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Vol. 13, No. 3 – Nov 6 – Nov 19, 2019 – Music Calendar

For more events go to VenturaRocks.com
All Venues Ventura, unless otherwise noted.

Blue Agave
185 E. Santa Clara
Fridays: Mariachi Band; DJ
Saturdays: DJ

Blue Room
Ventura Harbor Village
Thursdays: The Get Down Jam

Boatyard Pub
Ventura Harbor Village
Tuesday-Thursday 6 pm, Friday & Saturday 7 pm
Thursdays: Jim Friery, Bluegrass Jam
Tues 11/5: Frank Barajas
Wed 11/6: Karen Eden
Fri 11/8: Teresa Russell & Stephen Geyer
Sat 11/9: Blue Motel Room
Tues 11/12: Shorebreak
Wed 11/13: Finnhead Dave
Fri 11/15: Frank Barajas
Sat 11/16: Karen Eden
Tues 11/19: Frank Barajas

Bombay Bar & Grill
143 S. California Street
Thursdays, Friday & Saturdays: DJs
Sunday 2-7: DJs

Café Fiore
66 S. California Street
Wed 11/6: Bryan McCann
Fri 11/8: Otis Hayes
Sat 11/9: The Collective
Tues 11/12: Donna Greene
Wed 11/13: Big Adventure
Fri 11/15: Instone
Sat 11/16: Self Righteous Bros.
Tues 11/19: The Sixth

Cantara Cellars
126 Wood Road, Suite 104
Camarillo, CA
Thursdays: Karaoke
Sat 11/9: Double Trouble, Ignition
Fri 11/15: Class of 95

Casa Bella
391 E. Main Street
Thursdays: Danny D.

The Cave
4435 McGrath Street
5:30 – 8:30 pm
Weds & Saturdays: Varon Thomas
Thurs & Fridays: Warren Takahashi

Concrete Jungle Brewing
4561 Market Street
Thurs 11/7: The Backline Open Mic/Jam Sesh
Fri 11/8: How to Live with Robots, Astreyas, No Silence

Copa Cubana
Ventura Harbor Village
Music 7 pm; Sat 11 am ; Sundays 4 pm
Saturdays: & Sundays: Kenny Devoe (11 am – 1 pm)
Tuesdays: The Jerry McWorter Trio
Sun 11/10: Brandon Ragan Project
Sun 11/17: House Arrest

Crown Plaza
Agua Lounge
450 E. Harbor Blvd.
Fridays: Benjamin Buttner

Dargan’s Irish Pub & Restaurant
593 E. Main Street
Sun 11/17: Sunday Drivers (4 pm)

Discovery
1888 Thompson Blvd
Thurs 11/7: The March, Overgrown, Sojai
Fri 11/8: Weezerton, Blink 18True, Far Out Boy
Sat 11/9: The Expendables, The B Foundation, Cydeways
Fri 11/15: SlumpBoyz, JME, Rich Maccin
Sat 11/16: Twisted Gypsy

Duke’s Griddle n Grill
1124 S. Seaward
Wednesdays: Karaoke

El Rey Cantina
294 E. Main Street
Fridays: DJ
Saturdays: DJ

Four Brix Winery
2290 Eastman Avenue
Music 6 – 8:30 pm Friday; 12 – 4 Sunday
Fri 11/15: Midlife Crisis

Garage
1091 Scandia Avenue
Sun 11/10: S.O.B.s, Wired (Noon)
Sat 11/16: False Confession, Gravetitan, Tung, Ozom, Spider, VNLVX

Gigi’s Cocktails
2493 Grand Avenue
(805) 642-2411
Thurs, Fri & Sat: Karaoke

Golden China
760 S. Seaward
(805) 652-0688
Karaoke seven nights a week 9 pm
Tuesdays 7 pm: Open Mic
Thursdays 6 pm: Open Mic
Sun 11/17: The Barrelhouse Wailers (2:30 pm)

Grapes and Hops
454 E. Main Street
Wed & Thurs 6 pm; Fri & Sat 8 pm, Sun 4 pm
Tuesdays: Tango
Wednesdays: Gypsy Jazz Jam
Thurs 11/7: The Session with Keeshea Pratt
Fri 11/8: Colette Lovejoy Band
Sun 11/10: Shawn Jones Unplugged

Hong Kong Inn
435 E. Thompson Blvd
Sat 11/9: Tequila Picnic

Keynote Lounge
10245 E. Telephone Road
Tues, Wed and Sun: Karaoke
Thursdays: Open mic night
Fri 11/8: DJ AVG
Sat 11/9: Magnificent Bastards
Fri 11/15: What the Funk
Sat 11/16: Red Rhythm

Leashless Brewing
585 E. Thompson Blvd.
Tues: Open Mic, The Listening Room
Fri 11/8: Kevin Tate
Fri 11/15: Boom Duo
Sat 11/16: FIDO

Limon y Sal
598 E. Main Street
Fridays: DJ
Saturdays: DJ
Sundays: Instone (1-4 pm)
Sat 11/16: Vinyl Gypsies (2 pm)

Made West Brewing
1744 Donlon Street
Thurs 6 pm; Sat 4 pm; Sun 3 pm
Thurs 11/7: Mark Masson
Sun 11/10: Matthew Fosket
Thurs 11/14: RJ Bloke
Sat 11/16: Doc Ventura
Sun 11/17: Milo Sledge Trio

