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First Ventura County Women’s Day Festival

Civil rights activist Lupe Anguiano and high school senior Hannah Yale will dialog. Photo by Marie The Photographer

The first Ventura County Women’s Day Festival will be held on International Women’s Day (IWD), March 8 at the Museum of Ventura County from 1-4 pm. The free event is being organized by The Acorn Project and will feature hands-on community art, live music, dance, a film screening of the documentary Legalize Equality, census information, voter registration, pop up Pilates, food trucks and drinks to purchase. Information at Ventura County Women’s Day Festival.

The highlight feature will be a moderated intergenerational dialog between 90-year-old veteran civil rights activist Lupe Anguiano and 17-year-old high school senior activist and emerging leader Hannah Yale. Power sessions on topics including ‘How to Run for Office,’ ‘Speaking Up for Change,’ ‘Breaking Barriers,’ and ‘Self Care’ will also be offered.

“The goal of the event is to celebrate women’s social, political and economic contributions to our county and beyond while also encouraging deeper civic and political engagement so that women’s voices, votes, and contributions increasingly shape the future we envision,” said Junemarie Justus, Founder of the Acorn Project. “Nationally and locally we have seen record numbers of women running for office and a groundswell of young activists emerging. We hope this festival will support and inspire more women to participate in the political process.”

International Women’s Day, established in 1911, is a global day of celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. This year coincides with the centennial of the passage of the 19th amendment. The day marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality.

The Acorn Project is spearheading this local VC event in managing partnership with Alyson Warner and fiscally sponsored by 501(c)(3) non-profit, Arts Ventura. Major sponsors include the Museum of Ventura County, American Association of University Women (AAUW), Body Smart Medical Massage Solutions , CAPS Media, Downtown Ventura Partners (DVP), Girl Scouts California Central Coast (GSCCC), Renee Gomez, League of Women Voters of Ventura County (LWVVC), Ojai Chapter for the National Organization of Women (NOW), Ventura County Alumnae Chapter (VCAC) of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Ventura County Women’s Political Council (VCWPC), Ventura Rental, and Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV).

Founded in 2018, The Acorn Project seeks to breakdown silos, foster creative collaboration, and strategic partnerships to promote positive social change. Their current initiative, “The Reel Advocacy Series,” supports community documentary film screenings to inform, engage, and inspire political and social action. www.theacornproject.com

New Church of Scientology opens in Ventura 

The dedication crests an ambitious period of growth through the past decade.

Riding a never-ending swell of expansion for the religion, the Church of Scientology cut the ribbon on a new Ideal Organization (Org), Saturday, February 22, along this slice of surfing paradise. The first Ideal Org devoted to Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties opened before an exuberant audience of some 4,000 Scientologists, guests and federal, state and local dignitaries.

For the 100,000 daily commuters motoring on the 101, the glass-encased, new Church gleams as an unmistakable beacon of freedom just minutes from Downtown Ventura and Surfers Point, and but 500 yards from the San Buenaventura State Beach. At 66,000 square feet, the expansive and striking structure provides the capacity to immediately multiply many fold the Church’s outreach and services to the hundreds of thousands who call this stretch of coastline home.

Leading the grand celebration was Mr. David Miscavige, the ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion. In recognition of Ventura and Santa Barbara’s longstanding partnership with Church-sponsored social betterment and humanitarian programs, a series of luminaries from Port Hueneme to Montecito converged to lend a passionate welcome at the new Ideal Org’s inauguration.

Joining the Scientology parishioners and Church officials were Councilman Steven Gama, from the City of Port Hueneme, Ventura County; Sharon Byrne, Advisor to the 4th District of Santa Barbara County; John Chavez, Voluntary Agency Liaison, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); and Barbara Gaughen-Muller, President of the Tri-County United Nations Association.

In highlighting the Church’s work toward environmental responsibility, Councilman Gama described L. Ron Hubbard’s nonreligious moral guide, The Way to Happiness, as having “the power to get people into action.” He went on to state: “Your Way to Happiness volunteers have already been out with us all along Ormond Beach at our cleanups. From early morning until we’re done for the day, you are there taking care of our precious environment and helping it to thrive.… So not only will this new Church help preserve all that is good about our incredible home, it will be a beacon inspiring an even better environment, better neighbors and a better community for us all.”

