Initially, Moorhouse had wanted to join the Air Force.

by Carol Leish

Jeff Moorhouse said that he learned how to fly since he had a lot of business across the western states that he needed to get to, along with many different conferences in various areas to go to. And, at first, he had to drive long distances to get to various places. Then, according to him, “I started flying for Angel Flight West, which I’ve been doing for over five years now, because I wanted more of a purpose of flying besides just flying to my own meetings and conferences.”

Initially, Moorhouse had wanted to join the Air Force. As his current career as a certified financial planner progressed over time, he began to take flying lessons on his own. After having flown as a student pilot, he became a private pilot. Now, he’s an instrument rated pilot with over 1,000 miles of flying.

“Everyday Angel Flight West is flying about 20 missions,” according to Moorhouse. “These missions deal with a variety of medical needs, which are mainly dealing with flying patients to their appointments dealing with cancer treatments. This includes flying women to get treatment for breast cancer treatments.” October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. “We had just recently (mid-September), gotten back to flying patients to their medical appointments, because of restrictions due to COVID-19. In April, it had stopped since it was viewed as unsafe for the pilot and the patient to be in an enclosed area.”

“Angel Flight West, has been flying, almost on a daily basis, since March, PPE (personal protective equipment), to rural destinations and to underserved areas,” according to Moorhouse. “Also, we pick up blood, which is important for blood banks. This includes flying it to a processing center in San Bernardino. Processing and delivering blood are important for blood banks and rural communities since it takes time to process the blood. In fact, after the mudslides in Montecito, I flew blood from Oxnard to San Luis Obispo.”

“We love to fly, and we want to help,’ is one of the mottos of Angel Flight West. Their mission is: ‘Sometimes the road to health is a runway. If the care you need is far from home, Angel Flight West can help.” For further information, call (310) 390-2958; email: [email protected]; or, go to www.angelflightwest.org.

By Ivor Davis

I will be glad—no make that—overjoyed—when The Election is over.

I have been buried alive—and I’m not exaggerating– by a daily avalanche of beseeching political emails.

Others may be familiar with this particular nightmare?

Overwhelming is the daily bombardments of emails about leaky guts, toenail fungus, and now  assorted messages calling me “Dear Patriot” (I love tea—but am not too fond of ultra conservative Tea Party) plus a variety of big names who have begun to  assault me during this excessive and overheated political season.

We are in the midst of a huge—-and I mean huge—attack of the emails morning noon and in the middle of the night.  That ceaseless barrage  is relentless:   reprimanding—even scolding me — because I fail to respond to their non stop missives and exhortations during this election season.

While we all worry about coping with the coronavirus in this Twilight Zone of a  world we find ourselves living in,  it appears that many respected figures of the 21st century have found time to rap me on the knuckles.

“I am deeply disappointed in you Ivor” wrote former President Barack Obama. Today he followed up with, “Whatever you’ve done so far…it’s not enough.”

Even Michelle weighed in but with a more softer approach.

And it continues relentlessly. Barbra Streisand,  (who I could seldom get to agree to an interview during my Hollywood reporting days) along with Joni Mitchell, and assorted other member of showbiz crowd,  also took time out of their busy day to reiterate my abysmal failure to respond to their earlier emails. (Honestly, let me confess that even  in this era of CV, I’m not sitting at home twiddling my thumbs or stroking my overgrown beard.  I  have been very busy. Honestly.)

“Can we count on you Ivor,” they echo, as I stay up all night wondering why all of a sudden I have become such an important guy and why they need to count on little old me—tucked away in the comfort of Ventura– when there are 326 million others to badger!

As election day draws perilously closer, they have identified me as a much in demand political oracle.  It appears that pollsters and decision makers cannot go another day unless I weigh in. Flattering, of course, but until recently they never bothered to call or email or text. (Let’s not get into texts, please.) Or even send a birthday card.

