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Easter Basket Drive for children being held at the Ventura County Medical Center

Bring joy to local children battling cancer.

Join the Ventura Police Department in bringing joy to local children battling cancer at the Ventura County Medical Center. The community is invited to help Ventura Police Officers and the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation create Easter baskets for these special children. Donations are accepted until April 5.

Community members can donate completed baskets or items to fill a basket. Requested items include: individually wrapped candy, individual chocolate bunnies, new stuffed animals, small toys and games, craft supplies, coloring books and crayons, books, gift cards and anything else that would be fun for a child while they receive treatment.

Items are accepted at the Ventura Police Department lobby located at 1425 Dowell Drive, Monday through Friday between the hours of 7:30 am to 5:30 pm.

Please call 805-339-4317 or email [email protected] for more information.

Housing Authority awarded grant to continue family self-sufficiency services

The Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura (HACSB) has received over $65,000 in funds through the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) to administer HACSB’s Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program. HACSB’s FSS Program is a service provided to residents and participants in Public Housing & Housing Choice Voucher programs to increase their earned income and reduce their dependency on public assistance and rental subsidies.

The FSS program is designed to assist families and individuals become financially independent and welfare free. Participation in the program is voluntary and requires a personal commitment by each individual. In exchange, participants receive case management services and the opportunity to establish an escrow savings account. The FSS escrow account can be established based on increases in the family’s earned income during the term of the FSS contract. The FSS program is 5 years in length and upon successful completion, participants can receive what is in their escrow account and use for any purpose, including debt reduction, educational expenses, or a down payment on a home.

HACSB’s Chief Executive Officer Denise Wise said, “The Housing Authority has been working with our participants to ease reliance on public assistance programs and achieve financial sustainability as families. While it is challenging in the area to make the jump off of public assistance programs, we have dedicated families who are reaching their goals every day.”

The latest graduate to complete their FSS commitment received an escrow check for over $34,000 toward their goal of homeownership. HACSB plans to continue administering this successful program, assisting participants in achieving their financial goals.

The HACSB is the largest residential landlord in the City of Ventura, with 376 public housing units, more than 1,500 Section 8 vouchers, and over 450 non-profit affordable rental units. The agency is actively working to increase the supply of affordable housing and to improve the quality of life for hundreds more of the low-income residents throughout the City of Ventura.

Vol. 12, No. 13 – Mar 27 – Apr 9, 2019 – Forever Homes Wanted

This little guy, Argo has been in our shelter for 100+ days. Why, you ask? Because he convinced our staff and adopters that he hates everyone! He even bit the one lady who tried to adopt him while she was putting a sweater on him. (Naughty Argo!)

That being said, one of our Behavior Team members took him home and gave him a soft bed. One week later and he is a total love! She found out that he is house trained, quiet, will sleep in a crate, likes to hike, gets along with all the dogs he has met, ok with cat, jumps into the car on his own, looooves belly rubs and affection. But you must wait to earn his trust.

Ventura County Animal Services – Camarillo location – 600 Aviation Drive
Argo A699200 Find Argo in kennel 80!

It’s a bird. It’s a plane.  No, it’s me, super Max an outgoing Cattle Dog mix in need of a new home. My parents need to take care of an elderly family member who needs daily care. I wish I could stay and they do too, but unfortunately I cannot.
I’m good with other dogs, so if you have a fur baby in the home already, please bring him/her along so we can do a meet and greet. I’m also good with cats.  Although I’m good with children, I bond quickly with one person and become protective, therefore I need to go to an adult only home with dog experience and with someone who is willing to continue my training. I love being around my people and want to be a part of what is going on. I’m house and crate trained and will whine and climb up on you if I have to go out. I’m used to having someone home periodically during the day. I just want to be loved and to give love. Please stop by and meet me, I’ll be waiting. CARL Adoption Center-call 644-7387 for more information.

Influenza update

As of February 7, 2019, Ventura County has seen 5 influenza-related deaths this flu season. To give some perspective, at this point in 2018, the county had seen 40 deaths resulting from complications from the influenza virus. Many deaths seen during a flu season occur in people who have multiple health issues, such as diabetes, dementia, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

“In these people the acquisition of the flu tips the balance against them. It is likely that another severe respiratory illness at another time of year may have had a similar outcome,” said Ventura County Health Officer Dr. Robert Levin. “Last year’s influenza virus, H3N2, was a particularly difficult strain,” he added, noting that this year the county is seeing H1N1, which is also known as the ‘bird flu influenza,’ and was last seen in 2010.