The striking new facility provides the region with an introduction to Dianetics and Scientology, beginning with the Public Information Center. Its displays, containing more than 500 films, present the beliefs and practices of the Scientology religion and the life and legacy of Founder L. Ron Hubbard.

The Information Center also offers a detailed overview of the many Church-sponsored humanitarian programs—including a worldwide human rights education initiative, far-reaching drug education, prevention and rehabilitation programs; a global network of literacy and learning centers; and the Scientology Volunteer Minister program, which has become one of the world’s largest independent relief forces. The Center is open morning to night for visitors to tour at their leisure and return as often as they wish.

This past decade has seen the opening of new Ideal Orgs across the US, including New York City, Harlem, Buffalo, Washington, DC, Atlanta, Tampa, Orlando, Miami, Nashville, Cincinnati, Columbus, Detroit, Twin Cities, Kansas City, Dallas, Denver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Portland and Seattle. The opening of Ventura’s new Ideal Org marks the 12th to open in the state of California—Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Gatos, San Jose, Silicon Valley, San Fernando Valley, Pasadena, Inglewood, Orange County and San Diego.

To disseminate Scientology’s message still further and answer the interest about the religion, the Church launched its own satellite TV channel, Scientology Network, on DIRECTV Channel 320, which also live streams at scientology.tv, as well as on multiple platforms in 17 languages across 24 time zones.

Festival of Talent celebrates Ventura talent

This live musical performance celebrates the arts.

The public is invited to join the Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) and the Kiwanis Club as they move “Full Steam Ahead” with this year’s Festival of Talent event. This live musical performance celebrates the arts and benefits, VUSD students. The event will take place in the auditorium at Ventura High School, located at 2 N. Catalina Dr., in Ventura on Saturday, March 14, 2020, at 7 pm. 

“Festival of Talent supports the character of a well-rounded student, raising funds to increase the arts and to introduce students to community service through meaningful volunteer and leadership opportunities. Equally important, this fantastic show itself enhances these qualities by introducing the performers to professional directors, musicians, stage crew, sound managers, technical directors, and an audience of over 1,000. It is truly exciting,” stated Bart Bleuel, Festival of Talent Chairperson. 

The show, professionally directed by Beverly and Kirby Ward and with musical director, Miriam Arichea, will feature a wide range of dynamic performances; including a big production opening, singing, dancing, and specialty acts, including a nail-biting aerial trapeze performance last year. This signature event shines light on the talent of more than 150 performers, including students, staff, and teachers from Ventura. It attracts hundreds of Venturans looking for a professional level, live performance that has been touted as one of the best shows of the year. Behind the scenes are 50 volunteers, professional directors, sound and lighting experts, stage crew, and more. General admission tickets are available at https://festivaloftalent.org/  for $10 or $25 for reserved seating. General admission tickets can also be purchased at the door for $15. 

“The talent on stage is always incredible, and the production flawless. This event highlights the amazing work our students and staff do in our schools to elevate the arts daily. The arts are not just an elective at Ventura Unified, we are dedicated to ensuring our students have a well-rounded education where every student can find their passion as they move towards their future goals,” stated Dr. Roger Rice, VUSD Superintendent.

 

The parade theme is “Music Makes the World Go Round.”

2020 County Ventura St. Patrick’s Day Parade set for March 14

Parade entries are now being accepted for the Ventura Elks Club’s 32nd annual County Ventura St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which will commence at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 14, along Main Street in downtown Ventura.

Among the county’s most popular annual community events, the parade draws thousands of folks young and old, who line the route along Main Street, starting near Mission San Buenaventura.

Entry to join in the parade is easy: Prospective entrants can simply go to the parade website and follow the basic all-online steps to submit their forms and pay via PayPal. Entry deadline is Thursday, March 5; only the first 100 entries will be accepted.

Leading the parade as its grand marshal will be Nan Drake, longtime co-chair of the parade committee (along with Jim Monahan and Brian Brennan). Drake is the governmental affairs and public relations director for E.J. Harrison and Sons, a 32-year sponsor of the parade. She’s proud of her work, she said, “because every day at Harrison, we improve the environment by recycling with the help of all of the residents and businesses in their service areas.”