Majestic Ventura Theater
26 S. Chestnut Street
Thurs 11/7: Falling in Reverse, Crown the Empire, Tom MacDonald
Fri 11/8: Chon, Between the Buried and Me, Intervals

Namba
47 S. Oak Street
Fri 11/8: Choroloco
Sat 11/9: Jodi Farrell’s Performance Workshop (2 pm)

Oak and Main
419 E. Main Street
Tuesdays: Beer Bros. Open Mic
Wed 11/6: Kyle Swan
Sat 11/9: Radioactive Chicken Heads
Sat 11/16: The Dickies, The Hymen Blasters

O’Leary’s
6555 Telephone Road
Wed: Karaoke

Orozco’s de Ventura
839 E. Front Street
Fri & Sat 5 pm: Victor and Artis

Paddy’s
2 W. Main Street
Wednesdays: Karaoke
Fri & Sat: DJs

Pizzaman Dan’s
1413 S. Victoria Avenue
Tues 11/12: Celtic Music jam

Plan B Wine Cellars
3520 Arundell Circle
Sun 11/10: Sandy Haley Band (4:30 pm)

Poinsettia Pavilion
3451 Foothill Road
Sat 11/16: Bollywood Holiday Night

Prime
2209 E. Thompson Blvd
Tuesdays: Danny D.

Red Cove
1809 E. Main Street
Thurs 11/14: Ryan Chrys & the Rough Cuts

San Buenaventura Mission
211 East Main Street
Fri 11/8: Ventura College Choir, Singers, Chamber Orchestra

Sandbox Coffeehouse
204 E. Thompson Blvd
805-641-1025
Thurs 6 pm, Weekends noon
Thursdays Open Mic
Sat 11/9: Maggie’s Drawers
Sat 11/16: Steve the Singer
Sun 11/17: Maggie’s Drawers

Sans Souci
21 S. Chestnut
Sundays: DJ Darko
Mondays: Karaoke w/ Brian Parra
Tuesdays: DJ Nick Dean
Wednesdays: Open mic
Thursdays: DJ Spinobi
Fri 11/8: Jan Michael & the Vincents
Sat 11/9: Johnny & the Hellholes
Fri 11/15: Seaside Band
Sat 11/16: Blown Over

The Shores Restaurant
1031 Harbor Blvd, Oxnard
Thursdays: Karaoke
Fri 11/8: Two’s Company Duo
Fri 11/15: Jose Jazz
Sat 11/16: Soul Machine

The Star Lounge
343 E. Main Street
Thursdays: DJ Terry
Fri 11/8: Shawn Jones Trio
Sat 11/9: The Seaside Band
Fri 11/15: Reign
Sat 11/16: Brandon Ragan Project

The Sushi House
1127 S Seaward Avenue
Music 1 – 3:30 pm
Saturdays: Gary Ballen

Topa Mountain Winery
821 W. Ojai Avenue, Ojai
Music Saturdays: 5-7; Sundays 4-6
Sat 11/9: Shawn Jones Trio
Sun 11/10: Alan Thornhill, Jim Monahan & Martin Young
Sat 11/16: Danny McGaw
Sun 11/17: Sophie Holt

Ventura Harbor Village
1583 Spinnaker Drive
Music: Noon – 3 pm
Sat 11/9: 805 Allstarz
Sun 11/10: Acoustic Cash Cats

Ventura High School Auditorium
2 N. Cataline Street
Sun 11/10: Ventura County Concert Band (3 pm)

Ventura Masonic Lodge
482 E. Santa Clara Street
Fri 11/8: The Local Love Project CD Release party

Winchester’s
632 E. Main Street
(805) 653-7446
Music at 7:00 pm; Sundays at 5 pm
Fri 11/8: Carlos Fontaine
Sat 11/9: CRV Acoustic
Sun 11/10: Acoustic Crossroads w/ Crooked Eye Tommy
Fri 11/15: Sean Wiggins
Sat 11/16: Karen 805
Sun 11/17: Jerry Breiner & Theresa Russell

The Winery Ventura
4756 Market Street
Thursdays: Blues Jam
Fri 11/8: Midlife Crisis
Sat 11/9: The Doc Ventura Band
Sun 11/10: Carey Frank Organ Trio w/ Woody Mankowski and Mario Calire
Fri 11/15: Sabine
Sat 11/16: Native Vibes
Sun 11/17: Skip Spiro’s Little Big Band

1901
Speakeasy
740 South B Street, Oxnard
Fri 11/8: Rose Valley Thorns
Sat 11/9: Rat Pack Ricky
Fri 11/15: Shawn Jones
Sat 11/16: Lucky Break

Chamber ribbon cutting to celebrate new owner’s of SpiceTopia.

The Ventura Chamber held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the new owner’s of SpiceTopia.

The store specializes in fair-trade spices and teas, international salts, flavor-infused sugars and other gourmet goodies. “My family is very into food. We love to cook and eat, so we’ve been purchasing stuff from SpiceTopia for a long time,” said Anna-Marie Tan, co-owner and general manager.

