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What the heck are pianos doing downtown?

Cast members from Rubicon’s production of Return To The Forbidden Planet and piano artists singing at a Downtown piano.

The idea of putting the pianos downtown was that of Kirby Ward, Rubicon’s new Education and Outreach Director.

The “Keys to Rubicon” piano project was inspired by a similar installation in Denver, CO. That installation has been in place for over a decade now and is one of Kirby and Beverly (the other new Education and Outreach Director) Ward’s favorite parts of touring through Denver.

Beverly stated, “Kirby and I have worked here at Rubicon many times and are always surprised to hear people around town ask, “What’s Rubicon?”. It catches us by surprise. The Company’s been presenting professional theatre in Ventura for 20 years and yet there are still folks who don’t know that we’re here or what we’re trying to achieve. We felt like the pianos are a terrific way to engage people on the street and either remind them of Rubicon’s presence or let them know about the Company for the first time. These pianos grab you on so many levels – visual, auditory, tactile.”

She went on to say, “I found the pianos in a couple of places – on Craigslist as well as through people who heard about the project and reached out to me. The Craigslist “free” section routinely has several free acoustic pianos listed. I contacted a bunch of owners and came up with a list of 5. Then I hired 4 strapping young men, rented a truck and we drove all over Ventura and even up to Santa Barbara to collect the pianos and get them out on the street. It was fun! Hard work, but really fun. Since the initial pianos went out, we’ve had 2 more pianos donated to the cause by The Arc Foundation Thrift Store and The Child Abuse and Neglect Thrift Store. We had to apply for a temporary art installation permit from the City. We requested the pianos be on the street from late August until January 4, 2019 and got approval.”

Beverly met local artists Sarah Flesher and Michelle Nosco at a community meeting for the Ventura Arts Council. It was happenstance but very fortuitous! Michelle enlisted Erin O’Brien to help with her first piano. Both Michelle and Sarah are each painting two pianos.

There are currently three on the street. Two more will be out soon. They are unlocked and available for anyone and everyone to play during day time hours. So, gather some friends and have a sing-a-long.

The pianos will be removed on January 4, 2019. At this point there are no plans to try and save them as the weather will have taken quite a toll. That said, for anyone who falls in love with the artwork, the Rubicon may offer them up to the highest bidder.

Altrusa supports our community in many, many ways

From Altrusa Beverly Mueller, Treasurer; Sharon Knapp, President; Angel Golesorkhi, Member and Susan Leonard, Secretary (past President).

Altrusa International of San Buenaventura, Inc. has been a service organization here in Ventura since 1948.  It was founded in 1917 and just celebrated 100 years. The focus of their founder, Mamie L. Bass, was literacy; however, Altrusa has also supported and donated many volunteer hours to other endeavors to better our community.

Altrusa is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization where all their services, scholarships and fund-raising projects go to the local community. Altrusa is an acronym.  Amity – Loyalty – Talent – Reciprocity – Unity – Service – Achievement.

On Oct. 17, four amazing Altrusa ladies delivered a car load of school supplies to the East side’s Westpark and to Anita Diaz. Even though they purchased most of the supplies at a discounted rate, Altrusa still had to pay for them.

Anita Diaz, Westside Youth Programs Coordinator Westside Community Center, with the wonderful PEAK kids.

Members have been involved in projects for women and men in transitional houses, supported Family to Family in supplying meals to folks who need them, participated in Make a Difference Day, volunteering at the Veterans Home to keep their library in order, make books available to the teens of Santa Paula through the Teen Scene Program at Blanchard Community Library, have read to students on “Cat in the Hat” Day and other projects over the years.

Altrusa International has clubs in eight countries. Altrusa’s mission statement is ”Our country is as great as we, it’s citizens make it. Therefore, we pledge our loyalty to its ideas and its endeavors for the welfare of mankind. We strive to fulfill our civic obligations.”

Altrusa offers to the business and professional people of the community an opportunity to touch each other’s lives and be broadened by an interchange of interests and by a sympathetic consideration of the viewpoints of others. They are always seeking volunteers (and contributions).