Drake is a former Ventura City Council member and a former chair of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board. Equally avid about the environment and the economy, she is currently the board chair of the Economic Development Collaborative, where she works with the board to develop economic strategies to improve the economic climate in the region. She also has served as chair and on the boards of many local chambers of commerce. She has earned countless awards and accolades over the years and for the past 12 years has been named among the Top 50 Women in Business in the Tri-Counties; this annual honor is presented by the Pacific Coast Business Times, which is celebrating its 25th year serving the regional business community.

For more information on the parade and to enter, visit venturastpatricksdayparade.com.

CMH Grows Robotic Surgery Program with more trained surgeons, top-of-the-line robots

An increasing list of surgeons trained to use da Vinci robots.

Community Memorial Hospital continues to grow and enhance its robotic surgery program with two da Vinci XI robots – the most advanced medical robot in use today – and an increasing list of surgeons trained to use da Vinci robots on more patients than ever before.

Combined with the state-of-the-art technology in our surgical suites in the new Ocean Tower, CMH continues to be a forward-thinking leader in state-of-the-art medical care, including robotic surgery. CMH was the first community-based hospital between Los Angeles and San Francisco to acquire the da Vinci Surgical System and now has the most surgeons on staff trained to use the da Vinci robot – 21 total – of any hospital located between Pasadena and Monterey.

CMH surgeons perform a wide range of procedures using the da Vinci robots, including OB/GYN surgeries, general surgery, chest and lung surgery, and urologic procedures. “Our program has been in existence since 2005. With 21 da Vinci trained surgeons, we have one of the most robust programs at any community hospital in California,” said Dr. Marc Beaghler, Medical Director of Robotics at Community Memorial Hospital. “We’ve done over 3,000 surgeries since the program started and completed 512 surgeries in 2019. With two top-of-the-line da Vinci XI robots, we expect this exponential growth to continue,” Dr. Beaghler said.

Robot-assisted surgery was pioneered about 20 years ago in an effort to make surgery less invasive and less traumatic. “More and more surgeons are adopting this technology because it yields better patient outcomes,” Dr. Beaghler continued.

CMH’s da Vinci robotic surgery program is also helping to train the next generation of robotic surgeons in CMH’s Graduate Medical Education Program. CMH uses a special da Vinci training console to train resident physicians in the General Surgery residency program, giving them the exposure and experience required to pursue robotic surgery as a specialty. CMH is one of only two hospitals between Pasadena and Monterey with the da Vinci teaching console and a graduate medical education program.

Community Memorial Health System is a not-for-profit health system, which is comprised of Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, the Centers for Family Health, and various outpatient centers serving communities located within Ventura County, California.

Buenaventura Art Association presents “Connecting,” paintings by Aliza J. Bejarano

A Moment of Mentor, oil, Aliza Bejarano

Buenaventura Art Association will present “Connecting,” an exhibition of paintings by Aliza J. Bejarano, March 5-29 at its gallery in Studio 30 at Bell Arts Factory on Ventura Avenue.

The solo show will feature some small oil-on-canvas works by Bejarano, who joined Ventura’s creative community after earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drawing and painting from California State University, Long Beach, in 2018.

Also at the gallery during those March dates will be a members’ choice show, in which BAA artists will showcase their styles and subject matters. A reception for both shows will take place 6-9 p.m. March 6 during Ventura’s monthly First Fridays gallery open house.

In addition, Bejarano teaches a weekly class on Figure Drawing at Bell Arts Factory that meets 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays. She produces her own art in Studio 79.

Examples of both her artwork and artistic process can be found online at alizabejarano.com and @aliza_b_ on Instagram.

Buenaventura Gallery at Bell Arts Factory, 432 N. Ventura Ave., Ventura, is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays. For more about the 66-year-old nonprofit cooperative and its programs, visit www.buenaventuraartassociation.org or call 805-648-1235 during gallery hours.