576 E. Main St.  805-628-3267

Photo by Michael Gordon

Vol. 13, No. 3 – Nov 6 – Nov 19, 2019 – Events

by Ana Baker

Free Adult Grief & Bereavement Support Groups
Every Wednesday, from 6:30-8 p.m. Free for anyone who has lost a loved one.
Receive emotional and educational support.
Contact [email protected] or call (805) 642-0239 for more information.

Free Joint Replacement Classes
2nd Monday of the Month (November 11), held from 4-5 p.m. Free informational class that teaches you what to expect pre and post-surgery.
Living with Type 2 and Pre-Diabetes Classes
1st Tuesday of the Month (November 5), from 1-2:30 p.m. Free informational class that teaches you how to manage your life with diabetes.
All held at Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice, 1996 Eastman Ave., Ste. 109. Call (805) 642-0239 for more information.

The Compassionate Friends of West Ventura County is a support group for those who have experienced the loss of a child. Parents, grandparents, and siblings (over age 14) are all welcome. The group meets the first and third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 at the Poinsettia Pavilion, Canada Larga room, 3451 Foothill Road. For more information, contact Laura Lindsay at (805) 836-9100.

Ventura Poinsettia Dance Club Monday nights 7:30 – 9:45 p.m. Poinsettia Pavilion. Ballroom, swing, Latin and line dancing. $10 members, $12 non-members. Free dance lessons 6:45 – 7:15 p.m. Call Rick (805) 415-8842 for more information.

There will be a regular Ventura Discussion Group meeting at Main Street Restaurant 3159 Main St., Wednesday from 4 – 5:45 p.m. Several people usually stay for a drink and a bite to eat afterward. Bring an interesting topic to discuss if you can.

Ventura’s ACBL Duplicate Bridge Club offers games for all levels of play.  Learn the game, play with your peers, and earn master points while you are having fun.  There is a game every day of the week.  Check out their website at www.vcbridge.org

Country Western Line Dancing every Tuesday 7 – 9 p.m. Instruction every night. Located at the Moose lodge, 10269 Telephone Road. More information at countrylovers.com.

Cross Town Hikers join in on Wednesday nights for a moderate-paced hike that includes views of Ventura from the cross, a walk out to the end of the pier, and a stroll along the Promenade back to the Museum. Four miles with an 800-foot elevation gain. Meet at 7 p.m. sharp at the fountain across the street from the Mission. Join Facebook page for more information: https://www.facebook.com/groups/800215670039426/

The members of the Ventura Investment Group meet on Mondays for an informal discussion of recent economic events.  Topics cover current events that affect stocks, funds, real estate, and interest-bearing investments.  The meeting is from 10 – 11:30 a.m. at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at Telephone Road and Main Street.  Visitors and potential members are welcomed.  There are no dues or requirements to participate, and all levels of experience are welcomed.

Brain Injury Center of Ventura County. www.BrainInjuryCenter.org
Support Groups for brain injury/ stroke survivors and their family/caregivers
Learn more about brain injury/stroke and available services. Meet others who are facing or have faced similar challenges. Meet new friends and connections, give and receive support.
Encounter Church 6950 Ralston St., Bldg. #300 (805) 482-1312
2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month, 4-5:30 p.m.

Men are you retired and routine-tired? Ventura Retired Men suggest you visit a Social Lunch Meeting on the first or third Tuesday each month at the Poinsettia Pavilion. Stop in, say hello, have a sip at the bar if you like, they will buy you lunch, and you can sample the hospitality as they go through activities and hear the speaker of the day. Bob Likins can tell you more at 805-587-1233.

Nov. 9: The Ventura County Poetry Project and Solo Novo will host a reading from Solo Novo Press’s. It recently published Psalms of Cinder and Silt, a collection of poems resulting from the fires and mudslides in Ventura and adjoining counties. The public is invited to celebrate the publication of this historical community effort in response to the disasters we experienced in recent fires. Located in the Pavilion at the Museum of Ventura County 100 E. Main Street, on Saturday from 2-4 p.m.

Nov. 9: 7-9 p.m. Ghosts of Old Ventura – The downtown of Ventura is rumored to hold several ghosts linked to the colorful history of the community. Such phantoms as: The ghostly lady of Oak Street and the robed monk of the old Mission, perhaps one of the padres buried under the altar. One might be the spirit of Red Molly who haunts Main Street. Several hotels and saloons are rumored to be haunted. Many stories date back to the speakeasies of the Prohibition Era, from well-dressed gangsters to their befeathered gun molls. The tour begins at Bank of Books with a talk and a tour of haunted sites.  Fee: $6 per person

Nov. 10: 9-11a.m.  Find solace in Wild spaces with a beach nature and bird walk hosted by the Nature Conservancy.  Ormond Beach is a hidden gem with wildlife taking refuge in its wild spaces. In this nature walk, look for signs of wildlife in and around the wetland area through the dunes to the beach. Bring binoculars if you have them and wear comfortable walking shoes. The walk is roughly 1 1/2 miles.  Park at the end of Arnold Rd., Ormond beach, Oxnard.  Questions contact Amy Davis [email protected] or 770-853-4715.

