exhibit, Mending the Divide, accentuates CICA’s mission to encourage the inclusion of women composers in concert programming.

Tickets are $15. Proceeds benefit the Virtual Choir programs sponsored by CICA. Information for the On Demand event and ticket purchase is available at cicachoir.org.

Why is physical activity important?

Exercise and physical activity are good for just about everyone, including older adults. No matter your health and physical abilities, you can gain a lot by staying active. In fact, studies show that “taking it easy” is risky. Often, inactivity is more to blame than age when older people lose the ability to do things on their own. Lack of physical activity also can lead to more visits to the doctor, more hospitalizations, and more use of medicines for a variety of illnesses.

Including all 4 types of exercise can benefit a wide range of areas of your life. Staying active can help you:

Keep and improve your strength so you can stay independent
Have more energy to do the things you want to do and reduce fatigue
Improve your balance and lower risk of falls and injuries from falls
Manage and prevent some diseases like arthritis, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and 8 types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer
Sleep better at home
Reduce levels of stress and anxiety
Reach or maintain a healthy weight and reduce risk of excessive weight gain
Control your blood pressure
Possibly improve or maintain some aspects of cognitive function, such as your ability to shift quickly between tasks or plan an activity
Perk up your mood and reduce feelings of depression
Quick Tip
Being active can help prevent future falls and fractures. For tips to help prevent falls at home, read Fall-Proofing Your Home.

The YMCA offers evidence-based group exercise programs for older adults to improve fitness and balance for falls prevention.

Research has shown that exercise is not only good for your physical health, it also supports emotional and mental health. You can exercise with a friend and get the added benefit of emotional support. So, next time you’re feeling down, anxious, or stressed, try to get up and start moving!

Physical activity can help:

Reduce feelings of depression and stress, while improving your mood and overall emotional well-being
Increase your energy level
Improve sleep
Empower you to feel more in control
In addition, exercise and physical activity may possibly improve or maintain some aspects of cognitive function, such as your ability to shift quickly between tasks, plan an activity, and ignore irrelevant information.

Here are some exercise ideas to help you lift your mood:

Walking, bicycling, or dancing. Endurance activities increase your breathing, get your heart pumping, and boost chemicals in your body that may improve mood.
Yoga. This mind and body practice typically combines physical postures, breathing exercises, and relaxation.
Tai Chi. This “moving meditation” involves shifting the body slowly, gently, and precisely, while breathing deeply.
Activities you enjoy. Whether it’s gardening, playing tennis, kicking around a soccer ball with your grandchildren, or something else, choose an activity you want to do, not one you have to do.

The City of Ventura Fire Department joins the Keep the Spark of Love alive for local children

The Ventura City Fire Department is proud to join fire departments of Ventura County, ABC7, and Toys for Tots for the 28th Annual Spark of Love Toy Drive to Ventura County.

Now through December 24, 2020, Ventura community members can bring new, unwrapped toys, books, sports equipment, or gift cards to participating drop-off locations to be donated to local children and teens. Donations can also be dropped off at Ventura City Fire Headquarters, located at 1425 Dowell Drive. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, donations will not be accepted at any of the city’s six fire stations.

“The holiday season is a time of giving, and in Ventura, a city full of compassion, generosity, and empathy, our true goal is not to collect the most toys, but to spread the most joy among children in Ventura County,” said Ventura Fire Chief David Endaya.

How you can help:

Donate a Toy: Visit vcfd.org/sparkoflovedropoff to find a donation location. Visit the drive through donation collection events at The Collection of Riverpark any Wednesday in November.

Donate Online: The public can donate via credit card to the Ventura County Professional Firefighters Association Charity Fund. Click the ‘Donate Now’ button. All proceeds will go to buying toys or sports equipment for the children and are tax deductible. TIN # 47-2253294

Take the Family to Dinner: The Fire Departments of Ventura County have partnered with for a fundraiser supporting Spark of Love. Peirano’s Market & Delicatessen is hosting a spaghetti dinner fundraiser on Sunday, November 22, from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. Ten% of all dinner sales will benefit the Spark of Love holiday toy drive. Reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling 805-628-9028, or by emailing [email protected].

Local Business Support: Local businesses can request a Spark of Love collection box for their storefront or holiday event. To host a drive or request a collection box, contact Crystal Stratton with the Ventura County Fire Department at [email protected].

Together, we can keep the Spark of Love alive for children in Ventura County this holiday season. To learn more about Spark of Love, visit www.vcfd.org/sparkoflove/

Starting in 2016, the Southern California Spark of Love toy drive partnered with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program. This nationwide program has been collecting and distributing toys since 1947. For nearly three decades, Spark of Love has successfully collected more than ten million toys for underserved children and teens in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Ventura and Riverside counties. Toys collected in the respective counties are distributed locally.

Ventura College Foundation’s weekend marketplace temporarily moves to new location

The Weekend Marketplace has hosted vendors and patrons for more than three decades.

Ventura College Foundation’s Weekend Marketplace will temporarily move to a new location on the Ventura College campus while solar panels are installed at its current site (East Parking Lot). The Marketplace will open at the campus’ West Parking Lot on November 28. The Marketplace will be closed November 21 and 22 in preparation for the move. The solar panel installation is expected to take 12 weeks to complete. 

Because of the COVID pandemic, the Weekend Marketplace has faced challenges in 2020 that have impacted Ventura College Foundation operations. The proceeds from Marketplace space rentals support much of the foundation’s operating costs and a portion of foundation’s core programs including scholarships and textbook lending. The Marketplace was closed in March because of COVID restrictions. It was allowed to reopen in May but on a smaller scale. 

“With the COVID closing and limited reopening, the Marketplace net revenue has been reduced by more than 60%. Since we are a nonprofit, these are critical operating funds for the Ventura College Foundation. A successful relocation is essential to preserve our current capacity to support students,” says Anne Paul King, the foundation’s executive director. “Closing for an extended period of time was never a viable option for us or those vendors and staff who have kept the Marketplace alive through the pandemic. We are all in this together.” 

The Weekend Marketplace has hosted vendors and patrons for more than three decades, providing a shopping opportunity for the community to purchase fresh produces and goods. “We are grateful for the wonderful support of the Ventura College leadership, campus police, athletic department, IT department, and the facilities, maintenance and operations team to enable us to move to our temporary location and still serve the community,” says King.  “Though the West Lot location is smaller, all of our current vendors are working with us to implement a safe operations plan that includes smaller booth spaces and use of the adjacent V Lot and Sportsplex patio on West Campus Way.” 

To offset the additional costs incurred during the temporary relocation and to make up for the reduced Marketplace rental income, the Ventura College Foundation is relaunching its “Stronger Foundation, Stronger Future” fundraising campaign and participating in #GivingTuesday 2020 on December 1. 

Once the solar panel installation is completed, the Marketplace will return to its original, larger location.COVID-19 Marketplace hours are 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. COVID safety and spacing protocol remains in place for both vendors and patrons. All visitors must wear face coverings and practice proper social distancing.

Admission and parking are free. For vendor information, contact Esmeralda Juarez, marketplace supervisor at 805-289-6062 or email, [email protected]. For general Marketplace information, go to www.venturacollegefoundation.org/weekend-marketplace.

 

###