Of course, I’m no dummy. After asking me about the Supreme Court nominee, or the fate of  Obamacare, or the best Greek island to go fishing– above all –it seems—(surprise, surprise) they want my money. Not millions like Mr. Bloomberg—but a mere $5—or maybe more.

I realize that I did blunder when I opened those donation gate emails and  contributed to selected political candidates of my choice.  Now everyone wants a slice of the Davis pie!

Full disclosure:   I have always voted Democrat.  But somehow the Republicans—also twigging to the fact  that I may be a man of wit, savoire faire and credit card, and possibly not realizing that I prefer Rachel Maddow to Judge Judy, or is it Judge Jeanine, and that I still think Fauci is a good guy, began targeting me. Indeed I confess, I did open the opposition emails, because my thinking was:  it’s always intriguing to see what the other side’s strategy is.

In an effort to end it all,  I just sent the Republican Party a firm note requesting that they cease and desist sending me their messages, and pointing out that after half a century of living and voting in the United States (after leaving Britain my country of birth) I– like my next door neighbor’s elderly Dalmatian— am not about to change my spots.

And yes, she has analyzed the Beatles’ handwriting.

by James Gray

When Sheila Lowe arrived from England at the end of 1963 she was a fourteen-year-old Beatlemaniac, writing stories about the Fab Four. Her school friends loved to read them, but they were a long way from the Forensic Handwriting suspense series she writes today. And even further from her Beyond the Veil paranormal suspense. But writing fiction is her ‘side hustle.’

More than fifty years ago as a senior at Anaheim High, Sheila got her start in the career that would last a lifetime. Her boyfriend’s mother had read some books about handwriting and personality and, wanting to see what kind of girl her son was dating, analyzed Sheila’s. The resulting insights instantly got her hooked, and as a shy teenager, her budding skills gave her an ‘in’ at parties, where she analyzed the handwriting of her friends and their dates. For the next ten years, she prowled the library and local bookstores for information, took formal courses, and eventually became certified in the field.

After practicing for nearly twenty years, Sheila got a call from an attorney who wanted her to testify in a forgery case that was going to court. When she protested that she didn’t know anything about forgeries, the attorney asked, “Do you know about handwriting?” When she said she certainly did, he talked her into testifying. The rest is now ancient history. Today, Sheila still does personality assessment with companies in the hiring process, as well as working with individuals, but she specializes in authenticating handwriting—forensic handwriting examination—and has testified as an expert witness in dozens of cases.

Upon moving from Valencia to Ventura in 2004, Sheila felt as though she had come home. She wanted to get involved in the community, but only knew two people, so right away, she joined the Ventura Chamber and the Ventura County Professional Women’s Network (VCPWN), where she soon was appointed to the board of directors and made some wonderful friends. Two of the fourteen years she spent as a member of the VCPWN board were as president.

Although it was her work in the field of handwriting that paid the bills, Sheila had always loved reading mysteries and wanted to publish one. When she heard coach Bill Osgood speak at a Chamber meeting about how to attain your BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal), she hired him to help with hers. She had started writing her first book, Poison Pen, back in 1999, but had set it aside, unfinished. Then, in 2000, an unthinkable tragedy struck. Her twenty-seven year-old daughter, Jennifer, became the victim in a murder-suicide, killed by boyfriend, Tom, a federal agent. Ironically, at his request, Sheila had analyzed his handwriting and discovered red flags for potentially dangerous behavior. The three of them discussed the difficulties that might arise in the relationship, but Jennifer was too much in love to listen, and a few months later, they were both dead.

So, taking out the manuscript and finishing the book gave Sheila something else to think about when her mind was filled with sadness. For several years, she tried to get the book published, but it wasn’t until those coaching sessions with Bill Osgood that everything fell into place. Penguin picked up the first four books, and number eight, Dead Letters, will be released later in 2020. They’re all audiobooks, too. Sheila teaches an online course in handwriting analysis and has published six books about handwriting psychology. She has her own software, and when the media calls with a celebrity handwriting, is with an opinion. And yes, she has analyzed the Beatles’ handwriting.