Nov.12: The Ventura County Writers Club welcomes anyone interested in writing to attend their November general meeting at the Pleasant Valley Rec Center. Author Connie Hood will facilitate the interactive presentation, “Real People and Imaginary Friends.” Attendees can expect a fresh and engaging look at storytelling and character development. The event starts at Tuesday 7 p.m. 1605 Burnley St. in Camarillo. Go to venturacountywriters.com or call Sheli Ellsworth at 805.300.1365 for more information.

Nov.13: Get into the Holiday spirit on Wednesday, from 12:30-2:30 p.m., at Ventura City Hall’s Community Meeting Room # 202; 501 Poli Street with the Ventura Parkinson’s Disease Support Group.  For more information and important detailed directions to the meetings, please see the full press release in the Breeze Senior Living Section or call Patty at 805-766-6070.

Nov.13,14: Community Memorial Hospital Auxiliary is happy to be having its annual Holiday Boutique. The Boutique is returning after a 2-year break due to the construction of the Ocean Tower. Items Included in the boutique are baked goods, assorted crafts, book sale, and a White Elephant table plus many more items. Vendors will be Mary Kay Cosmetics, Pampered Chef, Potholders & Quilts, Tupperware and Quilts and Blankets.
It will be held at the CMH Mountain Tower Lobby, 147 N. Brent St. on Wednesday, from 8-4 p.m. and Thursday, 8-3p.m.

Nov.15: Channel Cities Jazz Club (CCJC) presents its monthly dance event featuring live music for your dancing and listening pleasure with music from the big band era and beyond.
1-4 PM every 3rd Sunday of the month at The Golden China Restaurant, 760 S. Seaward Ave.
Featuring The Barrel House Whailers
(Jammers welcomed from 1-2:15)

Nov.17: The Ventura and Santa Barbara County chapter of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) will meet Sunday, in the Campus Student Center of Ventura College, 4667 Telegraph Road. The regular meeting starts at noon and at 11a.m. there will be an informal workshop where a topic on clocks or watches will be demonstrated and discussed. There will be a mart where items will be for sale followed by lunch and an informational meeting and a program at 1p.m. The program this month will be a presentation on Interval Clocks by Mostyn Gale. www.nawcc-ch190.com.

Nov. 17: The Climate Reality Project: Ventura County, CA Chapter, General Meeting. This is a general membership meeting and leadership election. Everyone is welcome. 2 p.m. E.P. Foster Library, Topping Room 651 E Main St. For more information: [email protected]

Nov. 23: 9-11a.m. Adventure hike along the Santa Clara River. This is a Nature Conservancy property with no established trails. Help create one before winter arrives at this beautiful location where there has been a restoration several years ago. If you have trail clearing tools, feel free to bring along. There are no facilities at this location. Please use restroom before arriving. 250 S. Hallock Dr. Santa Paula.  Park at the end of Hallock Dr.  Meet at the gate.  Questions contact Amy Davis [email protected] or 770-853-4715.

Nov. 29, Dec. 1; Dec. 6-8 & 13-15: Dudley House Holiday Boutique.  The 26th free annual fundraiser for the 1892 historic house museum features quality crafts, home décor, antiques and collectibles plus a tearoom, silent auction and bargain items.  Hours are 10 – 6 p.m. with a flea market added on Sundays. 197 N. Ashwood. (805) 642-3345.

Dec.7: On the “First Saturday” of each month the Sespe Flyfishers of Ventura conduct an introductory class on Fly Fishing and Casting the Fly Rod. In December our “First Saturday” is on the 7th. There is no charge, and all are welcome. Whether you an experienced fly fisher or a complete novice we want to help you learn and enjoy this great sport. If you don’t have a fly rod, don’t worry, just come and use one of ours. Please join us at Chumash Park, Petit and Waco,
9- 11 a.m., in East Ventura (off Telephone Rd). For more information: Bob Smith (805) 647-3522 www.sespeflyfishers.org

Vol. 13, No. 3 – Nov 6 – Nov 19, 2019 – Mailbox

Sheldon:

Thank you, Sheldon, for running that Walk with a Doc article. I have heard from many readers who saw it and were tickled to be in a “newsworthy” program.

You do a great service for this community. A trusted resource.

Thank you again.

Warmly,
Rosanne Facone

Rosanne:

Thank you for presenting Walk with a Doc also a great service for the community.

Breeze:

When an ex-city council person says at a meeting ‘you ain’t seen nothing yet” when referring to the future increases of water bills for city residents you should take notice, but maybe its too late already.


Instead of fighting a law suit against the city brought by the “California Water Impact Network” the city decided to just pass on the $200,000,000 cost of a “toilet to water” project to the residents. This doesn’t include the $3-$6,000,000,000 per year operating cost (bound to exceed the estimates I’m sure).


Meanwhile the city water dept is being sued by a county supervisor for not coming clean on the cities failure during the Thomas Fire, and not releasing  to the public the report on why the failure occurred and why we had no water. Is there another massive project being hidden from the public lurching in the background?
Why don’t we know what happened? The residents are still suffering and deserve to know the truth.


To cement our plunge into third world status, the power company threatens weekly to shut down the power if the wind is blowing !


So our future in Ventura is to sit in our powerless homes, drinking water that a few weeks before came from our toilet, wondering if we can someday get enough power to charge our electric car. However, we are secure in the knowledge that California is on the leading edge into the future. From Governor to city council we need a change to individuals who are for the people.