Regarding their relationship with Westpark, Susan Leonard stated, “Our partnership with Westpark has existed for nearly twenty years. We started our relationship at the request of one of our members, Margot Martin.  Margot was a strong volunteer force in the City of Ventura and was famous for recruiting our club to join her on her journey.  The club started our support of the children of Westpark by donating school supplies.  Children need “tools” to learn, so this project was a good fit of our club.  A few years ago our members gained the renowned title of “the pencil ladies”.  Since then we have made other contributions as needed to help the center grow under the direction of Anita Diaz.  We have seen the wonderful development and transformations that have taken place over the years.  It has been our pleasure to be a small part of this positive place for children.”

About 70 PEAK kids formed a single line as they entered the gym to accept the supplies. As they passed by the row of adults welcoming them, they shook the hands of each (with a few hugs thrown it). PEAK is an after-school partnership that includes the City of Ventura Department of Parks & Recreation, Ventura Unified School District and Ventura Police Activities League (PAL). PEAK was formed in 2002 to develop and implement an inclusive after school program for elementary and middle school children to provide a safe and supervised after-school education, enrichment and recreation programs for students.

Coordinator Anita Diaz told the Breeze, “Altrusa has become very special to Westpark’s after school program. Their support of providing after school homework and art supplies has allowed our children to have materials needed for them to do homework and creative projects.  In addition to school supplies, Altrusa has also donated money to our scholarship fund which helps us provide for youths who may not be able to afford some of our sports and camp programs. Altrusa has been a part of Westpark for nearly 20 years and their unselfish support of providing for our children cannot be measured.”

2018 NAMI Walk

by Jill Forman

First, there was the rain Friday night. Not something you plan for in Southern California for outdoor events. The NAMI Walk, the group’s biggest fundraiser and celebration of determination and hope, was the next day…

6:30 a.m., Ventura Pier parking lot. There are puddles but the rain has stopped. Trucks, boxes, tables, supplies, and people all pouring in. Volunteers who believe in the cause of de-stigmatizing mental illness and advocating for care. Many have t-shirts with the name of their walking teams and heartfelt sayings about the sorrow and hope for the person, the families, and society at large.

NAMI Mommies (that’s Jill in back row in the middle) walked the walk. Photo by Bernie Goldstein

My group is the “NAMI Mommies” and our t-shirt says, “Providing Support with a Mother’s Love.” We met in a NAMI class for families, and formed out own support group. It really helps to have others for education and emotional assistance.

But back to the Pier, it appears to be chaos but there are a couple of intrepid women with clipboards and maps and it slowly gets sorted out. Areas for organizations, information, snacks, merchandise, and so on are marked off. Tables, many many tables, need to be set up. Portable awnings, chairs, signs…everyone just sort of picks up a job and a couple of helpers. I find myself doing tablecloths with some students from Ventura and Moorpark College – the plastic clothes need to be separated, placed, and taped down. The enthusiasm and energy of the students makes it fun, and it’s interesting to hear why they are here. One young woman wants to start learning about social service agencies and meeting people for networking. Student nurses are learning a lot more than textbook information by interacting with all sorts of folks who have shown up. Family members of the mentally ill want to show their gratitude to NAMI for the free classes, groups and information it gives.

More people show up, some to walk, some to help out, some out of curiosity: “I saw all this activity and want to know what it is about.” Organizations, caregiving companies, social service groups, vendors, all come to claim and set up their spaces. Some of the table and chair setups have to be rearranged, but it all gets done. Within a couple of hours a waterlogged parking lot and a ton of stuff has been transformed into a colorful, functional event. More students show up to work at the booths for registration, team captain pickup, and t-shirt handouts. I hang out with the team captain people, and it’s so much fun to talk to every group leader, ask them who they are and why they are there, comment on their clever team names and sayings, and thank them for coming.

My team shows up; I get my cute t-shirt. There are speeches by officials and participants, and the Walk begins.

NCL presents annual fundraiser Nov. 11

The women and their daughters volunteer as a team.