Five Ventura Police Officers set to participate in the 2020 Police Unity Tour

Police Unity Tour riders Retired Captain Paul Kofman, Officer Tyler Bevan, Officer Rebecca Kofman, Corporal Casey Sutherland, and Officer Greg Knupp to participate.

On May 10, 2020, Ventura Police Corporal Sutherland and Officers Bevan, Knupp, Kofman, and Reginato will join more than 2,500 law enforcement officers from throughout the country for the 24th Annual Police Unity Tour Memorial Ride. All participants will bicycle along varying routes, each nearly 300 miles, to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C. This year, the Police Unity Tour- Southern California Chapter will have over 400 police officers representing California Highway patrol, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and police departments from Alhambra, Beverly Hills, Burbank, Los Angeles, Palos Verdes Estates, Pasadena, and Ventura.

On May 13, 2020, the team will join over 50,000 people at the National Law Enforcement Memorial Candlelight Vigil. During the ceremony, the names of every officer who died in the line of duty in 2019 will be read and his/her name officially added to the Memorial, which already contains the names of over 21,000 fallen heroes.

The primary purpose of the Police Unity Tour is to raise awareness about the police officers who have died in the line of duty. The Police Unity Tour’s motto is, “We Ride For Those Who Died.” The funds raised for this event will go towards the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Since its’ inception in 1997, the Police Unity Tour has raised over $25 million to support the Memorial. It is because of the incredible level of support from various communities that officers are able to participate in the 2020 Police Unity Tour and ensure that the heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice are not forgotten.

Corporal Casey Sutherland has been leading VPD’s team for the past six years. “I ride because many years ago, an L.A. County Deputy and high school friend of mine was killed in the line of duty. I have carried his memory with me my entire career,” said Corporal Sutherland. “I learned about the Tour from a co-worker who had ridden previously and once I rode in my first tour, I was hooked. It’s an amazing way to honor those officers and their surviving family members and I’m proud to be a small part of it.”

For more information about the Police Unity Tour Southern California Chapter, please visit www.socalput.com. All donations to the Police Unity Tour are tax deductible (Tax ID#22-353-541).

Ventura County Grand Jury announces open house

Ventura County residents have an opportunity to meet the 2019-2020 Ventura County Grand Jurors and tour the Grand Jury Chambers on March 12, 2020. The public may meet the Grand Jurors between 1 PM and 3 PM, review Grand Jury reports and ask questions about Grand Jury service. The Grand Jury offices are located at 646 County Square Drive, 3rd Floor, Ventura.

The Grand Jury is a civil investigative panel of 19 volunteers. This oversight group investigates issues and citizen complaints and makes recommendations in a published final report to improve the operations of local government.

The Grand Jury may examine all aspects of Ventura County government and the 10 city governments in the county, as well as special districts.

Applications to serve on the Grand Jury will be available. Officials from Ventura County government and Ventura County Superior Court will also be in attendance. Light refreshments will be served.

To become a Grand Juror, you must be 18 years or older, a U.S. citizen and a Ventura County resident for at least a year. A complete list of requirements and the application form can be found at: https://www.ventura.org/grand-jury/become-a-grand-juror.

Applications may also be requested by calling Jury Services at (805) 289-8661. Applications will be accepted until April 17, 2020.

Celebrate innovative educators at LAUNCH

After a highly anticipated and successful inaugural LAUNCH last year, Ventura Education Partnership (VEP) is excited to announce details for the second annual LAUNCH and Aera Energy as the returning Trail Blazing Sponsor. Taking place on March 12, 2020 at 5:30 pm, Rubicon Theatre in Ventura, community members can attend this inspiring evening by sponsoring the event at VenturaEducationPartnership.org.

Curated by Ventura Education Partnership, LAUNCH celebrates VUSD educators who share their passions in novel ways and create new learning opportunities for students. During this unique gathering of business, community and school leaders, Three featured Educators will present their ground breaking ideas that inspire classroom innovation. Driven to help students express themselves and their ideas, Cameron Crouch, Foothill High School, teaches art creation through a wide variety of mediums and media. Petra McCullough of ATLAS Elementary teaches with the hope that her love of learning is contagious. She has created an environment for students to enter where they can leave the stresses and worries of life at the door. Committed to providing opportunities that focus on equity, Kristie Steinlicht, teacher, Anacapa Middle School helped create the award-winning Anacapa STE(A)M program to serve Anacapa’s socio-economically, culturally, and linguistically diverse populations.