Regards
Robert W Coshland

Dear Sheldon Brown,

As a Pierpont Beach resident, I recently received a notice that Anastasi Development has proposed a mixed-use project at Harbor and Seaward.

They tried to develop this area in 2006 or 7, and after attempting to work with the city and neighborhood, ultimately abandoned it. In that time, this is what has changed:

The housing crisis has become more acute. Hundreds of acres of Ventura’s farmland, the most fertile land in the world, has been built on. Housing costs have skyrocketed. Wildfires have displaced families throughout Ventura County.

It seems to me that it is time to stop saying “we love Ventura and don’t want it to change”, because everything changes. It either gets better or it gets worse, and a lot of things have gotten worse. New condominiums would bring people who have chosen to live near the beach, and they would support the marginal restaurants and shops in the area, most of which are deserted in the off-season. Empty lots, like broken windows, are signs of stagnant areas and decay, besides being just plain ugly.

I hope that the community will work with Anastasi to help this project happen, because even though yes, it will put more cars on our streets, it will add greatly to the area through additional retail and restaurants and support of the existing ones. And on an environmental note, it is far less costly and disruptive to bring water, power and sewer lines as infill in developed areas than to bring them to outlying farmland – and that goes for traffic, also.  The farther out the homes are, the bigger the commute and the more total miles on the road.

We love Ventura, and want to keep most of what brought us to the area 40 years ago, but things change, and we need to change too.

Carolyn Hiller Ventura

Dear Editor:

Trump must have been nursing this competition for years. At last, he can nya nya his victory, being more important, than getting Osama bin Laden.

What kind of a “leader’ spends so much time planning a “coup” for years, just so he can prove he is as good as Obama.

No matter what Trump does, or kills, or brags about, he will never match our previous president. Obama is intense, intelligent, focused on being a leader. Obama never wasted breath or energy on “one upsmanship” Obama, and his entire family, were models. They are moral, and kind, and made the United States of America, trustworthy and reliable. The reputation of the U.S.A. was upheld, and enhanced, during the Obama administration.

How sad, this current, “me, me, me” president’ is so focused on himself, he has no time, no space, no understanding of how to lead.

Can’t wait for the next election. I can’t believe, the voting population of the U.S. of A., will repeat the last mistake. 

Trump is focused on Trump. The Trump trumpet never ceases to blast noise.

Impatiently, Esther Cole, Ventura

Breezy:

Thank you and Sheldon for the *shout outs.  They are paying off.  Each clinic we are able to do up to 32 cats and dogs and that is three times a month, plus the call ins for local vets.

Valerie

*Thursday, October 31st at SPAN Thrift Store parking lot 110 N. Olive St. (behind Vons on Main), and a second at Albert H. Soliz Library – El Rio, 2820 Jourdan St., Oxnard, 93036 on Wednesday, November 6th. Please call to schedule an appointment (805) 584-3823.

Men are wise in proportion not to their experience, but in their capacity for experience.
~ George Bernard Shaw

Vol. 13, No. 3 – Nov 6 – Nov 19, 2019 – Opinion/Editorial

∙ On Oct.2, Ventura Port District’s Board of Port Commissioners voted to adopt Resolution No. 3379, a slip rate increase policy, which allows the marina master leases to govern the process for slip rate adjustments.

Ventura Port District General Manager Brian Pendleton said there will be no significant change that the policy just clarifies the procedures for slip rate increases.

Even though it was stated that “there will be no significant change,” the Board of Commissioners approved an average 5% increase for slip fees at Ventura Village Harbor Marina, which takes effect Jan.1, 2020.

The rate increase will apply to full-time, seasonal, weekly and daily rates, with the weekly rate going from $4 per foot to $4.30 per foot and daily rates increasing from $1.50 per foot to $1.65 per foot. Rates were last raised in 2015.

∙I think doctors should arrive 15 minutes early for appointments so that patients don’t need to arrive 15 minutes early (as directed) and sit for an hour.

∙ The reason I don’t get very excited when the US kills an Islamic State leader is that they have confirmed the death of its founder and leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and announced a successor (the same as the drug cartels do).

In an audio message released through its central media operation, the group announced that Baghdadi’s successor is Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraishi. He is basically unknown outside of ISIS and is hailed in the message as “emir of the believers” and “caliph” of the group’s alleged caliphate. In the announcement, both Baghdadi and former ISIS spokesman Abu al-Hassan al-Muhajir were praised as “martyrs.”

Killing their leader makes great headlines but doesn’t real accomplish anything. In fact, it makes their hatred of America even stronger.

∙AEG has announced that they will put the Amgen Tour of California race on hiatus for the 2020 racing season. “This has been a very difficult decision to make, but the business fundamentals of the Amgen Tour of California have changed since we launched the race 14 years ago,” said Kristin Klein, president of the Amgen Tour of California and executive vice president of AEG Sports.

The race has become California’s largest annual sporting event, contributing more than $3.5 billion to the state’s economy over the years. Each year since 2006, the cycling road race has showcased some of today’s best known and most decorated international cyclists, including numerous World, Olympic and National Champions.

I real loss for Ventura as we are a tour stop and the race is viewed by a large amount of viewers (racers spend the night here at State Beach on their way to Los Angeles).