National Charity League, Inc. (NCL) Ventura County Chapter’s Annual Fundraiser will take place on Sunday, November 11th, from 12 -4pm.  There is just one detail that is missing…the location!

The NCL Inc. Ventura County Chapter’s 2018-19  President, Soraya Thenoz, who grew up in the Provence region in the south of France, is the inspiration behind “Fete en Blanc” (Party in White) as this year’s fundraising theme.

As with tradition, the location will not be divulged to the invitees until the morning of the event.  And all must be elegantly attired in white! Historically, the invited guests arrive to an outdoor setting, with their own food and table set-up; and simply enjoy their time together. And then, at the close of the gathering, each guest packs up what they brought and nothing is left behind…not a trace of what transpired…that is, other than the lingering memories.

“There will be some variations to the logistics of our event” explained Soraya.  “For instance, our fundraising committee will coordinate the tables and the food. But for sure, the focus is on enjoying each other’s company while raising money for the philanthropies which we serve. Oh yes…and we will all be decked out in white!”

Established in Los Angeles in 1925 and incorporated in 1958, the nonprofit has more than 250 chapters in 27 states. The women and their daughters (grades 7th-12th who are referred to as “Ticktockers”) volunteer as a team within the community.  The Ventura County Chapter, which is part of District 3, is currently comprised of approximately 100 Patronesses (mothers) and their daughters who reside in Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura and Ojai.

Some of the 30+ philanthropies that the National Charity League, Inc., Ventura County Chapter serves are Children’s Services Auxiliary, Convalescent Hospitals, Douglas Penfield School, Food Share, Special Olympics and Ventura County Medical Center.  100% of the proceeds from our fundraiser “Fete en Blanc” will directly benefit all of our philanthropies.

In addition to serving the community, the girls partake in monthly meetings and workshops on their own; and elect class officers in each grade level.  The classes are usually much smaller than in their own schools, thus providing a more enriching and nurturing environment to grow leadership skills. An atmosphere of women empowering young women to be strong and compassionate leaders in the community!

Our 2018-19 Membership Drive is now open to mothers with daughters who are currently in 6th, 7th and 8th grades. For inquiries about joining, please email [email protected].

2018 Mayor’s Arts Awards Recipients announced

While at Montauk, Long Island, NY with East Coast Carol and West Coast Jonell Arts Patron winner Patti Channer kept up with Ventura’s art scene by reading the Breeze.

The City of Ventura’s Mayor is pleased to announce the winners of the 14th annual Mayor’s Arts Awards. These recipients will be honored at a reception on Thurs. Nov. 8, from 6:30-8:30 pm, at the Museum of Ventura County. The public is invited to attend as the honorees are recognized for their achievements and contributions.

The winners include a steadfast patron of the arts; a 2018 Artist of Distinction for Ventura’s ArtWalk; an entrepreneur who coordinated the Thomas Fire Quilt Project; a leader in the arts who has brought a fresh artistic perspective to the Museum of Ventura County; an inclusive educator whose love for the arts is contagious; an emerging artist whose photographs are diverse and timeless and a student artist who received a full scholarship to the San Francisco Ballet at the young age of 14.

The 2018 Mayor’s Arts Award winners are:

Arts Patron: Patti Channer, Artist in the Community: John White, Creative Entrepreneur: Kelly Stevens, Arts Leader: Elena Brokaw, Arts Educator: Stefoni Rossiter,

Emerging Artist: Broc Ellinger, and Student Artist: Jasmine Duncan.

The City of Ventura Mayor’s Arts Awards was established in 2005 and recognizes the contributions to the cultural community by city residents, artists, educators, organizations, and business leaders.

Please help locate missing child Kevin Martinez

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is asking for help from the public to locate a missing teenager. 17-year-old Kevin Martinez was reported missing on December 14, 2017 from Ventura.

According to authorities, there was a recent sighting of Kevin in Ventura in June of this year.

Kevin is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information about Kevin is asked to contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST) or the Ventura Police Department at 1-805-650-8010.