Patients who are at higher risk for complications include:

  • Persons aged 65 years and older

  • Children 5 years of age and younger, with those 2 years of age and younger particularly vulnerable

  • Persons with chronic pulmonary, cardiovascular (except hypertension alone), renal, hepatic, hematological (including sickle cell disease), and metabolic disorders or neurologic and neurodevelopment conditions

  • People with immunosuppression, including those caused by medications or by HIV infection

  • Women who are pregnant or postpartum (within 2 weeks after delivery)

  • People aged younger than 19 years who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy

  • American Indians/Alaska Natives

  • People with extreme obesity (i.e., body-mass index is equal to or greater than 40)

  • Residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities

“However, the H1N1 strain which we see circulating this year is notorious for its disproportionate severity in people in the prime of life, from childhood through 60 years of age,” said Dr. Levin.

It is not too late to get immunized. Public Health recommends immunization of all persons 6 months and older. While last year’s vaccine effectiveness was limited, there is every indication that the vaccine this year is significantly more effective. Immunization can reduce the severity of illness, hospitalization and death due to influenza. It can also, of course, prevent getting the flu altogether. As a reminder, children younger than 9 years of age who have never received influenza vaccine, require 2 doses at least 4 weeks apart during their first season.

Flu vaccine can still be found at many individual doctor’s offices, clinics and pharmacies and can be received for low or no cost at the two public health clinics and at the ambulatory clinics referenced at: www.vchca.org/ph

Vol. 12, No. 13 – Mar 27 – Apr 9, 2019 – Opinion/Editorial

∙According to a report released by the Ventura County Fire Department, it has been determined that Southern California Edison power lines did cause the Thomas fire. Investigators concluded that the fire was started by two power lines that hit each other during high winds on Dec.4, 2017. What happens next might need to be determined in the courts.

∙Okay, I promise, no more comments from me (from readers still okay) about Trump, this is it. I thought that my comments would create an open, interesting, intellectual dialog, but apparently did not with certain readers.

One reader said that the Breeze used to be a nice local paper but is now too political. This is nonsense, the Breeze is exactly what it has always been (even better) except for some comments that I might make, or letters from readers. And, perhaps 2-3 political cartoons each year. Maybe 500 words out of 30,000.

I certainly hope to hear from Trump supporters about why you like him. But don’t get mad if you only see letters criticizing him, because that might be all that we receive.

∙The City Council has authorized the City Manager to execute a Funding and Services Agreement not to exceed $250,000 to the Museum of Ventura County. I agree with this decision. In addition to local visitors, the museum brings outsiders to Ventura.

It passed the council with one opposing vote, which came from Councilman Jim Friedman. When running for council Jim said he would only approve funding for “core” projects. I don’t agree with him but can respect that he is “sticking to his guns.” Is it still okay to use that phrase?

∙You will be happy to know that the value of the number pi has been calculated to a new world record length of 31 trillion digits, far past the previous record of 22 trillion.

Emma Haruka Iwao, a Google employee from Japan, found the new digits with the help of the company’s cloud computing service.Pi is the number you get when you divide a circle’s circumference by its diameter. Very important in math.

∙It just slays me to hear people getting upset because what they post on media sites can be seen by the general public. Like, “I’m very upset that the naked pictures of me that I put on Facebook are being looked at.” Gosh, maybe they shouldn’t post them?”

Some folks are really stupid (not Breeze readers of course). In order to drive in the carpool lane, a driver placed two jackets filled with clothing in his car. The minimum fine for a carpool violation is $490. For that amount, he could hire people to ride with him.

∙If you haven’t heard, some employees and coaches of major universities have been taking very large bribes from parents so their kids could get into the schools. Even going so far as to photoshop their kid’s heads onto the bodies of athletes so coaches could be paid to put them on their teams.

I would be very disappointed to find out that my parents paid USC $500,000 to accept me, and that it wasn’t my superior inteliggunts that got me in.

∙The Journal of Abnormal Psychology has reported that more young adults are experiencing mental health issues. The study found an increase of 65% between 2009 and 2017 of young adults reporting symptoms of depression and a significant increase in reporting serious psychological distress and, much more alarming suicidal thoughts.

The authors of the report said that digital media might play a role in this increase.

In my very unprofessional opinion, the loss of human contact as a result of digital media could be one of the problems – especially texting as a way of communicating has been very harmful.

“How did grandma sound when you spoke to her?” “I don’t know we texted!”

“What did you do when mom sent you outside to play?” “I played war games on my tablet on the front porch.”

∙Measles cases have cropped up across the country nearly two decades since the highly contagious disease was said to be eradicated in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is also on the rise throughout the world.

Some 228 measles cases were reported to the CDC in the U.S. between Jan. 1 and March 7, more than half of the 372 cases that were reported during all of 2018.