∙Washington (CNN): “The White House is urging all federal agencies to cancel their subscriptions to the New York Times and the Washington Post.”

It follows President Donald Trump’s recent statement that the White House would “terminate” its existing subscriptions with the two newspapers, which have been the frequent target of the administration’s criticism through Trump’s candidacy and presidency.

“The New York Times, which is a fake newspaper — we don’t even want it in the White House anymore. We’re going to probably terminate that and the Washington Post,” Trump said on Fox News’ “Hannity”.

“They’re fake,” the President added. “You take a look at the New York Times and you take a look at the kind of reporting they do, it was all — it turned out to be all wrong.”

He also went on to say, “We’re building a wall on the border of New Mexico. And we’re building a wall in Colorado,” Trump said. Colorado, located directly north of New Mexico, is not on the US-Mexico border.

Later, Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis responded to Trump’s remarks on Twitter.

“Well this is awkward …Colorado doesn’t border Mexico,” Polis wrote. “Good thing Colorado now offers free full-day kindergarten so our kids can learn basic geography.”

Not reading the New York Times and the Washington Post is fine with me as, long as they keep reading the Ventura Breeze which never has fake news. And building a wall in Colorado is okay if it keeps the illegal New Mexicans from going into Colorado.

∙ Proposition 47 was a referendum passed five years ago that critics say effectively gives shoplifters the green light to commit crimes as long as the merchandise they steal is less than $950 in value. The decision to downgrade theft of property valued below the arbitrary figure of $950 from felony to misdemeanor has resulted in thieves knowing they can shoplift and only be charged with a misdemeanor and not go to jail. Police seldom even bother dealing with them.

The referendum was passed by a wide margin in 2014. The idea behind it was to reduce certain non-violent felonies to misdemeanors in order to free up resources to focus on violent offenders. Perhaps a good idea but setting the limit at $950 is much too high.

∙As measles cases keep rising, scientists have discovered another danger of the disease. The measles virus can wipe out the immune system, making people more susceptible to other illnesses.

The phenomenon is called “immune amnesia,” and a new study shows how it works. The measles virus appears to erase the body’s immune memory, destroying an average of 40 of the antibodies against other viruses and bacteria. This means people who get measles are more susceptible to other illnesses such as pneumonia and flu.

Measles can also lead to serious complications and even death. In 2017, measles killed 110,000 people around the world and infected 6.7 million. The measles virus is one of the most infectious diseases that exists.

Measles vaccine rates are dropping worldwide, with measles cases tripling between 2018 and 2019, mostly because of problems with vaccine access or vaccine refusal.

Vol. 13, No. 3 – Nov 6 – Nov 19, 2019 – A View from House Seats

by Shirley Lorraine

Big River a Memorable Journey

The prolific humorous storyteller Mark Twain’s characters Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer and others come to life on the Rubicon theater stage. Adapted from Twain’s writings, Big River explores Huck and his slave friend Jim’s journey on the Mississippi searching for freedom. The book by William Hauptman and down-home music by Roger Miller has earned the show numerous awards as well as audience’s hearts.

From the opening sounds of crickets and bluegrass/country the familiar characters emerge, spinning the yarns on which most of us grew up.

This tale centers on Huck Finn, a restless teen who yearns for life beyond his drunken Pap and best friend Tom Sawyer and rag-tag gang of wanna-be tough guys. Huck decides to join the family’s slave Jim in a river adventure by faking his own death. The two encounter many trials on their journey, including befriending two aging hucksters, the Duke and the King.

Along the way Huck learns many valuable life lessons including the value of honesty and doing the right thing, no matter what the consequences.

The Rubicon’s production arose from director/choreographer Kirby Ward and his wife Beverly’s desire to bring the musical to Ventura. In keeping with the ongoing relevance of the story, language has been preserved from the original that may be uncomfortable for some, but which is vital to the telling of the story. Kirby keeps the action moving along with creative staging and choreography. I could almost feel the pages of the story being turned as it unraveled before me. The music is engaging throughout, fitting perfectly into each chapter of the tale.

Many in the large cast play several roles, adding to the storytelling aspect that is so critical to the production. The addition of background projection adds to the scenes to bring the picture to life. Even the on-stage musical accompaniment gets into the act, with several musicians taking active roles in the story itself.

The cast is superb throughout. Leading the action is Josey Montana McCoy as the irascible Huck and David Aron Damane as Jim, larger than life in both presence and voice. Together the two-produce vocal magic.

Broadway actress Teri Bibb plays Miss Watson and other characters, with Rubicon company everyman Joseph Fuqua handling the character of Pap and more. His rendition of Miller’s song Guv’ment is a highlight.

Standout performances are given by Larry Cedar and Richard Hebert as the hucksters who present themselves as royalty with outstanding comedic timing. Nick McKenna, one of Tom’s gang and more, shines as Young Fool singing Arkansas with pluck.

Additional fine performances are given by Cassidy Stirtz as Mary Jane/Fiddler, Brandon Ruiter as Tom Sawyer, Renn Woods as Alice, who delivers some fine gospel, and Clarinda Ross as the Widow Douglas. There is not a weak player in the cast or orchestra.

