Female owner and operated Studio Barre held their grand opening ribbon-cutting on Feb.29. They offer a premier exercise experience to all fitness levels through highly trained staff and class structure.
2611 E. Thompson, 805-559-3596.
Photo by Michael Gordon
by Richard Lieberman
Single use and Polystyrene food containers will no longer be allowed in restaurants in the city after the City Council voted to ban their use.
Commonly called Styrofoam and regularly used in the food service industry the containers are now prohibited in the city. The ruling designed to help reduce litter and potential harm to marine animals will be based on a similar ordinance already in place in Santa Barbara. The material Polystyrene found in single-use plates, cups and takeout food containers is neither biodegradable nor recyclable.
After heavy rains, polystyrene items are often seen in storm drains and on beaches, where tiny pieces often end up in the stomachs of seabirds and marine animals.
During a regular Monday evening council meeting a vote was taken on the ban and passed 6-0 (Sofia Rubalcava was absent). City staff will begin drafting an ordinance requiring all restaurants to use biodegradable or recyclable food packaging. City staff has also been asked to research how other cities have banned food retailers from selling coolers, plates and cups containing Polystyrene. Retail stores in the city may also face a similar prohibition.
“What’s extra special is current users even agree that it’s the right thing to do,” Mayor Matt LaVere said. “There’s community-wide support for this. We all walk on the beach and see it all the time.” LaVere told the council.
The city also announced it will use Santa Barbara’s ordinance as a road map to be planning and initiating its own ban. In Santa Barbara all food providers and retailers are required to use containers and packing material, including “peanuts” and shipping boxes that are compostable, recyclable, and biodegradable, according the ordinance.
Food providers in Santa Barbara may be exempt from the rule for up to one year if the food vendor applies for an exemption showing a potential financial hardship. Food currently prepared or packaged outside the city and brought into Santa Barbara including raw meat, fish and other raw food are also excluded from the ordinance.
At this time there are more than 130 cities that have implemented similar bans, including Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach, and Hermosa Beach.
The council hopefully will design the ordinance so that it will avoid a problem that San Diego has had with its ordinance. San Diego previously voted to ban the use of Polystyrene but had to revoke the ordinance after a lawsuit was filed by the restaurant industry.
The council and city staff must take into account the failure of San Diego’s effort and make sure the local ordinance will stand up to a courtroom challenge.
At a hearing the Los Angeles Superior Court granted the City of Ventura’s and the City of Ojai’s requests for a six-month extension for property owners to decide whether or not to file an answer in the Ventura River Watershed lawsuit. The new deadline to respond to the lawsuit and file an answer is September 8, 2020.
Over the course of the next few weeks, the City of Ventura will mail a postcard to everyone who received a Notice or Summons, notifying them of the court’s decision. The extension will allow those who received Notices or Summons additional time to decide if they would like to join the lawsuit. The City is optimistic that it will make sufficient progress toward a settlement agreement with the other parties during the next six months.
Stemming from a 2014 lawsuit filed by environmental nonprofit Santa Barbara Channelkeeper against the City of Ventura and the state of California, the City – who reached an interim settlement agreement with Santa Barbara Channelkeeper in 2019 – is in ongoing discussions with the large water users to develop a collaborative, local “physical solution” to protect the Steelhead population and maintain its least expensive and oldest water resource, the Ventura River. If a settlement is reached, the City’s cross-complaint, an action taken to initiate the collaborative solution, would not be litigated.
In January of this year, Notices and Summons were sent to 10,472 and 1,701 property owners, respectively, as a result of a court order requiring the noticing in order for the court to recognize any settlement agreement. Property owners who received the Notices or Summons now have an additional six months to decide whether to file an answer to the lawsuit.
The City has developed a website dedicated exclusively to providing information about this topic, which includes a comprehensive FAQ section, a resources page that includes links to the recordings of the public meetings the City has held on this topic, and a news section which will be regularly updated.
To learn more about the proceedings, please visit: http://www.venturariver.com
This release is available on the City of Ventura website at: www.cityofventura.ca.gov
Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Perla Batalla earns critical acclaim for her distinctive voice, emotional honesty and culture-merging compositions. She was born into a family immersed in music. Her father, a Mexican mariachi and an Argentine mom, who ran the family record shop, Discoteca Batalla, is where Perla received a music education cutting across genre and language. After singing with and recording with numerous groups, including Leonard Cohen, Perla launched a solo career with Cohen’s encouragement. Since then she has recorded seven albums, done film and TV, staged two one-woman shows and performed in prestigious venues around the world. She has been honored with two U.N. awards: The Earth Charter Award for extraordinary devotion to social and economic justice and The Environmental Peace Building Award, for advancing social justice through music.