Vol. 12, No. 2 – Oct 24 – Nov 6, 2018 – Mailbox

Editor:

The Clean Power Alliance is made up of 31 jurisdictions and the counties of Los Angeles and Ventura, awarded Calpine Energy Solutions a four-year contract to provide data management and call center services to an initial 1 million customers.

Ventura, Camarillo, Moorpark, Ojai, Oxnard, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks have joined the Clean Power Alliance, which offers an alternative to Southern California Edison and other traditional power companies.

So, how does this affect fire protection / safety if fire fighters have no power or water pressure as we saw during the Thomas Fire?  More generators and pumps on fire trucks?

Is it So Cal Edison’s call over Clean Power Alliance to discontinue service?

Love your coverage and always look forward to reading the Breeze.  Happy Anniversary and Thanks!

Mike Merewether
Ventura

Mike:
Only Andre-Marie Ampere might know.

LOCK YOUR CARS!!!!!!

Lock Your Cars Lock Your Cars Lock Your Cars No matter how many times you see this message, some of you just don’t get it. You complain that people take things out of your car at night, BUT you don’t lock your car!!! People roam around my neighborhood at night, and cars are ransacked due to the fact they are not locked!!! Lock you cars please. Maybe if they find No Unlocked Cars they might stop roaming around!

Sally Fisher

Even if you do lock your car don’t leave anything that you value in it. Amazing the valuables that people leave in their cars.

Juries scare me. I don’t want to put my faith in 12 people who weren’t smart enough to get out of jury duty.
~ Monica Piper

What you need to know this Medicare enrollment season

“Does Medicare include coverage for my prescription drugs?”

by Rick Beavin, California Market President Humana

It’s that time of year when people with Medicare review their health insurance choices and enroll in a Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug plan for the coming year.

People typically have a lot of questions as they research their Medicare options, which primarily include Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans, before finding the plan that best fits their needs.

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions Humana licensed health insurance agents get from consumers during the Medicare Annual Election Period:

When is the annual enrollment period to choose a Medicare plan for 2019?

The Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan Annual Election Period takes place from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, 2018, for coverage that takes effect Jan. 1, 2019.

Do I have to re-enroll in Medicare every year?

You don’t need to sign up for Original Medicare each year. However, you should review your Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug Plan coverage annually, since Medicare plans and personal circumstances can change every year. If you take no action during the annual enrollment period, you’ll typically automatically be re-enrolled in your same medical or prescription plan for 2019.

Does Medicare include coverage for my prescription drugs?

Original Medicare does not cover most prescription drugs. Many Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage, or you can sign up for a Part D Prescription Drug Plan separately. A licensed agent can look up your medications and tell you what the cost of each drug would be on a plan.

 

How are health insurers like Humana able to offer Medicare Advantage plans with no monthly premium?

Private insurers keep premiums low through programs like disease and chronic care management, which help people better manage health conditions and, in turn, reduce health care costs. Keep in mind that you still need to pay your Medicare Part B premium, which covers medical services and preventive care. You might want to use the additional premium dollars you save for out-of-pocket medical costs, such as co-pays.

How do I find out if my doctors, hospitals and specialists are in my Medicare Advantage provider network?

Most Medicare Advantage plans offer easy-to-use online tools to help you find doctors and hospitals that are in the plan’s network. A licensed agent can also help you look up hospitals and doctors to see if they’re accepting a plan and taking new patients.

If I select a Medicare plan for the coming year, and then find I don’t like it, can I drop it and choose another plan?

The plan you select by Dec. 7 will be your Medicare plan for all of 2019, with few exceptions, so it’s wise to research your options carefully. If you sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan for 2019, and then find it’s not the right fit, between Jan. 1 and March 31, there will be an Open Enrollment Period during which you can switch from a Medicare Advantage or a Medicare Advantage-Prescription Drug Plan to another Medicare Advantage plan with or without prescription drug coverage, or choose Original Medicare with or without a stand-alone Prescription Drug Plan. Full information on 2019 Medicare health and prescription drug plans is available on www.medicare.gov, and for Humana plans at www.humana.com/Medicare. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) (or TTY: 1-877-486-2048) 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or call Humana at 1-877-877-0714 (TTY use 711) 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time seven days a week.