In addition to being an inspiring evening and connecting with leaders who care about public education, LAUNCH raises funds for VEPGrants. VEPGrants give VUSD teachers the opportunity to apply for $1,000 grants for a project that will engage students more deeply in their learning, something hands on and innovative.

Aera Energy’s presenting sponsorship will support 10 classroom grants in the Fall. “Aera is committed to building stronger communities by focusing on education and creating opportunities for innovative learning,” says Michele Newell, Aera public affairs. “Our work producing the fuel that California needs everyday requires that same innovation and creative thinking to do it safely and responsibly. We believe teachers and schools can do so much more if we come together as a community to support them in ways that helps get students excited about learning at an early age.”

2019 Featured Educator, Alex Wulff says, “We all need a time to revel in the power of grassroots community support and its impact on our youth. Attending LAUNCH is like a tune-up for the soul. Seeing what community efforts can do to impact innovation in the classroom is positively therapeutic.”

Additional LAUNCH sponsors include Mountains2Beach Marathon, Fastsigns of Ventura, Adela Trainor of Berkshire Hathaway and Mathnasium Ventura. For tickets visit the website  www.venturaeducationpartnership.org or contact Madhu Bajaj (805) 754-9861.

Less money despite social security increase

Remember “Any Bonds Today?”, the 1941 song presented in a Bugs Bunny cartoon?

Senior News Line
by Matilda Charles

I’ll be worse off financially this year, despite the Social Security increase we just received. I won’t be the only one.

For the average recipient who receives $1,460 per month, that 1.6% equates to a gain of $23.36 per month. Medicare went up $9.10 to $144.60, so that drops the extra cash to $14.26.

Except my Medicare supplement went up $42 and the drug plan went up as well. Rent went up $20 per month, justified by management with the “big increase” in Social Security we all got.

With so many of us in the same situation, we need to think of ways to save money:

If you take a daily newspaper and pay for it by the month, calculate whether you’ll save money if you pay for it by the year. If you have a tablet, ask if they offer a digital subscription at a lower rate. Making yearly payments might also work for your car or homeowner insurance.

Call the local food bank about getting free food. Don’t worry about running into someone you know. Just make the call. Whatever you get from them you won’t have to buy at the store.

Check into “senior helper” groups in your area. These are people who volunteer to take care of home repairs for free, instead of paying a plumber $150 per hour.

If you have a credit card, make payments on time. Check AARP’s member discounts. Buy at Goodwill.

Ask for lower prices. Buy generic groceries. Get serious about clipping coupons. Ask about senior discount day.

Have you ever tried to remember all the words to a song from your childhood or teenage years, or something you heard your parents sing? If you can remember one or two lines of a verse or the title, you can find the whole song on the Internet.

Here’s an example. I put one line of a song in Google, and there it was! Not only did all the lyrics pop up but there were links to videos of groups singing the song. There were links, too, to more information. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the song was written in 1911.

World War II was full of good music, and chances are you remember at least parts of some of the songs. Search online for World War II songs or any other era you’re interested in. Wikipedia even has categories such as “Songs of 1950s.” Or search Wikipedia by singer and click on their discography for all the songs they released.

Remember “Any Bonds Today?”, the 1941 song written for a war bond drive and presented in a Bugs Bunny cartoon? Or for younger seniors, how about “Blowin’ in the Wind,” Bob Dylan’s 1962 song. How many verses do you remember?

When the weather warms up, you might consider haunting garage sales and antique marts for old sheet music. If you no longer have a keyboard, look on Amazon for compact 54-key electronic keyboards for less than $100.

And what do you do once you’ve collected all the music from your youth? Consider sharing it. If you play well enough, ask about visiting a retirement facility and playing for the residents. Make copies of the lyrics and hand them out for a sing-along. For Alzheimer’s patients, hearing or singing music can animate silent patients, reduce stress and strengthen memory.

(c) 2020 King Features Synd., Inc.