Sunday, March 29, 3 to 4:30 p.m., Museum of Ventura County 100 E. Main St.
Free to FOTM members, $15 for public; $10 for seniors.
Reservations required. To RSVP visit www.FocusOnTheMasters.com or call 805.653.2501.
Special invitation to educators and students: The Artist Spotlight is open to students with valid ID free of charge. FOTM is happy to assist with tracking attendance and sign-in sheets.
AfterGlow Fundraising Event: The public is welcome to join the artist for a celebratory fundraising dinner at the home of Betsy Chess located in Ventura. Paid reservations are required prior to March 23. We expect this AfterGlow to sell out. Maps will be given to paid guests at the interview.
$30 FOTM members, $40 Non-members.
Sponsored by Betsy Chess and Tony & Barbara Hirsch
Ventura Botanical Gardens is announcing two photography tours, both Saturday mornings on March 28 and April 12, limited to the first 10 people aged 18 or older who sign up. A digital SLR or mirrorless camera and tripod required. The tour is geared towards the intermediate to advanced level enthusiast. The cost will be $20.00 for members, $25.00 for non-members. Former commercial photographer, Brooks graduate, and past high school/college photography instructor Phil Ranger, with thousands of VBG images and a VBG DVD will be conducting the tour and emailing an outline of what to expect, ideas and tips to each participant. The 1st tour begins at 5:45 am to 10 am, the 2nd at 6:30 am to 10:30 am. For more information call or text Phil Ranger at 805-797-6308.
Broken Spoke Challenge is on March 28th. It starts and ends at MadeWest Brewery off of Donlon st. Neutral roll out is at 7am.
Packet Pick Up is the day before. Friday March 27th. 5pm to 8pm also at MadeWest.
Let me know any other specifics you might want to know. Thanks Sheldon.
It started with a question and an idea: How can we ensure sustainability of Ventura’s newly acquired public lands? Event Producers Ben Dewitt (FGR.inc-founder of Mountains 2 Beach Marathon and Half) and Marty O’Malia wanted to do their part in raising funds and awareness. Because their passion lies with active living as well as the outdoors, starting a local gravel event seemed like a great way to pursue their passions and help the local land conservancies build long lasting sustainable trail networks.
Born from this idea was the Broke Spoke Challenge. 80 or so miles of cycling bliss, up and down some never before ridden local trails. Looping through Ojai into some classic local trail networks, then eventually working its way back into Ventura. Along the way riders will encounter BS Zones that will present a challenge or game to the rider. If they pass the challenge onward towards the finish line. If they fail punishment will ensue… all in good fun of course. Riders from all over the country are invited to take part in the 1st ever Broken Spoke Challenge.
Their participation will help raise funds to maintain existing trails, as well as build new ones in a sustainable way to last generations. The hard work of trail conservation and development from the local conservancies; the Ventura Land Trust (VLT), the Rancho Ventura Land Conservation, and the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy (OCLV) is in direct alignment with Broken Spoke’s Mission.
Gravel Cycling is a relatively new concept but it has been gaining popularity over the last few years. Bike manufactures are creating bikes capable of splitting the road and dirt terrain seamlessly. The desire for discovery and adventure is driving the popularity of this sport we call “gravel riding.” Which is exactly why public access to trails is so important. The Broken Spoke Challenge gravel event aims to cover as much local dirt trails as permitted. “With 35%-40% of the route already dirt we are just scratching the surface on what is possible for the future.” Says Marty O’Malia. As these new trails are continually built over the coming years, the Broken Spoke routes will become more intricate and exciting.
Hagar the Horrible
Shoe
Rhymes with Orange
Crock
Baby Blues
Tiger
Between Friends
Ben Bunji Namba, founder and benefactor of the NAMBA Performing Arts Space, passed away on February 26, 2020 at his Ventura residence with his wife Julia Campbell Namba by his side.
Born April 6, 1930 in Manchuria, China, Ben lived and was educated in Japan, earning his university degree there. Ben later moved to the United States in 1960. Based in Los Angeles, Ben was the owner and operator of BHN Inc. for over 40 years, specializing in importing spices from abroad for the Tampico Spice Company.
In 1994 Ben moved from La Canada Flintridge to Ventura. Ben enjoyed gardening and loved the outdoors, most especially the ocean.