A federal judge in New York has denied a request to let 44 unvaccinated children return to school after their parents sued the Rockland County Health Department over a policy enacted in December. The parents argue that Commissioner Patricia Schnabel Ruppert’s order to keep unvaccinated children out of school violates religious objections to vaccinations.

Would love to hear from readers exactly what the religious objections are? Is this contained in the bible or the ten commandments?

• In the largest study of its kind, a team from New York University Langone School of Medicine investigated people who had suffered cardiac arrest and ‘come back’ to life.

Study author Dr Sam Parnia told Live Science, “They’ll describe watching doctors and nurses working and they’ll describe having awareness of full conversations, of visual things that were going on, that would otherwise not be known to them. He said these recollections were then verified by medical and nursing staff who reported their patients, who were technically dead, could remember details of what they were saying.

People often claim that this is evidence of an afterlife or the separation of the body and the s

But scientists have increasingly attributed these out of body experiences to physiological processes, and it is believed they are a result of unusual brain activity caused by reduced blood flow to the brain. Death of brain cells can take hours.

Parents, Spring break is April 1 – April 5. To see the City’s Spring Break camps, visit https://www.cityofventura.ca.gov/642/Camps

Mosquitoes can transmit diseases

With warmer weather, longer days, and increased outdoor activities, a higher risk of exposure to mosquitoes is to be expected. Since mosquitoes can transmit diseases such as West Nile Virus (WNV), St. Louis Encephalitis Virus or Western Equine Encephalitis Virus, the Ventura County Environmental Health Division (Division) is advising the public to take precautions to protect against mosquito bites and assist with the effort to control mosquitoes.

To minimize exposure to mosquitoes, eliminate standing water from your property – no matter how small; make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens; when outdoors, wear protective clothing and apply an EPA approved insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, Para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. If water is stored in rain barrels or other containers, cover all openings with tight fitting lids or 1/16-inch fine mesh screen.

The Division monitors and controls mosquitoes at approximately 2,600 mosquito breeding sources throughout Ventura County. However, the Division is asking the public to assist with the mosquito control effort by reporting mosquito activity or potential mosquito breeding sites. Mosquito complaints can be reported to the complaint HOTLINE at 805/658-4310.

Mosquito-eating fish are available to the public for use in ornamental ponds and water features. To request mosquito-eating fish call 805/662-6582. To report dead birds for WNV testing, contact the California Department of Public Health at 877/WNV-Bird (877/968-2473) or visit westnile.ca.gov.

The Division also advises the public to be alert for two invasive (non-native) mosquito species that have recently been found in several areas of California. They are Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. These are small, aggressive daytime biting mosquitoes with white stripes on their back and legs. Their eggs can survive during dry months in small artificial or natural containers and can hatch in a teaspoon of water.

For additional information, visit: https://vcrma.org/vector-control-program.

Vol. 12, No. 13 – Mar 27 – Apr 9, 2019 – A View from House Seats

By Shirley Lorraine
Rubicon’s Fuddy Meers is a wild ride

Several things can be expected from a Rubicon Theater production. High quality acting & production, and an opportunity to stretch your brain. The current production of Fuddy Meers, directed by Jenny Sullivan, running for just one more weekend, provides these things and more.

The fast-paced ride through life’s funhouse offers a roller coaster of events and emotions. With so much going on, by the end of the first act it is easy to be confused. Never fear, however, act two brings clarity in surprising ways. The play is high-strung and decidedly politically incorrect.

The central character is Claire (Precious Chong), a woman who lives with a severe case of amnesia. Each day she must be reminded of who she is and all details of her life. Her upbeat husband Richard (Joseph Fuqua) provides her with information and a scrapbook to reference. One morning, as Richard goes to shower, a man wearing a ski mask pops out from under Claire’s bed. He limps, lisps, and declares himself to be Claire’s brother, Zach (Stephen Caffrey) there to save her. From what is the question.

She takes him at face value, and they drive to Claire’s mother’s home in the country. Mother Gertie (Deedee Rescher) has had a stroke and is unable to put words in the correct order to form sentences. Her life is a different kind of funhouse.

At the window appears a foul-mouthed puppet named Binky, and his controller, Millet (Louis Lotorto). Millet and Zach have spent “time” together and are up to no good. When Richard discovers Claire is missing, he and rebellious son Kenny (Seryozha La Porte) head to Mother Gertie’s house. Along the way, a traffic stop by Policewoman Heidi (Tracy A. Leigh) results in her abduction as the two men decide she needs to accompany them to Gertie’s.

And that’s just the first act! It was amusing to listen to myriad audience comments at intermission – coming up with possible reasons for the chaos and making sense of the action.