Ventura Botanical Gardens announces grand re-opening

At long last… the wait is over. The Ventura Botanical Gardens (VBG) recently announced its grand reopening date scheduled for Saturday, November 3. The Gardens have been closed nearly one year, since December 5, 2017, due to the widespread damage caused by the Thomas Fire. The fire swept through the entire 109 acres of the park; very few plants were spared.

Now nearly a year later, many of the original plants are showing signs of recovery, and many new specimens have been planted. During the closure, many changes have taken place. Fire-damaged walkways were repaired or rebuilt. A new hand hewn rock staircase is now in place near the entrance of the Chilean Gardens, and the long-awaited Merewether Welcome Center will open. Funded through the generosity of Mike and Loretta Merewether and designed by architect Martha Picciotti with work donated by Matt Roberts of Quality Containers, the Center will include a check-in kiosk, an information center, educational space, a stage, a community gathering area, storage and a much-needed restroom. The Gardens now have roughly 2,000 plants in the collection.

A morning event is planned including a ribbon cutting with Deputy Mayor, Matt LaVere, and a Welcome Center dedication. At noon, the Gardens will be open to the public, with garden walks by local tour guide Lorie McWhirter, and nature talks from garden experts.

“We are so excited about re-opening the Gardens,” states Barbara Brown, VBG President, who also lost her home in the Thomas Fire. “This will be a very bright moment for a community that has struggled through a very difficult year. It means so much to all of us, that this iconic community place will reopen.”

She continues, “We’ll also be opening the new Fynbos Gardens as well, highlighting the flora of the Cape of South Africa. It seems fitting that this Garden be inaugurated in the aftermath of the Thomas Fire because plants in the Cape of South Africa have a life cycle in which fire plays a critical role. For many, smoke is required for seeds to germinate.”

The Fynbos Garden has been planted with a multitude of the protea and ericas — two of the more exotic and showy South African flowering displays. The bridge and dry creek bed work that began before the fire, is also complete.

“With the regrowth and expanded plantings needed after the Thomas fire, it has become clear that ongoing financial sustainability is critical for the maintenance, operation and expansion of the Gardens,” said Joe Cahill, Executive Director. “We are implementing a membership fee, but we want visitors to enjoy the Gardens affordably, so we’ve kept the annual fee to $45 per year, less than a cup of coffee a day, or for those who aren’t members, $7 per day. And, children 18 and under, are always free.” For those who can’t afford the low annual membership, EBT cards will be accepted.

On Tuesdays, the Gardens are free for everyone. Monthly scheduled guided tours are also free. Additionally, the Gardens plan to be free on most major holidays with the exception of July 4. The new hours are from 9am to 5pm, with possible extended hours in the future. The upper gardens above Summit Drive remain free to the public. Dogs are welcome on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Located at Grant Park the Ventura Botanical Gardens’ goals include encouraging visitors to strengthen their connection to nature. To find out more, visit www.VenturaBotanicalGardens.com and Facebook.

The Ventura Botanical Gardens (VBG) is located at 567 S. Poli St. behind city hall. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to creating a botanical garden for the twenty-first century celebrating the Mediterranean climate regions. The setting is a world-class site with spectacular 180-degree views of the California coast and the Channel Islands. VBG will continue to create new outdoor opportunities including for training, research, and educational programs ranging from horticulture and botany to sustainability.

Large NIH-funded study examined outcomes in United States and Australia

In a large clinical trial to determine the risks and benefits of daily low-dose aspirin in healthy older adults without previous cardiovascular events, aspirin did not prolong healthy, independent living (life free of dementia or persistent physical disability). Risk of dying from a range of causes, including cancer and heart disease, varied and will require further analysis and additional follow-up of study participants. These initial findings from the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) trial, partially supported by the National Institutes of Health, were published online on September 16, 2018 in three papers in The New England Journal of Medicine.