Being a lover of art, music and dance Ben was involved with the Ventura Music Festival for many years. He was the primary benefactor of the NAMBA Performing Arts Space in downtown Ventura, a non-profit founded in 2014 dedicated to fostering dance, music, theater, film, performances, and community arts education. The Arts Space stands as Ben’s legacy and a gift for the greater Ventura community.
Ben Namba is survived by his wife Julia Campbell Namba, his step-children Sanford Campbell, Laura Campbell, and Leslie Atia; his step-grandchildren Geffen Camp, Leah Atia, and Gian Atia. He was preceded in death by his first wife the late Helen Head Namba.
Memorial donations to honor Ben may be made in his name to the Alzheimer’s Association of Ventura County, the NAMBA Performing Arts Space or the Ventura Music Festival.
After a four-month Partnership Development process between Ventura Charter School (VCS) and EL Education (formally Expeditionary Learning), VCS announces that they will become the newest of EL’s network of 152 schools throughout 30 states in the country.
Ventura Charter School, which opened in 2006, is a public K-8 charter school with an enrollment of 441 students. Its focus on project-based learning and student engagement makes for a perfect fit with EL Education whose core beliefs are: Learning is Active, Learning is Challenging, Learning is Meaningful, Learning is Collaborative, and Learning is Public. EL Education is deeply committed to diversity, equity, and social justice. It was born out of a collaboration between the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Outward Bound USA in 1991.
“We are excited to take our work to the next level with EL Education,” said Lisa Hildebrand, Director of Education at VCS. “We are inspired by their work to implement research-based practices to transform classrooms into spaces of active, engaged learning, focused on supporting the achievement of every student.” EL Network schools engage in a multi-year partnership designed to permanently shift instruction, assessment, and school culture. The EL program has shown academic gains for children. After three years in an EL program, students outpace their peers in reading and math; and further in standardized test scores.
Successful partnership with EL Education is designed to improve student performance across three dimensions of achievement: Mastery of Academic Skills and Content, High-Quality Work, and Character. Network partner schools implement EL’s core practices and demonstrate their impact on student achievement by earning an EL Education Credential. Only a handful of schools that apply are accepted into the EL Network each year. “We continue to be inspired by your school—your leadership, and the fine work of teachers and the students they guide and care for,” said Erika Nielsen Andrew, EL Sr. Director, Schools.
To learn more about Ventura Charter School visit www.venturacharterschool.org
To learn more about EL Education visit www.eleducation.org
“Their repertoire is all over the place and their genius is unmistakable.”
by Richard Newsham
Mark the date! On Sunday, March 22n at 3pm, the Ventura Music Festival will present Mnozil Brass in “Cirque” – the musical flea circus” delighting audiences worldwide. The venue is the Rancho Campana Performing Arts Center in Camarillo.
“It’s a huge pleasure to present Mnozil Brass,” said Festival CEO Susan Scott. “Audiences love them and they have legions of fans across the globe. We wanted to bring them for a long time. When this tour was announced, I think we were the first to sign on. Our first ticket-buyer was a band teacher who was ecstatic about they were coming and bought a whole row for his students.”
Exactly who are the Mnozil Brass? a septet: six trumpets, six trombones and a tuba whose music embraces a mix of folk, jazz, pop and classical, resulting in “moments of sheer silliness and some of the finest brass playing imaginable.”
According to music critic Bill Benzon: “Their repertoire is all over the place and their genius is unmistakable. They are superb musicians . . . and skilled comedic performers, who put on (an extraordinary) show. Much of what they do is deeply serious in a way that only inspired buffoonery can be.”
As to where the name came from, the group took it from the Mnozil Pub across the street from the Vienna Music Conservancy where they were students.
Tickets for this wildly entertaining and singular show range from $15 to $49, available at : https://venturamusicfestival.org/ or by calling (805) 648-3146.
Parking is plentiful and free at Rancho Campana Performing Art Center, the 700-seat state- of-the art theatre located at 4235 Mar Vista Dr., Camarillo.
Since 1994, the mission of the Ventura Music Festival is to bring world-class music to the community, foster audience-artist interactions, and enhance the joy of music with programs for all ages. VMF seeks to create an inclusive, welcoming environment in which people both see and hear themselves reflected in the music. Its 25-year record includes 300,000 festival-goers attending 200 performances, and 40,000 children served in its Music in the Schools program. For more information visit www.venturamusicfestival.org.