Act two reveals that nothing is what it appears to be. Every character has a secret. Claire slowly begins to remember things from her past and as facts are unraveled, flashes of clarity come forth. We realize that everyone is searching for ways to become better people. Aren’t we all?

Wednesday’s talk-back with the actors revealed additional character insights from both actors and audience. The theme of the play, that life is a distorted and chaotic funhouse, during which we continually discover that there is always more under the surface, is a universal and timely one. We never have all the information we need to make sense of some things. And that’s okay. We just adjust what we consider to be normal in order to comprehend.

The actors are all outstanding. Each has created a definitively unique character with layers and layers of nuance. Director Sullivan allowed the actors to interpret their own journeys. As a result, each performance is slightly different. This is a wild ride worth taking.

Fuddy Meers concludes this weekend.

City of Ventura 2018 Part I Crime Statistics

In 2018, Part I Crimes in the City of Ventura totaled 3,959, representing an overall decrease of 155 Part I Crimes or 3.77 percent from 2017. The Per Capita Crime Index decreased slightly to 35.6 crimes per thousand residents, compared to 37.7 in 2017, 38.04 in 2016, and 39.2 in 2015.

Ventura’s Violent Crime decreased by 3.26 percent with 15 fewer crimes reported than the previous year. Aggravated Assaults represented the most notable reduction in violent crime in 2018, with 12 fewer reported cases, and rapes decreased by nine from 63 to 54. Robberies represented the lone increase in Violent Crime increasing from 111 in 2017, to 117 in 2018. There were two homicides in 2018, equal to the previous year.

In comparison to 2017, reported Part I Property Crimes in 2018 for the City of Ventura decreased by 140 crimes or 3.8 percent. Residential burglaries accounted for the most significant reduction, a decrease of

25.95 percent or 75 total cases, while non-residential burglaries dropped by 29 reported cases from 296 to

267. Auto thefts remained relatively steady with 334 reported in 2018. Arsons doubled from 16 in 2017, to 32 in 2018. Although there was an overall reduction in Part 1 Property Crimes, Ventura experienced a 21.7 percent increase in thefts from vehicles which jumped from 1013 in 2017 to 1233 in 2018. Many of these were crimes of opportunity, the result of property left in plain view or vehicles left unlocked. The property loss value from Part I Property Crimes totaled $6.2 million.

Ventura Police Officers arrested 6554 persons in 2018 and the Ventura Police Department handled approximately 98,652 calls for service compared to 93,242 calls from the previous year. The most common arrests were Narcotics related offenses, followed by Misdemeanor Bench Warrants, Drunk in Public, Probation Violations, and Drunk Driving.

The complete press release, including suspect description, can be viewed online at www.venturapd.org.

Ventura Port Commission announces new appointments

The Ventura Board of Port Commissioners has new leadership and a new member.

Commissioner Chris Stephens is now chairman of the five-member board, taking the reins from Commissioner Everard Ashworth, and Commissioner Jean Getchell takes over as board secretary. Commissioner Brian Brennan continues as vice chairman.

New to the board is local attorney Jackie Gardina. Confirmed on March 4 by the Ventura City Council, Gardina fills the post vacated by former Commissioner Jim Friedman, who left to join the Ventura City Council after he won that election in November.

With the personnel now in place, the board is set to get down to the task of enhancing life, leisure and business at Ventura Harbor.

There is much to be done, said Port District General Manager Oscar Pena. “Among many other things, in recent years, the staff has been working with the board to make infrastructure improvements throughout the harbor and Harbor Village.”

“The Harbor District is ready for the busy year ahead of it,” said new Chairman Stephens, a port commissioner since 2017 and retired director of the Ventura County Resource Management Agency. “We look forward to the opening of the first units at the new Portside Ventura Harbor, as well as the expanded Holiday Inn Express. In addition, we will continue our efforts to bolster the commercial fishing industry with our pursuit of the Ventura Shellfish Enterprise project, and we will be freshening up the Harbor Village to provide an improved visitor experience.”

“The future of the harbor is very much going to be intertwined with climate change and making sure that we’re creating a resilient coast and a sustainable harbor,” Gardina said. “Coastal communities must address climate change not just for the next five years but thinking ahead, to 10, 20, 25 years from now and beyond.”

A Ventura resident, Gardina is dean and chief academic officer of the Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law. A philanthropist by nature, she has served on multiple professional and nonprofit boards, including with the American Bar Association, the State Bar of California and Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.

The District oversees the management and operations of the Ventura Harbor, a 274-acre multiple-use recreational and commercial fishing small-craft harbor, with the goal of providing a rewarding and vibrant coastal marine experience.