Big River is an experience in high quality theater, intimate storytelling and ongoing themes that are as relevant today as ever. Ventura is indeed fortunate to have the Rubicon in our midst.

Big River runs through November 10. Performances are Wednesdays at 2 and 7 p.m. (talkbacks follow the Wednesday evening performances) Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Rubicon Theater, 1006 E. Main St, Ventura. or (805) 667-2900 for tickets. Prices vary. Make reservations soon as many shows sell out.

Spend better on conferences

by Venturans for Responsible and Efficient Government (VREG)

The cost and benefit of every spending decision by Ventura’s City Council is magnified as the city faces budgetary losses for the next five years. The city is projecting to have a $10-$25 million shortfall, so the City Council should be more careful how it spends tax dollars. Are we getting our money’s worth from our Councilmembers’ travel to conferences and seminars?

The City Councilmembers don’t think anyone is watching their spending or cares what they do. They believe voters gave them the mandate to be concerned with the details of how and where the city spends money. And, they’re right—to a degree. While citizens fret over the large expenditures on pensions, water, public safety, and staffing, it’s easy to overlook the spending habits of our elected officials.

Conference Boondoggles

The city publishes the expenditures by each sitting Councilmember quarterly. Here’s a summary of the expenses for the past three full fiscal years of the active members of Council:

It’s immediately clear that the spending by the active Councilmembers is rising year-over-year. It jumped 32% to $15,964 from $12,039 from Fiscal Year 2016-2017 to Fiscal Year 2017-2018. It increased 76% to $28,098 from $15,964 from Fiscal Year 2017-2018 to Fiscal Year 2018-2019.

Highlighted in yellow is the amount spent each year to attend the National League of Cities (NLC) Conferences. The NLC holds regional conferences and a national conference in Washington, DC.

Where’s The Value?

Ventura taxpayers get little information about the benefits the city derives from these conferences. There are no written reports of what the attendees accomplished.

If all the value we receive is a report on the “relevant legislative issues from the NLC,” do we need to send representatives to Washington, D.C.? Couldn’t we get the same information by email or in written form? If we did, there would be a permanent record of the discussions for others to review.

The Value Is In The Connections

The attending City Councilmembers may claim the value of attending these meetings is in the contacts Ventura nurtures with other politicians throughout the country. That’s a specious argument. The relationships are personal between our serving Councilmembers and the people they meet. Those relationships break whenever our Councilmember or his/her contact leaves the office. What’s more, the value in a relationship with a politician in another city has a small direct impact on Ventura.

The justification may be to learn the “best practices” from other cities attending the conferences. What best practices did we learn on homelessness from representatives from Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Seattle? Homelessness in those cities is worse than it is in Ventura, and it’s not improving. Or did we learn something about water from Sacramento? Except, the California River Tunnel isn’t working out so well. Or did the reps from Washington, D.C., or Sacramento teach us about budgeting? The fact is, our reps need to convey any best practices we learned at those conferences need to city staff. The staff are the ones to put in place new ideas in City Hall. And without written guidelines, implementing the changes is nearly impossible.

The truth is any networking with others at these conferences is nothing more than socializing. Should we pay the expenses for two Councilmembers to hobnob with politicians? No.

Next Conference

Mayor Matt LaVere, Deputy Mayor Sofia Rubalcava, and Councilmember Brown are attending the National League of Cities Regional Meeting in Long Beach, CA, on October 16-18, 2019. What value will Ventura get from sending three Councilmembers to this meeting?

Editor’s Comments

In the best of times, these conferences may benefit Ventura, but these are not the best of times. The city faces a multimillion-dollar shortfall over the next five years. Frivolous spending of any kind must not happen, regardless of the dollar amount spent. Spending taxpayer money on these seminars and conferences may appear to be harmless at first. Still, scrutinize each trip to decide whether it’s a necessity. And if it is determined to be necessary, the value must outweigh the expense.

Vol. 13, No. 3 – Nov 6 – Nov 19, 2019 – The Pet Page

∙SPAN Thrift Store is providing $10 spays and neuters for low income households with cats and dogs.

Two upcoming clinics in November are:

Shiells Park, in the parking lot, located at 649 C St., Fillmore, on Wednesday, November 13th and a second one on Wednesday, November 20th, at SPAN Thrift Store parking lot 110 N. Olive St. (behind Vons on Main). Please call to schedule an appointment (805) 584-3823.

The Humane Society of Ventura County invites the community to Santa Paws. Photo courtesy of the Humane Society of Ventura County

∙The Humane Society of Ventura County invites the community to Santa Paws, its annual holiday family photo shoot, on two upcoming Sundays.

The Ventura Beach Marriott will once again host the first Santa Paws event, on Sunday, Nov. 17; the Marriott is at 2055 E. Harbor Blvd. The second Santa Paws event will take place on Sunday, Dec. 1, at the HSVC shelter in Ojai, at 402 Bryant St. Both events will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

At Santa Paws at the shelter on Dec. 1, guests can not only pose for family photos but also enjoy delicious baked goods at an accompanying bake sale and take part in the fundraising Tiles for Tails program hosted by Firefly Ceramics. Tiles for Tails involves participants hand-painting tiles or imprinting paw prints from their furry friends for a $25 fee, with proceeds going to the building of a new dog kennel at the HSVC.

Santa Paws is the HSVC’s largest event of the year, bringing in nearly 300 families to celebrate the season by posing for professional-quality photographs with a holiday theme. The money raised at Santa Paws goes directly toward daily operations at the shelter.

 

Adults, children and pets are welcome in photos – with or without Santa. The shelter will provide a variety of festive costumes to doll up your pets. Pocket pets, reptiles, rabbits and birds are all welcome.

For a minimum donation of $30, guests will receive packages of five to 10 photographs provided onsite on USB flash drives.

For 34 years, the HSVC’s Santa Paws events have provided high-quality holiday family portraits for Ventura County residents and beyond.

As a private nonprofit, the Humane Society of Ventura County relies 100% on private donations from individuals, organizations, businesses, grants and trusts. Each year, the HSVC shelter makes contact with thousands of animals through adoptions, its low-cost spay and neuter clinic, Humane Officer visits and outreach efforts, including Humane Education.

∙The manager of a Texas processing plant has pleaded guilty in a conspiracy to sell adulterated ingredients to pet food manufacturers.

Federal prosecutors say 48-year-old William Douglas Haning pleaded guilty to two charges in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. Sentencing for Haning has not yet been scheduled.

Haning was operations manager of a Wilbur-Ellis Co. processing plant in Rosser, Texas. The company has already paid more than $4.5 million in restitution.

Federal authorities say Wilbur-Ellis substituted lower cost ingredients for chicken and turkey meal in shipments from a Texas plant to pet food manufacturers. Some shipments included ground-up feathers.

The ingredients posed no health threat to animals that ate the pet food.

by Hanna Netisingha

With winter’s dry air and cold temperatures, it’s no wonder everyone—including your furry friends—has dry skin! But unrelated to the weather, dry and itchy skin caused by allergies is a very common chronic problem in animals year-round. Dr. Clarissa Souza, a veterinarian in the dermatology service at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, says pets with allergies come to the hospital every single day.

“Allergies are definitely the most common skin disease we see in dermatology,” says Dr. Souza. “Skin sores and ear infections are secondary signs commonly associated with allergies,” explains Dr. Souza.

According to Dr. Souza, the three major causes of allergies are external parasites, food allergies, and environmental allergies. When a pet is seen by the dermatology service at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, steps are taken to discover the source of the itchiness.

It is critical for owners to understand that allergies aren’t something that will just go away. “There is no cure for allergies,” states Dr. Souza. “An owner should not expect to have one single treatment and have the problem fixed.” Chronic skin problems, such as allergies, will require life-long management. However, there is hope for these patients. Even though there isn’t a definitive cure for allergies, it is a manageable skin disease.

For dogs and cats allergic to ectoparasites, the consistent administration of medications to prevent flea and tick infestations will keep these animals comfortable. If food is the allergy cause, special diets will be recommended in order to avoid flareups.

But if an environmental allergy—the most common cause of allergies in animals, unfortunately—is diagnosed, medical therapy will be discussed. Treatment options for environmental allergy include daily pills, monthly injections, or even immunotherapy (allergy shots), which are developed based on the results of a skin test.

Your fuzzy feline friend came from a long lineage of hunters and foragers. Although she may laze around now looking for beams of sunlight to sleep in and begging for treats, her life could become more enriched with a simple change: puzzles.

Purebred dogs with a different color coat than their brothers and sisters are still purebred. According to a new study, purebred dogs with uncommon traits are usually evidence of gene variants at work, not proof of breeding flaws.

When researchers at Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine analyzed a dozen different genes in 212 dog breeds, they found several breeds host gene variants that yield alternate coat colors, patterns and lengths.

Scientists also found several other trait variants lurking in the genomes of popular dog breeds.

Related dogs stuck in the middle of the canine social ladder show more aggression

Ekenstedt and her colleagues compared their genetic analysis with the breed descriptions used by several American and international dog breed registries.

Genes that control coat color feature a significant amount of epistasis, which means dominant genes can drown out and mask the activity of other genes. The gene variant, or allele, that yields brown coats is accepted in Labrador Retrievers, but disallowed in Rottweilers and German Shepherds, breeds in which brown alleles exist at low frequencies.

 

YMCA presenting prayer breakfast

A free community breakfast where members of Ventura County come together with religious leaders to listen to George Vincent, writer, director, actor.

Ventura Family YMCA collaborating with the following churches for their prayer breakfast Two Trees, Community Presbyterian, Encounter, Grace, New Harvest, The River Community, New Seasons, Fortress, Cross Point, Anthem, Arise, Coastline Bible, Ventura Seventh Day Adventist and Church of Christ.
Wednesday, November 13, 7:30am
Ventura Family YMCA, 3760 Telegraph Road.
For 13 years, the Annual Prayer Breakfast has inspired and united the community to come together for the common good.

Vol. 13, No. 3 – Nov 6 – Nov 19, 2019 – Scamp Club

This is Casanova, an 18-month-old rescue greyhound. He “failed” as a racing dog because he didn’t have the competitive spirit; he just wants to love and be loved. Here he is with his “bling” collar, among one of his fan clubs at the Friends of the Library book warehouse.

 

Missy Baumgardner is a 12- year- old Folk Singer and charmer.